I don't have enough storage since I found this place! I am looking for china cabinets now. I need at least 2 to start with. They would be full as soon as I got them in the house. Dh keeps telling me I need to have a garage built just to keep my stuff in. I'm thinking about one of those storage sheds and have him put me floor to ceiling shelves with Rubbermaid containers for decorations,etc.
I've asked everyone that question myself. They told me-under beds, in closets, in the garage.
I forgot to say WELCOME. You will LOVE it here. You won't find a better bunch of people anywhere in the whole world than right here.
Betty

Welcome Sheesharee...when you have storage figured out...share your ideas!!! Jamie_MT is a wonderful organizer, so if we can ladynap her and keep her here, maybe she will give us some insight!
It's good to have you here!

You can find the stacking plates at Target, I think something like $10-12.

Now see, I don't *feel* like a wonderful organizer...and I have to say, I pouted a bit last spring when I decided to clean out my dish cupboards and only had enough space for 3 sets of dinner plates. But I have plans to pare my kitchen back more, so I have more room, because I have a feeling if I stick around here I'll need more room. I think (I don't know, since I haven't tested it yet) the trick is to keep only what you absolutely *need* of the merely useful stuff (like cookware), so you can store more of the decorative stuff. It helps if items are both decorative and useful, of course (like my big pumpkin pot, that goes right from oven to table).

As for seasonal decorations, we are very lucky to have a large storage room in our basement. It's eventually going to get smaller, because we're going to redo the bathroom down there, but currently it holds all of our Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations. I have a hall closet upstairs that holds all of my candles, and a box of spring/summer items to decorate with (I'm normally tired of decor by January, and don't need much again until fall aside from occasional party-ware).

A lot of my tableware and decorations are "mix-and-match" too, so while it seems like I have a lot to some people, I really just do different things with what I have. I bet a lot of people here are like that as well...

Pictures I get sneaky with. I just took down two pictures in the TV room to hang halloween replacements, and the two that aren't being used just got slipped face down under a low piece of furniture right under where they normally hang. ;-)

For a lot of things, I just replace what's coming out of a tub with what needs to be put away, like vases and such. Then when I put the seasonal item away, the other stuff comes back out. Sneaky, eh?

Does that give you a few more ideas? I think I might have to get some underbed boxes next...

I was thinking the same thing when I was looking at all the beautiful settings! Those nice table settings are so tempting but where would I put them?! LOL!

Mo

Anywhere there's an empty space!

You hit the nail on the head, Kathleen! The only thing saving me is that our kids have recently moved out and I can now use THEIR closets. LOL! I do try to keep everything organized although quite often a "quick" tablescape throws everything into disarray. I think of it as good exercise running up and down the stairs to get something I want to try on the table. I am able to keep all of our Christmas stuff in an unfinished part of our basement which helps since that is what I have the most of. I have plastic "Rubbermaid" type tubs for each of the seasonal stuff which also goes in the basement. I have the spare room closet for my dishes and DD's closet for candle holders/candles and vases and DS's closet for all my table linens. China cabinet only holds glasses/stemware now. But unfortunately, all are crowded and I MAY have to stop buying or get rid of some stuff.....No, there must be more space here somewhere.....

Oh yes, I forgot to say WELCOME Shee!! I remember how I felt when I discovered this forum and know you will enjoy it here - all of these ladies are super friendly and so encouraging!

DD

Welcome Shee, hope you will really enjoy yourself here. I'm another one with storage issues. When I first found this forum, I had two sets of china and my everyday dishes. Since then, I've added several colors/patterns of four plates and sometimes only two plates. At first I tried storing them on a shelf formerly used for pantry items, but was concerned about the weight in the wall hung cabinets, so I moved it all to my hall linen closet. I've sort of stopped buying for awhile now because I haven't wanted to have to use underbed storage. (Read somewhere about the air needing to circulate for Feng Shui--but mostly hate crawling around on my hands and knees to find something!) LOL

We downsized a few years back to get ready for retirement, so I too am storage space challenged, but like Kathleen said "Any empty space is fair game!"

If you keep coming here, you'd better start looking for storage space because you will see such pretty things and they will give you a really bad case of the "wants". LOL

Luvs

As I'm reading this, its 2am and I think I'll take the easy way out. LOL
Shee, please just "ditto" me on what the others have said.

Welcome, happy shopping, and good luck on the storage.
hugs, Karen

sheesharee, welcome!

I think you will really enjoy yourself here!

I store my dishes and accessories anywhere I can find like the other ladies have said. I do have a large portion of my less fragile dishes in my garage on 2 large shelves(when I want to use them I have to wash them, but that is no biggie.) The rest of the dishes and larger accessories are in bedroom closets, my linen closet, hiding under my skirted end table and under my bed. (some accessories are still left out in my rooms because they are part of the decor anyway) The different styles of silverware are kept in clear shoe boxes so are my differnt napkin rings, salt and pepper holders, tiny picture frames I use for guests names. I am running out of room! The hardest to store is all the stemware, they takes up alot of room, so I have to really be careful about buying anymore stemware. :(

Seasonal items such as halloween, Fall, Christmas etc are kept in large rubbermade tubs.

Now see, I *want* more stemware...but have been wrestling with the issue of storage myself. I have two sets upstairs, and one in the basement.

But I have this hall closet that is packed to the gills with yarn right now (a crochet hobby gone terribly wrong). I have dreams of someday repurposing that into a "seasonal storage" area...and then I'd have room for more stemware. It would make a great built in display cabinet if I replaced the door with a glass one...hmm....

