One of the quickest ways to improve your kitchen—especially before hosting family or guests—is to address the clutter you see every day. Chief among these? The trash can.
For many homes, the trash bin sits exposed at the end of a cabinet or in a high-traffic area. It’s visible, occasionally in the way, and rarely a design feature. But with thoughtful planning, you can integrate waste storage into your cabinetry—and improve both appearance and functionality in the process.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to hide your kitchen trash can inside a cabinet, how to plan for it in a renovation, and what other kitchen essentials you might want to conceal before your next gathering.
Why Hide the Trash Can?
Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner or managing daily life, a well-planned kitchen hides the mess and highlights the intention behind every detail.
Here’s why more homeowners are choosing to tuck their bins behind closed doors:
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Cleaner visual lines
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More open floor space
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Odor containment
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Improved kitchen traffic flow
A hidden trash bin contributes to a kitchen that feels orderly, not improvised—especially in high-use seasons like the holidays.
Popular Cabinet Options for Hiding Trash
There are three primary ways to incorporate a trash can into your cabinetry design:
1. Pull-Out Trash Base Cabinets
This is the most common and practical option. A pull-out frame mounted inside a base cabinet holds one or two bins (trash + recycling). It’s accessed with a simple pull of the drawer face.
Standard widths: 15″, 18″, or 21″ depending on bin size and configuration.
Benefits:
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Soft-close slides reduce noise
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Bins are removable for easy cleaning
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Keeps odors contained and pets out
2. Tilt-Out Trash Compartments
This design uses a front panel that tilts forward on a hinge, with the bin mounted on the back of the door. Often used in smaller kitchens or utility spaces.
Benefits:
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Requires less cabinet depth
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Visually minimal
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Good for light-duty use (e.g. compost or paper waste)
3. Drawer-In-Drawer Trash Storage
Some modern cabinet lines offer an interior drawer behind a larger face—great for storing compost bins, bag rolls, or cleaning supplies alongside your trash can.
Benefits:
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Efficient vertical use of space
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Keeps bins + accessories in one cabinet
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Often part of luxury or semi-custom cabinet lines
Planning for Trash Storage in a Renovation
If you’re remodeling or replacing cabinetry, include trash placement early in the layout process. Key questions:
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Which zone does trash most often accumulate in? (Prep station? Island?)
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Do you need one bin or two? (Trash + recycling?)
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Do you want the bin near the sink, or between two work areas?
The right location makes daily cleanup easier—and gives guests a clear place to dispose of trash without asking.
What Else Can Be Hidden in Kitchen Cabinets?
While the trash bin is often the first item homeowners look to conceal, today’s cabinet designs allow for far more comprehensive hidden storage solutions. These options do more than clean up your kitchen’s appearance—they support smoother routines, eliminate countertop congestion, and allow the space to function elegantly under pressure, especially when hosting.
Here are several features to consider if you’re planning a cabinet upgrade that looks intentional, not improvised:
1. Small Appliances
Bulky countertop appliances—like toasters, blenders, coffee machines, or stand mixers—can dominate precious workspace. Built-in solutions allow you to store these items behind closed doors, often with integrated electrical access for use without moving them.
Common integrations include:
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Appliance garages with retractable doors or tambour lifts
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Lift-up shelves from base cabinets for heavy mixers
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Pocket door units that tuck away neatly when open
These additions maintain counter space while ensuring equipment remains accessible.
2. Paper Towel Storage
Paper towels are necessary, but rarely add to a room’s visual appeal. Modern cabinetry allows these essentials to be tucked out of sight while staying within reach.
Options include:
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Drawer-mounted dispensers installed horizontally or vertically
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Under-sink slots with front-facing cutouts
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Tilt-out base compartments located near primary prep zones
Each of these solutions supports an uncluttered, high-function kitchen environment.
3. Pet Bowl Drawers and Food Storage
For pet owners, hidden feeding and storage stations reduce floor clutter and improve kitchen flow. These features integrate seamlessly into the base cabinet line.
