Have you ever looked inside your kitchen cabinet and wondered if your family of four really needs thirty assorted plates? Or questioned why you own a set of twelve serving platters when your last dinner party was… well, a decade ago? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us are guilty of having way more dishes than we actually use. But, how many dishes do you need? And how do you declutter the excess?
What Is a Dish?
I know this is a silly question, but as I was doing research for this post I realized that there’s actually a lot of debate about what qualifies as a ‘dish’.
Of course a dish can refer to a specific food item like “spaghetti and meatballs” or a combination of ingredients that make up a meal, like a “vegetarian dish”, but this isn’t the definition we’re talking about here.
In this post, we’re talking about plates, bowls, etc. But the question is, what else falls under the category of a ‘dish’?
For instance, is a fork considered a dish? Or a spoon?
After much Googling, here’s where I landed:
According to Merriam Webster and Cambridge Dictionary, dishes are all the plates, glasses, knives, forks, cookware, etc. used in preparing, serving and eating a meal. Forks and spoons are most commonly referred to as “silverware”, “cutlery” or “utensils” but are types of dishes as well.
11 Types of Dishes Found in Most Homes
Below are 11 types of dishes commonly found in most people’s homes:
- Plates (Dinner, Salad)
- Bowls
- Serving Plates and Bowls
- Mixing Bowls
- Baking Dishes (Casserole Dish, Dutch Oven, Pan, etc.)
- Mugs
- Glasses
- Teacups and Saucers
- Cutlery (Forks, Knives and Spoons)
- Pots and Pans
- Spatula and Serving Spoons/Forks
With this list in mind, how many dishes do you really need?
How Many Dishes Do You Really Need?
As you can imagine, there’s no universal, perfect number of dishes that will work for every person and family. However, there is a perfect number for you and that’s what I hope you’ll discover by the end of this post.
1. Plates
Generally, it’s recommended to have at least three plates per person. This saves you from needing to wash dishes after every meal.
However, if you’re wanting to get into the habit of washing your dishes after every meal, you may actually benefit from owning fewer plates. For example – my partner and I only own two dinner plates and two salad plates which means we’re stuck on dish duty after every meal. But the upside? No leaning tower of dishes waiting for us at the end of the day.
By intentionally limiting the number of plates you own, you force yourself to clean as you go.
2. Bowls
You may find this shocking, but my partner and I don’t own any traditional bowls. We’ve repurposed our round glass storage containers as makeshift bowls instead. This may sound a bit extreme, but it wasn’t even a deliberate choice. We broke our two bowls during a cross-country move and just never rebought more. Since we like to live very minimally it’s turned out to be an easy way for us to own less.
With this being said, if using makeshift bowls is too extreme for you, I recommend owning one or two bowls per person. This number strikes a nice balance between simplifying your dish collection and making sure you’re not scrambling for a bowl when you need one.
3. Serving Plates and Bowls
Do you own a collection of serving plates and bowls that never get used?
If so, take a moment to consider how many dishes you prepare when you host friends and family. Maybe you like to cook two dishes, or three. Use this number to inform how many serving plates and bowls you ought to own. The key is to own only as many dishes as you use during a single gathering.
Keep in mind that you can always ask your guests to bring extra serving plates and bowls!
4. Mixing Bowls
The secret to finding the number of mixing bowls you need is to consider the complexity of the recipes you cook and the dynamics of your living situation.
Let me explain; when I was living with roommates, we each had a personal mixing bowl. It made sense since we would often all cook different recipes at the same time. But now that I live with my partner, it’s a different story. We cook the same simple recipes together, so one mixing bowl gets the job done. Sure, it means we occasionally have to give it a rinse mid-cooking. But you know what? It beats ending up with a massive dish pile to clean at the end of a meal.
5. Baking Dishes (Casserole Dish, Dutch Oven, Pan, etc.)
Back in my college days, I was gifted a casserole dish. This was my aunt’s subtle way of saying, “Hey, you’re an adult now, it’s time you learned how to cook!”
Now, I don’t know what this says about my cooking abilities, but I never used it. So, I got rid of it.
When it comes to baking dishes, the golden rule is: stick to what you actually use on a regular basis. For instance, if you have a Dutch Oven collecting dust because you only use it once a year, it might be time to let it go. On the flip side, if you’re doing some Jenga-style veggie stacking on your solitary sheet pan, it may be a sign that you could benefit from another one.
I personally own one Dutch Oven and two sheet pans.
