When I was a freshman in college, I brought two dishes to my dorm room, but washing them became tedious so I just bought paper plates and ate mostly off of those. If you brought multiple plates and intend to wash and store them in your room, here are a few clever ways to do so.
When living in a dorm room, you can store your dishes in a specially built, space saving rack, a multi-tier organizer, or on a drying rack that can double as dish storage.
Here are some different versions of the three solutions I just suggested.
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1. Adjustable Dish Holder Organizer
The handles on these plate holders help make it easy to move your dishes from spot to spot all at the same time. They’re also adjustable, so whether you have plates that are 9 inches, 13 inches, or anything in between, then these tools can hold them snuggly. You can place these anywhere around your room, but if you want to put them in a drawer, the handles will keep the dishes from sliding as the drawer opens and closes.
2. China Storage Container with Padded Interior
This dish holder also makes it easy to transport multiple plates at a time. This was specifically made for fine china, so it has protective felt material on the inside. This is a great aspect to look for if you want to pack dishes that are made of glass, porcelain, etc. This storage device also comes with plate separators for extra protection.
3. Collapsible Dish Drainer
This device isn’t just helpful for storing your unused dishes, it’s great for drying your used ones. After you wash your dishes, it can be hard to find a place to dry them in your dorm room. Unless you grab some paper towels and do it by hand, it’ll take some creativity to find a place to dry multiple at the same time. This collapsible dish dryer fixes that problem, and it saves space by turning completely flat. This comes in handy for packing up after the year is done. It even has specific sections for you to dry your utensils and a removable draining tray that catches all the water!
4. Expandable Dish Rack
This is also a great way to dry your plates and store them afterwards. Unlike the previous device, this doesn’t have a tray at the bottom that catches all the water while the dishes are drying. You’ll have to set this up right next to your sink so that the water can pour into it. After that, you can grab it and put the device anywhere you want. This thing is also expandable! It can fit 9 dishes in it but expanding it will let you fit bowls, cups or any other dinnerware you need to wash.
5. Over the Fridge Caddy Organizer
I’ve often suggested using over the fridge pockets for food, but you could also opt to use them for dishware instead. This has different sized pockets that can hold your plates, but also your utensils and cookware. Since it’s double sided, you have plenty of room to keep all the dishes that you’ll need.
6. 8 Compartment Dish Organizer
This organizer can help you make a one-stop hub for all of your plates, utensils, napkins, chopsticks and any other kind of dinnerware you may have. It’ll help you keep them organized, separated, easy to store and ready to use. It’ll even come in handy after graduation since it also makes a great place to keep office supplies, cooking ingredients, skincare, you name it!
7. Steel Sink Dish Drying Rack
If you know that you only need a small device to dry and store your plates and dinnerware, then this little tool is for you. It has 12 slots in total, so you could use them for plenty of dishes or mix it up and dry other stuff too. There is a separate container for your utensils so that they can stand up straight to dry faster. A non-slip mat can be placed underneath this to catch the water and keep the rack securely in place.
8. 2-Tier Dish Rack
This is for those of you that plan to bring a lot of dinnerware to your dorm. This device gives you plenty of room to dry your plates, cups, bowls, utensils and even your cutting board. For your cups, this thing has anti-slip caped tips on the specially shaped holders to make sure that they stay in place. There’s also a drip tray at the bottom of the cup drying section to keep water from pooling on your sink. Speaking of water, there’s a built-in, rotatable spout to lead it directly into your sink.
9. Metal 3-Tier Large Capacity Dish Rack
If two tiers aren’t enough for the amount of dinnerware that you plan to bring, then it’s time to upgrade to three tiers. This device can hold 17 plates while the other two shelves can be used for bowls, cups and any other things you need to dry. Each tier also comes with its own removable tray to catch the water from each section. This thing also comes with sections built to hold your utensils and some cookware like cutting boards. You can place a total of 50 lbs worth of dinnerware on here too!
10. Over the Sink Dish Rack
If you have a rectangular shaped sink, then this device gives you an option to dry your dishes directly over it instead of setting them off to the side. Of course, if you prefer to dry them on the countertop instead, then this device also gives you that option. This thing even comes with a microfiber cloth to sit underneath it for extra absorbency. You can hold a total of 16 dishes in this little rack, so there’s plenty of room for plenty of plates.
11. Retractable Cup Drying Rack
Don’t plan on bringing more than two or three pieces of dinnerware? Then this is a perfect plate and cup storage/drying device if you only brought a few of each. The tree branch design helps to keep your cups securely in place. It’s also retractable, making it easy to pack in a suitcase. This thing also comes with a rag to place at the bottom to soak up any water.
