My husband and I are clearing out my late father-in-law’s house and sorting items into family hand-me-downs, thrift shop donations, and luckily not a lot of rubbish.

On one of our previous visits, I noticed a glass ice bucket among the bar supplies. I told my husband I thought that ice bucket was in the pattern of our wine glasses; and, if so, I’d like it.

But if it was a piece that went with my mother-in-law’s glassware collection, we knew it should go to her. Her glass pretties are a lot more expensive than mine!

On Saturday, we were at the house again. My mother-in-law has been helping with the sorting and clear-out. My in-laws were divorced, but on good terms, and it’s helpful to have mother-in-law involved. She knows what pieces are family heirlooms, which thrift shops in that area take donations, and who in the extended family might like what items as hand-me-downs.

I showed the ice bucket to her. “Does this go with your stuff?”

Nope.

I was even more convinced at that point the piece matched my pattern, so the ice bucket went in the car. When my husband and I got home, I pulled out one of my wine glasses from the cupboard. Yes, indeed, it was the same pattern!

Would I have bought an ice bucket on my own? Not likely. My grandmother and her sister bought my wine and specialty glassware years ago and I have a good assortment of stuff. But it’s a great piece to add to the mix.

On the more practical side, my husband came home with a shopping bag of nearly-new socks. He and his mother have been amused at how much new or almost-new clothing is being found in the house. Some of it my husband can use, and some of it the brother-in-law can use, but a lot of it is going to the thrift shop because the blue-collar guys can’t get too much use out of the dressy attire. (My father-in-law had worked in banking.)

So my husband showed me the pile of socks and said he would have gone to the store pretty soon to replace his worn-out socks. Now, he doesn’t have to do that errand.

I pointed out that was at least $20 worth of socks he was taking home.

We also came home with a ream of computer paper, and a little glass bird knick-knack that I liked. On a previous visit, I took home about a third of the cleaning supplies – and there still is enough chemicals and wipes in the pantry closet to keep the house clean as we work on this effort.

Yes, this is everyday stuff I am mentioning in this post. The bigger / more obvious estate items were assigned during earlier family discussions, and those details are moving along.

The point is: frugal families know even everyday items are worthy of hand-me-downs.