There are a lot of occasions worth bringing out beautiful tabslescaping for, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays and those impromptu dinner parties. And, there is a certain joy in building a collection of festive napkins, table covers, special dining sets and more.
But what happens in between your get-togethers to all that extra stuff you won't be keeping in cabinets all year round? Some may even be awkwardly shaped, delicate or large and you'll need to store them without breakage, or cluttering up high-traffic spots at home.
Here, I asked our trusted professional organizers and event experts for their top advice on how to keep your hosting collections safe and ready for special occasions with their dedicated tablescaping storage ideas.
1. Flatware
Flatware and silverware that has potentially been handed down in your family does need special care and storage. After cleaning flatware and polishing silverware, it needs careful attention to keep it looking great for future outings.
'For silverware, once they are polished, keep them covered between uses as this stops them from becoming tarnished,' advises Tara Fay, founder of Tara Fey Events.
Exposure to air and humidity can cause these pieces to tarnish. For expensive silverware, wrap pieces in acid-free paper and place in cotton bags,both available at Amazon.
Other options include storage boxes, these can be like a traditional wooden box or fabric options.
All prices correct at time of writing.
Part of a range that can be bought individually, this flatware storage box will protect from dust, moisture and scratches. It holds a service of 12, so if you need more, they are stackable. The adjustable dividers allow for other items such as napkin rings and table settings. There's a zippered lid and the clear window makes it easier to find what you're looking for if you have multiple sets.
If you don't have room for boxes of flatware, consider these cloth rolls instead. Each holds six pieces and is made from double-sided velvet cloth that contains a tarnish preventative material. You can roll it up and fasten with the white ribbon included. The material keeps your silverware from corroding or oxidizing.
A classic looking flatware chest that perfectly holds your silverware, each fitting snugly in its place. It holds up to 108 pieces and can easily be stored in the bottom drawer of a cabinet. Crafted from wood that has a mahogany finish, it can be wiped clean and is hard, meaning you can stack your other tablescaping options on top if needed.
2. Linen napkins and tablecloths
From napkins to runners and full tablecloths, these items all need somewhere to be stored that's dry and flat dry. 'Once they are clean, iron them and roll them in tissue to store or store them in other linen – moths don't seem to like linen bags. These can be refreshed with a linen spray or damp water and starch before use the next time,' suggests Fay.
Anna Tatsioni, lead interior designer at Decorilla advises keeping linens in bags too, 'For linens, I always use breathable fabric bags with acid-free tissue paper to prevent yellowing and mildew – Amazon's Simetufy 32 sheets in white is perfect for storage.'
'I prefer to organize them by theme or holiday for easy access, but for big collections, sorting by element type can be more efficient in terms of space. In homes with limited storage, my go-to is dual-purpose furniture like ottoman storage beds or buffets with deep drawers.'
Anthropologie's hand carved Delhi buffet is ideal for linens with deep shelves for larger pieces and drawers for napkins.
This beautiful sideboard is perfect for storage linens and tableware as it has deep shelves for larger pieces and drawers for napkins and smaller items.
Beautiful and budget friendly, I like the fluted cabinet doors that makes this unit as aesthetic as it is functional. The semi-translucent glass doors hide clutter but still make it easy to know at a glance which item is where.
This ruffled table runner is versatile for all festive occasions. Simple build up your tablescape from this neutral base with seasonal touches. To clean, shake debris off and damp-sponge clean dirty areas.
3. China
The beauty of china is that it can often be stored in a display cabinet with glazing so it can be enjoyed every day, even if only from a display point of view.
As long as it's behind glass, your china will remain kept dust free and clean. However, if you don't have the space and need to store hosting and celebration extras under the house or in a garage, avoid damp damage (there are certain things not to store in a basement) and keep these items well protected.
'When storing very fragile china, I recommend tissue and bubble wrap – Target's Scotch big bubble cushion wrap is good value – and plastic storage boxes. But careful not to overload and stack too high!' says Fay.
Ideal for plates and bowls, this storage chest can stored up to 12 plates and comes with felt dividers to keep dishes chip free. Made from a cotton polyester blend, it's sturdy and wipeable. When not in use, it folds up easily to save space.
For those other fine china pieces like gravy boats, platters and teapots, look no further than these clever storage cases that come in different sizes. Each one is quilted and has a label holder so you know what's inside. Store them in a plastic bin for safe keeping.
Each of these cases stores 12 pieces and the top loading design allows for easy access. These cases are great if you entertain for a lot of guests or need to transport them to another space. They can be stored together in a pantry or individually in a cabinet or buffet.
4. Glassware
Glassware is perhaps one of the most delicate tablescaping pieces to store when not in use, but there are a few great storage solutions to help.
