Last week while out walking my dog, I ran into a neighbor. As usual, we started chatting, and 20 minutes later my dog had given up and laid down realizing the walk was on pause.
My neighbor had just returned from a trip to see her son, daughter-in-law, and grandbabies out in Utah. During her visit, she updated her family on some remodeling and upgrades at the family home in Austin. As a part of this process, she’d been required to relocate items around the house to make room for the contractors to do their thing.
By actually picking up and taking stock of items she hadn’t even thought about in years, and being an avid fan of Artifcts, she paused to think, “What is all this? Why am I holding onto it? What am I going to do with it next?”
She told her son she planned to donate the family china sets—yes, plural—and probably even old leaded crystal glasses and bowls that had fallen into disuse. “I know you don’t want my stuff. I read about it in the paper every day. I get it.”
Except, she was wrong.
Her daughter-in-law did not see it as sentimental clutter, as many her age tend to do. She instead chimed in, "Didn't one of the sets belong to Alex's great grandmother?“ It had, and her daughter-in-law said, "In that case, I want it. It’s family. Same goes for the crystal.”
Future Options for Your China Set
The irony, according to my neighbor, is that while her daughter-in-law may want her china and crystal, shipping it will be expensive, and it will almost certainly sit in their storage unit in Utah. They live in an adorable bungalow where there’s no space for china.
“I hope I can take it to them myself the next time I take a road trip out to see them. Somehow it makes her feel good to hold onto it. That’s fine by me as long as I don’t have to!”
If your china set has fallen into disuse, think carefully through your options:
Sell
We think that for you to make the best decision, you need all the facts. If you intend to sell your china, do not expect it to be a major money maker. Better to be okay with “something is better than nothing” even if we all know there are wild exceptions out there in the world, like these ceramic plates that sold for over $25,000 at auction.
A simple online search can give you an idea of what your set is selling for in the current market. Because of shipping costs, you’re likely constrained, but for some china (because of the designer, pattern, or quality) shipping may not a barrier. You might discover a single plate will sell for $85 or $3. Check around with sites like liveauctioneers.com, eBay, Etsy, and 1stDibs.
Some online marketplaces, such as Replacements.com, buy china to then sell it off piece by piece to people who are looking for replacements for their set. But read the fine print. Some sites make quotes pending receipt of the items, and then once they receive the items, they could reduce their offer. And the price a piece sells for is going to be substantially different from what they pay you. Know this and be okay letting it go.
Family and Friends
You really do have to ask!
Do not assume that no one wants it.
Ignore those news headlines.
You might have a friend, neighbor, or loved one with a desire for your china. But avoid attaching strings to that gift. If you give away your china, and they then turn around and break up the set, transform it, or eventually get rid of it, no harm, no foul!
Keep a Few Pieces
If you’re feeling sentimental or even guilty about letting go of something that was a part of so many family occasions or was originally expensive to purchase, holding onto a few pieces of the set might help you let go of the rest. Perhaps you keep only the tea cups, only the dessert plates, or a platter and/or serving bowl. That can sometimes be enough.
For others of you, you may decide that you need still less. A single cup can become a decoration on a shelf. Or you can use it bedside to float a candle or a single flower.
Donate
Donations can be difficult for china. They take up a lot of space and are naturally delicate. Call your local charities and thrift stores to see what they are interested in before you pack it up and haul it over.
Create
If you are the crafty type, we’ve seen creative options for smashing china and setting it into paver stones for gardens and pathways. Others carefully break, arrange, and 3D frame pieces for stunning and creative textual art.
Artifct That
You might decide you’re keeping your china, because you’re enjoying using it or simply looking at it. You might decide it’s out of here, tomorrow!
Either way, Artifct that to record its history, like our co-founder Heather did for the china set inherited from her mother-in-law.
Artifcting your china, or any piece of it that you are partial to, and sharing that Artifct can open up conversations you never expected. Sharing might also help you complete the “In the future” field in your Artifct.
Here are some tips for making future plans for your china:
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- If you want that china to “Stay in the family,” make sure they understand why through the story you provide in the Artifct.
- If you plan to sell it, great, choose “Sell,” and set a reminder for yourself and Artifcts will email you to help keep you on schedule.
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- If a loved one sees the Artifct and is in love with the china set, fabulous. You can indicate “Bequeath” and to whom.
- Selling it tomorrow? Mark, “Too late! Already gone. Enjoy the memory.” to save your loved ones from a frustrating scavenger hunt.
No matter your plans for your china, make them known to your loved ones, and prepare yourself to let it go to a new home.
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The first four days of our 12 Days of Artifcts challenge. Objects with stories, your stories!
