If you saw my last blog post where I converted a cabinet into a receptacle for my kitchen trash and recycle bins (wow, why do I already have two posts on trash cans?), you’d know I think freestanding trash cans are a waste of space. That took care of the kitchen — it was then time to tackle the bathroom.
I decided the right solution for the bathroom was a trash can that swiveled out with the door:
Summary
The Undersink Pivot Out Vanity Waste Container was everything I was looking for: it was the right size, it hid under the sink, and I didn’t have to bend down to throw something away. It has attachments to both the cabinet wall and the door, and even has a self-closing lid it cleverly puts itself under. But I’m not writing this post to convince you to buy the product. I’m writing this post to help you put it together, because in true Rev-a-Shelf fashion, the instructions were, erm, questionable and really confusing.
Contents and Prep
The contents of the box are pretty unassuming — the trash can itself plus its attachments as well as two sets of instructions (left and right door opening; the left one is pictured) that also acts as a drilling template to suit each door opening scenario (a cabinet door with hinges on the left as well as if the hinges are on the right).
After unboxing everything, the pre-first step is to identify the correct instruction sheet out of the two. This will depend on if your cabinet door opens on the right or on the left. Look at the pictures to see which one matches your scenario. I was putting my trash bin on the left side of the cabinet, so the hinges of the door were on the left, so I went with the below sheet:
Fitting instructions for built-in waste bin, left side orientation
Once you’ve done that, identify your model number at the top as this instruction sheet has instructions for multiple models. The model number provided to me by Lowes is 8-010212-14; I disregarded the 8 and matched the rest of the model number to [2] below.
Tape will be helpful in these first couple of steps.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 (now we’re following the steps as drawn out in the sheet): Take the sheet and keep it oriented portrait mode (tall). Align it on the inside of your cabinet, aligning the arrows to the base of the cabinet and the edge where the cabinet meets the door. Drill holes in the (+) marks on the left and right sides of the number you identified in Step 2 (top rectangle-ed area in the image below). You also have to drill holes at the bottom, but there are 3 holes and you might not need all 3. I grabbed the piece that goes there (I snuck a peek at Step 3) and matched up the holes and drilled those too (bottom rectangle-ed area in the image below).
I punched out holes in the paper as you can see above, but in retrospect I don’t think it’s necessary. I think you can drill right through the paper.
Step 2: Rotate the paper so it’s landscape (horizontal — look for the arrow that says “cabinet base shelf” and that’s the side that points down), align the line in the middle with the cabinet door, and then drill 2 holes in the door. Where you drill your holes corresponds to the number you identified earlier. For me, my model number corresponded with [2], so I drilled the 2 holes on the left and right sides of the [2].
Step 3 is to attach pieces A, B, and C using the holes you just drilled!
It gets easier from here. Now you start bringing in the large components. Here’s an image of Step 4 where you twist the metal rod into one of the holes of the bottom of the bin (the hole that is more in the front):
Step 5 is to take the short plastic piece and push it through the hole in the back of the bin and then through piece B:
Step 6 is to attach the bin at the top:
Step 7 is where you attach the lid with the long stick:
Step 8 is SUPER unclear in the picture, but what you need to do is take the metal rod from Step 4 close to the door and fit that rod into the groove of piece C that you attached in Step 3.
The unofficial Step 9 is my favorite step: open and close the door repeatedly and oooh and aaahhh at the seemingly simple but very effective set of elements that allows a lid to open / close and a trash bin to swivel upon the mere act of swinging a cabinet door.
Product review
I’ve had this trash can for about a year and it’s still holding strong! I highly recommend it. (I’d also highly recommend the manufacturer cleans up their instructions, but hey, I guess that’s why I’m here!)
