Exactly. And it is probably what stops many of us from getting rid of some of that old, useless 'junk'/possible future vintage collectible cr*p we are keeping now.

You can't keep everything. Well, some people try and they end up on hoarding shows. Most "collectibles" aren't very valuable so why keep stuff for that reason? For instance, I still have the mixing bowls I bought in 1979(? (Crap. Am I that old?)). They are now "collectibles". I kept them because they serve their purpose and I'm not one to ditch something like that just because it doesn't fit my current color scheme. I wouldn't feel bad today if I had replaced them though. They aren't worth all that much in the collectible market.

You'd better believe I'm keeping everything these days! The local nursing home charges $6,000 a month. And it's not even a good one. If I end up there, just shoot me first.

Yeah, I laugh and laugh at today's MCM craze, to see the old junk of my childhood resurrected. I saved all grandma's depression era and turn of the century stuff. I have seen it come back in and then go out again!

Only you know if it's worth saving. If you have the space, fine. But don't hold on to stuff thinking it might be worth $$ sometime. (That's how hoarders start out.)

I was at a house the other day and the "new" treasure with price tag (thrift store) was a faded blue tin with a goose on it......

Grandma's things are one thing. Mauve and/or blue trimmed geese are another! I didn't do them the first time around and I'm not going to ever do them. DISCLAIMER: I have quite a bit of whimsy as decor in my kitchen. My kitchen is a happy place. I have enough light there that I could do surgery. Winter in Iowa is really, really long most years.

I can't afford genuine antiques any more but I can afford vintage. The vintage I'm talking about would be pre 1950. I am not a bit interested in the 1960 and beyond stuff. I've had that already. Some of my "art" was from the thrift store and I did find a framed print in the machine shed when I moved here. Most of it can be traced to the artist. The good news is I rarely spend more than $5 and when I look it up it's always listed for sale for at least $10! I buy/keep/display the stuff that makes me smile.

Yes, there will be boxes of "stuff" at my estate sale. Probably enough to amount to a couple of hundred dollars @ $1 a box. But in the meantime I've enjoyed it. I can go to the basement and shop for something different any time I want. My house was built in 1890 but it's just an old farm house. There is nothing special or distinctive about it. It sheltered the families who lived here. The money went into the out buildings, farm animals, and equipment. That's how it is in Iowa. Farming is/was a business just like any other and the money went back into the business not into a fancy house. My vintage stuff fits.

LOL! I've been married for 33 years. When we were first married, we were paying off some pretty significant medical school loans, so I shopped for major bargains (some borderline junk) on every piece of furniture and every piece of decorative art to save money where I could. I haunted flea markets, garage sales and consignment shops especially. In the years since then, I still love the challenge and the hunt. Many of my "bargains" have been replaced as time and money permitted. Some I regret because I think they'd be worth a lot now. But, a lot of my antiques, art and decorative pieces that I bought for a song many years ago are still here in our home today. And I still love them. Every time DD is home on break from college, I try to find time to tell her about some more of them. The "If I die tomorrow, don't throw this piece out as junk. If you or your brother don't want it, sell it as it's __ years old and worth __ amount of money now" talk. But, that's the kind of thing many young people do when a parent or older relative dies and they inherit a lot of "old stuff" they have to deal with. They sell it for hardly anything to get it out of their homes . . . and people like me see its potential value and snap it up for a song. Yes, some of my treasures are still in the junk category, but it's my junk that I love and makes me happy. And who knows, someday it might actually be valuable, too.

We moved twice last year (primary residence and weekend lake home) and I finally got rid of a bunch of my mother's and grandmother's stuff. I looked up the value of things online to decide how to price it. I had a bunch of things I'd been keeping forever thinking they were valuable antiques. In the end the stuff was worth practically nothing. The only exception was an antique Fiesta demitasse set that's worth well over $1000. I still have that and never planned to sell it though it's still in a box from the last move. I do have a few antique furniture items from my family that I keep because I like them and have a use for them but all the little collectible type stuff is gone and it's a relief to have it all cleared out. If you haven't moved lately think carefully about how much stuff you want to have to move some day or have your kids have to deal with when you're gone.

Do you still have antique malls open and operating where you live? We do here, and from time to time I'll make the mistake of going into one to browse around and see if there are any "treasures" I can't live without. I almost always leave empty-handed, because they are largely full of what I would consider junk. The items that I would actually consider collectible, such as Lalique vases or Weller pottery (as an example) are guarded in locked cabinets and outrageously priced and I don't think that merchandise is moving much. I just can't bring myself to consider common-place, mass-produced dishware from the 60s-80s to be of value, yet there will be booth after booth of that sort of thing.

That's how I look at it too, Lynn. And I've told my kids the same thing. Something else I've done is print the information I've found and put it on the back of the picture or inside the object or if it's something I use, tape it to the bottom

We have an antique store nearby. Actually two of them in opposite directions. Second hand stores are really booming here. I find things at the antique stores sometimes but nothing lately that insisted it come home with me. Lots of things I admire and would like to have but ........no $$$ to spend on it. The second hand store used to be a bonanza. Not so much any more. I think all the old people have died/gone to the nursing home and their stuff has been sold already. It's harder and harder to find a treasure. Our next junktiqueing trip is going to be farther away than we've ever gone before. Waiting for spring! These days we consider it an outing, not so much as a mission. Garage/rummage sales here are big. Sometimes it's good but most times just stuff.

