Notwendy

My father refinishes wood furniture and restores antiques. You wouldn’t believe the handcrafted, heirloom quality pieces he’s been asked to toss, as families close out estates, or having had him write up an estimate for insurance replacement purposes, took the money instead and bought new stuff that won’t last 5 years let alone decades.

Needless to say, I grew up with very fine furniture! : ) However, I prefer second hand or ikea furnishings - we’d rather enjoy the company of our cats than worry about antiques. My little sister can have the fine furniture when my father passes. That said, it is sad to see beautiful, treasured furniture, fine china, etc going for $25 at an auction. Use it and enjoy it. If a piece gets scratched or a plate broken, at least it wasn’t squirreled away and then tossed by someone that doesn’t care.

cjsews

My folks bought quality items. Not top of the line but not cheap either. More cost effective to spend well once than spend less several times. We did use what we had. The better stuff was used for special meals. Which were made more often than just holidays Now I have Corell but use paper more often.

Aurora

When I was young, I frequently had to wear the same things to school a couple of times a week. As an adult, I have the good china, crystal, and silver and I use all three frequently because I enjoy and deserve it.

Chasing Hawk

My siblings and I had different sets of clothing also. Play clothes were often hand made by Mom especially the shirts. Our school clothes were a mixture of new store bought things like jeans, undershirts, undies and socks and a few shirts and blouses, dresses and skirts. Church clothes were just taken out of the school clothes. We each had 3 pairs of shoes
school shoes, sneakers for play and another pair of sneakers for school.

Mom made a lot of my dresses and skirts though out my school years. She made a few dress slack and blazer outfits for me too.

One thing that was consistent in our house......When we stepped out of the house we had to be clean, no stains on our clothes and our hair had to be combed or brushed. Our play clothes didn't even look like play clothes, one of my friend's mom said once, we were to clean.....LOL

My Mom took pride in that and we passed that one to our kids to this day.

JanieH

I was straightening dresser drawers one day and came to the drawer full of new night shirts (I like the big, over-sized t-shirt style ones). I looked down at the one I was wearing and it had several holes in it. I took it off and put on one of the beautiful ones. I felt so good when I cut the "holey" one up for rags. I decided I was good enough to deserve to use the good stuff. Needless to say, I am having so much fun using it all!

Rose_P

My mom's china is good enough to use to fill up the china cabinet and admire from afar. LOL. Other than things under glass like that, everything we have is good enough to use with pets and grandchildren in the house. I have always embraced the "Secondhand Rose" idea, starting with a very old handmade dollhouse that my dad found for me at a yard sale when I was 7. Recycling is good for the planet, and I just enjoy the serendipity quality of browsing garage and estate sales and resale and antiques shops. Frequently great things turn up there that seem to have a sad story behind them of having spent a long, quiet existence hidden away where someone was saving them for a special occasion that never came. I just have to hope that whoever it was got the treasures out and enjoyed petting them now and then.

tranum

I’m wearing Mom and Grandma’s good jewelry for everyday, if I feel like it. My girls are not jewelry people so no point in handing it to them.

Onebyone

I asked my kids what they specifically wanted from my house for theirs. Their selections were surprising. One wanted a bowl that she said I always gave her soup in when she was sick. One chose a set of ceramic roosters that always had a place in my kitchen. I want them to have what they want of mine and not have to decide when the time comes and it will be overwhelming. I have daughters not sons so it is easy to hand them over and not have to wonder if a DIL really wants them.

SusieQOH

Last time we were at one of our son and dil's house I was cleaning the kitchen and noticed he had some of his childhood cups, silverware, and a dish. I was so touched that he wanted those things. I used to send away for things for my kids like engraved spoons from Cheerios or something like that. I got such a kick out of seeing them in his home

cashs_mom

My grandmother was the same. When she died and my dad cleaned out her house, he found gifts we'd sent her still in the box with the card. Never used. She did beautiful handwork and he found stacks of hand appliqued and embroidered sheets and pillowcases that had never been used and said the sheets on her bed were awful. He brought them all home, gave them to my mother and said "For God's sake use them." I've always done that.