My grandfather who I’ve lived with my whole life passed away last month and this month I’m getting ready to move in for school. I’ve gotten my first apartment in the city and need furniture. My parents told me to take some of his things and I was feeling very down about it, even if I knew he’d want me to have them. But this video made me feel better about it! I’m carrying on the history of his items and I’m going to take care of them and treat them with respect. It’s much better than his stuff ending up in a landfill

Bernadette’s philosophy reminds me of a William Morris quote…“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

The idea of being a caretaker of items instead of a consumer is actually so beautiful and I've never thought of it that way

It is so good when someone on KZfaq doesn't just buy, buy, buy senselessly but advocates for conscious consumerism.

I swear, If all of us in the comments met, it’d probably result in the most beautiful, & passionate conversations about the simplest of things.

Your monologue about treating the things you own with respect/how everything “has an energy to it”/being a “caretaker” of the things you own made me realise how much people misunderstood Marie Kondo.

This was beautiful! The hair in the microscope reminded me of when I was a kid, helping my father do some remodeling in our ancestral 1790's farmhouse. We stripped down 100 years worth of wallpaper to the horsehair plaster and discovered a large crack in the plaster. Wound up and stuffed into the crack was a newspaper from 1906 with a mailing label on it addressed to my great, great grandfather. But the most spectacular part was the long blonde hair that I found twisted up in the newspaper, most likely my great grandmother's. Discoveries like this one growing up on our farm are what led me to become an archaeologist, and a caretaker of my own lovingly gathered antiques.

I should say: I have a soft spot for plushies. When I see them in second hand shops, very used and usually damaged, I tend to take them home and restore them. I can't hold myself. That left me with a lot of soft toys, so I decided it was time to pass them to kids that wanted/needed them. And I donated all my plushies to the daycare of my town. Now I know they are used, loved and they will have an impressive life. A second chance. So I love the way you think.

Classical musicians often feel that they are caretakers/custodians of their instruments. It's not uncommon for violinists to do their degree on a violini that they then retain for their entire playing career, before passing it on to a favourite student.

I like to 'think' I'm a minimalist and want a clean, peaceful space, until I go to an antique store, or thrift store or garage sale and I become an absolute crow trying to collect all the shiny, pretty things 😅. Thanks for taking us along on these little adventures in time travel

As a lover of tea, I've seen many a tea warmer, but never one this amazing! I can assure you that your excitement is neither unrealistic, nor ridiculous! THAT is an item that I would categorize as "I don't care if I have nowhere to put it, I'll FIND somewhere to put it, because I simply cannot live without it!" I'm so excited that you took it home!

If I ever found a kettle and stand like the one you have I would probably die. It is gorgeous AND functional! I wish my whole kitchen was full of copper pieces like an old estate kitchen.

I love how I could spot 3 candlesticks in the background when you said "I have a particular weakness for candlesticks" 😉

My jaw literally hit the floor when you pulled up the microscope. As a student of both science and history, I was absolutely in awe of that lovely piece of history

“I like old things that time has tried, and proven strong, and good, and fine. I like old things, they have a depth unknown to anything that’s new.”

"why not play into the charade that there's actually something going on in that side of the room" is literally my motto for life.

Bernadette: "I'm banned from buying candle sticks this trip. Hold me to that." Me, munching on chips: "I'll try, but... *gestures to computer screen *"

I have a terrible weakness for old books, teacups/sets, ceramic/cast iron cookware…my very lovely husband takes me around “The Circuit” (what we call the small collection of antique stores within an hour’s drive) once a month and buys me all the little pretties that beg to come home with me. He calls them my Treasures 🥰🤣

I’m studying to be an herbalist, and Victorian apothecarycore is EVERYTHING!! 😍

There's definitely a level of appreciation for second hand things when you grow up poor. Even though I'm not AS poor as I was as a child, I still choose to look for previously owned things, because often they cost less and still work fine, it's just that someone has gotten bored of it and "upgraded".

Actually, this beautiful microscope is not missing a part. A glass slide goes under the clamps, and glass slides haven't changed for at least a hundred years. The hole is uncovered to let through the maximum of light. I am pretty sure (as I, or rather my grandpa, had a very similar one) that the optics could prove superior to a lot of the modern plastic lenses you find in USB microscopes.

