Use The Space Above Your Fridge To Finally Fix Your Pan Storage Dilemma

Have you ever noticed the cabinet space right above your fridge? Us neither. However, though it's possibly one of the most commonly forgotten or underutilized cabinets in the kitchen, the cabinet right above your fridge may also be the most underrated. Perhaps it gets ignored because of its oblong shape. More likely, it's the hard-to-reach height. But in reality, the space above your fridge is actually the perfect place to fix your pan storage dilemma — especially since those pans normally get stowed away in the oven or other hidden spots anyway. Though the tall cabinet can be a tricky area to store and grab heavy, stacked pots and pans, you can save yourself the fuss of awkwardly stacking your kitchenware by using cabinet dividers to arrange your pans upright.

To store large sheet pans and baking trays in the space above your fridge, simply employ tray dividers to create little horizontal cubbies in your cabinet. Then, slide your pans in one by one — no heavy lifting of multiple pans at once required. You'll find that the often forgotten cabinet is the perfect size and height for the job. And storing your pans horizontally provides optimal visibility to transfer them in and out of storage easily. So, instead of breaking out the drill to install extra cabinet shelving or rollout drawers, save money on the kitchen remodel and buy some wooden or metal organizational dividers to store your pans in the overhead cabinet. 

Using tray dividers to store your pans in the space above your fridge is among the best kitchen organizational hacks. Once you experience the increased visibility and ease of aligning your pans horizontally, you won't look back. If you don't have or can't find tray dividers, it's no problem either. You can also get creative and repurpose other organizational items to create slots for your trays in the cabinet. For instance, you can use a shower caddy for a creative DIY organizer for your nonstick pots and pans, so you can store them upright. Of course, you can also just arrange your sheet pans, muffin tins, cooling racks, and other long, thin trays side-by-side horizontally, without an organizer or divider. If you do, just be wary of storing glass Pyrex dishes this way, since the height and storage arrangement could make them vulnerable to drops and breaking. 

All-in-all, with these space-optimizing methods, as well as tapping into underutilized cabinets like the one over your fridge, you'll have more room in the cabinets and drawers to store things. This will free up more counter space and mental anguish as well. A kitchen storage win-win, if you ask us.