How to Politely Say No to Family Heirlooms You Don’t Want
Updated: Feb. 25, 2022How to Politely Say No to Family Heirlooms
Your grandmother wants to pass her prized tea set and china collection on to you. Your godmother has a collection of valuable artwork that’s not your style. Your own mother is looking to clear out her jewelry box and says you need to take some of your favorite pieces.
But, you don’t want any of it. So how do you politely decline a family heirloom?
When it comes to getting rid of family heirlooms, many baby boomers and Gen Xers aren’t prepared for the task. Not only are fewer people collecting heirlooms as they once did, but many millennials just don’t have the space to store such items.
Speaking of heirlooms, see how Jackie Kennedy decorated the White House.
“It’s the biggest challenge our members have and it’s getting worse,” said Mary Kay Buyssee, executive director of the National Association of Senior Move Managers in a 2017 Forbes article.
So how do you handle the hand-me-down heirlooms?
If you’re short on space, just say so. An understanding family member shouldn’t expect you to take on a big china collection if you don’t have the space to store it all. You can offer to take just a couple pieces such a china cup and saucer and have them professionally framed in a shadowbox and then show off the heirloom in a favorite spot.
Inherit some mugs? Consider making a DIY mug display.
If you just don’t want the item, polite say that you don’t think you’ll use it. You can also say it’s just not your style. You can back this up by saying you’ll check around to see if someone you know could use the item(s). You can also offer to help donate the item to a thrift store or sell it on craigslist or eBay. Doing so will show the person you care about the item and what happens to it, even though you aren’t able to take it.
