To be irritated that the MIL wants her discarded china back?

[GreenwichB]

So 5 hrs ago, the MIL gave us some old and fairly chipped tureens and serving plates that she didn't need/ want. We'd just moved into our first house and though they were v useful for a bit, we eventually got everyday stuff and v nice wedding china too.
On mat leave ( or my 'holiday's' as the husband likes to court death with) at the moment and trying to dispose of clutter we don't use or have space for. Out of politeness I mentioned it to the MIL that I was going to give this stuff away (as she said at the time we were free to do) unless she preferred otherwise and she behaved as though I'd just slapped her.

I'm so irritated - we are storing tons of crap for the DH's family, the DH is a hoarder (I'm the other extreme) and now I have to find a home for this stuff until she comes to visit with inevitable guilt trips when I try to band it over.

Ha ha - all your responses have made me feel much better ! My MIL lives no where near us but I'm determined to return a range of items at the first available opportunity with a very smiley "Thank you very much for lending us your nice X". I'm on a mission to declutter before my child is mobile so I need to free up some cupboard space as it won't be long now.
Re the queries on the title - I'm only irritated that she wants it back as we got it on the basis of "here's some old china I had sitting in a cupboard, it's yours to use until you don't want it and then pass it on." As I'm on a mission, I want to get rid of it NOW and not have to wait weeks for it to leave. We live in a small house so it is totally in the way now that I've pulled it out and had a good sort out in the cupboard. it's an instant gratification /finish the job thing

You see, I wouldnt have asked because the "pass it on" was in the original giving! But I agree that you need give it her back and I would bet a weeks wages that it has gone to the charity shop within the week :o

Next time, just get rid, unless the person who 'gave' it to you specifically asked for it back once you had finished with it.

I bet your MIL would never have noticed, let alone asked for it back.

Assuming she/FIL can drive, tell her you're getting rid of the china next week so if they want it (and any other junk they've palmed off on you) they need to drive down this weekend to get it. If they don't you will bin it next week. Actually, even if they don't drive they can arrange for someone to pick it up for them.

What karma said.

Just give it back to her. Thing is theres no point having things in your house you dont want, need or love. Its just extra crap to get in the way. When we moved in mil gave us some curtains and we;re finished with them , asked her if she wanted them back because we didnt use them anymore and she took em back. Don't feel bad about it, you have told her she chose to react like this.

Give it back to her asap - but if the china is chipped then really she should throw it away, as the chipped bits can provide a home for bacteria.

My PILs used to give us things on a fairly regular basis which were too old/broken for them, so I have no idea why they thought we wanted them. Eg FIL gave us a box of rusty tools out of his shed, including saws, which were not only useless but could have done someone a nasty injury. we had no use for them and nowhere to store them. Took me months to get DH to take to tip as he is just as bad as his parents.

MIL also gave us an ancient (but unused - unsurprisingly) treadmill and a bontempi organ which must have dated back to the 70s.

we didnt have the space or need for either.

still have the organ as DS2 likes it, but am going to remove the fuse from the plug and tell him it is broken

I think that seeing this from MIL's POV might help. You say that you have "got everyday stuff and v nice wedding china too" which you seem quite pleased with. Perhaps this was once MIL's much appreciated crockery, with associated sentimental value.
You've had it 5 years. A few more weeks aren't going to kill you.
Organise DH to return it to MIL. For all you know she might take one look at it, realise that it's not as nice as she remembered and get rid of it herself! You don't need to feel guilty about it; in fact, sell it to her that you are doing her a favour in returning her treasured possessions. win/win

No need to cause a storm in a teacup (see what I did there) but it wouldn't do any harm to remember that some people like to hoard appreciate heirlooms and others like to declutter throw perfectly good things away; it's simply that you and MIL are on opposite sides of the fence here.

Just box it up and courier it to her...it shouldnt cost that much and its off your hands straight away....