DishesIf you’re privileged to have a china collection, or own an eclectic assortment of platters, plates, and the like, you may have discovered that creativity goes a long way with storage solutions. Following are a few storage tips that may appeal to the dish lover within:

1. Store like pieces together. Whether in a cabinet, china closet, or out-of-the-way storage space, responsible stacking is a great storage solution. Salad plates stack well on salad plates and dinner plates make great companions for other dinner plates.

2. Invest in appropriate storage materials, such as padded or quilted cases. If the storage space in your kitchen or dining room leaves something to be desired, consider displaying a few pieces in your dining and living rooms, and storing the china, stemware, and fragile items elsewhere. Storing pieces in quilted cases will help keep dust and cracks away.

3. Identify the pieces you wish to display. Sometimes these items are especially attractive (read: a pretty platter hung on a wall). Sometimes these pieces are tricky to store and do better on display (read: a glass pitcher).

4. When displaying items, tastefully maximize the available space. Arrange items by height and width. Platters can stand in the back while bowls, pitchers, and vases utilize the space up front in a china closet or kitchen cabinet.

5. Switch things up a bit. Every so often, swap display pieces to create a new look and feel in your home. A vase used as a bookcase decoration can be switched out six months later with an artsy flower-filled pitcher.

When storing items in an organized manner, you’ll find what you need on a moment’s notice – even if a visitor stops by unexpectedly. Effective dish storage helps make entertaining easier, allowing you to spend more time thinking about your guests and less time trying to unearth your turkey platter.  Happy entertaining!

* Photo by Dominic Morel

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