Hi everyone!
A project that I needed to tackled was my table linens. And since The Tablescaper was having her second “Where do you keep it all” party, this seemed like the time to do it! So, I pulled everything out of the two dresser I use to hold my linens. I had a …
- Throw away bag
- Donation bag
- Rotate into everyday use bag
- To be sold
My donation bag was a large white trash bag. I didn’t fill it completely but, I did a pretty good job on purging out some of my linens.
These are the placemats and napkins that are now in everyday rotation. However, I now need to go through these and decide which ones are going to stay here at home and which ones are going to our trailer (at the campground).
Here is my pile of everyday use placemats and napkins.
Time to choose what stays and what goes to the trailer.
Do you go through you linens on a regular basis? Me, I do it probably twice a year. The reality of it is, I love linens! I like to use different styles all the time. And I am always going to find wonderful, new to me, used linens at thrift stores, yard sales or flea markets. So purging occasionally is a must! Just like all my dishes, I have to get rid of some when I find new ones.
I don’t have a lot of drawer storage in my kitchen so, a plastic bin is perfect for me to tuck into the pantry. Some linens will be transformed into other things. Table runners, quilts, pillows and other things. I try to look at them as fabric and use them different ways.
Now this is where I store all my table linens. I have two dressers that I keep all my table clothes, table runners and placemats. Oh, and just to keep it super thrifty here at The Thrifty Groove, both dresser were freebies.
I have always made sure to fold/roll linens and line them up in drawers. If you stack them, you can’t see them. And it really helps to put all napkin ring sets together in ziplock baggies. Now as far as napkins, scarves to use for tables, doilies and all the other little linens, I use stacked grid cubes. I picked up a huge tub of these free from a vendor at the Trade Center where we had a booth at this past winter. These cubes are built two high and two wide. They sit on top of the linen dressers.
I keep them in “same color” stacks. Or “like” items”. The one cube has placemats that really don’t fit neatly into drawers.
I keep the embroidered pieces on the top of the cubes. And a basket holds doilies and hankies.
As far as where I keep all my dishes, I did a post about that last year for the first party thrown by the Tablescaper. You can see it HERE. Since not much has changed except some of these dishes and odds and ends are now gone and new ones have replaced them, I didn’t take new pictures.
But, here are some pictures from that post.
I definitely have a huge collection or white and blue dishes. I don’t know why I am so attracted to blues all the time. I like blue but, it isn’t my all time favorite color. I guess because blue and white dishes are just so clean and classic. And they are easy to mix and match. I rarely buy large full sets of dishes. So, if I have a larger gathering, mixing all different types of white dishes works nicely. Ditto with the blues.
I think the most expensive thing I have ever bought when it comes to dishes, is a set of white and silver dishes. It is a large set including coffee/tea pot. I bought it at SA and paid $9.99 for the whole set.
The Princess just loves going into the dish shed with me and “helping “ me pick out things.
As you can see, I also keep decorating items in here. So, it is not all dishes.
I really try to purge when things get too tight. Because if I can’t get to them, they really don’t do me any good. Fortunately my shelves in my dish shed are nice and deep.
I would say that about 10% of my dish collection was gifts, 10% I bought full price and the rest are all thrift finds.
In my dish shed, I keep this table that was a freebie. That way I can do a “mock up tablescape” and see what does and doesn’t work. It really comes in handy!
Some folks hobbies are golfing, collecting coins, stamps, figurines or whatever. This is my hobby. And it is also part of my household income. I buy and play with them, then resell some of them and/or repurpose them into something else I can sell. since I am a thrifter and the bulk of my dishes are 2nd hand finds, I just love hunting for new to me dishes. I have so much fun finding new treasures and playing with them.
I keep all my treasures confined to this space (or my linen dressers). I rotate out dishes all the time. I completely believe in using all the beautiful treasures. I don’t have anything that I keep for special occasions. Every single day we have on this earth is a special occasion! I also think that I deserve to have a pretty table and my husband and princess should have a beautiful table. It just makes you feel special. Even if you are serving hotdogs and baked beans, putting them on a lovely vintage china plate can just make you smile! And don’t we NEED to smile everyday!? Not to mention, when you have guests over, they don’t care how much you spent on the tableware, they are just happy to see you took the time to make them feel special buy serving them treats on beautiful dishes.
If you want to see more details and more pictures visit my post from last year. Click link above.
So, that is my “Where do you keep it all”.
Remember, you can still join in on the first
Thrifty Tablescape Party!
Link up you post HERE!
I am also joining:Flea Market Finds Sunday
Metamorphisis Monday
Mosaic Monday
Blue Monday
You have lovely things! I'm always attracted to blue dishes...
ReplyDelete~~HUGS~~
http://blessingtheelements-mi.blogspot.com
Ooo, I love your dish shed Diann-I want one! The footed hobnail sherbets are just too cute:@)
ReplyDeleteI want a dish shed too!!! Love that idea. My husband and I were just talking about moving to the country and having a big old pole barn to organize and store our hoarded treasures. Thanks for sharing your lovely things!
