1. DO A POTS AND PANS AUDIT
Before starting to organize your pantry or cookware, it’s important to assess what you have. Lay out all your pots and pans and ask yourself a few questions: are they in good condition with matching lids? Do you need them all? Can less frequently-used items be stored outside of the kitchen?
2. STASH OUTSIDE THE MAIN KITCHEN ZONE
Not every pot, pan and casserole needs to be within reaching distance of your stove and cooktop. Less frequently used items such as a fish poacher, waffle pan and oversized stock pot, can be stored in another area of the kitchen, a sideboard or a pantry. Streamlining your cookware is essential in a small kitchen but it’s also useful to relocate items that aren’t used every day in an average-sized space to create a more efficient storage system.
'Sometimes it can be difficult to find a place for pans that fit in with your interior style,' says Sarah Wilkie, co-founder of Home Barn. 'Opting for larger kitchen cabinets is an easy fix if you are willing to spare the space for pans. You can also invest in a cupboard or set of drawers that can be placed around the edge of the room to ensure the pans are hidden away and don’t disrupt the flow of the room.'
3. POSITION NEAR YOUR COOKWARE
It makes sense to store your frequently used pots and pans as near as possible to the stove and cooktop. A well-organized stack of cookware that’s easily accessible and can be reached and put away within seconds will certainly make for a stress-free cooking experience. Knowing that your favorite pan is to hand will also cut down on unnecessary journeys around the kitchen.
4. MAKE PANS INTO A 'SHELFIE'
If you prefer a slick, uncluttered look with everything hidden behind closed doors, then displaying pots and pans on open shelving might not be for you. However, if you love the eclectic, country look, there is nothing homier than lining up a row of burnished copper cookware on solid timber shelves. Hang shelving around the stove area to maximize accessibility – this is a great idea in small kitchens where the backsplash can often be unused.
5. UTILIZE DEEP DRAWERS
Deep, pull-out pan drawers are one of the most ergonomic ways to store cookware. Look out for spacious drawers on smooth runners that extend fully to accommodate big, heavy pots, extra-large baking trays and bulky casseroles.
6. KEEP TABS ON PAN LIDS
Pot and pan lids are one of the trickiest barriers to nailing efficient cookware storage. Not only do they come in different shapes and sizes, but they often have also domed tops, come in varying depths in different materials, and, being curved, can slip around easily.
Stacking neatly comes with its problems but pans are of no use without lids so seek out a storage idea that works for you. If you have the space, simply placing the lid upside down in the pot is simple – this doesn’t offer much opportunity for stacking, but if you do, put a pan protector between each set to stop pans from scraping against each other. Otherwise, fix a rack to the inside of a door, install pegs or inserts into drawers so lids can stand upright, or hang lids alongside your pots and pans from hooks on overhead racks and rails.
7. MAKE USE OF A CLEVER CORNER UNIT
'Corner cupboards can be tricky, hard-to-reach spaces,' says Felix Milns, founder of HUX London, 'but a well-designed kitchen should offer clever solutions for all your storage needs, such as this pull-out carousel corner cupboard.
8. TRY A CEILING POT RACK
Hanging pots, pans, lids and utensils overhead on a stylish rail or rack might be steeped in tradition but it still holds masses of appeal in the 21st-century kitchen. It will add a professional, chef-at-home mood to your scheme, making cookware storage stand out and instantly accessible. A ceiling pot rack will also maximize space in a small kitchen where wall storage might be at a premium.
9. MAXIMIZE WALL SPACE WITH A RAIL
A simple horizontal wall rail is an effective way to hang pots and pans allowing you to instantly view the different sizes of cookware you own – and creating a design focal point for your cooking kit. Installing the rail behind the stovetop adds even more usability, keeping key items close to hand while cooking.
10. CONCEAL BEHIND A SCREEN
For a clutter-free, slick look, hiding pots and pans behind closed doors will always win out. Large, floor-to-ceiling cupboards, kitted out with smooth, glide-out drawers and internal organizers are a dream for stashing your cookware – especially if located within the working area of the kitchen. For the best of both worlds, hang a sliding glass panel so you can conceal and reveal a different part of your cookware and crockery as desired.