It all depends on what speaks to you. I love MCM and 60's décor. Can't handle the 70s stuff. My niece went ape over 70s stuff a few years back! And now I hear Macramé is back in - oh the horror!

(My hubby has a collection of melmac! Can't use the plates to feed people because they slice, gouge, and scratch it with utinsels! But they have great serving pieces.)

What I find ironic is the high quality of "Depression Era" glass by today's standards, and in its day it was dime store, get it with a box of detergent quality.

I have an attic full of Playskool and Fisher Price toys from the 60's and 70's. My youngest child is 43. I cannot bring myself to get rid of it!

I think toys are something that does increase in value. I saw one of those buzzy bees for $13 at goodwill. You might have to wait a few more years.

My neighbor was moving to Florida and had to clean out her whole house. She had inherited things from several relatives. She took a box of collectibles to an antique shop. I think there might have been some Lladro figurines and Hummels in the box. Anyway, the guy took the box from her, looked at the stuff, and roughly put it on the counter, while telling her it was all worthless. She told me that he even broke some of it. When she protested that he had insulted her, he motioned to all of the stuff in the shop and said "Look, who's the expert, you or me?" He offered her $10.00. She told me that she grabbed the money out of his hand and walked out.

The truth is that the younger generation does not want any of this stuff. That includes furniture.

I have a lot of furnishings that will last for a very long time because it is a very good quality. I don't give a wit about who wants what or if it all ends up in a high end consignment shop, or an auction for that matter.

The one item that I care the most about has a very small value to anyone outside of our family but to me is priceless. It's a painting that my DM did while she was a day student at St Joseph's Academy. When I was a child she told me that when she painted it she dreamed that someday she would have a daughter with dark eyes and dark curly hair. I think by the time she was painting this she had already met my DF who indeed had dark curly hair and dark eyes. Several years ago DH and I found a calendar that had my red hooded girl on it. I think DM copied the girl from a calendar. It's possible that it could have even been from the calendar we bought as it was in a shop that was within five miles of her hometown.

My DGM's Fostoria crystal is beautiful to me even though it only sells for 16-20 a stem in antique shops but I do hope one of my DDs will want it as they both remember their great GM. I do hope my DDs and DGD will enjoy using my sterling flatware. I have enough sets for both daughters and my DGD with enough for DS though he would turn up his nose at it.

Yes Lucy, for the most part the younger generation doesn't care at all but I have seen signs in both my daughters to know there is hope. Both have been getting very discerning in regards to quality and would rather have dated, high quality than trendy fall apart quality.

Sort of veering off on a side track; the younger generation seems to like old furniture painted fascia or turquoise. There is very little new furniture that I would buy these days. The old stuff is wood and put together with something better than glue. I don't think people buy antiques any more. Maybe the rich people who buy "pretty" stuff to display. All my old stuff is to use. I started buying old stuff for my home 50 years ago. I still have all of it plus more!

But if you look at the home photos shown on GW, the houses are rather grand. The style does not play nicely with antiques. There are no walls to put furniture against. The style of the house just doesn't match antiques. People like Ikea, not hand made old furniture.

hmmm, lynn, that's a good idea! my kids are most likely absolutely clueless as to what would really be worth while saving and the value of certain things... i probably should think about either telling them or writing it down for them! (hopefully, it won't be needed for many yrs tho!! :)

With the current rage for MCM, I predict history will repeat itself. Back when I was growing up (in the actual middle of the last century) nobody wanted anything from their parents generation, nothing turn of the century or antique or Victorian. The old houses were being torn up into apartments or "modernized" by taking out all the woodwork, etc. My friends bought an 1880's farmhouse with a wall of mirrors in the dining room, metallic wallpaper and green shag carpet throughout. They spent a lot of time refurbishing it and it is a showplace now. Then, sometimes late 80's, that country, "shabby chic" Pottery Barn Martha Stewart vibe came back in and all that old stuff was back in again. Meanwhile, my mom scoured auctions in the 60's and picked up gorgeous antiques for pennies. Literally, like a hall tree for 15 dollars and a credenza for 10. Folks mostly lived in small tract homes and didn't want big pieces. We had the big rooms and high ceilings to pull it off. The modern stuff in the stores looked out of scale at our house. I predict that the old antique stuff that kids don't want nowdays will come back in style. Nobody wanted them once before, and then they wised up. Because the quality is so much higher than anything you can buy new, plus no one will have money to buy anything new. Meanwhile, I'm glad no one wants that old stuff anymore, more options for me to buy! BUT, I am paring down and only keeping things I absolutely love or use. The day of the ubiquitous knick knack may be gone forever, replaced by the ubiquitous electronic gadget.