Learn how to add cabinet pull out shelves to your large kitchen cabinets to help with kitchen organization.
Sometimes, as we live in our houses, we learn how to improve them to suit our needs over time. Other times, we just keep using our spaces as they are even if they don't work the best for our needs. I had been doing the second one of those with my cabinet shelves in my kitchen.
Ever since the kitchen reveal, all of our kitchen supplies (bake and cookware, pantry staples, etc.) have stayed in the same spot. Somewhere in the back of my head, I knew that the kitchen wasn't as organized or utilized as it could be, but I wasn't sure what to do about it.
After I spilled some baking products in our bottom kitchen cabinet, I just had enough. I reached out on Instagram to ask for organizing advice and, upon getting advice, immediately set out to organize my kitchen cabinets.
Today, I'm sharing about adding pull out cabinet drawers and a few other kitchen organization tips that I've implemented.
I'm seriously in love with these tweaks (and they really are just small tweaks) and am now looking around my house for other tweaks that I can make that would yield similar results!☺️
Kitchen Organization Ideas
I concentrated my efforts on the cabinets that flanked the oven. Organizing the bottom cabinets was a priority. While organizing those (or thinking about organizing them) I ended up organizing above the fridge and above our small pantry as well.
Let me show you some of the before pictures so you have an idea of what I was dealing with.
Before Adding Sliding Shelves In Cabinets
As you can see, the left cabinet wasn't "stuffed" full or anything, BUT we did have to move things around every time we wanted to get something out or put something in.
The right side was crammed full. It was a pain to get any of the baking things out and, to be honest, I spilled something just about every time I took something out or put something back in.
I had the idea to add some wood pull out shelves in the cabinets but found those to be really expensive and I didn't want to DIY them. Instead of buying wood pull out shelves, I bought wire slide out shelves.
After Adding Sliding Shelves In Cabinets
*Affiliate links below. Thanks for supporting this blog. Click to read my privacy and disclosure statement.
Supplies needed to add Pull Out Shelves to cabinets
- Drill
- Pencil
- Measuring Tape
- Pull Out Drawers
Cost to Install Pull Out Shelves in Kitchen Cabinets?
The pull out cabinet organizer sliding shelves range in pricing from around $40-$85 each. The larger the sliding cabinet shelves needed, the more expensive the shelves run. If you want wood pull out shelves, those are a bit more than the wire cabinet shelves.
How Do You Add Pull Out Drawers in Cabinets?
- Measure cabinet to determine shelf size
- Order cabinet shelves
- Install the drawer slides
- Add the shelf on the drawer slide
I ended up buying two pull out cabinet shelves and had them installed in about ten minutes! I didn't think they would make a huge difference but, oh boy, was I wrong. Having shelves that slide out instead of trying to reach your hand in and around items to find the item that you are looking for is just great.
I also rounded up the unused glass jars that I had (mostly jars from salsa) and used my favorite label maker to streamline the cabinet even more.
In a nutshell, here's where I'd start if you are new to kitchen organization.
Organizing Kitchen Cabinets on a Budget
- Look at the cabinets that you are using. Are they working well for you? If not, don't be stuck using the cabinet for the same purpose you've been using it for. Change things up!
- For organizing deep kitchen cabinets, you really need to be able to have easy access to everything. You can do this easily by installing pull-out shelves.
- Utilize baskets to contain oils, spices, flour, etc.
- Glass jars with labeling is going to be your best friend!
- Use a lazy susan for your oil and condiments. It even works great for canned goods too.
I was definitely using the kitchen cabinets how I'd originally put kitchen items into them. For some reason, it was a challenge for me to rethink about the cabinets and how I was storing in them. I needed to reevaluate if what I was doing was working (and it wasn't).
BEFORE Organizing Upper Kitchen Cabinets
I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before, but it definitely made the most sense to move some of our kitchen tools (colanders, mandolin, immersion blender, kettle, etc.) above the pantry. Not only are these things not used daily (except the blender) but they can easily be seen, even above my head.
AFTER Organizing Upper Kitchen Cabinets
Above the fridge (the hardest spot to reach in our kitchen), I moved some of our cookbooks, extra pitchers and grill utensils.
All in all, I spent about two hours on this project and under $100 for the shelves that slide. I'm really loving the changes to the space; and I'm scratching my head as to why it took me this long to make these changes.
I didn't need to buy any storage containers for this project but if you needed to buy some, I loved this round-up of functional dry goods storage containers. Also, here's 6 Easy Swaps for a more Sustainable Kitchen.
p.s. I still really love the DIY spice drawer insert that I made. If you are looking for even more kitchen organization ideas, I'd recommend that project for sure!
Valerie
So good!.. best organized update one can do -especially for lower bottom cupboards!.. no scrambling down on hands and knees trying to find the sugar canister! It looks fantastic!!
Ashley Mayes
Thanks Valerie!! I'm so amazed at how much it has improved our space! Seriously, why did I wait over three years to organize my kitchen cabinets?! Ha!
Amy
So, 1) which brand and model did you choose for your wire pull outs. 2) Why didn't you also put in pull out for the upper tier? 3) What brand and where did you get the large glass canisters for brown sugar. (I think the opening and depth might make it difficult for my large hands to scoop and measure out the products, but am still considering a trial, if I move them to a lower cabinet vs above the fridge.
Ashley Mayes
Hi Amy,
Sorry for my delayed response. I bought rev a shelf pull outs. I'm not sure on the model because I found mine on a clearance in store one day. An upper pull out shelf might have come in handy but I didn't think I needed it either. The containers I have are all super old. Sorry!