Things kept for ever but never used.

I'm afraid not. I downsizes three years ago and was ruthless then. I've just gone through cupboards and wardrobes and been ruthless again. The only thing I haven't used for a while is a food processor and I've offered it to my daughter!

A pasta machine it’s never been taken out of its box twenty five given to us 25 years ago as a present. I bought a mincer attachment for my Kitchen Aid more than 20 years ago thats never been out of its box either.

If Ihaven't used something for a whole year it gets taken to the charity shop,no point in filling your cupboards with stuff for your children to clear out.
We just emptied MIL's house,attic and a garage that was full to the brim with things she hadn't used but didn't want to get rid of "just in case I need them" .Sadly my SIL has the same mindset so she took boxes and boxes of things she's very unlikely to use and she'll squeeze them into her already bulging at the seams house.She was most upset when I refused to take toys that my children played with in the 70's and 80's.If its still usable give it to someone who WILL use it

Oh yes, stuff in my loft, I’m rather sentimental, but realise it needs to be sorted, otherwise it’ll be left for my children to sort, and that’s no fun, is it?

I am the world's worst for this. If I am given nice things, I invariably keep them 'for best' - then end up never using. We were given a beautiful Royal Doulton dinner service as a wedding present - in 1984 - and it's still in the crate in our attic, never seen the light of day.

I’ve just looked up an online valuation service, supposedly by experts from Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

Tempted to try it. I think the spoons are def. solid silver and they do look old. There are tiny hallmarks on the back but of course I’m clueless about those.

There are plenty of things I’d pass to charity shops but even if these are only worth their weight in silver, I’d rather the cash eventually went to dds.
Has anyone used an online valuation service?

Here’s a pic of them:

They are beautiful Witzend and in my opinion (from years of watching Antiques Roadshow, Flog It etc) if, as you say they are silver, worth quite a bit. Definitely get them valued and then put them up for auction. Do let us know the outcome, please.

Witzend
They are lovely !

Witzend

Here’s a pic of them:

Definitely take them for a valuation

We have had some of our silver valued and it is to be auctioned off - a bit disappointing the valuation. Your spoons look exquisite Witzend. I had a job persuading DH to part with them his silver, although, a lot of the contents are mine.
We have a loft filled with stuff he does not want to be rid of. He wont even part with books that he had read. He wont part with videos or video player though we haven't used them for at leat 6 years. I hope he 'goes' first and I can have a massive clearout to save our DDs the horrendous task.

The original box is as important as the item.

Witzend

Here’s a pic of them:

Have a look to see if you can see similar silver spoons on eBay. If you have the original box they came in they will be worth more but silver is not fetching a lot of money these days. They don’t look like English spoons to me so would be worth less money. Check the hall marks to see if they were made in England. You can do that on line.

Gwenisgreat my husband is the same won’t get rid of anything drives me mad. Have told him on many occasions if he goes before me I am getting a big skip

Redhead56

The original box is as important as the item.

It’s not an original box - from the look of them they’re pretty old - just the small cardboard gift box they were given in - in 1964!

My house is full of other relatives stuff which husband can’t part with! We have loads of books, brown furniture and goodness knows what. Husband is a hoarder whereas I would like to be minimalist. I have no sentimental bone in my body for “stuff”. The only things which matter to me are my dogs everything else I wouldn’t miss!

You know, it's so strange. I have the devil of a job getting my husband to clear out/ part with anything. Although we did ruthlessly do the loft many years ago, which was just as well as we ended up needing our roof replaced later. Is this a common male trait? Before anyone jumps on me, it's just Ive noticed on these threads that it's mainly men who want to hold onto stuff forever.

Redhead56

Gwenisgreat my husband is the same won’t get rid of anything drives me mad. Have told him on many occasions if he goes before me I am getting a big skip

We have masses of books, and even though he’s a very slow reader*, dh keeps ordering more, usually fairly heavy non fiction.

*but he retains much more than I do. I gallop through fiction, but do take a few to the charity shop now and then. Trouble is, I feel bad if I don’t buy anything as well, so usually come out with at least one more.

I’ve told dds to just get a house clearance team in - once they’ve removed anything we know is worth more than a few £.
Hence the list I still need to make!

My husband is a hoarder too things he might use. He bought a sausage making machine over 10 years ago as he fancied homemade sausages. Yes - you guessed it - never used it, but won’t get rid of it just in case he wants to use it in the future! That’s just one example. He has so much stuff bought and stored in the same way.
On the theme of the silver, I found several silver bits belonging to my parents when they were alive when I was having a clear out a few weeks ago. After much deliberation I’ve sent them all to one of the online firms who take such things and then send the money. I finally decided that by the time I’d dragged it round a range of second hand/auction shops ( none local to us)
I’d probably have spent more than I would get from the online firm. I’ll let you know what they offer! Not expecting a fortune I must admit.

My late husband was always buying sheet music from specialist stalls and shops and so many tools ! I’m still trying to clear the paper work he kept for years . Unfortunately I too find it difficult to get rid of things , I have favourite books , my mother’s silver , old tablecloths and linen that was my maternal grandmother’s so over 100 years old, to list but a few all in drawers not used. My DS is totally ruthless but DD is like me so I expect it will all end up with her eventually.

I still have my father’s christening gown and robe - he was born in 1916. It’s all silk, with tiny pintucks and lace, and I think was probably hand made by my GM, or by her mother, who had been a lady’s maid when AFAIK good needlework skills were required for the job.

My mother had wanted to use it for us, but all four were too big and fat! IIRC because of infant mortality at the time, babies were christened rather younger (and smaller) in my DF’s day.

Someone once suggested the V&A, but I’ve never approached them.

I'm with the GNs posting here, who clear out unused stuff. Thankfully DH isn't a hoarder either. Over the years we've given away loads to charity shops (and have flagged-up to the shop, anything which might be of some real value). Truly we haven't missed a single item, and I'm glad to think that our DC won't have to clear out a lot when we're gone.

We don’t hoard either, apart from a bag of chargers MrJ insists on keeping. Our loft has very little in it and what’s left will be going this spring. The only things I’ve kept from my parents is a necklace I wear all the time, a couple of photo albums and a picture on the wall.
Two unwanted Christmas presents were given for a charity auction.

Luckily for me, I live in a bungalow with a dormer bedroom so don’t have a loft to store things in! I do however have three bedrooms with large wardrobes which are full of stuff! Including boxes full of my children’s Lego and Duplo, together will all the instructions, I’m keeping them for my grandchildren but it looks like it will be a long wait!

my children’s