Have you heard how pull out shelves are one of the greatest inventions for the kitchen to come around since sliced bread? We’ve taken the amazing convenience of sliding shelves and gone a step further, or actually 6 steps further. Learn how to maximize the space created by your pull out shelves in six easy to follow steps. The tips in this article will not only work well for helping you get your kitchen organized, but they will also work for any cupboard in your house including your bathrooms, laundry room, bedroom, and even your garage. Looking to purchase pull out shelves for your kitchen or any room in your home? Contact DIY Shelfworks today.

How To Maximize Space With Pull Out Shelves

Pull out shelves are a wonderful organizational tool, however, if you can combine them with some easy to follow tips for maximizing your space on each shelf then you will really have a winner! The biggest advantage of rolling shelves is their amazing ability to allow you to access items that before were almost impossible to reach at the very back of your deeper cabinets. Having deep shelves is a great way to gain extra storage, however, if you can’t comfortably reach to the back of your shelf, then the space advantage is really lost. That’s where pull out shelves comes in to give you that easy access to the deepest, darkest corners of your cabinets.

Our sturdy Baltic Birch drawers can hold up to 100 lbs fully extended

Step 1: Order and Install Pull Out Shelves

The first step to maximizing your cupboard space is to order and install your pull out shelves. I know this step seems obvious, but you can’t start maximizing your space if you don’t have your pull out shelves installed. Find out how easy it is to measure, order and install your own rolling shelves here. If you are unable or if you don’t have the time to do it yourself, you can have someone do it for you. Find out more information about having pull out shelves installed for you here.

Step 2: Use Different Heights of Shelves

DIY Shelfworks – deeper shelves on the bottom, shallow ones above

Something you should consider when planning out what height of shelves to buy is what you are going to be storing on them and how high these items actually are. Careful planning before you order will help you maximize the available space in your cupboards. You don’t have to have all of the same heights of shelves. Shallow sliding shelves are better for shorter items as they make it easier for you to see what is on the shelf and allow you to fit multiple shelves into one cupboard. A good plan is to order a deeper shelf for the bottom to hold all of your taller items as the deeper shelves will give support to higher items that may have a tendency to tip over. You can then install medium and smaller shelves above depending on the height of your cupboard and the heights of the items you want to store there. Having various heights will really help you maximize the space inside.

3″, 5″, & 7″ shelves by DIY Shelfworks

Step 3: Use Containers or Baskets

To further organize your cupboards, especially those that contain food items, invest in some containers (if you really want your cabinets to look amazing, buy coordinating ones). This tip doesn’t have to break your budget either; just make a trip to your local dollar store to get a great selection of matching and inexpensive plastic containers or baskets. While you are there, pick up some fancy labels to help you stay even more organized. Keep like items together such as cereals, spices, or snacks. Containers can also save you time. For example, at breakfast time, simply lift out the bin of different cereals for your family to choose from instead of pulling out individual boxes one at a time. Not only will the containers look great, but they will help prevent anything from falling over when you pull out your shelf.

Source: Pinterest from I’m an Organizing Junkie

Step 4: Add Organizing Accessories

Purchase  adjustable dividers to further organize

Another way to further organize your shelves is to order dividers that are custom made for your shelf. You can have extra grooves added as well so that you can easily make adjustments to their width as required. These dividers are a great way to store all of your baking pans.

Step 5: Monitor and Purge

It is a good idea to regularly take a survey of what you have on your shelves and get rid of anything that has gone out of date, you are never going to eat or use, and anything that is almost empty. It doesn’t make sense to keep an entire large box of Froot Loops in your cupboard if there is only a handful of cereal left. Keeping the old, almost empty containers and then adding in the new ones will just mean wasted space and additional clutter that you don’t need.

Step 6: Stack Them With Sturdy Heavy Items

Pull out shelves work well for storing heavier sturdy items such as canned goods, large sacks or bags of sugar and flour, kitchen appliances, and dishes. It may be a better idea to store less sturdy, floppy items, like bags of potato chips, in a different cupboard as they can easily tip over and spill. DIY Shelfworks pull out shelves are well made and extra sturdy.The Baltic birch variety can support up to 100 lbs full extended and the melamine can support up to 70 lbs.

Maximize Your Organization With DIY Shelfworks

DIY Shelfworks would love to help you get your kitchen more organized with convenient, custom-built drawers that easily pull out. All of our DIY kits are made in Canada from the highest quality materials and they are priced lower than other DIY pull out shelf kits. DIY Shelfworks uses 9 ply Baltic birch to construct our premium shelves to better withstand moisture and dryness. It won’t warp or split. If you have any questions at all, please contact our friendly and helpful staff. We will always take the time to answer you.

Sources:

How to Deal with Pantry Pull Out Shelves