After a busy weekend, it’s time for me to delve back into my daily routine. And what better way to start than with our Spring Cleaning Challenge? This week it’s time for us to clean out our pots and pans and one cupboard. Once you have completed the assignment, please leave a comment on this post to let me know and you will be entered another time into the wonderful giveaways.
I am going to just share one organizing thought with you today: Pot Rack.
All of my pots and pans fit under my oven in that handy, but somewhat tiresome drawer that most ovens have situated underneath them. The best I can do this week, is take out all of the pots and wash the drawer out (I noticed that some crumbs have fallen into it) and neatly stack my pots back up.
But in my dream kitchen, I would have more options.
A lot of professional kitchens will have utensils and pots and knifes all in easy to access spots. This would not include bending over a drawer by the floor and having to take out three other pots to get to your large saucepan. It’s annoying and takes time. Instead the pots are generally hung on a pot rack. This makes is very accessible all of the time.
The only times I’ve seen them in houses is to display copper pots. But it makes so much sense. The easier it is for you to access the tools of the trade, the easier it is to get dinner cooked and done. And it’s also easier to put the pots away. There are inexpensive home pot racks you can buy (such as this one) and if I ever have room for one, I am definitely getting one!
So there are my thoughts on a pot rack. What are your tips and what did you find helpful as you cleaned out your pots and pans and your one cupboard?
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Anna
From time to time I’ve thought about a pot rack. I have read, though, that exposed cookware is bad feng sui — I forget what kind of energy flow it impedes, but I remember it’s not good. Some days you just can’t win!
KimiHarris
Hi Anna,
I guess it’s all about what works for you. 🙂 I don’t think it would bother me if there was an energy flow impeded, but it could bother some people.
Cathy
I dislike to clean, I’d rather be outside in the dirt but it is still a little to early for that. So I have taken on your Spring Cleaning Challenge. Not all of it, but the kitchen gadget portion hit home. I started on the crock that I keep my utensils in and then moved onto the Hoosier cupboard (housing all of my baking items, pot and pans, jar lids, etc, etc, etc). If I must say so myself it’s beautiful, it took me all day long yesterday to complete. So I’ve completed the “pots and pans and one cupboard”. YIPEE! THANK YOU for the inspiration. Spring is on it’s way. Cathy
Michelle
This was an easy one for my daughter and I to accomplish. About a year ago I got rid of all of my pans that were teflon lined or aluminum. Right now I have only a few pot and pans. A few stainless and several cast iron pans. So it was just a matter of wiping everything out and replacing my pots and pans.
The other cupboard we did was our storage container cupboard. Last year I got rid of all my plastic and have been slowly adding to my glass storage collection. This also includes glass jars from the very few items we still purchase from the store. Wiped it out rearranged everything and we were done.
Thank you again for another great idea!
Sheri Willingham
our pot and pan cabinet is very easy because we only have a few and two are in nearly constant use on the stovetop. it’s still a good time to clean way back corners that get so easily neglected. we also cleaned out our dinner dishes cabinet. we had too many with it being just the two of us and added more than half of them to our growing garage sale pile. i love this challenge…
sheri
Kris Mays
I like deep cabinet drawers right next to the stove for my pots and pans. I don’t think I’d like how dusty they’d get on a rack.
KimiHarris
LOL, I don’t think mine would have the chance the get dusty! But not everyone uses all of their pots as often as I do. 🙂
Kris Mays
I probably have too many pots and pans. ;D
laura
I have a small pot rack that came from Ikea. It fits on the wall above my kitchen window where the sink is. It’s about 3 feet wide and one foot deep. Doesn’t hold as many pots as the one you linked to, but I have about 5 or 6 pots and pans hanging from it and several sitting on top of it (though those ones are harder to reach). My kitchen is small too, so I’ll take any storage I can get!
Tracey
I had a pot rack in my last home and loved it (really miss it in this house that doesn’t have room). It just made it easier to grab and not have to fuss with nesting pots & pans in drawers and cupboards. My pots/pans are getting scratched nesting in this house, bummer! I also have a magnetic bar for my knives – love that too!
