Do You Need All Those Pots and Pans?

How many pots and pans do you need at any one time? The answer to this question usually is 2-3! So why do most of us have multiple kitchen cabinets, as well as other storage spaces, loaded with pots and pans? Good question!

We have started work organizing the kitchen and can see the progress made so far. Now let’s move forward and tackle the cabinets where we keep our pots and pans. If we only use 2 or 3 pots and pans at a time; then we certainly don’t need as many as we have, unless you are a professional chef or a gourmet cook with a professional stove and oven in your kitchen.

Looking at my own kitchen cabinet my pots are an eclectic mixture. There are leftovers from my Mother’s copper bottom Revere Ware (Which I always hated because as kids washing dishes we had to polish the copper bottom every time she used them!) There are also remnants from my sister’s wedding presents, from a time when giving mundane presents like pots and pans was acceptable, along with an assortment of non-stick, easy clean pans in various sizes. Then there are the pans we only use for certain things; like the brownie pan, angel food cake pan, the pan we use only to cook corn, and of course the spaghetti pan. Let’s not forget about the sauté pan, the omelet pan, and the various size frying pans!

So what is our obsession with pots and pans? Some of us have nothing on Paula Dean or Emeril Lagasse, except they have help to clean, organize, and have plenty of storage room for their pots and pans. How can we downsize and eliminate excess pots and pans and still have sufficient to prepare for your next large family gathering? Just like everything else we have been doing we need to tackle this project head on because you know exactly what you need to have for your family. Whatever the number is that is what you should keep.
• Remove all (and I mean all) your pots and pans from every cabinet and storage area (even if it is in the basement or garage).
• Put them all on the kitchen counters, stove top, or kitchen table. Even set up a temporary table so you have plenty of room to display items; then set up a carton for donations, and have trash bags available for throwaways.
• Group the different pots and pans together. All the sauce pans (by size), frying, baking etc.
• Go down the line examine everything and asking the questions;
o When was the last time this pan used was
used and for what? Can you remember?
o Is it still good? How often will you use it?
Should I donate or throw it away?
• If you are keeping the pan or pot, put it away in the cabinet.

If you do this for each and every pot and pan you own, it won’t take long and you will have downsized a good portion of your stock.

Remember a pot or pan you only use occasionally or only used once is taking up precious space in your kitchen cabinets. It is time to move them out, let someone else enjoy them, or toss them if they have seen better days, and you will have consolidated everything down to one cabinet.