How to stop saving things for 'best'

[Nightlights]

I'm so terrible at this! I buy nice skin products and don't use them for ages for fear of running out and not being able to replace them. I buy nice clothes and don't wear them because I don't want to wear them out/waste them on the everyday. I am making a resolution to change and looking for some mantras to hold in my head to force myself to wear the nice things! Does anybody else do this or am I just bonkers?

Placemarking as I haven't got time to read the thread now but it's so relevant to me - I do this with everything from skincare to clothes to books to food and I've no idea why!

I once worked for a very rich lady who had no understanding of keeping things for best. She just had the best all the time because it made her life nicer. She said life is too short to waste on anything second rate. So now I use my “best” things and enjoy them.

I fight to try and use the good stuff. Against my parents ways.

I try and buy stuff for every day that is quality and brings me joy - I'd rather have a great quality wool dress or coat that is for every day use than a more glamorous evening outfit. I have decided that I just will not worry about being 'overdressed' ever. Having said that I also vow not to wear high heels that make my feet feel on fire, ever. That's why I have some Chie Mihara boots that cost £300. I wear them 5-6 times a year and I've had them 12 years now. They are 'best' and I don't wear them around the house - but a nice day out - absolutely

don't wear jeans, but my wardrobe is comfortable and indeed casual, but not drab!

I still look sadly at the bottle of champagne someone gave me in 1998 and realise that probably 20 big occasions have come and gone, and six house moves, and yet it still lurks.
I bought a very expensive bottle of champagne a while ago. I plan to open it on covid vaccine day.

My parents had a wedgewood dinner service for a wedding present. None of it was ever used, not once, ever, as it was saved for best. It just sat in a cupboard taking up space. Completely pointless.

My mother had a bottle of pink Champagne that she could not bear to open even though she always had plans for special occasions.
We opened it on the Christmas day after she died. It was sad because we knew that she would have enjoyed sharing it with us.
Thank you for this post, I am going to get dressed up today.

I'm the same OP. I've got about 3 or 4 dresses that I got before lockdown that I've not worn.

I also have the habit of buying, say a top, and then not getting to waer it as "nothing goes with it" I'm useless at putting outfits together unless one of the components is black. I do envy people who can wear things that are different colours and not look like a toddler dressed them

I can relate to lots of things that people have said on this thread: as a child I can remember being given craft sets and not wanting to 'use them up'. A lot of this mentality came from my parents who grew up in the war years and had an understandable reluctance to waste things. However nothing cures you of this faster than clearing your parents house and throwing away a lifetime of things saved for best into a skip. It was heartbreaking to see cupboards of fine China wrapped in plastic bags, scented candles never lit, cosmetics not opened, clothes given as presents never worn. The upside was that the charity shops were able to make some money out of some of it.
I came home and lit the scented candle I'd had since last Xmas and started wearing my Chanel perfume every day. It's still a struggle sometimes but I am determined to enjoy things now and not wait for a mythical special time!

[quote Wexone]@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants ah dont tell me that - have it two years sitting in pride place middle of my mantle[/quote]
@Wexone

I didn't realise the thread was old when I replied to your post! I was coming back to see if you'd lit it yet...but clearly not!! 🤣

Honestly, it's Autumn, it's dark early, make the most of it while it still smells lovely. If you like it, ask Santa for one for Christmas !

'keeping it for best'

Yep, me too. I grew up in the '70's. It was definitely a case of looking after your things. Not necessarily keeping them for 'best' , but certainly having 'smart/tidy' clothes/shoes for 'going out' & that was visiting grandparents/going shopping, not just some major event.

My parents had a 'best' dinner service, but it was used frequently with people coming around for dinner Same with glasses 'good ones' used but not every day.

I'm much the same. I don't use 'tat' day to day, I use nice things & I'm naturally careful with them anyway, but I also enjoy having some things that are 'special' not 'everyday'. But I definitely use them.

My problem with creams & lotions, is that I don't really use them, so they tend to build up & I can't just throw them away. I feel terrible giving gifts away to charity shops, but I try to not feel too guilty & try to focus on the fact that at least they'll be appreciated by someone, if not me.

But I have FAR too many opened bottles of lotions & creams (and goid friends are worse than me, so I can't off load to them!)

@BadlydoneHelen

Ah now, craft sets, notebooks, pens...

That's an entirely different thing ...

After reading this whenI got up , I hunted out one of my more expensive tops and trousers and after a shower put on make up and got dressed in them forgot the perfume so will do that right now !

That sounds lovely @RuthTopp

@RuthTopp you inspired me to take out a pair of black velvety jeans, rip off the price tag and put them on. I bought them 'cos they felt lovely when I smoothed them in the shop. As a bonus, they are a size 12 and I haven't got into size 12 trews in years

Yes, with perfume and candles! Slowly starting to get out of the habit and start using, not saving. Not easy!

I have a tendency to do this but in the last year have started to reverse it and use the stuff I was keeping for best because best might never come.

Tomorrow it will be another ' something ' that has been put away and forgotten . Took off the make up with my Liz Earle ( cleanser , toner , and then superskin) instead of a wet wipe. Was keeping the former for special days. Ffs when do you need different / special things to take of make up ! Lol I'm converted to using up my nicer stuff.

I would try and use, because when my GM died everything was sold cheap at a car boot sale. The items people wanted, were the things she used and loved.

@BadlydoneHelen Your post brought a tear to me eye because it is so so true. I had to empty my parents home and so many things had been “saved” . I don’t always practice what I preach but I’m trying to.

@MrsGrindah I'm sorry if this brought back sad memories. For me I've taken it as a bit of a wake up call. I was always one to buy, say a new jumper and then leave it with the tags still attached waiting for an occasion to wear it. I'm trying now to be more like my daughter who rips the tags off with her teeth and wears it round the house on day one!

The trouble is that if I wore my “saved for best” stuff (which is about 20-years worth of Xmas and b’day presents from dh!) then it would all smell of cooking. If I were out and about going to nice places I could justify wearing my nice clothes, but realistically I only need to wear leggings, washable top and an anorak

Otoh, inspired by this thread some months ago, I started using my best stationery. I used a notebook I had had for, I calculated, 27 years !

I have found my mindset has changed a lot over lockdown. I used to be scruffy at hoem, smart at work but now I am home all the time I am more smart-comfy. And I feel like I have a look that works for kids / school run /errands, but also looks good for zoom and is comfy.

I've also used lockdown to replace tatty things with the spare money and also use up existing belongings. I'm quite happy with it

@KenDodd - desperate to know if you have opened the champagne yet?!

@ChocAuVin

Not quite yet!
I'll wait until it's rolled out and I've got my invitation letter.

Good plan! Everything crossed