If your dishwasher unloading routine is considered cardio, you’re in the right place. I want you to pause and think about how much you’re moving, and how many steps you’re taking every time you put those clean dishes away.
Are you walking across the kitchen with every plate?
Are you doing a full turn-and-reach routine for every mug?
Are you side-stepping, backtracking, and doing laps just to put away cutlery?
If you answered yes to any of these your kitchen is working harder than it needs to, and so are you!
I have an unwritten rule I use when working in clients’ kitchens (and one I use at my home, too):
If you have to move your feet more than 25% of the time when unloading your dishwasher, your kitchen is not functioning as well as it could.
And the wild part? You can improve this in under 30 minutes. Let’s talk about how.
But first, why does this even matter?
The kitchen is one of the most-used spaces in your home, and when it’s not set up properly, it slowly steals your time and energy. You might not notice it at first… but over time:
You start avoiding unloading the dishwasher
Cooking feels like a task instead of something enjoyable
You’re annoyed more than you should be in a space you use every single day
Sound familiar? And here’s the hard truth: if you don’t change it… you’ll be in this loop, feeling this way, forever. So let’s fix that.
Tip #1: Everyday items go beside the dishwasher
This is the fastest win. Stand at your dishwasher and ask yourself:
“What am I unloading the most often?” Plates, glasses, mugs, silverware, everyday bowls, lunch kits, your favourite spoon you use to stir everything, that one straw that makes drinks taste better…
Now look at where they live in your kitchen. If they’re all the way across the room, shoved into cupboard (that you have to close really quick so stuff doesn’t fall out, I see you Tupperware!), or just in a bad location, it’s time to move them.
Set a timer for 10 minutes and get to work!
Move plates to the cupboard or drawer (I secretly LOVE plates in a drawer!) closest to the dishwasher, put glasses in the easiest-to-reach cabinet for the people that use them the most (adults up, kids down), relocate cutlery to the nearest appropriately-sized drawer, and keep going longer than the 10 minutes if it’s feeling good!
This one shift alone can cut your unload time in half, but there’s a couple more things you can do to really elevate the functionality.
Tip #2: Stop using “prime real estate” for items you rarely reach for
Your best cabinets and drawers should not be housing any of the following:
The fondue pot
That serving platter you use only for turkey and only twice a year
The air fryer you no longer like (seriously, give it away!)
The random appliance you forgot you owned, I’m looking at you rice cooker
And anything else that doesn’t make sense in your kitchen.
Your daily items should live in your easiest, lowest-effort zones. Reachable, made for the space (don’t forget that you are allowed to adjust your shelving!), and works for everyone in your home.
Quick task you can do today to make a BIG impact:
Move special event items higher or further away (Christmas platter in that weird deep cupboard above the fridge), put daily items where your hands naturally reach first (kids lunch supplies all together AND in a drawer they can access), you (or the kids!) should not be climbing, bending, or rearranging things every time you just want a bowl of cereal.
This can also change as your family grows and changes. Do you need those plastic cups from 2019? Probably not, considering your kids are 10 and 14… just saying.
Tip #3: If it doesn’t fit easily, it doesn’t live there. Period.
Overflow is the enemy of function. If your cupboards feel like a game of Tetris:
1. You’re more likely to shove things in
2. Less likely to put things back properly
3. Guaranteed to forget what you even own
Harsh, but true. Here’s your challenge:
Choose one drawer or cupboard and remove items you never reach for, thin out duplicates, and group like items together. If anything doesn’t fit physically, or in the category you’ve made for the space, get rid of it or move it where it does make sense!
Your kitchen should make your life easier, every single day, not feel like it’s spilling at you every time you open a drawer or cupboard. There’s already SO much to do in a kitchen, don’t make fighting with function another thing you have to deal with.
Now, a friendly PSA: a functional kitchen isn’t all about looks, it’s about FLOW
A great kitchen isn’t just beautiful, it should be intuitive. It’s the kind of space where:
1. You don’t think about where things go
2. You don’t dread unloading the dishwasher
3. You’re not constantly working around your stuff
Function is what takes your kitchen from “fine” to “wow, this works.” And everyone deserves that type of organization. Yes, even you!
Want help setting this up in your home?
If you want your kitchen set up the right way from the start (and not just “good enough”), this is where we come in.
We offer two ways to help:
1. The Back to Basics Boost
We work side-by-side for two hours in your kitchen creating better flow, smarter zones, and a setup that makes sense for how you live. I also give real-time suggestions for any type of storage solution that could take your space to the next level of functionality.
This package is perfect if you want quick results and guidance without a full overhaul.
2. Kitchen Overhaul Package
This is the full transformation that includes all of our package perks: in-person planning session, personalized sketch of your space, customized storage + solutions guide, I’ll go shopping for bins, organizers, and tools, plus, 7 hours of in-home organizing + cleaning, and a donation haul away to finish it all off. From chaotic cabinets to a kitchen that finally works.
This package is perfect if you want a hands-off approach, all the processes done for you, in one day, with fabulous results.
If you’re ready to stop working around your kitchen and start loving it again, reach out by clicking right here, we’d love to help you get started.
And in the meantime…
Next time you unload the dishwasher, notice how much you’re moving. Your kitchen might be trying to tell you something.