Beth
We chucked a remaining teflon aluminum pan lurking in the basement (from a set that was my first and last infomercial purchase years ago), and bought a discounted Le Creuset dutch oven from Marshall’s to complement our stainless set. We also resurrected from the recesses of the basement two brown glass Vision pans. With these and our Nesco roaster oven and new Excalibur dehydrator, we feel well equipped to whip up any recipe on the trad foods blogs!
On a different note, the April 10 Int’l Raw Milk Symposium in Madison is eager to have our attendance and support, and they’ve extended the $10 discount for early registration to March 23. Sally Fallon and many others will be there. Here’s the link: http://www.farmtoconsumerfoundation.org/rawmilksymposium
Oemissions
So …. I am a senior, newly, and I now live in a low income seniors complex.
My space is about 300 feet square.
I love to cook and am very good at it,especially vegetarian menus.
At this age, I finally have all the pots and pans I ever wanted and needed.
There is not much cupboard space.
An overhead pot rack wouldn’t work, I would bang my head on it!
I think tho’,re: the feng shui business, that it depends where they are hung .
For me, I just used nails and screw hooks, on the back of an old wooden bookshelf thing, that I use as a divider into the kitchen. I have them hung at just the right height for grabbing or putting back after use.
Cake/muffin tins,pie plates and cookie sheets go in the bottom stove drawer.
I always line old cupboards and drawers with contact paper for easy wiping.And put some newspaper in that drawer too.
From the recycling depot I pick thru’ the plastics to find just the right sized plastics for storing in drawers, so these don’t get all jumbled. Learned that one from a Martha you know who magazine.
On the underside of the hood for the fan on the stove I have magnets for some metal things and the side of the fridge too.
I find it is much more difficult to be organized and stay tidy looking in a small space.
The inside of the cupboard doors got sticky so I put contact paper there too to make quick wiping easier.
I do miss my old country home with the wood cookstove where cast iron pans rested happily.
I still have my big cast iron fry pan.I keep it in the oven when not in use.
During the winter, I turn on the oven to preheat for baking things, and then after its hot enough, I put the pan on the stovetop and those tpans generate quite a bit of warmth!
Ruth
I just have to say ‘thank you’ for sharing your older and wiser perspective! Sounds like you gave up a lot to live where you live and you sound happy and content. It is an awesome reminder to me (in the ‘building up’ phase of life) that this is not all there is and I won’t always have a big house and plenty of space. And I can be content with whatever God brings me! So…thank you! I love your resourcefulness! Thanks for sharing and God bless you!!!
Oemissions
ps.
I got an old wicker basket, just the right size, so that my spatulas, flappers, flippers,wooden spoons,potatoe masher,etc. stand up, easy to access.
Heather
I have a pot rack that is an about 3 foot piece of strap iron that hangs on the wall. It only sticks out about an inch, & is great for hanging skillets. And feng shui or no, I think a rack of beautiful black iron skillets IS kitchen decor!
Kay
Now I have one week to reduce the pots/pans stuff (it’s a bit overwhelming here) and I know which cabinet I want to tackle first! The plastic stuff – IKEA plates, cups, and all those tiny containers which don’t have lids and lids that don’t have containers… Almost everything has to go.
Tina~
It’s funny that you are doing this now. A couple of years ago I purged all the old pots and pans that weren’t safe, then went through and got rid of most of my plastics too. As I’ve been replacing them with glass I’ve continued to purge. Now I need to tackle my odds and ends cabinet with all my cookie cutters and cake decorating
paraphernalia that I seldom use. I think I’ll pack it up in a seasonal use box and save the cabinet space for glass jars and lids!
Tina~
oh.. my husband put up a magnetic bar for my knives too, I love it!
Jessie
I tackled the pots – an easy-ish job & the baking cupboard. Phew!
jessie
Just to show how God works in strange ways — while I was organizing the pots – I boxed up my turbo oven to put in the garage- to await further decision making (but out of the kitchen) – I walked past our powder room (which functions as a darkroom) and heard gurgling. NOT what one should hear. We had a minor flood / leak! It must have just happened – because the boxes on the floor were not soaked through yet. SO thankful to have caught this early. As a result, we had a major darkroom cleaning effort on top of pots / pans !