12. Microwave Rack
Okay let’s take a break from talking about drying racks for a second. If you just want a place to store your dishes, then this device is for you. It’s mainly for sitting above a microwave, but you can sit it anywhere and store dishes on and below it. It’s a very simple design, so if it’ll fit, you can pop it right on one of your shelves and use it as a double decker dish storage device.
13. 3-Tier Counter Corner Shelf Organizer
This is another very simple storage device for your plates. It fits snuggly in the corner of your shelf, cupboard, cabinet, etc. so it should help you save space. Each tier is the same size so, despite the picture, you can fit large plates on all three levels and still save room.
14. Collapsible 2-Tier Dish Rack
Time to talk about another drying rack! This is a bit of an aesthetic change compared to all the other devices I suggested. If you were looking for functionality, as well as a nice piece of decor to fit your color palette, then this could be for you. The top tier on this tool has 15 slots to fit plenty of plates. On the bottom tier, you can put your cups and bowls there to dry too. Since this is made of wood, it would (unintentional pun) make a great addition to the room of someone trying to be environmentally conscious.
15. Metal Stacking Storage Organization for Shelves
This is another simple storage solution for your dishes. This may not be specially built for the corner of your shelf, cupboard, cabinet, etc., but it’s completely foldable. This makes it very easy to slip into your suitcase when packing up for the year. When it’s completely unfolded, there are two built-in levels and one open space at the bottom of the organization shelves. The legs also have non-slip material at the bottom of them, keeping your dishes safe from falling.
16. 2-Tier Collapsible Dish Rack
This is very similar to the wooden rack that I suggested earlier. If you’re all about your natural materials, then bamboo might catch your interest too. This rack has a drying station for your dishes, cups and bowls as well. In addition, this version comes with a removable utensil drying station. Just like the wooden rack, it’s also collapsible for space saving purposes.
17. Foldable Drying Rack
Even though this drying rack looks incredibly simple, it’s still versatile and will get the job done. It has 12 slots so you can fit plenty of dishes on it. You can fold it up into two fifths of its original size, making it great for storage and packing. You can also lay it down completely flat and still dry your bowls and cups on it.
18. 3-Tier Expandable Microwave Shelf with 3 Hooks
Remember how I talked about using a microwave shelf to hold your dishes earlier? Well if only one built-in shelf wasn’t enough for you, then this will provide two of them. It’s taller, so it might not fit as easily in your cupboard or cabinets unless they’re tall too. If they are, however, then this will help you take advantage of the extra vertical space that your school gave you.
19. Small Triangle Plate Holders
This plate storage has a unique design that would fit in well with a modern, chic themed dorm. When it comes to functionality, it can hold quite a bit of plates. The bars have rummer on them to help keep your dishes in place and keep them from getting scratched. There is also an additional slightly bigger pot holder in case you brought any cookware.
20. Mini Dish Drying Rack
If you live in a dorm room that’s particularly small, then this was basically made for you. This dish drying rack has 8 slots in total, so it’s nice and compact. Despite its small size, it still comes with a removable drip tray at the bottom to collect all the extra water. It even has a utensil holder to dry your spoons, forks and knives! Also, last but not least, look at how stylish this thing is! The dramatic gold and dark green combo make it look so regal. The transparent, textured utensil holder also adds to the elegance!
21. Dish Drying Rack with Swivel Spout
This dish drying rack has similar features to the 2 tier and 3 tier ones that I suggested earlier, however this is better if you’re looking for a smaller version. With the hydrophilic coating on this device, water will spread and dry more easily, making it less time consuming to clean. There is a drip tray and a swivel spout on the bottom of the rack to guide water directly into the sink too.
22. Silverware Tray with Lid
It’s time to focus a bit on just the utensils. If you plan on bringing a few (or more than a few) then this is a nice container to keep them in. There are 5 compartments for your spoons, forks, knives, chopsticks and any other small dinnerware that can fit in them. There’s also a lid attached to the tray to keep dust from collecting on your eating tools. This can fit inside a drawer if you prefer to lay it in there, or you can sit it anywhere else in the dorm.
23. Cutlery Storage Organizer Caddy
Similar to the storage device I just suggested, this one also has 5 compartments. However, since this is shaped differently you can use some of these slots for condiments, spices and stuff like that as well. SInce it’s a caddy, there are small handles on the side to make transport a bit easier.
24. Utensil, Flatware and Cutlery Drying Caddy
If you wanted a separate drying rack for your utensils, then let me introduce you to this little device. It’s a stand alone utensil holder too, so you can use it for storage as well. Additionally, it’s made of bamboo, so if you’re a fan of eco-friendly material, then this is up your alley.
