The issue of storing household chemicals, sponges, cleaning wipes and personal hygiene products is one of the most difficult when organizing storage in the kitchen and bathroom. Where to hide all the important little things so that they are always at hand, but at the same time do not spoil the interior with their unaesthetic appearance? The cabinet under the sink will come to the rescue, which is often used as a place to collect unnecessary trash.
Interior design studio ReRooms will show you how to transform the space under the sink into a functional storage system that will compactly accommodate everything you need: from towels to detergents.
Narrow shelves
Pipes in the cabinet under the sink can interfere with the placement of storage boxes - narrow shelves on the counter will solve this problem. They can be placed around pipes to make the most of a small space. Place items on shelves depending on the frequency of their use: in front, place those that are needed every day.
A white plastic shelf under the sink may suit your needs.
Shelf for sink
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Ideas for using cabinet space under the kitchen sink
In many kitchens, the space under the sink is used only for storing a trash can. With proper organization of space, you can arrange a convenient utility unit.
Plastic containers
Plastic containers are suitable for storing bottles of household chemicals and detergents. To effectively use space, choose square or rectangular accessories that are placed on top of each other. Containers with lids do not get wet in case of leakage and protect the contents from moisture.
Narrow shelves
Pipes located under the sink can interfere with the placement of boxes, so to solve the problem, install narrow shelves on the counter. To maximize space utilization, they are placed around pipes. Kitchen utensils are placed on shelves based on frequency of use - those that are needed daily are in the foreground.
Sometimes shelves are made from chipboard. To make them last longer, they need to be kept dry and protected from swelling. You can use clear furniture varnish to protect the wood. Only dry items are placed on the shelves. Lamination of edges is required to extend service life. Construction stores sell adhesive tape that needs to be ironed with a hot iron. You need to protect not only the shelves, but also the cabinet walls, for example, with self-adhesive film. It is glued so that it extends slightly onto the side walls.
Rotating stand
To have direct access to things, install a rotating stand on which kitchen towels, dish sponges, and detergents are placed. Thanks to this device, you will not need to move all the objects to get the one you need.
Shelving with baskets
An organizer with drawers is suitable for a narrow cabinet under the sink. This can be a roll-out metal structure with hanging baskets or a rack on legs with spacious sections.
Rack with open shelves
These are open shelves on supports that do not need to be secured to the doors or inside the cabinet. They come in one piece and prefabricated. It is better to choose models that are adjustable in height, since they can be changed depending on the size of the cabinet and supplemented with shelves.
Drawer
Two guides, a drawer of suitable dimensions - and the storage system under the sink or sink in the kitchen will become even more convenient. An alternative to a drawer is to immediately choose a cabinet with pull-out sections and make the necessary cutouts for the pipes.
Hooks
Hooks are placed on the door or side walls of the cabinet, hanging gloves or towels on them that were previously stored on the sink. A couple of hooks can be used to attach a small basket or bag for cleaning products. For those who don't want to drill into the door, there are self-adhesive options.
A cabinet door is a great place to store rubber gloves. Instead of hooks, you can glue a clothespin or a paper clip.
Bin
To save useful space, when storing a round trash can in the kitchen under the sink, replace it with a square or rectangular shape. This way the cabinet will even visually look more orderly.
Railings
On the rails you can place gloves or sponges for cleaning, as well as hang bottles of detergent. When dirty, they are easy to remove and wash. An alternative to roof rails is a rod installed along the width of the cabinet under the sink, saving space for those who have a large supply of detergents. This can be any crossbar, including wood, but it must be treated with protection - stain or varnish.
Drawer under a cabinet or in a basement
To organize the storage of items under the kitchen sink that are used the least often, make a basement drawer under the cabinet. It holds spare towels, napkins, pot lids, baking sheets, and cutting boards. Box height – 10-15 cm.
Organizers
Special modules that are used to store small items. Can be metal, plastic, wood. They can be found at any hardware store. The most convenient are metal basket organizers, which are fixed with special screws. They are made of aluminum, chrome-plated stainless steel or powder-coated steel. Aluminum baskets are considered the most durable; the rest rust.
