The reason I kept our plates, cups, pans, etc. to a minimum was so that I would also have enough cabinet space to store our pantry food. I grocery shopped once a week and bought just what we needed. A few cabinets for food (plus what was in the refrigerator) was plenty of room! Also- baskets on top of the fridge also helped to store items like potatoes, onions and snacks. The baskets helped to keep the kitchen feeling organized and beautiful.