It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Reminderville house and not find Comic Books, Cookie Jars or a Pooh Bear collection.
Reminderville baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The craze today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member dies where do you go with their Stamps and Coins, Books or Pooh items?
You could try to sell the Pooh Items online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing attractive listing descriptions, locating 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. Mother may have paid $50 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 a lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Reminderville Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s beloved items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Reminderville kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mother 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 emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take 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 Reminderville collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collection 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 Bear Items 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 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or pair of socks but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Reminderville to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633