Organizers can also be screwed onto the inside of the door. It is better not to store anything heavy, otherwise it may sag. Before fastening, you need to make sure that the length of the screw does not exceed the thickness of the door, otherwise there is a risk of drilling a through hole.
Organizers for packages are a lightweight, spacious accessory that is easy to install and can be used for other purposes than its intended purpose. For example, they can be used for storing kitchen utensils, rags, and towels.
Top shelf under the sink
You can make a U-shaped drawer right under the sink - this is a special section that is designed for the area around the drain. For convenient use, the regular door is replaced with two halves. A regular spacious box is installed in the lower part, and a U-shaped section in the upper part. Wire boxes are most convenient because they are well ventilated and can be used to dry dish sponges and damp rags.
Divider inserts
A simple device that significantly increases the capacity of the cabinet under the sink. Helps out in situations where the location of communications does not allow installing an additional shelf.
Folding shelf for sponges
Custom-made kitchen sets can be supplemented with a folding shelf for storing sponges and cleaning rags. This way they are always at hand and do not take up space under the sink.
Hanging baskets
Hanging baskets are great for storing cleaning supplies. When you open the cabinet door, everything you need is immediately at hand, so it will be easier to clean up the kitchen.
Shelving with baskets
If your under-sink cabinet is very narrow, consider an organizer with drawers. This can be a roll-out metal structure with hanging baskets or racks on legs with spacious sections.
Photo: housebeautiful.com
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Photo: goodhousekeeping.com
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Choose a storage organization system depending on the size of the cabinet under the sink. A frame with mesh baskets from IKEA may suit your needs.
Frame ALGOT
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Proper organization of space under the sink
For a separate cabinet
In the photo there is a cabinet under the sink with pull-out baskets and drawers.
Modern kitchen sets, as a rule, have one common countertop. However, not everyone has managed to change their furniture in accordance with these trends; in addition, there are fans of retro styles and separate cabinets.
One way or another, many sinks are installed on free-standing tables. In most cases, the space under the sink is occupied by a trash can and various household items: detergents, plungers, tools, etc. In this case, the cabinet itself has only a bottom board, which plays the role of the bottom of the inner container, and a door.
A typical retro cabinet uses space irrationally.
This is not a very rational use of the space under the sink. The capabilities of modern fittings allow you to place pull-out baskets, various drawers, wall holders for towels or bottles and other similar details that will significantly increase the convenience of working in the kitchen.
A good, spacious cabinet allows you to store the following items under the sink:
- Dishes, knives, forks and spoons, cups and any other cutlery;
- Towels, aprons, rags, tablecloths, etc.;
- Household chemicals, detergents, dishwasher tablets, pet food;
- Garbage container or trash can;
- Box for vegetables or fruits;
- Various tools.
An example of a rational organization.
The basket under the sink can be placed permanently on a shelf or fasteners, or can be pulled out. Obviously, pull-out baskets for the kitchen under the sink are much more convenient and practical, since you don’t have to bend over and crawl headlong under the sink to get something from the far corners of the bedside table.
Retractable structures are much more convenient.
Important! In order not to store a trash can and clean dishes, vegetables or towels in one compartment, the cabinet is divided into two sectors. In the sector with garbage you can place various chemicals and tools.
For a set with a tabletop
When every nuance is thought out.
Now let's talk about a more current and modern option for arranging a kitchen, in which all the furniture is a single ensemble, and the work area is covered with a common countertop, into which a sink is embedded. The price of such a set will be higher, but it also has a lot of advantages.
Here it is important to clarify where exactly the sink is located - in a corner or near the wall.
Let's consider the features of each case:
- The direct arrangement is convenient because access to the space under the sink is easier, since it faces the functional area. Organizing a system of drawers is easier from a structural point of view; some craftsmen even do it with their own hands;
- The corner arrangement is distinguished by a more complex configuration of the fittings and the moving elements themselves, since the space is turned at an angle to the front part of the set . On the other hand, there is more space under a sink located in the corner and, with proper organization, the space underneath is more spacious.
