If you live in an older home that has settled, you may find that some of your cabinet doors won’t stay shut no matter what you try. Instead of ripping out and replacing all of your cabinets or packing your bags to move out, we have a quick, temporary fix to keep those pesky doors closed, with magnets, of course. Last year, we created a more permanent DIY: a magnetic cabinet latch solution using countersunk magnets. In this blog, we’re putting together a simple magnet hack that won’t involve power tools (or any tools, really!) What You’ll Need -
  • Small neodymium magnets--We suggest choosing something like a 6 mm x 2 mm disc magnet.
  • A thin piece of metal or binder clips
  • Clear adhesive glue, such as Gorilla Glue
Steps -
  1. First, you’ll want to identify which cabinets need magnets to keep the doors closed to ensure you have enough supplies for all your cabinets.
  2. Then, you’ll want to mark a spot on the inside of each door where it comes in contact with the cabinet trim. Once you’ve done that, you’ll glue your magnet to that spot.
  3. After the magnets are glued on and the glue has set, you’ll take your binder clips and clip them onto the cabinet trim. Once you’ve placed them where you want them, remove the arms of the clip by pinching each side. If you choose to use a thin piece of metal instead, line it up with the magnet and glue a piece of it on the trim with the clear adhesive.
  4. Now that everything is set, you should be able to test out your magnet hack! You’ll want to use a disc magnet that has a pull force strong enough to hold the door shut, but not so strong that you aren’t able to open the cabinet without excessive force.
  This solution isn’t permanent, but it’s a quick fix that’ll work until you find a more permanent option you like. While this easy magnet home hack helps keeps your cabinet doors shut and can help keep nosy pets out of places where they shouldn’t be, we don’t recommend using this method as an alternative to a cabinet child lock system. Neodymium magnets are extremely strong and can injure a child due to pinching--some are so strong they could break bones! And, if these magnets are swallowed, they can lead to serious injury. Please keep your rare earth magnets out of your child’s reach, and if you choose to put them on your cabinets, be sure the adhesive is strong enough that your child can’t pick the magnets off. For other magnet hacks around the home, including in the bathroom and the kitchen, visit our magnets for crafts blog. You can also get discounts on your favorite Apex products when you subscribe to our valuable monthly newsletter.