Decluttering | Family Keepsakes | Kitchens & Pantries | organizing family keepsakes
What To Do With That Old China Set That You Don’t Use
What to do With Old China Taking Up Too Much Storage Space In Your Kitchen.
Have you inherited a set of your mom’s china or an ancient set of china from your grandmother? Let me guess, you don’t use them? If so, you are not alone. Extra sets of dishes appear to be a commonality in many, many homes and nobody knows what to do with old china sets.
They may be meticulously packed away in protective dish covers or occupying the top shelves of our kitchen cabinets. We may find them crammed into a dining room hutch or tucked away in storage somewhere. Wherever Grandma’s or Mom’s china resides, they are often dusty, unused, and hogging up precious storage space in your kitchen, dining room or pantry. So, I ask you, why such madness? Why do we all keep one, sometimes two, extra sets of dishes in our homes and don’t use them? S
So What Should You do With the Old China Set You Got From Grandma or Mom?
The stories behind the extra sets of dishes are often the same. Perhaps they have been gifted to us by another loved one. Other times, these dishes are the ones asked for on a wedding registry. They are flawless and untouched because they are considered to be the “good dishes”…you know… just for dinner parties.
But then again, we don’t actually use them for dinner parties because it’s just easier to use paper plates. I have found that there are 3 main reasons why many of us possess multiple sets of unused dishes:
Guilt Stops You From Letting Go.
Maybe your inherited dishes are very pretty or maybe they’re not… either way, they came from your Grandma, whom you adored, so how could you possibly get rid of them? Furthermore, how can you use them every day when Grandma only used them for special occasions? What if they get chipped or broken?
They may even be passed down from a great-grandmother, making them an even more special family heirloom and that much harder to let go of. It is easy to feel guilty about these kinds of inherited keepsakes. But your loved one would not want you to keep the dishes solely out of guilt.
Bygone Traditions.
The second reason there are so many unused sets of china sitting around is that formal dinner parties are part of our parent’s and grandparents’ legacies, but they are no longer part of ours. Everyone had “the good china” accompanied by fancy silverware and they actually used them for most special occasions. But this is a tradition of bygone days that is merely hanging on… by our leftover sets of china.
These days most of us are much less elaborate when we entertain and keeping things simple to save time is more important today than it was in the past. Even during the holidays, our family tends to use paper plates. We may spend a little more on the fancy Christmas-themed ones, but we still stick with paper.
After all, who wants to spend all afternoon washing fancy china on Christmas Day instead of relaxing and visiting with family? Not me. These days we keep meal preparation and clean up much simpler than our ancestors did.
“I Should Probably Sell These Dishes.”
The third reason we keep the extra set of china around is in anticipation that they may be worth a lot of money. We figure that since these inherited dishes are antiques, they must be valuable.
The problem is that taking the time to find someone to assess their value, then taking more time to list, photograph, and sell them, becomes a barrier to getting rid of them. So, the unused dishes stay, and the years pass by and they serve no purpose in your home except to occupy space.
So Why Not Just Use The China?
If you love your mom’s set of china? Why not go ahead and use them every day and get rid of the ugly, mixed-matched, worn-out dishes you’re using now? Just because Mom only used them for formal entertainment doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. And, not using them at all because a piece may get broken does not really make sense. That’s not a lot different than buying an outfit and not wearing it because it may wear out someday.
If you want to ensure that you preserve Mom’s treasured china, take one place setting and put it in a keepsake box so that you will always have it. Then use the rest of the set and enjoy them, because life is short, and your mom will be tickled that they are getting used.
What to Do With Old China That You Don’t Really Like.
On the other hand, if you really don’t like the set of dishes you inherited, why keep them out of guilt? Your loved one would not want to put this burden on you. Is it not better to honor the dishes by letting them go to someone who will cherish and care for them just as your loved one did? They are not serving anyone collecting dust in storage. Again, you can keep one place setting to have as a permanent keepsake.
It is Okay To Let Them Go
If you happen to be keeping the dishes only to hand down to your child, talk with that child and be sure that he or she wants them in the first place. Many young people these days are less interested in these kinds of antiques. If your child is an adult and they do want them, pass them on now, you should not be required to store your adult child’s dishes for 10 years.
If your child does not want them, check with other family members to see if a sibling, cousin, or niece may appreciate having them. Just make sure they plan to use them – we don’t want them ending up in your sister’s basement collecting dust either.
Be Realistic About Entertaining.
Just because our mother and grandmother kept a “good” set of china complete with formal silverware, does not mean we need to do the same. Embrace today’s lifestyle only keep one set of dishes that you use regularly. When you entertain, do yourself a favor and let go of the fantasy of impressing others with elaborate and elegant dinner parties. It’s okay to forgo the fancy dinnerware and opt for paper instead. By keeping meals as simple as possible, you can welcome guests into your home more often with less stress.
Is Your Old China Set Valuable? Maybe…But Probably Not.
I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but most antique dishes are worth much less than most people would expect, even if they are beautiful and ancient. Do you really want to store presumably valuable dishes for 10 or 20 years just to eventually discover that they are worthless?
