The Best Place To Store Dinner Plates Isn't Your Kitchen Cabinets

We all have individual ways of organizing our kitchens that ultimately feel "just right," but there may be a way that feels more "just right" that you could be neglecting. Storing plates and bowls in drawers may become your new unexpected obsession. Sure, it can be easy to get caught up in the allure of kitchen cabinets, but the increasing popularity of this storage hack proves the top option may actually be below the top (of your kitchen, that is).

As home designers begin to design larger, wider, and deeper drawers, allowing residents more storage flexibility, I urge you to give your dinnerware a birds-eye view rather than looking at them from below. Several benefits come from shifting your organization habit: it increases the attractiveness of your kitchen, your dish accessibility, and eliminates safety concerns. These benefits lead to greater kitchen and cooking efficiency as a whole. A happy kitchen makes a happy chef, so do yourself a favor and consider the switch.

We know in most cases reducing the clutter of any space increases its attractiveness. Kitchens without cluttered cabinets appear cleaner than the inverse — especially for kitchens with open or clear cabinets. Plus, in these cases, it gives the resident decorative creativity, finally giving you an appropriate opportunity to display your grandma's old china or cool vintage cookware. 

Accessibility differences between drawer and cabinet storage contribute heavily to drawer storage's benefits. With your dinnerware at waist-level or lower, they are inevitably easier to access than they would be on a higher shelf. While increasing dish accessibility for people of all sizes and abilities, this also increases the use of dishes that may otherwise be ignored if not in an easy-to-reach place. Additionally, keeping plates in hard-to-reach places can create health and safety hazards. Especially with heavier items that are made with ceramic or stone, it can take a toll on your body to be lifting dishes above your head. Storing them at waist-level or lower drawers instead removes the physical strain on your back produced by lifting incorrectly. 

Drawer storage establishes itself to be ergonomic and creates an opportunity to use your cabinets — specifically the top shelf — for lesser-used items. Ergonomic drawer storage allows the entire cooking-and-cleaning process to be more streamlined. With a smoother path to appliances and counters, any home chef enhances their potential to work more efficiently.