Stop Storing Glassware Like This Unless You Want Constant Dirty Dishes

Although they seem to be enjoying a moment in the spotlight, open shelves have actually been around long enough to qualify as vintage, and were certainly in use way before design trends were tracked, predicted, and revived. If you're new to the self-explanatory form (shelves absent cabinet doors), then they might seem like a great place to store your prettiest dishes. But no, open shelves are, in fact, one of the worst places to keep your glassware, in particular, unless you want to deal with cleaning them again before nearly every use.

Kitchen cabinets have doors not only to conceal unsightly cereal boxes and — quelle horreur — even a bit of disorganization, but also to keep dust at bay. Eschew those shields and you've got to keep things tidier while also constantly battling those pesky particles. All those water, juice, wine, rocks, coupes, and martini glasses essentially become dust collectors when left to the elements; the perfect cups for grimy, mounting nebulae. And — not so fast — flipping them upside-down will only go so far, as dust can still cling near each vessel's rim, threatening to enter your bloodstream each time you draw it to your lips. Keep them covered, and dedicate the open shelves to less vulnerable items instead.

Anything that stacks or otherwise nests will be somewhat protected from dust. Only the top of a stack of bowls or plates will gather grime, as the rest are protected by the additional layers. Sure, the edges might still get a little dusty like in the case of upturned glasses, but, unlike that drinkware, it's less common to consume straight from a bowl or a plate, bypassing other utensils in the process. So, in the worst case scenario, you're wiping down one piece before you set the table, not every single one, every single time.

If you go through, say, Champagne flutes at such an incredible rate that they never linger long enough to collect dust, than dual congratulations to you. First, kudos for the constant commemoration. And secondly, hats off to your de facto hack. They say that a rolling stone gathers no moss, and the same applies to your Riedels.