Every Generation Has This Treasured Item In Their Home That They Want To Use Daily, But Actually Hardly Ever Touch
Most homeowners choose to leave this item locked away for that special moment.
JLco Julia Amaral | Shutterstock Every homeowner has a few items in their home that they are quite proud to own. Whether it's the couch they splurged on for their living room or the artwork that reminds them of their favorite trip abroad. However, a study from Talker Research found that out of all the hoarded treasures in someone's home, there's a particular item that, across multiple generations, most people take special care of but don't really get to use often, even though they want to.
Any guesses? It's not the preserved wedding dress taking up room in the spare closet, but it is related to celebrations and holidays. Another hint... every generation from boomers to Gen Z loves it.
Every generation has treasured fine china and glassware in their home that they want to use daily, but hardly ever touch.
Researchers found that the average homeowner waits nearly three decades before breaking out special occasion items. The poll of 2,000 U.S. homeowners found that, across every generation from Gen Zers to baby boomers, it's fine china and glassware.
An estimated two in three (68%) said they wish they could live every day like a special occasion, and 58% said if it were practical, they'd use their "special occasion" items every single day. A majority of homeowners (79%) have these items they hold dear, set aside only for special occasions, and 69% of whom reserve fragile and intricate items like their dishes and glassware.
Most homeowners are waiting for the 'right moment' to break out their fine china.
Approximately 64% of homeowners have never touched these special occasion items, leaving them to collect dust waiting for the "right" moment. Interestingly enough, though, 54% have never even used a "special occasion" item because the right moment hasn't yet come up.
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The one possible explanation, according to the study, was that 48% stated that they don’t use their special occasion items every day because they are worried about damaging them, and 45% said they’re impractical to use daily. Considering that a lot of fine china and glassware is expensive, it makes sense that people might worry about damaging them.
That means a lot of homeowners just have their fine china propped in a cabinet, just on display, and more artwork than something people can actually eat off of and with. Then, of course, there's the care of them once they're used and dirty.
Four in 10 people (42%) believe that many of their dishes and glassware need to be washed by hand, especially items like vintage china, dishes made from unique materials, and items made from sterling silver. While 29% said they wash these things by hand after every use, a majority (57%) choose to wash their dishes and glasses on a regular basis, regardless of whether they were used.
At the end of the day, it's more than understandable why homeowners aren't quick to break out their best china. Many of us are just conditioned to bring out only the nice things for truly special occasions, but it doesn't have to be that way. Author Donna Cameron wrote, "For years — even long after I was out on my own — I didn’t wear the favorite sweater to go grocery shopping or just around the house. I didn’t serve dinner for only the two of us on the pretty china with the blue flowers, or pour water, lemonade, or wine into the delicate crystal glasses. I refrained from writing in the exquisite hand-sewn journal a dear friend gave me because my scribblings were just too mundane for such a gorgeous book." Adding, "But somewhere along the way — finally—it occurred to me that the sweater wasn’t made to spend its life in a drawer, the china and crystal would give us pleasure and maybe even psychologically elevate the quality of my mediocre cooking. And if I didn’t think my writing or my thoughts were worthy of a lovely journal (and a good pen to write with), then what kind of timid, phony writer am I? If I fill it up with my thoughts — however jumbled or humdrum — I can get another. I’m worth it."
Using the fine china for that random dinner with your friends on a Tuesday night can help make these moments feel more special. It's about being able to give yourself permission to enjoy what you already have, instead of saving it for some unknown time that may never come, because life is short and you truly never know what tomorrow might bring. But more importantly, as Cameron said, you're worth it. You are worth eating off of fine china and drinking wine from a crystal glass, even if it's takeout and Two Buck Chuck.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
