What to keep in living room/Edinburgh press

[MuddyWellyNelly]

(Not sure if it's called that everywhere, but basically a deep shelved cupboard built next to fireplace, into thick wall, full height of room. Has a normal door in front of it so not for display as such)

(Also, world's most boring thread alert. Sorry . )

Having our fireplace removed and a woodburner put in the room so I emptied the Edinburgh press. It was storing all our booze quite a large collection one shelf was full of DVDs and games that never get used, couple of cameras, and various fire related paraphernalia. Probably going to use the ground "shelf" for firewood as we won't go through it so quickly now. But we've realised keeping most of the alcohol in this room is daft as the glasses, ice, mixers etc all live at the other end of the house. Hoping to persuade OH to get rid of the games etc as the Xbox is dead anyway. Will probably put the cameras back in here but now not sure what else to put in this room. Our house is short of storage, so don't want to waste the space. But equally I try to store things where they are needed if possible. And given this room is used for Netflix and Internet surfing, and sitting on arse, not much else is useful! There is already a bookcase in the room, and a footstool with magazines etc. The shelves are also very high ie far apart so not ideal for small items.

Could maybe keep my current knitting project as that never has a home. But other than that I'm at a bit of a loss. Could maybe add more shelves as a possibility.

Oh and no kids as otherwise it would be a good hiding place for toys at the end of the day.

If I don't fill it sensibly, I will find OHs spare bike parts in there quick enough! So what do I need in my living room? Sensible or ludicrous ideas equally welcome .

Things in Edinburgh presses at my DM and DGMs:

boxes of photos/photo albums, slides and slide projector for those fun-packed evenings looking at holiday snaps from last year
board games and packs of cards (told you we knew how to live)
bottles of wine, liquers and the traditional one of advocaat (this was back in the 70s when it was almost obligatory for every house to have a bottle of the stuff)
jars of jam (about 40 of them - DF loved jam and got through at least one jar a week all by himself. We were all forced into fruit picking at the Boggs holdings down at Macmerry every year)
button box, sewing box, knitting patterns and knitting needles
box with shoe brushes and polishes in it
bags of sugar (DGM was diabetic but panicked during the 70s sugar shortage and bought every single kind of sugar you've ever come across - think granulated, castor, Demerara, soft brown, coffee crystals, icing etc. they were still there when she died 10 years later)
The one in my mum's bedroom used to house the rag bag in th days when the rag man still came around.

Admittedly my family is slightly eccentric. Personally I'd keep books, cds and dvds if I had an Edinburgh press.

Ours has had boxes of photos, DVDs and booze in. On place the door had been taken off and top was open shelves (glass replacing wood) with light above and we had picture frames up. Bottom half was double door-ed cupboard for junk. Could you use it for stuff you don't use much (Christmas decorations) as often furniture means they aren't particularly accessible.

at sugar. Luckily, we have a kitchen for those items!

Yes liqueurs are probably on the list, they are the type of things that get opened late on in front of the fire.

I actually really like the idea of having it refitted as partially for display. Because when I said our house has no storage, I failed to mention the fully floored attic. This is mainly as I can't get into it, only Oh is tall enough, so it's ideal for Christmas decs etc.

If we had one in a bedroom it would definitely be for bed linen but beside the fire maybe isn't the best place for that!

I agree with insert and actually I'm surprised yours has a full door. I think 99% of the ones I've seen have been fully open or half open. So I'd have books, photo albums, iPod Dock, liqueurs and nice glasses at the top and kindling/fire paraphernalia, files and paperwork at the bottom.

Oh and a wave to Katie for mentioning my part of the world!

hi Lonny!!!

I'm just up the road - think Lucas and Di Rollos.

Ours has a full door and is rammed with graphic novels, cameras and photo albums, CDs, DVDs, Xbox and playstation games and the obligatory miscellaneous wires and cables that never seem to find a proper home

I'm a belter katie - the Boggs or Lucas counted as a nice day out for us when we were wee!

I have been led to believe that the press was used to keep valuable and/or private things in. The door traditionally opened towards the room rather than the wall so that folk in the room couldn't see the contents of the press.

So, family silver, great grannies secret cooties dumpling recipe and the like

Lol at cooties dumpling! Stupid auto correct!

Haha at Cooties :) We are a bit short on family silver though so that won't fill it up much!

Interesting about the door/display. I think of the ones I can picture it's 50:50. I have a feeling if we re-do ours this way that the first shelf will become a cat bed .

Paperwork is a possibility. Might get mistaken for firefighters though best use of a credit card bill anyway.

What a sad life I have .