Renee Fink
Michelle won the door prize with throwing out the Aluminium and Teflon. Even though I came very close to purchasing an exotic set of ultra revolutionary teflon 10 months ago, I payed half the price on Stainless Steel with flat bottom sandwitch design. More maintance, especially if one is too liberal with the heat, but nothing really requires scorching. Will file this in the peace of mind department.
Jennifer
For me, it involved giving some stuff away. I had two blenders, so one went to Goodwill, as did a deep fryer that I hadn’t used in years. Feels great to have room in my cupboards now!
Melle
When I lived in a studio apartment, with a kitchen the size of a small closet, I created my own sort of ‘pot rack’ with sturdy nails on the few inches of wall surrounding my stove’s fan vent. I only had one drawer and 2 cabinets in that little space, but I cooked most of my meals there and entertained as well. All my few pots/pans fit on the wall, except of course my stock pot. It worked brilliantly!
Gretchen
My mother uses a hanging pot rack, and I always felt unfinished when we rented because they are just so handy; it was one of our first purchases after we got our house, a bar style with hooks that slide back and forth in it. We hang saucepans, strainers, our heat diffuser and mesh splatterguard from it. It’s right over the sink so it doesn’t get dusty, or if it does it’s very easy to rinse things off.
The cast iron skillets and dutch oven, too heavy to trust to a rack, live on the stove since we rarely use more than two burners.
I’d like to get pull-out drawers for the stock pots. I did get a simple lid rack that lives in the pot cupboard and it’s great.
ChrisG
How I love spring cleaning! I too live in a small space with limited storage. The strategy that works best for me is to not buy too much in the first place. I don’t buy “sets” of pots and knives and only purchase the ones that will get the most use. I never used that crepe pan anyway. 🙂
Heather
Done! (Finally!) This was the hardest for me! I combined our pots and pans with our 9×13 casserole dish…the problem was finding a place to where I could access our pots, pans, 9×13, and slow cooker easily as I use them the most. After several attempts at different arrangements, I’m done! Whew!
claire
I asked my mum for new pots and pans for Christmas. It was such a good idea! I threw away all my old non stick pans and now have beautiful le cruset and john Lewis pans, steamer and wok. I hope that they will be pans that I can hand down to my children one day (do you think that is realistic?). I have tried to keep my pan cupboard tidy but it is proving hard as I just bought a new juicer too and that is hogging a lot of space. Our kitchen is small and the cupboards are still unpainted but me and my other half have booked off Easter to finally pain the cupboards and have a good clear out. One the one hand I am dreading it (especially if the weather is nice outside – but on the other I can’t wait until it is all done).
Tracy
I have been using a pot rack for years. I love it. It is so convenient just to reach up and grab a skillet or pot without having to dig through a drawer. I routinely use everything so often that that the pots and pans really don’t have time to get dusty. I also use a big crock for my utensils that sits next to the stove. Same here, I use everything so often there’s no time for things to get dusty. You don’t need a lot of gadgets, just a couple of good knives, a couple wooden spoons (I like olive wood bcause it doesn’t splinter) and a wisk and you can do just about anything.
Christine
I purchased a bar from Ikea http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022764 which is somewhat like an ultra-sturdy towel bar. They also sell s-hooks to go with it. I hang saucepans and even a heavy cast iron skillet right on my wall with this wonderful, simple device. It’s also great for an occasional sack of potatoes or onions.
I keep my largest cast iron skillet on my stove-top at all times. The more seasoned it becomes, the more we tend to use it for all of our frying, grilling, sauteeing, and even eggs. Yep, I was finally able to pitch all the teflon.
I only pull out a smaller pan when I need to use two pans at once, or if I have a sauce to make.
This means that all I need in my pot cupboard is, thankfully, just a couple of pots. I’ve been really impressed with some of the pots that Aldi has featured lately by Kitchen Expressions. Very versatile, they come with steamer baskets and pasta inserts. I’ve been able to get rid of a lot of extra stuff because I can now do more with less. Always a good thing 🙂
mandy
I agree with Christine.