I love what you said about being a caretaker of items. My grandmother has gifted me her china tea set that she got in Germany working as an army nurse in the 1950's. It honestly makes me proud to know that she trusts me with this precious gift because she knows I will take good care of them. In a more poetic note she also gave me her old bandage scissors and hemostat that she used as a nurse, and I currently use now working as an RN. Not to sound too sentimental, but it gives me confidence just having these tools that such a wonderful nurse before me used in her own care.

Your “caretaker” approach is so refreshing to hear. It makes me wonder if the heavy “consumers” are also the ones that adopt dogs and then dump them at the shelter when they require work/ are no longer convenient

my jaw LITERALLY DROPPED when i saw the microscope 😭 as someone who loves science and old things, it is absolutely and utterly perfect

your little monologue about respecting items and letting them "serve their best purpose" has me itching to clean this tarnished silver teapot i got from my nanna…

What you said about being a caretaker of items resonates really strongly with me- and others, going by the comments! It's a beautiful and accurate way of putting it.

Bernadette: Head Steward of Used Magickal Items I have always liked historical clothing but historical objects haven’t always captivated me… Needless to say, now they do! My dad got me a pair of ~very fine~ pinking shears that in time will become a family heirloom. This video inspired me to be the start of their legacy!

I absolutely adore secondhand shopping because each object I pick out has to “speak” to me. It’s something rather magical about the object that draws us together, so I can become its caretaker

As a Museologist, listening to you go on about objects that have a life, caring for them and passing them forward is *chef's kiss*. I adore your perspective on history

That "I made a list... Actually, I ALWAYS have a list" deeply resonate within my own soul.

The taking care of items is exactly how I was raised and currently live. My grandmother gave my mother rag rugs that she made about 40 years ago if not more and they are currently in my bathroom and I will check them every year and mend them if I need to. Thank you for reminding me I'm not alone in that.

I love the idea of being a 'caretaker' of an item, and I've never thought of it that way before. The antiques I own have always stood out to me amongst all the other things I own, and I think it's because they have that history to them. They're not just some mass produced item that I bought for convenience, they are beautiful and have been used for decades and sometimes even centuries by people before me. Now I get the chance to love them as much as their previous owners.

My grandmother passed along the same sentiment that you expressed: “Lovely things are meant to be loved.” What lovely finds! I’m so so happy you take such pleasure in them.

I like this explanation of clutter bad energy being due to disrespect--makes a lot of sense to me. 💖👏🏽💪🏽

Moving into my first own flat in a week and I am excited to bring some antiques into my space. There are two that I am absolutely in love with: One is an old Chinese tea box I got from a friend who had it passed to him from his late father. The friend does not particularly favour the aesthetic, but he knew that I love it and that I, being half Slavic/Tatar, am a biiiig tea drinker. The other is a wooden wedding chest from 1706 from one of my ancestors. She was the mother of the people who went to America and founded the American branch of our line. Being one of the last Germans of our line, this chest makes me think about all the people who came before and came together to, ultimately, result in me.

OMG! I used to have that exact hem marker which I used on an almost daily basis when I had my couturier. I passed it on to a friend when I closed down who still uses and loves it. I hope that yours gets all the years of loving use (and then a happy new home) that mine did!

when Bernadette mentioned ‘victorian apothecary’ i realized that i needed that to be my aesthetic. i’m a sucker for old medicines bottles and other medical things.

The hem marker brought back a flood of memories, of my grandmother who was a dressmaker, and had to return to that vocation after my grandfather died. Her dressmaking room had one of those, and I remember watching her use it when altering dresses. It was not far from her dressmaking form, which she named Susie. My grandmother was born in 1893, and I have her little leather notebook where she listed the items in her trousseau, all of which she made prior to marrying in 1915. I have a gorgeous piece of her wedding dress, a bit of the yoke, heavily embroidered and beaded. I worked it into the gown of my Christmas tree angel, whose porcelain head is made from her doll, and the rest from bits of lace and tulle from her inventory. I have a piece of an afternoon gown from the late twenties, an ambery orange silk georgette, with moss green velvet deco flowers. I intend to cover a lampshade with it, and I wish you were here to help me! Sorry to ramble, and thank-you!

I love the phosphoric acid vessel. I wonder how much she realizes she's literally demonstrating alchemy.

It is crazy and overwhelming that every bit of everything, spoon or blade of grass, has a back story. But it is also lovely. A person with imagination is never in want of a story to uncover.

