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Organizing Pots & Pans: Hall Of Fame

Organizing your pots and pans can be a daunting task to tackle in your kitchen, because they are all so big and unwieldy.

That, and there are lots of ways to do it, some of which work better in certain kitchens than others.

But before you begin trying to figure out how you'll organize your pots and pans, make sure you're only organizing the ones you really need to keep. Each organizing project needs to start with decluttering. Here's my article on

Below I've gathered a collection of hall of fame submissions from readers who've done this organizing mission as part of

As you'll see as you scroll down they've used a variety of method to get the job done, but if they work that's really all that matters!

I will point out that with whatever method you choose you need to think about not only where you'll store the pans and pots, but also the lids.

Often times the lids are forgotten in the organizing rush, but being able to match them up quickly with the pot you choose is important for convenience while cooking.

Remember too, that once you've become inspired and do this task yourself I'd also love for you to

Organizing your pots and pans can be a daunting task to tackle in your kitchen, because they are all so big and unwieldy.That, and there are lots of ways to do it, some of which work better in certain kitchens than others.It seems like, for some reason, most people think of hanging pot and pan racks as the default method for storing these items, but really there are lots of ways to do it, some of which may work better for you.But before you begin trying to figure out how you'll organize your pots and pans, make sure you're only organizing the ones you really need to keep. Each organizing project needs to start with decluttering. Here's my article on how to declutter pots and pans , which lists 6 questions you should ask yourself when culling your cookware collection to make sure you're only keeping what is necessary.Below I've gathered a collection of hall of fame submissions from readers who've done this organizing mission as part of Kitchen Cabinet Organization Challenge As you'll see as you scroll down they've used a variety of method to get the job done, but if they work that's really all that matters!I will point out that with whatever method you choose you need to think about not only where you'll store the pans and pots, but also the lids.Often times the lids are forgotten in the organizing rush, but being able to match them up quickly with the pot you choose is important for convenience while cooking.Remember too, that once you've become inspired and do this task yourself I'd also love for you to share your before and after pictures with me here and I might just add your accomplishments to the hall of fame as well!

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Even When Using Hanging Pot & Pan Rack Still Need To Store Lids Somewhere

by Lee-Anne

After - Hanging pot rack

Before

After

After - on kitchen cart

Lee-Anne from Life In A Peanut Free Shell shared how she decided to organize her pots and pans.

I've shown the after picture first, because as you can see she decided to use a hanging rack for many of these.

Pros & Cons Of Hanging Pot Racks: They're Shown Off All The Time

Using such a rack can be a good idea in a kitchen where you've not got much cabinet space, but do have lots of wall space, or high ceilings (to hang from the ceilings).

It can look really pretty in your kitchen as well, as it does in Lee-Anne's.

The thing to remember though is that these pots are then seen and on display, all the time. This may or may not be something you want to have happen because then you've got to put more time and attention into keeping them looking good.

I know my family's pots and pans get used at least once a day, sometimes twice, and while they work quite well they don't look showroom lovely anymore, but look worn and a bit dingy with use.

They're not something I want to display in my home. So for me a wall display would not make me happy in the long run.

On the other hand some people have some very high quality pots and pans, such as copper ones or beautiful shiny stainless steel, or cast iron, etc. They want to display them and take pride in their beauty.

If that's you I say go for it! Show 'em off and save cabinet space for other things at the same time.

Here are some available hanging organizers:

Hanging Organizers {Referral Link}

Don't Forget About Where To Place The Lids

Even if you get your pots and pans out of your cabinet by hanging them up you'll still have to make space for the lids somewhere.

Lee-Anne just kept them in her cabinet, but it was much less cluttered afterward so much easier to find and grab the right lid.

Another idea would be a over the door pot lid organizer. These can be good for people who didn't have much cabinet space to begin with, since this storage is on the back of a door.

Lids Organizers {Referral Link}

Lee-Anne also put some pots and pans, and their lids, on a kitchen cart she purchased for the space, which added some much needed extra storage for her kitchen.

