How To Use Under Shelf Baskets To Double Your Kitchen Cabinet Storage Space
If you're living in a small home or apartment, you likely know the struggle of trying to find adequate storage space for all of your pots, pans, utensils, and cleaning supplies in your cabinets. Things like wall hooks and shelves on the counter can help give you a bit of extra organizational room, but these solutions can also leave your space feeling visually overstimulating and cluttered. Instead, consider utilizing the vertical space within your cabinets that has otherwise gone to waste with under shelf baskets. This approach allows you to capitalize on unused space while still keeping your counters and walls looking clean and clutter-free.
This might not seem like a major issue at first, but according to a survey conducted by One Poll (via StudyFinds), the average American spends over 400 hours in their kitchen each year. With this one simple solution, you'll be able to make the time you spend in your kitchen more convenient and stress-free, all without having to undergo any major renovations or drop unnecessary money on expensive storage solutions.
How to install under shelf baskets
For the most part, under shelf baskets don't require any tools or extra effort to install. If you find an option specifically designed to fit under shelves, like these White Wire Under Cabinet Baskets from Walmart's Mainstays line, they include two arms attached to the top of the basket that easily slide over shelves and keep them in place. Thanks to this design feature, this is a renter-friendly DIY that's easy to reverse or move at a moment's notice.
If you're having trouble finding an option with arms or if you want to install a basket directly under your countertop, however, you can also go for a more creative approach. Pick up a couple of open front baskets, like this DII Metal Wire Mesh Stackable Utility Storage Bin from Amazon, along with a couple of ceiling hooks. Screw them in under your counter or secure them with removable Command strips, and hang your basket from the hooks for some additional storage space without having to rely on shelving.
Where to use under shelf baskets
While this hack is great for use in the kitchen, you can also extend it to other areas of your home as well. Consider adding a few under shelf baskets to your bathroom to store smaller essentials like hairbrushes or rags, or hang them on shelves in the pantry to serve as an additional space for spices or cans. They can even be brought in to help you organize your laundry room as a place for dryer sheets or mesh laundry bags.
Thanks to the fact that these baskets are easy to install and remove, there isn't much risk associated with incorporating them into your storage spaces. One major thing to consider, however, is the size of your shelves. For example, Walmart's White Wire Under Cabinet Baskets measure 10.25 inches deep, so if you have shallower shelves, the arms might not fit. As long as you check your shelves' dimensions and the dimensions of your product online, however, you should be left with an easy, damage-free solution to limited storage space.