Re: Purging my China cabinet

drizzellla · ‎03-14-2010

When my parents died (2004) I had looked into Replacements. I had 2 sets of silverware. I was quoted about $1 for each piece of silverware.

Have not checked prices recently but I often wonder if I would get better price just having the silver melted by the "Silver Buyers".

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@IamMrsG wrote:
@chihuahuamom i just read an article about this very subject at https://finance.yahoo.com/news/goodwill-overrun-stuff-millennials-gen-151400853.html. Seems folks in our age group are paying up to thousands of dollars to have our old treasures (that our young adult children don't want) hauled away.

@IamMrsG I don't understand why anyone would pay to donate items. I did a lot of searching online and found an organization that benefits veterans and they took away the tons of items I had. I was told if they couldn't use anything, they know where to recycle it. Other places won't pick up or won't pick up anything unless there is furniture. I would think also women's shelters could use clothes. We once donated cell phones to a place like that as we were upgrading. We donated our old but in good condition station wagon twenty years ago to a boy's club organization.

There are places but one has to research. There is another organization that picks up whatever is left outside, every three or so months. I wasn't sure about this, but I am going to use it the next time as it is convenient and they will take anything.

Books are not easy to donate, but DAV, veterans organization, picked them up also, and even a lawnmower since we don't have lawn due to all of the draughts and gophers.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@chihuahuamom wrote:
I am trying to purge throughout my house, and it is an almost impossible task. To keep from getting discouraged, I am trying to go through one room at a time, and today was the dining room. I have my own set of china (not a full set), plus I have my mother's full set of china, plus a lot of little tea sets (little saucers and cups) and crystal plates and silverplated platters, etc. Plus flatware and a few sterling utensils. I have been searching a lot online so see if any of this is worth anything. Hard to tell and is it worth it to try and sell it or just give it to Goodwill?. So much of it is very nice (and the tarnished ones could be brought to shiny), but at 66 years of age, I will not be using them and haven't in the 40 something years I have had them. I can't see my children wanting any of this stuff. What do you do? BTW, I have probably used my own china maybe five times in 42 years of marriage, so it's doubtfull I will even use it again (I'm a widow). Any of you in this situation and what did you do? Thanks.

@chihuahuamom I did this last week. It was full of my Mother's, Grandmother's and great Grandmother's dishes. I am donating everything but the pieces my Mother painted and the tea cups and saucers, and a few other pieces, grew up with these so can't part with them, though DD will have no use for them.

I filled the cabinet with my dishes which were in a closet, now I have more storage space in the closet.

vermint · ‎04-05-2010

@TheMemphisVette wrote:
formal is gone?

young do not want it.

mature is not using it.

maybe we need to rethink it. maybe we do not have grand tables set for life events anymore. maybe the fru fru of formal may be gone. but, why not enjoy it as normal used stuff?

i use my best stuff daily. just normal daily use. for example., my daily use glassware is waterford, daily use dinnerware is noritake china. And at my mountain cabin, my huge collection of old brown drip is my everyday use when i am there.

i am not considering anything 'good' and put up for some reason.

@TheMemphisVette Good for you, using your nicer things daily! I have my mother's service for 12 of Noritake china from 1953, would like to use it for every day...but it's not dishwasher safe. That's a deal breaker for me! I never had silver or crystal, so that's not a problem.

Daysdee · ‎03-09-2010

I'm in the same situation as original poster. Have my wedding China--full set with sets of various crystal wine glasses. A widow also and don't entertain. Probably used my China 5 or 6 times in 40+ years of marriage. Yesterday I saw an article online that Goodwill is getting high volumes of "stuff" that people have saved and their kids have no interest in taking the items. Right now I have a few boxes of various things--a good friend is having a yard sale and I'm letting her try to sell it and she can keep the proceeds. What she can't sell, I will donate. Now that I've sorted the items, they can go. Today I did old Christmas ornaments. That was a hard one because we collected them for many years. I still do a tree (or 2) but use plain ornaments and it would be just too hard to decorate with the ones that are old with so many memories. I'm keeping a few, but most are going. Another way to rid yourself of items is to check on Freecycle in your area. Free to post what you have to give away. They way I do it, is when someone indicates an interest and when they can pick up an item I then give them the address and say the item will be on my porch or by side yard. They never have to enter my house and I have no contact with the recepient except for e-mail. It has worked well for me. Amazing--people take anything.

