Donating Your Grandmother’s Pooh Collection

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Linton house and not find Art, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Linton baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff.  The trend these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Precious Moments, Cookie Jars or Pooh Bear items?

Selling Pooh Bear Collectibles

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles 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, handling returns on damaged items, etc. 

Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging.  Mother may have paid $40 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.

Donate Pooh Items

You can give it to a place like a Linton thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s well cared-for items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Linton children’s 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. 

Donate Your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh 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 Linton  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 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 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a stuffie or toy but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh 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 collection when traveling from Linton to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Bear Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com