Stop Storing Your Pots And Pans In Kitchen Cabinets. Here's How To Actually Save Space And Stay Organized

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Our kitchen cabinets may sometimes start to feel like labyrinths of cookware. No matter how hard we try, pots and pans always seem to jumble themselves up when we're not looking, taking up more than their fair share of space and making the task of finding any particular one a hassle. Fortunately, we don't have to redo our cabinets with upgrades like pull-out shelves to keep them organized (though those pull-out shelves are quite nice if you've got the time).

All you need to keep your pots and pans organized is a wall rack. You can hang your cookware from it to keep cookware in plain sight where you can easily find what you're looking for without a time-consuming and frustrating search. Fewer pots and pans in the cabinets also means you have more storage space for other things, further reducing clutter. In addition, a well-positioned wall rack can allow your pots and pans to drip dry while they're hanging, which cuts down on the time and energy demands of dishwashing. Finally, avoiding stacking-style storage also cuts down on scratches, dents, and other bits of damage that can affect your cookware.

While you're free to go all-out, you don't have to buy a fancy overpriced rack, either. You can DIY a wall rack for your pots and pans with your own two hands. There are plenty of tutorials online to follow, including some that hang from the ceiling. Materials and methods vary, which means that there's a rack for every skill level out there, so don't be afraid to break out the toolbox.

Before you start hanging your kitchen rack, whether you're buying it or building it, it's important to remember a few key points. First, ensure you hang it somewhere with plenty of support. In other words, break out the stud finder and install the anchor points in these sturdiest parts of your wall. Remember that you also have to account for the weight of the pots and pans in addition to the rack itself. Kitchen repairs and remodels can get expensive fast, so the last thing you want is for the rack to collapse and damage something.

Next, consider where you're placing the rack. As previously stated, it needs to line up with your wall studs, but that still leaves you some wiggle room. Keep your kitchen's flow in mind, and don't place the rack anywhere it will interrupt the common work triangle that moves between the fridge, sink, and oven. You also wouldn't want it to obstruct anyone's path elsewhere through the space.

Finally, keep aesthetics in mind. If you're buying a rack, you may wish to look for one that matches the rest of your kitchen, and if you're building one yourself, get paints to make it match. Just like you may or may not want to match up appliances in your kitchen, color coordinate your wall rack (or don't!) and make it look like a part of the room. Done right, it can look like the missing piece that the kitchen was waiting for.