HG Openhouse Blog

I enjoyed reading Susan’s post on Cooking up a Storm. She suggested an “inventory” of all one’s cookware and location with a shopping list for missing items. This is great advice for those with large kitchens and multiple storage options for their cookware.

But here, in my small galley kitchen, the inventory process went a little differently. One of my resolutions for change last year was to re-organize our cookware. We didn’t have a lot of it and what we did have was mostly mismatched.

First we hauled it all out of the cupboards. Sadly only a few pots were in decent enough shape to pass on to charity and the rest had to be recycled. Which tells you we’d been eating out of some pretty bad cookware for awhile. (you can see our mish mash in this “before” picture)

With limited cupboard space, it was important that we have only the cookware we really need. I did an inventory of the “essentials” we need for our family of two and came up with the following list:

1 Stock Pot with lid

2 Sauce pans with lids (small and medium)

1 Saute Pan with lid

2 frypans (medium and omelette size)

I opted for stainless steel pots with an aluminum core for even distribution of heat and a longer life.

We found a great deal on a 10-piece set of Calphalon cookware at our local Outlet mall and boy, have they been a joy to cook with.

They have also been a joy to take out and put away. The great thing about having a complete set of cookware is that it all stacks nicely and the lids are interchangeable and it all looks great together.

We are blessed to have a deep low cupboard with a slide-out drawer. I added a lid organizer and “voila” all our cookware is easy to find and easy to get out and put away. We stored the larger pots and our casserole dishes in the upper cupboard as they are used a little less often.

So, what about you? Is it time to take inventory and maybe even treat yourself to a “matched” set of new cookware? I got mine for my birthday and it was the best gift. Or what about re-organizing your cupboards to make it easier to find/put away your pots and pans?

To organize your lids, consider adding a lid-rack to the inside of your cupboard door or using a lid-holder inside the cupboard so that you can stack your pots.

If you have limited cupboard space, an overhead pot rack or corner pot stand will free space in your cupboards for other items.

If you are going to store your pots out in the open, make sure you purchase pots that fit your decor and keep the bottoms polished. You’ll also need to find a separate place to store your lids .

What cookware do you consider essential for your small space, and how do you organize and store it?