Baby boomers and their furniture

[Anonymous]

Why is it odd?

My parents are in their 60’s and they enjoy updating their homes. They have had a lot of fun actually purchasing items that remind them of their childhoods to add to their “Beatles room” that is full of memorabilia. They also remodel to maintain evwrything in a current style.

Are they supposed to just stop enjoying life? Stop having projects?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it odd?

My parents are in their 60’s and they enjoy updating their homes. They have had a lot of fun actually purchasing items that remind them of their childhoods to add to their “Beatles room” that is full of memorabilia. They also remodel to maintain evwrything in a current style.

Are they supposed to just stop enjoying life? Stop having projects?

Exactly. Well said. My opinion after reading some of the posts is that there are quite a few people who don't see their parents as real people, with interests and hobbies and living life to its fullest.

The kicker for me were the people who resented that their parents hadn't furnished their kids houses and kept their own furniture (how dare they!?!) when their kids could have used it. Like their parents were supposed to sit on the floor after giving their furniture away to a bunch of entitled and bratty 30 year olds walking around with their hands out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it odd?

My parents are in their 60’s and they enjoy updating their homes. They have had a lot of fun actually purchasing items that remind them of their childhoods to add to their “Beatles room” that is full of memorabilia. They also remodel to maintain evwrything in a current style.

Are they supposed to just stop enjoying life? Stop having projects?

+1. I always admired my grandma for being willing to redecorate into her 80s and early 90s. She was still changing and adapting, even at that point in her life. Why should she have to stay stuck in 1968 or 77 or 1989 when the rest of us have moved on?

[Anonymous]

My MIL, who's spry in her late 80s, is still updating her furnishings. I love it. The key, though, is that she gets rid of old things while replacing them with stuff more to her liking. So her homes (she has 2) never feel cluttered and she truly enjoys her life with her possessions.

Her daughters, on the other hand, did not get that particular gene and they all love to hold on to things, so their homes are just storage spaces full of stuff.

Do your own thing, just don't be a clutter bug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think millennials are a lost generation.

Maybe, but the boomers are the worst generation.

I think they realized early on, they would never live up to the greatest generation that came before them, so they decided to destroy everything instead.

Yeah, you don't stereotype much, do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bad art like that is so problematic. You don’t want to throw it but you don’t want to look at it either. And what does Trump have to do with it ?

If you read the post closely, you would know.

Why would I bother to do that with the ignorant reference to Trump in a post about his parents portrait?

So you didn't bother to read it closely. I see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apparently, I am the only one that likes the inherited furniture. I like that our kitchen table is being used by the 4th and 5th generation and the chairs too. I love the small table from my grandmother's because I reminds me of her... Both DH and I inherited furniture from grandparents an parents that we love. I love using my maternal grandmother's china- she died when my mother was 14. I I didn't realize I am an odd duck.

It's not that we didn't love our grandparents. We don't have the space for it.

I would love some of my grandma's things or inherited furniture. Except all our grandparents are in their 80s/90. We're nearing 40 and our parents are 70. Our parents are the ones who will get everything and sell it for cash or toss it. I assume we'll be retired before we get any possessions from our parents. Inherited furniture/dishes only goes to children, not grandchildren or great grandchildren.

How weird that this is so rigid. You must have a lot of people dying in your family if you have such rigid rules.

Why would your parents sell it instead of giving it to you?

My mom died recently and left her things to us children. We then brought in the grandkids, other family and close friends and divided things up. What we had left we donated to a couple needy families who needed extra furniture. We threw very little away. It was so hard because we loved her, but we took great care with her things that she loved. Some of you are so cold and heartless.

This reminds me that we also donated some furniture from my silent generation MIL. Her significant other knew of someone in the apartment complex who could use some of her furniture and we were happy to share it. Also when my brother died, broke, and with a condo that wasn't worth fixing up and selling, we just walked on his estate rather than go through probate. So we took some personal things but we gave his furniture to some local women who were starting a second-hand store and his car to the sister of a neighbor with the understanding that she would pay off the Homeowner's Association a small amount for it (he had died owing them money). It was painful that my brother died under the circumstances he did but it was great to give the furniture and the car to these other folks who could use them, rather than letting them sit at the condo till the bank took everything.