'With respect to glasses, you obviously always want to take care when packing them,' says Annemarie Schumacher, founder of Make Every Day an Event. 'I love foam packing sheets, which typically come in a large roll.'' We like Amazon's Uboxes foam wrap roll, which is perforated every 12 inches for easy tearing.
Annemarie adds, 'They provide protecting for your delicate items and can be reused from year to year. Plus, they are dust free, nonabrasive and moisture proof. In addition, they won’t dirty your items like newspaper can.'
If you have a pantry, then a high up shelf out of the way is sensible, low-traffic ara so the risk of them being moved, knocked or smashed when not in use is minimal.
5. Awkward shaped pieces
Larger pieces like tagines and casserole dishes can be trickier to pack up or store away each time. One option is to keep these out on display.
AJ Williams, executive producer and founder of AJ Events says, 'Rather than storing them year-round, only to come out on special occasions or a holiday or two, use them! Use your good stuff more often, just because. When friends come over for dinner, on a Friday night, cooking for your spouse, whatever the occasion, keep your china close by and use it! Life is too short not to enjoy it.'
If you really don't have the space within your kitchen, your small dining room lacks storage to display pieces, or you have too many of these awkward pieces to keep in buffets for example, storing them elsewhere is key.
Annemarie says, 'Nothing beats clear bins (check out Walmart's Hefty 72 quart clear plastic storage bin with blue hi-rise lid). I’ve recently discovered one additional tool that I absolutely love – utilizing an app such as Totescan is a complete game-changer. It allows you to catalog your items on an app and easily find them when you need them.'
6. Candles
Whatever the time of year, having some of the best candles in play on your table creates ambiance and a lovely light.
It seems a shame to only use them once, so if they still have some length left then how do you store them for the next party? We asked Annemarie for her top tips.
- Votives: These are really a one-and-done type of candle. I always start an evening of hosting with fresh votives, so there is no reason to store them. You want your candles to shine brightly throughout the entire party. You can recycle the tins in which they typically come in, however.
- Pillars: These slow burning and long-lasting candles are best stored standing upright and wrapped in foam packing sheets (after they have thoroughly cooled, obviously). The sides of pillars can get knicked and that detracts from their beauty so take care when storing them.
- Tapers: I like to use plastic shoe boxes (such as Target's Life Story 5.7L clear shoe and closet storage box stacking containers) to store these types of candles. You want to store like colors together and separate different colors with foam packing sheets. Similar to crayons (which are also made of wax), colors can rub onto each other over time.
Use and reuse this set of eight battery operated pillar candles. Available in five colors.
Once you've used up these candles, you can reuse the metallic jars for storing small items such as cotton makeup buds in your vanity.
A set of delicate tapered candles like these will add a luxe look to your tablescape during hosting season.
'With all candles,' Annemarie concludes, 'You want to make sure you store them in a cooler atmosphere (think basement, instead of attic) to they retain their shape, since they are made of wax. I also wouldn't store candles and decorations together. The color from candles can sometimes rub off on fabric over time and if the temperature gets too warm, the oils or wax from candles could damage fabrics.'
7. Decorations
There are certain key dates in the calendar that warrant decorations for the table – Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas – not forgetting bunting for a birthday. It's easy to throw them all in one storage container for ease and then deeply regret it when one of these key dates appear and there's a tangled mess to sort out.
Here are my three best solutions for storage festive decorations for these wonderful celebrations days.
One each of these bags per holiday will keep your table decorations in great shape and organized. Made from waterproof PVC plastic it will protect your decorations from mold and water damage if you need to keep it in your basement.
Not just for Christmas baubles, this ornament storage organizer could be used or table decorations too. There are 64 sections and dual zippers so it can be collapsed when not needed. Made from waterproof vinyl, each ornament is protected from moisture. There are handles so you can carry it about easily too.
These clear storage bins are perfect for keeping each seasonal events' table decorations organized. The table settings, ornaments, napkins and anything else you love to put out can be kept together until the next outing. These are also stackable so they're space saving in your basement or loft.
Meet our experts
Tara Fay is a former wedding reality tv show host and now founder of Tara Fey Events. Her expertise is in weddings and destination weddings around the world.
Anna Tatsioni is a lead interior designer & architect at Decorilla Online Interior Design, a service that connects customers with vetted professional interior designers who create curated 3D and VR spaces based on customer style preferences and budget. Decorilla also serves clients in-home in 20 major cities across the US for 80% less than traditional interior design.
Annemarie is an award winning party planner and founder of Make Every Day an Event.
AJ Williams of AJ Events, a BIPOC planner in Boston and Nantucket who specializes in not just weddings but galas and fundraisers like the famed Boston Winter Gala.
Organization is key when it comes to tablescaping storage ideas. Next, learn how to streamline your festive items with our ultimate holiday declutter list.
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