Hello
I am remodeling a kitchen and must tell my cabinet maker specifications for the garbage area. I plan to put the garbage in the island and away from the sink. The island is where I will do all my prep work, the location is also directly across from the sink and the dishwasher. The space I have to work within is roughly 18-28″ wide by 16 deep and counter height. I will do some composting but will most likely use a separate container on the counter.
My questions are:
1. How big should a garbage be, for example is a 30 quart container big enough for a family of four if you empty it every 2-3 days?
2. I’m thinking I would like it higher to the counter top than most by say putiing a drawer below the pull out drawer rather than above it.
3. I would like it to have full extension drawers and perhaps a hole in the soapstone or butcher block counter top to swoosh all the prep waste into it.
I would appreciate any suggestions or ideas about how to make this work simply and smoothly.
in Seattle
Replies
First off, I'd suggest you look at what you've got now & what its size is. Is it sufficient for you, do you need more, or what. Then you can begin working on specs. Google "Pull-out trash", or some such thing & you'll have a million hits. Here's two websites I used:
http://shelvesthatslide.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=STS&Category_Code=TR
(We're getting the two 50 quart pull out from the above site. We currently have a 40 some-odd quart for trash alone. There's two of us. We take out the trash once a week. This will fit in 18" wide cabinet.)
http://www.kitchensource.com/trash/rv-welcomepull-out.html
As far as item #2, with drawers above or below the trash, well, you'd only be looking at really small trash containers. If you want multiple trash locations, separated by function, you'll need to do some more research, but the above sites would also have smaller receptacles.
On the web, I have seen little stainless steel inserts which can be dropped down into a countertop to hold peelings & a little bit of trash from prep zones. They usually have stainless steel tops. I don't have any saved hyperlinks to those b/c I wasn't going to use them. Again, you should be able to find them by searching the web. I know I saw them on some of the Italian kitchen cabinet websites as an accessory. I can't remember where else I saw them.
Good luck,
-a
I have simplified trash in our home by taking advantage of the plastic grocery bags which were being trashed themselves. When preparing a meal, I utilize a bag lying either on the counter or in one of the sinks; once completed, I tie & drop into the trash can in the garage.
Obviously this may not work where there are children always around but it works where there are only two adults. Should guests be present & inquire where is the trash, a plastic can sits beneath the sink which is handy when needed though the two of us, as residents, seldom use except for cans, etc for recycling/emergencies.
A trash compactor exists in our home but this is used for storing the plastic bags. The compactor bags were too heavy, costly & smelly if not emptied daily. Actually nothing smells worse than a few beer cans sitting in a compactor for a few days!
In addition, with the plastic bags now in the garage, there is never the need for the "I forgot to get the kitchen trash".
Cabinet makers now have all the costly solutions to store our garbage. For those who need it, great! I just prefer to utilize my space for storage of something other than garbage. My new cabinets will not have a pull-out garbage cabinet.
I understand - "What works for one is not necessarily the only way to accomplish a task for another".
 23329.36 in reply to 23329.32 Yes, I used to recycle the grocery bags, I always asked for a combo and they woul give me a paper bag covered with a plastic bag and I kept it under the kitchen sink. It would still ocasionally ooze goop. Also I have a detached garage and down two flights of stairs.But I am redoing the kitchen and wanted to get it out from under the sink where someone was usually working and closer to the area where I would be doing the prep work So...I didn't want to eat up my island space with the common 22" deep systems on the market.
So, I've opted for one large 50 gallon plastic garbage container.It is 11 1/4 " wide, 15 5/8" deep and 23 3/4" high and will fit in a 16" by 14" cabinet open drawer allowing room for more drawer space on the island and overhang for pulling up stools at the other end.I will have it built as close to the top of the counter as possible for swooshing trash from the prep area and scraping dishes before loading into the dish washer opposite (no stooping) with a drawer for garbage bags below.I will use a small compost container on the counter.Recyclables will be in a 12" deep pantry using one large 23 gallon Slim Jim
23 1/8Lx11Wx30H beneath a 36" High shelf with a microwave and pantry items above that. I hope this works , Thank you all for your help. In SeattleEdited 7/8/2005 4:07 pm ET by in seattleEdited 7/8/2005 4:08 pm ET by in seattle
Edited 7/8/2005 4:14 pm ET by in seattle
With your having 2 flights of stairs & detached garage, I also would opt for "in the kitchen" containment of garbage. Sounds like you have it worked out perfectly.
Never considered requesting a combo of both a plastic & paper bag at the grocery though I recall the days prior to plastic. Those paper bags always leaked!
Good Luck & Enjoy your new kitchen!
It's probably just me, but when I'm preparing food my hands tend to get goopy, and then I have to wash them prior to opening the cupboard for trash, then wash them again after throwing away said goopy trash. As a result, I'm not a big fan of putting the garbage into a cupboard, I prefer a trashcan with a footpedal lid. You might consider having your garbage drawer designed so it can be opened hands free.
I agree about opening a garbage with dirty hands.I was thinking of putting a hole in the counter but I haven't decided on the surface. It will be either soapstone or hardrock maple butcher block. If it is soapstone that would probably work I'm not sure about the butcher block though that could get messy and wet. I'll ask the cabinet maker if he can devise a way to open the garbage without using my hands.In Seattle
Why not go with a door that uses a toe-kick magnetic closing? Hands Free!
mimi
I didn't know you could do that. That is a fabulous idea and solves the problem and I won't have to put a hole in the counter.That is just what I need. Do you know who makes such a thing or where to find it or maybe my cabinet maker know all this?Thank you.
in Seattle
Edited 7/9/2005 12:24 am ET by in seattle
I imagine any large hardware store could help you find one, or your builder!
mimi