I was looking for cheap kitchen remodel ideas to take my deep bottom cabinets from an abyss where small pans went to die to a beautifully functioning storage. I just couldn’t spend one more day getting down onto the kitchen floor to try to excavate the dark recesses of my cabinets for mixing bowls or a loaf pan. And these were things I used all the time. I’m pretty sure the “rarely used” items were actually sent to Narnia. Just as I was going to give up, I discovered a cheap kitchen remodel idea that would take my kitchen cabinets from annoying to fabulous: Sliders.
What are Cabinet Sliders?
Sliding cabinet organizers are the answer to my prayers for doing a kitchen makeover on a budget. For $65, I was able to transform an impossibly deep kitchen cabinet into (essentially) a drawer. Would I love to actually swap out the cabinets for literal drawers? Yes. Do we want to spend a fortune destroying cabinets and countertops to do it? Not at this time.
I know what you are thinking. A lot of the sliding cabinet organizers available through places like Amazon are cheaply made and don’t hold much weight. You are right. Those sliders will bend or warp in a short amount of time. But if you aren’t going to put much weight onto them, they may still work for you.
Why Did I Spend Slightly More When Doing a Cheap Kitchen Remodel?
I needed something that would hold the weight of solid pots and pans, as well as mixing bowls and loaf or cake pans. So, I went to Crate & Barrel (not an ad, just where I got them) and started with two 17-inch sliding cabinet organizers. Why only two when I had four cabinet shelves to convert? I wanted to be sure they worked before investing more money.
Each basket holds up to 70lbs, so even our Dutch Oven could be stored in one of them. They glide well. They have a mat so that things don’t get stuck or fall through the steel.
Are 17-inch Organizers Standard?
No. Be sure to measure both the depth and the width of your cabinet shelves before you make your selections. AND don’t forget to account for your cabinet hinges if they are hidden inside rather than visible on the outside. For these, I needed at least 18 inches or more to account for the opening and the hinges.
Do You Need Professional Installation?
No. The sliders have clear instructions and a template to help you place the organizer. You do need to drill holes and then insert the stabilizing screws into the bottom of your cabinet for this brand. You could probably use hand tools, but I used a Makita to drill the guide holes.
Because the Makita is a larger drill, I did my experiment on the top shelves first because they are taller. That made it easier for me to drill and screw down straight. I’ll need to use a smaller drill to do the bottom shelves if I decide to take my cheap kitchen remodel to the next level.
Why Did I Choose a Bottom-Mount Slider?
Generally, the sliders that mount onto the shelf are more stable and can handle more weight. But for my project, it was all about the hinges. Because our hinges are hidden inside the cabinets, a side-mounted organizer would hit the hinge on one side when pulling it out to use.
Budget Kitchen Update Results
It may seem like a small change, but changing our bottom shelves to drawers has made an enormous difference. We can easily see everything we have and access cookware without sitting on the kitchen floor to pull it out of the cabinet. Total win! Kitchen makeovers on a budget don’t have to be dramatic to have a significant impact on the functionality of a kitchen (or my mood).
If you are planning to upgrade your kitchen in the next few months, I hope this simple change works as inspiration for a cheap kitchen remodel that will make your life so much easier.
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