ReplyDeleteThe shed is a great idea. I went to a rummage sale on Saturday and picked up a couple of things and thought of you! :) xo,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post, because I often wonder where you tablescapers keep it all! You've inspired me to go through my linen collection, because it's about 4' high, in a huge armoire, and it's a real pain to find what I'm looking for!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your shed! SO organized! I have stuff in totes and that's not working for me!! I try to label the totes...forget most of the time.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE linens! Do you have any for sale that are blue, yellow & red with flowers??? The "Grandma" type ones!!?
I do love blue and white!
Deb
Oh Dianne, will you be my mentor? LOL! I am quite envious you have a dish shed. I love the table in there too that is so smart. I would love to find a way to also make an income from this hobby. I've thought of selling some of the things I've come across and bought too but later decided I didn't want to keep. It would help to sell some before bringing in new which is always an ever present possibility for me lately. I love your storage solution. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou are so organized. I should have known that from your posts. I only have a few things, and I still can't find what I need for my summer tablescape. I just know I had the perfect placemats. If only I could find them. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteDiane your shed is awesome! I need to go through my linen drawers. I have a chest and dresser full of linens as well as all my linen closets!! I collect embroidered linens~ I also have a large collection of sheets with roses!
ReplyDeleteI need to purge, I may make that my next weekend project!
Diann, you are so organized! I remember your china shed and those wonderful shelves. I so badly need to do some linen purging, but every time I start doing it, I think .. Maybe I can use this for something other than a tablecloth, or other than a napkin. I have such a hard time getting rid of fabric of any kind. I need to take some hints from you. laurie
ReplyDeleteLoved this post Diann and I'm a new follower. I was really interested to hear that you have a camper/trailer. We just recently purchased one as well and I am struggling with stocking it. Don't have any idea what to pack in it or what to plan on cooking! Do you think you could do a post on that?? I would be very thankful.
ReplyDeleteDiann, it sure was fun looking. I don't have that many linens, lord girl. I like you sell linens in my booth, but you have more linens in your posession thatn I have for sale! But, what fun, you just never know the occasion and you will always be prepared!
ReplyDeleteCarol
The dish shed is a great idea. You have lovely items for all your tablescapes. We do not have the room, so I do not have to worry about storing everything.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea with the dish shed. You have so many! And so organized about it. So many nice linens and things, good for the purge, I need to do that and soon!
ReplyDeleteWow! I have a lot of storage, but not this much! You are very organized. Impressive! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteHi lovely lady,
ReplyDeleteI love the table you use for a " Mock Up ""
My eye did go right to your light blue dishes ~~
you have a big room for putting and orgainzeding all your lovely dishes sweet lady.
I hope you have a Great Week.
XXOO
Diane
Oh, I wish I had a dish shed. And oh to hae the space to have a mock table. What a wonderful idea. YOu've got great linens too!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for being part of my party!
- The Tablescaper
Wow, you really accumulated so much from Thrifting, Diann. You have a really nice collection and I love your storage too!....Christine
ReplyDeleteYour dish shed is a true blessing, and I love the idea of the table for doing a dry run. I have a large light table that serves that purpose for me in my office/craft room. Thank you for sharing your storage solutions and your lovely collections. Cherry Kay
ReplyDeleteLove your attitude to making a beautiful table even for casual eating and your collection of linens and dishes is amazing. V
ReplyDeleteWow. You have a lovely dish collection and a great place to store them. I agree with using them every day too. Blessings, Pamela
ReplyDeleteYou sure have a good organization.
ReplyDeleteHappy Blue Monday, Diann.
Wow that's a lot of stuff but you have it organized in a great way! Happy Blue Monday ;)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about organizing the napkins so you can see them. I need to organize mine and I'm so glad I waited until after the Tablescaper's party so I can make use of all these wonderful ideas you all have posted.
ReplyDeleteYour dish shed looks like Heaven to me. Your shelves are nice and big and everything is so organized. i love it!
Tammy
Wow, so many wonderful storage ideas! I love blue and white dishes as well...they look so elegant to me. Loved your idea of putting napkins rings in ziplock bags and the "dish shed" is amazing with that "mock table" to test out your tablescapes... lovely idea! wish I had one... then that would take care of all my storage problems. Thanks for this wonderful tour and for your sweet comment on my treasures. Have a lovely week!~Poppy
ReplyDeletehttp://withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/
Wow you have so much and it's fun looking at them. Happy Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteRummage Sale
Diann, you have great storage for you linens. I am still working on figuring out the right combo of storage for all my linens. Great ideas from you. hugs, Linda
ReplyDeleteI am so, so, soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ReplyDeletefeelin' your thrifty groove and am your newest follower! I, too, am thrifty and have been to the thrift store and markets with vintage/discount items while here in Italy this year and of course I do that back home, too!
I love your dish shed and the table where you do the test "mock=ups."
Awesome!
Hugs,
Lana