Place glasses and cups open side down along the edges of the top rack.
Lay utensils that won't fit in the silverware basket between the prongs of the top rack.
Load saucers and dishwasher-safe plastic items in the top rack. Avoid blocking the sprayer arms and tower.
Line the sides of the bottom rack with large pans and cookie sheets.
Place bowls and pots at the corners and edges of the bottom rack with the openings facing down and toward the middle of the rack. Avoid blocking the tower and sprayer arms.
Load plates into the center section of the bottom rack.
Place small items in the silverware basket without allowing anything to poke through the bottom.
Load knives and forks into the basket with the handles sticking up. Place spoons with the handles pointing down if you're washing a lot of silverware; otherwise, also put the spoons in the basket with the handles sticking up. Distribute the silverware evenly across the sections of the basket, and avoid allowing similar pieces to nest against each other.