In this post I’ll show you how I upgraded our pantry with easy DIY pull out drawers. You can transform any cabinet in no time with this trick that will maximize storage and function in your home.
DIY pull-out drawer shelves
There’s nothing worse than not being able to find things and with our pantry, it happened all the time. Because the cabinet was so deep, things got lost easily and it was frustrating.
Not only does it make the routine harder (cooking meals, making school lunches, etc) when you can’t find what you’re looking for but you also end up wasting food and buying extras of things you already have.
To create these DIY pull-out drawer shelves, I simply used the shelves that were already in the cabinet (ripped down with my table saw to make them slightly smaller to allow for a drawer slide) and some scrap MDF boards.
If you don’t have a table saw, no worries! You can use a circular saw and this inexpensive jig to make rip cuts.
If you want to remember this post for later, pin it to your favorite pinterest board!
Start by constructing a box for the drawer shelf
I wanted the sides fairly short so that I could see in them easily but tall enough so that things wouldn’t fall over the edges or back.
I started by figuring out my measurements. I did this by measuring the opening of the cabinet and subtracting the width of the drawer slides.
Next, I constructed a box which will act as the drawer sides. Constructing a box is pretty easy as long as your measurements and cuts are accurate and each corner is perfectly squared (use a speed square to check!)
If you need help with using your miter saw to make accurate cuts, I have some tips and tricks for you in this article – just click here!
To assemble the box, I used a corner clamp to hold the sides in place. Then, I secured them with wood glue and nails.
I used the shelf that was originally from the cabinet as the bottom of the drawer. I wood glued all the way around and secured with screws.
Attach your drawer slide
To attach the drawer slide, I needed to first attach some supports to the inside of the cabinet so that the drawer slide would bump out and not hit the face frame. This is why I measured the opening of the cabinet and not the interior.
When working with drawer slides, it’s best to first detach the slides from each other. That way, you can install the part that goes inside the cabinet and the part that goes on the drawer separately. This way, you’ll have better control over the measurements.
I chose to attach the drawer slides to the bottom part of the pull-out shelf (the part that was the original cabinet shelf.)
Finishing touches on your pull-out shelves
The function was already greatly improved at this point but we can’t forget about style! First, I used some leftover paint I had from my sons closet. Then, I made some DIY leather pulls out of some leather I had on hand.
Side note: If you don’t have leather hanging around the house, you can get a pack of leather pulls super cheap on Amazon – like these ones!
Overall, this project took only a day! Best of all, didn’t cost me anything other than the drawer slides as I had most of the materials on hand!
Now, my cabinet pantry is so much more organized. I can easily pull out the shelves to find exactly what I need! Nothing gets lost in the back anymore and that’s definitely a WIN!
Check out the Instagram Reel I made for the DIY pull-out drawer shelves below!
If you want to follow along projects like this in real-time, be sure to follow me on Instagram and check out my stories!
