The Fix For Deep Kitchen Cabinets

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Sometimes designers don't think things through with functionality in mind. You'll know this to be true if you've ever reached into your kitchen cabinets and felt like you were diving into a black hole. Sure, they're great for storage, but things can quickly get lost and forgotten among the rows of cluttered pantry items, cleaning products, or miscellaneous kitchen gadgets that inevitably end up there. To find some easy fixes for deep kitchen cabinets, Food Republic consulted Thomas Borcherding, professional kitchen designer and owner of Homestar Design Remodel.

There are plenty of creative ways you can organize your kitchen drawers. "An affordable, easy method to make deep kitchen cabinets more accessible is through the use of pull-out organizers that don't require installation," Borcherding told us. "These organizers simply require you to place them into the cabinets." Another benefit of these organizers is that they can create layers within your cabinets. As well as being deep, some cabinets, especially those below the sink, tend to be quite tall. To make better use of that vertical space, you could try adding these under-sink organizers. These also make it easier to designate specific spots for different items, keeping your sponges separate from your kitchen sprays and dishwasher tablets. 

Because things can easily get lost in the depths of deep cabinets, "you can also add LED lighting to the deep cabinet in the form of a stick-on motion sensor light or other lighting solutions," Borcherding suggested. These don't require installation and make it much easier to find those rarely used but essential items.

"Homeowners looking for more permanent functionality solutions should look at integrated pull-out shelves or drawers," advised Thomas Borcherding. "While this is a DIY-friendly solution, one should take extra care so as to not ruin their expensive cabinets." Pull-out drawers can completely transform the flow of your kitchen by turning deep, hard-to-reach cabinets into highly functional storage spaces. For example, you could turn it into a hidden pull-out trash or recycling bin – or install pull-out baskets, which can serve as multi-layer storage for pantry items, spices, and dry ingredients. Beyond function, streamlined, integrated draws are also key features of a stylish minimalist kitchen. As for pricing, there are plenty of reasons why it might be worth investing in a high-end kitchen remodel, so "there is no shame in hiring a handyman or carpenter so as to safeguard your $10,000 to $30,000 plus cabinets," Borcherding added.

If you're not looking to break the bank and simply want to improve the functionality of your deep cabinets, a change in organization can make all the difference. You could consider buying some IKEA products for a clutter-free kitchen, or even a small change in organization can make all the difference. "Storing rarely used items in the back of deep kitchen cabinets helps to mitigate the lack of accessibility inherent to them," Borcherding explained. This approach can help establish a hierarchy in your kitchen storage, keeping everyday essentials up front, and reserving the back for those items you only reach for occasionally.