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Appliance garages, pull-out shelves help organize kitchen

It’s great having a garage. So many things can be stored there.

That garage has now come indoors, hiding away appliances in the kitchen. In the world of interior design, appliance garages and pull-out shelves have become the must-have feature in stylish kitchen makeovers, remodels and renovations.

Maximizing space is the key to designing a kitchen that is as functional as it is visually pleasing. Appliance garages get the job done by keeping clutter out of sight without compromising ease of access. For instance, coffee makers, mixers and toasters can be hidden behind a door under the cabinet and pulled out when needed.

And pull-out shelves make it easy to find pans, plates, canned goods, spices and more.

Brent Mazurkewich is sales manager at EZ Roll-Out Drawers, a 15-year, family-owned Las Vegas company with clients throughout Southern Nevada. It has a valid Nevada state contractor’s license in good standing.

“We custom fit each cabinet because there are so many different cabinets out there,” he said. “We measure to exact depth and width in order to capture all the available space and then manufacture the drawers ourselves. Our warranty is for 10 years to fix or replace.”

According to Mazurkewich, the drawers give better access to the contents of any cabinet or space in the kitchen, which, along with the bathroom, are the two most popular locations. However, they can go anywhere including the laundry room, linen closet, kitchen pantry, bedroom, bedroom hallway, under the sink and in the garage.

“Our main demographic is 55 years old and above since it becomes more difficult for an older person to get down on their knees or reach up to the back of a cabinet shelf,” he explained. “Our drawers make it easier to get to everything, especially that spice jar or can of vegetables at the back of the cabinet. The same goes for a pot or pan underneath the kitchen counter. Just roll it out and everything is there to see.”

The company retrofits the drawers into existing cabinets with a choice of white, maple or oak drawers.

“We match to the interior of the cabinet because there are just too many exterior color shades,” said Mazurkewich. “White is standard. The cabinets can go into any home no matter how new or old. Customers tell us how convenient their cabinets have become and say it’s one of the best things they have ever done to upgrade their home. And that’s because they use the cabinets all the time.

“The other aspect of rolling and sliding shelves is that they are an excellent investment. When showing a home, a Realtor always demonstrates roll-out shelves in the kitchen or roll-out drawers in the storage closet.”

Once ordered, Mazurkewich said it takes about two weeks to get the drawers made and about four hours to install in an average home of 10-15 drawers.

Those who want do it themselves can find drawers at Ikea, Container Store, Home Depot, Lowes and on the internet. Installation can be as simple as securing the pre-aligned and pre-assembled rollout drawers into any existing kitchen cabinet shelf with just four screws. Just measure the dimensions of a cabinet opening and select the size that fits the opening. The opening should be 1/2 inch larger than the size of the roll-out shelf.

Roll-out drawers come in different names such as pull-out shelves, slide-out shelves, cabinet organizers, kitchen cabinet accessories, shelves that slide, roll-out cabinet drawers, pull-out drawers, slide-out kitchen drawers, kitchen storage racks and pantry shelving.

Use sliding shelves to organize kitchen utensils. A pull-out shelf with a solid drawer basket is better than a wire mesh basket, as a solid basket holds water avoiding damage to the shelf below. It can also hold utensils that otherwise stick out from a wire mesh basket and jam the drawer mechanism.

Under the sink, a roll-out shelf on one side can hold a garbage container, while a slide-out shelf on the other side can hold cleaning products. Most shelves can be removed for cleaning.

According to Mazurkewich, pull-out kitchen shelves make it easier for every family member to access items, whether it’s a senior with limited mobility or a young child searching for a cookie. For people with special needs or other disabilities, pull-out shelves make it easier to access items.

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