Family Heirlooms That Our Children Don't Want - Page 4

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

In the process of still letting go. Things I keep, I know those behind can keep what they might want, but I'm getting rid of what I don't want now. Things like jewelry, I will give to females in family who might want it. If they don't, I won't be here to say it matters, and there's all kinds of places you can give your things to, so someone else might appreciate what you no longer want. Thrift stores are great.

No garage sales, we're too old for that. He just won't and I can't alone.

Hearts4Me · ‎03-10-2010

Thank you for posting this. I am going through the exact issue right now. I have 3 sons who have ZERO interest in anything I have. My middle son wants to help me get rid of everything now. I have china, Lladro figurines, sterling silver flatware, Lenox, Wedgwood, etc., etc. They don't care whatsoever, so I might as well assist in getting rid of it properly. (Their female partners don't care either).

PamfromCT · ‎05-22-2014

I may be in the minority, but I intend to use or just enjoy what treasures I have inherited or collected over a lifetime. I do believe in cleaning out “just stuff” that so many of us have collected over a lifetime. Easy to do when you have never moved and have lots of storage space.

Of course, items can be given away at any time or designated for their recipients. Whatever is left can be put up for sale. In our area “estate sales” are very common. Managed by professionals, and they seem to be very popular.

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

I have tried to get rid of items, one thing that i finally disposed of a few weeks ago, my late sons laptop, he had it all packed up,with all the items he thought he would need ,after his amputation ,on oct. 6th ,1998, but he suffered a emolisum, after leg was amputated, took off life support on the 11th, kept the case ,and items ,but not laptop,my it weight more than the ones today.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

cotton4me · ‎03-09-2010

I’ve always been a minimalist, so I never collected anything. When I got married in the 70’s people wanted to know my china pattern. I never chose one because I had no interest in that kind of thing. I felt like an odd duck at the time but would fit right in today.

I recently downsized from a large home to a small apartment. I think the process was probably easier for me than most people because I didn’t collect a lot of stuff. What we did have I gave away.

I have everything I need, feel happy and less encumbered. With all the downsizing behind me, hopefully my family won’t have to deal with much when I leave this earth.

bikerbabe · ‎03-09-2010

I know this is a sensitive and tough subject. I guess I don’t expect my family knick-knacks to have any value to someone else. It’s just “stuff”. I’ve even gotten rid of a lot of it myself realizing that some of it is just junk, no matter what it cost. 😂 I suppose the only items I would put in a different category are photo albums.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

When you get into that age group and don't have kids, it's kind of weird. Granted, I'm very glad I never had kids. I'm far too damaged and would have messed that up terribly. But I think about some of the things I have that I know somebody would love.

For me, it's mostly fine jewelry. Although I sold quite a bit of gold to a place in NY many years ago, I still have a lot of great gold, diamond, and gemstone jewelry. My favorite piece is a stunning Australian fire opal pendant set in 18k gold. I think I showed a, not too great, pic of it here recently. I would like to know ahead of time when I'm going to die so that maybe I can give this stuff away.

Sooner has dibs on my Le Creuset. I know that she would give it a very good home.

Other stuff, aside from those expensive kitchen items and all my fine jewelery items, I don't even think about little stuff. No photo albums or family heirloom type stuff.

I'd feel badly if there was, especially, heirloom type items that nobody wanted, if I did have family. if it weren't for the hassle, I'd start selling a bunch of my jewelry now but I don't think I could do it anymore. I did sell on ebay for quite a few years but once they stopped protecting the sellers at all, I was out. You can get ripped off, given neg feedback for no reason, and it's just too bad, so sad. I'm not going to play that game.

suzyQ3 · ‎03-09-2010

I can't speak for my husband, but I have chosen not to worry about all our krap (some very wonderful krap). If and when we move again, I'm sure we'll get rid of some stuff. We did that when we moved here into a much larger house.

But then like idiots, we sort of filled this place up. In the end, when I'm not around anymore, I really don't care if my daughter and family want to just get rid of it all. Their choice.

~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

My in-laws just recently moved into a fully furnished (independent) assisted living apartment, they're choice not to take any of their own furniture, so they had to get rid of everything but their clothes.

I would say that 99.9% of the household furnishings were taken away by 1800GotJunk because no one wanted any of it.

Their 3 granddaughters each took one or two knick-knacks, I took back the 4 cross stitched framed pieces I made for them and my sister-in-law took nothing.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

None of my family ever had real heirlooms, or even fine quality stuff.

As a little girl, my maternal grandmother used to say to me "someday this will be yours after I'm gone". When you're under 10, and hear that Mamaw's china cabinet and contents will be yours when she dies, it has a deep, sentimental meaning.

When you're 47 years old, Mamaw dies, and you bring half of her worldly possessions to your home to deal with, you realize you have NO connection to what she treasured. So the haul-off began, and I actually burned the china cabinet, a dresser, and her rocker. I kept her few pieces of china, added to it, and display it proudly in my custom made china cabinet. I kept her costume jewelry collection, her crocheted doilies, my Papaw's iron skillets and his desk. Mamaw's bibles are here by my chair, and I have Papaw's family bible.

My husband and I are dealing with our stuff now to hopefully make life easier for our girls.