Maximize your deep cabinet storage with mesh pull out drawers! Step by step instructions on how to install multiple drawers inside of a cabinet.

Are you tired of having to pull everything out of the cabinet to get that one item you need in the back?

Deep cabinets are great, so why not maximize your storage by adding mesh pull out drawers?

It’s an easy DIY project to add drawers to a cabinet, so you’ll never have to pull everything out again!

Storage Solution for Deep Cabinets

Are you tired of having to get down on the floor and stick your head inside of the cabinet just to see what is inside of it?

Or maybe like me you have to empty everything out of the cabinet to get one item in the back.

Deep cabinets are amazing, but usually don’t maximize storage efficiently. Here is what mine looks like:

A mess! So I decided not only did I want to organize them, but also install pull out drawers.

Cabinet drawers are great for so many reasons, but mainly because they pull out so you can look DOWN INTO THEM!

No longer will you have to get on the floor and pull everything out because you now can pull out the drawer to see what you have.

Contains hand selected products, with affiliate marketing links where I may make a small commission if a purchase is made. {full disclosure here}

Elfa Mesh Cabinet Pull-Out Drawers

First I took some measurements of the inside of my cabinet to see if pull out drawers would fit.

The inside of my cabinet was 30 inches wide between the concealed hinges and 23 inches deep.

After a google search, I landed on the Elfa mesh cabinet pull out drawers at The Container store (plus they were 30% off!).

I’ve actually been eying them since I wrote the post: 18 Helpful Products that Maximize Storage.

They are very affordable and come in a variety of widths and depths plus looked easy to install.

So I placed an order for the deepest option they make and mapped out I could install 4 drawers:

2 ea. Elfa Narrow 2-Runner Mesh Easy Glider White (12-7/8″ x 20-3/4″ x 8-1/2″ h)
2 ea. Elfa Medium 2-Runner Mesh Easy Glider White (16-7/8″ x 20-3/4″ x 8-1/2″ h)

White worked well for my kitchen because the inside is white, but there is a “platinum” Elfa pull-out drawer option for darker cabinet colors.

After watching the installation videos on The Container store website the installation looked simple.

So off I went to install them and record a much more DETAILED reality based installation video 🙂

How-to Install Elfa Pull-Out Drawers Inside a Cabinet

We will walk step by step through installation, with lots of tips along the way.

I highly encourage to not only read the instructions, but also watch the video all the way through to see the challenges I faced.

Installation for 4 drawers took about 1 hour start to finish.

Installing Mesh Pull-Out Drawers Inside Cabinets

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Step by step how to install Elfa mesh cabinet pull-out drawers. Maximize deep cabinet storage with drawers.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 45 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Difficulty Medium

Estimated Cost $100

Materials

Elfa Mesh Easy Glide Pull Out Drawers

Tools

Instructions

Empty cabinet completely and clean thoroughly. I used a 1/3 bleach 2/3 water spray and paper towels.
Place drawers on frames in cabinet. Measure in between cabinet hinges to determine general drawer placement.
Ensure cabinet doors can close and drawers can be full closed. Recommended installation is 2 inches back from the edge of the shelf. Mark end of each rail with a pencil.
Gently remove drawers from frames and make sure they stay on the marks you just made. Using a pencil mark the 4 holes of the bottom frame for screw placement.
Remove frame from cabinet to expose marks where screws will be installed.
Attach a small drill bit to drill and create 1/4" pilot holes for screws. This makes it much easier to install the frame in the exact location marked.
Using a Phillips head attachment, install screw through frame onto the cabinet shelf. Reinstall frame rail that the drawer attaches to.
Attach plastic clips to frame 1 inch in on all 4 corners. Ensure clip hole placement is to the inside of the frame. Set drawer in place paying attention to the overhang in the front and make sure it's centered side to side. Screw into place with white screws provided.
If installing 2 drawers side by side, ensure they are aligned with each other and can be pulled out without hitting each other.
Install all drawers in cabinet. Make any necessary alignment adjustments by removing white screws from clip and adjusting drawer placement on frame...side to side or front to back.
Reorganize cabinet and fill with items that make the most sense in the new drawers!

Notes

If you have two drills, use one for the drill bit and one for the Phillips head attachment to speed up installation.
You may need a short Phillips head screw driver to attach the white screws/drawers to the frame clips in tight spaces versus using a power drill.
If the drawers aren't aligned or hitting frame or hinge, adjust by removing screws from clips and reattaching after making necessary adjustments.

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How-to-install-elfa-pull-out-mesh-drawers-in-a-cabinet-organize-deep-cabinets

Organization Ideas for Pull-Out Drawers

Can I tell you how much I LOVE the new set up inside of my cabinets.

The deep cabinet space works so much better for me and my family.

Where this cabinet is in my kitchen is by both the kitchen sink, coffee maker, and the cooktop.

organize-elfa-mesh-cabinet-pull-out-drawers-with-kitchen-pots-and-pans

Now I have all of my pots, lids, and pans within easy reach for cooking. I was really surprised the lid organizer fit in the drawer, along with 8 lids!

Then just under my coffee maker, I’ve got easy access to coffee additives, protein powders, and also created a “smoothie” drawer for our NutriBullet.

Everything is so much easier to reach and no more head in the cabinet digging for what I need!

Happiness is an organized cabinet, I plan to install more of these drawers around my kitchen, bath and laundry room 🙂

Helpful Kitchen Decorating Tutorials

Porch Daydreamer

Tracey

4 Comments

Stephanie says:

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Doood…,

I’m loving your posts! Subscribing now. Thank you for practical solutions, clear instruction and seriously useful ideas.

I’m all fired up to make life function at this junction.

Steph

1. [email protected] says:
  
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  Hi! So glad this helped. I’m getting ready to use these drawers in a new project, so it’s good you subscribed and see what I do next!
  
MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!) says:

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Tracey, you are such an amazing gal at everything you do in your home to improve things! I admire you for not being afraid to tackle things that look so difficult. You have done such a great job with adding all your personal touches. Your home is so beautiful! I think you need to put all your info in a book! All of us would buy a copy!

Also, Tracey, it was nice to read that you rang in the New Year with your ex! Just goes to say that the “spark” is still there! Sometimes it takes some years apart to realize that maybe things can really work out. I wish you all the best! Only you know your heart!

Have a great week! Thanks for always giving us the “how-to” and making them look so easy! Your instructions are always great, too!

Take care! Hope your Dad is doing OK in his new home and that your dear Mom is doing OK on her own. This has not been an easy adjustment for either of them — or you — but so glad that your Dad is in a place where he can get all the special care he needs. This must be a blessing to know that he is being well taken care of. This decision was not an easy one for you or your Mom but was the best decision given the circumstances.

Have a great week!

Mary-Ann (From Canada!)

1. [email protected] says:
  
  at
  
  Hey, Mary-Ann (From Canada!)…wow! It was so nice to read your kind words! I really appreciate your support for me both on the blog and personally. A book? Someday maybe I’ll do that! There are a couple of books I’d like to write 😉

Organize Cabinets with Pull-Out Drawers

Maximize your deep cabinet storage with mesh pull out drawers! Step by step instructions on how to install multiple drawers inside of a cabinet.

Storage Solution for Deep Cabinets

Elfa Mesh Cabinet Pull-Out Drawers

How-to Install Elfa Pull-Out Drawers Inside a Cabinet