Our kitchen cabinets were stained dark almost cherry or maple. Our kitchen is way too dark and I want to open it up by lightening the cabinets. I've had a lot of issues with my back and I need a solution that doesn't involve a lot of sanding or mess. Thank you!

Cheapest and least labor: take off knobs and paint.
Cheapest with most labor: take off doors and drawers and sand down and put clear poly on the bare wood. Not a good idea if you don't know what the wood is. It might be poplar, which is greenish, or it might be a variety of woods.
Nicest without buying all new cabinest: hire a carpenter to put new doors and drawer fronts on. You can order them at lumberyards.
If you think you can handle the hinge arrangements which have adjusting options, do it yourself.

Paint frames with new doors and draw fronts. The selection of finishes and designs is very large.

Chuck