Keep Kitchen Cabinet Clutter At Bay With An Easy And Affordable DIY Pan Organizer

Frying pans, stock pots, and baking trays might seem like they're similar enough items to store together, but most of the time, they don't exactly stack on top of one another neatly. If you add other obtusely shaped cookware to the same big drawer or cabinet, such as your strainers, box graters, and cutting boards, then you'll quickly end up with clutter. But as it just so happens, turning your kitchen into an organized, high-functioning space starts with getting the most out of your existing storage. However, there's no need to construct a new vertical pot rack system or DIY a freestanding pantry to restore order within your cabinets. Instead, decluttering these spaces might be as simple as installing a few connected wooden dividers to separate your cookware based on their shape, size, or function.

The original design idea comes from @fromgrittopearl on TikTok. To build an elegant DIY pan organizer system for your kitchen, all you'll need are some spare wood planks that match the shelves on the inside of your cabinets and wood glue. The additional planks fit vertically below the cabinet's central shelf, which creates three separate storage sections. This ensures that the individual items within the cabinet are easy to locate and grab when they're needed most. As an added bonus, this arrangement is also great for keeping countertops free of clutter.

To begin this project, measure the dimensions inside your cabinet. Then, remove the existing shelf or cut a piece of wood that will serve as the new one. Pine wood works great here, but MDF wood is also decent if you're on a budget. Flip this shelf over, and cut three evenly spaced dado grooves on the bottom. Then, cut three wooden divider panels that will fit vertically into these grooves. Remember, the height of the divider panels should equal the height of the cabinet up to the shelf plus the depth of the dado grooves. Alternatively, you can simply choose the height within the cabinet at which you're going to install your organizer's horizontal top shelf. Finally, make a back panel with rabbets along the top and sides where the dividers and shelf can fit, plus one additional dado for the middle divider.

The only places where this project requires wood glue is where the dividers meet the back panel. A set of WETOLS 90-degree corner clamps can be extremely helpful for holding everything in place while the adhesive dries. Next, place your shelf back in the cabinet or install the new one with shelving pegs. You can use a Cerpourt shelf pins kit to try out different peg styles, if needed. Finally, lift the shelf slightly, and slot the new divider pieces into their respective grooves.