Best way to store a set of dishes, my old china pattern?

LuvOrlando

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Jun 8, 2006
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I just got a new set of china I really love but am feeling sentimental about my old china set which is very vibrant, very gold and very peach....ahhh the 90s I'm thinking I might enjoy using it for Easter every year but can't settle on a way to safely store it. I do not have a breakfront, we do not have a new house so this might end up in storage but how? WHen I look I only see fabric covers intended to keep dirt out but noting designed to protect from breakage. I'm thinking something strong on the outside but with cushioning inside, does such a thing exist because I can't find anything. Actually, even finding the furniture like cutlery box was annoyingly tedious and even then it didn't hold each piece separate like I wanted so I settled.
 
I used to store my good dishes in quilted fabric dish covers that looked much like this:
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/pro...YkNoPL3nigZPdDGEKWW-sK2iCHfzDYfxoC7dgQAvD_BwE

The covers were a bit bigger than the dishes and I would further protect the contents with thin sheets of polymer or polyurethane or bubble wrap- depended on how much space I had to work with. When I sold them the new owner was happy to know they had been protected in that fashion 🤷🏽‍♀️
 
I used to store my good dishes in quilted fabric dish covers that looked much like this:
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/functional-and-entertaining-soft-storage-dinner-plates/?catalogId=79&sku=5148680&cm_ven=PLA&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Home Essentials > Food Storage Containers®ion_id=669950&cm_ite=5148680_14571727833&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAloavBhBOEiwAbtAJO2HQ54hbyu3dyIu8INKhNHYkNoPL3nigZPdDGEKWW-sK2iCHfzDYfxoC7dgQAvD_BwE

The covers were a bit bigger than the dishes and I would further protect the contents with thin sheets of polymer or polyurethane or bubble wrap- depended on how much space I had to work with. When I sold them the new owner was happy to know they had been protected in that fashion 🤷🏽‍♀️
I store my Lenox Christmas china in covers similar to the ones you posted. I also have all of them wrapped in tissue/newspaper and stored in plastic storage containers. Many of my serving pieces are still in their original boxes which may not be available for OP but if you the containers with tissue/newspaper/bubble wrap so the china doesn't move in the boxes, they will be protected. For the last 3 Christmases I have transported my china from my house to my mom's (where Christmas is held for the family) and, knock on wood, nothing has been broken so far.
 
When we moved to our present home, I had to pack three sets of fine china. I did not break a single piece. I went to the local moving company and bought what they call china boxes. I also bought rolls of their packing paper. I wrapped each piece butcher style. I highly recommend.
 
I went to the local moving company and bought what they call china boxes

i was going to suggest this as well. when we moved we also got the sleeves (like a soft foam) that were sized for dinner plates, salad plates, cup plates...it reduced the amount of items we could put in an individual box but we felt better about the cushioning.
 
I put it in the quilted china keepers and put those in a big plastic storage box. You can get a full set of china in one plastic box.
 
I would say don’t just pack it away and forget it. They say it is better to use it so the glaze doesn’t start to craze. I got a full set of Royal Albert when I was 21 (33yrs ago) - it was only used a few times but since our kids are now teens and can be trusted I try to use it every 2mths or so (normally birthdays and Easter).
 
I keep my china in foam pouches/sleeves so that each piece has some protection. Each time we’ve moved, I box it (in the foam sleeves) and surround it with packing paper to add extra padding that also keeps it immobilized in the box. It usually is no less than 6” of padding all around when boxed.
 
If you wrap them before storing use acid free tissue paper. Do not use newspaper or a tissue paper with a design. Over time the newspaper print, design can transfer to the China. I’m a librarian and used to oversee some archives. We had some donations of beautiful items donated for display that were ruined by newspaper/tissue paper.
 



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