Decluttering - breaking the habit of keeping things ‘for best’

If I pop in to the supermarket or go for coffee on Tuesday I shall look out for the Dress up Tuesday Gals especially for Chocolatelovinggran's wedding attire and Foxygloves lame` and tiara. I too shall try to do us proud.

I'm up for Dress Up Tuesday...I have mother of the bride/ groom outfits that would be perfect for a supermarket trip.

I do not have any china or household things that are "for best", but my clothes never seem to get worn.

I seem to live in the same few outfits, I look a wreck when in the house and wear older things out in the garden so anything "better" just sits in the wardrobe "just in case".

Absolutely ridiculous must do something about it and make some room.

I've asked myself that question many times, Joseann, and I can only think it was a generational thing, having lived through the war, rationing etc and having that 'keeping things for best' mentality. Both my daughter and niece remarked that they could only ever remember their granny wearing the same three or four things over and over again - and yet there were wardrobes full of unworn clothes.

My mum even had a ROOM she saved for best - the so called “front room”.

😄 My gran had a 'front' room too - all her best things were in there, including her china cabinet and the best suite. Everyone used the 'back' room where the TV was. There were usually quite a lot of us so children sat on the floor in front of the fire. Visitors rarely went in the front room though - most were family or close friends who joined us in the back room. We used to sneak in the front room to play with the things in the china cabinet when no one was looking 😄

Why do you think they never used them Blondiescot? As you say, quite sad.

We recently had to clear our my inlaws' house after they went into care and it was heartbreaking the amount of things they had which had never been used. Clothes still with the tags on them, a huge amount of bedding (including pure cotton sheets still in their wrapping, dated 1958!), perfumes unopened, jewellery which had never been worn. Lots of it had been given as birthday or xmas presents from family - yet never ever used. It was actually quite sad.

Yes we always use the best China etc then. I love dressing the table.

I do have a tea set that was my great grandmothers which is still totally in tact. It is beautiful, and I rarely use it. What enormous sugar bowls they used to have. I also have her silver teapot.

My best dinner and tea service is Royal Doulton.

I sound like Mrs Bucket😄😄😄

I do tend to keep things for best, but I try not to as certain things will very rarely get used and then it’s a waste. My mum was a great one for saving things for best and I think it’s become ingrained in me. My mum even had a ROOM she saved for best - the so called “front room”. Only used at Christmas and New Year, or if a special friend came for tea. When I think about it, it would’ve been another room to heat and my mum didn’t turn the radiator on in rooms that were not being used. She was very frugal - although she had to be as we didn’t have a lot of spare money.

Where table dressing goes, I do like having items that I bring out on high days and holidays. What they are has varied because DD and I used to rootle around at auctions and buy job lots of textiles that often included beautiful table linens, so stuff was always being sorted through changed/kept/sold, so I still have a table cloth, table napkins and a canteen of silverplate cutlery.

However, kitchen china is a Denbyware set I bought in a sale back in 1974. It is a brown and cream rustic pattern and, again, I have picked up odd extra bits in auctions and charity shops, but very little has broken, so I have no need to use my bone china dinner set in the kitchen. But part of the pleasure I get from my beautiful china is the fact that it is special and only comes out on special occasions.

It isn’t really stuff for best, rather what is suitable for my lifestyle. So I’ve dresses and outfits bought for special occasions, but would look utterly ridiculous walking the dog in them, gardening, or meeting friends for lunch etc. So there they hang, only coming out high days and holidays. Everything else I wear.

we have never had much to keep for best tbh but I am wearing more of my nicer dresses as I tend to buy a new one for occasions anyway

I have two best sets of china. The set I had as a wedding present and the teaset owned by my granny. My good China comes out at Christmas and then goes back in the cupboard.
I decided years ago to wear all my clothes and not keep anything for "Sunday best."

keepcalmandcavachon

Quotenandad Sat 05-Aug-23 13:39:10
Perhaps I need to smarten up even for the supermarket if I am going to get any wear out of some things, so if you see a shopper in gold lamé and chandelier earrings pushing a trolley, that might be me!

Let’s all do this! On a given date and time (soon) let’s dress up totally over the top and go shopping. What a great way to make a chore a bit more bearable.

I vote every Tuesday as 'Gransnet BestDay' lets wear it, spray it and flaunt it everyone!

I thought I said that!
My gold lamé and tiara!

Quotenandad Sat 05-Aug-23 13:39:10
Perhaps I need to smarten up even for the supermarket if I am going to get any wear out of some things, so if you see a shopper in gold lamé and chandelier earrings pushing a trolley, that might be me!

Let’s all do this! On a given date and time (soon) let’s dress up totally over the top and go shopping. What a great way to make a chore a bit more bearable.

I vote every Tuesday as 'Gransnet BestDay' lets wear it, spray it and flaunt it everyone!

Grantanow

My parents kept a Clarisse Cliff teaset for best. They never, ever used it and I think it got binned when my mother went into a care home.

Oops!
If it was genuine Clarice Cliff it might have covered the costs of the care home for a month or two!

My problem is feeling guilty if I don't wear something out before binning it. This very morning I overcame my guilt sufficiently to wear the new jacket I really want to wear.

My parents kept a Clarisse Cliff teaset for best. They never, ever used it and I think it got binned when my mother went into a care home.

I have started spraying myself liberally with my "best" perfume, even if my day will consist of no more than a trip to Aldi.

Reminds me of the time when DGS, then about 7, was staying with us and her parents were arriving on DSiL’s birthday. A proper birthday tea was planned and I said we would use the silver tea service and the best China to honour the occasion. “What’s best China?” I was asked.

Ha ha Norah! Great idea. Our grandchildren might like them too - but practically, of course they really need the enormous continental ones!

Maybe good in someone's play kitchen!

NotSpaghetti

I have moved all my napkins (except the ridiculous "cocktail" ones) into the kitchen.
I love deciding which one to have!
Lots to choose from.
Traditional white damask, wild coloured seersucker, smart linen (various colours) or strange cotton floral my mother made in the 60s!

We use 'ridiculous cocktail napkins' for small children, they love having their own, and we're using things I've no idea why we own.

A visit to a charity shop should stop us all keeping things for best! Beautiful things, obviously loved and cherished, but unused and just ‘got rid of’ when someone has died.

I cannot get out of the habit of keeping clothes for best. I open my wardrobe and there in the same place is where I reach out for everyday clothes feel comfortable and off I go. A collection of clothes hang in one space all for best. I have had tops and jumpers for over a year waiting for best.!! The problem is I am never anywhere to wear good clothes. Never do anything or go anywhere. I sometimes think it is an illness!!!!!!!!!

I grew up with the ‘there’s still a lot of wear in that’ mentality but my failure is not being able to resist a bargain and now I have far too much with a lot of wear left in it.
If I’ve bought make up, perfume, airspray etc that I really don’t like I won’t allow myself to just discard it. I have to use it to the bitter end. 🥴