Ideas to Organize Pots, Pans and Cookie Sheets
There are many items in a kitchen that need to be organized in order to be efficient.
There are times kitchen items have not made it back to where they belong after family members are done cooking . . . including me. This creates a cluttered and uninspiring space.
Keeping it simple makes it easier to get things back where they belong!
Items that can take up the bulk of space in a kitchen are pots and pans. Here are some simple ways to organize pots and pans in the kitchen, and get inspired to cook in the kitchen!
RELATED POST: TOP TIPS FOR KITCHEN DRAWER ORGANIZATION
ORGANIZE POTS ON STORAGE RACK
This is one of my favorite organizing tools.
I love that I can save space in my cabinets by hanging my pots on a hanging storage rack. It also makes it easy to grab when I am cooking! Most of all, I think that the rack in our kitchen looks super cool hanging from the ceiling!
When you install, make sure you are hanging it with reinforcements, or whatever the rack direction suggests. It is holding lots of weight and you want to be safe.
You can have a rack either hang from the ceiling or from the wall.
POTS AND PANS IN CABINET
9+ Lids – Cabinet Expandable Lid Holder
The cabinet is probably the most common location for pots and pans.
It is not a problem to keep them in your cabinet, but you may find that it is very difficult to do without some organization.
Let’s change that. We can use very simple ideas and tools to make finding what you need while cooking a quick.
Flat pans and cookie sheets can fit perfectly in a narrow cabinet. Standing them up vertically makes it easy to find what you need.
I also store my cutting boards with my cookie sheets and flat pans. It is so easy to pull them out!
If you don’t have a narrow cabinet, there are solutions for standing up your pans in regular-sized cabinets.
Kitchen Cabinet Pantry Pan and Pot Rack HolderMetal Kitchen Cabinet Pantry Pot & Lid HolderKitchen Cabinet Pan and Pot Lid Organizer Rack
The rack shown above give you solutions for either organizing your pans vertically and horizontally. You can decide which way will work better for you depending on the height and size of the cabinet.
POTS AND PANS IN DRAWERS
Some kitchens have drawers that can make great storage for pots.
If the drawers are deep enough that you can stack them inside each other, that will save you space and make the pots easy to get in and out.
You can also try drawer dividers. You can insert them yourself, and you can also have them professionally done.
Kitchen Cupboard – Drawer Organizer Tray – AdjustableBamboo Drawer Divider Set of 4 – Kitchen Drawer Organizer
AS I GET ORGANIZED, HOW DO YOU CLEAN A BURNT PAN?
You can clean after each use, or you set aside time to regularly to deep clean all of your pots and pans. Keeping them clean will help them to last longer and they will look sparkly in your cabinet!
Over time have you may notice your pans getting increasingly dark from using oil while cooking, or you have baked on residue.
We have beautiful pans we bought years ago that after cooking over time, look like they have been used for digging in the dirt.
We clean our pots and pans well, but the stubborn stains from cooking with oil have left remnants of dinners past. I decided it was time to find a few tricks and experiments on my pots. I love how my pots and pans look displayed on my pot rack . . . . especially when they are clean!
Below are some great ideas to help you get your pans back from the “dark side”.
Ideas to effectively bring dirty pans back to life:
1. How to Clean Burnt Oil From Pans
2. How to Clean Non-Stick Pans
3. So Shiny! Removing Stains with Bar Keepers Friend
I tried baking soda and vinegar mix, then I tried the Bar Keepers Friend cleanser. Although the soda and vinegar mix was an amusing experiment and a fun show to watch, the Bar Keepers Friend cleanser and a scrub pad is how I got the results on my pan . . . and lots of elbow grease!
Bar Keepers Friend Powdered Cleanser & Polish (2-Pack)Bar Keepers Friend Superior Cookware Cleanser & Polish
Cookie sheets can get brown over time too. Here are a few ideas to put the shine back on your cookie sheet:
1. New Life for Old Cookie Sheets
2. Cookie Sheets and Bakeware
I try to avoid getting anything baked onto my cookie sheets, because I hate having to clean baked on food.
For many recipes I will line the cookie sheet with foil,or other liners, which makes it easier to clean up after baking. The exception would be simple cookies or items that I know there isn’t going to be juices.
CONCLUSION
Even though pots and pans can be awkward to organize and store, it doesn’t mean we can’t come up with easy and simple solutions. You can hang them, stack them, or file them in your cabinet!
There are many solutions to organize your pots and pans. Once you get your pans clean, analyze the amount space you have, you can decide which solution is best for you.
It is exciting to think you don’t have to struggle to get your pots and pans out when it’s time to make dinner. You can actually create a beautiful set up that makes storing and returning your items easy!
Cheering you on to a more simple life!
