[1babysmom]

Okay, so we have waaaaay too many dishes...I think we have at least 24 matching dinner plates, 24 matching smaller plates, and 28 matching bowls. We have so many because a family member bought the same style dishes as us but didn't like them so we took them but never sorted through how many we want/need. Obviously we do NOT need that many!! How many is a reasonable amount to have? I mean, we don't have guests over *too* often, but I'd like to have enough for when we do. And I don't just want to have one set per person that I have to wash in between each meal...that'd be a little drastic!

 

[scheelimama]

I'd cut it in half if it were me. But you need to really assess how much your family would use in a day and what's the largest group of company you would have over and still use real dishes (as opposed to paper products).

 

[KathinJapan]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/yeahthat.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="yeah that">:<br>
plus a few extra to allow for breakage, those can be stored in the attic or basement.<br>
Kathryn

 

[Leta]

We got some enamel (you know, like camp/hobo style) dishes. A set of four, because there's four of us. They are unbreakable, cute, cheap.<br><br>
We have a huge, lovely set of china that we got as a wedding gift, but if we were not given them, we would probably just use paper for get togethers.

 

[artemis33]

If you really love the dishes, I would put most of them in storage and just leave a couple for each family member out for day to day use. This way they are available to you if you do have a large gathering or if you break some, or whatever. If you don't love them, then go ahead and purge half or so.

 

[Wabi Sabi]

I'd maybe keep 8 of everything, box the rest of them up and keep them in storage for the few times a year you might actually need them. No sense getting rid of them all though if you like them and they're all a matching set. If you're anything like us, having extras available to account for breakage is a huge bonus!

 

[Babytime]

We have a lot of dishes so we don't need to purchase paper products for birthday parties and other large events when we entertain. I would keep them.

 

[UmmBnB]

Just box them up for the inevitable breakage. I buy cheaper dinnerwear these days, as opposed to what I had when I was kidless. I just buy a giant set, get out 8 of each (seems to be our magic #) and keep the rest in storage. We go through a set a year basically. When there are just odds and ends left, I take them to the office for the kitchen there.<br><br>
HATE my stone tile kitchen floor. Its a dish killer. But we suspect there's asbestos tile underneath so we don't be tearing it out anytime soon. Even plastic breaks when it drops on the derned thing!