We have the Ikea rack and “S” hooks for our pots. We live in a small apartment in Brooklyn, and our pots wouldn’t fit in our small cupboards, nor under our tiny stove. We hung most of them on that rack on the wall. The dutch oven and larger pots we built shelves for and put in the “coat closet” that we converted for more storage space.
Our pantry closet has slatted wood doors, so my husband screwed a piece of wood to the inside of the door with another small Ikea rack and smaller “S” hooks, and we hang all of our utensils from that.
Not having room for a table, we got this collapsible table:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20104718
which we use to store spices, vitamins, dish towels, scissors, and etc – then open up for cooking (as a counter) and for dining when guests come for dinner.
Sophia
I would LOVE to have a pot rack someday, and hope that when my partner and I live in a slightly bigger place (as in, bigger than your average living room!) we might be able to have one. As it is, there is not the wall or ceiling space to hang one!
I have rearranged my storage container cupboard so that all the mason jars, etc., fit pretty nicely. It’s been great to phase out plastic storage containers, but they did stack so nicely! The jars definitely take up more space. The pots and pans are stacked on the shelves beneath the rolling countertop thing we have (when i went to organize them i found my wok had rusted pretty badly! i haven’t used it much since i got my cast iron pieces), and the cast iron lives on the stovetop. It’s not ideal, but it works in our very small space.
Looking forward to the giveaways, Kimi!
Grace
I cleaned out 2 storage cupboards–phew, that was the worst job yet, but it really needed to be done.
I would love a pot rack, but my kitchen in small and there is no room for one. I definitely have a few things to give away now:)
Jennifer
Our new-ish house has the dry wall screws from the previous owners’ Ikea pot rack still up there, calling to me. I just wonder if it can hold the Le Creuset and cast iron without falling on my head!
Anita
Kimi, I have a question that does not go with your post here. But we found out our daughter is gluten-intolerant. If I remember right, you are too. Does eating the sour dough bread help with this?
Anita
I found the answer I was looking for.
Jennifer Peterson
Cleaning is definitely in the air! Pot and pans organized- Check for now.
My husband and I live in a very small house- anyway we are in the process of getting a pot rack for me. It is actually the wheel of an old tractor- I wish I had a picture to show you. I can not wait until it is hanging in my kitchen. A friend used an old bike wheel and it looks great- that is where I stole the idea.
SedonaMichelle
I’ve ALWAYS used a ceiling hung pot rack! Only one house had a very cool, deep drawer specifically designed to hold pots, pans and their lids. I sort of miss that drawer – but really prefer a pot rack. Totally convenient and has always prevented me from accumulating too many pans (which is a small problem for me!!!!) Thanks for the all the inspiration – your blog is one of my faves.
xoxo
Jen
We have had a pot rack several places we have lived, and it took me some getting used to, but I ended up loving it. Would totally have one again when we have the right place for it.
Will be back and post when I get my pots cleaned out and blog about it!
AJ
Alright! Just finished my pots and pans drawer and my utensil cupboard. I got rid of knives that have crept in and not been needed. Everything fits again, excellent:) Thanks again Kimi!
Alison
We cook with a lot of cast iron pans, and the best way we’ve found to store them, making them both functional and decorative, is to hang them on the wall using some heavy duty hooks. They look great and are easy to get.
Amber
Yay, I’m finished with this one! It really does help that I don’t have a lot of pots/pans, and that with the warm weather, some ants decided to raid one of my cupboards (can you guess which one I picked to thoroughly clean??)
As for a rack, I would love one of those for my small kitchen, but I don’t think it would work in my house, without getting in the way 🙁
Jen
Here’s my link on a blog!
http://aheavenlyperspective.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-cleaning-potspans-and-1-cupboard.html
Xue
I’m getting ready to move, so after going through and organizing and cleaning everything, my pots and pans are being packed neatly into boxes. Well, not EVERYTHING, but anything I know I won’t need in the next couple weeks. The challenge will be setting everything up in the new place. Oh Joy! I’ve never had a pot rack, but the new kitchen is not very big, so I’m adding it the purchase list.
