It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become an activity of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Benet Lake home and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Trading Cards or a Pooh Bear collection.
Benet Lake baby-boomers took seriously collecting things. The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector relative dies what do you do with their Comic Books, Cookie Jars or Pooh Bear collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating inviting 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 $70 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 significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Benet Lake Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s beloved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Benet Lake kids place. However, many places only accept 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 emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Items.
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 Benet Lake collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collectibles becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale. I let them know I will showcase their donated collection 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 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Benet Lake to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633