Functional additions may include:
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A pull-out drawer with inset food and water bowls
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A sealed base cabinet bin for pet food or treats
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Designated storage space near entryways for leashes, supplies, or waste bags
Thoughtfully planned, these stations can serve daily needs without compromising design.
4. Charging Stations and Device Drawers
Managing phones, tablets, and cords in the kitchen creates visual and practical challenges. Charging drawers allow you to centralize electronics discreetly.
Key features to consider:
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Drawer interiors wired with USB ports and standard outlets
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Built-in cable routing channels
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Device organizing trays for multiple family members
This is especially helpful when the kitchen doubles as a workspace or family command center.
5. Cleaning Supply Management
Cleaning products are often stored under the sink, but they need not contribute to disorder. With the right cabinet modifications, these supplies can be organized and out of sight.
Smart options include:
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Narrow base pull-outs beside the sink with tiered caddies
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Tall pantry organizers with vertical dividers for brooms and mops
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Tilt-down trays integrated into sink fronts for scrubbers or cloths
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Combined pull-out systems for trash, recycling, and cleaning essentials
When properly integrated, cleaning zones are both practical and discreet.
6. Beverage and Entertaining Supplies
During the holidays or frequent gatherings, beverage service areas can disrupt a kitchen’s overall layout. Hidden beverage stations support entertaining without compromising space or flow.
Consider the following:
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Pull-out drawers with compartments for bottles and stemware
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Fold-down cocktail stations housed in upper cabinets
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Hidden wine cubbies that match cabinetry finishes
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Under-counter refrigerators concealed behind cabinet doors
These additions keep the kitchen ready for guests, while preserving its everyday rhythm.
7. Recycling and Compost Storage
If you’re already planning to conceal a trash bin, it often makes sense to expand that system to include recycling and compost. Integrated multi-bin pull-outs support sorting while maintaining order.
Useful configurations include:
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Full-extension cabinets with dual or triple removable bins
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Compost-specific bins with ventilation and sealing features
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Under-sink or island storage that aligns with kitchen work zones
These features encourage sustainable habits without introducing visual clutter.
Cloud9 Cabinetry Can Help You Design a Cleaner, Smarter Kitchen
When it comes to cabinetry upgrades that combine appearance with everyday utility, few investments pay off as directly as hidden storage. Cloud9 offers:
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Trash and recycling cabinet kits in both inset and full-overlay styles
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Pull-out base cabinets designed for hosting-heavy kitchens
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Accessory recommendations that match your space and budget
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Expert guidance on what’s worth hiding—and what should stay visible
Ready to prepare your kitchen before the season gets busy? Stop by a showroom or bring us your measurements. No appointment required.
Frequently Asked Questions: Hiding Trash Cans in Kitchen Cabinets
1. Can any kitchen cabinet be used to hide a trash can?
Not all cabinets are built to hold the weight and motion of trash bins. Pull-out trash cabinets are designed with reinforced slides and durable hardware to handle daily use.
2. How wide should a cabinet be to fit a trash bin?
Most trash pull-out cabinets range from 15 to 21 inches wide. A 15″ width fits a single bin; 18″ or wider accommodates dual bins.
3. Where is the best location for a trash cabinet?
Ideally, place your trash bin near the sink and prep area, where most waste is generated. If space allows, a second bin near the cleanup zone can be helpful.
4. Can I install a hidden trash bin without a full remodel?
Yes. Many cabinet lines—including those offered by Cloud9—include retrofit kits that can be added to existing base cabinets, depending on dimensions and construction.
5. What else should I consider hiding in my kitchen cabinets?
Other smart concealment options include paper towels, charging stations, cleaning supplies, small appliances, and even pet bowls—all of which reduce visual clutter.
Design with Hosting (and Daily Use) in Mind
Hiding the trash bin isn’t just a design choice—it’s a way to improve how your kitchen functions every day. Whether you’re prepping for the holidays or just tired of looking at exposed waste bins, integrating trash storage into your cabinetry is a small change with outsized results.
And once you start hiding what doesn’t belong on display, you’ll find there’s a smarter way to live with your space—without making it feel smaller or more complicated.