6. Mugs
Before I decided to seriously downsize my belongings, I owned a fairly large collection of mugs. But many of them were chipped, stained and cracked. The reason for this was simple, I wasn’t taking good care of them.
Here’s the thing about having too much stuff – you usually end up caring less about keeping it all in good shape. I mean think about it. If you own 20 mugs, what’s stopping you from leaving them scattered around your bedroom with an inch of coffee left at the bottom? After all, if a few end up stained with coffee rings, it’s no big deal! You still have plenty of clean mugs at your disposal.
However, if you only own one or two mugs, you’ll cherish them so much more because they’re the only ones you have.
Now, I understand that suggesting you part ways with your beloved mug collection is a serious no no. But, I encourage you to take a closer look at your collection. Notice which ones truly bring you joy every time you use them, and which ones tend to serve as backups when your favorites are in the dishwasher.
7. Glasses
Stick to one glass per person unless you regularly host gatherings or are trying to reduce your dish collection to the bare minimum. If you do decide to declutter all of your glasses, you can just use mugs instead. After all, who says you can’t sip juice from a mug? You can also repurpose the mason jars you use for canning and preserving as water glasses or use a reusable water bottle.
Remember, the fewer glasses you have, the less likely you are of having half-full water glasses scattered around the house.
8. Teacups and Saucers
The number of teacups and saucers you own should depend on your tea drinking habits.
If you own a collection of teacups that never make it out of their cabinet, they’re probably not worth having around. However, if you’re an avid tea drinker or regularly host tea parties, you should have some on hand.
If you do decide to hold onto some teacups and saucers, I recommend setting a limit on the amount of space they take up in your kitchen. For instance, if you currently have two kitchen cabinet shelves dedicated to tea cups, limit yourself to just one shelf.
9. Cutlery
If you’re living alone, owning one or two sets of cutlery should suffice. However, if you don’t live alone, you should own at least three to four sets of cutlery per person in your household.
Now, if you’re scratching your head and wondering why the need for extra cutlery sets when you have housemates, let me explain.
It seems as though the more people that live in a house, the more likely forks, knives and spoons are to “mysteriously vanish”. When you live alone, they’re easy to keep track of.
Since my partner and I wash our dishes after every meal, we own:
- Four spoons
- Four forks
- Two spoons
- Two butter-knifes
- Three cutting knives for various purposes
10. Pots and Pans
The pots and pans you own may include a:
- Skillet/Frying Pan: A versatile pan for sautéing, frying, and searing.
- Saucepan: A smaller pot with a lid for cooking sauces, reheating, or boiling small quantities.
- Stockpot: A larger pot with a lid, useful for making soups, stews, and boiling pasta.
- Non-Stick Pan: A pan with a non-stick coating, useful for cooking delicate foods like eggs and pancakes.
For most people, having one of each of these four types of pots and pans should cover a wide range of cooking needs. However, if you like to cook more complicated dishes where you would need to have multiple burners going at once, I recommend owning a couple of each. You may also choose to expand your collection with additional “specialty” pieces, such as a wok for stir-frying or a grill pan if you regularly grill meat and vegetables indoors.
In my kitchen, I’ve curated a collection of pots and pans that suit my cooking style perfectly. Among them, I have my trusty cast iron skillet, a small saucepan, and a stockpot.
11. Spatulas and Serving Spoons/Forks
You should own one cooking utensil that coordinates with each pot and pan in your collection.
For instance, if you own a cast iron skillet, you should own a metal spatula too. If you own a non-stick pan, you should own a spatula made from a material that won’t scratch the non-stick surface, like silicon.
As for serving spoons and forks, I recommend revisiting the question I asked when deciding how many serving plates you should own. Ask yourself: how many dishes do I cook at my gatherings? If it’s two, you should own two serving spoons. If it’s four, you should own four. So on and so forth.
How to Declutter Your Dishes in 7 Steps
Now that you’ve thought about how many dishes you should own, let’s talk about decluttering your current collection.
Decluttering your dish collection is as simple as following the 7 steps below:
Step 1: Empty Your Cabinets and Drawers
Pull everything out of the area you plan to declutter and place your dishes wherever there’s space in your kitchen (like an island or table).
Let’s say you want to declutter your kitchen cabinets. You’ll want to empty those cabinets, clean them and then put things back as you consider each individual item. This can be a tedious process but it ensures that you aren’t holding onto things simply because it’s easier to just leave them where they are.
