In case you were like me in 2020 and did quite a bit of decluttering but still didn’t know what to do with the inherited china sets that no one wants, I’ll tell you what I did.

First, I came to terms with the fact that my life looks very different from the lifestyle and entertaining style of the generations before me. Second, my home is not a storage warehouse, nor is it a museum. These realizations allowed me to give myself some grace for what came next.

The backstory: I am a lucky girl and inherited three sets of fine china. They are beautiful, and memories galore are attached to their loveliness—beloved family members long gone, homes I loved that I’ll never enter again, and huge, noisy family gatherings I will never enjoy again.

The problem: There were simply too many pieces taking up too much space. I resented the space they were using and the maintenance they required. Family members were not interested in inheriting them.

The solution: I donated all the pieces I never used: the bread-and-butter plates, cups and saucers, fruit cups, relish dishes, gravy boats, and other matching serving pieces I didn’t need. I kept only the dinner plates, salad plates, and one set of cream soup coupes that were too gorgeous to part with. I also kept one cut-glass sugar-and-creamer set, one silver gravy boat, one crystal butter plate, and a few platters.

I don’t need duplicates, nor do I need specialty dishes for celery and another for pineapple. Seriously. Years ago, when my mother was explaining the use of certain pieces, my eyes nearly rolled out of my head when she showed me her pineapple tidbit plate. She explained that when she was married, pineapple was exotic and quite the thing to share with guests during cocktails. I love the charming story behind the tidbits—but that doesn’t mean I need to save the plate.

The outcome: Now I can store my inherited pieces in a small area where I can easily retrieve them, making it far more likely that I’ll actually use them. If you have china sets boxed up in the basement, consider doing what I did. It’s unlikely your kids will want them anyway (though you can always ask), and I’ll bet you’ll use the plates again if you’re not storing and maintaining an entire set full of outdated pieces.

And let me put your mind at ease. Those oddball pieces you think no one will ever need or use if you donate them? Don’t worry, friend. Crafty folks transform old china into candle holders, nightlights, planters, chandeliers—even bird feeders. Let someone else use them and love them in a new way.

I’m a crafty girl myself, and while transforming them is something I could have done, I knew I wouldn’t. Giving them up meant someone else could breathe new life into them and love them again. I think my mother, aunt, and grandmother would be happy knowing how much I love and treasure what I saved—and I’m certain they’d smile at the sight of an old teacup being used as a bird feeder.

This worked for me, and maybe it will work for you too. Tell me what you think—could you break up a set of china?

I always like to credit images I borrow from the web, but I couldn’t find a source for the teacup wreath above. If anyone knows the creator, please let me know and I’ll happily update this post.

Cynthia Nouri/Sasha Nicholas

The Brooklyn Teacup