9 Neat Ways to Deal with Rubbish
Work out a tidy solution for your kitchen waste with these ideas
A new bin is unlikely to be top of anyone’s dream-kitchen wish list, but rubbish needs to be dealt with, and it pays to think in advance about where you’re going to put it.
If you’re planning a new kitchen from scratch, remember to factor in a bin at the design stage, whether it’s integrated into a drawer or you leave a dedicated spot for a standalone design.
Alternatively, if you’re fed up with where your current bin lives but are not planning a kitchen overhaul anytime soon, take a look at these ideas to see whether they could be adapted to suit your own rubbish requirements…
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If you’re planning a new kitchen from scratch, remember to factor in a bin at the design stage, whether it’s integrated into a drawer or you leave a dedicated spot for a standalone design.
Alternatively, if you’re fed up with where your current bin lives but are not planning a kitchen overhaul anytime soon, take a look at these ideas to see whether they could be adapted to suit your own rubbish requirements…
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Place it where you work
Rather than siting rubbish bins under the sink, this neat bin drawer pulls out from under the food preparation area, making it super-easy to sweep away peel and trimmings ready for recycling or composting.
This would be a time-efficient solution for keen cooks, as it minimises trips to the bin and also helps to keep the area tidy as you work.
Rather than siting rubbish bins under the sink, this neat bin drawer pulls out from under the food preparation area, making it super-easy to sweep away peel and trimmings ready for recycling or composting.
This would be a time-efficient solution for keen cooks, as it minimises trips to the bin and also helps to keep the area tidy as you work.
Minimise mess
Councils are increasingly moving to fortnightly bin collections, with a greater emphasis on recycling and food-waste collection. So the need for one huge, hungry bin that eats everything is receding. A neat system like this encourages frequent emptying into the main dustbin outside, and allows the overall look of the kitchen to remain bin-free.
In an existing kitchen design, check to see if any cupboards could be repurposed to house a system like this – perhaps crockery could be moved to open shelving or pots and pans stored on a hanging rack to free up a cupboard.
Tempted by the idea of black in the kitchen? Look at these stylish black fridge-freezers
Councils are increasingly moving to fortnightly bin collections, with a greater emphasis on recycling and food-waste collection. So the need for one huge, hungry bin that eats everything is receding. A neat system like this encourages frequent emptying into the main dustbin outside, and allows the overall look of the kitchen to remain bin-free.
In an existing kitchen design, check to see if any cupboards could be repurposed to house a system like this – perhaps crockery could be moved to open shelving or pots and pans stored on a hanging rack to free up a cupboard.
Tempted by the idea of black in the kitchen? Look at these stylish black fridge-freezers
Think sink
An existing drawer under a sink could easily be remodelled to house bins, as seen here.
This area can often become a magnet for clutter – multiple cleaning products that all do the same thing; garden tools that really should have made it back into the shed – so this idea not only offers a neat solution for bins, it encourages a more streamlined approach to under-sink storage, too.
An existing drawer under a sink could easily be remodelled to house bins, as seen here.
This area can often become a magnet for clutter – multiple cleaning products that all do the same thing; garden tools that really should have made it back into the shed – so this idea not only offers a neat solution for bins, it encourages a more streamlined approach to under-sink storage, too.
Lift the lid
It has to be said that a food waste caddy is not the most aesthetically pleasing item to have out on display, so how about stashing it out of sight in the cupboard under the sink? This nifty design has a simple chain attached to lift the lid when the cupboard door is opened. Smart.
It has to be said that a food waste caddy is not the most aesthetically pleasing item to have out on display, so how about stashing it out of sight in the cupboard under the sink? This nifty design has a simple chain attached to lift the lid when the cupboard door is opened. Smart.
Fit the brief
No spare cupboard space to sacrifice to the rubbish gods? Never fear, there are plenty of stylish freestanding solutions around.
If you have no choice but to keep your bins on display, go for a style that reflects the look of the room, so it fits as part of the overall scheme. These vintage-style dustbins go well with the homely feel of this kitchen, and are tucked out of the way in a window recess.
No spare cupboard space to sacrifice to the rubbish gods? Never fear, there are plenty of stylish freestanding solutions around.
If you have no choice but to keep your bins on display, go for a style that reflects the look of the room, so it fits as part of the overall scheme. These vintage-style dustbins go well with the homely feel of this kitchen, and are tucked out of the way in a window recess.
Let it shine
A slick kitchen, on the other hand, demands a sleek bin. The rectangular shape of this model echoes the other stainless-steel appliances in the scheme, giving a streamlined look.
Having a foot-operated pedal to open the bin, as here, also means you don’t have to touch the lid each time you use it.
Sorted your indoor bins? Check out these ideas for outside rubbish storage
A slick kitchen, on the other hand, demands a sleek bin. The rectangular shape of this model echoes the other stainless-steel appliances in the scheme, giving a streamlined look.
Having a foot-operated pedal to open the bin, as here, also means you don’t have to touch the lid each time you use it.
Sorted your indoor bins? Check out these ideas for outside rubbish storage
Go for a colour
Another way to fit a standalone bin into your scheme is to make it a feature of the room. Step away from the usual stainless-steel designs and go for something colourful.
Choose a muted pastel with a matt finish to introduce a sophisticated accent shade, as here, or, if colour isn’t your thing, go for black or white as a more subtle alternative to stainless steel.
How have you dealt with the rubbish in your kitchen? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Another way to fit a standalone bin into your scheme is to make it a feature of the room. Step away from the usual stainless-steel designs and go for something colourful.
Choose a muted pastel with a matt finish to introduce a sophisticated accent shade, as here, or, if colour isn’t your thing, go for black or white as a more subtle alternative to stainless steel.
How have you dealt with the rubbish in your kitchen? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
With general rubbish, food waste and recycling to consider, giving over the whole area under the sink to a complete waste system makes sense in a busy home. The pull-out design makes it easy to access, and the separate units lift out, so they’re a doddle to empty.
A fully integrated design like this means there’s no need for any precious floor or worktop space to be taken up with ugly rubbish caddies.