How to Arrange Dishes in Kitchen Cabinets

Having an organized kitchen is important to running it efficiently. Whether you're cooking a meal or just getting breakfast before work, things work more smoothly if you have them in the proper place in your kitchen cabinets.

Edit Steps

Do an Inventory Check

1. Separate your dishes into piles. Put your daily use dishes together, away from ones only used on special occasions. Pots and pans should go in another group. Cups should also be separated.


2. Pack up dishes that you don’t use and take them to a Salvation Army store. Any dishes that are broken or cracked should be thrown away. Decide how many you really need and get rid of the rest.

Organize Your Cabinets

1. Empty the cabinets. Wipe them out with a clean rag.


2. Put the dishes you don’t use often in a low or high cabinet that is out of the way.
   
   
   
   • As seen in the image, sometimes it's a good idea to wrap dishes not used often in some sort of cover. This will help prevent dust and grease build-up if they're left exposed, such as on the top of a cupboard.
   
   
   
   


3. Put your special occasion china in a china hutch. If you don’t have one, find a safe place to store them, so they don’t get chipped or broken. Only do this for dishes that you truly wish to keep, like holiday season settings or ones with sentimental value. Carrying extra dishes you don't ever use is a waste of space and such items are best donated.


4. Put pots and pans together in a low cabinet. This prevents heavy objects from tumbling out on you in a higher cabinet.


5. Put mixing bowls and other cooking utensils in a convenient location. If they are heavy, choose a low cabinet for safety.


6. Place cups and mugs together in a cabinet. Turn them upside down to keep the tops from getting chipped and dust settling inside (although not everyone agrees with this; it's a personal preference). Since mugs and cups are the most often used items in your cabinets, place them on a lower shelf if possible.
   
   
   
   • Fine glass glasses should not sit on their rims; either hang them from the stem using a sliding glass hanger or keep upright.
   
   
   
   


7. Put the dishes you use regularly in a cabinet close to the dishwasher or table where you eat. This will make them convenient to take out of the cabinet and put away. Place them on a lower shelf for convenience.

Edit Video

Edit Tips

• Buy racks to stack your dishes and use more of the space in your cabinets. It will keep dishes better organized.


• Hang mugs from hooks on the underside of cabinets if you are limited on cabinet space.

Edit Warning

• Do not stack your dishes in a precarious position. Stack to prevent them from falling out on you or breaking and leaving shards of glass on the counter or floor.

Edit Related wikiHows

• How to Antique Kitchen Cabinets


• How to Choose the Best Set of Kitchen Cabinets


• How to Install Kitchen Cabinets


• How to Age Kitchen Cabinets

Edit Sources and Citations

• http://www.unclutter-organize-transform.com/how-to-organize-kitchen-cabinets.html – research source

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