Great job in your organizing Lee-Anne!

Using such a rack can be a good idea in a kitchen where you've not got much cabinet space, but do have lots of wall space, or high ceilings (to hang from the ceilings).It can look really pretty in your kitchen as well, as it does in Lee-Anne's.The thing to remember though is that these pots are then seen and on display, all the time. This may or may not be something you want to have happen because then you've got to put more time and attention into keeping them looking good.I know my family's pots and pans get used at least once a day, sometimes twice, and while they work quite well they don't look showroom lovely anymore, but look worn and a bit dingy with use.They're not something I want to display in my home. So for me a wall display would not make me happy in the long run.On the other hand some people have some very high quality pots and pans, such as copper ones or beautiful shiny stainless steel, or cast iron, etc. They want to display them and take pride in their beauty.If that's you I say go for it! Show 'em off and save cabinet space for other things at the same time.Here are some available hanging organizers:Even if you get your pots and pans out of your cabinet by hanging them up you'll still have to make space for the lids somewhere.Lee-Anne just kept them in her cabinet, but it was much less cluttered afterward so much easier to find and grab the right lid.Another idea would be a over the door pot lid organizer. These can be good for people who didn't have much cabinet space to begin with, since this storage is on the back of a door.Lee-Anne also put some pots and pans, and their lids, on a kitchen cart she purchased for the space, which added some much needed extra storage for her kitchen.Great job in your organizing Lee-Anne!

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Storing Pots & Pans In Kitchen Cabinet Can Work Well

by Adamilka

It's simple, especially when I'm showing some of these other methods for storing and organizing pots and pans, but just placing them in your kitchen cabinets can work quite well.

You can see that from the picture above, from a reader, Adamilka. The reason is looks so great though is because it isn't too cluttered, and not too many are being shoved into this small space. To fix this issue, she explained, "Extra are downstairs in basement storage but I don't have many."

She did strategically also use some organizers in the cabinet though to keep things neater. You can get similar organizers here:

Cabinet Organizers {Referral Link}

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Slide Out Pots & Pans Drawers Make It Easier To Get Items From The Back

If you want to keep your pots and pans in a cabinet, instead of hanging up or on the wall another possibility is to use a roll out pots and pan drawer such as the one shown above.

Using these roll out shelves you just pull out the shelf you need, reach what would be otherwise hard to get to, and then push it back into place.

Awesome, huh?

The one shown above is a custom job that was done when they re-did their kitchen, but you can purchase something similar for your cabinets as well.

For example, on Amazon.com you can purchase a

Roll Out Rack {Referral Link}

Here's another example from a reader, Jen. She also went a step above and labeled the shelves so that everyone in the family would know where to put the pots and pans when they were putting them back after use.



Top photo courtesy of Barbara Raskauskas from Flickr CC

This alleviates one of the major problems with keeping these items in a low cabinet, reaching the stuff that gets stuck way back in the back.Using these roll out shelves you just pull out the shelf you need, reach what would be otherwise hard to get to, and then push it back into place.Awesome, huh?The one shown above is a custom job that was done when they re-did their kitchen, but you can purchase something similar for your cabinets as well.For example, on Amazon.com you can purchase a roll-out lid/tray organizer (similar to the one shown in the picture on the left). It's the same principle without having to have custom cabinetry work done.Here's another example from a reader, Jen. She also went a step above and labeled the shelves so that everyone in the family would know where to put the pots and pans when they were putting them back after use.

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Keep Lids In One Location With A Dish Pan Or Other Basket Type Container

by Ferris

After - keeping all the lids together

Before

After

Ferris from

She said about the before picture: "One thing I hear from Jake about this cabinet is that he can never find the lids to the pots and if he finds one its not the right size."

Therefore, the main thing she did is to fix the issue with the lids, and to do that she put them all in a dish pan. Simple but effective!

Remember, they've got some lid racks that are similar to this principle that you can put on the shelf of your cabinet, that were shown above, earlier in this article.

