Donating Your Mother’s Pooh Bear Collection

It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Proctorville residence and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cookie Jars or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Proctorville baby-boomers loved collecting things.  The tendency today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Hummels, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear collectibles?

Selling Pooh Collectibles

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing attractive listing descriptions, figuring out postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, handling returns on damaged items, etc. 

Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging.  Mom may have paid $60 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.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Items

You can give it to a place like a Proctorville Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s adored collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Proctorville kids place.  However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Great Aunt really took care of the plush and displayed them.  Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy. 

Donate Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Bear 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 Proctorville  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 donated items along with mine.  I consider their collectibles 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 relatives.  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 received 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or book but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating 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 collection when traveling from Proctorville to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com