To ask what you save for best?

[hahatate]

You know some people keep fancy glasses or cutlery sets or expensive bags and perfume for best, do you keep something for best? If so, what and why?

I use absolutely everything I have and don't save things for best. I'm not sure if that means I don't have any decent stuff worth saving, or if I don't want to only use the things for a short while.

Are you sure it wasn't used. My grandparents kept things in the original packaging but did use it, just put it back

No, she had Egyptian cotton sheets still sealed in the packs, beautiful crockery in a cabinet, a collection of boxed tea pots, a beautiful sandwich set that she had on display but never used (the only thing I kept) lots of candles and lots of other gifts still sealed.

But even the stuff that she had out on display was for display only, we weren't allowed to use it.

I keep nothing for best - today is your best and live for now.

I like this. I'm similar - I have a mixing bowl that was my grandmother's. I have a photo of us baking together with it over 25 years ago. It's cracked partway across now, and only a matter of time until it goes completely, but I use it. I get more joy every time I use it than I would if it was bubblewrapped for safekeeping, or gathering dust on a shelf.
I also have her glass jelly moulds, shaped like rabbits I can't wait to use them for DS's first birthday.

For some bizarre reason I seem to do this with tea towels. It's not like they are expensive in the first place, but I have a drawer full of lovely new ones but use the same same old, stained, tatty ones on rotation!

Funny isn't it - is it because you want to keep them nice

Nothing anymore - when my uncle was dying, my aunt (his wife) encouraged us to I never save anything for best! What is the point in putting the most investment into what you use least?

I have a tea set and dinner service I keep for best, so never use it. I do have it on display though and it brings me joy every day when I look at it.

it’s not dishwasher safe and they stopped producing it over 40 years ago so it’s getting harder and harder to collect so it’s display only for me! That and the fact it’s climbing in value, it’s a little nest egg for if shit hits the fan.

I used to think of saving stuff for "best" but not any more.

One of the biggest things that opened my mind was helping a friend of mine to clear her mum's house after she'd passed away.

The main living room was kept pristine and never used, the family lived in the other rooms and were cramped.

My friend's mother kept gifts she'd received in a spare bedroom. There were many sets of toiletries unopened, and a large proportion were so old that the perfume had faded and the contents perished. There were a number of other items that were way past their best, never used. Her mother also had crockery, glasses and cutlery for "best", and hardly ever used. Such a waste.

My friend said her mother kept them for "best". I think that idea comes from a previous generation, and I'm in my 50s now. I recall my ex's mum keeping special crockery, not using her living room and so on. I've often wondered if maybe they didn't feel they were "worth it", that the things were too good for them.

But of course, with that mindset, the time for "best" never comes. And things are wasted.

So, I got perfume from the kids for Christmas. I'm already using it. I have some nice pieces of crockery that needs handwashing. I use them, they remind me of my Grandad. I have some nice clothes now that I'm losing weight. I'm wearing them. I like using fountain pens, so the expensive one that my own mother gave me for my 50th birthday (3 weeks before she passed away) is in daily use, I just ring the changes with different colour inks now and again.

Life is too short. Use those things and enjoy them.

Wedding china I only use when having a dinner party or special occasion, it has covered serving dishes and gravy boats etc - I used to use it at Christmas but now I have Christmas china.
Can't think of anything else.

I wear my fancy clothes to work and I use crystal glasses for squash ☺️..completely opposite to my mum and upbringing where we had rules about this kind of thing. However.. I have a perfume that cost me a lot, I only wear when going out or "meetings " with work. Coming to the end of the bottle and really planning out the days I can wear it (have a job interview next week) ... wish I had a bit of the "save for best" mentality but I have no chill, I want it open and worn /used asap..🙈

Nothing really. Life is too short.

MN taught me not to save things for best and it has brought me much joy ever since.

Nothing. I use everything and enjoy it.

My mum had a dinner set and a tea set for best. The dinner set only came out for Christmas, and it was so special getting it out of the sideboard on the great day. I now have it. It comes out about half a dozen times a year, for Christmas and birthdays, and immediately makes the day feel special

You have the right idea!! But how often do those " for best" occasions arise? You are reducing waste and the need to have duplicates of things. It is nice having spare things for best but why not enjoy using those things day to day?

I was a bugger for saving things for special times, things just end up being redundant or barely used.

Dinner service
Cutlery
Glasses
Towels
Evening bag

Great advice 👍✅

Nothing anymore, we drink fancy wine and I use my expensive bags all the time. Life is too short!

I keep my wedding day perfume and only use it when me and DH are having a date night or on an anniversary or whatever. Don't wear any other time

Nothing

Wear your favourite perfume everyday

Drink your morning coffee in your favourite china cup

You never know when it will be your last…..

I don't save anything for best, the way I see it life is short so why not use what you have and enjoy it🙂

A mug. From my grandad. Its bone China and has my name painted on it.
It is the only thing I have from grandpa. He died in 1984 and he was the most lovely patient, kind, loving, good, all the nice words you can think of man. I have no photos, no medals, no documents. Literally a mug. I used to have a glass too from him with my name engraved and it got smashed and I was very very upset.
It's the only thing I dont use. Everything else is used and if it breaks or wears out then good. Not that mug.

Ok so anything that is consumable I use. The good perfume, the good wine, the good bedding etc. i do have special occasion clothes, because they’re too much for wandering round tesco on a Tuesday tea time. And I have some plates and glasses that are nicer than others thst come out for special occasions but everything is used except an eggshell China hand painted dinner service my dad brought from China in the mid 60s. It’s too fragile to use and I don’t really know what to do with it so it’s bubble wrapped in a box. He brought it for his mum and she passed it to me when she down sized. It’s very beautiful but not practical to use and I don’t do ornaments etc at all.

Fancy dinner service, cups, glasses, cutlery.
My DH would break most of it TBH so nice it's only out every now and then 🤣

We have a lot of Emma Bridgewater Christmas crockery. This only gets used at Christmas, so not exactly saving for best but it feels special when it all comes out of the cupboard.

We have some very fancy Vera Wang champagne glasses. They can only be hand-washed so they get used only on special occasions.

Other than that, I don't save things for best.