Your china cabinet is more than just a storage space—it’s a showcase for your treasured pieces and the perfect place to add seasonal decor! We’re sharing our best tips to help you easily organize and style your china cabinet!
One of our goals for the Fall Home Organization Challenge was to declutter our china cabinet and prepare it for holiday celebrations!
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We hope you enjoy seeing our cabinet all dressed up for Fall!
Whether you’re showcasing heirlooms, fine china, everyday dishes, or decorative accents, these tips will help you make the most of your space.
First, we’ll declutter and organize our cabinet and then share ideas on how to style it to create a space that’s as beautiful as it is practical.
Let’s get started!
Steps to Organize a China Cabinet
Complete the following six simple steps to organize your china cabinet:
1: Prepare
- Get a trash bag, and a cardboard box, then clear your dining table.
- Grab any cleaning items needed like a dust cloth and window cleaner.
2: Purge
- Remove All Items: Take everything out to start with a blank slate.
- Discard any broken or unusable items in the trash bag.
- Decide if there are any items you no longer want or need and put them in the cardboard box to donate or sell.
- Group by Type: Sort the items you will keep by type (plates, bowls, cups, serving dishes, etc.) and/or collection.
- Assess What You Use Most Often: Consider setting aside frequently used items for easier access.
3: Polish
- Clean the Cabinet: Use a gentle, non-toxic cleaner to wipe down shelves, glass doors, and hardware.
4: Personalize
Determine if there are any items you need to purchase or make to help you organize and style your cabinet (shelf riser, cake stand, plate holders, drawer organizers).
5: Place
Think about the items you will place inside your cabinet, are they primarily for display, storage, or both?
Decide what items you will store in the cabinets and drawers, and what items you will display on the shelves.
6: Put Back
Remember, if you want your china cabinet to stay organized, return items to their designated places after use.
How we organized our china cabinet
Now we’ll share pictures of our china cabinet after I organized it.
Note: We are fortunate to have a small butler’s pantry, so other items I use in our dining room, like tablecloths, cloth napkins, placemats, and our china are stored there.
You can see how we organized our butler’s pantry here.
Drawers
We have two drawers in our china cabinet.
The left stores our napkin holders.
And the right drawer holds our table runners.
Cabinets
Inside the cabinets, we store glass pitchers, bowls, and serving dishes.
We also store cake plates here.
Shelves
We use our shelves to store dishes, platters, and pitchers and to decorate for the seasons.
Our Best Tips to Style a China Cabinet
Start with larger dishes
Start with larger dishes, such as serving platters, in the back and then add smaller dishes or decorative items in front.
Put heavier items on lower shelves
Place heavier items on lower shelves and lighter items on higher shelves.
Place fragile or decorative pieces up higher.
Prop plates upright
Prop plates upright against the back of the cabinet to save space and show off the pattern.
Stack teacups
Stack teacups in their saucers to protect the rims and handles.
Use the vertical space
Use the entire space between shelves by layering china and other items.
Layer and Stack Strategically
Use plate stands, risers, and stackable shelves for visual interest and easy access.
Consider Color and Texture
Use a balance of colors and textures to create visual flow.
Decorative Accents
I love adding seasonal decor, but if you don’t want to change your cabinet that often, consider small accents like plants, framed photos, or small keepsakes for a personal touch.
Rotate Display Pieces
Keep your cabinet looking fresh by changing displays with the seasons.
This is my favorite way I’ve styled my cabinet for Christmas.
If you want more info on how to style a Chrisms village in a cabinet, click here.
Or if you’re interested in learning how to make a DIY Christmas Village, click here.
Conclusion
Are you excited to organize a china cabinet that’s both functional and visually appealing?
Remember, the best styling reflects your unique taste and tells a story about what matters to you.
Now it’s your turn—start organizing, experimenting, and creating a display that makes you smile every time you see it!
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Blessings, Donna and Rich
More Home Organization Inspiration
- How to Organize a Junk Drawer
- Tips to Organize Pots, Pans, and Lids
- The Best Craft Room Organization Ideas
- Easy Steps to Declutter and Organize Makeup
- Organize and Style Your Bathroom Counters
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**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
Cara says
Great tips Donna! You always amaze me with your organizational tips. We have an antique china cabinet and you may cringe with what I have stored in it. All pieces that mean something to me, but only a few dishes… I use it more for where to put the things I love, but do not want to stow away. A 1950’s Santa is always standing proudly inside, a 1950’s Santa with his sleigh and reindeer, trains, and train depot building, amongst other cherished pieces. Yikes, I am a bit all over the place I am afraid. You are certainly an inspiration for people like me.
Donna Allen says
Hi Cara! I’m glad you enjoyed the post! It sounds like your cabinet is filled with items you love and enjoy looking at, and that’s what matters most! As you can see from my cabinet, I would rather look at pumpkins and Christmas houses than all dishes, lol! I bet your Santa is amazing! Blessings, Donna