Martha Stewart's tips for making the most of the storage space in a dining-room sideboard or buffet. A well-organized cabinet can hold china, flatware, linens and other necessities for entertaining.
A sideboard, also called a buffet, typically consists of shallow drawers over cabinets. Designed to hold china, flatware, linens and other necessities for entertaining, this piece of furniture can be one of the most practical in the house. But often what’s behind closed doors is a chaotic jumble. As the holiday season approaches, the following ideas will help make the most of this indispensable cupboard and its contents.
Getting started
• Remove everything from the sideboard. Store items not used when entertaining or setting the table elsewhere. Give away any pieces you no longer want, or donate them to a charity. Make a list of missing or damaged items that need replacing. Vacuum and wipe down the interior.
• Create categories for those items that you will return to the sideboard, and assign them to specific drawers and cabinets. It may be helpful to make a list or create a rough sketch.
• Reinforce any wobbly shelves with brackets. Test drawers to make certain they open and close smoothly. Line shelves with cushioned nonskid liners to protect delicate pieces.
• Following the strategies below, purchase storage liners and accessories that fit your needs. Remember to measure your sideboard’s interior and exterior before heading to the store.
• Clean and polish items before returning them to the sideboard.
China
To prevent breakage and facilitate access, space out china generously and keep the stacks short. Here are two ways to store dishes safely:
• Place china reserved for special occasions in quilted storage cases (available at kitchen- and bath-supply stores) to prevent chipping and lock out moisture.
• Store dinnerware used more frequently in plate carriers. They keep dishes accessible and can be brought directly to the table to make setting it easier. Place felt dividers between the dishes for additional protection.
Flatware
To reduce the amount of polishing sterling-silver and silver-plate pieces require, store them in anti-tarnish cloth — a treated fabric that maintains their polished finish. It’s available as bags or by the yard. Use one of these strategies for silverware:
• If you’re tight on space, make utensil trays stackable by adding rubber bumpers to the corners. Attach drawer pulls to the sides and labels to the front. Before placing silverware in the trays, wrap it in labeled, anti-tarnish-cloth rolls for easy identification and protection.
• For the finest silver flatware, line shallow drawers with anti-tarnish cloth cut to size. Place the utensils single file, facing up. Add a box of chalk to absorb moisture and help maintain their shine.
Glasses
• Store glasses upright and in widely spaced rows on a nonskid liner.
• To store wine glasses, use an overhead stemware rack designed to hook onto a shelf. Keep trays, platters or other flat items on the shelf below.
Table linens
• Use adjustable drawer dividers to create compartments for co*cktail napkins and napkin rings in one drawer and neatly folded and stacked dinner napkins in another.
• To keep tablecloths from becoming wrinkled, roll them around cardboard tubing (the kind used for wrapping paper). You may need to fold the linen lengthwise first. Use the same technique for table runners, but use paper-towel tubes instead. Place the rolled cloths in a basket or a box, with protective acid-free paper on top.
Silver wares
• Use lazy Susans to store infrequently used or heavy items, such as pitchers and teapots. Wrap silver pieces in anti-tarnish cloth bags.
• Store smaller, delicate items, such as salt and pepper shakers and sugar bowls, in a wooden storage cube with drawers — the kind often used in closets — nested within the sideboard. Line the drawers with anti-tarnish cloth if the contents require it.
Serving platters
• Store large trays and platters against the back wall of the cabinet, behind a pair of expandable café-curtain tension rods: one near the top of the space, and one near the bottom.
• Keep smaller trays and trivets in a vertical plate stand, available at kitchen-supply stores.
Utility drawers
• Dedicate a drawer for miscellaneous items needed for setting the table and serving the meal, such as bottle openers, floral frogs and coasters. Store them in an adjustable drawer organizer.
• Appoint a second drawer for candles and matches, separating items into drawer organizers. To protect loose tapers, store them in paper-towel tubes wrapped in decorative paper.
Send questions to mslletters@marthastewart.com. Sorry, no personal replies.
