One of my goals this year has been to cut down on the clutter in our home and try to limit the amount of new stuff we purchase. We have been in our home for almost 6 years and we are at the point where there are some dark piles of stuff in the basement that haven’t seen the light of day since we moved in. Slowly we are attacking these piles and making the hard decision to give away some of these possessions.
The hardest thing to part with are those family items handed down from grandparents. I’m a bit sentimental and find it hard to say no when they offer things. I have one set of china from my grandmother that passed away this year and although I haven’t opened the box in this home, I’m still hoping to find a place to use it in my next home. You have to make the choice whether you want to sacrifice some storage space for these items taking up room in your home and your heart.
My other grandmother recently moved and offered up lots of items in her home to her many children and grandchildren. I was very selective and happily accepted her crystal glassware. I chose my own crystal glassware for my wedding registry specifically because it reminded me of my grandmother’s. Now I get to add some of hers to my own collection.
The glasses above are the latest find from my grandmother. They match another set of glasses I already collect which reminds me of Gloucester, also known as home. I clearly have a soft spot for anything nautical. Plus they bring back memories of my grandparents entertaining at their summer cottage. It will be really cool to use these glasses for the next 20 years and know they have served so many friends and family.
When you have the chance to get these hand me downs, it’s so much easier to say yes when you know it’s something you treasure. If it’s just more stuff, pass it along to someone else that can put it to good use. No sense trying to be green and salvage something if it’s just going to create more stress in your storage world. Know when to say no, and know when to hold on to something that warms your heart.
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Great article. I often run into the problem of keeping things for sentimental reasons despite the fact that they're in a box somewhere and I'm not using them. Over time, I have come to the conclusion that I am not really honoring these things, the memories they hold, or the person they came from by keeping them in a dusty box somewhere. I now think of giving them away as a way of giving them new life elsewhere, where they can be used and appreciated as intended.
My husband would love you! He always wants me to get rid of something before I buy something new, but I love Homegoods and find such great stuff.