Comments on: Ask Unclutterer: Storing pan lids

By: Marie

Marie — Sat, 23 May 2009 16:59:37 +0000

We have a pot rack over the island, so even though the cabinet under the stove isn’t big enough for all the pots with their lids, the lids alone fit just fine.

By: gypsy packer

gypsy packer — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:42:22 +0000

If, and only if, the lid has a deep interior lip, use a carbide drill bit to drill a hole in the lip, then hang the lid from a hook. If you have one lid which fits several pots or skillets (look for this at secondhand stores, new kitchenware stores etc), ditch the duplicates.

By: Soochi

Soochi — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:16:12 +0000

I use a wok for almost everything with its big domed lid that sits on the stove. Also have a stacked steamer with domed cover that lives on a small chest. I have a few other pans in the drawer at the bottom of the stove but seldom use them.

By: Mardi

Mardi — Sat, 23 May 2009 06:49:43 +0000

Firstly unclutter your pans – I only have two saucepans and two frying pans. Then you can keep the lids on them.

All right, I lied, I also have a third (extra large) frying pan and two stock pots that I use for bulk freezer cooking but they are used rarely so aren’t kept near the stove where my everyday pans are. Their lids are, however, also kept on them to keep dust out.

By: Emily

Emily — Sat, 23 May 2009 02:01:04 +0000

I use a dish drainer to hold my pot lids in what would otherwise be a “dead space” corner.

By: Another Deb

Another Deb — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:56:09 +0000

My Saladmaster saucepan lids are able to sit inverted in the pots when they are hanging.

That works in theory, but they slip out at the angle they hang on my wall. I use an old metal meat loaf pan from the thrift store to file them, which works just fine.

By: DawnH

DawnH — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:38:13 +0000

I use a plastic dish drying rack (it doesn’t have sides) and store all the lids upright. It neatly holds all of them from little to huge.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:30:47 +0000

I keep my 1 large simmering lid out and then only 2 others that fit tightly on the pots. There’s never a need for many lids in my house, and a plate works in a pinch if it would ever be needed. When we moved, I just left all the other lids w/ the extra pans in our storage room.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:00:58 +0000

I pyramid my pots and lids. Place a large pot on the shelf, place inverted large lid on top of it. Place mid-sized pot on lid of large pot, place inverted mid-sized pot lid on top of mid-size pot. Place small pot on mid-sized pot lid, place inverted small size pot lid on small pot. I have two shelves in the pot cupboard but the top shelf is only half the depth of the cupboard. I can just place my stock pot in the back of the cupboard under the top shelf. The pyramidded pots go in the front where they can be stacked as high as I want since there is no upper shelf to contend with. I hope this makes sense.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:52:51 +0000

Great idea with the file organizer!

By: Mo

Mo — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:32:00 +0000

I have struggled with a small kitchen too….yuck. I use the ikea plate holder (it is made out of wood) and store lids straight up in it. Works great. I also use it for tupperware lids.

By: sunshine

sunshine — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:21:34 +0000

I did a big dejunking session and released my carosel in the corner cupboard. Then I store my saucepans with their lids on in the carosel. It may not be hugely space efficient, but it is very simple to find and put away the saucepans and lids. Cutting down the amount of stuff I had in the first place was the key for me.

By: Korta

Korta — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:18:21 +0000

My “pot lid” solution is very easy (but might be a bit drastic for most people…I threw them away. The number of times I NEED a pot lid is so minimal that I use a plate the few times I need it. Probably wouldn’t work for most people…but I like it!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:09:07 +0000

well, if you don’t use more than two pans or so at one time that need lids (and most meals I cook anyway do not require more than that) the best solution I found is to go to your local restaurant supply store and buy a large flat all metal (metal handle too, gets hot but lasts longer than plastic) lid that fits your biggest pot. It will then of course fit ALL your other smaller pots. Buy two, maybe one largest and one medium sized, if you want to get fancy.

This also allows me to save money buy buying discounted high end pots and pans that may have ended up in the discount store because they lack their companion lid.

By: knitwych

knitwych — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:33:02 +0000

If you choose to use a file sorter for lids, I’d recommend against heading to the office supply store! The prices there are always higher than they are at places like Target and Wal-Mart. Check your local thrift store first. I’ve seen sturdy wire or metal sorters in several thrift stores for as little as $3!

I can testify to the fact that file sorters work great. I just started using one and I no longer have to worry about lids or cookie sheets tumbling out of the cabinet.

By: Misty

Misty — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:55:15 +0000

I hang my pots and pans from the Ikea Grundtal shelving in my laundry room:

http://mischief-making.blogspo.....rsary.html

I don’t have it pictured here, but I slide the handles of the lids over the pot/pan handles and hang each lid with its pot or pan. It works very well, except for the stock pot lid, which I put with a frying pan instead. I saw this in a kitchen store and wondered why I hadn’t thought of it before!

By: Bill Burge

Bill Burge — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:44:42 +0000

I have a very large stock pot that I only use when I’m making mass amounts of stock to freeze. So I stack up all my lids in the dead space inside it because the only lid that wouldn’t fit in it, was the lid to the stockpot itself. And I actually pitched that lid because if I ever need one, I just put a sheet pan on top of it.

By: Jude

Jude — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:37:56 +0000

I use interconnecting plastic file organizers which can be adjusted to fit the size of the lids. Pots are stored on the wall if they have handles; in cupboards if they don’t. I also have wire shelves where I store the pots beneath the shelf and the corresponding lids above. This summer I’m going to recycle most of the plastic storage containers I own (now that they’re recyclable in my area) because since I’ve never been able to find a lid with my current system, I avoid using them. I’m also going to reduce the number of pots/pans I have.

By: Michele

Michele — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:31:10 +0000

One could also consider downsizing the number of pots and pans in the kitchen. For my lidded pans, I get by with a large saucepan with handle, a small saucepan with handle, a large 2-handled stockpot, a large cast-iron pot with a wire bail and a glass lid, and a graniteware water-bath canner.. The stockpot and cast-iron pot are stored in the oven. The two saucepots nest in a cabinet next to the stove. The canner stays on top of the fridge, and I store my canning tools (jar lifter, Foley food mill, thermometer, canning funnel, etc.) inside it.

For other tasks, I use 2 small cast-iron skillets, 1 large cast-iron skillet, and a cast-iron griddle. And my crepe pan, a unitasker that you can have when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Honestly and for truth, I find I do not need any more pots and pans than I already have.

By: Jaclyn

Jaclyn — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:45:31 +0000

My “real” lid holder has a smaller lip on it than file holders do, so it’s a bit better for small lids. YMMV. I use a specialized vertical baking pan holder too, because the slots are wider (holds muffin tins) and there’s no slope. Either way, getting those items vertical whenever possible helps so much!