4 Ways to Recycle Kitchen Cabinets

In our previous blog, we discussed why kitchen cabinets do not make ideal garage cabinets; of course, if you’re now wondering what to do with your not-to-be garage cabinets, we have prepared four great suggestions specific to San Francisco:

Donate Them

Rather than sticking them in your garage and hoping for the best, take your cabinets out in-tact and either schedule a pick-up or drop off your cabinets at a nearby donation center. If you’re looking for where your cabinets can or should end up, we recommend checking out this awesome California charities directory. If you’re still unsure, try calling a nearby Habitat for Humanity (or their retail location, Re-Store); they will happily help your cabinets reach a family in need.

Recycle Them (Elsewhere)

The standard kitchen cabinet is 36 inches high, which was considered an unthinkable vanity height in bathrooms until only the last couple of years; if you hate bending over when using your bathroom’s sink, then you could consider replacing a bathroom vanity with kitchen cabinetry. Will this always work or be easier than just purchasing a new vanity? Not necessarily, but it is worth checking out, and will certainly work better than they would have as transplanted garage cabinets.

Trash Them

The unfortunate reality is that many kitchen cabinets shouldn’t be reused. If, as you or your crew is removing them, there are specific modifications made to fit features of your home that won’t likely be useful elsewhere, then it is advisable to dispose of them. For instance, if your home has an odd corner post that the cabinets have been adapted to or the plumbing under the sink had a unique configuration, then it is unlikely that these cabinets will be useful. Donating cabinets that are tough to use is likely to just take up vital space. Note: You can probably still salvage and donate hinges, handles, and even drawer hardware, as those are always useful!

Get Creative

Depending on your cabinets’ material, you may find that you have the ability to easily create art or furniture with your removed cabinets. Remember: Cabinets are built to last, treated for visual appeal, and already feature hinges, pulls, etc. When done correctly, you can craft some incredibly useful or artistic things out of recycled cabinetry. Even something as small as a piece of wall art using some leftover hinges and pulls can be a cool statement piece for where your home started versus where it is now.

Get Real Garage Cabinets

The case seems pretty clear by now: Old kitchen cabinets have a plethora of uses and potential futures that stay well outside of your garage. If you’re looking to increase your storage options, visual appeal, and overall usability of your garage space, then you should absolutely consider getting in touch with San Francisco’s premier garage cabinet makers through Beautiful Garage.

Check out some of our past work in our portfolio galleries or get in touch with us today for a free garage overhaul estimate and plan; even if you don’t decide to go with us, the ideas we come up with for your garage are yours to keep.