How to Add Pull Down Shelves for Kitchen Wall Cabinets

• By: Corey Turner
• Updated: August 1, 2021
• In: How To's

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Imagine…no more foot stools, no more standing on chairs, no more jumping up and down to see what you have up in the mysterious top shelf.

You don’t have to be “height challenged” to get all the benefits that pull down shelves offer. It’s all about easy access with this type of cabinet organizer.

So, if you’re looking for that easy access it might be time to bring your hard-to-reach upper cabinet items down to an ideal height.

What will best suit your needs for cabinet organization? Some of the best upper wall cabinet organizers will not only be pull down shelving, but can also be door mounted storage solutions or simply sit inside with no “installation” needed.

How You Can Benefit From Pull Down Shelves

There’s lots of places we can incorporate this type of accessory within our homes. Pull down shelves are one of those unique products we don’t know we need until we see one.

Where to use pull down shelves:

• Above stove
• Above the microwave
• Over the refrigerator
• In hard-to-reach cabinets
• ADA (Americans Disabilities Act) designs

Types of Pull Down Shelves for Upper Cabinets

The main option for pull down shelves in kitchen cabinets will be the wire baskets.

Wire basket storage accessories can be used all around the kitchen in both upper and lower cabinets. Put all the hard-to-reach items in a safe and secure spot that you can quickly access with a pull bar.

• Wire Baskets
• Spice Organizers
• Dish Storage
• Medicine/Prescription Storage

How to Install Pull Down Shelves in Kitchen Cabinets

I would recommend getting a pull down organizer you feel comfortable installing. Some may seem complicated and a little overwhelming, but don’t be deterred. If you have necessary tools (drill, screwdrivers), you’ll be able to accomplish this.

There may be a few nuances to look into though. Things like cabinet type and cabinet dimensions are of course, important.

You’ll also need to know the dimensions of the pull down shelving product to allow for plenty of operational room both inside and outside of the cabinet.

Standard wall cabinet depth

When installing pull out accessories inside your cabinets you’ll want to make sure they’re compatible with your cabinet size.

You don’t want to waste your time and more importantly, your hard-earned money.

The standard depth of a wall cabinet is 12″. The widths will usually mimic the base cabinets and be 15″, 18″, 24″, 30″ and so on.

How far away from the cabinet do they extend?

This will of course vary depending on the type of pull down shelving unit and the manufacturer that makes it, but they will typically extend 15″-30″ away from the front of the cabinet.

This is where you’ll want to pay attention to the product dimensions both inside the cabinet and outside as you may have a microwave or items below that could interfere with it’s location.

Where does it mount?

Pull down shelves mount on the inside of the cabinet. Most will simply mount to the base of the cabinet floor with screws on the front and back of the pull down.

Some can also mount to the inner left and right side walls of the cabinet. This is ideal for those who have high cabinet and want to store items below the pull down.

One tip…if possible, make sure to mount the pull down toward the front of the cabinet. This will allow it to potentially avoid anything protruding below it and allow it to reach the ultimate distance.

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