So, the other day, I was thinking about my Noritake tea set. You know, those fancy cups and saucers we rarely use? Yeah, those. They’re pretty, but honestly, I’m always a little scared to use them. What if I break something? But then I thought, “Hey, what’s the point of having them if I never use them?” Right?

So, I decided to give it a shot. I took them out, dusted them off – they were in those storage boxes, all wrapped up. For the teapot, I usually wrap the lid and body separately. Or sometimes, I put a tissue between the lid and the body, and use an elastic band to hold the lid on. But you gotta be careful, not too tight, or you might break the spout.

First things first, I had to clean them. I just used warm, soapy water. Nothing fancy. I read somewhere that you should avoid putting them in the dishwasher. I did not get any dishwasher in my home. I mean, some might be dishwasher-safe, but mine are a bit old, and I didn’t want to risk it. And I followed the manufacturer’s instructions about the detergent levels, you know, just to be safe.

Then, I made some tea. Just a regular black tea, nothing special. I carefully poured the hot water into the teapot, let it steep, and then poured it into the cups. It felt a little weird, using such delicate cups for everyday tea. But you know what? It was nice. It felt a little luxurious, even though it was just me, myself, and I.

After I finished my tea, it was time to clean up. I was extra careful washing everything. I used those padded storage things for the teacups and felt separators for the saucers. I heard you shouldn’t stack the teacups too high, and I thought I should install a glass door to keep them. I am considering that. Anyway, I dried everything thoroughly and put them back in their boxes.

I guess the whole point of this is, don’t be afraid to use your nice things. Yeah, they might be a bit more work to clean, and you gotta be a bit more careful, but it’s worth it. It’s like, why have them if you’re not going to enjoy them?

Here’s what I learned:

• Washing: Warm, soapy water is the way to go. Avoid the dishwasher unless you’re sure they’re safe.
• Drying: Dry everything really well, especially if you’re putting them away in storage.
• Storing: Padded storage for cups, felt separators for saucers. Don’t stack cups too high.
• Using: Don’t be scared! It’s okay to use them for everyday stuff. It actually makes it feel a little special.

So, that’s my little adventure with my Noritake tea set. It wasn’t a big deal, but it was a good reminder to use the things I have and not just let them collect dust. Hope you guys enjoyed this little story!