If we want our children to learn how to participate in household chores, we have to make it easy for them to help out, and we are always looking for ways to make the kitchen more kid-friendly. So we love how Sharilyn at the blog Lovely Design has created a special kitchen drawer for her daughter Adelaide's dishes, cups, and cutlery.
As anyone who has ever tried to wrangle kids' dishes can attest, it can be a challenge. Try as you might to keep everything neatly stacked, stacks have a habit of toppling over, leaving cluttery space-wasting messes all over your cupboards. Sharilyn solved this problem by handmaking custom-sized boxes to fit neatly within the drawer.
Says Sharilyn of this process:
I arranged all the items in her drawer functionally, and measured all the space that each type of item would need. I measured out how high the boxes would be, and started in by making one box, placing it in the drawer, than the next, then the next (to make sure the measurements would work out) I made 7 boxes in all, and lined their bottoms simply with a few cut out paper towels which I can replace easily if they get messy. These boxes all fit together perfectly in the drawer, and it is so satisfying to open up it and have it so pretty and organised!
Sharilyn shares her template for making boxes on her website, along with more photos.
Related: Tips for Organizing a Refrigerator and Freezer
(Images: Sharilyn Wright)
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Love this idea! I can't stand the unruly-ness of the kids dishes. I'd also like to get my toddler to start helping out by putting dishes away, but the current kids dishes cabinet is too high. I will definitely try something like this, although I wonder how often the girls will take the dishes out to play with when I'm not looking?
We have a special drawer for our little girls (ages 3 1/2 and 2) too. It is easy for them to reach in and get their dishes when it is time to set the table. They also will unload their dishes from the dishwasher when it is clean.
It is a great way for me to get my girls involved with the set up and clean up at dinner time. They are always in the kitchen with me, and this allows them to pick which color plate or bowl they want to use, without me having to stop cooking to reach into the cupboard for them. They have been setting out their own dishes since they were about 12 months old.
I've seen this photo and basic info before, and I still love it.