Thanks for all your ideas on the start of our pantry project. We’re swimming in possibilities, but to begin we decided to empty the pantry completely — door off its hinges, everything out — so we could prime and paint the space without obstruction.
After talking it over, one change was obvious: the trash can wouldn’t be going back into the pantry. Instead we moved it into this cabinet at the end of our peninsula, facing the prep area rather than the eating side. Ignore the pile of pantry cast-offs on the counter; we were in full purge-and-plan mode.
We had used the trash can in the pantry for a while and didn’t have significant odor issues (we mentioned our initial worries here), but there were three reasons we opted to relocate it.
- The bottom of the pantry could be used much more effectively if it wasn’t taken up by a trash can and its lid-clearance.
- Using a step-kick can inside the pantry was less convenient than we’d hoped — you had to open the pantry door and then reach in or position your foot awkwardly. Either pulling something open by hand or having the can out in the open proved more efficient than doing both.
- That end cabinet was basically wasted space, housing only a few vases. It felt like a missed opportunity.
Rather than just stuffing a bin inside, we chose one of the pull-out units many readers recommended — a Rev-A-Shelf pull-out container. There’s also a larger two-can version, but our cabinet wasn’t deep enough for that setup. We figured a single smaller can would encourage us to empty it more often; we’re still developing a better recycling plan too.
The cabinet wasn’t an ideal fit for the system at first because of a barely visible half-shelf built into the lower cabinets. It’s nailed in on all sides and not adjustable, so it prevented the can from sliding all the way back. Frustrating, but not a dealbreaker.
I followed the installation instructions, aligned the paper template across the shelf, drilled the pilot holes, and screwed the two tracks into the cabinet floor. Snapping the other pieces on was quick — the whole conversion would have taken ten minutes if not for the half-shelf issue — but having the track installed allowed me to mark exactly where I needed to cut.
I only needed to notch out a 3″ deep by 8″ wide section for the can to slide into. I used a compact plunge saw because it’s great for controlled, quick cuts. It was fast but messy — sawdust everywhere — so forgive the splattered iPhone photo evidence. I was actively getting sprayed with dust during that cut.
After cleaning up, the can fit neatly and I even returned the vases. I could have called the project complete, but I wanted the cabinet door to operate like a modern pull-out, too. Rev-A-Shelf offers a Door Mounting Kit that attaches the cabinet door to the tray so the door opens with the pull-out — a nice finishing touch.
Installing the door kit was a bit trickier because the instructions were vague and some of the nuts and screws were tiny and fiddly. Once the small parts were in place, you bolt on larger brackets that will eventually hold the cabinet door.
When I tested everything without the door attached, I hit another snag: our doors are partially recessed into the cabinet frame, so the brackets as installed stuck out and prevented the door from sitting flush. The original instructions didn’t account for an older, inset style door.
The fix was simple: I removed and flipped the brackets so they faced inward instead of outward. That solved the clearance issue. To keep the door perfectly aligned with the rest of the cabinets during reattachment, I used the included double-stick tape to temporarily hold the door in place. The tape isn’t permanent, but it’s excellent for positioning: set the door where it looks right, press it against the tape, then pull the assembly out and secure the brackets from the back with screws. Just be careful to screw into the thick cabinet frame so nothing pokes through the other side.
After reattaching the door and securing the hardware, everything worked smoothly. There was a fair amount of taking things apart and reassembling, but the result was worth the effort: a compact, efficient pull-out trash can that makes the old cabinet feel more modern.
I’m a little nostalgic about giving up the larger old garbage can, but impressed by how straightforward the new system was to install. It’s portable, too — we can reuse it in a future kitchen or even install it in the garage if we transform these cabinets into a workshop. Pull-out garage trash can — now that would be fancy.
The last step is to touch up the screw holes where the old hinges were on the right side. I’m toying with the idea of reinstalling dummy hinges so both doors look symmetrical, but that’s a project for another day.
We also picked up a few baskets, bins, and other pantry organizers during the same shopping trip. Once the priming and painting are finished, we’re excited to restock the pantry in a more organized way. With all the snow we’ve been getting, we’ll have plenty of time to tinker and arrange things over the next few days. Consider the pantry party officially underway.
P.S. Wanna see more home improvement updates? Here are a whole bunch to explore.
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