Ferris from The Hamman Family Blog shared her solutions for dealing with her pots and pans, plus the lids in her kitchen.She said about the before picture: "One thing I hear from Jake about this cabinet is that he can never find the lids to the pots and if he finds one its not the right size."Therefore, the main thing she did is to fix the issue with the lids, and to do that she put them all in a dish pan. Simple but effective!Remember, they've got some lid racks that are similar to this principle that you can put on the shelf of your cabinet, that were shown above, earlier in this article.

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Wall Mounted Pot Rack May Be Better If Small Kitchen

by Catalina

Catalina from At Home, At Work, At Play shared a picture of her decluttered kitchen.

Notice on the side of the photo, on the wall though, how she stores her pots and pans, hanging directly on the wall. That way they don't take up cabinet space or space above her head.

There is actually a difference between a hanging rack and a wall mounted one.

Think about which one would best in your kitchen before you purchase something!

Here are some available wall-mounted racks:

Wall Racks {Referral Link}

Here's another photo from a reader, Sherry, also showing off how she stores her pots on her kitchen wall.

Here's another photo from a reader, Sherry, also showing off how she stores her pots on her kitchen wall.

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DIY Method For Hanging Pots On Pantry Wall

by Susan

Susan shared this picture on the Household Management 101 Facebook page, which is a sister site to this one.

She said: "I never understood the concept of stacking pots that you're not suppose to use metal utensils on.

Lacking cupboard space, I had a piece of slat wall on a blank walk in my pantry. I use cup hooks to hang, and lids rest on a wire shelf."

You can also use a pegboard for this same concept, like another reader, Chris, did. She said, "This is how I store my pots and pans. Inspired by Julia Child's kitchens."

You can purchase pegboards from Amazon here:

Pegboards {Referral Link}

You can purchase pegboards from Amazon here:

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DIY Project: Converted Old Dresser To Hang Pots & Pans

by Heidi

Heidi also shared her picture on the Household Management 101 page, and it's great!

She explained that she got this idea from Pinterest, and she converted a 6 drawer dresser to hold her cooking pots.

Clearly she took the drawers out and she added hooks to the top underside of the dresser so she could hang them.

She said, "BTW....cost was $3 for the hooks! Dresser was a curbside freebie!"

I keep saying if you're handy and crafty you can have such beautiful stuff in your home for cheap! Awesome job Heidi.

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Hang Your Pots Inside Your Cabinet

If you want to learn more, please visit our website clothes hanger wood.

You can also keep your cabinets inside a cabinet, but hang them up. That's exactly what a reader, Jill did. She explained about the photo above, "admittedly, I love to cook and am a sucker for pots & pans and bakeware, and when we remodeled our house, I had a vision...and this is what I did! And I LOVE it!!!"

You can see a similar idea here available on Amazon, but while the pots and pans do hang, you can also pull them out of the cabinet making it even easier to get to them.

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Moved Pots & Pans From Cabinet To Turntable Cabinet

by Procrastinating Hummingbird

After

Before

The Procrastinating Hummingbird shared before and after pictures of what she did with her pots and pans as part of this week's challenge.

She decided it needed to change location, explaining: "In these pictures you will see I have tried to find a better home for the pots and pans.

I thought the turntable cabinet would be better so I could easily get to all of the pots I needed instead of having to pull them out each and every time I needed to cook."

She's not the only one who's found that this works best for her. Recently I asked the site's Facebook fans how they organized their pans and pots.

This can be a very good method for storing them. In fact, this is how we store our pots and pans in our house.

I will caution though that if it gets too cluttered, and you try to cram too many into the space the handles can stick out too much and make it harder for it to turn, so don't try to cram too many into the space!

***Update: A reader, Louise, shared a tip for how she marks a space for each pot on the turntable. She said:

I also use a turntable to store pots and pans. Here's a simple solution that makes the storage even easier.

At the Dollarstore I bought circular pot mats (normally used to protect your cupboard from hot pots). I place one for each pot on the turntable.