Daysdee · ‎03-09-2010

This is a sad thread. Many of us looked forward to getting China, etc. and like in my case I really could have done without it. I know my kids won't want it. I'm not quite ready to part with it, but I hope to do it before my kids have to do it. Also, like another poster said, I need to make some notations about my jewelry. Some pieces they will have no idea of the type of stones, possible value, etc.

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

I put all my baking & craft things on "free cycle" about 3 years ago. I had a school teacher contact me. I gave her lots of stuff - she gave me her phone #.

A teacher is indispensable in my eyes and we buy a $100 gift card to Office Mac from our card group every start of school year. We always get a nice ty note & Ive had the pleasure of reading to her 1st grade class!!! They are all so cute!!!

There are so many people out there in need. I am now donating clothing, household, gently used linens, and other things (holiday decor will be next) to a woman's/young girls shelter & that helps them get "back on their feet" and many have young children. This organization helps train them for jobs, get housing, etc. and is always in need of any "gently used" items.

I'm happy to how many charities are in our area. I heard Habitat and thrift shops right now are not accepting donations (other than ca$h) because the warehouses are full!

I cant do freecycle here but it's a great thing!

Junker2327 · ‎03-11-2010

I am currently going through this process also. My problem is my clothes. Everything is expensive and in top notch shape. All of it is all classic and never goes out of style. I am retired and I can sort and get rid of all kinds of things but when it comes to my clothes, I don't know where to begin. I just cant seem to get rid of them.

Beckyblu

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

I wish I'd known a lot of this about 25 years ago! DH and I were married young (we were blessed with our children a little later). We had nothing. We saved and saved to buy one piece at a time of the china we had selected, and family members would give us pieces for holidays and birthdays. I loved it and proudly displayed it. I used it on special occasions.

A few years after we completed our set we were inundated with inherited pieces. I ended up with both grandmothers' sets of china, and later my own mother's. We have family china everywhere! I use my one grandmother's Fiestaware all of the time. In addition I have my aunt's wedding crystal (she had no childen), and my great-aunt and great-uncle's pieces (they also had no children). My only brother died young, so I got EVERYTHING!

When I think of the money we could have saved, I feel like crying. I've seldom used my own china. I tend to use one of my grandmother's sets for holidays and special occasions. I also use a set my mom had that came from England.

My children are not completely on their own yet, and I hope someday they will take some. Who knows?

My china cabinet that has displayed my china and some pieces from Japan for so many years is now also filled with my children's handmade gifts from when they were little, and other breakable things people have given me. I need to reorganize it. I'll take the Scarlett O'Hara approach: I'm not going to think about that now; I'll think about it later!

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

@Daysdee wrote:
This is a sad thread. Many of us looked forward to getting China, etc. and like in my case I really could have done without it. I know my kids won't want it. I'm not quite ready to part with it, but I hope to do it before my kids have to do it. Also, like another poster said, I need to make some notations about my jewelry. Some pieces they will have no idea of the type of stones, possible value, etc.

@Daysdee

everyone here has the same issues - I keep thinking my kids will come & say "don't give that away I want it" in my dreams! My kids are not the only ones I have. 25 cousins but sadly they are doing the same things.

My valuables are all categorized & photograhed in a album sealed for them. My good pieces are in safe deposit box along with all the important things they need. My portfolio has all. Info of investments who to talk to, funeral arrangements & anything else of "true" importance.

The rest is just stuff. I have directed the house be sold do maybe they'll get lucky & find a buyer like who fell in love with it & was sold with the furnishings!