Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents' Stuff...(re-posted from Forbes)

I hate to be the friend who again stuffs this reality into your faces, but even though we are all very aware of this horrific scenario and the obvious truth, here is another view which was worthy enough to make the Forbes page...If you have already suffered and/or paid the pauper more than you ever thought you would, unfortunately, here is the damn, bold, disgusting truth, regarding our years of dedication and love...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextav...nobody-wants-your-parents-stuff/#60ba832224ed

 

Many of us being "of a certain age" we've had several threads about the subject in general.

Here's one https://www.antiquers.com/threads/nobody-wants-your-parents-stuff.25514/

 

Based on my experience, I'd say it's not always true depending upon what your parents collected. Normal household stuff, sure, styles have changed, but some collectibles still hold value. Maybe not as much as 20 years ago, but lots of things still are wanted by collectors.

 

paid the pauper.......... don't u mean ....'paid the Piper'...?

 

Been there done that. I can relate too well to that article unfortunately. When my sister took my parents down to SC to live with her it left just me to get their house ready for sale - 64 years worth of accumulated "so called" treasures. it took me months, a huge Goodwill truck packed full, a 20 foot by 8 foot tall dumpster FILLED, friends came over and filled pick up trucks full, constantly filled huge garabage cans and hauled to the curb for pickup, My sisters Husband came up from SC TWICE and filled his 14 foot trailer and back of his pickup full. I never saw so much junk in my life. There were some nice antiques but I'd say 80% of the stuff was crap they should have thrown away years ago. 30 boxes of junk Christmas decorations in the attic - and they hadn't celebrated Christmas in the last 15 years. Basement was packed full of junk that all had to be carried up stairs to throw or haul away.
It was a nitemare that I thought would never end. But finally it did and the house is sold and I will never go back there again - THANK GOD!

 

Every time mass produced stuff gets trashed, mine becomes more rare for the up and coming next generation that grows up in their minimalists millienials and Xgen parents homes. Their kid wont even know what wood looks like and will pay thousands for this rare substance in the future....

 

LOL!

That may be true... hopefully... but some of us are at an age where it probably won't do us much good when the tide turns!

 

You mean just like the people that originally owned the stuff we have seeked out over the years.

 

Seek and ye shall find!

I wish someone would seek out my stuff... it would be a lot less work for me....

 

Cyndie, I posted this a while back (2016) but it seems SO relevant right now! (p.s. They are now engaged...)

from:
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/resurrection-of-rants-and-raves.2208/page-102#post-131278

Oh, FUDGE! NOW WHAT???

I’m in the middle of dealing with packing for a projected move, and my dear son (age 25) calls to announce that he & his girlfriend are moving in together (in Boston, where they both live now.)

Now, THAT doesn’t bother me at all. She’s a nice kid, ambitious (working FT and working on her Masters degree at the same time) and the two of them seem to get along well together. The fact that they’re happy together makes it fine with me.

What IS bothering me right now (and I know it shouldn’t!) is that DS then said, “She doesn’t like my stuff.”

Mom: What do you mean, she doesn’t like your stuff?

Son: She hates everything I have except those two bookcases – oh, and she wants to know where you got them, so we can get more.

Mom: Those bookcases are 60 years old. You’re not going to find more like them.

Son: Oh. Okay.

Mom: What are you going to do with everything else?

Son: She says we can just put it out on the curb. Somebody will want it.

Mom: OH, NO, YOU DON’T! What about the butcher block table?

Son: Nope, she doesn’t like it.

Mom: Your SISTER wants that table! And what about your rugs – and Grandpa’s dresser, and things like that?

Son: Nope. Really, Mom, she doesn’t like ANY of it.

Mom: Okay… Wait. DO NOT PUT ANYTHING OUT ON THE CURB! I have to think about this…

Son: Well, she did find a lot of new stuff she really does like…. She took me to this HUGE place & showed me all the stuff she has picked out for the new apartment. The place is sort of weird…. It’s called IKEA? The stuff isn’t even WHOLE – it comes in, like, cardboard boxes, and you have to, like, put it together yourself?

Mom: Oh…

Son: Oh, yeah, and she doesn’t like my dishes or silverware, either.

Mom: Your DISHES? The SILVERWARE?

Son: You know, the glass stuff that you said was kind of special, and that stainless stuff you got me?

Mom: Yes… I know exactly what dishes & silverware you mean…

Son: So what should I do with all of it?

Mom: Right now, don’t do ANYTHING with it. I’m going to have to get back with you on that…


OMG – NOW WHAT? I know it’s nuts, but I’m beside myself at the moment. It is, of course, only STUFF, but it’s all really GOOD stuff! Do I go to Boston & get it back (and keep it for him, or let his sister have what she wants of it?) Do I arrange for it to be sold?

Aaargh. IKEA??? What’s a mother to do?

-C-

 

Engaged...?
I know where to set up her bridal registry........

 

“Son: She says we can just put it out on the curb. Somebody will want it.”

This could be a peek into his future

 

I know this is old news, but WHAT DID YOU DO???

 

OK, so all (most) young adults have their own type of, kind of *antiques* and the new name for these anti

 

Oh, heck, Jivvy - you should see my GARAGE and ATTIC!

Dear daughter has claimed some of the furniture, but the rest is in the garage - and the rugs and glassware are in the attic.

 

"Our house is a very, very fine house
With two cats in the yard... and all sorts of stuff in the attic and garage and basement...
Life used to be so hard
Now everything is easy 'cause of you...
And storage boxes..."

 

...and Rubbermaid bins, stacked to the ceiling!

 

I don't think anybody is going to miss the low quality, mass produced items that come up at auction often since everyone of a certain age had one. These things make up 90% of the items being dispersed these days. However it would be a great shame if young people consigned everything to the dumpster before they cherrypicked the other 10% made up of quality antiques or one of a kind items and either kept them or sold them. Too often I see people taking the shortcut of trashing everything out of ignorance or lack of effort.

 

Omg we’re doomed!
Am I the only one that sees the irony in the IKEA commercial where the little girl retrieves the little lamp from the curb side and repurposes it?
Where does all the worn out IKEA stuff go?
Hmmm the ocean???

 

What was the boxed furniture before IKEA? They made desks and hutches for computers and TV's - all pressboard crap with fake wood grain veneer and put together with small phillips head screws that were supplied.