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Let’s face it: Some storage spaces in the kitchen are just hard to reach. Whether you’re climbing on a chair to see the back of a cabinet, or squatting down to grab a container in the far reaches of a lower cupboard, you’ve probably wondered more than once if there’s an easier way. And as a matter of fact, there’s a very simple kitchen shelf and cabinet upgrade that’s ideal for solving the problem of hard-to-reach areas: pull-out shelves.
Pull-out shelves come in a variety of different models, but the premise of all the styles is some type of shelf that’s mounted on a sliding track so that you can pull it out when you need to see what’s hiding in the back of the pantry or cabinet. This goes hand in hand with Martha Stewart’s go-to method of utilizing vertical space in tiny kitchens. New kitchens tend to have shelving like this already built in, but a lot of kitchens haven’t caught up with the times, especially the tiny ones. Grab a tape measure and take a look at your storage space while we explore a couple of different models of pull-out shelves to weigh the pros and cons of each. Some models are great for cabinets and others are better for narrower shelves, but any style you choose can go a long way toward decluttering your kitchen.
Styles of pull-out shelves
By far the majority of pull-out shelves are designed for installing inside a cabinet. This is most likely because these vessels have deeper spaces, so more stuff can get shoved to the back and lost. You can choose a few different types of materials, depending on your kitchen aesthetic. Wooden pull-outs, like the Sintuff 4 Set Wooden Pull out Tray Cabinet Organizer, are going to be the most expensive because of the materials, but you can also opt for wire styles, such as the LYNK PROFESSIONAL Pull Out Cabinet Organizer. If your problem space is under the kitchen sink, look for sink-specific shelves that have multiple tiers for extra storage.
For cluttered pantries and shelves, the trick is to look for models that have a short depth so that they fit on the shelf without much overhang. Basket-style pull outs are probably your best bet; they’re a clever storage solution for organizing large bags in your pantry, along with other packages and containers. Most kitchen shelves are around 11 to 12 inches deep, so the Pull Out Cabinet Organizer from AmzAge, which is 11.8 inches deep, would be ideal. If you prefer a flat shelf, look for designs that are adjustable and expandable.
