I spent most of today helping a friend unpack her kitchen after a recent move. We’ve been friends for ten years, and I’m thrilled that she and her husband have moved closer to where we live. They’re only about 20 minutes away now, instead of an hour.
They just bought new dishes as a housewarming present for themselves. The new ones are awesome – super modern and great colors that match their dining room (and about $350 for 12 place settings). But what to do with the old dishes? She was talking about donating them, so I volunteered to give them a home. There’s 8 of everything, nothing damaged or broken, and it all matches! We’ve never had matching dishes. I bought our stuff at a thrift store when we first moved in together in 2001, and we’ve just used the same stuff ever since. Now we have beautiful new-to-us dishes, for free!
My friend was thrilled to be rid of her old dishes, and for my help unpacking all day. And I’m happy to have the new dishes and to have spent the day with my friend. My sister is in the process of buying her first house, and is on a pretty tight budget, so I think I know where our old dishes are going. They’re perfectly good – they just don’t match – but I think she’ll be happy to have them.
Fabulously Broke says
I love hearing stuff like this because then not only do you and your sister not have to spend money, no one has to buy any new dishes to add to landfills later on, etc…. I AM ashamed to say that my old dishes were all chipped and awful (I’m clumsy), so it’s been chucked in the garbage… although I guess I could’ve used them for mosaics…
Mrs. Micah says
That’s so exciting! I’m a big fan of such exchanges. We’re currently on the bottom of the exchange line, which is fine with me. I only hope that someday we’ll be able to pass things on to others. We do have an old tv which needs a home.
Mr. Debtbeater says
With a family of 8, we end up needing at least a place setting for 16 for when guests come over and SOME of them are going to break. (All little kids.)
We managed to find a few handouts from relatives that matched as well. Also, we hit up the garage sales in the area and found other families with the same “broken” sets for sale. We now have like 20-25 place settings and spent less than $50. It’s so nice not having to worry about having enough matching plates for people at big family get-togethers now. :)