What’s your dream kitchen?
Our kitchens are a hub for many memorable activities for our family. That’s why we want it to be functional, comfy, homey, and bright.
In addition to some countertop and shiny appliances, it’s important to pay attention to your cabinets. As you know, your kitchen cabinets are the basis for the structural foundation of your kitchen, plus their functionality and design can make or break your kitchen design.
If you’re looking for ways to maximize your existing kitchen cabinets but on a budget, here are easy, cheap DIY kitchen cabinet add-ons you can try:
1. Rollout Trays on Your Cabinet Under the Sink
The space under your sink is usually unused because of some obstacles, such as your plumbing pipes. You can customize rollout trays that fit where you can store cleaning supplies, unused vases, trash bags, etc.
You only need basic carpentry tools and some simple materials you can buy from hardware stores at a low price. You can find free video tutorials online to guide you if you are a beginner.
2. Cutting Board Holder Inside Doors
The materials you need in this project are:
- Screw
- Wood glue
- 4 Woodblocks
- 2 Wood moldings or trims
- Drill
- Measuring tape
Start by making a cutting board holder from your wood moldings and wooden blocks for the height. Measure the length of your cabinet’s bottom to find out how long your moldings would be. After taking all your measurements, head to the hardware store and buy wood pieces necessary to fashion your holder.
Glue your wood moldings and blocks, and drill. Finally, mount the holders and form your cutting board’s cradle. You can dab some paint on the exposed screw heads to match the color of your cabinet.
3. Back-of-Cabinet Door Organizer
Turn the back of your kitchen cabinet door into a handy hanging space. If your cabinet door is not sturdy enough for the hardware, you can screw a piece of 3/4-inch thick plywood to the back of the door. For hollow-core doors, add construction adhesive.
Cut your plywood at least 3-4 inches smaller than the door edges to give space for the doorknob or hinges. You can mount as many hooks and magnets as you want.
4. Back-of-Cabinet Door Storage Bins
This is perfect for your cabinet under your sink, where you can store sponges, cleaning supplies, plastic bags, etc. All you need is to cut a plastic storage tub in half with a utility knife. With the plastic lip at the top of the tub, screw it to the inside of the cabinet door.
Make sure to position it correctly so that you can close the cabinet door even if the storage bin is full of supplies.
5. Rack for Gloves at the Back of Cabinet Doors
Use this rack to hang your hats and gloves. String clothespins on aluminum wire (since it doesn’t rust), and stretch it between screw eyes on the back of your cabinet door.
6. Pull Out Towel Rack at the Back of Cabinet Doors
If you have a cramped bathroom and your kitchen cabinets have extra space, why don’t you mount pull-out towel racks? You can buy cheap swivel towel bars at your local hardware store. Wood pieces that you can shape and turn into a wood towel rack can also do the job.
7. Pegboard Hang-Up for Kitchen Utensils
Pegboards are excellent for organizing kitchen cabinets. Just rout a groove in a 1 x 2 frame with a rabbet bit, attach the pegboard using glue and brads, and mount it to the back of the cabinet door. The frame provides support to the edges of the pegboard, and at the same time, creates a half-inch space behind the boards so the pegs can be inserted.
8. Pockets for Cords and Chargers
Let’s admit it. We experience rummaging through our drawers, searching for chargers and cords of our gadgets because we forgot where we last kept them. A clear hanging pocket organizer can solve this problem, which you can mount at the back of your cabinet’s door. Remember to label each pocket.
Remember
Whatever you choose to store in your kitchen cabinets, make sure to clean regularly and keep the inside dry. Molds in kitchens and other high-moisture areas are common since they thrive with moisture, little ventilation, and humidity. Food particles and wet items in your cabinets can provide a perfect environment for molds to grow.
Pay attention to the cabinets under your sink, dishwasher, and near your exhaust vent as these are the most common areas that retain heat and moisture. If you spot a small area of mold growth, make sure to clean it right away with cleaners you can find in your home: vinegar, lemon, bleach, and even hydrogen peroxide. Just be sure not to mix these solutions.
Here’s an easy step-by-step process on how to remove molds in your kitchen.