That said, some antique dishes can be valuable, so if you think you might have a valuable set of dishes on your hands, commit yourself to getting them assessed by a local antique dealer. But make it a priority to do it now, rather than putting the task off. Then you can decide if you want to sell them to the antique dealer or take them home and sell them online.
Be sure to consider whether or not the money you will make selling them on your own is worth your time. Oftentimes, all said and done, it’s not. More importantly, if this extra set of dishes is taking up a lot of space in your kitchen, and your kitchen has exceeded its clutter threshold, then you might want to just donate them to free up precious space.
If you happen to be an empty nester and are having trouble parting with more than just the China, check out my post: Empty Nest Decluttering Inspiration:15 Items You Can Finally Let Go Of.
About Laura
I am a Southern California turned small town, Midwest Mom. I am wife to Bruce and mom to my three girls.
Back when I first started my organizing journey in 2013, I had what I thought of as a dirty little secret. I have ADHD and although I am organized, and enjoy the process of sorting, and tidying. I knew that there were many others with ADHD who really struggled with staying organized. I had a case of imposter syndrome and mostly kept the fact that I had ADHD to myself. That is until I learned that there are other successful professional organizers who have also learned to compensate for their ADHD.
I eventually realized that my need for order and simplicity actually stems from having ADHD as a way to compensate for my short attention span. So my gifts and my challenges are all ironically tied together to create who I am, and I am able to relate to and help others as a result of this coping method that I have developed for myself.
I help women and moms with ADHD, but I also help those who struggle with clutter without having ADHD. Because simplicity and less clutter are always at the heart of staying organized, there is much overlap when it comes to finding solutions to clutter and disorganization.
I am dedicated to keeping my life as simple as possible and to helping others do the same by teaching them how to declutter their homes, simplify their lives, and manage their busy families better.
I have been helping others stay organized since 2013.
It is my deepest hope that you will find resources here that will bring you closer to living a simpler, more intentional, and more peaceful life.
If you are ready to get serious about decluttering your whole home and simplifying your life, get my book: LETTING GO & LIVING SLOW
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I love everything you’ve said. It’s all so true. I struggle to keep myself organized and it’s a daily battle. I get overwhelmed with paper work and it piles up. I just don’t know where to start and how to get rid of our. I used to be so good at juggling it all. I’ve found as I’ve aged, it’s harder.
Yes, it does get harder for sure…for everyone. That is because often those of us between the ages of 50 and 80 are often having to deal with so many more things than we had to when we were younger. Due to the fact that we often have inherited items from loved ones and have lots of things left over from raising our children. In addition to this, we have collected a lot of things as the years have gone by and we have lived in our homes for many years.
I say , bust them up and make a mosaic. Tile your patio, cover an old flower pot or a ugly piece of pottery.
Turn it into ART,
One step at a time. Assuming you get most things on paper –
Pay all bills the day they come in
Keep only paperwork that is needed for current income or future estate taxes. File these monthly.
Keep Current financial reports -file when they come in
These are all good ideas! I do them all, except for paying the bills when they come in.
I pay all my bills on one day, through the internet, and in full – no credit card isn’t paid in full. Just make a good place to put them – have a lovely box to place them in -, mark the payment day on your calendar – be sure to keep to that date.
I agree with you. I do pay my bills as they come in and then they are never paid late. Utility bills and my mortgage are on auto pay and that has helped me live stress free. However, I do keep each bill in a folder in case I have to dispute a charge, especially on my phone bill and or a credit card.
Me too!! It really sucks as you know this is not really who you are or is it? I just know it is me now!! ( swallowing hard!!)
All very sane, except: when you advocate the use of paper, you advocate the destruction of forests. Better to use, and push the use of, bamboo.
I inherited a set of Limoges from the late 1800s; we use it several times a year because of its beauty and meaning. We all take turns washing the dishes!
Thank you very much. I do have my grandmother’s and my mother’s dishes stored in a buffet. One item of interest is they have a fine rim of gold or silver which cannot be put in microwave ovens. Younger generations use microwave s. So they sit.
I have seen those types of dishes many times before. I understand your dilemma, and handwashing your daily dishes is too much work!
I have Val d’Or china which I use as my everyday indoor dishes. I keep a couple of pieces of Corelli for using in the microwave. I have been putting all my dishes through the dishwasher for years. I used to have a dishwasher with a fine china setting but not anymore. And my dishes are just fine
Something else to consider is the possibility of lead in the old dishes. I was surprised when I was testing something else and decided to run a test on my mother’s china and it came back positive. Now I can’t even take them to Goodwill.
Wow, that is something I have never considered. Thanks for sharing.
Most dishes, even those being produced today have lead! The amount varies, but it’s in everything. There is a website somewhere where you can look up your patterns for lead content. It’s in much of our glassware as well!