Step 2: Assess Your Needs
After all of your dishes are out, take a close look at your current collection of dishes and consider your actual needs. How many people typically eat in your household? Do you often entertain guests? Assess the types of dishes you use regularly and those that are rarely used.
Step 3: Clear One Category at a Time
Begin the downsizing process by focusing on one category of dishes at a time. This approach makes the task more manageable and less overwhelming.
Step 4: Set Limits
Determine a reasonable limit for each type of dish. For instance, you might decide that each family member needs two plates, two bowls, and a glass.
Alternatively, depending on how many dishes you have, setting limits on the amount of space a certain category of dishes can take up in your kitchen may be helpful.
For instance, if you currently have two kitchen cabinet shelves dedicated to mugs, limit yourself to just one shelf. Or, if you have three drawers full of utensils, try and fit everything into one.
Step 5: Get Rid of the “Low Hanging Fruit”
Got any chipped mugs or plates that have seen better days? How about a non-stick pan that has lost its non-stick ability? These “low hanging fruits” are a great starting point when decluttering.
Step 5: Collections and Sentimental Items
Dishes can often hold sentimental value, like the china set your grandmother gifted you or the mug you purchased as a souvenir.
Instead of trying to let go of all your sentimental dishes and collections, I recommend setting a firm limit on the number of items you can keep. For instance, limit yourself to six dishes that hold sentimental value and one collection. Take photos of any sentimental dishes and collections you decide to let go of so that you can have the memory of them without the physical clutter.
Step 6: Donate, Reorganize and Store
Once you’ve set your limits, it’s time to start decluttering!
When choosing what to keep and what to let go of, opt for versatile dishes that can serve multiple purposes. For example, choose bowls that can double as salad bowls and cereal bowls. This reduces the need for specialized items.
Organize each category of dishes into three piles – donate, get rid of and keep. If a dish is in good condition, consider donating it to a local charity or thrift store. If you’re sentimentally attached to a dish, but don’t get much use out of it, consider storing it away temporarily instead of immediately letting it go. You’ll know if it’s a keeper or not if after a week you’ve forgotten you even owned it.
Step 7: Maintain
Your work isn’t done after you’ve decluttered your collection! Maintaining your downsized collection is probably the hardest part.
Here are a few examples of things you can do to maintain your downsized dish collection:
- One in, One out Rule: Follow the “one in, one out” rule to ensure that when you acquire a new dish, you let go of an old one. This helps you maintain a clutter-free collection.
- Borrow Instead of Buy: If you need a specific type of dish for a one-time event or special recipe, consider borrowing from friends or family instead of committing to a purchase.
- Avoid Dish Trends: Stay mindful of dish trends. If there’s a pan that’s being marketed to you on social media, consider whether you truly need it or if you’re just being influenced to buy it.
- Adjust to Lifestyle Changes: If your household size changes or your cooking habits evolve, be open to adjusting your dish collection accordingly. This prevents holding onto items you no longer need.
- Gift or Donate: Tell your friends and family about your efforts to downsize your dish collection and kindly request that they refrain from gifting you any additional dishes. If you do happen to receive dishware as a gift that doesn’t align with your needs, explore the possibility of returning them or passing them on to someone who could benefit. Remember to avoid keeping these gifts out of guilt.
- Regular Inventory: Set a reminder to do a quick inventory of your dishes every few months. This helps you stay aware of what you have and whether any adjustments are needed.
- Reassess Functionality: Periodically evaluate the functionality of your dishes. If you find that a particular item is seldom used or doesn’t serve its purpose well, consider letting it go.
In Conclusion
In the end, it’s clear that the number of dishes you truly need in your kitchen isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. It’s more about finding that sweet spot between having everything you may ever need and owning just the bare minimum. As much as I’d love to tell you exactly how many dishes you and your family need, I simply can’t. I can only tell you that it’s probably much less than you might think.
In the comments below, let me know if this post inspired you to let go of any of your dishes? If so, which ones?
Looking for some more decluttering inspiration? Click here to read about my 17 item home declutter & decluttering tips!
Anonymous says
This article gave me some stuff to think on. For example I was proud of myself for figuring out that I could replace my plates and bowls with a single dinner bowl (basically a plate with raised edges that allow it to be used as either), but I hadn’t considered using a glass storage container. The mess of mismatched plastic containers that have been accumulating in my cabinet is the most cluttered part of my apartment right now and I’ve been considering donating them and getting glass ones to replace them, I’ll have to look for one to be my designated bowl/plate when I do.