Elder-caregivers

Bmoboy

(414 posts) Tue Feb 16, 2021, 12:59 PM Feb 2021

My stuff ain't all that

Two retired folks going through the accumulation of the years find that none of our stuff is worth much.

The two sets of china my parents gave us are nice dishes but nothing special.

I used to think my parents went nuts when they started to make some real money in their fifties. Turns out my mom just picked out something she liked from the middle class housewife collection. Cool.

Tons of sheet music - my mother in law taught piano.

Books, lotsa books.

Pictures from my elementary school days.

We own our house, so we got that going for us.

No stocks, no sports cars, no gold, no rare jewels.

And my wife, both sons, their wives, their kids all healthy.

We win.

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

My stuff ain't all that (Original Post) Bmoboy Feb 2021 OP

I had a 3500 sq ft house of stuff. Antiques, china, crystal. When I made my move, I tried to sell LizBeth Feb 2021 #1

I've been recent witness to a couple of deaths PoindexterOglethorpe Feb 2021 #2

I am using my grandmother's hundred year old China every day and even for the cats Walleye Feb 2021 #3

Nice. More people should be doing that. PoindexterOglethorpe Feb 2021 #5

I started using my "good stuff." Why keep saving it for special occasions? Irish_Dem Feb 2021 #7

Whatever were we thinking Ohiogal Feb 2021 #6

I am very glad I got nice china when I got married, PoindexterOglethorpe Feb 2021 #8

We use our stuff UpInArms Feb 2021 #4

I'm a record collector. Thousands of LP vinyl records. A few have modest value. The rest...? Midnight Writer Feb 2021 #9

LizBeth

(10,892 posts)

1. I had a 3500 sq ft house of stuff. Antiques, china, crystal. When I made my move, I tried to sell

Reply to Bmoboy (Original post)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 01:02 PM

Feb 2021

a lot of stuff. No one wanted it and it was nice stuff. But just stuff. Kids didn't want it either. I sent it all to goodwill.

It feels so good not having stuff. And I got rid of tons. And even with so little now, I see I can unclutter even more. It feels very good.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(26,840 posts)

2. I've been recent witness to a couple of deaths

Reply to Bmoboy (Original post)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 01:11 PM

Feb 2021

and the need to get rid of stuff. I'm currently getting rid of as much of my excess as I can, to save someone else the hassle.

A few years ago I decided I would start using my wedding china as my every day dishes. I have no one to leave it to and I may as well enjoy it while I can.

Walleye

(36,390 posts)

3. I am using my grandmother's hundred year old China every day and even for the cats

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Reply #2)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 01:15 PM

Feb 2021

It’s very nice,it’s beautiful I see no reason to leave it in the closet. I have nobody to leave it to

PoindexterOglethorpe

(26,840 posts)

5. Nice. More people should be doing that.

Reply to Walleye (Reply #3)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 01:19 PM

Feb 2021

Irish_Dem

(59,687 posts)

7. I started using my "good stuff." Why keep saving it for special occasions?

Reply to Walleye (Reply #3)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 01:30 PM

Feb 2021

I have some bone china I use all the time now.

Ohiogal

(35,159 posts)

6. Whatever were we thinking

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Reply #2)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 01:20 PM

Feb 2021

Back in the 70s and 80s that we needed “fine China”? I think I’ve used mine once a year since I’ve been married (35 years this May). Can’t put it in the dishwasher so it’s a pain to wash dishes for 10 on a holiday. I have three grown sons who I know won’t care about it at all. It was a dumb thing to buy. We sure could have spent the $ on something we needed more.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(26,840 posts)

8. I am very glad I got nice china when I got married,

Reply to Ohiogal (Reply #6)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 01:39 PM

Feb 2021

some 40 years ago now. It was used several times a year and is dishwasher safe. Some fifteen years ago my marriage came to an end and I brought the china with me when I relocated partway across the country. And several years ago I promoted the good china to being my every day dishes. So glad I did.

UpInArms

(51,903 posts)

4. We use our stuff

Reply to Bmoboy (Original post)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 01:17 PM

Feb 2021

Because, if we are not good enough to use it, why save it for good?

Midnight Writer

(23,126 posts)

9. I'm a record collector. Thousands of LP vinyl records. A few have modest value. The rest...?

Reply to Bmoboy (Original post)

Tue Feb 16, 2021, 02:25 PM

Feb 2021

The other thing is books. I ran out of shelf space years ago, so I started putting them in boxes.

Now I've got boxes of books stacked up throughout the house.

I know I'll never listen to most of these records again, I will never go back to read all these books again, but I am loathe to let them go.

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