Things kept for ever but never used.

I started having a really good clear out because we thought we were moving, now it’s off I am going to continue the decluttering. Anything that I don’t love, like or is necessary, is going. I am finding it very cathartic!
I am determined that my DCs won’t have the horrendous amounts of stuff that we cleared from my parents’ house - 150 London Life magazines mouldering under the stairs and brought from their previous house 60+ years ago anyone?
Umpteen used envelopes, bits of string, broken kettles, defunct irons.....
My DCs have been asked if there’s anything they’d like and taken them.

I don’t know about drinks trolleys, but my old Hostess trolley that had been used as a dumping ground for years, fetched £80 almost immediately on EBay!

Auntieflo that looks interesting, it's Art Deco isn't it?

The problem is that things we may think are lovely and could be worth something often go for very little at auction. Objects which many of us wouldn't give house room to often fetch quite a lot!

Beautiful china tea sets, dinner services, go very cheaply in charity shops and auctions.

Auntyflo, that would probably go for quite a reasonable amount. Look up drinks trolleys online.

I inherited my grandmother's tea service. To my knowledge it has only been used three times. It was brought out and used when my Dad and his two brothers were married. It is in the packing case, wrapped in the tissue paper my Granny wrapped it in when it was last put away.
I unwrapped a cup once, just to look at it then wrapped it up again.
It was originally one of my Granny and Grandad's wedding presents.
It's a genuine antique now.

I deal online in antiques and many of the items which people have bring much better prices if you sell them internationally. English hallmarked silver can bring good prices with American collectors because American silver was simply marked "sterling" and not dated.

Start drinking gin Auntieflo?

I wouldn't say I'm a hoarder but have loads of things that never get used, dinner services, tea sets, glasses to name just a few but they have sentimental attachment so that's why I keep them.

Maybe I am a hoarder but a very tidy and well organised one.

I have a 1930's chrome and glass drinks trolley, (just like this one, but without the items shown).
It was an engagement/ wedding present to my parents in 1933.
I love it, but have never used it. I have asked the children and grandchildren if they would like it. It would make a good gin trolley, but nobody seems to want it.
So it is still taking up space and doing nothing.

All ideas welcome ?

Witzend

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 think that any museum that has a costume collection would be delighted to accept it, Witzend. It sounds absolutely gorgeous.

I would like to be far more minimalist but DH is a hoarder. He has stuff like specialist tools for vehicles we haven't owned in decades.

I try to actually use things rather than keeping them for best. We use heirloom silver cutlery every day (I donated the stainless steel sets) and use sheets and pillowcases which my mother had stored for over 50 years.

Having moved three times in the last 8 years I have sorted and got rid of stuff each time so have only kept what I will use/need.

I’m hoping when I pop my clogs my girls wont have loads of stuff to sort out.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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

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.

The original box is as important as the item.