DIY Double Drawer SLIDING Organizer

I planned to share this in April, but here we are, almost through December and I'm finally sharing some of the hidden storage in this kitchen. I really enjoyed the problem solving aspect of designing this kitchen. What did I need storage for? Where could I put that storage in a very small space? One thing I couldn't work around was the fact that there will only be three drawers. At first I was worried, but I had three drawers in the kitchen before I demo'd and one was completely inaccessible. We made due with just two, and after pairing down a lot of useless equipment, I realized that's all I needed.

We also spend all summer in an RV where we only have one drawer, so I think this helped to make me feel better about the design! That being said, two of the drawers in my design are really deep, and it felt like a waste (not to mention an organizational nightmare) to have them be left as they are.

I used an Ana White plan to create my own version of a double drawer. The double drawer allowed me to put baking utensils in the lower part, and smaller gadgets (peelers, presses, etc) easy to reach on the top. We've been using it for a few months and I really love it. Perhaps I will finally get rid of my potato masher as the only thing it does is prevent drawers from opening. Perhaps...

Here's how I did it.

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To create the double dawer you will need 4 sets of drawer slides. I had two 14 inch slides from a different project, so I decided to use those for the inner drawer since we are quarantined and I can't just run to the store. Down the road I may upgrade to longer slides.
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Since I only have three drawers, I decided to invest in some fancy soft close drawer slides. I ordered them off Amazon and they were relatively inexpensive, around $17 each. I went with Liberty because I had heard good things about the brand. I usually only buy the cheap drawer slides so this was a pretty big "investment" for me, but I'm not going to lie, ever since they arrived I've been opening and closing them. I'm saving so much doing the kitchen myself that I don't mind "splurging" on some of these details. They kind of make my heart flutter. 19 year old me would be so disappointed in what I find exciting these days.
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To construct the double drawer you first build your regular drawer. I used 1/2 inch mdf to create my drawers. Normally, I would use wood, but again, working with what I have available. The drawer faces will be real wood, so I'm okay that the inside is not. Plus, I'm going to paint them. Again maybe down the road I will update them with real wood, although honestly MDF is great in terms of not being affected by humidity, so maybe it will work out better. 
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The one change you need to make when constructing your drawer is to only have the back panel of your drawer be 1/2 the height of the front. You will see why in a minute.

Now measure the inside of your drawer and construct a second box (drawer) that is 1 inch less in width, the length of your smaller slide, and the depth of 1/2 the other drawer.
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Using the smaller drawer slide, attach the smaller drawer to the larger one so that it pulls out to the back of the of the drawer.
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Follow your drawer slide instructions to attach the entire drawer to the cabinet. I used the Kreg Drawer Jig for the first time and it was SO much easier. Where has this been all of my DIYing life? Totally worth the money. I actually purchased the kit that came with the hardware jig, concealed hinge jib, and face clamps as well, and was definitely a better value than purchasing alone. You don't need these tools for this project but it's an understatement to say they make it so much easier.
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If the drawer is attached right when you open it, the smaller drawer will be on top, but you can slide it backwards to reveal the rest of the drawer. That's why you want the full extensions for the larger drawer.
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I know that was a bit confusing, honestly Ana White's tutorial makes a lot more sense so you can check that out here. 
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The top drawer of this cabinet is used for utensils and the bottom drawer is actually used for vegetables. I made a slatted bottom for it that allows for airflow while still keeping it cool and dark. That is the thing I love most about DIY, you can build something to be exactly what you want. Where else could you get a double drawer, utensil, potato cabinet?

Speaking of potatoes, I haven't made any decisions about the potato ricer. I mean the drawers are kind of deep...I guess it can stick around, you never know when you'll need to jam up a drawer!