Lynn,
My dishes are in mini storage right now (LOL)! But in our new house plans I did put in a large pantry for dishes and other accessories. I also will have some big dish drawers in my kitchen. Most of my dishes are settings for four at most, so even though I have eleven (!) sets and, like you, lots of partial sets for mixing, I have only one very casual set (inherited) that is large (I think it's fifteen settings).

DH hasn't objected yet but when I put them all on the pantry shelves and he realizes how much I have...

I hardly ever buy new, but from rummage sales and yard sales and thrift stores. (I did buy some plates recently from the Dollar Tree) It's the only way I can afford them, anyway. I don't look for specific matching pieces, unless I am missing some or broke one. But secondhand is a great way to find a few plates that might go with things you have.

There's only DH and me usually so these small sets are a fun way to change with the seasons or every day!

Good luck! There's always SOME place you can store some new dishes... : 0)

- Magpie

Lynn,
If you ever find the answer to store dishes, do let me know!:) I have officially filled up my one dishes cabinet even with doubling the shelves with all those ugly racks!!

My DH already thinks I have lost it when it comes to buying dishes. I am never going out shopping for dishes with him again!! I only buy my dishes new - for some reason, DH and I just do not feel comfortable buying used things for the kitchen/food areas. I love going to garage sales and thrift stores for other things though. I like the mix and match aspect too so I buy them separately.

Mo

Yes, DH objects....BIG TIME!

He says the shelves can't hold all the weight...that comment made me fill 3 bags of food from the pantry and take it down to the food pantry at church...

My Lenox Christmas is stored in the bottom of the china cabinet.
My good china in the buffet...

Kitchen china, way too many place settings, what was I thinking?, takes one whole cabinet..16 ..6 place settings..

One service for 12 of white, which I didn't know I HAD to have till I started on this forum 3 years ago...they are in the boxes in the basement...

2 more full service for 12 china in boxes..

24 red luminarc plates, basement...
really this is like therapy, admitting the addiction..

12 silver chargers in the linen closet, 12 gold metal there too...
should I keep going? It is sick, sick, sick!

The chargers are the killers, they take up so much room!
And guess what I did today...yep WSonoma outlet...but I will save that for another day...
My goal is to organize all the four of this and that onto a new chrome rack in the basement...if I ever get it organized and catalogued, I will be so proud I will have to show you...but don't hold your breath!

My trunk is still packed from before Cmas with some dishes from Home Goods.

So anyone else ready to fess up? I know you are out there!

There was a lady on one forum who had a DISH ROOM> A regular sized room filled with shelves full of dishes!!

Mo,

I understand how you feel about second-hand dishes. I soak anything I would eat off of or cook in in bleach-and-water for 20 minutes (probably overkill). After all, I figure every time I go to a restaurant I'm eating off of "second-hand" dishes (LOL!)

There really are some great things out there to be found if you want a little mix-and-match, especially if you like to mix eras (say, 'fifties or 'sixties plates with your new stuff).

- Magpie

I do not have dishes like you all do... I have looked though, and it seems that buying by the piece sure is more expensive than buying sets.

I so love looking at your table settings though. It would be fun to see a photo from each person with one plate from each pattern you have!! LOL!!!

I do mosaics so I have lots of miss match in the basement to be broken all from thrift stores. YOu all make me feel guilty though!!!!

I ADMIT IT I AM A DISHAHOLIC! That being said. I have a built in china closet and an antique cupbard full and the rest are stored in storage totes in the basemnt.one of my goal for this year is to get more organized.

I have big shelving units along the walls on one entire side of my basement & they are now full!

Our basement is quite large & I've filled it up! I don't know where I would put much more! That is not just dishes, but all the extras that go along with the tablescapes.

I took all my xmas down today & just barely had room for it all in the basement, as I had already bought all that lime & red from CB for next year!!!!

We have to also bring home all the things home from our boat for the winter so that takes up another wall of shelves and I cannot use them.

I also have a few sets in a kitchen end cupboard & some in my hutch, so it is spreading throughout the house, soon I won't remember where it all is!!! I'll need an index & map to find it!

My hubby is cool with it, if it makes me happy, he's all for it.

I do find great buys at yard sales & the sales I go to are in a town that was listed in the top five most wealthy towns in the U.S. so the dishes I'm buying are top quality.

