Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Taming The China Cabinet

Ever since I got my cochlear implants, I've been more aware of sounds I haven't heard before. Others CI friends have had to oil squeaky hinges on doors or turn down the volume on the TV and other electronic items. In our house, we have a noisy china cabinet in the dining room! Our dining room sits in the middle of the house and is a major walk-through area from the hallway to the kitchen. The china in the cabinet rattled every time someone walked past it. No matter how I divided or arranged the dishes and glasses, they still made noise.

We recently replaced the carpet in our dining room because one of the dogs chewed a hole in it all the way to the sub-floor. (We needed to replace the carpet anyway because it was so dirty and I couldn't clean it anymore.) I had to unload ALL the dishes in the china cabinet and serving cabinet in order to move the furniture out of the room. I have two sets of china, mine and my mother's. And can't part with either set (but will gladly hand them down someday). I also have a few pieces from my Grandma Royer.

Anyway, when we moved the china cabinet back into the dining room, I decided that I had to find a way to eliminate the "rattling" noise. I also wanted to get rid of some items that we didn't need anymore and organize the china a little better. After doing some research on the Internet on how to organize china cabinets, I also found a very helpful hint. And will share it with you.

I put a plain coffee filter between each plate, bowl, and saucer! (And had to run out to the grocery to get more!) They come in different sizes and are supposed to protect the dishes from scratches and breakage. But, the coffee filters also cut down on the rattling noise because the dishes can't "wiggle" as much.

Here is the final result!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Laurie! What a fantastic idea! My china cabinet sits next to the door by the deck! So each time someone "comes and goes", the dishes rattle! (Like you, I love I can hear it with my cochlear implant now, but it gets annoying!) The coffee filters is a super idea! Next time I dust, I'm going to "borrow your genius"! Hugs!

mishkazena said...

That's a creative idea.

I never thought about the china making noises when one walk by the china cabinets. It's amazing how much sounds there are when one can hear well.

Jennifer said...

I don't have a china cabinet, but I know people that do, and the rattling drives me batty! What a great idea!!

Cyborg Queen said...

Genius!

I do have my grandmother's china, but it's tucked away safely for the moment. No China Cabinet for the moment.

Anonymous said...

I've always wanted a china cabinet (I think they are so pretty) but I've never had one. I love this idea, though, and I'm filing it away in case I ever do get a china cabinet!

My china is in boxes in the crawl space and it's never been used. Sad, huh?!

~ Wendi

Shari said...

Great tip and I'll have to remember this. I don't have a china cabinet. I don't think I'd have a place for one in my house anyway. It's all open concept with big archways for entering each room. I don't have a big wall for one.

I don't even have a china set, though. Some of them are very pretty, though.

Funny thing, though. I've known others who have china cabinets and I didn't know they rattled. Maybe they coffee-filtered it already or I just didn't hear it. My mom had one and all those years, I never heard it rattle. Hmm. Gotta call my mom...

Abbie said...

You know, I have to agree with you on this. My cousin has a china cabinet full and everytime someone walks by it rattles and tinkers and it is not my favorite sound in the world. This is why I want to get a dishwasher :) but i still giggled reading this! :)

Mom said...

Yes nice idea, but how do you get rid of the racket of your everyday dishes being stacked and put away, and the silverware tinking together or hitting the plates when eating?
This is my major issue. My dishes don't rattle in my china cabinet.

tayloralan said...

Literally, It is excellent thought to easy arrange and conduct glasses and dishes by china cabinet. It is easy movable entire cabinets..Thanks

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