Can we just stop a moment and appreciate Bernadette's perfect swirl of hair? We can and we shall.

Getting a thrill from finding second-hand/antique items that belong to us is so much better than the thrill of buying new stuff - while the latter is just empty, sort of weightless potential, the Old Things have roots and an actual history (even if it’s unknown to us most of the time), which is like a kind of magic. I also have a strange feeling with very old things, like they take some kind of weight off my shoulders, because they were here before me and might just as well be here after me, so they are making space for me in their lives, it’s not I who is doing that. Please excuse the philosophic rant, I feel very strong feelings about this.

Thank you for making me feel better about my miss matched collection of china acquired from various female relatives. I don't have room for full sets, so I just keep the serving pieces--sugar bowls, creamers, covered bowls, gravy boats, coffee and tea pots. My mother called me a hoarder this weekend.

Oh my! In older novels, some one is always making tea on the spirit lamp. Now I have a visual of that! Thanks! Also, for practical purpose items, I treasure an antique Staffordshire spill vase with three swans. Glad to have found the corner of the net that appreciates that way of thinking.

Bernadette: "I'm banned from buying more candlesticks." Candelabra's on Mantle: "No! We... need more friends."

I so agree; objects/ buildings of the past absolutely have an “energy” and deserve our utmost respect. I live in a 600 year old cottage in the English countryside, and feel immensely privileged to be the “caretaker” of this slice of England’s history. Let’s hope that others, in centuries to come, share our passion for preservation!

Bernadettes house is honestly like someone living in a museum like we all wanted to as 11 year olds after our first school trip.

I'm binge-watching all of your videos before my English literature exam so that I can write my passages more eloquently.

"Building an estate" is how my husband and I refer to our acquisition of household items. We carefully consider if things are worth buying, based on the likelihood of passing them down to our kids, as much as need, and want.

I'm SO glad the Little Lord gets plenty of veg!

Bernadette: "I'm banned from buying candle sticks this trip. Hold me to that." Me: I'll try but who's gonna stop me from buying the candles.

The sentiments in this video are everything. These are the same thoughts that pass thru my mind as I purchase items to decorate my home. Is it useful? Will it last a lifetime and can I properly appreciate it? What will become if it when I no longer have a use for it? You found some absolutely beautiful items and I'm genuinely excited for you!

Little Cesario munching on veggie scraps at the end was the happiest I've ever been watching an ad ♥️

plot twist: the items are once hers back in old days. time travelling means travel, in general, so you have to give up some things for a lightweight luggage 🤫. and now, she wants it back LOL.

Antique things (sigh)--they also inspire some memories. My stepfather's mother (born in 1909) had a (Singer?) sewing machine that looked almost exactly like your pedal-operated one, but it ran on electricity. She taught me most of what I know about sewing using that thing. And I wanted it. One summer, when I wasn't looking, she replaced it with a brand-new one that just didn't feel right. In 1978, I also briefly knew a lady deep into her 80s, briefly who made all her own clothes by hand. I was in awe: Small, perfect hand stitches on every seam, perfect details, all even on very fine fabrics. I believe she inherited some of her tools from her mother. I wanted those, too--but she took them with her when she moved to a senior citizens' residence.

Loved the whole video but seeing Cesario so excited for his vegetables and run over to the food bowl made me melt with happiness!

Just a thought : perhaps you can gently sand the external layer of that chalk that has hardened with age to reveal softer, usable chalk underneath? As an avid antique collector I've done this a few times especially with hardened dry art supplies such as charcoal and it worked!

What some see as a "slightly idealistic approach" to consumerism, I just see as someone trying their best to be ethical to the best they can in an unethical system. It's kinda actually super punk if you think about it that way! Basically, Bernadette is an Edwardian punk is my thesis. Oh my lord, yeah, I can see why you were so excited about the last thing you showed! That's legit super cool!

