How to

Organize Drawers: DIY

Drawer Organizer Ideas

Many homeowners struggle to keep the drawers in their homes tidy and structured. Although drawers are supposed to keep things organized and neatly arranged, they frequently become jumbled and disorganized. The good news is that anyone can transform their cluttered, chaotic drawers into pristine, organized spaces with a little inspiration from us at Pottery Barn. Here are a few of our favorite strategies for taming unkempt drawers.

Stack Your Food Containers

Food containers are meant to make life easier, especially if you frequently have leftovers or like to pack your own lunches. Unfortunately, those little plastic tubs can quickly get out of hand and take over if you don’t have a space dedicated to them. To clean up wayward food containers once and for all, locate a drawer that’s large enough to keep all of them in one place. If you have too many containers, consider tossing some out or donating a few to charity. You can also dedicate one drawer to your tubs while storing your lids in a neighboring drawer.

You can arrange your tubs by shape and size and stack them in the drawer in neat piles. Consider reserving one of your larger tubs to hold all of your lids stacked, or try putting a couple of dividers in the drawer to keep your lids in place. If you don’t have enough drawer space to accommodate your containers and lids, consider investing in a hutch or buffet with drawers that will serve the dual role of beautifying your kitchen while keeping your food containers hidden and organized.

Divide Small Clothing Drawers

When it comes to your dresser drawers, division can help you maintain order. If you’re already dealing with limited space in a small drawer, it may seem counterintuitive to divide it up into even smaller sections. However, doing so can make it easier to keep things separated and easy to find. You can quickly make your own DIY drawer organizers by cutting shoeboxes in half by width or length and placing them in your drawer. The boxes create individual compartments that you can use to separate your clothing items, such as intimates, t-shirts, socks and pajamas.

Compartmentalize Catch-All Areas

Most people have a catch-all drawer in their home, even if it didn’t start out that way. For some, it’s located in the kitchen, while others keep it tucked away in a spare bedroom, craft room or garage. No matter where it’s located, you can conquer yours once and for all by compartmentalizing it. Organizing drawers becomes easy when you can create compartments to separate items from each other. If you’re looking for ways to save money, you can quickly create compartments with items you have on-hand. Cell phone boxes make great drawer inserts and are ideal for storing small items like batteries, paper clips and erasers. You can also opt to purchase commercial drawer organizers, which come with a variety of compartment sizes to keep your things nicely arranged.

Declutter the Bedside Table

Your bedroom is the one place in your home where you should feel completely relaxed and free from stress. If your nightstand drawers are cluttered, you might feel like you’re standing in the aftermath of a tornado. Reserving your bedside table for essential nighttime items (like reading glasses, flashlights and alarm clocks) can keep your room from becoming cluttered with odds-and-ends. You can also create extra storage space in your room by adding a storage bench to the end of your bed.

Contain Your Beauty Products

Beauty products are so much easier to store and find when they have their own dedicated space. Try storing all like items together in their designated bathroom drawers, so you can easily find them when you need them. Dealing with limited drawer space? Consider using decorative countertop storage accessories for your supplies.

Give Your Remotes a Home

With the large number of electronics most homeowners have, remote controls can quickly become a nuisance. If you don’t give them a specific home, they can end up cluttering your entire house. You may want to keep your remotes contained and easily located by reserving a drawer in the living room specifically for them. This drawer should be located in a convenient area where you can easily access it when you want to watch TV or turn on your favorite song. Coffee tables are typically located near sofas and make for ideal remote-control storage areas. Consider purchasing a coffee table with one or more drawers to keep your remote controls organized and easily accessible.