Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets...HELP!

My wife and I recently wanted to stain our kitchen cabinets a darker color. We've removed and sanded the doors down but now we are torn between if we should sand the rest of it by removing the cabinets from the walls and floor or leaving them attached and making a big sandy mess in the house. Which is easier?
I have oak cabinets if that matters. Thanks for a great forum!

It rather depends upon how the cabinets are made. If they are screwed to the wall and screwed together in the sides, they should come off of the wall by unscrewing them. If they are nailed to the wall, not. In any event, I would be reluctant to recommend that you take them down. You might have a dickens of a time installing them again. Cabinets are heavy and can be awkward to install over a countertop. If the base cabinets are screwed together, you can remove and replace them one or two at a time, without removing the countertop.

I believe that you will do best by working on them in place.

thanks Chris....is sanding the only way to go or can we use a stripper? Sanding is just creating such a mess in the house

Stripper will be much faster and will remove all the finish and any stain.