Now you know where the pot goes when you replace it after use. I know it sounds like it's unnecessary but it takes out the guesswork as to where the pot's home is.

***End Update

Third photo courtesy of chi-chu

Chantel said, "We remodeled our kitchen this year and now have a lazy susan corner cabinet and instead of canned goods I put my pots on one shelf along with corresponding lids and skillets on the bottom with their lids. Just give it a turn and can easily access what I need without having to dig."This can be a very good method for storing them. In fact, this is how we store our pots and pans in our house.I will caution though that if it gets too cluttered, and you try to cram too many into the space the handles can stick out too much and make it harder for it to turn, so don't try to cram too many into the space!***Update: A reader, Louise, shared a tip for how she marks a space for each pot on the turntable. She said:***End Update

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Created More Space In The Kitchen With These Storage Solutions

by Adrienne
(Cibolo, TX)

Organizes pots, pans and lids

Stores heavy glass measuring bowls and pans

Adrienne says:

When we downsized to a much smaller home my kitchen suddenly became cramped and I realized I had to get rid of some items that were not used often.

However, my cookbooks were something I was not willing to compromise on, and my pots and pans were a mess.

For Christmas, my father-in-law and my husband created and built a beautiful cabinet to go in a small amount of wasted space in the kitchen to utilize it better and free up storage space over the stove for less used items.

The pots and pans were more of a challenge, but they went to a home improvement store and purchased pull out shelving and installed it in two areas in my kitchen to make it easier to get to items, and to properly store my pots and pans and their matching lids. It has made my life so much easier already!

Taylor says:

Thanks for sharing your awesome pictures with me Adrienne. You have a wonderful family to help your organize kitchen cabinets and make more storage space for everything to fit better.

I was wondering what type of organizer you are using for your pot lids? I can't tell well in the picture, but I know lots of people love their lid organizers to keep them in some kind of organized state in their cabinets.

***Update: I got a response from Adrienne telling me more about the lid and pot organizer she used. She says:

The lid storage system is one that stores the lids from smallest to largest starting in the front. It has a spot for up to 7 lids so even my big crockpot lid will fit. The bottom shelf holds my small pots and several different sizes of frying pans. The shelves are heavy duty so they can handle the weight. I got the pull out shelving from Lowes.

When we downsized to a much smaller home my kitchen suddenly became cramped and I realized I had to get rid of some items that were not used often.However, my cookbooks were something I was not willing to compromise on, and my pots and pans were a mess.For Christmas, my father-in-law and my husband created and built a beautiful cabinet to go in a small amount of wasted space in the kitchen to utilize it better and free up storage space over the stove for less used items.The pots and pans were more of a challenge, but they went to a home improvement store and purchased pull out shelving and installed it in two areas in my kitchen to make it easier to get to items, and to properly store my pots and pans and their matching lids. It has made my life so much easier already!Thanks for sharing your awesome pictures with me Adrienne. You have a wonderful family to help your organize kitchen cabinets and make more storage space for everything to fit better.I was wondering what type of organizer you are using for your pot lids? I can't tell well in the picture, but I know lots of people love their lid organizers to keep them in some kind of organized state in their cabinets.***Update: I got a response from Adrienne telling me more about the lid and pot organizer she used. She says:

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I’ve been inside more kitchens than the average person, so I am intimately familiar with the method (and often the madness) of where to put things in your kitchen cabinets.

At one point, my work as a private chef and culinary instructor meant I was stepping through the thresholds of at least five strangers’ kitchens a month.

The first thing I do when I arrive to teach a private cooking class is rummage through my clients cabinets, acquainting myself with the layout and equipment at hand.

Usually the people who cook often, will have some sort of intuitive flow. I’ll open the top drawer next to the stove and there will be the oven mitts, spatulas or spices. The dish towels will be housed conveniently near the sink. And the most used pots and pans are stacked neatly at the front of a low-lying drawer.