A properly equipped corner cabinet can hold more.
Here you can also store any necessary items and supplies, vegetables, dishes and various useful household items. Modern furniture manufacturers have found many successful solutions, thanks to which even a small kitchen can accommodate everything you need in the most convenient accessibility, while remaining sufficiently free and convenient for work.
Maximum convenience and thoughtful use of space are the hallmarks of good kitchen furniture.
Important! When choosing a headset, special attention should be paid to the quality of the fittings. The most successful are metal structures from European manufacturers.
Material selection
When choosing material for kitchen furniture, you need to be guided by two main factors:
- moisture resistance;
- resistance to pollution;
- strength.
Among the options offered in the store you can find both very expensive and budget ones.
Materials for making kitchen furniture
- Chipboard. This is the cheapest type of wood board, which comes in a wide variety of colors. Therefore, you can choose the right one for almost any kitchen set made of a similar material. Its disadvantage is that if there are even minor and shallow scratches or cracks, moisture will easily penetrate inside and wear will occur faster.
- MDF. More dense and, therefore, more durable material. Resistant to steam and moisture. The surface of such a plate has a smoother appearance. More expensive than chipboard, but in terms of price-quality ratio it is optimal.
- solid wood. Furniture made from natural wood has a high cost. With a high-quality moisture-repellent treatment, it is most durable and resistant to damage, unlike the previous two options. A solid wood under-sink cabinet will be heavy and possibly impractical in a small kitchen.
To protect and impart additional wear-resistant properties to the material, lamination and polymer coating are used. These technologies also give facades a more attractive appearance.
How to arrange storage space under the corner sink in the kitchen
Inside the corner cabinet under the sink you can place:
- The trash can is the most necessary item in the kitchen. Hidden behind the doors it will not attract attention. Some people prefer to use special containers instead of buckets that allow them to sort waste - glass, paper, plastic;
- Part of the kitchen equipment - water filter, food waste grinder;
- Compact flow-type heating boiler;
- Kitchen utensils, cleaning supplies, pet food.
Storage in a corner cabinet under the sink
In the corner cabinet under the sink you can make two shelves for storing household chemicals. To increase capacity it is installed:
- Pull-out baskets that hold a variety of items and roll out when you pull the handle;
- Carousel shelves, from which it is easy to get things located on them;
- Simple wooden shelves installed on the side walls of the cabinet;
- Unusual boxes, for example, with a center cut out for a sewer pipe.
Carousel shelf
Features of size selection and installation
The size and design of the sink cabinet depends on the shape of the sink and its size. For a single sink, the width will vary between 60-80 cm. If the sink is double, then the width of the cabinet can reach 1 meter.
The dimensions should be sufficient to hide communications, place a container or trash bin, additional convenient structures, and kitchen utensils.
Properly organized space in the cabinet under the sink
The height should also not differ from the other components of the headset. The standard height is 80 cm. Straight models can be 50-60 cm.
Installing a cabinet has its own subtleties. Installation can be done in several ways.
- Overhead. Most often, this method is used for straight cabinets. The sink is fixed to the surface around the perimeter of the countertop. It looks like the sink is just placed on top, but in fact it is securely fastened. This design is more suitable for a bathroom than a kitchen.
The overhead sink is one of the most popular models in our kitchens.
The built-in sink looks stylish and fits harmoniously into the interior
The integrated sink is a combination of sink and work surface, which is very convenient and practical.
Finding a ready-made model of the right size in a store is very difficult. Therefore, today more and more often kitchens are ordered according to a pre-developed, special project. This has undoubted advantages.
- You don't waste time shopping. It is enough to find a reliable manufacturer and show an approximate, preferred version of the finished result.
- The kitchen set will be made in the same style.
- Layout features will be taken into account.
