It seems like the love of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Ozaukee County place and not find Art, Vinyl Records or a Pooh Bear collection.
Ozaukee County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The craze today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member dies where do you go with their Art, Vinyl Records or Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out appealing 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. 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 a significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Ozaukee County 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 Ozaukee County 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 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 contacted 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 Ozaukee County 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 collection 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 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Ozaukee County to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633