Keep your pieces accessible and protected, even if you don’t display them.
Up until recently, almost every frum household had some kind of breakfront displaying silver Judaica. Are we the only ones in the world who still use silver objects on a regular basis? Possibly.
Silver is traditionally considered the most elegant way to enhance a Shabbos or Yom Tov table. But these days we’re not all fans of displaying our silver – even if we do use it every week. I’m one of those people. I like silver on my Shabbos table, but I don’t like open storage. Seasonal silver pieces get wrapped in plastic wrap and stored until they’re needed, but that still leaves the more commonly used items.
I needed a way to store the pieces in an organized, but protected way – that wouldn’t require polishing every week. You can’t just throw them in a bin, or even line them up in a drawer without them bumping into each other.
So I bought this china organizer on Amazon and set up the compartments to fit the pieces I use most. The things I use every week just get put back into their slot after Shabbos. The ones I use a bit less frequently – an extra becher, a second napkin holder – get put into a plastic bag first so they don’t tarnish unnecessarily.
I then put a strip or two of the anti-tarnish paper on the lid of the organizer to help slow the tarnishing. It’s not perfect because it’s not airtight, but the pieces can be maintained with a quick swipe of a silver polishing glove once a month or so.
(The organizers come in various sizes and shapes. I use a flat one for a silver challah tray and it stacks nicely on top of the sectioned one right on the buffet shelf.)
While this might not be the perfect solution, it’s one that works for us. It’s neat, the silver is not getting scratched and dented and polishing is kept to a minimum. And no glass fronted cabinets at all!
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I use the cutlery storage for my shabbos flatware.
Tashmishei Kedusha are not “clutter” to be hidden away. Seeing beautiful silver pieces, used weekly or yearly for mitzvos, in a Jewish home is almost as important as seeing seforim. Don’t hide them away! Display them proudly! What are we coming to when our kids will grow up without this? I’m all for organization and clutter control but this takes things one step too far. Storing your extras, fine. But not what you use all the time.
Well said. So true.
I agree. but how do you make polishing silver an easier, quicker chore?
You can put those anti-tarnish strips in your breakfront or curio, they do help, according to another post on this site. Perhaps it’s something in the environment where you live? Dryer or less dry air? I dont find that I need to polish too often, and my leichter sits out all week, the rest in the breakfront, no tarnish strips. Maybe once every 2 or 3 months? Not sure. I like to use polish and a shmatta, but my girls use the gloves and like them very much, you could try them.
I know it’s in style now to not have any display cabinets, but why??? I have silver items that my husband would love to display and the only option for something nice and modern is a built in which is around $6,000. Why?
Did you look into something called a “Curio”? My married daughters got one of those, and a sideboard, and they’re very happy with them. Most of their friends have the same. They are wood and glass, quite sleek and fresh looking.
The guy in my silver store said the polishing gloves scratch the silver. He recommended using the Mr Clean white magic sponge
https://betweencarpools.com/one-easy-trick-to-keep-your-silver-polished-and-shiny-for-longer/
I actually use a XL “lock n lock” box, together with the anti tarnish strips. I find that it’s more air tight and clear so you can see what’s inside, and very big so nothing bumps into each other. Whether you display your silver or choose not to, may it enhance the mitzvos we use them for!
any suggestions for storing a big candelabra/ leichter?