But the majority of kitchens I enter make no fucking sense.

The vegetable peeler is lumped in with wooden spoons, in the same drawer as uncovered, abused knives. Heavy appliances live where water glasses should go. And good luck finding any oven mitts.

I’ve been in palatial kitchens and closet kitchens, and having lived in both myself, I can say that storage space is not an excuse for being disorganized and not knowing where to put things in kitchen cabinets. In other words, having a lot of them doesn’t guarantee that your kitchen drawers will be any more streamlined.

By having to learn my way through many foreign countertops in a condensed amount of time, I’ve come away with some golden rules for how to organize kitchen cabinets so your tools flow logically. They’ll even can save you a surprisingly amount of time while cooking.

When I moved in March to my very large dream kitchen, I had the distinct type A pleasure of applying some of these lessons to my new space. It’s much easier to create good organization habits from the get-go, so I dragged out the unpacking process to make sure I got it right.

The first step came before I had even left my last apartment: when I was packing my things into boxes, I started keeping a stack of post-it notes with labels for each group of items: mixing bowls, spices, dish towels, Tupperware, baking papers and wraps, etc. Some of these are standard, and some will be unique to you. For example, I had so many tea boxes, and accessed them on a daily basis, that I created a separate pantry label for tea. Same goes for trivets, supplements, and empty mason jars.

Before I unpacked, I laid all of the sticky papers out on the counter and began placing them one by one on drawers and cabinets according to some of the best practices below. As I unpacked and put things in their rightful place, I had to do a little rejiggering. And I did some more in the weeks that followed once I had a chance to actually cook in the space.

Finally, once things were more or less set, I left the post-its up for an ENTIRE MONTH so that Charlie and I could remember where things go. After we were on dishwasher emptying autopilot, and friends gave us enough weird looks, we took them down.

If you’re in the Spring Cleaning spirit and ready for a full overhaul, I highly recommend this system, as well as employing some of the basic rules below. If you need recommendations on what pots and pans are actually worth your time to invest in for your new kitchen, click here.

Do you have any kitchen organization tips or tricks for your cabinets and pantry? Let me know in the comments!

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

THE BEST KITCHEN ORGANIZATION IDEAS

Create a layout that matches an item’s function with where it will be used. One of the things I struggle with most about no longer having a small kitchen is that everything I need is not always within reach. But I’ve tried to design my kitchen so that there’s no added pacing or unnecessary movement. Believe it or not, I don’t have any more stuff than I did when I lived in a 400-foot studio. At the time, I just learned to store the non-essentials outside the kitchen.

Items that should be nearest the sink and/or dishwasher:

• Drying rack or mat
• Dish towels
• Paper towels (preferably stored on a rack under the sink)
• Tupperware and other storage vessels
• Wraps and foils
• Cleaning supplies (preferably in a bin under the sink)
• Colanders
• Plates and serving bowls
• Glasses
• Mugs (preferably also near the coffee maker)

Items that should be nearest the stove:

• Cooking utensils: spatulas, wooden spoons (preferably in a crock on the counter)
• Spices (either in a drawer, or on a riser in a cabinet/on the countertop)
• Oils, vinegars, and commonly used condiments (on a tray next to the stove, and/or on a lazy Susan in the cabinet)
• Spoon rest
• Trivets
• Oven mitts

Items that should live on your counter:

• Cutting boards (stack them against a wall with a book end or something heavy to hold in place)
• Knife block (you can also use a wall magnet to save space)
• Everyday appliances: coffee maker, toaster, blender. If you use it less than once a week, it gets put in a drawer or closet.
• Vegetable and fruit bowls (for room temp garlic, onions, potatoes, etc.)
• Salt, pepper, everyday cooking oils

Items that should live nearest your counters:

• Eating utensils (fork, knife, spoon)
• Prepping and baking utensils (peeler, whisk, grater, ice cream scoop, can opener)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls

Items that should live in bottom cabinets or drawers:

