Directions for Cup Stacking

Laying the Foundation

• The cupboard is a popular hangout for household bacteria because it is not cleaned often. A study by the North American Science Associates found both bacteria and fungi inside of sample of kitchen cabinets. So before you stack any cups in your cupboard, clean the area thoroughly with a disinfectant spray. Allow it to dry and then lay a plastic, ribbed mat down on the bottom of each shelf in your cabinet. Disinfect the cabinet regularly, at least twice per year.

Orientation

• When stacking your cups, it's best to place them upside down rather than right side up in the cabinet to prevent dust from settling inside of the cup. It is more sanitary and will prevent you from having to go through the trouble of rewashing the top glass every time you pull it out of the stack.

The Arrangement

• Place the cups that you use most frequently toward the front of the cabinet, and place the others in the back. Your breakable cups, such as glass and ceramics, should be as far from the edge as possible to eliminate the chance that they will fall when you reach for a cup in the back. If you use breakable glasses frequently, line them along the sides of the cabinet instead of in the middle, and keep the plastic cups in the front middle. When stacking your cups, make sure that they are at least an inch away from each other, especially when breakable.

Height

• Avoid stacking the cups right up to the top of your cupboard. Allow at least two inches of space between the highest cup and the ceiling of the shelf. Do not stack your cups on the top shelf of your cabinets. Keep them at eye level and one shelf above eye level---no higher. Stacking them at too high of a level or in too high of a stack will increase the chance that they will fall and break when someone goes to remove a cup.

Other Stacking Considerations

• If when stacked, the top cup does not cover at least 50 percent of the cup directly underneath it, do not stack these cups. Keep them in a single layer in your cabinet. If the cups become stuck easily when you put one inside of another, do not stack these cups either. The cups can crack or break when you try to pull them apart. Even a small crack in a glass or ceramic cup can cause the cup to shatter, especially when you are drinking a hot liquid.