I inherited my g-aunt’s Lenox Westchester Cobalt china and sterling silver. The Woodrow Wilson state service, still in use at the White House, is based on the Lenox pattern. I love it- I live alone and love to set a pretty table, though I’ve never been comfortable entertaining. I’m very laid back – prefer to eat a grill cheese sandwich on the china. I’m 76 now, but during my early sixties, I got in to collecting lots of pretty dishes. I think because I was a kindergarten teacher and was skilled at creating attractive bulletin boards, I’ve just transferred that to decorating a tabletop. When not in use, I keep my dish sets in hat boxes around my home – a set for Thanksgiving, Christmas, winter days, St. Patrick’s, patriotic days, spring, summer, etc. Did I mention I collect beautiful table linens? I just love pretty things, though I have no children to pass them on to. My niece and nephew aren’t interested. Until my health forces me to downsize, I’m loving being surrounded by pretty things and using the china and silver everyday.
I love that you do all this Diane. I’ll bet your home is beautiful and would be a wonderful place to share a cup of tea or a cup of coffee with your beautiful China on a lovely linen table cloth.
I have my mother’s Apple Franciscan china and I use it every day. Like other comments on this feed, my daughter or grandchildren don’t want it but to me it’s very special, so until the good Lord calls me home, I’ll keep using it. I’m a healthy 83 year young lady and I plan on living a lot longer God willing. God bless you and keep doing what you love doing.
A daughter has suggested just taking a place setting and giving to each child, or granddaughters” to remember me. I hate the thought of breaking up a set of china. What is your thought.
I honestly think this is a great idea because others can enjoy the place settings rather than having them hidden away in a box somewhere.
I have a 12-place setting of SF rose pattern. Is there any interest in these dishes?
I have my mom’s desert rose
Dishes. Some to family but can’t afford to ship them. Maybe sell them. Best way not sure. Suggest would be great. J
I am a mosaic artist. I use China plates to create stunning one of a kind pieces. Several clients have commissioned me to use their family China in a sculpture that can be enjoyed every day. http://www.shellyhamill.com
Sounds great!!!
-The statement about gold and silver rimmed plates not being microwaveable is spot on. Try it and see the sparks fly.
-If you are afraid to use dishes for fear of breaking them, know that most dishes can be replaced by eBay or replacement websites. These sites can help you fill in missing pieces or give you an idea of how much your set is worth.
-I do pull out my dishes for Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. Hand washing them is not the end of the world. It does remind me of people from my past as I eat on their dishes.
-Final tip, never admire anyone’s china. They might zero in on you to give the dishes to. Ask me how I know.
You certainly hit on some good points but I do wish we could stop encouraging people to use paper plates, napkins etc. so many reasons…environmental, leaky, even the pretty…..ones are just so expensive.
Thank you for reading
I don’t use paper plates out of respect for the environment/climate. I don’t want to add to the landfill.
I entertain often using either set of good dishes
There are lovely conversations that happen over washing dishes!
I saved my mother in-law’s 3 sets of china, my own set collected as wedding gifts, my first set of everyday dishes, thinking that my 2 daughters would someday want to chose a set for their own. I also saved 3 complete sets of silverplate flatware with wooden chests for each of them. THEY DON’T WANT ANY OF IT!! I’m so disappointed. Now I am resolved to letting it all go. My husband and I are now 75 y/o. Downsizing is in our future. I don’t want my daughters to have to deal with disposing of it all after we’re gone. However, it is nice to occasionally have a small dinner party of 2-3 couples and be able to set a pretty table.
Thanks for sharing your story Donna! It’s frustrating that the younger generation does not have any interest in these things but it’s best to let it go and move on.
Go find your neighborhood’s Buy Nothing page on Facebook. Take a picture, post it with a description of what you want to give away, and wait for some nice person – or probably many nice people – say they would like them. Pick someone, arrange transfer, and voila! A family has new China they are thrilled to have! And it’s gone from your house!
Same with furniture, coats, boots, and almost anything else. I’m 75 and it’s been a wonderful find.
By the way, would you please use a typeface that isn’t so fine? It’s very hard to read .
There are a number of FB sites celebrating setting a fancy table and the members LOVE old dish sets. The more dishes the merrier and they mix and match patterns (sometimes 3-4 per place setting!) and glassware continuously. It certainly made me rethink how I use my china. Now I set my table just for fun, for decoration and collect sets as well. Many site members don’t do entire sets but just salad plates they can mix and match. Of course I am not of the Holiday Inn Hotel look for my decor either. To each their own.
I just wish you had actually suggested where/how to get rid of these things!
I have a lovely china set from my mother-in-law. Can you tell me where I could sell them?
I would not waste time trying to sell them because they are probably not worth much. I would either donate them or gift them to someone who will use them regularly.
I would either donate them or gift them to someone who will use them regularly.
I love a beautiful table with linens and cloth napkins! I also love keeping traditions alive and special occasions special. Why? Because it makes a difference from the day-to-day. I believe that we have drifted away from sharing family values because there are so few people who honor anything outside of sporting events. Don’t get me wrong I think athletics has its time and place but the Sabbath is NOT the time. I think dressy occasions are also important! So often when we have a celebration and go out for dinner, there is no dress code and people act the way they dress! Value s are gone! My girls don’t want my fancy heirlooms, a chat around the dining table, or the grandfather clock that belonged to my parents. My heart breaks when I remember my grandson hurrying into my mom’s house to wait for the clock to strike