Custom Fit Decorative Drawer Organizer From Cardboard

I opened my drawer and was appalled at the mess. It was a disaster. None of the store bought organizers fit my drawer. They all left ugly gaps and left unused space. I wanted to use every inch. Idea!! There was leftover cardboard from a grill purchase and I had tape and glue, and fabric. So I did some cutting, a tiny bit of taping, and a little gluing and I made use of every inch of my drawer. Some of the dividers are adjustable so I can change the stuff around if I want.

Step 1: Materials:

• Leftover thick cardboard from an old box
• Tape
• Glue
• Scissors
• Tape Measure
• Disposable Brush
• Plastic trash bag or tarp
• Straight Edge
• Marker
• Leftover Fabric or Wrapping/Craft Paper (I used fabric)
• Optional pins for temporarily holding fabric

Step 2: Make a Basic Cardboard Box.

Measure the inside dimensions of the bottom of your junk drawer and draw a basic dashed outline on your cardboard box. Next measure the height of the inside side of your junk drawer and add this to the outside of your dashed line on the top, bottom and both sides of the cardboard. Draw the sides in a solid line. Cut out the basic solid square that represents the drawer bottom plus the side height. Cut a square at each of the four corners so that you can make the box without overlapping the cardboard corners.

Step 3: Test Fit the Box.

Take the tape and tape together the four corners of the box. Text fit the box to make sure that it comes out of the junk drawer without being to tight. The box should fit snugly. If it is to loose at this stage you can increase the thickness of whichever way it is loose by adding an additional strip of cardboard down one side and taping it in place.

Step 4: Add the Junk! (Temporarily)

Add back the junk to the drawer so that you can decide where the dividers should be. Then decide which divers will be fixed and which ones can be movable and wedged between the main dividers. Measure the inside height of the box and cut strips the height of the inside of the box and the length needed to make the dividers. Tape the main dividers together for strength but do not tape to the box. Test fit the cardboard dividers in the box.

Step 5: Oh No! Its Ugly!!

Don't worry, it is really ugly cardboard at this point, but it will look much better shortly. Drape the fabric loosely over the box and cut it out large enough to cover the inside of the box and the inside and outside sides, but not the bottom. Get out a trash bag or tarp at this point because the nest part might be a little messy. Add glue to cardboard and spread out thinly with brush. If the glue is to thick it can ooze through the fabric or paper. Glue the fabric to the box, smoothing out the bottom and sides. The corners are easier if you cut relief slits down the fabric from the inside corner to the bottom of the box. Some overlapping of fabric will occur on the corners, but try not to make them to bulky.

Step 6: Cover the Dividers.

Next is to covers the dividers. Paint them thinly with glue and cover with fabric. I did the outside edges like mini wrapping paper presents and glued them in place and pinned them temporarily until they dried. That is optional because you will probably need to trim the divider edges. Test fit the covered dividers in the drawer and if necessary trim dividers to fit.

Step 7: Its Beautiful! Now Back Goes the Junk, But Less Messy.

The finished organizer is very professional looking. It is so pretty I really didn't want to add my junk back to it. And that is how to organize with leftovers and style!!