Downsizing crockery?

I can’t remember the last time my good china came out; Christmas before last probably. No formal entertaining these days. The time mine gets downsized will be when I move out of here, either to a smaller house, or a pine box!

I actually use my good china daily, I honestly couldn't see the point of not enjoying it while I am still here!

I’ve already started and gave 2 enormous tea sets that belonged to my Mum to the charity shop.
I’m going to use my crystal glassware in the garden this summer - if it breaks, it breaks - the DDs have already said they don’t want it, or the huge canteen of Arthur Price cutlery!

I started using my 'best' china every day about 18 months ago. It suddenly struck me, 'what am I waiting for?'
Why keep it just for large gatherings. I'm enjoying mine for me now.

I don’t have best crockery, but I have lots of it, I like a mix and match look, and I’m constantly buying more bits and pieces, I will be sad when I’m forced to slim it down.
As for mugs, we have dozens, and still I buy more.

The DDs have said they want it.
But not just yet ..........
🤔

I've got a lot of crockery and glasses too from my parents house - as well as from when I got married. I don't need so many but I don't want to get rid of them - yet, so there they continue to sit in the cupboards

We had a good clear out last year but none of the crockery or glasses of which there's plenty, were got rid of. A lot has sentimental value for me and what doesn't, I like so wont be clearing any of it out anytime soon, if ever.

If we downsize I’ll probably be forced to get rid of some things, but both daughters will happily take it off my hands.
But like you Callistemon, not yet!

Safely wrapped in a cupboard is the teaser that my mother gave me. I have never used it but I’m not sure I can get rid of it! Apart from anything else it cost so much money!

Sara1954

If we downsize I’ll probably be forced to get rid of some things, but both daughters will happily take it off my hands.
But like you Callistemon, not yet!

I could pack it up and ship it to them.

There's some interesting looking china and pottery in the window of a local charity shop.
I daren't go in!

Callistemon
It’s the same with everything “don’t get rid of that, I might want it”
When? I can’t just keep everything

Yes!

When?
"Well, after ........ you know .............."

I made the distiction betweem those who have bought a house[you can have things just as well as me]. And those who are in rented.[didnt think it fair that they keep having to lug even more things around, house to house].

Gave most of my good china for charity almost 20 years ago. I vaguely miss it about once every three years. I do still have a smaller, cherished set, inherited from my great grandmother, which I know one of my sons wants when I die, although it’s getting a bit depleted as I use it regularly.

My sister has my mum’s best china in her attic; our mum’s been dead 20 years and it’s not once been used in that time, so I’ve no idea why she keeps it.

My best dinner service contained enough of everything for 12. Nowadays we only need enough for 6. I gave half of it to the British Heart Foundation when we moved and they made a nice sum out of it (plus Gift Aid). I still have too much china though!

I have a Royal Doulton dinner service which was given to us as a wedding present. We will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary this year and the dinner service has still never seen the light of day! It's still packed in the crate in which it was delivered.

We don’t have anything precious, just loads of Emma Bridgewater, and pretty things I can’t resist from Anthropology and different places.
We do have a massive twelve of everything, plus serving dishes for Christmas, which obviously only gets used once a year, and that’s only John Lewis.

I have a 12 person bone china dinner and tea service in the sideboard which has not been used for 20 years. It has a delicate chevron banding in gold dark red. It is beautiful but none of the family want it as it will not go in the dishwasher, gold leaf and the dinner plates are too big. What to do with it, who gives dinner parties for twelve these days?

I also have a cupboard full of lead crystal glasses. Offspring say the wine glasses ar too small, but we did not expect bucket sized servings in the sixties!

I’ve never had ‘best’ of anything in the kitchen, but when we had the kitchen refurbished from scratch just over three years ago was the time to have a clear out.
Anything that hadn’t been used for a couple of years was either sold or given away.
I apply this guidance to anything in the house, including clothes and shoes, it does, it helps de cluttering.

I know exactly how you feel. I’ve got stuff for special occasions’ still in the drawer recently had the kitchen done and have streamlined most of my stuff.

I moved to small bungalow and had to downsize everything including crockery. Quite frankly it was a relief to sort and get rid of things I don't use or won't ever use again. I still have pieces that I hang on to but I use them. Nothing is kept for best. What's the point in just keeping things stashed in a cupboard and not enjoying them.
Either give them to charity so that they can sell them and do good with the money, or sell them yourself and make a few bob.

Georgesgran we have used my parent's crystal and cut glassware for "everyday" since the 1990s when they died. Nearly nothing left of it now as we had a big family (at one point 5 teenagers) and I've always been "expressive" with my gestures.
... but, never having had a "canteen" of cutlery we have just bought a 12 piece place setting from Arthur Price and now don't know what to do with the massive box it came in!

We have moved some of our Rosenthal crockery into the kitchen, started using the chargers as serving plates for cheese, pizza etc and have decimated (with use) the Wedgewood cups/saucers and sideplates.

It may be a shame to have incomplete "sets" but they are SO lovely to use and what is the point of them being stuck in a cupboard?

My daughters have taken my grandmother's huge tea set (including two big teapots and a slops bowl!) and have apparently divided it between them.