The Sleek Kitchen Upgrade Hilary Farr Swears By (Even If Homeowners Doubt It At First)

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Hilary Farr isn't afraid to disagree with homeowners, especially when she feels passionately about a sleek upgrade. As the star of HGTV's "Love It or List It" and "Tough Love with Hilary Farr," she has endless experience in home improvement. When it comes to curating a chic kitchen, there is most likely one spot in your kitchen you're forgetting to beautify. In Season 2, Episode 1 of "Tough Love with Hilary Farr," she explained, "Garbage in a kitchen is an issue. It's a tricky one, no question!" Farr's solution? A hidden trash can in a pull-out cabinet.

Farr detailed her approach: "This cabinet is a pull-out for your trash and your recycling." However, not everyone agrees with her concealed solution. To her surprise, the homeowner protested, "No trash cans, please." Farr was shocked by this response and made it her mission to show the homeowner why this was her preferred choice. She explained that she swears by this kitchen upgrade for both practicality and tidiness — among other reasons. As for the freestanding alternative? She used the following phrase: "It's ugly, it's smelly, and it just doesn't work!"

Hilary Farr's preference for hiding the trash can inside a kitchen cabinet comes with a list of pros. She firmly believes you should avoid this one mistake that is making your kitchen look gross. The first reason? Aesthetics. Farr criticized the homeowner's decision to keep the trash can out in the open, asking, "Why would you choose to have it out in plain sight when you could have it in a cabinet out of sight? It is strange."

The second reason Farr insisted that the homeowner reconsider her firm stance was the issue of cleanliness. She exclaimed, "Can I explain to you what you're going to have if you don't have a trash can here? If it's dripping, it's messy — it's whatever from the sink — it will drip on the floor. It will make things messy. It is absolutely not practical!" For an easy way to try out Farr's space-saving, sanitary technique, try a product like this IFGET Modern Tilt-Out Trash Can Cabinet. It allows you to get a feel for the convenient hack before redoing your cabinetry. If you're feeling crafty or prefer to do upgrades yourself, this DIY transforms an old cabinet into the prettiest trash can you've ever seen.