Once again this year, The Tablescaper is celebrating her blog-aversary by hosting a Where Do You Keep It All? party. I joined her party last year, and that post is my all-time most read post. I guess we’re all just a little curious, aren’t we?
I’ve decided to party with her again this year, but even as I show you where I keep some of my things, I’m going to admit that I’ve been asking myself another question lately: WHY Do You Keep It All?
The truth is, much of what I’m going to show you was bought for re-sale … but it takes a lot of time to photograph and list this much stuff … and so I’ve decided to let it go sooner rather than later. Look closely … Almost everything you’ll see is available, and I’m ready to play “Let’s make a deal!”
There’s a story about this cabinet I’ll have to tell you someday … This style of cabinet holds A LOT of pretties.
Things like glassware …
… and a set of china (and serving pieces) for 12!
This built-in china cabinet is in the dining room of our old house … and there’s a matching one on the other side of the wall in the kitchen. The two cabinets have a pass-through. Unfortunately, at the moment, the pass-through space is filled with a not-so-prettily-arranged array of pretties … and so I’ve “hidden” that section.
See what I mean about pretties? Tarnished … but a very pretty silverplate coffee and tea service.
This little alcove is part of our old house’s original back porch. When you walk in the front door of our house and look all the way through to the back, this is what you see. There’s a door on the right (across from the double doors) that steps back up into the kitchen.
Behind the double doors … above a freezer and second refrigerator … are two storage shelves. It’s a dark space, but it’s very useful!
This English curio cabinet is one of the first things Renaissance Man and I purchased when we married 22 years ago. The curved outer cabinets display crystal…
… but the center section is full of glassware for sale.
This is just a sampling.
This Louis XV-style armoire from Argentina is in the upstairs guest room. The two end sections are full of small seasonal and tablescaping things I may show you someday…
… but the center section is full to overflowing with crystal.
Even the drawers are used for storing glassware…
On the other side of the guest room is a walk-in closet that has one entire side full of storage shelves…
The next few pictures were taken recently before I put the pretties in my booth at a women’s style show and luncheon event. You know where the things are that didn’t sell? They’re still stored in boxes because I haven’t unpacked them yet!
But better than storing in boxes where they can’t be enjoyed, I like to occasionally display “for sale” items right out in the open. Last month around Mother’s Day I put this sweet plate on display so I could enjoy it … because we’re always celebrating daughters at our house!
So now you know my secrets. What about yours? Where do YOU keep your pretties?
By
Hi Susan! Your cabinets are so pretty and make great hiding places for your treasures! You really have me thinking–it’s always been about the shopping for me, and not so much about the owning. I have a new rule for myself that for every new item I bring home, one has to go! Otherwise, I would eventually need an addition on my house just to hold my stuff! That said, you really have beautiful things. I really love the mother daughter plate. Must…not…buy! Thanks for sharing!
Wow! You have a LOT of glassware. I checked out the unedited version too. Thanks so much for being a part of Where do you keep it all? It’s always great to see where everyone stashes their treasures!
– The Tablescaper
Thanks for the show and tell, Susan. It’s always good to see how others store things for ideas and inspiration! I’m hopping over to see that you have :). So far my purchases from you have been great! ~Zuni
So much fun to see the places where everyone keeps her treasures! Your glassware is beautiful. I saw a couple of patterns that I have never seen before!
Great storage spots for all your lovely items. If you eve come across dinner plates or salad plates in the Noritake Carmela pattern, please let me know? Thanks! xo
You have some lovely storage for your china and glassware. Do you have trouble parting with it? My daughter just moved to her first post college apartment and needed dishes and I told her to buy the ones at IKEA because I just wasn’t ready to part with mine yet. I did manage to let go of some sunflower serving pieces that I promised her (her favorite flower).
Robin
Robin Flies South
I love all your furntiure!! I think we ask ourselves “why?” at one point or another. I am still enjyoing my stuff but have also expanding into finding goodies for others instead of myself. So I get the thrill of buying but not having to find room for it at my house. Stopping by from Season Sundays.
OMGosh- I had NO idea you had so many pieces…furniture/glassware/china. Wow! You have some very beautiful storage cabinets and some beautiful pieces. xo Diana
Love seeing how you’ve stored your dishes and you have some gorgeous pieces to put them in.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
So many pretties! Loved seeing all your pretty glasswae. Beautiful storage for beautiful treasures!
As I stood in the kitchen this morning washing dishes, flatware, stemware and buffet pieces used for a joint birthday party we hosted here yesterday, I wondered to myself, “What exactly is wrong with paper and plastic?” For a fleeting moment it did cross my mind that I didn’t need or want all this stuff that I have to keep up with. But then this afternoon I looked at the pictures from yesterday’s event and remembered how one young guest marveled at the setup and remarked, “THIS is what you call casual?!??!?!!! I feel like a king!!!” So for now I’ll hang onto it all, but the amount coming in is grinding to a slow halt. I don’t want to be overtaken by what I have enjoyed to the point that it becomes a physical or mental burden. So I feel you on passing some things on for others to enjoy. Meanwhile, though, you have it stored very nicely and precisely…just what I would expect from you!
Oh my…what treasures and so are all the storage places you keep those treasures! I love the built in one…well all are wonderful. Lovely pretties!!
I wanted to do that party this year, and I just didn’t get around to doing it. I was going to venture to all three of our houses to show the goods.
Oh well.
You have great stuff and great storage, much better than where it’s stashed around here. Your pieces are beautiful, too. The minute I saw the armoire in the guest room and the dishes, I started hearing “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast in my head.
I was having annoying computer problems all weekend, but hopefully my daughter has come to my rescue yet again. Apparently, I have installed too much on here. Hanging my head… Hope it’s better now. It was a royal pain.