This is fantastic. Living in Portland, we just got the new compost bins, and despite having a latch and being up high, my pugs have managed to knock it over twice and devour the contents. This looks like a great solution.

I've always been told that pet food should be kept air-tight so that the oils don't go rancid. Maybe the bag would fit inside your slide-out container?

And JRandall, as an apartment-dwelling Portlander I'm jealous! Our compost service doesn't start until next year - I'm still biking mine to the community composting system in SE.

We have a teensy kitchen and life in san francisco where you have to sort things into 456 different containers. We've stopped using the tiny compost counter container because it fills up in a half day. So, we have an insanely expensive simple human two bin beautiful garbage can, plus an under counter pull out. We'll use the simplehuman for the compost and recycling and the under cabinet for garbage and cleaning supplies. Hopefully this solves the problem

@Gerundgirl I am in the same boat, but where can I find info on the community composting system?! I live on the N/NE border and it would be so great to find a place to compost!
(sorry, getting a little off topic from the original post).

open dog food is an invitation to pests and rodents. not a good idea. now if it had a lid, i'd be sold.

Ya'll, go easy. Maybe they just took the lid off for the photo so you can see what it is and how they're using the system.

I use the IKEA version, stored under my kitchen sink, and while the bins are fairly small it's a really useful system. Garbage, paper recyclables, container recyclables, and cleaning supplies in the 4th. There's a handle on each bin, so you can grab and go, makes it really easy to grab my cleaning supplies to carry around the house when doing housework (so much so that I'm thinking of installing another set inside the linen closet).

@Portlandvegan - there are community composting sites in the Kerns and Buckman neighborhoods, courtesy of Village Building Convergence (http://sites.google.com/site/pdxcommunitycompost/). I don't know of any others. Could you maybe find a way to access to a community garden compost pile until curbside kicks in?

We have a food waste/compost program. Our problem is that we are semi rural and that means wild animals like bears, racoons and the like. We use the small container. When the bag is full we put it in our deep freeze. On the day of pick up the bags go into the large roll to the curb food waste container. They are frozen so no slop, no mess and no scent.

Now if only we could get the neighbourhood to stop putting out their garbage and food waste the night before.

My folks were home builders so I grew up with the pull out garbage/recycling cans in the cabinet. It is so slick.

We keep our compostables in the FREEZER!!!!!! We have one of those bottom freezers that is a huge pull out drawer. No bugs, no smells, no leaks, no mess. Its all frozen, then taken out side to the can when the paper bag fills up.

I have a TEENY studio apartment kitchen (actually its large for a studio apartment kitchen, it just has hardly any cabinets) and as soon as I get a kitchen island (where my food processer can live) I'm going to move my trash under my sink. I decided that its worth giving up the storage space for, as I can't find a 6-8 gallon trash can with a lid that I like, nor can decide where to put it in the room.

In regards to pet food- since I've moved into a smaller place I've cut down on how much I keep on hand. I don't even like to leave it in the paper bag it comes in for the 3-4 weeks its around; I always transfer it into a airtight container. I used to have a giant tub that held 12 lbs or so, but now I've downsized to a rectangular cereal storage container.

My biggest problem is what to do with my recycling. This is my first time living in a real 'apartment building' with a dumpster and no city recycling pick up. I've become such a hippie I can't bear to throw out anything that can be recycled but if I don't find a way to get rid of it soon I'm going to have to start tossing it so I don't turn into one of those hoarders. :(

This is such a great idea and would love to have this set up!

As these containers all appear to not have lids, I agree the dog food should not be kept next to garbage. If flour in my tupperware storage mate can end up with bugs in it (so disgusting), this dog food next to garbage is certain to. would you keep your human edibles out of its package next to your garbage?

This looks good! In our tiny kitchen, we have a pull-out for garbage next to the sink cabinet, and then small containers (non-pullout variety) under kitchen sink for recyclables (not co-mingled in our area). Dog food has its own container elsewhere. We still use the countertop compost pail and are attempting to empty it daily, as it fills up quickly and we use it for our own garden compost. Always love seeing other smart approaches to making the best use of the little space many of us have in our kitchens.

Having downsized to a much smaller house and kitchen, I'm definitely interested in this idea! But my cat's food will be stored in a galvanized tin or steel bin with a lid, since plastic food containers for storing pet food is just as bad as for people food - chemicals leach into the food, esp. food that contains fats or is somewhat porous, like dry dog & cat food. Hardware stores carry lidded, metal mini-trash cans which are perfect for this.

We have a teeny tiny kitchen too. I keep a small tin on the bench for scraps/rubbish that comes in small doses. The main bin and recycling bin are across the hallway in the laundry. For all that we have a small kitchen, we're super lucky to have a laundry separate to the bathroom, that can store the organized garbage. So don't think you *have* to keep the garbage in the kitchen, if you need the shelf space under the sink and have a second room. It will confuse the heck out of guests though!!!