Remember when we removed the kitchen trash compactor back in March and left a handy empty cabinet space? After a few months of debating the best use for that opening, we finally filled it with custom slide-out baskets — a simple, practical upgrade that turned wasted space into organized storage.
The empty void was functional enough as a quirky hiding spot, but we wanted it to do more. Our goal was efficient kitchen storage: a dedicated home for dishcloths, cloth napkins, and paper napkins so those items weren’t scattered around drawers and cabinets. We also saw this as a practical test for a feature we might include in a future kitchen remodel.
We considered several options — an integrated trash or recycling bin, open shelving, or built-in drawers — and ultimately settled on sliding basket storage. The idea was inspired by photos we’d bookmarked and admired: a pair of slide-out baskets that make access and organization effortless while keeping the look cohesive with the rest of the cabinetry.
With measurements in hand, a quick trip to HomeGoods produced two baskets that fit perfectly in the opening. Before installing them we needed to make the cavity look and function like a proper cabinet. I started by adding a board across the top and installing a toe-kick to create a finished face. I screwed a brace into the back of the existing cabinet lip and then nailed on the face pieces to hold everything in place.
Next, I built out the sides so they were flush with the cabinet face, which allowed the drawer slides to mount and operate without obstruction. I cut and screwed in scrap wood pieces to bridge the gap. Up to this point I was able to use material from my scrap pile, which is always satisfying.
To create the slide-out frames that would support the tapered baskets, I used a Kreg Jig to join 1.5″ square dowels into two rectangular frames sized to hold the baskets and accommodate the drawer hardware. This part required careful measuring to ensure the baskets wouldn’t fall through, the frames would fit inside the cabinet opening, and there was enough thickness for the drawer slides to attach securely.
We chose ball-bearing full-extension drawer slides for smooth operation and soft-close action. I detached the drawer-member of each slide and screwed it to the inside of each frame using marked drill points and pilot holes for precise alignment. Mounting the slide to the bottom edge of the frame helped keep them level and prevented the thicker cabinet-member piece from protruding above the frame once reassembled.
Inside the cabinet I temporarily held the frame in place, marked the cabinet rail positions, drilled pilot holes, and screwed the cabinet members into the finished faces. This step is easier with an extra pair of hands to steady the frame while you secure the slides, so recruiting help is a good idea.
After mounting and leveling both sides and reattaching the drawer members, I tested the slides and confirmed smooth extension and soft close. Once the mechanics were solid, the baskets fit snugly in the frames and slid in and out without issue. We opted for two basket drawers; the store only had two matching baskets, and the space behind them already contained an outlet we wanted to use.
We added a small shelf above the baskets out of scrap wood to take advantage of that outlet. It became a handy charging station and a spot for a portable Bluetooth speaker, which also improved the kitchen’s functionality and ambiance. To give the drawer fronts and the shelf a unified, finished look, we attached thin face boards that hid the slides and provided a clean aesthetic.
Finishing required staining the new pieces to blend with our existing cabinets. We darkened the raw wood with a coat of Dark Walnut stain, then applied multiple coats of a PolyShades finish in a Tudor tone to approach the look of the surrounding cabinets. It took three coats to get close to a consistent color; the new pieces aren’t a perfect match but they complement the cabinets well.
We also used a small runner to cover some worn laminate flooring beneath the cabinet opening, which improved the overall appearance. The baskets now hold dish towels and paper napkins in the top drawer and cloth napkins in the bottom drawer, creating a neat, centralized storage solution that keeps the kitchen more organized and functional.
Overall, the sliding baskets are a simple DIY that maximize underused space, add convenient kitchen storage, and give us a hands-on opportunity to evaluate a feature we might include in a future remodel. They’re practical, inexpensive compared with custom cabinetry, and a gratifying little upgrade for everyday use.
What projects are you working on lately — kitchen updates, painting, or outdoor improvements? We found this small build made a big difference in daily kitchen life, and it’s inspired us to tackle more upgrades one project at a time.