Right now I'm displayin some grape salad dishes I bought at a yard sale, they were all from Kohls with the price still on the back, $11.99 each & I got them for $1.00 each, looked like they only used them for display also, since the tags are still like new on the back of them.

I find a lot of seperate pieces at yard sales.

Magpie, thats what I say to myself every time I see some nice dishes at the thrift store - we eat off of 'used' plates at restaurants, after all! But, I know DH would really hate it if I bought them home. There are some gorgeous dishes in the thrift stores and thanks for the tip on cleaning them!!!

Mo

MO, my dh is the same way...doesn't like used things...

I did buy a few glasses and compotes at a thrfit store, but never told him..
Most of the thrift stores here are so high I would rather buy it new! ( only if it is a bargain..:), you know me!)

Hi Lynn,
It's AnnieB (from GI) and I will admit to having a bit of a dish addiction myself. In fact, Santa just brought more!

What I do is this:
I store 3 sets in my china cabinet in the dining room. Another 2 sets are stored in the kitchen for everyday use. The remaining sets are stored in an armoir in the familyroom, which is adjacent to the dining room (very convenient.)

Since I just got a new set, I'm giving a set away to a charity on Tuesday. Somebody will enjoy and make good use of this set.

My husband and family are supportive of me in this endeavor, as we all enjoy leisurely dining and we entertain frequently. Besides, I really don't think I go overboard at all!!!!

OH, I used to say that, Bonnie...this place is very enabling! :)

OH, I used to say that, Bonnie...this place is very enabling! :)

Yes, I can see that already! But it's also a good place to share "finds" and other shopping tips.

To answer Lynn's question further. I typically buy new but often it's from "open stock" patterns where I can pick and chose the pieces I want.

Recently I bought some new dinner plates and salad plates from an eBay seller. I was able to find the mugs in the same patter from a different seller. So I got all that I wanted at a very reasonalbe price and all are new.

I'm done now! LOL......you'll hear that one a lot from me!

I just have to chime in here too. We downsized a few years ago getting ready for our retirement, and there's no basement! I love the idea of being able to use different dishes for each meal--just makes it so much more fun! BUT that is not practical for me. I have three full sets of china, one in my hutch and one in a buffet, and the third in another hutch in the family room. Also in the buffet are "odds and ends" like a cabbage plate, a heart shaped Valentines plate, one decorated with carrots, etc. all for use on an easel. There's also one of those three tiered stands and a couple of heirloom vases from an Aunt stashed in there. Kitchen cabinets hold a double set of dishes, and cabinet over the fridge holds crystal type serving bowls, punch bowl and various sized large salad bowls. Glassware is both on shelves in the kitchen and in the hutch. Since joining this forum, I've now added an assortment of additional plates, mostly just sets of four, and I've taken up two really big shelves in my hallway linen closet. That's where I also store two colored big bell jars, lots of small salad plates and some other pedestal plates and such. I really don't want to start stashing them under the bed, already have wrapping paper stashed there!

I really think I like the mix and match best instead of full sets. (Just too many cups to try to store!) I'm really leaning towards getting a set of white plates and just using different salad plates with them. Problem is, not all white backgrounds are the same--some are more ivory and others are more bright. Not sure what to do, just know I need to get organized and not let things get too cluttered with this new obsession for dishes! LOL

I love looking for pretty glassware and dishes at the TS. I usually give them a good hot wash in the dishwasher or if they are fragile, a little bleach in the dishwater and rinse water should eliminate any bacteria. As a matter of fact, I'd do the same thing with any new set of dishes I'd buy!

Luvs

My name is Nora, and I'm a dishaholic. That being said, we have 9 sets of dishes, too. Some are sets for 4, some for 6, some for 8 and some for 12. I store them any place I can fit them, including the garage ;o)

To answer your Q's~

Does your DH or S/O object to all your sets? Nope, because he's a dishaholic, too. That makes him an enabler. It all started when we were shopping for a pasta set at Williams Sonoma and he declared (in a store full of women), "Geez, honey, I wish we had room for a few more sets." Who knew?

~ Do you buy yours new or seek them out at auctions or consignment shops? Both. Mostly new becaseu we have a TJ Maxx Homegoods and Marshall's within a 15 minute drive.

