This Marigold color Heisey Coarse Rib mustard jar measures about 3¾ inches high. It has a slot in the lid to accommodate a spoon. SCOTT SIMMONS / FLORIDA WEEKLY

For years I’ve written about what people can do with their stuff after their children and siblings proclaim they don’t want their heirlooms.

But we seldom ask ourselves why they don’t want those goodies.

Many people associate such objects with clutter.

It’s all too easy to get overwhelmed.

A recent visit to a Broward County antiques mall reminded me of why many people have little patience or space for knickknacks and other treasures of the past.

In this mall, booth after booth was stacked to the gills in a disorganized mess — trash and treasure shared space, often on the same shelf. I had to step over stacks of books and other items to look in cabinets in many of the spaces, many of which were very poorly lighted, in addition to being cluttered.

I know folks who love the clutter and who love digging for treasure, but most people don’t have the time or inclination for shopping in a mess — let alone living with the clutter.

And so it is with our siblings, children and grandchildren.

We need to make it easier for them to choose and need to be willing to accept that not everything is for everyone.

For many of our elders, those treasures are the jewels of their household — “Grandma valued that.” “I bought that in Europe.” Or, “This came from a good friend.”

Forget the monetary value — they’re treasured because of the associations with people and places.

Share the stories of your favorite things — invest the next generation in the knowledge of the sacrifice or love a particular object represents. Let them know why something matters.

Arrange the pieces attractively, and don’t be afraid to put some away.

I have a designer friend who says you don’t wear all your jewelry at once; you cannot have all your accessories on display at the same time, either.

One or two well-placed treasures pack a lot more punch than covering every inch of everything.

Organizing things for aesthetics makes even the mundane appear more interesting.

And a few treasures are much easier to pass on to a grandchild than a whole curio cabinet of collectibles.

Understand that tastes change and that these individuals have tastes all their own. It’s OK if they don’t want your stuff. At that point, find a charity that can sell them to do good.

If you own a valuable collection, spend the money to have it appraised or stipulate in your will that an expert be brought in to evaluate things before things are disposed of.

That brings me back to my visit to the antiques mall.

I needed a change of scenery, and visiting retailers helps me stay up to date on pricing and what’s popular.

I didn’t visit with any expectation of buying.

But, of course, that happened.

What caught my eye was a Heisey Coarse Rib pattern mustard jar, dating from the 1920s or ’30s. It has a slot in the lid to accommodate a tiny glass spoon — I’ll be looking for one of those.

And what prompted me to pony up the $24 for the piece? The color.

It is a crystal piece that was stained in a color Heisey dubbed “Marigold.”

The Ohio company had issues with glass made in a similar color, also called “Marigold,” that had a high spoilage rate at the factory, then began to disintegrate — I’ve seen pieces of the colored glass that were covered in small cracks. It discontinued that color and outside decorating houses coated clear pieces in a hue that was similar.

You don’t see much of either color, making the jar an interesting piece for that reason alone.

But the notion of a mustard jar?

Back then, nobody would have served mustard at the table from the jar in which it was sold when an elegant glass covered jar was available — the finer glass companies also fabricated mayonnaise dishes and ketchup bottles.

So the piece also speaks to another time. And for $24, it was eye-catching enough for me to add to my collection.

The West Palm Beach Antiques Festival, the state’s largest monthly show, is Sept. 2-4, at the South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. Hours: Noon-5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday. 941-697-7475 or www.wpbaf.com. ¦

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