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Have you taken a look at the cabinet under your kitchen sink lately?
The cabinet under the kitchen sink is probably one of the most disorganized spots in a house. The space in it is often limited because there are pipes in the middle. Some homemakers feel that it is a space that is almost impossible to manage.
If you feel the same way, then I have good news for you!
There is a good amount of organizers that you can use for that particular space. Just like another organizing project, it’s all about finding creative ways to make storage.
How to organize under the kitchen sink
Here’s a simple guide to help you organize that space under your kitchen sink. Let’s do this!
1. Clear out and clean up.
Start with a blank slate. Take out all the contents until the space is bare. Place the items in a space where you can gather them in a way that you see everything. It can be on the kitchen countertop, the dining table, or on a kitchen island.
Once the space under the kitchen sink is empty, give it a thorough cleaning. This is the best time to clean because the space is bare. You can easily tackle corners and hard-to-reach areas.
Check out the conditions of the pipes too while you are at it. They may need some anti-rust cleaning as well.
Also, consider placing an absorbent mat – one that can hold a bit of water in case of a leak. Most would go for cabinet lining paper but the presence of pipes in the area means you have to be prepared for leaks and lining paper is not equipped to do that. An absorbent mat will protect the cabinet from the formation of molds due to leaks and moisture.
Here’s a large silicone under sink mat from Amazon.
Browse for more under sink mat in this page.
2. Declutter
Do a quick declutter on the items that you had under the sink. Go to where you have gathered all the items and assess each one carefully.
Check if you have expired products, products that you do not really use, items that are destroyed and can’t be used again – these are items that you should get rid of. Decide which one goes straight to the trash or which ones can be sold or given away.
After this, you now have a clear idea of the items that you will keep.
3. Measure
We find it hard to organize the space under the kitchen sink because there are exposed pipes on the way. But you can actually use some organizers in there – but these have to be the right size.
So, measure the area first. Take note of the height, width, depth, and spaces around the pipes. Also measure the cabinet doors. If you can, make a diagram along with the measurements to give yourself a clear picture.
Save these measurements on a notepad or your phone. This will greatly help you when you look for organizers later on.
Now if your under-the-sink kitchen cabinet is a dark area you may consider installing some light in there. You do not need to call an electrician and deal with wiring installation. You may simply get some motion-sensor lights that are run by batteries and can be easily mounted on the wall.
4. Organize
Now that you know the measurements, it is time to implement a good organization system to accommodate your items. Choose a system that is helpful and which you can easily adapt to.
For instance, group like items together. Then place the things you need often in front. Put the rest (those you don’t use very often) at the back.
Here’s another important tip: Make sure the organization system you put in place is easy to remove in case of leaks and the pipe needs some repair. It could be hard for the plumber to access the pipes if you install a permanent organization system in the area.
Under the kitchen sink organization ideas
Now that you know the steps on how to organize under the kitchen sink, here is a list of ideas that you can steal for your own kitchen:
1. Plastic baskets
Plastic baskets are a common organizational tool because they are very cheap and versatile. You can use them in any room of the house and you can definitely use them under the kitchen sink!
Get uniform baskets so it looks really neat. And my! It looks expensive, even if those baskets only came from the dollar store!
Give these plastic baskets a try!
See more plastic baskets here.
2. Lazy Susan
Turntables or Lazy Susan is a another great organizer especially when you have deep cabinets. They allow you to access items without having to dig all the way through the back. Just give the Lazy Susan a turn and you can easily get what you need!
Give this Lazy Susan a try!
Visit this page for more choices!
3. Expandable under the sink shelf
With pipes getting in the way under the sink, there are now expandable shelves that you can use to accommodate those pipes. The slats are adjustable and removable and the whole thing is very easy to assemble!
Try this 2-Tier Under Sink Organizer from Amazon!
4. Drawers
Drawers can come in any size and some are small enough to fit in the limited space under your kitchen sink. This is a great organizer – simply pull out the drawers to get what you need!
Try this mesh pull out drawer from Amazon.
Visit this page for more choices.
5. Command hooks
Command hooks are a staple for any organizing job. You can use them to hang your stuff, or hang baskets that can corral a group of items. Use these on the doors of the cabinet under your kitchen sink, like this one!
6. Portable caddy
Do you keep your cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink? If you do, consider keeping all your cleaning products and tools in a portable caddy. This way, you can easily bring everything around with you when you need to do some cleaning!
7. Garbage bag dispenser
Do you keep your garbage bags under the kitchen sink? Make life a little easier by installing a garbage bag dispenser! Simply pull and tear without upsetting other items in the area.
In this example, curtain rods were used to make this DIY garbage dispenser. You can also choose to do this behind the cabinet doors for easier access.
8. Hang your spray bottles.
If you have a lot of cleaning materials under the kitchen sink, simply place a tension rod in there so you can hang all your spray bottles. This will give you more room to store other items underneath.
9. Clear stackable containers
This is a common organizing tool – the transparent, stackable container. Get from the same brand so that they work together even when you get them in different sizes. The best thing about these containers is that they are versatile enough to be used to organize any part of the house – yup, not just under the kitchen sink!
10. Over-the-door rack
Another simple way to add more storage under the kitchen sink is to put an over-the-door rack behind the cabinet doors.
These racks come in different styles and capacities. But it helps to think of the items that you would want to put behind the door before you get one.
Piece of advice? Keep items that you use every day in them for an easier access.
11. Under-the-sink sliding organizer
This product is especially made for under-the-sink organizing. It’s shaped like the letter L to accommodate any pipes that may be in between the space. Simply install it in, then slide out the rack to get what you need.
12. Label up!
Don’t forget to use labels on your containers – even the clear ones. A lot of cleaning products look the same so it helps to put some labels in them to avoid confusion – especially when you are using uniformed containers and spray bottles.
This will help other household members know what’s inside every container you have under the sink.
You can organize that space under the kitchen sink!
You have many choices to organize the space under your kitchen sink – no matter how big or small that space is.
With these tips and ideas in mind, you no longer have to feel that dread when you have to take a peek under the kitchen sink. When it’s already neat and organized, you may even start using that space more!
Need more kitchen organization ideas? Check these out!
- 20 Simple Organization Ideas for the Kitchen
- How to Organize Kitchen Cabinets : 26 Smart Storage Tips You Can Start Today
- Kitchen Appliances List: Essential & Non-Essential
- 51 Clever Storage Hacks to Maximize Small Kitchens
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