~ How hard is it for you to find just the dinner or salad plates without having to buy the entire sets? I love the idea of mixing up new pieces with ones I already have. One of the reasons I shop at TJ Maxx and Marshall's is because you can purchase just the pieces you want. Sometimes it's hard to piece together an entire set at either store because the pieces seem to be sent to the store in odd number.

Well I certainly was never remotely a Dish Addict till I came to this place! I think my kids are still laughing at my newfound interest in dishes. Especially as I do NOT entertain, and I hate cooking (tho I do it, LOL). I use to tell folks I had a kitchen only because it came with the house! I wish I'd inherited my Mom's love of cooking and baking, but that gene skipped me and went right to my daughter. I was always outside, and with animals, to ever develope an interest in being around a hot stove!!!
LOL. Luckily for me, and probably him too, my DH likes things very simple. Especially his food. And he could care less what its served on.
That being said, I'm wondering why on earth I have long had a set of good china, that I've never used. Plus two other dish sets. I don't need SETS. I don't need all those dang little coffee cups or the bowls that go with these sets either. My DH and Dad both have favorite large soup and cereal bowls. My DH is the only coffee drinker, and he likes a big mug. I need to PURGE (hear that Girls, I said a dirty word!) all this kind of stuff.
I do love the way Kathleen sets such a varied and delightful table for JUST she and her hubby. Now that does interest me, and I think it would be fun to have that to play with. So I may be doing a kitchen cabinet PURGE and start just getting individual pretty little things. Having some white or ivory plates sounds like a really good plan too. I'll never graduate to Tablesetting like most everyone here, the Dunce Hat is mine for this subject. Yet I still love seeing and trying to learn.

hugs, Karen

It's true, how often do we use that service for 12?? I much more enjoy this and thats'!

And Luvs is right...white's are hard to match!
And yes, Bonnie, we love to share tips here...I love seeing everyone's purchases, and I hope I don't bore with mine...

I get a kick out of chatting with Jane about what we found at the CTS!

I remember a few winters ago we were sending Tam out in a snow storm to check the bargains at CTS!!!

On that note, I hope to get there this week, I hear they put out the Valentine's things!

So if anyone gets there, let us know! please...

Awwww, you all have made me feel much better . . . or more enabled, depending on how you look at it ;^P
Bannie, it's so good to see you here!!!
Karen, are you serious?!? You don't like to cook and you set tables like that! OMG, Lady, I'm impressed!

I love to cook, like to bake and enjoy decorating everything and anything. Tables are a bit tough for me, unlike some of you table artists, but I love learning and being inspired by you all here.

LOL, lynn, you have me confused me with someone else!! I don't do table settings at all. I just collect the photos and make albums of them. Even with Judith's wonderful tutorial before Christmas, I'm still scared to death to face setting a table and posting a picture of it. LOL.

hugs, Karen

My first hurdle in this whole tablesetting deal is to have a clean table to set. I don't have a formal dining room but a rather nice dining area which also serves as my bill paying desk, craft table and catchall. I am working on a dedicated craft room which will be done in a week or two - then I plan to get my mothers sitting room (actually a bedroom) ready for bill paying since there is a desk in there. Since she is bedridden she doesn't use that room although I do have to keep her medical supplies in there but that is OK. Once I keep the table actually clean for a month then I will do my first table setting. I plan to just buy pieces for two so it will be mostly plates and salad plates and work from there. I am getting 20 white ironstone plates from DT that have a very pretty basket weave pattern on the border for when we have large family gatherings just to get away from using foam plates all the time. We don't do the formal dinner but a buffet style and eat whereever we can find a place to sit.

I just love looking at what everyone does and just think it is so cool that the bargain priced pieces can knock the socks off some of the fancier and much more expensive table settings found in magazines. You guys are really very talented. What is really funny is that I am a bowl addict and love to serve my food in pretty bowls. I grew up where we set the pan on the table alot of the time so I do insist on serving the veggies, ect in pretty dishes so I do have alot of bowls - mostly DT ones :) ......

Lynne

DH enjoys the final product when I've done a tablesetting. He does think I am a bit nuts while I am mapping out a table, but oh well, everyone has some hobby, no?

