Hi ya’ll! Lately I have been preparing myself an office, so I decided to try my hand at this DIY Cardboard Drawer Organizer! I wanted something that was versatile for any space or drawer. I also wanted something that didn’t break the bank. What better way to save money than to just do it yourself!
what you need:
Materials
- Cardboard.
(I used a cardboard box from an online order.)
Also you will need enough cardboard for at least 4 pieces…2 for the base and 2 for dividers. - Peel and Stick Wallpaper.
Other options- paint or washi tape.
Tools
- Tape Measure.
- Utility Knife and/or Scissors.
- Pen or Marker.
How to determine the size for your DIY cardboard drawer organizer
Step 1:
First off you will want to measure the inside of your desk drawer (front to back). Then you will need to measure the depth of the drawer (floor of the drawer to top of the side). Once you have made those measurements, you will need to determine how wide (side to side) you want the organizer to be.
*My Measurements*
My drawer is approximately 20 1/4 inches (side to side) x 11 1/4 inches (front to back) x 2 3/4 inches deep. So I made my organizer 11 inches (front to back) x 11 inches (side to side). (I wanted to leave space for notebooks.) Your organizer may be larger or smaller depending on the size of your drawer, but I wanted to give you an example to get you started. Whatever your drawer size is I would suggest that you subtract at least 1/2 inch off the depth of your drawer to ensure the drawer will open/close properly!
Step 2:
Once you have determined your measurements you will need to mark them on a piece of cardboard. I used the opening flaps on a cardboard box that I received an online order in. You can also easily use the side of the box or even a large shoe box.
Repeat this step 4x. You need 2 pieces for the base and at least 2 pieces for dividers. However, you can add more dividers if need be!
DO NOT FORGET to subtract the 1/2 inch from the depth! My drawer is 2 3/4 inches deep. So, as you can see in the picture below I made the organizer 2 1/4 inches deep.
Designing your diy cardboard drawer organizer
Step 3:
In the third step we are going to be covering the DIY Cardboard Drawer Organizer with peel and stick wallpaper. If you don’t have any peel and stick wallpaper on hand feel free to paint it or cover with washi tape! However, I had this peel and stick wallpaper left over from another project so I decided to use it.
To get started measure the width of wallpaper you will need, allowing for enough overhang to fold over the side of the cardboard. Repeat this step for the length as well.
Next, cut a small slit on each side, at the corner, before folding over. This will make the sides lay flat. Then fold the ends over. Once all ends and sides are folded, flush cut the overhang.
Then measure another piece of peel and stick wallpaper to cover the opposite side of the cardboard.
Repeat step 3 with all 4 pieces.
*If you are like me and didn’t cut straight, leaving random gaps, simply cut another small piece to fill it in.
Creating the base and dividers for the Diy cardboard drawer organizer
Step 4:
This is the step where you will see it all taking shape! Up to this point it has looked like 4 random cardboard rectangles. I promise, it’s about to make more sense!
So, think about what you will be putting in the DIY Cardboard Drawer Organizer. This will help determine how many slots you will want to make in the base. I didn’t have a lot of small items so I only made 4 slots at about 3 inches apart.
To Make The Slots:
First, measure up from the bottom of the base approximately 1/2 inch. If you go any less the base loses its sturdiness. Then measure approximately 1/2 inch from the sides. Once again, any shorter and the sturdiness is compromised.
Next, starting at the top, cut a straight line down to the 1/2 inch mark at the bottom. Then, cut another line directly beside it to create a larger gap. (These gaps are approximately a 1/2 centimeter.)
Repeat this for every slot you need.
Step 5:
Putting the DIY Cardboard Drawer Organizer together is really easy! Simply lay the two bases, slot openings facing up, in the drawer. Then add the dividers to any slot. Be sure that both ends on the divider are lined up correctly in both bases. If not, your organizer will be lopsided.
Add or remove dividers as needed to create an organized, clutter free space!
I truly hope you enjoyed this DIY and that it helps to solve your organizing needs! If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment you can do so below!
For more ORGANIZATION ideas check out my post on how to “un-junk” the junk drawer!