SURPRISING PLACES TO STORE SERVING TRAYS
Over the course of a few years, I accumulated more than a dozen serving trays, charcuterie boards and platters. At some point, I guess I needed:
- red melamine, gingham print serving trays
- serving trays with handles that extend the width of a tray by 3″ on each side
- round trays that will roll like a penny if given the chance
- ceramic oval trays that are delicate and want to summersault out of the upper cabinets
- wood, metal and wicker trays like this one.
- tiered trays (this is my favorite) or this one I found at Goodwill.
And not only was I running out of places to store them, but once they were stored I usually forgot where I stashed those must-have serving trays. So it was time to get creative with storage solutions for the bulky, awkward or oversized serving trays.
PLACES TO STORE SERVING TRAYS
1. HIDE TRAYS IN A CENTERPIECE
Round serving trays with handles make a great base for a centerpiece on the dining room or kitchen table. Or if you have serving platters with varying lenghts stack (store) them in a centerpiece.
Two-handled trays also make it easy to move a floral or table arrangement when it is time to eat. I have an identical tray in my kitchen hiding under a fern.
2. HIDE TRAYS IN PLAIN SIGHT
Do you see my huge wood barrel lid in the living room? Neither do my guests (or my family). But this heavy, solid oak barrel lid is right under the plant (please leave a comment i fyou know the name of the plant).
The oak barrel is a seasonal favorite tray so I like to have it nearby. I stored it under my Homegoods clearance Christmas tree. It added a few inches to the tree and I won’t forget where my turnstyle oak barrel lid is hiding.
And I am not hauling the solid wood oak barrel top up two flights of stairs.
3. STACK TRAYS VERTICALLY
Several of my trays came in sets with different sizes. I like to group smaller ones together and top it off with a pumpkin or seasonal decor staple.
I have these DIY wood slices I love to stack to elevate plants when not using them for condiments or fake plants.
4. LESS OBVIOUS STORAGE PLACE
So my kids would question why not store my tray collection in the hall closet. Storing trays on a shelf eight feet above the ground are risky. Those trays can wobble and end up doing a triple somersault out of the hall closet.
HUTCH STORAGE #1
This hutch was once in our living room, but it now holds office supplies in my main floor home office. Wood trays are easier to layer on the top of the hutch.
HUTCH STORAGE #2
While I scooted this hutch from my living room to home office and made sure to install this behind the hutch I realized there is untapped storage space behind my office hutch.
All I did was move the hutch away from the wall, maybe two-ish inches and created storage! Oh and because it is in my office I will not forget those trays when the holidays arrive.
5. CRATES
I have a few wood crates that I either forget to use or they clutter up my office. When we built this library wall I loved the look of my favorite navy paint color on the planet against wood grain decor.
So I solved a storage problem with my bulkier crates. I just added them to the library wall (or a bookcase). When I need them for entertaining they are in the living room with easy access. No running around looking for random, repurposed crates.
6. FURNITURE When I found this hutch at Marshall’s the manager was thrilled to get it out of the store. He helped me load this into the back of my car days before the retail stores shut down in 2020.
This clearance find had a walnut stain and two cabinet doors with open storage inside. I knew it would be the perfect cabinet to store trays.
So never underestimate a Marshall’s hutch.
Would love if you pinned it this image to your Pinterest boards.
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