A classic Tip of the Week from August 1, 2004, originally republished March 24, 2016
Anyone with more than two pots in the kitchen is probably familiar with the challenge of keeping cookware and lids neatly and efficiently stored. If you don't have space for a ceiling- or wall-mounted rack, you likely rely on cupboards to store your pots and pans.
Stacked cookware doesn't need to cause chaos in your cupboards. An inexpensive wooden peg rack (essentially two horizontal strips of wood with vertical dowels of various lengths attached) is a convenient way to store lids; simply line them up by size, and keep the rack accessible in a cupboard.
Pots and pans can easily be nested, but it's worth taking a simple precaution to protect them. Place a layer or two of coffee filters or soft paper towels between each pot to prevent nicks and dings. (You can also use felt circles cut to fit each pot.)
Finally, you can increase the efficiency of your cabinet storage space by installing a slide-out tray in the cupboard you use for pots and pans. Rather than having to reach behind stacks of other cookware to reach the pans in the back of the cupboard, simply slide the tray out and grab what you need.