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The under the sink cabinet in my kitchen was once a disorganized disaster area! But no more! With a little time and effort, I was able to transform this messy area into an organized, efficient storage space. If you’re ready to tackle your under-the-sink area and reclaim some much-needed space, check out these simple steps to organize your kitchen cupboard and make it both functional and stylish!
If you’re looking to tackle more than just the under-the-sink area, be sure to check out my comprehensive guide on How to Organize Your Kitchen. In that post, I cover everything from organizing your pantry to streamlining your countertop, so you can create a kitchen that’s not only beautiful but also highly functional. Whether you’re a busy mom or someone looking to simplify, these strategies will help you maximize every inch of your kitchen space.
How to Organize Under the Kitchen Sink in 7 Steps
You should organize under the kitchen sink to fit your needs and how you use your kitchen. There’s definitely no one size fits all solution, but there are many easy ideas you can use. Here’s how to organize under the kitchen sink, step-by-step:
01| Empty everything out of the cupboards
As with all organizing projects, you want to start by emptying out the space you’re going to organize. Take everything out from underneath your kitchen sink.
02| Clean and refresh
Next, you’ll want to wipe down the inside of your under-sink cabinet. Use wipes or all-purpose spray and paper towels to clean up any spills. Use a magic eraser on tough scuff marks or stains.
If you’d like a fresh start, you could also line the bottom of the cabinet with a pretty shelf liner. Or give the inside of the cabinet a fresh coat of paint (if your cabinet material is paintable) to brighten it up.
03| Declutter and sort
Now, purge any unnecessary items from the things you’ve removed from beneath the sink. Any obvious trash, duplicates, broken sprayers and the like should be tossed. Put away anything that doesn’t belong under the sink.
Then sort what’s left, like with like. Cloths, garbage bags, sponges, cleaners – keep them all with their similar category of items.
04| After sorting, measure the space
Once you’ve sorted what’s to be kept under the kitchen sink, measure the space. Be sure to measure the width, height, and depth of the cabinet under the sink, so that you know how much space you’re actually working with for organization and storage.
Work around obstructions
Organizing under the kitchen sink can be a challenge if you have a large garbage disposal or awkward pipes taking up valuable cupboard real estate under there. So be sure to measure these as well.
TIP: Sketch out the space on blank or grid paper if that helps you to plan out how to organize under the kitchen sink.
05| Choose under-sink organizers wisely
Choose organizers for under your kitchen sink that you will actually use. Make sure you keep it simple and choose organizers and containers for easy access.
06| Remove extra packaging
Once you’ve got your organizers, remove extra packaging to save space and make your organization look prettier.
Decant things like dish soap into prettier bottles. Place dishwasher tabs in clear acrylic drawers. Stack dishcloths or sponges in a small basket. Put scrub brushes in a small crock. Keep your things accessible for ease of use. There’s no point in organizing and making your under-the-kitchen-sink cupboard look pretty if it’s not functional!
07| Add labels
Finally, label everything so you and your family or housemates know where everything goes. You can find pretty labels on Amazon, the Dollar Store, or Etsy. Or you can DIY your own on a basic home printer or Cricut.
What Should You Keep Under Your Kitchen Sink?
Well, that depends entirely on you and your kitchen space.
Many people keep these items under their kitchen sink:
- cleaning products
- sponges or scrub brushes
- dishcloths
- dishwasher tablets
- trash bags
- a garbage bin
Some people also have a garbage disposal beneath their kitchen sink, which takes up some room too.
We keep some of these things, but not all of them under our kitchen sink. Under our kitchen sink area, we store:
- dishwasher tabs
- dead batteries (we drop them off at our local municipal waste facility)
- a kitchen fire extinguisher
- fruit and vegetable cleaner
- rarely used stainless steel cleaner (for the appliances)
- glass oven top cleaner and scraper
- a small recycling bin
- a roll-out compost bin set from Ikea
We also have a drawer to the right of the sink that holds garbage bags, dishcloths, tea towels, and scrubbies above the large recycling and garbage bins.
Things I don’t keep under the kitchen sink
We don’t really store cleaning supplies under our kitchen sink, as most of those live in our laundry room. But there are a few.
And our dish soap, hand soap, and all-purpose spray cleaner are decanted from their original packaging into amber glass bottles on a tray on the kitchen counter beside the sink.
Keep detergents out of reach of kids and pets: If you have young children or pets that can get into your under-sink cabinet, don’t keep cleaners there at all, or make sure you have a really good child/pet-proof locks for that cupboard.
FAQs
You can store a variety of items, depending on your needs. Some popular options include garbage bags, dishcloths, sponges, scrub brushes, dishwasher tablets, fire extinguishers, vegetable cleaners, and recycling bins. Just make sure to keep things organized and easily accessible.
It can be tricky with large pipes or a garbage disposal, but you can work around these obstacles by using adjustable organizers, corner shelves, or stackable bins. Measure the available space carefully, and look for organizers that fit around the pipes without crowding the area.
You can make your under-sink area both functional and attractive by using coordinating bins and containers, adding a shelf liner for a fresh look, and removing unnecessary packaging. You can also use decorative labels to keep everything organized while adding a personal touch.
To prevent leaks and moisture buildup, regularly check for leaks or water damage and clean up spills right away. You can also line the bottom of your cabinet with a waterproof liner or mat to protect the surface. If you do experience leaks, consider getting a cabinet seal or calling a plumber for repairs.
More Organizing Ideas for Under the Kitchen Sink
Now that you know how to organize under your kitchen sink, it’s time to make the space work for you! By decluttering, choosing the right organizers, and keeping things easily accessible, you’ll create a more efficient and clutter-free kitchen. Have any other tips for under-sink organization? I’d love to hear them—drop your ideas in the comments below!
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Hi Shannon – are there sources anywhere for the products you used under your sink?
Hi Lori,
Yes, in the post there are links to the amazon items with the photos near the bottom of the post. And the rollout bins are from Ikea.
The Container Store has a large round lazy Susan that fits perfectly under my sink as I have a garbage disposal under there. I place all bottles and spray bottles about 2” away from the edge. This allow the caddy to spin unobstructed. In those inches around the the diameter of the caddy I layer my lint free hand cloths that I use for drying dishes and wiping down cabinets. This allows me to use all the caddy space!