Downsizing crockery?

Auntieflo and Gummie I sold some "sentimental" things in the 1990s and bought a couple of things I really loved. Maybe it won't raise as much as you'd hope but a beautiful shrub or a pretty vase is better than something you aren't interested in - and you can still "feel" that special connection. 💕

Our DD took some of ours and the rest we use. DD uses hers as well. I still have about six very big Pyrex dishes and lids that DM gave me about 20 years ago that I've used a number of time in the past but not for a few years now. I could do with getting rid of those really to make some cupboard space.

Fine china is very popular now for wedding receptions and there are many vintage tea rooms which have opened up using mismatched china.

I think brides-to-be look round charity shops to see what is available.

Just got rid od some of mine. I took it to the charity shop as none of my family wanted it.
I have just bought some ftom Dunwlm and haven't got any best

We still have the family round regularly for get-togethers, so we have 14 of everything plus spares, but we’ve no “best” as such, mainly just plain white pieces. I do have a lot of pretty, mismatched china and I do get it out if we have a family afternoon tea, which has been requested a couple of times, or if my reading group are here - they seem to like the novelty of it. So I can’t see me ever getting rid of it all, or at least not unless I get past wanting or being able to host.

Auntieflo

We have a tea set, in a box, in a cupboard. My mum gave DH some money, when we were engaged " to buy something".
We will have been married 63 years this year.
He bought the tea set. I don't ever remember using it!, and every now and again he will ask where is it?
It's too fussy for me, fine bone china, a bit reminiscent of Royal Albert.
(it's Royal 'something'!)
So I suppose it will stay there until the house contents are sorted and removed, after our demise.
Sad really but I much prefer plain white or one of our selection of favourite mugs.

Sell it. Someone might use it and enjoy it.

There is a company called China Search and I think they buy China so people can match things they have broken.

We have a tea set, in a box, in a cupboard. My mum gave DH some money, when we were engaged " to buy something".
We will have been married 63 years this year.
He bought the tea set. I don't ever remember using it!, and every now and again he will ask where is it?
It's too fussy for me, fine bone china, a bit reminiscent of Royal Albert.
(it's Royal 'something'!)
So I suppose it will stay there until the house contents are sorted and removed, after our demise.
Sad really but I much prefer plain white or one of our selection of favourite mugs.

Years ago I fell in love with a range of crockery called Jack’s Farm by Wood & Sons. It was quite expensive. Dinner plates were about £12 each then, casseroles around £25 and jugs about £15. It was white with a farm animal in the centre and various animals around the edge. I do like eating from mainly white plates. Over time I bought or had as presents soup bowls, cereal bowls, 3 sizes of plates, 3 sizes of jugs, casserole dishes, serving dishes, huge mixing/fruit bowl, toast rack etc.

We use it every day and I still love it. It is not made anymore and certain bits are now very collectable.

I have a few odd plates for use in microwave and loads of bone china mugs for hot drinks as, weirdly I don’t like the JF mugs. Can’t bear drinking out of chunky mugs.

Yes I agree start using these lovely pieces every day instead of them gathering dust in a cupboard. The same goes for clothes and jewellery don't keep them for best start to wear them more often and see what a boost it gives you.

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.

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.

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’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 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!

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 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.

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!

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.

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].

Yes!

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

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

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

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.

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!