Stop Stuffing Your Cabinets — Here's A Clever Trick For Storing Baking Sheets

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Keeping baking sheets on a cabinet shelf might seem like a good idea. That is, until there's a specific one you want to take out. Oftentimes it requires shuffling and lifting other bakeware items just to free it from the cabinet's clutches. And when you're preparing to cook or bake, do you really need that extra step? Definitely not. Instead of stuffing your baking sheets horizontally into the cabinet, you can store them vertically by actually removing the shelf altogether. But what makes the trick even more clever is that you incorporate bookends to help them stay tidy.

Many of us own a slew of baking sheets and muffin tins, even if baking might not be our forte. You can maximize every inch of cabinet space with this storage solution, reducing the clutter they are known to create. Setting the pans vertically in a cabinet makes them easier to access. It's like a filing system. Although a shelf can be useful in other ways, taking it out gives the space needed for this type of vertical storage. The second part of the trick, which involves the bookends, is what prevents the baking sheets from leaning over to the side.

Using a dividing system can help not just for bakeware, but for other kitchen items, too. There's even a Dollar Tree trick to keep container lids organized. In this case, simple bookends are all you need. You could get a pair of VFINE Black Metal Bookends on Amazon. Or, Walmart carries MOSENSE Decorative Bookends that feature a tree design. If you want to save a buck or two, it'd also be worth a shot to look for them at a thrift store.

Start by emptying out the baking sheet cabinet. It'll be the perfect time to go through all of your bakeware to see if there are any items you no longer use. You might even decide that having multiple muffin tins just doesn't make sense. Next, take out the shelf and remove the pegs or brackets. Take the time to wipe the cabinet down with a damp rag. After all, it's probably not very often that it's empty and easy to clean. You could also take the task a bit further and degrease your kitchen cabinet as well.

Place your bookends into the cabinet so that they're oriented in the same direction, both facing either the left or right. You can then start sliding your baking sheets and tins vertically into the two spaces you've created. Keep alike bakeware together, and also nest pieces if possible to increase organization. Once you've added all of your items, push the bookends under the pans even more to help hold them up. You can also set other flat items like cooling racks or cutting boards inside.

It should be much easier to retrieve a baking sheet from the cabinet the next time you need one. Just try and file them neatly between the dividers each time you put them back, which will help keep things looking organized. Adjust the bookends any time necessary. You'll need an alternative solution for bulkier bakeware (like a Bundt pan) if you're accustomed to storing it in the same cabinet as your flat items. By doing so, there's a good chance you won't miss those cluttered baking sheet piles.