The Dishwasher Hack You Need To Add To Your Next Kitchen Reno

There is no overstating how much convenience a dishwasher can provide any household, especially if you invest in one of the most reliable dishwasher brands. Typically, the most troublesome thing about using a dishwasher is unloading it after every cycle if your kitchen is not organized in an intuitive way. For instance, if the cupboard you keep plates and bowls in is 10 feet away from the dishwasher, putting all the dinnerware away can be unnecessarily laborious. The same idea applies to where you keep the silverware; even if you have a smaller kitchen, storing utensils in a suboptimal spot can take extra time that will make emptying the dishwasher a bit more aggravating. To streamline this chore, the next time you renovate or reorganize your kitchen, plan to move the flatware drawer as close to the dishwasher as possible.

Storing silverware directly adjacent to the dishwasher is a small change that will make the entire process of putting away the dishes a lot easier. Instead of having to walk around an island or across the kitchen to unload utensils, you can simply turn behind you or to the side. To determine exactly where to keep your flatware, stand near the open dishwasher and see what drawers are accessible without having to move your feet. This may also be a good time to figure out the right kind of dishwasher for your kitchen.

Exactly where you should store your utensils will depend largely on the size and layout of your kitchen, including where other appliances like the sink and refrigerator are located. It's generally a good idea to install a dishwasher next to the sink so you can easily load it, which might mean that the silverware drawer should be close to the sink as well. However, if the only nearby drawers block off your access to the sink or dishwasher when they are open, you might want to find a different spot. This is a more common issue in kitchens with corners, but by experimenting with different flatware placements before you start renovation, the ideal silverware drawer will reveal itself.

For those who have (or plan on installing) an island in their kitchen, one practical place to keep silverware would be in a drawer directly opposite the dishwasher. If both the dishwasher and the silverware drawer are able to be open at the same time, you can simply stand to the side and transfer over the forks and spoons with nothing more than a slight twist of your torso.

The perfect kitchen setup will change based on a person's needs and priorities, but by being thoughtful about where you move and install things during your next kitchen reno, you can make daily tasks like unloading the dishwasher more comfortable. To further improve your kitchen storage, check out this tip for organizing cluttered flatware.