The space under the bathroom and kitchen sinks is notorious for being cramped and crowded. However, it doesn’t have to be that way — indeed, there are many possible storage solutions that can make that space appear neater. Consider implementing a few of these ideas for a more organized under-sink area. Some solutions can be used in conjunction with one another, providing even more additional storage space.
Storage drawers and shelves
Adding in clear (perhaps acrylic) drawers and shelves add dimension and extra storage. To ensure things stay sorted properly, label drawers with what they will contain. For instance, in the bathroom, drawers could hold medicines, bandages, and toothbrushes. A variety of sizes of shelves let you sort items by size, so that smaller items do not take up too much valuable space. Different materials are appropriate for different situations; in a small cabinet, opaque plastic drawers and shelves might work fine. In a larger space, though, wire or clear plastic organizers allow one to see what is behind them, which may be more ideal since there might be items stored further back in the cabinet.
Hanging cleaning products
Undoubtedly, the area under kitchen sinks is largely taken up by cleaning products. Oftentimes, cleaners are in spray bottles, which do not have to sit on the bottom of a shelf. Instead, place a tension rod close to the top of a cabinet in order to hang spray bottles. With the newly freed area, you might have room for a small recycling bin or other organization solutions that otherwise would not have fit in the cabinet.
The Kitchn suggests this is a great hack to creating a bit more space under the sink. “This is the perfect way to store your spray bottles, dish gloves, and cloths. And if you want to get really crafty, you could even get a few S-hooks to hang a scrub brush or two.”
Organizers on cabinet doors
Many types of caddies exist that can be affixed to the inside of doors for additional storage space. Some are even sold with hooks that easily install over a door, although these might seem unsightly in an otherwise tied-together room design. Keep in mind that if using such an organizer, the area available inside a cabinet might be reduced. Nonetheless, items kept right inside cabinet doors can be quickly accessed, like sponges or cleaning cloths. With some innovative thinking, most small shelves and buckets can be placed inside doors even if not originally intended for hanging. Hiatt-Hardware says over-the-door hooks are organized, purposeful, and easy to put together.
Repurpose other storage items
There is no need to go out and buy entirely new receptacles for reorganizing your under sink area. Search your house for unused or underutilized items that can better be implemented elsewhere. For example, you can place multiple small baskets or shower caddies under a sink to better separate things. Sort items by purpose or type in each basket for simple identification, removal, and transport. For instance, multiple feminine-hygiene items can be kept in the same storage caddy. Stackable bins add vertical space. Smaller foldable shelves or storage cubes are a simple addition that can solve many organization issues.
Hanging trash bags
A simple and cheap DIY project to eliminate trash bag boxes under the sink is a bag hanger. With a wooden dowel and hooks large enough to hang it from, bags can be hung from a point high in the cabinet, maybe even from the top. This storage solution gets rid of unnecessary boxes and the need to open those boxes each time a new trash bag is needed, as bags can simply be ripped from the hanging roll instead.
Hooks and rods on cabinet walls
Some kitchen products, such as dish brushes, have holes that allow them to be hung. Additionally, some items like dish brushes are difficult to store upright. As an alternative to letting these products take up room, install command hooks or another similar product onto cabinet walls to hang them up.
Other things that can be hung on hooks include dishwashing gloves, dustpan brushes, and lint rollers. Rods can also prove useful in the bathroom, where washcloths and makeup bags can also be hung. Bob Vila gives a few ideas on how simple hooks can create a more organized cabinet.
Lazy susan
Oddly shaped cabinets may not be ideal for fitting square shelves and drawers into. In that case, consider placing a lazy Susan in the cabinet for a spinning-storage solution. Some lazy Susans are even two stories, providing additional area for organization as well as easy access to items. These organizers can eliminate the domino effect that results from many tall cleaning products being next to each other on the bottom of a cabinet. They might save your back, too, if they let you spend less time bending over searching for items.
Sliding organizers
While lazy Susans might alleviate some back pain by reducing how much you need to bend over, an even better storage solution that will truly minimize the need for bending is a sliding organizer. Frequently used items, like recycling bins and dish detergent bottles, can be placed on sliding shelves and slid out whenever needed. Products exist that allow for the entire under-sink storage shelf to be slid out, though such items may get in the way if you need to access a cabinet while standing in front of it.
Jars for individually wrapped items
To decrease the number of bulky boxes kept under a sink, remove items from their packages as appropriate and instead keep them in jars. An example of a product that can be stored in a jar are dishwashing pods. If in a clear jar, this organization idea also allows you to see how many of a product are left and if you need to buy more. Of course, be mindful of what kind of jar products are stored in if children are around. Alternatively, you can keep locks on the cabinets and use a simple glass jar.
Hanging shelves
To save room on the bottom of a cabinet, you might affix shelves to the top of a cabinet for a floating storage solution. Sorting items can go even further than being placed on a shelf hanging from the top of a cabinet with the inclusion of baskets. With shelves hanging, there is still enough room in a cabinet for stacked drawers, over-the-door organizers, and hooks or dowels on the walls of the cabinet.
