The $1 Storage Trick That Could Save Your Fancy Dinner Plates

Ashley Poskin
Ashley Poskin
Ashley traded the quiet life of a small town in a big house for the hustle and bustle of the Windy City. On any given day you might find her working on a freelance photo or blogging gig, wrangling her little darling, or walking Chuck the boxer.
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published May 31, 2018
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If you’re a practical person and invested in high-quality tableware in classic white, good for you! Your dinner guests will have to look long and hard to spy those tiny chips your plates may have accumulated over the years.

For the rest of us who opted for brightly colored vintage dishes, which we have to constantly protect with our lives, we need all the help we can get to keep our priceless pieces looking pristine.

(Image credit: Ashley Poskin)

So what help do we offer? What ingenious tip have we? Ready for it? Protect your plates and bowls with … plates and bowls. Styrofoam plates and bowls, that is. I know, I know — styrofoam. But hear me out: Buy this stuff once and you’ll use it all for years to come. (Yes, I’m saying to reuse these plates and bowls indefinitely!)

(Image credit: Ashley Poskin)

Styrofoam dishes come in all shapes and sizes and are usually around $1 or $2 per pack. To use, place a styrofoam plate between each of your regular plates. If a styrofoam plate is too deep, or a bowl isn’t quite wide enough, just cut a few slits around the perimeter to make a better fit.

Buy: Styrofoam plates and bowls

(Image credit: Ashley Poskin)

Packing at Home

  • Buy styrofoam bowls and plates in all shapes and sizes and stack them in-between your everyday porcelain tableware to keep them safe as can be.
  • Alternate styrofoam plates between pots, pans, chargers, and serving trays to protect them (and any nonstick coatings) from scratches and chips.
  • Stack between your fine china or holiday dishes to protect from chipping and dust so they’re ready to use whenever you need them — no pre-washing.
  • Use styrofoam plates and bowls to cut down on the noise factor when storing dishes away. (I can’t be the only one who hates how loud stacking dishes can be.)

Packing for a Move

  • Wrapping dishes in packing paper is great, but adding a styrofoam plate or bowl between each porcelain plate or bowl is even better. It allows the dishes and bowls to stack in neater piles, cutting down on space used in each box, and keeps the clatter to a minimum.

This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: The $1 Kitchen Storage Trick That Might Save Your Plates

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Tips & Techniques