5 Things You Should Never Store Under Your Kitchen Sink

If your kitchen is anything like mine, there's never enough storage space, so the large open cabinet under the kitchen sink seems like a great place to stash some of the excess! But while you should definitely organize and utilize that space, there are some things you definitely shouldn't store there! Here are some of our “definitely not” under the sink items, as well as some suggestions on how to best utilize that cabinet!

5 things you should never store under your kitchen sink

1. Small household appliances

Moisture and electricity don't mix well. Moisture can cause corrosion and damage delicate electrical connections. It can also be dangerous if the device you're plugging in has moisture anywhere, visible or not. Your coffee pot should only wake you up with its caffeine, not an electric shock.

2. Food

Of course, the sink is right next to the dog bowls or near where you make your breakfast. But anything that any member of your family will eat, including your four-legged friends, should not be kept under the sink. This also applies to excess bulk packs from Costco purchases! Even if you keep your pet's food in a sealable plastic container, that's a no-go in our opinion. Just because you keep your pet food in a container or use those cute dispensers for your cereal, there's still a warm and humid environment under the sink that promotes rapid staling, mold, mildew, and bacterial growth. Nobody needs moldy flakes for breakfast and your dog or cat deserves crunchy kibble. Please keep anything edible in the pantry or regular kitchen cabinets.

3. Hazardous or flammable chemicals

Just because you don't store food under your sink doesn't mean it should become a toxic pit. Whether it's batteries, household bleach or other dangerous chemicals, or other flammable items, these items can spontaneously ignite under the wrong conditions, so keep them in a garage, basement or laundry room in a cool, dry place where only adults can access them.

4. Anything that is absorbent

Paper towels, paper shopping bags, extra sponges, or toilet paper don't belong here either. Your sink doesn't have to have a leak to create this moist environment, so store these items in a place where they can stay completely dry.

5. Light bulbs

Although humidity doesn't agree with them, it's their sensitivity that makes light bulbs not great for under-sink storage. They break so easily, and when they break, they SHATTER, and trying to clean up little shards of glass under the sink is a huge pain. Store them somewhere you're unlikely to accidentally smash them.

5 things you can store under your sink

Now that your base cabinet is completely empty (we know we're guilty of all of the things above), how can you make it work for you? Here are some things you may not have thought of to store under the sink, but are perfectly safe.

1. Small compost bin

Heat and humidity are actually good for composting, so if you have a garden or window boxes, try starting a small compost bin! Just make sure you use a sealed bin so you don't give the critters under your sink an open invitation.

2. Recycling bin

This can be a good place to dispose of your recyclables, especially since most plastic and glass containers need to be rinsed out anyway, so you're already at the sink.

3. Vases

Store away any vases from flower deliveries that you can't get rid of, or those you've collected over the years. Flower arrangements are most often arranged in or next to the sink, so it makes a lot of sense to store these right there and free up shelf or cupboard space elsewhere. A word of warning: If you have particularly fragile vases, you probably shouldn't store them under the sink, as they can be a hassle to clean up.

4. Non-toxic cleaning products

You can easily store the huge liter of white vinegar, the simple washing-up liquid or the dishwashing detergent or pods under the sink.

5. Garbage bags

In our house, we have large black garbage bags, regular white garbage bags for the kitchen, recycling bags, and small bags for the small trash cans in the bathrooms and bedrooms. Storing them under the sink is a great way to quickly access everything you need.

The conclusion

While you should definitely make use of the space under your sink, there are some do's and don'ts when it comes to what you should store there. Even if your sink doesn't leak, that cabinet can be warm and humid, so store food and electronics elsewhere.