Two Ways to Corral Collections – The Committed Collector

The brutally cold weather we’ve been having in Western New York has kept me at home lately, which has been rather helpful.

Since my resolution is to spend less time adding to our collections and more time curating them, staying in and organizing what we already have is fine by me. The only problem has been deciding how to rearrange some of our collectibles.

You see, there seem to be two main systems of corralling collections: segregating them or integrating them.

I used to think it made more sense to segregate pieces, which means dividing up collections and then storing like things together, especially when it comes to boxing up collections.

All my postcards (even the seasonal ones) are in their own albums, for example, and our holiday decorations are boxed up not only by holiday, but also by type, such as “Plastic Figural Christmas Ornaments.”

(Yes, we really have several boxes labeled “Plastic Figural Christmas Ornaments.” Labels that actually identify what’s where are imperative, regardless of which system you choose.)

On the one hand, this storage system divides up items in a collection; on the other hand, it places similar things together, which often saves time and space.

I relearn this every time we move. For example, plates and bowls and cups simply have different shapes and don’t want to cozy up to each other efficiently. Since getting various shapes to fit nicely in the same box is a challenge, it’s faster and easier to wrap and pack dinner plates in one box and cups in another.

The problem, however, comes later, when all the various cartons need to be located and unpacked simultaneously to put a collection back together.

After segregating some of my china before we moved in 2011, I went without the saucers for one of my favorite patterns for two years. I found the individual boxes with the plates, the cups, the bowls, and the serving pieces, but I just couldn’t find that last box with the saucers.

We also decorated our Christmas tree with only our collection of plastic figural ornaments until 2017, when we finally unearthed our boxes of glass ornaments and were able to change things up.

Clearly, dividing up collections and separating them into similar pieces has its drawbacks, so now that the wintery weather is keeping me in, I’m rethinking my system.

I now wonder if integrating my collections would be more efficient—especially since our goal now is to use them or display them.

We’re not planning to move any time soon, so we want to have easy access to our things, which includes being able to retrieve what we want when we want it, which means my “china closet” needs some work.

I currently have my sets of china separated on their own shelving units, and my glassware on different units. I know where my sets of china are, and I know where my stemware and tumblers are.

Likewise, all my vintage tablecloths are together, and all my vases are on yet another set of shelves, and my husband’s assorted Currier and Ives tins and trivets and plaques and pictures are stored as tins and trivets and plaques and pictures (rather than farm scenes or city scenes).

Now, I’m thinking about integrating together the various pieces that I use together.

If my blue glassware were lined up next to my Poppies on Blue china—and my blue tablecloths and napkins were folded on the top shelf—wouldn’t it be easier to set the table for a family dinner?

If I included the two rose bowls that are in the exact same shade of pinkish red as the poppies in my china, I’d have easy access to them, too, and a ready-made excuse to pick up a bouquet of posies while I’m grocery shopping.

Similarly, if I reorganize a couple of shelves to house my mother’s Apple Blossom china and the soft pink glassware and vintage ivory linens I’ve collected to go with it, I’ll be all set for my next tea party—especially if I add my gold luster teapot, creamer, and sugar bowl to the mix.

I also have a few postcards with sprays of apple blossoms on them, so they could join the party, too—and our Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas postcards could be stored with our other Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decorations. No need to hunt, no need to make an additional effort to bring all of our displays together.

Perhaps that will be how my resolution plays out this year. With each season and holiday, I could reorganize our collections so storing them takes a backseat to using or displaying them—which is why we have our collections after all.

Happy Curating to you,

Patti
The Committed Collector

And how do you organize your collections? Do you keep like things together, or do you store things that go together–together? Please leave a comment. We’d love to hear how you organize your treasures.