12 Ikea Solutions To Make Kitchen Trash Cans Less Of An Eyesore

If there's one universal fly in the delightful ointment known as setting up housekeeping, it's the eternal debate about where to dispose of the garbage. Kitchen waste, especially, represents a dilemma for most people, whether they live in a roomy house or a micro apartment. After all, few homes seem designed to keep those unsightly bins from view. And even if you have room to spare in your cupboards to tuck the unsightly garbage away, getting to those bins is not exactly ergonomically friendly –- or very efficient.

Not surprisingly, Ikea has come to the rescue with countless products to cope with kitchen garbage. Some are directly designed to help you hide the eyesores. Others are immensely "hackable" –- people, of course, love to find the best Ikea hacks around -– allowing you to create a personalized system to deal with garbage and even the recyclables that you may store in your kitchen.

Not surprisingly, the Swedish powerhouse goes out of its way to create living systems that are both functional and easy on the eyes. If your own tastes run to the "Ikea style," you may be content to let one of its bins sit out in the open. Start by deciding which is the best gallon size for a trash can for your situation.

When your needs run on the smaller side, the steel KNODD bin is only 4 gallons and comes in a powder coating of white or gray. It has the squat look of an old-fashioned trash can but a cute vibe rather than an industrial one. Along with its retro charm, the KNODD boasts a handy hook in the back, which holds the lid when it's not in use.

While also made of steel, the SULTEN step-trash can is ultra-modern looking and holds 13 gallons of kitchen waste. The bin's features include a soft-close lid and a convenient step-pedal for hands-free operation. The SULTEN, which is taller than it is wide, is especially useful when you don't have much floor space to spare.

Need more than one bin? The DAMMÄNG series comes in 2-, 7-, and 13-gallon sizes, each with its own shape and subtle hue. They boast a stackable design, with foldable lids that allow you to slip garbage, cans, or cardboard in the various bins. Ridged sides and gentle curves give these plastic bins just enough personality to leave them on display, while their attached handles are easy to tote out to empty into outdoor bins.

Many of us watch home improvement shows and thirst for those life-simplifying kitchen garbage systems that combine the visual relief of hiding the garbage under the sink with the convenience of a roll-out system that prevents the need to bend over and peer into that very cabinet. But not all of us have either the budget or the carpentry skills to create the kind of pull-out trash bin system that's not only discreet but also saves on space.

Ikea's HÅLLBAR series includes the HÅLLBAR pull-out frame and coordinating bins. The mounting system is rated by users as easy to install. (If your cabinet floor isn't level with the opening, add some plywood and shims to raise the floor.) You can opt for either two 3-gallon bins or one 6-gallon bin that opens on both ends. Either type is made to fit in the pull-out frame, which pushes back under the cabinet when you're done emptying your kitchen waste into the bins.

Are you in the middle of a minor or even a full-on kitchen reno? Make room for a base cabinet that will not only hide your kitchen garbage but also provide a back-saving pullout drawer for easy access.  So if you're re-doing your cabinets, don't forget to add one that's tailor-made to hide unsightly garbage. While not as inexpensive as the HÅLLBAR system (which of course doesn't include the cabinet), Ikea sells a base cabinet with a pull-out garbage or recycling function. The SEKTION/MAXIMERA base cabinet for recycling has a pull-out drawer in which you can put kitchen garbage and/or recycling.

The unit is available in 27 different colors and wood grains as well as two widths -– 18 inches or 24 inches. The drawer fully extends, allowing you complete access to its 24-inch depth. It also has built-in dampers, designed to keep the "trash door" from making a racket each time you open or close it too quickly. The base cabinet is $226 and matches with other items in the SEKTION/MAXIMERA line.

Similar to Ikea's popular wall-mounted Trones system for stowing shoes and other items, it offers hanging 6-gallon bins for garbage and recycling. With the GÅRDSBUTIK bin with lid, you can hang several for different types of waste and remove each bin from its cradle when it's trash day. The curving, ridged designs look ultra-modern when hanging on the wall, whether as single units or in groups. The design is truly one of the best ways to utilize vertical space in small kitchens since the invention of the mounted microwave!

Designed with separate bracket and flat-backed bin components, the GÅRDSBUTIK has a half-moon cutout for a handle, allowing for both tilt-out access and removal when you need to tote the bin outside. In addition, each unit features an indented, flat lid that allows you to set everything from decorative items to car keys on top. The units are made of 50% recycled plastic and come with pre-drilled holes and hardware for easy hanging.

If you've got a roomy area that's just steps away from the kitchen, consider a stacking system that allows you to separate kitchen garbage and various recyclables. At 10 or 16 gallons for each bin, the SORTERA recycling bins with lid are at least as big as most conventional kitchen garbage cans on the market. The bins each have foldable lids, allowing you to access the one you need without removing others on top of it. You can either have several of the same sizes stacked on top of one another or have a row of the 10-gallon bins sitting atop of the 16-gallon bins.

The only potential drawback to the SORTERA system, which is primarily designed for recycling, is to find a liner that fits the squat, square shape. A large outdoor bin liner can probably do the trick here. But if liners prove to be a sticking point, remember that the DAMMÄNG series is also stackable and suitable for pantries or other kitchen or kitchen-adjacent areas.

In these days of eco-friendly living, kitchen waste must now be sorted into several categories. These include various recyclables, regular garbage –- and, often, organic material destined for the compost bin. The latter category can often be a problem because running to the backyard compost pile every time you peel a carrot is a bit of a bother. So, should you invest in a kitchen countertop composter?  

