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Post by *christine* on Jul 24, 2014 13:37:19 GMT
10 or 15 years ago, MIL was on an insane Beanie Baby kick. Driving all over New England to purchase them, hunt down specific varieties and saving them to sell later. Several moves later, we've now had half a basement of her stuff for over 10 years. One of her daughters has been up from Florida for a few weeks and has done a number on her tiny condo, cleaning out and organizing, and the stuff she has found has been incredible. She had over 30 pairs of white sandals...she continues to buy shoes all the time, yet she has issues with her feet and she only wears sneakers.
Anyway, when the sister was telling my DH about all the stuff she cleared out and asking where she could donate it, he said, why don't you go down to the basement and take all her freaking beanie babies. There are 4-6 rubbermaid totes full of them. I can't even imagine the money she spent on them back in the day.
Should we just drop them off at Goodwill/Salvation Army? Another thought we had was taking them to CFS and seeing if they wanted them for foster children. What a waste.
There are also totes full of Christmas decorations, she had a whole village of those Dept 56 houses. When she first brought all this stuff to our house, DH started going through the boxes and found all kinds of legal and bank paperwork - bank accounts for all the kids from back in the 1970s from banks that no longer existed!
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Post by sisterbdsq on Jul 24, 2014 13:40:31 GMT
Ronald McDonald House, Beanies for Baghdad (I think that's the name) or any Fire station.
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Post by jenjie on Jul 24, 2014 13:41:59 GMT
Beanie babies could also be donated to a place near you that participates in Operation Christmas Child.
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Post by Heidi on Jul 24, 2014 13:47:00 GMT
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Post by alibama on Jul 24, 2014 13:51:22 GMT
Donating them is a great thing.
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Post by christine58 on Jul 24, 2014 13:52:42 GMT
Police departments, Ronald McDonald house....
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eastcoastpea
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,252
Jun 27, 2014 13:05:28 GMT
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Post by eastcoastpea on Jul 24, 2014 14:53:11 GMT
Some of the groups around here that send care packages to the troops overseas send them and other small toys for the troops to give local children.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 2:31:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 14:57:34 GMT
Don't just drop them at Goodwill -- a lot of places won't take plush toys. I bet a children's charity or police/fire station would love them. Check first.
Or Ebay? Do they still sell at all? I haven't seen one in years.
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Post by iteach3rdgrade on Jul 24, 2014 15:00:10 GMT
Teachers at a school may want them. One of our teachers gives them to students each year as cubbie buddies. Her MIL had a similar stash. Kids love them.
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Post by NanaKate on Jul 24, 2014 15:10:21 GMT
Donate
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Post by lumo on Jul 24, 2014 15:13:08 GMT
The dance teacher at DD's school uses them to help the kids learn balance. Maybe somewhere like that?
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Post by robkaynel on Jul 24, 2014 15:15:10 GMT
My MIL worked at a Hallmark store when Beanie Babies were all the rage, so for every holiday each child got a minimum of 5. We cleared them out when we moved 9 yrs ago. I was able to sell them on eBay for a fraction of their costs in lots of 5 or more. Any that didn't sell were donated. If they are in good shape, I would say any of the donation options that others have provided are good options.
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Post by missmiss on Jul 24, 2014 15:15:40 GMT
Beanie Baby Top 5WOW after this if you have 4-5 containers of them I would be going through them and looking. You never know.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 2:31:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 15:17:00 GMT
Some of the groups around here that send care packages to the troops overseas send them and other small toys for the troops to give local children. LOVE this idea...you always see photos of our troops handing out toys and trinkets to local children where they are stationed. Beanie babies would be wonderful. |
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eastcoastpea
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,252
Jun 27, 2014 13:05:28 GMT
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Post by eastcoastpea on Jul 24, 2014 15:23:18 GMT
Some of the groups around here that send care packages to the troops overseas send them and other small toys for the troops to give local children. LOVE this idea...you always see photos of our troops handing out toys and trinkets to local children where they are stationed. Beanie babies would be wonderful. We found this out when we volunteered to help pack boxes one night. The good thing about them is they can be squished in the box so there is no wasted space either. I'm all for whatever helps our troops have better relationships with those around them. |
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Nicole in TX
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,951 
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Post by Nicole in TX on Jul 24, 2014 15:23:19 GMT
Operation Christmas Child suggests putting one in the boxes for each child. Right now they just have the processing center link up: Operation Christmas Child |
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Post by rumplesnat on Jul 24, 2014 15:31:19 GMT
Operation Christmas Child was my first thought as well. We volunteer every year at a major district packing party and Beanie Babies fit perfectly in the shoebox.
