What do you do with things you don't want but have to keep?

jdluvr06

My great grandmother gave FI and I a set of cut glass crystal bowls when we got engaged. We have no use for them and to be completely honest I hate them. Don't get me wrong I appreciate the thought and it was very sweet of her to get us anything but I really hate crystal. Anyway, they had their designated spot at the old house in the top of a cabinet. We spent this weekend unpacking and we have different ideas of where to put it in the new house. I think we should stick in the back of another cabinet in case my great grandma ask about them, so I can show here where they are. FI doesn't want to take up any cabinet space (which is stupid because we have way more space then we use to) so he wants to box it up and stick in the attic. What do you guys think?

phira

I'd box them and put them in the attic. Eventually, I'd get rid of them.

HisGirlFriday13

I'd donate them to the church's glass drive so someone can pitch dimes at them in the hopes of winning them.

But I don't believe in keeping shit because people gave it to me. I don't care who it is. I do not keep crap I cannot use.

SmileDamnit

I'm a big fan of purging house goods on a fairly regular basis and have the same attitude toward "stuff" as HisGirl, except I keep things that I love (even if I can't/don't necessarily use them). Doesn't sound like you use OR love the crystal so I vote donate it.

phira

HisGirlFriday13 said:

I'd donate them to the church's glass drive so someone can pitch dimes at them in the hopes of winning them. But I don't believe in keeping shit because people gave it to me. I don't care who it is. I do not keep crap I cannot use.

I'm the same way, but J is a hoarder. Currently, our system is that if we're not sure about keeping it, it goes into storage for a year. If he forgot we had it, we can usually get rid of it. I can't wait for spring cleaning next month; there's a LOT of stuff he's forgotten about in our closet.

HisGirlFriday13

Just to be clear, I DO keep things I can use OR that I love but can't use.

I just don't keep things I don't like and can't use.

I also keep things that DH inexplicably loves that serve no purpose, such as the OMG CALENDARS FROM 1967 THAT HAVE NO SENTIMENTAL MEANING.

But the two-foot-wide bowl DH's relative gave us? Donated.

phira

@HisGirlFriday13 We've got a big plastic tub thing from IKEA that J can use for sentimental stuff. Once it's full to the point where he can't close it, he has to go through everything. If he can't bring himself to toss anything, then we'll buy a new tub. I'm pretty sure there are calendars in it.

I finally got rid of my chemistry cocktail set (older version of THIS) which took up about a quarter of a cabinet shelf for two years. J is so surprised that we suddenly have more room for glassware in the cabinets. It was a gift from my old coworkers, and something I'd wanted for a while, and I just NEVER used it. Ever. Not once. Part of it was quality (the shaker was incredibly cheap), and part of it was that I prefer my booze in a wine glass or straight from the bottle.

JCbride2015

I am so jealous that you have an attic! I have about five boxes of books in my dad's basement, and that is the limit for things that I can keep in storage. So, we have to be pretty ruthless about getting rid of things that we cannot use or do not love.

If the choice is between the cabinet and the attic, I would box it up in the attic but maybe take it out if you knew she was visiting.

jdluvr06

I guess we'll put it in the attic for now. My great grandma is the type to ask about something she gives you. Well... It depends on what it is but if it is something she thinks is necessary to have she will ask about it. She has periodically asked me about the bowls.

AlexisA01

Thrift store, yard sale, or my storage unit.

RebeccaB88

I would box them up and keep them in a spot in the attic where you can get one or two down just to have out when she comes over, and then put back.  And then...not to be morbid or anything, but I'd donate or sell them when she's no longer with you anymore.

afox007

I'm a hoarder so I would end up boxing it up an putting it in the attic. We have a storage space under our house that is filled with Rubbermaid containers of things I have no use for, but refuse to toss. I find some way to find sentimental attachment in everything.

KytchynWitche

My first thought on reading the title was "stick them in the cupboard under the stairs, like Harry Potter".

I would say it depends on how close you are with the person (and how much you care about not offending them). You need to judge it on the GAD or 'Great Aunt Doris' scale which I've just invented, where 1 is 'Great Aunt Doris', a batty old relative you never see and don't care about, and 10 is a most loved friend or family member. Anything that scores lower than 8 gets the toss/donate/attic option, anything higher gets displayed or at least kept easily to hand. 

Of course, one would hope that the most loved friends and family members would know one's tastes and needs...

Cookie Pusher

Perhaps they "got misplaced" during your move and you can donate them without any feelings being hurt?

jenna8984

We also run a pretty tight ship with ditching things we don't need/ use/ want/ love. We both donate a garbage bag of clothes semi-annually and we really don't have knick knacks- we consider them clutter. Every time we watch a home show on HGTV where the people's main reason for moving is they need more space they always show the current house with overflowing closets and FI and I are both like "well get rid of half that garbage and you'll be fine!" LOL

I second keeping it in a place you can get to if she ever comes over then donating it once she's passed. I may even ditch it now and if she did come over and ask about it I'd go as far as to say "I let my brother borrow it".

ElcaB

When we moved into our house, several of our favorite pans somehow got lost in the shuffle (we still have no idea WTF happened to them). 

Anyway, it'd be damn shame if the same thing happened to the crystal bowls grandma gifted you, don't ya think? (Hint, hint.)

emmyg65

Thrift store or regift. I'm a ruthless purger and don't keep stuff unless I like or use it. Fortunately, DH is pretty much the same way (though sometimes he needs a nudge).

theartistformerlyknownas

I'm pretty sentimental so I'd keep them ("in a safe place in the basement," if she asked). Maybe some future grandchild will really like crystal. :-p

chibiyui

For me, it would come down to how nice the crystal was. I'm also sentimental, so I'd probably keep them.

jdluvr06

We briefly considered getting rid of them but my great grandma very rarely gives gifts, well gifts that aren't money, so I really hate to get rid of anything she has bought me.

wandajune6

I'm marrying the son of a hoarder and I'm the niece of hoarders. We've also both been seriously broke in the past so we walk a fine line.

We have a small shed in the back that came with the house. It is currently being used to hold things for his brothers but we've tossed a few things in there that we think might be useful later.

For random household stuff like the original poster's, I'd put it above the cabinets in the kitchen.