I am right handed and my sink is to my right, prep space to the left. I know for me that was the only option when we moved into our home 14 years ago so I guess I just adapted to the space.

My layout order is prep w/ garbage underneath it - sink/24" counter w/ DW under it - then the fridge.

Although It's logical to prep to the left of my sink, I find myself crammed onto the 24" counter next to the fridge. Makes me kinda crazy. Also makes me want to move my fridge 5 steps to the right into the mud room and put more counter space where the fridge is. Ironically, I have more counterspace than some of these fancy-pants, show kitchens. Tons. But I have to make myself move from the 24" countertop at least over to the prep area.

I'm putting a trash pull-out on the other side of the kitchen, to the right of my stove. I can prep there comfortably, so if I actually remember to move my lazy butt from my 24" space, it will feel logical to me.

So I guess I prep to the right of my sink. Uncomfortably.
Oh - I've had this since 2008, but in my pre-house-fire kitchen, it was pretty much the same.

I'm righthanded. Sink to the left, prep to the right, stove to the right of that. Yes, I like it, but it's what I'm used to, have had in the last three houses I've been in for the past 26 years. All the kitchens were pre-existing and it's always felt natural and right to me. But I'm fairly adaptable and could probably make do with the reverse. I also make do just fine with the DW under my prep space.

I'm right handed and I like the dw on the left. I scrape and rinse into the sink with the brush in my right hand so the plate is already in my left hand.

Makes no difference to me. In my last house, before remodeling, it went (right to left) sink-dishwasher-cooktop (with a small island behind). Most prep was done on the island. When we remodeled, it went (again right to left) prep sink-prep area-cooktop, with island behind, but the sink and dishwasher were moved with the dishwasher to the right of the sink. Now we have dishwasher-sink-small area-cooktop, but a huge island behind. Almost all prep is done on the island, and the spaces to the right and left of the cooktop are just for "staging". The dishwasher is again to the right of the sink.

I have at least 24 inches of prep space on both sides of my sink, with trash pullout underneath and dishwasher to the right. In my newly remodeled kitchen, the range is on the adjacent wall to the left, previously the cooktop was on the adjacent wall to the right of the sink. By habit, I always prep to the right of the sink.

fishymom, since you have the same size space to the left and right, wouldn't it make sense to prep between the sink and the cooktop?

Yes, it probably would make more sense, but I am a creature of habit! In my previous two kitchens, I only had prep space to the right of the sink, so I just got used to working that way.

I have my sink to the left of the main prep area. My new kitchen is completely different than the old one. I had no trouble adjusting. The layout was not based on being right handed but rather on the best layout for the space and our needs. We have a lefty in the house and no consideration was given to him either, LOL.

Try not to get to hung up on "I've always done it this way..."

I prep to the left of my sink because the DW is to the right and I don't like to stand in front of it when I'm prepping ... I like to keep that area clean for dishes, etc. (I'm right handed).

Thanks for all the responses.

CEFreeman, do you prep on the 24" counter because it's closer to the fridge or because it's to the right of the sink?

Linelle, I'm also used to prepping over my DW and haven't found that it's really in the way. If anything it's convenient for when I put away my prep dishes

Debrak, I'm trying not to get too hung up but....I can't seem to stop my obsessing.

Thanks again...until my next question