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knotlazy
Full Member
Posts: 275
Jun 26, 2014 18:00:51 GMT
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Post by knotlazy on Jul 24, 2014 15:32:02 GMT
My mom did the same thing, went all over the place looking for and buying beanie babies for my DD. She never played with them. I eventually gave all of them to my friend who works for the local police dept. The police keep small stuffed animals for the kids that CPS takes from bad situations.
However, I sell stuff on ebay and have sold a bunch of those Dept 56 Snow Village houses for a nice price. Some for much more than retail (if they are retired). These were all in original packaging tho. If you have time to ebay, you might want to check that out first.
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Post by *christine* on Jul 24, 2014 15:35:24 GMT
Thanks for all the good ideas. I will definitely go through them before trying to donate the majority of them. If there is anything worthwhile, maybe I can ebay it and split the proceeds among the college funds of all the grandkids.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 2:31:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 15:37:32 GMT
This will make some of you laugh. It's about all those that invested in beanie babies. beanie baby craze I thought it was pretty funny at least. I love sketch comedy.  |
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Gravity
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,233
Jun 27, 2014 0:29:55 GMT
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Post by Gravity on Jul 24, 2014 15:44:29 GMT
Please do not donate the toys to a charity unless they are from a smoke-free, pet-free, pest-free home. I worked in a pediatric unit of a county hospital many years ago. People would donate stuffed animals that smelled like smoke, covered in animal hair or smelled like animals, or full of roaches. We had to throw them all away, deodorize, and clean up the mess.
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Post by anxiousmom on Jul 24, 2014 15:47:25 GMT
Beanie Baby Top 5WOW after this if you have 4-5 containers of them I would be going through them and looking. You never know. Well poop. We had the lobster. No clue what happened to it. Although, we weren't savers, I had a kid that really loved on his stuffed animals and it was in no way good condition. |
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Post by *christine* on Jul 24, 2014 15:59:19 GMT
Please do not donate the toys to a charity unless they are from a smoke-free, pet-free, pest-free home. I worked in a pediatric unit of a county hospital many years ago. People would donate stuffed animals that smelled like smoke, covered in animal hair or smelled like animals, or full of roaches. We had to throw them all away, deodorize, and clean up the mess. Gravity - obviously if I get into the bins and they're gross at all I would never donate them. MIL did smoke, but these are all in original packaging and then in the rubbermaid totes. There could certainly be damage or they could just be nasty from being in my basement for all these years. We also have a dog, but he's never been in our basement. But yes, I would make sure they're acceptable for a child to play with before I ever donated them. I wouldn't just hand over the buckets to anyone before checking them all. |
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Post by ChicagoKTS on Jul 24, 2014 16:05:42 GMT
Another thought for donation is a local women's crisis center. Often women with children show-up with nothing except the clothes on their backs. It would be nice for the center to have a small toy to give to kids.
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Post by mama2three on Jul 24, 2014 16:10:17 GMT
Beanie babies could also be donated to a place near you that participates in Operation Christmas Child. This is what we have been doing with beanies and other small toys in like new condition |
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Post by mama2three on Jul 24, 2014 16:11:58 GMT
Another thought for donation is a local women's crisis center. Often women with children show-up with nothing except the clothes on their backs. It would be nice for the center to have a small toy to give to kids. Unfortunately, in our area, these crisis shelters will not take anything used, even it is like new, and they won't take stuffed animals ever. |
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Post by papersilly on Jul 24, 2014 16:52:32 GMT
so far I've commented on the other 2 hoarding threads and stated my in-laws were hoarders. no surprise, my MIL also collected beanie babies like a mad man. large ones, small ones, "limited edition" ones--you name it, she has it. they are all in many Rubbermaid totes filled to the brim. they haven't been touched in years yet no plans to get rid of them. BTW, she also collected those "Snow Babies" figurines. accckkk.
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Post by padresfan619 on Jul 24, 2014 16:55:42 GMT
This post is making me laugh. My high school guidance counselor had a full wall of BSA is babies in her office. She retired this year and a Facebook page was made to send her well wishes. I said something wondering how she was going to get all of those beanie babies home and she replied that she couldn't even pay somebody to take them!
I say donate them to a shelter or a Ronald McDonald house.
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Post by krc11 on Jul 24, 2014 17:05:09 GMT
I'm saving mine for my grandchildren. I have one tub. My daughter just took three of the bears last year. But seriously the suggestions are great because I've been thinking where I could take them.
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Post by flanz on Jul 24, 2014 17:11:14 GMT
Beanie Baby Top 5WOW after this if you have 4-5 containers of them I would be going through them and looking. You never know. We have given away almost every Beanie Baby my kids ever had. Def. had three of these at one point. Might be among the ones we still have in a tote somewhere. Never played with. Is this for real, do you think? |
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Time to get off the internet!
