It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Barelas house and not find Precious Moments, Snowglobes or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Barelas baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff. The inclination today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Trading Cards or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating attractive listing descriptions, figuring out postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Grandmother may have paid $100 for an item but the online going rate is only $2.79. You need to ask yourself the question “is my time worth just a few dollars”? Online selling can take plenty of time.
You can give it to a place like a Barelas thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s treasured collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Barelas children’s place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Grandmother really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Collection.
My answer is yes! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Barelas collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their items becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale. I let them know I will showcase their donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Collectibles I think it makes people feel better which I am happy for. Letting go of “things” can be hard for a collector and owners and even sometimes for family members. As much as we don’t want to be labeled as “materialistic” – things we buy and collect can have sentimental attachments and it’s those feelings that we are attached to probably more than the items. People remember where they were when they purchased an item, who they were with or even where in their life cycle they were. They don’t want those memories to vanish with the items. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Barelas to WI.
If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633