How to deal with inherited heirlooms

Have you been gifted a special family possession but feel it’s perhaps not to your taste?

Inheritances can be a mixed blessing. While the gift-giver saw beauty and value, you may see only a clunky piece of antique furniture that doesn’t suit your home, or a ceramic figurine that isn’t to your taste. You may feel honoured that they chose you to inherit something they treasured, but it may also feel like a huge responsibility.

‘If you inherited something and it’s being kept in your loft, then you obviously don’t love it and you’re only keeping it out of a sense of obligation,’ says Janine McDonald, professional sustainable declutterer and home organiser. ‘If you know in your heart that you will never use or display it, pass it on to a friend or family member, or donate or sell it. The original owner would far prefer it was being used and enjoyed, even if not by you.’

Follow our guide to help you decide what to keep and what to let go.

Keep and treasure

You may decide that you can’t bear to part with an inherited piece, especially if it comes from someone you are close to. If the item isn’t to your taste or doesn’t suit your decor, consider creating a special area to display it, perhaps alongside some family photos, in a less public area of your home. Some items may work for special occasions – heavy Victorian brass candlesticks could be brought out every Christmas, for example, but kept in a cupboard for the rest of the year.

Choose a selection

If you’ve inherited a number of pieces but don’t want to keep everything, think about choosing one or two special items and letting the rest go. You could keep one dining chair and use it in the bedroom, for example, or a few books from a larger collection. Perhaps your great aunt’s antique tea set isn’t to your taste, but if you keep just the teapot or one cup and saucer, you will think of her whenever you make a cuppa. However, do get a valuation first before breaking up a set or collection, as it could reduce the value.

Upcycle or repurpose

Updating, mending or restoring is another way to make a piece work for you. That heavy dark-wood bookcase may fit better into your home after a lick of paint, or an occasional chair once it’s been reupholstered. Antique bureaux make great drinks cabinets or coffee stations with a bit of creative upcycling, while the gemstones from jewellery can be redesigned into more contemporary pieces. Old paintings may benefit from professional cleaning or restoration, or simply reframing makes a huge difference.

Let it go

It’s natural to feel sad and perhaps a little guilty about saying goodbye to sentimental items. ‘I always think it’s helpful to reframe the process as passing things on for others to enjoy, not “getting rid of them”,’ says Janine.

If the item has value, ring-fence the money from selling it to use in a way your loved one would appreciate, whether it’s buying a coveted piece of artwork or booking a family holiday. However, even if you have the right to sell it, it’s polite to check with other family members before you get rid of a special inherited piece – they may prefer to acquire it from you. Valuable antiques and collectables should always be properly assessed and sold at auction, while lesser items can be sold through local selling sites, online auctions and car-boot sales, or offered to friends and family.

WORDS: LINDSEY HARRAD