Do I sew? Do I craft? Have I ever thought about watching or having any sort of interest in historical dressmaking? The answer to all these questions is a flat outright no never before in my life, then I stumble upon this channel and I have been hooked and fascinated by the most amazing craftsmanship and skill that evidently goes into creating these beautiful pieces of clothing and I now understand why historically fast fashion didn't exist and why these beautiful garments are made to be worn for many years. Having watched many of your videos has been a wonderful way to pass the hours and I can honestly say that its been a worthwhile use of my free time because it has made me really think about my consumption of fast fashion and the wider implications that this modern phenomenon has and the fact that I could make a difference, usually I would say its pointless what can I do as an individual that is going to make any difference... but then I thought about being part of a mass movement of society doing their own bit is worthwhile and does have the potential to effect change. Thank you so much for the important message that you spread as you've had the ability to entertain,educate and inspire someone who isn't your usual subscriber viewer and that is something pretty impressive xx

I used to live near Wetherby but now live down in Norfolk. There's a brilliant antiques barn in Ely, Cambridgeshire. I can (and have) spent hours there just marveling at everything and imagining the people who owned the items before they found their way into the barn. It honestly surprised me a little when you said you were going to Wetherby, it's great to see people exploring the smaller countryside towns that England has to offer!

It's rather brilliant how you use Cesario in your sponsorship sections to turn ads into adorable content.

I'm so pleased that His Lordship Cesario received his own HelloFresh meal. THAT is the level of celebrity endorsement that has me ready to buy!

This episode is my favorite episode. My first love was teaching. My second love was fashion. My third love was history. This episode, for me, was the culmination of them all. I feel like I'm taking a historicity class; and that is a high compliment. You speak with knowledge, eloquence , and passion. I want to develop that level of relationship with my belongings, and with the subject which I devote the majority of my time. Thank you!!

I love York and Yorkshire in general. It’s such a wonderful area. The aesthetic of an sd card hanging off a jingling chatelaine is so texturally intriguing! Wow!!!! Kudos on the microscope and kettle apparatus! I’m so glad you found such great things!!!

I just love that you consider yourself as the caretaker of your items. What a lovely way to look at things. That teapot is perfect! As soon as you pulled it out I was hoping you got the stand too. I’m so glad we get to come along on your little quest to find items for your new home. 💚

While watching this video, i was thinking about how this channel is sort of a moral guide to me. I noticed that since i watched the video about the ripoff of the medieval gown, i almost completely stopped buying fast fashion, which i never really thought about before. And now i guess ill declutter my room soon and start appreciating what i have more. I genuinely think this channel has made and is continuing to make me a better person.

You have perfectly captured the excitement and love I have for my authentic Edwardian Petticoat that I got for my 17th birthday. I absolutely fell in love with her, and still love and wear her to this day. (I've had her for just over 7 months now, and wear her often)

The cinematic frame ratio is :chef's kiss: and the haul is most amazing!!!

I’m obsessed with chatelaines and think they should be more commonly used today! I currently have mine on my sweatpants as I sew a neck binding

Fun fact: the ruins starting at 2:30 were actually a monastery that Henry VIII had shut down after his split with the Catholic church. They took most of the building apart block by block to use the stone elsewhere. Your explanation of how you see yourself as a caretaker of the items you acquire is beautiful and inspiring!

I am so inspired by your ideology of not consuming items but rather being the caretaker of them while they’re in your possession. I am an impulse buyer and I like to collect things (some may say hoard 🤷🏻‍♀️) so this is definitely something that’s made me reconsider that. I do love and cherish all of my belongings but I can definitely see how adding it to the clutter is disrespectful. Thank you for this insight!

I feel the same way about "things". I use antique and vintage in my home everyday. They are not only useful, made well but also beautiful. Everything was made to look nice as well as have a neccessary function.

"There is also that particular thrill of hunting for something that you know is not manufactured" just spoke to me! I just bought a 1947 McCormick-Deering cream separator for my small (goat) dairy. I've been searching for months and months for a cream separator, and two weeks ago, I finally found a complete one. Best gift to myself ever, hands down!

There is just something about glass bottles that inexplicably brings me so much joy

I totally get what you’re saying about special objects, finding homes for them, etc. you’re whole philosophy resonates with me.

It never occurred to me that one might be able to find copper cookware at an antique mall, but hey, foodies and chefs watching this video, go to your local antique malls and antique fairs! You’ll probably find some gorgeous copper pots and pans for your kitchen! Also I bet you could get that burner for the kettle to work if you used one of those butane/kerosene canisters that go under buffet trays. I assume that back in the day you’d scoop some coals from the fireplace inside and use that. And if you want to make use of your fireplace without lighting a fire inside, you could do what my cousins did and put a candle centerpiece inside and fill it with scented or unscented candles of your choice

I love the history and story of old items as well. It's not that old, but I love thinking about all the meals my 1950s stove has cook, everyday meals, birthday cakes, Thanksgivings. For some reason this video also made me think of mudlarking on the Thames, which I have always wanted to do. Finding little scraps of the past that have been tossed away seems so intriguing. And that they can be as old as the Romans blows my mind.