That said, he doesn't approve of the cabinets in my office being filled with heavy dishes. He keeps warning me that the cabinets are going to just fall off of the wall sooner or later. I store all of my red dishes for Valentines, 4th of July and Christmas overflow in the cabinets over my desk in the office. Also in the office cabinets are my stacking plates, 20 Thanksgiving plates (Kohl's sale last Fall), 20 W/S white pasta bowls, 20 square white salad plates. Oh, 2 trifle bowls as well.

Then there is the pantry closet - I store my "Autumn" china - service for 12, missing some pieces, which my DM gave me. The china was her wedding china so I love to use it as soon as the Summer ends.

Lenox Holiday China - full service for 20 plus extra dinner plates stored in closet in D/R. Serving pieces are being stored at DM as she has a full basement crying out for dish storage.

Lenox "Amythest", my wedding china is stored in the china closet in the D/R. Full service for 16.

Everyday white W/S bistroware is in the kitchen cabinets - service for 16.

Do you see where I'm going with this? I am not accounting for all of the stemware, serving dishes and the like which I have accumulated over the years:). Most are in the pantry closet, but many are stashed here and there!.

I don't purchase everything in sets. My Thanksgiving plates from Kohls have a leaf pattern on the edge, so I picked colors from the leaves and purchased accompanying solid color plates to complete the place settings. Also, I've found with using white dishes, I can play with the table a bit more putting in different whites or colors if I like.

No basement in our home, so I have made creative use of just about every other space, conventional or not.

I just gave DB and DSIL my Mikasa (forget the pattern name) dishes as they have the same pattern, and I replaced the Mikasa with the bistroware which is much more versitile for me.

Then there are the linens, oh my. I have so many tablecloths and napkins it is sick. But remember all of these were collected over 20 some odd years.

I love to do nice tablesettings and to do them, a gal must have the things that are needed! We host all of the holidays at our home, so I guess I can somewhat justify having all of the necessary items to entertain 10-20 people at a time.

I actually thought I had a dish problem until I found this forum. Can't wait to read more responses. Great topic!

WP...you ever think of opening your own Dish Shop?
LOL. You might actually have more than Judith, Kathleen, and Diningdelight. Scary huh?

Hope your cabinet doesn't fall off the wall. Maybe you should just add more under it, LOL.

hugs, Karen

Lynnine I'm with you. I have a husband who thinks all surfaces are for paper piles... I have a small tall table in the Kitchen I moved all the stacks to that table for Christmas... but all ready any new mail that comes in the house lands on the eating table!!!! I'm ripping out the mailbox!!! LOL!!! Wish I could fit a desk in the spare room.

Karen - you are just too funny. I could never part with most of my dishes. Too many fun dinners and parties have taken place on those dishes, holidays, bridal and baby showers. I might not be able to tell you what the meal was, but I can certainly tell you how the table was set!

bright - I have a similar man who calls himself my DH:). I started making a trip to the trash can right from the mailbox. Hate all the catalogs and junk mail lying around. Luckily, DH's mail is confined to his office. Even with that, it still works on my last nerve having all of those papers in the house. I try to go through his mail with him at least one a week and shred the things that manage to get past me when I get the mail. DH thinks he needs to keep every piece of mail. I told him that is what I bought that nice cross-cut shredder for!

OMG, I have one of those DHs, too! This study is supposed to be for both of us, but the desk is a disaster of his making. I can't use it. He tells me to just put his mail on the kitchen counter for him to take to the study himself everyday, but it piles up until it reaches over a foot high and I start to get really irritated. Then I take the entire pile and dump it on the chair in here. So, he's forced to deal with it before he can sit down to do any work ;^P
We don't have a basement or attic, but after reading where you all are storing your dishes, I'm having a serious case of basement envy!

BTW, who was it here that was looking for Johnson Bros "Rose Chintz" pattern dinnerware? I was just in Marshalls on Monday and they have lots of it now at very good prices.
Lynn

Lynn, you just described what goes on at my house with the mail and magazines perfectly. They sit there a couple of days then I take them to his chair in his office to deal with them! I've said a million times that if they are important, then file them, don't leave them laying around! At least he's moved them to the counter and not the table--no perfect, but better! LOL

I too have basement envy. Would be so nice to have all that extra storage space--Aaahh!

Luvs