[Anonymous]

MIL thinks we DILs will be fighting over her stuff when she dies. She couldn’t be more wrong. It’s all going to Ebay and Goodwill.

[Anonymous]

This post made me laugh because my IL’s are exactly the same. They still live in the same big house DH and his brother grew up in and it’s packed to the brim with crap. They have acquired tons of antiques that they claim have value but it’s really just old, often falling apart junk. They never throw anything out- they keep appliances, like a blender, that they got before they were married even though it doesn’t work and they have a newer (aka from the 80s) one. They have multiple sets of China, silver and crystal that they had inherited from relatives who passed.

If it makes them happy, great. But DH and his brother have made it pretty clear they want none of it and will literally get a dumpster to clear out the house one day. Yet they keep acquiring new things and claim they will change their minds or can sell stuff. Not going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Estate sales and consignment shops are now loaded with great furniture at a fraction of the original price if you are interested in transitional pieces that are pretty timeless. Too many people buy contemporary furniture which becomes out of date in ten years.

Yes, we've bought all the high quality non-trendy secondhand / vintage furniture we need and donated / sold our crappy ikea stuff that was falling apart. There is nothing wrong with ikea, but you can sometimes find nice solid furniture for the same price or less, and it will last a long time. Anything I purchased in my 20s that was solid and vintage, I still have in my 40s. Some I've given away or sold, and pretty much made back what I paid for it.

My mom (WWII generation) never downsized, she was so attached to her stuff and furniture. She was still wanting to buy stuff the year before she died, in her 80s. It was sad, really, because we could have used a lot of it when we were younger and by the time she died we could only take / swap out a few pieces we needed.

I can understand parents and grandparents wanting to pass down solid furniture, but they need to do it when it would help kids and save them money. And, if you don't hate "brown" furniture or paint / refinish it, you can get some good secondhand deals right now and use your money for other things.

What about upon downsizing when multiple young adults with their significant others want the same objects? Big example-1 Dining room table expresso finish on cherry-solid wood made in USA with extendable pull-outs and table protector. Looks like a better version of this which is pine and new is mega the cost :
https://www.potterybarn.com/products/brussels-barnwood-dining-table/?cm_src=AutoRel2

That thing was used for kids homework and now functions as a home office/library room. No matchy matchy hutch junk. I'm a boomer and don't collect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it odd?

My parents are in their 60’s and they enjoy updating their homes. They have had a lot of fun actually purchasing items that remind them of their childhoods to add to their “Beatles room” that is full of memorabilia. They also remodel to maintain evwrything in a current style.

Are they supposed to just stop enjoying life? Stop having projects?

Exactly. Well said. My opinion after reading some of the posts is that there are quite a few people who don't see their parents as real people, with interests and hobbies and living life to its fullest.

The kicker for me were the people who resented that their parents hadn't furnished their kids houses and kept their own furniture (how dare they!?!) when their kids could have used it. Like their parents were supposed to sit on the floor after giving their furniture away to a bunch of entitled and bratty 30 year olds walking around with their hands out.

So you're saying that 'living life to the fullest' and 'having a hobby' means buying crap in bulk and stuffing your already stuffed rooms with more stuff? Mkay, then.. To each their own, I guess, but I'd shoot myself in the head if that ever becomes my definition of a full life.

[Anonymous]

Downsizing can also be a scary thing for people. It feels like preparing for a new life phase. When you’re older, that “new” phase ain’t so comforting.

[Anonymous]

I feel you, OP. My parents were antique collectors.

[Anonymous]

This makes me feel so much better! My DH had a horrific bedroom set given to us by my IL’s, and it’s so ugly it’s such a mood killer! Finally getting rid of it soon!