So apparently, we own a few pieces of Waterford crystal and Haviland china.
I found these pieces tucked away in the china cabinet in our dining room–untouched, and unused, since the day we placed them in that cabinet eleven years ago. I also found a box of more crystal in the basement in a dust-covered box, tucked up on a ledge. These pieces were getting the same amount of use down in the basement as the ones in the dining room.
I’m not sure there is anything inherently wrong with having “fine china,” though I am not entirely sure these pieces of finery are adding any real value to our life.
Actually, I think I am entirely sure: that stuff isn’t adding anything to our quality of life.
But that didn’t stop me from carefully wrapping up each piece in newspaper and placing each one gently in a box.
There are lots of items that my family and I have debated the value of holding onto–everything from kids’ clothes and toys to furniture and linen towels. But with these items–the crystal and the china–I can’t help but thinking: of course we will hold onto these items; they are valuable!
And I’m well aware that the value of these items is of a very special species–one that really has nothing to do with my everyday life.
So what to do, what to do? Do I shed these items as a gesture of firm commitment to living simply? Or do I pack them away and send them off into storage for the next year… and maybe revisit their value at a later date?
I know the more rigorous path to travel, but for tonight the best I can do is continue wrapping items, and continue packing boxes.
So the Waterford and Haviland stays…but perhaps I can let go of that collection of Old Curiosity Shop china that I also found in down the basement in a dusty, untouched box!
365 Simplify 
You wouldn’t use it even though it’s valuable? Instead if giving or tucking away?
Well, they are just so fancy! I mean–cut crystal martini glasses (not that we drink martinis) and limoges porcelain (we have small children)? It’s a quandary: what to do with things of “value” that really have no use value in our daily life?
Yeah, I don’t know 🙂 wrap it and use them when the kids are older, perhaps 🙂
I’m of the mind that we have exited the time when we need two sets of dishes, the good and the Queen-is-coming good. If something is valuable and worth keeping, why not use it instead of your regular dishes? But then, I understand how hard it is to shed things like that because we have learned that if something is valuable, we should keep it, no matter how potentially useless it is.
You made me laugh out loud: “The Queen is coming–break out the limoges porcelain!” I really don’t see us ever using that stuff, but I also can’t quite bring myself to just give it away. For now, it will be wrapped up in newspaper and hiding in a box….
Perhaps you could realise that value? Sell them and use the money on an experience that is of value to you, or perhaps a pay it forward type exercise?
It’s not a bad idea–but not one that I’ve been able to put too much energy behind. Most of the stuff I’ve shed has been to donation centers–with the exception of my one attempt at a moving sale.