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I'm trying to plan out storage in the kitchen and types of cabinets required and such - some things seem obvious, like storing a spatula near the cooktop, or dish detergent near the dish washer, but other things I'm scratching my head on a little more. Should a spice rack be next to a stove-top? Or next to a prep area for seasoning meats/preparing casseroles to stick into the oven and so on?
Should dishes be stores near a sink/dishwasher, or next to the cook top?
Is there some sort of guideline or some website to visit that has this down to a science?
Where do you store your stuff and how convenient is it?
Store dishes near the dishwasher. It's too much of a hassle to unload an entire dishwasher full of dishes and carry them across the room. Meanwhile, serving food usually involves much less dishes. If you're serving a family of 4, you pull out four place settings to set the table. But when you empty the dishwasher, you have a million dishes, glasses, etc., to put away at one time.
I keep pots and pans in cabinets near the stove, and the larger things are stored in the pantry.
The spices are kept in the upper wall cabinet immediately next to the cooking area---on the right side since I'm right handed.
Oils (olive oil, vegetable oil...) and sauses (hot sause, ginger sause....) go in the cabinet above the cooking area.
Sharp knives and cooking utensils go in the drawers on both sides of the cooking area.
Silverware goes in the drawer near the dishwasher.
Cleaning products go in the cabinet under the sink.
My dishes are actually stored in the cabinets below my serving/prep area about the same distance to cooking and dishwasher. I keep my trivets there as well so I can finish the food and place the hot pans in the area on trivets, then pull the dishes out, fill them up and serve them out. Lot easier that way.
Currently, it's one of the same for me, seeing how there's only a 24" cabinet between where the sink is and the cooktop is.
(With the present layout, two people will bump butts).
That said, dish storage closer to the dishwasher. The dry seasoning variety goes by the prep area, with oil and a small variety of commonly used seasoning (for me, that's just black pepper, italian seasoning, and garlic powder) next to the cooktop.
Put dried spices and herbs in a cool, dark, and dry place. Heat, moisture, and strong light can degrade the flavor and effectiveness of your seasonings. You shouldn't display seasonings on open racks above or near your stove or dishwasher or anywhere in your kitchen they will be exposed to heat.
That said, I keep everyday dishes stored as close to the dishwasher as possible.
I'm trying to plan out storage in the kitchen and types of cabinets required and such ...
Since it sounds like you're designing or remodelling your kitchen, I suggest you consider deep drawers for pots/pans and dinner plates etc., rather than cabinets. It's way easier to pull out a drawer to retrieve a pot, or some dishes, than it is to reach into a cabinet - especially if the item you want has worked its way to the dark recesses at the back!
I have two deep-drawers next to the stove, using the top one for commonly used pots and pans and the lower one for those I don't need very often. Then - closer to the dishwasher - I have two more deep drawers, using the top one for commonly used plates, dishes etc. and the lower one for the rest. I wouldn't go back to cabinets for these items if you paid me!
You can buy specially strengthened deep drawers if you have a lot of heavy dinnerware ... and can have dividers added too.
Silverware drawer is on left side of dishwasher, and sink is on the right. Main plate/cup cabinet is directly above the dishwaser. Sooooooo much easier this way!
Since it sounds like you're designing or remodelling your kitchen, I suggest you consider deep drawers for pots/pans and dinner plates etc., rather than cabinets. It's way easier to pull out a drawer to retrieve a pot, or some dishes, than it is to reach into a cabinet - especially if the item you want has worked its way to the dark recesses at the back!
I have two deep-drawers next to the stove, using the top one for commonly used pots and pans and the lower one for those I don't need very often. Then - closer to the dishwasher - I have two more deep drawers, using the top one for commonly used plates, dishes etc. and the lower one for the rest. I wouldn't go back to cabinets for these items if you paid me!
You can buy specially strengthened deep drawers if you have a lot of heavy dinnerware ... and can have dividers added too.
I agree. We have drawers for our pots and pans and I LOVE them. I have had slide out shelves before but the drawers are MUCH better.
OP, in our kitchen layout our dishes (plates, bowls and silverware) are near the eating area in the kitchen, the glasses are above the dishwasher. We have a L-Shaped kitchen with a large island so the dishes are at one end of the L and the dishwasher is in the middle of the other leg of the L with a corner sink, stove and 3 banks of cabinets between (large kitchen). I think it is easier NOT having those things right by the dishwasher because you don't have to move around the open dishwasher door to put things away.
When we have moved and unpacked the kitchen I pretend I am getting a glass for a drink of water and which ever cabinet I move to, the glasses go there. I think about getting out tupperware to put leftovers away and the cabinet I go to is where that gets stored. It seems to work out pretty well.
I think it is easier NOT having those things right by the dishwasher because you don't have to move around the open dishwasher door to put things away.
You bring up a good point. I keep everything near the dishwasher, but in cabinets that I can empty the dishwasher without having to move around it. Never occurred to me to mention that. I never thought it through. I simply arranged it that way without thinking since it would be silly to put the dishes somewhere that caused me to walk around the dishwasher.
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