You already have a low profile switch.

From your photo, it looks like the drawer clears the switch. If the drawer does hit, then either move the switch or the drawer cabinet. How often is that switch used?

Thanks, but I can't move the drawers as they're part of a built in assembly. The two drawers will clear the switch if I pull them toward the right as I open/close the drawers, which is a pain in the ass. The switch is in a walk-in closet that I use often, so I use the switch frequently.

Since the drawers clear if they are pushed to the right, can you shim the slides to the right? Or, how about moving the switch to a higher location?

Would this be shallow enough?

It appears the area above the switch has had some work…Was the switch moved, lowered?

Moving the switch is beyond my skill set, and the switch never was worked on before. But that Adorne switch just may work. If I'm reading the schematic correctly, The switch protrudes 0.33. In the attached pic, my present switch protrudes 1/2". If there's a way push the existing switch into the wall box, that may work, too. I'd have to bend or remove the ears.

Trim the drawer face 1/4” shorter. You will have to do all of them in that stack but it won’t be noticeable.

Thanks. The drawers seem to be prefinished with some pattern, so if I trimmed them, I'd have to stain the bare particle board with a close-matching color. Others suggested this: https://www.legrand.us/wiring-devices/designer-switches-and-outlets/adorne-softap-switch-white-with-microban/p/astp1532w4 I'm a bit unsure if his switch will provide the extra clearance.

I believe you will only save 1/8 inch or so if you go with the Adorne. We have them throughout the house and the faceplate protrudes 3/8 inch from the wall. I don't have the soft tap switch put it appears to sit flush with the faceplate. I have a standard switch in the garage that is identical to yours and my rough measurement says it protrudes 1/2 inch. I'm not sure if that is what you need. If not, I still think triming the drawer front that I suggested would be the most effective soluition. Since the cut edge would face the wall and not be visible, matching the grain would not be important. That is assuming the front is not flush with the drawer sides and you can trim the excess.

Another possibility is, if you remove the switch and examine how the box is attached to the wall, you may see a way to move the box back. For example, if it's nailed, the nail(s) could be cut with a hacksaw blade, the box pushed back a little, and the box renailed. Of course, you would have to cut away the plaster or drywall around the box so the plate could be recessed. Of course, turn off the power before you remove the switch.

Mtvhike that wont work. the switch would then be sunken into the cover plate and look really bad. You also cannt renail a box into the stud with drywall there. youd need an old work or smartbox. Another reason not to do this would be the gap that would be created. thats when a box extension would be used.

Moving the switch (call an electrician) or moving the drawers.

As the best and cleanest solution is to call an electrician, can anyone take a rough guess as to what the job would cost, assuming the electrician would install a smartbox for the exiating switch? I know that much depends on where one lives. I'm in Vegas, and for example, it cost $650 to install a 220V outlet (for my electric vehicle) on an outside wall directly below my breaker box, which had a circuit available for the outlet.

You will also need to find a very good drywall person to patch the remaining hole and try to match the wall texture. If you are like me, you will always see the difference but since it is in a closet, it really is not a big deal.

Two more options and not sugggesting they are the best 🙂. Remove the drawer fronts and slightly elongate the holes on the drawer box so the fronts can be slide slightly to the right. Since we cannot see the entire cabinet, not sure if it will appear odd with a bank of drawers too close to the next set if there is one. Now for a really Micky Mouse option and not sure if it woud give you the clearanace needed: Scribe the drywall around the current installed swich plate and remove the drywall so the switch/plate are inset and fastened directly to the electrical box and not the drywall. You will still need to finish the raw edges of the drywall.

Thanks! The drawers are part of a modular closet unit as you'll see in the pic, so I'm not sure whether it's practical/possible to remove the fronts. If it is, it probably would be better to trim the left side of each drawer on a table saw (which I don't have). I could handle option #2, if I can push in the switch/cover plate far enough before it hits the box. I probably have nothing to lose by trying.

k, I spoke with a rep at Legrande/Adorne, and he said the the switch sits flush with the cover plate, which sticks out 3/8" from the wall. Therefore, it seems that this switch will work with about 1/8" to spare.

hopefully this worked. My other thought was going to be a motion activated switch. I'm pretty sure some of them are very low profile. I really like using these for certain areas like my mudroom and laundry room where it keeps my hands free.

I would be wary of forcing the switch into the box much more than a little push. Those tabs aren't meant to be bent that far and you increase the risk of shorting something out by smashing all of the wires together.