4 Ways You Can Organize Your Kitchen Pans — And Some Handy Storage Buys

I love to cook, but if there's one thing I've noticed about my cookware —specifically my beloved pans — it's that it could use some organizing. Cooking up a storm during hosting season can go totally wrong if you don't have your pans in check.

This is why knowing how to organize a kitchen and all that it holds is important. Tackling the countertops is one thing, but what about the drawers where you keep your pans? Finding the right organizer will allow you to grab the pan you need when you need it.

From pan racks to peg boards, experts share their secrets in keeping kitchen pans organized. Trust us, if you follow these tips, hosting will become something you can look forward to.

How to Organize Kitchen Pans

Keeping your cookware in check and organized will ease things for you during busy hosting seasons, but how exactly do you get it organized?

Professional organizer Ben Soreff from H2H Organizing says that the first thing you should do is to have a review of your pots and pans. "Before you purchase any organizational system, you first must determine the quantity. Over the years, you may have accumulated multiple pots and pans and also switched cooking and baking techniques."

After reviewing everything, Ben says you should "focus on the pots and pans you use often. The review should also cut down on the number of lids which, funnily enough, can be the most annoying thing to organize."

Ben insists that "the best organizers have vertical storage but require space that most people don't have. The only way to truly organize your pots and pans is to limit the quantity. Any organizing solution that is too complicated or promises to do it all, will simply not work." That’s why, more often than not, the most simplistic solution is the best one.

1. Peg board organizers

When it comes to how to organize a kitchen, the ‘Peggy’ drawer organizer tray is a game changer to keep drawers tidy. It’s a super versatile piece of equipment that can adapt to whatever size cupboard or drawer you may have.

This pegboard drawer organizer from Amazon comes with 16 pegs that can be used to create different storage solutions that will be able to stack your pots, pans and lids neatly. The reason why this has become so popular is that, unlike a fixed rack, the pegs can be moved whenever you wish, so you’ll always be able to store what you need to.

2. Kitchen pan racks

For a more traditional storage solution to organize kitchen cabinets, you may want to consider this kitchen pan rack to solve your drawer dilemma. This Pot and Lid Organizer from Amazon has 14 adjustable dividers to hold up to 13 pieces of kitchenware and it can be freely adjusted whenever you want it to be.

You won’t need to repurchase this rack if you add to your pot collection because it is expandable, so it can grow with you and your family’s kitchen needs.

3. A versatile pan shelf

If you’re considering taking Ben’s advice for organizing kitchen cabinets and would prefer to opt for vertical storage that makes the most of the height of your cupboards, then this may be the perfect item for you. Because of its height, it will only work with fairly deep drawers, like ones that you would regularly see built into a kitchen island.

The Mudeela Pots and Pans Organizer from Amazon prides itself on being sturdier than other similar kitchen storage items because it has a flat-heel design that ensures a secure grip and a hefty load capacity, meaning you don’t have to worry about it collapsing.

4. A pot lid organizer

These pot lid organizers are simple but ever so effective! Stacking pots and pans often isn’t the main cluttering issue, it’s the lids that simply won’t stack on top of each other. These nifty little things will fix that problem in a second.

You just stick the organizer onto the side of your drawers, and the lids neatly slide in, making them easily storable and accessible. This trick is already used to organize pan lids, so include it in your plans, too.

As long as your pan lids are between 6 and 13 inches, they will fit inside this Universal Pot Lid Organizer from Amazon. You don’t need to worry about them peeling off, either, as they use thickened USA-standard adhesives that are water-resistant. You just need to wait one minute for them to be fully stuck to the wall or side of a drawer, and you can go ahead and use them.

Alternative Buys For Your Pots and Pans