Donating Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Oakridge residence and not find Hummels, Cookie Jars or a Pooh collection.

Oakridge baby-boomers loved collecting stuff.  The trend today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Art, Trading Cards or Winnie the Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Bear Collectibles

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collection online.  Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating attractive listing descriptions, locating 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.  Great Aunt 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.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Collection

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

You could donate any plush to a Oakridge 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 Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Items 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 accept 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 Oakridge  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 collection as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 items.  You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Oakridge to Wisconsin. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com