Saille
Finally got pots and pans (and finished pantry from last week!) done, complete with a drawer repair. Whew! Busy day.
Katie
I ended up pulling all the baking pans I barely use out of the closet and putting them in another cabinet over my fridge. That made some more space for me to spread out my pots and pans so I don’t have to shuffle them around when I am grabbing what I want. I think I am going to really like the new arrangement!
Heidi
Pots, pans, and cookie sheets are finished and so is the glass cabinet. Also cleaned under that drawer on the bottom of the stove. The only satisfying thing about seeing something that dirty is seeing it after its clean. It makes you feel like you really accomplished something.
Christie
Phew! I made it…right down to the wire on this one. Glad to be done w/pots & pans and my misc. cabinet. Let’s hope I can hang in there next week and finish this out:)
Beth @ The Nurturing Mama
I just finished cleaning out my pots and pans and cabinet. It was a pretty easy week for me, which I’m glad since it’s been really busy around here!
Next week will take me so much longer!
Peggy
Nothing like a good clean to impower your day! Whenever I clean out a cupboard I feel great!
KellyBelly
I keep my daily used pots in a regular drawer and bakeware which isn’t used as much in the under the oven drawer. The regular cupboard drawer pulls in and out much easier then the oven drawer so just makes it more comfortable getting pots out to use every day. Still need to toss a few tupperware lids or bottoms that have lost their mate (if they haven’t turned up by now, probably won’t ever).
Ashley
This challenge was pretty easy for me. I don’t have many pots and pans, but I love the potrack idea! The drawer in the bottom of the oven is sometimes cumbersome.
I’m really glad that I took the time to actually clean the drawer in the oven, I hadn’t done that before moving into my house and I’m not sure the previous tenants had either … ewwww.
Also, I just moved in December and did my food cupboards during the pantry challenge. My cupboard with mixing bowls and such is still quite orderly.
Thanks for doing this carnival!
Ashley
We have a tiny kitchen in our rented townhouse: galley style with cupboards and appliances on one side, and a wall on the other side that the separates the kitchen from the stairs to the 2nd floor. The neat thing about that wall is that it’s made out of a metal pegboard-type material.
So I just went to Home Depot and picked up some pegboard hooks, strapped them into the pegboard with zip-ties (so nothing falls off) and hung up all our pots and pans (and colanders and sieves and cheese grater) on the wall. It’s a HUGE space-saver! Not to mention feeling connected to my inner Julia Child 🙂
Laurie F
I have a slide out rack for pots and pans in a cupboard below my stovetop. I really like it. Only problem I have had is you have to put larger pots in a cupboard drawer. I store mine in a drawer under my ovens.
Heather
I have always had a pot rack since I got married! Our first galley kitchen had seriously no room in the cupboards, but had a nice wall at the end that we hung a rack like this one: http://www.potracksource.com/gobowamopotr.html – but we paid a lot less!
Our second place had a nice big open pass-through over a countertop that we hung a rack like this over: http://www.potracksource.com/prststcopotr.html – once again, paid a lot less!
In the house we just bought we have a very skinny area to hang pots. So we got two of these: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=14146270 – which is exactly what we bought! So not too bad a price! I love it for my pans, but I do have to put my pots on cupboard shelves. I use the pans more anyway, so it isn’t a big deal. If you really shop around you can find some good deals on all kinds of racks or rails that will work almost anywhere.
Heather
P.S. I might double-check the weight limit of the ikea rails. The website says you can use them for towels or pan lids, but not the pans. I’ve got some big stainless steel pans that are pretty heavy!
ann
I cleaned them all out but plan to put in a pot rack in the next few weeks. I have hooks for hanging some of our lids, but I think I will try something different soon.
Stacy @ Delighting in the Days
I cleaned my pots and pans area and one drawer! Thanks for the motivation! I’m enjoying these assignments 🙂
Christina
I straightened my pots and pans (not many!), mixing bowls, and storage container cabinet. thanks for the motivation!