How to Make Cabinet Pullout Organizers

Measure the width and depth of the cabinet’s insides. The width is the horizontal distance from edge to edge, and the depth is the distance from the back wall of the cabinet to the back of the cabinet’s opening.

Cut the plywood to fit the cabinet’s width and depth. This will be your cabinet’s shelf. Put the shelf inside the cabinet to test its fit. If it doesn’t fit snugly, trim the edges a bit to adjust.

Cut the 2-by-2 board in two sections to fit the cabinet’s depth using a handsaw. These pieces will go on the cabinet’s shelf to support the drawer glides.

Place the 2-by-2 pieces on top of the edges of the plywood that will go down the cabinet’s depth. The length of the 2-by-2s should line up exactly with the edges of the plywood. If they don’t, trim the 2-by-2s to adjust.

Pre-drill holes in the tops of each end of the 2-by-2s, about an inch in from the ends. Screw the 2-by-2s to the plywood.

Place a drawer slide on the inside edge of each 2-by-2. Use a square to ensure that the placement of both slides match up exactly. Mark the slides’ placements and screw locations, using a pencil, and set aside the slides for later.

Fit the shelf inside the cabinet at least 7 inches down from the top edge of the cabinet’s opening. Use a square to test that the shelf is even.

Pre-drill four evenly-spaced holes on the inner sides of the 2-by-2s. These holes should not interfere with the glides’ screw locations. Screw the 2-by-2s to the cabinet walls to secure the shelf to the inside of the cabinet.

Pre-drill holes in the glides’ screw locations and screw the glides to the 2-by-4s.

Cut a piece of plywood to make the base of the organizer. Make the length equal to the cabinet depth and the width equal to the cabinet width minus 1-1/2 inches. This will allow your organizer to fit between the 2-by-2s and drawer glides.

Cut two 1-by-6 boards to fit the width of the organizer base. Cut two 1-by-6 boards to fit the depth of the organizer, minus 2 inches. These will be the sides of the organizer.

Pre-drill three equally-spaced holes on each end of the front and back boards. Screw these boards to the side boards to make the organizer frame.

Nail the plywood base to the organizer frame to make a finished box.

Turn the organizer over so the plywood base faces up. Place drawer slides on the edges of the organizer that will go along the cabinet’s depth. Mark the placement of the slides’ screw holes.

Pre-drill holes in the organizer where you marked the slides’ screw holes. Attach the drawer slides to the organizer.

Slide the organizer into the cabinet shelf.