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 Fairfield home and not find Comic Books, Cookie Jars or a Pooh collection.
Fairfield baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting items. The craze these days 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 Salt and Pepper Shakers, Vinyl Records or Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Items online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up inviting 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. Grandma may have paid $30 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.
You can give it to a place like a Fairfield Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s cherished collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Fairfield kids place. However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mom really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Many times I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear Items.
My answer is absolutely! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Fairfield 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 donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the Pooh 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Fairfield to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633