Do you save most handmade by family items?

Wow - that's a lot to keep. I just have a few things handmade by my grandmother. I think it requires thinking about how much you like the pieces and how sentimental they are to you. Like 25 quilts - do you love them all? Or maybe some could be gifted to another family member, a nursing home, etc...

I kept an old quilt with a lot of memories and preserved it in a memory box. I kept a couple in vacuum bags to bring out at different times during the year. Ones I had no attachment to I donated unless they were worn beyond usefulness and those I discarded.

I don’t always keep every handmade item, some people in my family were very extensive with their work and I just don’t have storage space for all those things. I have no guilt on that one. I am on a Facebook group of people doing a declutter during lent and there’s so much hand wringing about giving things away or throwing them out. I don’t feel that way anymore, if I don’t have space I don’t have space and that’s ok.

Easy decisions first. If the person has passed you don’t have to worry about hurting their feelings. Choose a piece or two from them that you love the most, for whatever reason. It might be an excellent example of their craft, match your decor, remind you of them, whatever. Then offer the other items to family members, I’d start with their children first.

If they haven’t, I would say it depends on the person. Something to consider if their feelings would be hurt if you shared their gifts with others, is deciding how much room you have to display things, and rotate what you keep out at once. Maybe quarterly. Store the rest in an organized fashion in a way that preserves it and is easy to find what you want. Good descriptions or photos on the box.

Remember, gifts aren’t obligations and most people wouldn’t want you to feel guilty if you have enjoyed the item but no longer find it useful. You know your family best.

Anything you choose to keep, give it a place of honor in your home so you can truly enjoy it. Don’t store it in a box.

eta: Something that helped my husband let go of some of his collectibles was seeing that by having less of them, really narrowing it down to his favorites, he notices and appreciates them more. Before the room was crammed with things on the walls and lots of shelves. When we moved we pared it down to one streamlined tall shelf and a few things on the walls. There’s much less to be visually distracting so that you notice the individual items now, rather than the collection as a whole. He loves it.

With some items I take a picture of the item then donate it.

I have two shawls crocheted by my great aunt and I have the afghan my granny knit me before she died. The afghan is going into the grave with me. I don’t have any heirlooms or anything. It’s the current stuff we need to get rid of!

I would also consider the quality of the item. Is it something you love?

DH's grandmother made a crocheted throw that we inherited. Eventually it was not in great condition or in pleasing colors. He didn't want it. Our kids didn't want it, so we through it away. The quilts she made were lovely and we still have two of them.

I love the frame quilt remnant idea. I could make them for my kids, too. I have a well-loved quilt from DH's grandma that is beyond repair.

I've saved all the quilts. My aunt made and gave a lot of things in her years in the nursing home - she had a sewing machine in her room. I've kept a couple of things and two pine straw baskets she made when I was growing up to remember her by.

I'm the crafty one and giver, more than the receiver. I would want people to keep things they still loved and used and repurpose if possible the things they didn't want anymore. Half the fun was making the item; what happens to it after it leaves my house isn't as important to me as it used to be. Having moved a few friends over the years, I have a great appreciation for paring down.