Custom Fitting Drawer Organization Boxes

Intro: Custom Fitting Drawer Organization Boxes

Everyone likes an organized drawer, but store-bought organizers and baskets don't always fit your drawer or suit your specific needs.

Here is a simple and inexpensive way of making paper boxes that fit your things and your drawer perfectly, just the way you like it. With some time and minimal effort you can make your drawer tidy and well organized so you will always know where something is (or if something is missing).

STEP 1: Gather Supplies.

What you'll need for this project:

- Thick paper, such as card stock, cardboard from cereal boxes, Bristol board or anything you have lying around that will support itself
- White Glue
- Measuring tape
- Ruler
- Craft knife (and cutting mat) or scissors
- Pencil and paper for planning

STEP 2: Measure Drawer

Measure the dimensions of your drawer including height. You don't want make your boxes too tall or the drawer won't shut!

STEP 3: Plan Ahead

Make a list of everything you would like a specific box for. For example, I want a box for CD's, my camera, boxes with dividers for holding cables and headphones, etc.

Next, measure how big you want each specialty box to be. Measure the item to go in the box and make sure there is some extra room to be able to grab the items easily.

Write down the dimensions and plan a layout for your drawer by making a scale drawing. Make sure all your boxes can fit within your drawer. I am very lazy and didn't want to make a scale drawing so I used Google Sketchup for my layout, you can too.

STEP 4: Box Construction

Measure the sides and bottom panels of the boxes onto the card stock. Make sure to leave 'tabs' around 1cm wide for gluing the boxes together. Don't forget to reuse as much paper scraps as possible and recycle the rest!

Cut out the panels and score gently with the knife or scissors where the fold lines are for cleaner edges.

Glue the tabs and stick the panels together. *Tip* I make papercrafts quite often and when gluing I "dab" or "pat" the glue with my finger to spread it evenly and make it less likely to moisten the paper and result in wavy or damaged paper.

STEP 5: Box Construction Continued

Finish gluing the box and wait a while for the glue to dry (We all know we're not going to wait overnight) and test your box to see if everything fits nicely.

Great! You're almost done. Now just repeat the steps for the rest of your boxes. This can be time consuming, so have patience.

STEP 6: Creativity Time

Here's an idea: make stackable boxes for things you don't use as often. I made two identical boxes with dividers for cables and headphones, one atop the other.

Remember, be as creative as you want! make crazy shapes as long as the're functional and you can use them. You might even want to make lids for some for extra tidiness.

STEP 7: You're Done!

Yay! Now your drawer is super tidy and you can find what you're looking for within seconds and without messing everything up.

Post comments and your own drawer organizers if you choose to make them. Ideas and suggestions are welcome. This is my first instructable so please leave criticism so I can improve in the future. Thank you!

Comments

[Katie5757]

I use 2 litre icecream containers.. just the right depth.. but then I dont know if everyone has those.. ours are square with slightly rounded corners. works for me.. The trick is to have the whole drawer filled.. so do the cardboard thing to fill any gaps..

[sladek]

I used mini-roll boxes which are taped in place with masking tape in my Ikea Helmer drawer unit. You'll also see the tiny boxes made from old credit cards which I read about in another instructable.

[Lathien]

Nice! The credit card idea sounds cool. Thanks for the photo reply!

[Kevin12345]

Did you brek your craft knife?

[Lathien]

No, it has a rounded plastic cap on it.

[jbpitcher]

I have made drawer dividers that were very similar, except instead of making all the boxes I just saved a bunch of empty boxes. Cereal, crackers, all different sizes and shapes. Cut them the depth of the drawer and slide them around until you find the groupings that work for you. If you want to make the whole thing permanent add some glue and it is quite sturdy. If you want to finish it off to make it really neat, use decorative paper and Elmer's glue applied with a brush (Mod Podge like) Add a coat of polyurethane or varnish and it will last for years and resist stains. jbp

[popproject]

sketchup rules! nice use of a great program.

[Fieldownage]

Very nice project! But when I read the step 6, I figured out that if I hide non-daily thing below other boxes, there would be just one box on top of the others with just my hobby knife and two Leathermans. :D

[quesoman]

this is awesome.....im gonna start working as soon as my mom goes and gets me some card stock!!!!

[AznPanda]

T.T people would stop making fun of my messy desk if i had drawers! lol.. need drawers.. or something then i can do this. Right now im using random boxes and containers!

[mopsley]

This is gread idea. Thanks. Mopsley

[catarinac]

Hi there, very nice and tidy, I like it. May I take on your hint of improving on this work by suggesting you start with already made card-boxes ( at least where I live there are lots of them in every corner) and then fill the last gap with your technique. This may save you a lot of work and materials. Personally I like the colour and finish of plain cardboard, but you may wish to cover it with some material you don't have use for, like something you've printed and went wrong or something. Hope this is a valid contribute. I can say that this made me see the possibilities for doing it. I had tried this the other day but could not fill the entire space and I was not smart enough to thing of making the odd ones to fill my gaps. thank you for completing the solution for my problem.

[josephxtian]

so simple and yet so effective

[whackpak]

I do this now for 4 months, I made it from some old plexiglass, I also use transparent boxes were they put the meat in at my supermarket.

[srilyk]

This is excellent! I may do this to start getting my stuff organized... I'm just a little messy :P

[jbchesnut]

Nice idea. You could apply shellac, clear acrylic, varnish, or other sealers to your boxes to bake them last longer and not get dirty easily.

[jbchesnut]

I meant to write "make them last longer" not "bake them last longer"

[aeray]

Super Anal Award!

[elkay]

this is awesome and so simple...why didn't i think of it? I have always just used whatever little boxes i could scrounge and they are never just right. Your instructions are easy to follow and i can't wait to get started. I signed up just so i could tell you how much i love this project!