Estate sales are a very affordable alternative to antiquing if anyone here is on a budget and wishes they could have old and pretty things!

Your shopping vlogs are some of my favorites. Thank you for sharing why you love antiques and secondhand items so much as well as an alternative way to look at item ownership. It's very good food for thought. All of the items your got will make excellent decor, and I hope you enjoy them for many years to come!

I treasure the things I bring into my home. I look after them and as I age, I worry about who to pass them on to. Its actually nice to know someone else feels the same way. Things have energy.

I have a weakness for tea cups. Going to an antique fairs feels like going treasure hunting. I love the idea of being a caretaker of items.

I work in archaeology, and I really like the idea of being caretakers of objects. Objects carry the stories of previous people. There are pieces of pottery thousands of years old that have the fingerprints of their maker. It’s fascinating and beautiful to think of these stories and people from the past, consider your own story, and think of future generations through these objects.

The chalk should still work..m you just need to chip off the top layer. Also I get super excited when people visit York and the surrounding areas as apparently one of my forbares was a stone mason on York cathedral 😁

I'd love to have a Victorian microscope! I study biology and we usually have a history lesson in each subject, but microbiology and chemistry antiques just have that charm that no other historic artefacts of other sciences have

you can get the burner to work for your copper kettle. it needs a wick, and likely uses paraffin. Growing up my mother had one, which we used at teatime when we had guests.

Bernadette would be a great museum curator! As someone who works at an art museum that's exactly our attitude towards purchases and gifts. We need to know we can care for the piece before it is accessioned into the collection and recording the history of how it came into the collection is provenance which is extraordinarily important to telling the story of an object.

the way she describes owning an item is so beautiful

I've just been repairing an old patchwork quilt from 50 years ago for my mum. It is a very important thing as her mum (my grandmother) got it as a wedding present, and she sleeps with it every night. Now I feel like a tailor! :D

this video was specially crafted for us with little crow brains that like to collect the most wonderful things

this is one of the reasons I love the arts and crafts style of home decor: Function+beauty=the perfect home

I feel the same way about antiques that I buy--actually everything that I buy. Probably why I still have virtually everything I have ever owned.

When you brought out the kettle stand I screamed 😭 owning something like that is a life goal

The key to getting me to pay attention to an entire ad read is to include the "little lord of the manor." 🥰

That kettle caught my eye too - actually it was the stand that I noticed. IMO it's even more wonderful than the kettle! I can imagine the blacksmith standing at his forge hammering away to shape it. That would have come home with me too.

When I heard your views about how objects should be treated it reminded me a bit of the way Japanese think, they have a ceremony when they dispose of an object, they show gratitude and respect for the objects in their lives. It also reminded me of tsukumogami, which is, you know? Folklore, but one I like! I think you might find it interesting :)

I have a collection of antique pyrex that I use regularly. Some people think I should just display them, but they're dishes! They're made to be dishes. They're in perfect working condition, so they should be doing their work.

I wish more people had this approach to things. You really articulated something that I have though for some time but never have put into words.

I love Bernadette’s philosophy on us being the caretakers of the objects we own, particularly as it relates to the protection and preservation of our architectural history, whether it be the grandest of civic buildings or the quaintest of cottages.

I love antiques. My Grandmother had an antiques store and as a child was able to listen to the stories about the antiques. I would then repeat the story to the new customers that came in through out the day. I have looked but I have not seen a ceramic half figurine pin cushion in your sewing area. My little thumbnail picture shows me holding a picture of my great grandmother taken on 1907. I would have loved to see the full dress she is wearing as the detail of the dress is beautiful. I also have an idea for another show for you to do. It steams from a question I have for you. My grandmother Anna who owned the antique shop collected dolls. She has some large dolls that she has taken their clothes off to wash and didn't get them back on them when she passed. So I have a dress that can fit my 3 yr old granddaughter made in the 1800's and I want to know how can you tell a dolls dress from a child's dress? I could send you a picture if I knew where to send it.

your videos fill my love of victorian objects, buildings and clothing that I've had ever since I was little.