How to Organize a Curio Cabinet

Curio cabinets are perfect for displaying anything from family heirlooms to your collection of science fiction action heroes. The only problem is figuring out how to make all of these items presentable instead of having them appear as a cluttered mess. Organization is the key to making your prized possessions look like museum displays rather than a pile of mismatched knickknacks.

Before you place anything inside the cabinet, give the shelves a proper cleaning. Wipe them off with a damp cloth. Use furniture polish on wood shelving every six months. Use a damp newspaper to clean any mirrors or the glass doors.

Display your items on each shelf in odd numbers. Place your favorite knick knacks or the family’s china in groups of three, five or seven items.

Place larger items on a shelf in pairs if they are too large for shelves to accommodate a third item.

Arrange the pieces in a straight line or a semi-circular pattern.

For collections, arrange the items according to size, color or production year. Place larger collectibles behind smaller ones to maximize space.

Leave adequate room between each piece. Placing too many items on one shelf will make it look disorganized, cluttered and messy.

Bring balance to your items by placing the largest pieces in the center surrounded by smaller items.

Adequately store any pieces that will not fit into the cabinet. Properly wrap and pack up your china, for example, using bubble wrap or newspaper and a plastic tote. After a few months, swap these stored pieces with the collectibles you already have on display.

Consider giving any collectibles that you don’t have room to display to your friends and family. You could also donate these items to your local charity resale shop.