Thanks for all the welcoming responses guys!

I guess I figured the answer was "anywhere you had room!"

I'm a big fan of plastic containers.

Ah yes.. I'm sure my DH will wish I wouldn't of found this forum! :)

Does Cattnap post here often? I sent her an email a couple days ago regarding her silver Christmas display.

I've been on a serious hunt for silver items to copy cat. :) since I can't come up with this creative stuff on my own!

Purplemoon- thank you for the inspirational thread link! Saved a lot of pics!

Cattnap used to come by here once in awhile. I sure wish she would become a regular, I love her decorating and all her pretty accessories.

I have to tell you about my friend/neighbor. Her house is small like mine, and her husband uses all of the garage for storage for his computer business. They have two sheds in the backyard and both are full. She is really into collecting, and has had her DH install shelves all along the top of the living and dining room walls. Yesterday she showed me a huge long bar/cabinet that she had him build for her. There are shelves on the front for her huge collection of Dutch wooden shoes, storage on the back side for her Christmas dishes and allot of her linens, and the top is to use as a buffet when they entertain. Of all the people I know, she probably has the biggest variety and the most items of any of them. She even has almost wall to wall china cabinets in her dining room! She says that she wishes she didn't like so many different things. You know those huge apothocary jars? She has several of them filled with buttons. Her niece has been sorting them by color for her and putting each color in different containers. I am almost overwhelmed when I go over there, don't know what to look at first! She is also a very talented crafter and is always working on new projects. I am always amazed that she finds room for it all! (I couldn't handle having the house so full and would really dread having to dust it all!)It sure is fun to see though. ;o)

Luvs

On the HGTV site, Cattnap a while ago said they had moved recently to Kentucky, so she is most likely trying to set up her home. As Luvs mentioned she would come her occasionally, but as far as GW went she would be over in the "Decorating" section more. But I agree with everyone, I hope she comes back!

Hi sheesharee..welcome .. Remember me from Home Decorating? I was a lurker here last year, and then finially introduced myself several months ago. Love it here and everyone is so sweet, friendly & helpful. You will love it!! Oh...did I mention FUN >> FUN >> FUN ??
That Too !! lol
As far as storage space...as the ladies said..ANYWHERE you find room... I've got nice shelves in my attic..but I find that I'm constantly shifting and rearranging..as my collections 'expand'!!

Yes, welcome to all the newly addicted! I see a few new names, hope you will stick around and comment on the posts!

I got an email from Catt a few weeks ago, and yes, she moved and is the process of decorating her new home. I will ask her to share her pics when it gets closer to the holiday. She is a lovely, creative person!

Luvs  IÂm trying to picture your friendÂs house! The shelving in the LR and DR I canÂt imagine. I stopped at a drug store tonight quick and ended up in the fall section. They had so many little pumpkins and plates I had to run quick! :)

Judithva  thanks for the heads up about cattnap. IÂm sure sheÂs very busy trying to get everything in order. I normally am over on the decorating forum but think I remember seeing her there now that you mention it.

Slinkey!! Hey! YouÂve been on a few thread missions with me! Building shelves in the attic sounds like a great idea!

Kathleen  yeah mention that to Catt. I just canÂt stop looking at her silver Christmas arrangements! DH often jokes that you could give me a piece of tin foil and IÂd be entertained for hours. I love anything shiny!

Been thinking about this site so much IÂve been having dreams about decorating/accessorizing! Ha
IÂm know IÂm repeating myself here but IÂm truly impressed with everyoneÂs decorating skills! ItÂs funny that weÂre only in Sept. and IÂm shopping for Christmas stuff! In the past it always bugged me when stores would rush the seasons/holidays. I donÂt know how much IÂll be able to contribute to this forum besides positive comments regarding others décor (IÂll be posting sayingÂ"whatÂs wrong with this and why doesnÂt it look right?!") but IÂm still hoping maybe I can catch everyoneÂs creativity! :) Ha maybe if I copy arrangements here and there itÂll eventually sink.

Shee, you will fit right in here. All of us feel like we are "learning", and just enjoy sharing ideas and arrangements. Before this forum, I enjoyed setting a pretty table and decorating for most holidays, but now it is so much more fun because I get to share pics of my efforts and get great ideas from everyone on here. Luvs

Shee, if I couldn't copy stuff or borrow ideas, I'd be lost on my own. My imagination really stinks at times. I am trying to learn to think "out of the box" like others do.
Mostly I just smack myself in the head and go why didn't I think of that. Stuff is so simple.... once its pointed out to me. LOL.
You'll fit in here perfectly, and I bet you will find you're more creative than you think you are!

hugs, Karen

I definately echo what the ladies are saying here about copying ideas and or getting inspiration. Lots of my tablesettings have been inspired by others works I have seen in magazines and here. Once you can recognize the "bones" of the setting that you like, you can often subsitute the items for what you have as long as you follow your color scheme and the basic things you observed in the inspiration photo. But, beleive me, I sometimes will set out with doing something that is in my head and end up vearing off in a whole other direction LOL, but that is why the practicing is important, you learn by doing, so if I had to give advice on this, it would be to practice and practice. Another thing I do, is go into a store that has dishes and such and "practice" there, that way I don't have to buy the items until I am more sure about it working out. If you are wanting to buy "investment china" then I head out to the more upscale stores and "play around" in the china and crystal dept, mixing and matching what they have. Practice makes perfect (or something near that any way LOL)