• Heavy skillets and saucepans
• Stacking pots and Dutch ovens
• Lids
• Baking pans and casserole dishes
• Heavy appliances you never use (so long as you have a way back, otherwise store in a closet)

Items that should live in top cabinets or drawers (or in a closet):

• Serving platters and bowls
• Light non-essential appliances or vessels (salad spinners, very large Tupperware, cake boxes)
• Bulk cans and cartons (especially when you have multiple)
• Baking ingredients and specialty pantry items (unsweetened cocoa, teff flour, maple sugar, pomegranate molasses)

Make everyday items/ the things you use most easy to reach. Per the above, appliances that you use once in a blue moon (egg beaters, mixers, spiralizers, mandolins, food processors, muffin pans) can be stored towards the way back of cabinets, or in another part of the house altogether.

Don’t put heavy things in high cabinets. It’s an accident waiting to happen! Bulky heavy appliances are best suited for a shelf in a storage closet, or in a lower cabinet with depth.

Invest in organization solutions for problem items. Lids are one of the most annoying kitchen items to organize. They don’t stack neatly, they’re bulky, and they can easily become unwieldy. If you have an oven with a warming drawer on the bottom, this is the most common place I find people use for lid storage. Others will dedicate a drawer to them. But since drawers tend to be prime real estate in New York City, I highly recommend that you invest in a lid organizer that can live in the same cabinet as the pots they go with. I use something similar to this or this.

Don’t buy too many mismatched pots and pans. While I am generally a big believer that most pot and pan sets include items that are unnecessary, when it comes to how to organize your kitchen cabinets, having some of your pots and pans fall into a uniform set can help you use space more efficiently. Even better: invest in a set that comes with its own storage solution! One of the many reasons I’m such a fan of these Caraway non-toxic nonstick pans is that they come with a magnetic rack that allows you to store the entire set in a small space, PLUS a really convenient canvas lid holder that you an attached to the inside of your cabinet door. It’s one of the best solutions I’ve found for lids.

Use bins, trays and containers to organize your pantry. The more you can compartmentalize by use, the better. For example, I have separate bins dedicated to: rice/grains, gluten-free flours, pastas, baking supplies, supplement powders, and supplement bottles. I even have one small tray that I use for the smoothie add-in’s I use most (maca powder, chia seeds, hemp seeds, brazil nuts, bee pollen, protein powder) since I reach for them as a group at least once a week.

Store your knives with respect! I am not a huge fan of buying knife block sets for quality reasons, and contrary to what most people think, there are other space efficient and affordable ways to store a la carte knives that you’ve thoughtfully purchased to be part of your own set. This in drawer cork system is great. I also love a wall magnetic block. If you’re curious about my favorite knife brands and more ideas on how to store them with respect, click here.

You don’t necessarily have to purchase plastic bins, though they are helpful. You can also use extra baking dishes, shallow or trimmed boxes (like the old Ball jar box I use for supplements above), serving bowls, or anything else that creates an enclosed container but you don’t necessarily use that often on its own.

For countertop items like salt, pepper and cooking oils, I like to use bamboo trays to keep those organized and make their appearance out in the open look intentional.

Use risers for extra room for tableware and glasses. If like me you’re someone who enjoys collecting a few different styles of serving plates and bowls, risers are a god sent for separating types and styles, and allowing you to avoid big heavy stacks. These also work well for shallow cups like mini espresso mugs, sauce boats, and mini mason jars.

Make your kitchen items part of your decor. If you’re wondering how I got away with having a ton of kitchen equipment in a tiny Manhattan space, it’s because I’ve always made my wares part of the living space. In my first apartment, I hung all my pots and pans from nails on an exposed brick wall next to my couch. In my studio, I used an entire shelf to display jars of nuts, seeds, grains and flours, and another one for alcohol, serving trays, and miscellaneous props that were attractive. Even with all the new space I’ve acquired, I still use my living room shelves for this purpose because I love the way it looks, it represents what I do, and these items are the perfect complement for styling my overgrown cookbook collection!

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