Stylish and Clever Recycling Solutions That’ll Up Your Cleaning Game

Trash cans and recycling bins can take up a lot of space, especially if you have to sort your recyclables into different containers. All those bins definitely add up. Whether you’ve been recycling and you’re just tired of your old system or you want to start so you can be more mindful, there are plenty of solutions that will allow you to recycle without taking up too much space in your home, or at least that won’t detract from your decor.

If you prefer your trash and recycling out of sight and out of mind but don’t have the room to add additional storage, you can install a slide-out system into your kitchen cabinets, like this one from Home Depot (you can get it for $64.99). It comes with two 27 qt. bins, so you can use one for recycling and one for trash (or one for paper and one for plastic), and both will be hidden away when you close your cabinet doors.

For a more advanced cabinet system that will allow you to sort all your different recyclables just by opening the door, try this one from KitchenSource.com. You can choose anywhere from 1 to 4 bins (the 4 bin system pictured above is available for $159.45) and the size of the bins varies depending on how many you choose.

Rather not use up valuable cabinet space for your recycling? This multi-compartment recycling station won’t take up much space in your home, but it will help you separate general waste, food waste, and recycling in its different sections. Plus, it comes with an odor filter compartment to keep any weird smells at bay. You can get it on Wayfair for $199.99.

If you have room for a kitchen cart or a small island in your kitchen, there are plenty of solutions that have built-in waste bins that you can totally use for discreet recycling. This one has drawers and shelves that you can use as storage with a pull-down compartment perfect for a recycling bin. You can get it on Wayfair for $247.99.

For something more custom, try building your own kitchen cart with the exact compartments you need, and add in a similar pull-down system (or even add a cabinet and use one of the slide-out systems above) for sorting your recyclables. For inspiration, check out this DIY cart from Reality Daydream, which also has room for baking sheets, storage baskets, and even the microwave.

This particular project pictured above from The Domestic Doozie wasn’t necessary built with recycling in mind, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take inspiration from it to turn it into a recycling hub. If you have an entryway or a mudroom that could use a bench, build one with easy to pull-out storage compartments that you can put recycling bins in (or you can get this IKEA solution via Amazon, if you prefer not to DIY). You can hide away your papers and plastics in it and use it to put on your shoes or rest your work bag when you get home.