Family China Sets
Q. I have my mother’s and grandmother’s china sets and I’ve just inherited another set from my husband’s side. They’re beautiful and I don’t want to get rid of them, but they’re sitting in our basement taking up space! Do I need to get rid of them?
A. Usually, we’re very happy to say “YES! Get rid of things!” but this time, we’re going to say, it depends! First, we would suggest looking up the maker and checking their value. If it’s a full, undamaged set and it’s worth a lot of money, it might be worth selling if you know you’ll never use it yourself. Just remember to look at what sets are actually selling for, not what people are asking for them. Holding on to a valuable set as a future investment is risky; many pieces don’t appreciate over time and trends change. Plus, we’re pretty sure our ancestors would rather we have money now than a bunch of dishes that we’ll never touch!
Now, if the dishes aren’t valuable or you just want to keep them, then we say that’s fine, but take them out of their dusty boxes and use them! Many of us grew up in homes where the “fancy” things stayed tucked away, waiting for a nice enough moment to use. But things are made to be used and enjoyed! If these china sets have sat in boxes for decades, now is the time to take them out and use them as your regular dishes. Don’t make it such a big deal: put them in the dishwasher even if the patterns fade, let your kids use them even if they break one by mistake, put all your sets together and create a fun, mix and match boho feel. It’s better to enjoy them now than keep them in a basement where you won’t look at them for twenty years.
If you already have dishes you love, you can always use the china as decor instead. Create a beautiful wall display with plates, use teacups for candles, or turn bowls into herb planters. Use a teapot as a vase, or create a mosaic tabletop from broken pieces. You don’t have to keep the full set either. You can just keep a few special pieces (like the sugar bowl or creamer) for family gatherings. Or keep just a meaningful item, like a single plate, and display it with a framed photo of your loved one.
There are so many creative ways to use your family’s beloved china, just remember the key word is USE. Family heirlooms are not supposed to be passed down so they can sit in basements gathering dust for generations. Finding a way to use your china or passing them on to someone who will love them is the best way to honor your family members.
