If your under sink cabinet is a jumbled mess of half-used cleaning products, tangled tools, and who knows what else, you’re not alone. This awkward, hidden space is notorious for becoming disorganized and cluttered.
But with some clever organizing solutions, you can transform that chaotic cabinet into a model of efficiency. Read on for our best tips to maximize the storage potential of your under sink space.
Take Inventory and Declutter Your Under Sink Cabinet
The first step to getting organized is clearing everything out of the cabinet. Take out all the products and tools and sort through them on the counter or floor.
Be ruthless about discarding anything you don’t use. Toss expired products, split sponges, duplicate bottles, and more. Only keep daily essentials you regularly reach for like dish soap, hand soap, sponges, and cleaning brushes.
Use Boxes or Trays to Sort Items
As you sort, use cardboard boxes, plastic bins, or metal trays to group similar items. This makes it easy to see what you actually have and identify problem areas of clutter.
Once the cabinet is emptied, give it a good clean before putting anything back. Wipe down the walls, scrub stuck-on grime, and disinfect any mildewy spots.
Take Measurements Before Buying Organizers
Under sink cabinets are notoriously awkward, with plumbing that takes up room and makes storage difficult. Before shopping for organizers, measure the width, depth, and height of your space.
Pay special attention to any nooks, corners, or plumbing that limit what you can put there. Knowing the exact dimensions will help you find storage solutions that make the most of your unique space.
DIY Adjustable Shelving
- Use boards cut to size to create DIY shelves
- Slots allow you to raise, lower, or remove shelves as needed
- Maximizes vertical storage space
Install Pull-Out Shelves for Easy Access
One of the best upgrades for your under sink cabinet is installing pull-out shelves. Rather than reaching to the back of a fixed shelf, you can slide out a shelf to easily see and grab what you need.
Pull-outs are great for storing spray bottles, which would otherwise get lost. You can also use them for large items like trash cans and cleaning buckets that take up precious floor space.
Keep Your Cabinet Interiors Clean
Plastic or metal pull-out shelves are easy to wipe down if spills or leaks occur. Their smooth gliding action prevents friction and dirt build up.
For a budget option, install heavy duty drawer slides and use sturdy trays or bins as pull out shelves.
Maximize Space with Slide Out Trays
Another space maximizer is slide out trays. These trays mount onto the cabinet walls and smoothly glide back and forth on tracks or frames.
Great for small items like cleaning sprays, sponges, and scrub brushes, they utilize all the vertical space. Stack two or three trays on top of each other to multiply your storage.
| Pros of Slide Out Trays | Cons of Slide Out Trays |
|---|---|
| Easy to view and access items | Less sturdy than solid shelves for heavy items |
| Mount on walls, top, or bottom of cabinet | More expensive than basic racks or shelving |
Repurpose Household Items for DIY Storage
You don’t have to spend a lot on fancy organizers to get your under sink cabinet in order. Take a tip from the pros and repurpose household items for DIY storage.
Stacking Sturdy buckets or baskets on shelves gives you instant organization. For a two-tiered cabinet, securely screw pieces of wood or sturdy boards to create pull out shelves.
More DIY Storage Solutions
- Repurposed jars, cans, or crates for small supplies
- Hanging shoe holders inside cabinet for spray bottles
- Adjustable inserts to customize shelf height
With a little creativity, you can craft custom organizers tailored to your space and storage needs. And because you made them yourself, you can modify them anytime.
Strategically Arrange Your Organizers
Once you’ve got your organizing tools, take time to strategically place items for efficiency. Keep your most used products within easy reach.
Put dish soap, hand soap, sponges, scrub brushes and other daily items near the front. Lesser used supplies like cleaning solutions and trash bags can go in the back.
Group similar items, like sprays in one bin and soaps in another. This makes it faster to grab what you need without searching.
Turning an unorganized under sink cabinet into a storage dream is possible with some decluttering, measurement, and smart solutions. The key is customizing the space to your needs.
You can gain function and style under your sink with pull outs, slide outs, and organizers. Your once dreaded cabinet will become your favorite organized space.
