Why Martha Stewart Avoids Dividers In Her Silverware Drawer

When it comes to storing your good, heirloom silver flatware, you may want to grab a page out of Martha Stewart's go-to kitchen organization playbook. The media mogul is all about order and accessibility, but she also wants to keep these utensils free of tarnish and scratches. Stewart shared on her website that you should not stack your good silver forks, spoons, and knives between dividers, but rather store them in a single layer on fabric. She explained, "Shallow drawers lined with tarnish-controlling flannel provide the right environment for silver."

An anti-tarnish silver cloth is essential because it is treated to protect your silver. Pacific Silvercloth is a good option. It is a flannel cloth that has been embedded with particles of silver that absorb the sulfur gases that cause the chemical reaction that makes your utensils look dark and dirty. If you want a storage drawer liner, Hagerty sells a zippered flatware storage drawer liner that is also treated for anti-tarnishing. This will keep your silver orderly and ready to use to create a wintery tablescape for holiday parties or backyard celebrations.

Why not just remove the tarnish with a good polish? Polishing has to happen at some point, but when it does, it is important to note that this process also removes a minute layer of the metal, which is not good for the pieces your great-grandmother may have saved for you to use when you entertain. Storing it in a single layer on a cloth helps prevent that unsightly discoloration, and it eliminates the number of times you have to perform this chore. 

When you organize your silver flatware like Martha Stewart, it's important to measure your drawers to ensure the anti-tarnish cloth or storage container will fit. The wrong size will make it difficult to keep the drawers orderly, and it might make you a little grumpy. What about your everyday flatware? Stewart uses drawer organizers to keep them nice and neat. She prefers those that have rectangular compartments. These also work well for some of those essential kitchen tools that can make a drawer look untidy.