While all kitchens are different with varying levels of cabinet space, with a little ingenuity you can get your dish arrangement in working order. The following are a few tips and tricks to get you started.
1. Sort your dishes in increments of use. It is important to determine which dishes you use the most frequently, as well as the dishes that you only use on rare occasions. The dishes you use the most should be placed in the locations with the easiest access. The dishes that you use infrequently (holiday dishes, special occasion china, etc.) should be placed in then locations with the least access. In many kitchens, this may be the top shelves of the cabinets, the top shelves in the pantry or the cabinets above the refrigerator.
2. Stack your dishes in size and/or design orders. You may choose to stack your dishes according to size. For example, all the dinner plates stacked together and all the salad plates stacked together. If you have various dish designs, however, you may choose to stack your plates in design order. For example, you would stack the dinner plates together with the matching salad or dessert plates on top. Whichever method makes it easiest to get to the dishes you use the most should be the best choice.
3. Use organizational hardware. At many hardware and organizational stores, you can purchase racks to put in your cabinets that create extra shelves. If you have ample space on each existing shelf in your cabinets and do not want to stack your dishes too high, an extra shelf is a great way to gain easier access to all your dishes. In order to utilize all your space, purchase small hooks to attach to the undersides of your existing shelves. These allow you to hang your mugs, coffee cups and teacups above your other dishes, thus eliminating the need to stack the cups.
4. Eliminate excess dishes. If you are like many people, you have accumulated a number of dishes and cups that you really do not need. For example, if you have accumulated many plastic cups from sporting and other events, chances are that you really do not need all of them. Sort through your dishes and get rid of those that you no longer need or use.
5. Empty your dishwasher before organizing. Be sure that all your dishes are clean and out of the dishwasher before you start to organize your kitchen. You don't want to get it all organized and then realize that you don't have room for the extra dishes in the dishwasher!
6. Wash dishes as often as possible. Dirty dishes piled up in the sink only create clutter in a kitchen. If you have a dishwasher, rinse your dishes off soon after use and load them into the dishwasher. When the dishwasher is full, start your dishwasher. After the dishes are dry, make a point to put them right away. Even if your dishes are clean and in the dishwasher, you will accumulate more dirty dishes that will pile up in the sink prior to unloading the clean dishes.
7. Stay organized. Once you get your dishes organized, make sure that you stick with your plan. If you continue to keep it organized day after day, you are more likely to stay in the habit of having a clean and organized kitchen.
By following these tips and coming up with a few of your own, you are sure to have a nice orderly kitchen in which you are proud to cook and entertain. After you see how nice an organized kitchen is, you might just want to organize the rest of the house!