At under $10, Ikea's grayish-green FARMARKVAST compost bin is roomy but compact enough to sit on the countertop for easy access. The lid keeps odors in place between trips to the compost pile and has a knob that allows it to rest on the bin's rim while the bin is being filled. The sleek design means that the FARMARKVAST is easily rinsed out, eliminating the need for a liner. The mini bin also features a handle for toting. It holds the equivalent of about 17 cups of veggie and fruit scraps as well as other compostable materials such as cardboard scraps.

Stooping to throw away every yogurt lid or scrap of plastic can get tedious -– and time-consuming. It's a vicious cycle of straining your lower back muscles and losing prep momentum every time you run to the bin. To break the cycle, create a countertop way station of non-recyclable garbage that gets tucked into "the mothership" garbage bin at the end of the day. There are a number of hackable options here, from compost bins to buckets and garden vases to pots. Virtually any type of small vessel can hold the day's garbage. In addition to the FARMARKVAST compost bin, Ikea has the equally small SKOLÄST trash can. The latter either hangs over a cabinet door or sits on the counter.

But to truly make the temporary garbage less of an eyesore, consider thinking outside the bin! Try something that blends in with the ornamental features near your sink or with the pots in your windowsill herb garden. Ikea options include a bright yellow KOPPARBJÖRK Vase and a FRIDFULL Plant pot. At the end of the day, just shake the contents of these vessels into your regular kitchen garbage bin, relishing the extra efficiency you've gained from having a disposal site near your meal prep.

Great news -– the sink skirt is making a comeback! Threading cafe curtains or tea towels through a tension rod is a time-honored way to inexpensively hide exposed under-sink areas –- especially if that's where you store your kitchen bins. The fix also works well for other base cabinets with broken off doors when you don't have the budget or know-how to replace the doors. Best of all, you don't even have to hunt for expensive cafe curtains. Ikea's budget-friendly dish towels can be clipped to a rod or curtain wire to hide those unsightly bins.

Ikea's RINNIG dish towel series come in a pack of four towels for under $5. (Of course, a range of styles, sizes and colors are available both online and in an Ikea store.) If you're handy, you can sew them together and include a pocket through which you can feed a tension rod. But there's an even easier, no-sew method. Just attach a slender tension rod, or IKEA's DIGNITET curtain wire system under the cabinet. Next, hang several of the Swedish company's signature dish towels by using its RIKTIG curtain hooks with clips, or another of its clip-and-hook series. All told, and depending on the width of your cabinet, you can potentially hide your eyesore kitchen bins for under $10!

If you like the old-fashioned look of kitchen "furniture" but don't want to lay out extra dollars for antiques, consider kitchen sideboard and island offerings. You'll find options that provide extra surface and storage space but also have compartments suitable for kitchen waste management.

Available in white or deep blue, Ikea's SKRUVBY sideboard has a classic enough look to be at home in a variety of rooms. To hack it into a working kitchen unit, just remove the interior shelf to allow room for trash bins. The SKRUVBY has double doors hiding a roomy interior suitable for at least one kitchen bin, if not a recycling system as well. The sideboard also features nearly four feet in counter space, plus additional shelves and drawers.

The stainless steel GRILLSKÄR Kitchen island shelf unit has a more industrial-chic look. Although not as long as the sideboard option, this indoor-outdoor island does have double doors that can hide kitchen garbage. The doors close tightly, thanks to a magnetic locking mechanism. As with the sideboard, the kitchen island has a removable interior shelf, allowing you to tuck in trash bins. The unit also offers extra surface space for food prep or storage.

Not in your budget to purchase hutches or large islands to tuck away the garbage? No problem! There are plenty of budget-friendly rolling carts out there that are roomy enough to accommodate a small or medium-sized kitchen bin. A rolling cart is a mobile piece of furniture that's a must have for smaller spaces, and Ikea offers a wide range of them. Just choose one that has removable shelves. As a bonus, you'll get extra countertop space.

It's your choice how cloistered you want your actual garbage to be. Ikea's BRÄNNBOLL open storage unit on casters is technically made for holding headphones and other gaming equipment. But it can certainly be hacked to use as a kitchen island that holds a small kitchen bin underneath. The unit comes with slotted side panels and includes elastics and hooks that can hold useful accessories like garbage bags.

The ALEX storage unit on casters, which has a door to hide a garbage bin away. It's available in white, gray, or black. The ALEX is tall enough to hold a regular-sized garbage bin, but slender enough to roll next to a counter or serve as a mini-island in a small kitchen.

Does your front door open right into the kitchen? Consider using a decorative storage bench in your entryway. Benches allow you to both take off muddy boots and hide a couple of smallish kitchen bins. It's an ideal solution for singletons or couples who don't generate a lot of garbage.

The KALLSÖ storage bench is wide enough to hold a couple of smaller waste baskets in its lower pull-out drawer. It even has an extra drawer for keys and other smaller items. The GRILLSKÄR storage box, on the other hand, is an indoor-outdoor steel bench/storage box with a lifting lid. Use this to store a waste bin or two, perhaps adding a cushion on top if you need a comfortable bench. The high-backed, slatted-acacia NÄMMARÖ Storage box allows you to fit waste bins inside the bench while the high back can act as either a room divider or as a way to high an unsightly wall.

The boom in tiny living has made proportionally shrunken living systems a must-have. The TRONES shoe/storage cabinet can stow away footwear, gloves, mail, and a range of other unsightly household items into a practically invisible footprint. The hanging system sticks out less than 8 inches from the wall. By putting the multi-paneled units on a kitchen wall, you can devise a system for kitchen garbage and recyclables that hides the clutter without taking up any floor space.

Each $40 Trones unit comes as a two-pack, stacked vertically. Get one or several and store lined, slim trash bins inside. Granted, each Trones unit will hold only a small amount, but if you have a small household, this might be the perfect size for you. Each unit has a tilt-out drawer, allowing you to easily dispose of kitchen garbage as well as access bins for disposal.