I often hear from readers who need more storage at home. Many hesitate to collect seasonal items because they worry, where will everything go when the season is over? I face the same challenge, and over time I’ve found a few practical solutions that work well.
Here’s how I store seasonal or extra vases, dishes, linens, decorations, accessories, and party supplies:
I use lidded baskets to keep extra items. The baskets are attractive enough to stay in the room and add texture, yet they don’t have to be expensive or fancy—some have even been spray painted. They tuck neatly under a bench, stacked in a corner, or placed on a shelf.
Most importantly, they are easily accessible, which makes me much more likely to use my things.
If you’re worried about finding items in baskets, don’t be—unless you have an overwhelming amount of stuff, in which case a garage sale might be in order. I only have a few baskets in my dining area, so locating an item like a blue vase takes about thirty seconds. If I’m hunting for pine cones or starfish, I might open two or three baskets before finding them. It’s a minor inconvenience compared to storing decor in the garage, where it can take weeks to locate something and discourage me from using it at all.
Knowing I can swap out a vase on the table at a moment’s notice or grab a cake plate easily makes changing my decor fun and entertaining less stressful.
To make things even simpler, group like items together. If you use baskets in several rooms, dedicate one room for vases, another for extra serving dishes, and a third for decorations. This reduces searching and keeps similar items in predictable places.
If you’re very organized, you could tape a small card inside a buffet or under a table listing what’s in each basket. I don’t usually do that because I move things around frequently and the list would quickly become outdated, but it can work well for others.
If you have a little extra space and more seasonal items, consider setting up a four-shelf storage unit in a garage or basement and label each shelf by season—winter, spring, summer, fall. This gives you a designated spot to put seasonal decor at the end of each period and makes it easy to find items the next year. It’s also handy if you like to buy end-of-season bargains: you’ll know exactly where to put them so they’re ready to use later.
Even if you don’t decorate by season, having a few smart storage strategies helps manage extra items around the house.
What are your solutions for extra storage?
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