Under-Cabinet Drawer Storage: Add a Drawer Without Drilling

Plenty of small kitchens, especially in rentals, have one or two drawers and a lot of cabinets. That leaves tea bags, spice packets, measuring spoons and twist ties with nowhere to go but the back of a shelf. If you can't add a real drawer, you can still add a small one: under a shelf, in space you're already not using.

Here's how under-cabinet drawer storage works, where it fits, and how to install it without drilling.

What an under-shelf drawer is

An under-shelf (or under-cabinet) drawer is a small, shallow drawer that mounts to the underside of a shelf or cabinet instead of sitting on it. It uses the empty air between the top of your jars and the shelf above. The no-drill versions attach with adhesive; others mount with screws or clip onto the shelf edge.

The stick-on drawer in our Spice & Pantry Door Kit is about 8.7 × 6.1 × 1.4 in (22 × 15.5 × 3.5 cm) with pre-applied adhesive, sized for small, light things.

Where it works (and where it doesn't)

Good spots:

  • Under a cabinet shelf that has space above the items stored below it.
  • Under the bottom of an upper cabinet, above the counter, if the surface is smooth and you don't mind it being visible.
  • Inside a pantry-style cabinet with solid, smooth shelves.

Skip it if:

  • The shelf is wire, slatted or glass with gaps. Adhesive needs a solid, flat surface.
  • The underside is textured, unfinished, peeling or covered in contact paper.
  • It sits right above the stove or kettle, where heat and steam can weaken adhesive.

If the shelf isn't suitable for adhesive, look for a basket that clips or slides onto the shelf instead. Those need the right shelf thickness, so measure it first.

Measure before you buy

  1. Width and depth of the underside. The drawer's footprint has to fit on a flat area, clear of the cabinet frame and hinges.
  2. Height below the shelf. Measure from the underside of the shelf to the tallest item stored below it. You need room for the drawer's height plus a little space to pull it out without hitting jars.
  3. Pull-out room. Open the cabinet door fully and make sure the drawer can slide out past the door and the frame.

Our Size & Fit Guide has more on measuring cabinets.

What to keep in it

An under-shelf drawer is for small, light things you reach for often and that get lost on a shelf:

  • Spice and seasoning packets
  • Tea bags and drink mixes
  • Measuring spoons
  • Twist ties, clips and rubber bands
  • Birthday candles, matches, a spare lighter

Keep heavy items out of it. An adhesive drawer is holding everything upside down, so less weight means it stays put longer.

How to install a stick-on drawer so it holds

  1. Empty the shelf below so you can see and reach the underside.
  2. Dry-fit it. Hold the drawer in place and open and close the cabinet door to check clearance before peeling anything.
  3. Clean the surface with rubbing alcohol and let it dry completely. Grease and dust are the main reasons adhesive fails in a kitchen.
  4. Test first. Try a small piece of adhesive on a hidden spot, since some paints and finishes can lift when it's removed.
  5. Press firmly across the whole adhesive area for the time the instructions say. Working upside down, it helps to press from below with the flat of your hand.
  6. Wait before loading. Many adhesives keep getting stronger for a day or more. Follow the product's instructions and give it time before you fill it.

Moving out

Empty the drawer, then peel the mount off slowly rather than yanking it. If it resists, warm the adhesive with a hair dryer on low for a minute. Clean any residue with a little rubbing alcohol. That's the whole reason to go no-drill: nothing to fill, sand or paint on move-out day.

Make the drawers you already have work harder

An extra drawer helps most when the real ones aren't a mess. Cut-to-fit drawer dividers give utensils and gadgets their own lanes, so the small stuff moves into the new under-shelf drawer and everything else has a place. For more ideas, see Spice Storage Ideas for a Small Kitchen and How to Organize a Small Apartment Kitchen Without Drilling.

Where to get one

Our stick-on under-shelf drawer comes in the Spice & Pantry Door Kit, together with two peel-and-stick cabinet door storage boxes and a roll of 120 chalkboard labels with a marker. That's the door, the jars and the packet drawer for one cabinet, in one box, with free shipping to the contiguous US.

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