Thursday, May 5, 2016

21 UHeart Organizing: Easy-Does-It DIY Drawer Dividers

Drawer dividers certainly make my organizing world go round.  And when I can customize a product to fit my specific needs?!  It feels like I won the organizing lottery.

Well, I won the lottery when Jen of The House of Wood joined my team, because this girl is brilliant, kind and super smart.  And she builds things!  Organizational things!

Even more, I want to hug her so hard right now.  We DIY'd some kitchen dividers last year, that are holding up fantastically and that we love.  However, they really can't change if our needs ever change.  And in the kitchen, they do change frequently.  I wish I would have known about Jen's recent find; ultra easy, no real DIY experience necessary, endlessly flexible drawer dividers.  I will let her spill all the details below.  Be prepared to never live the same after reading this post.



Hi friends! I'm Jen Woodhouse from The House of Wood and I am so excited to be back here, hanging out with the most organized people on the internet! Are you guys ready to whip your desk drawers into shape? You're going to flip when you see how quick and easy this project is.
I recently carved out a small corner of my bedroom for my workspace and I've had everything 'home office' on the brain ever since. I bought a new desktop computer but had no desk to put it on, so I built one! For the full tutorial on how to build this DIY desk with hidden printer storage, click here.


By the way, that hexagon succulent planter is made from a scrap 2x4 and that's a DIY calendar I made too! If you'd like any of the product details and sources for my home office, you'll find them here.


Okay, so back to this desk. I designed it so that my bulky printer is tucked neatly away on a pull-out tray behind two faux drawer fronts. Super sneaky.


Are you ready to see what's behind the real drawer fronts? Alright. Let's do this.


Will you check out those snazzy drawer dividers? I love that they're hardwood and totally customizable.


The other day, I was wandering aimlessly around Williams-Sonoma (which is very dangerous because I have hoarding tendencies when it comes to collecting kitchen stuff) and I found myself in the aisle where all of the utensils are. Of course, as I stuffed my basket full of unnecessary spatulas and spoonulas (totally a thing, btw), I couldn't help but notice how nicely each little cubby held the different utensils, no matter what size or shape they were. I took mental note of how the displays were built. #builderproblems

Do you see how the dividers are constructed? So clever, right?


After a bit of hunting, I found similar plastic drawer dividers online and couldn't click "add to cart" fast enough. Once they arrived, I measured my drawer, cut the plastic dividers to the length I needed, peeled the adhesive backing off, and then stuck them to the sides of the drawer.


Then I picked up a few 1/4-inch poplar hobby boards from the craft store, measured and cut them down to size, and just slid them into the dividers. Super quick and easy! I love that these dividers are modular; they allow me to easily change the layout if I ever need to.


Remember when I mentioned that I tend to hoard kitchen stuff? Well, this may also apply to washi tape.

And stamps.

And pencils.


But can you blame me? Wouldn’t you hoard pencils if they looked as cute as these do? Yeah, I think so.



Big thanks to Jen for allowing me to share my fun and functional workspace with y'all! My new desk is already getting a ton of use and these easy drawer dividers make staying organized a breeze. Until next time, happy organizing!




Hello friends! I’m Jen Woodhouse, the author of The House of Wood blog, my creative outlet for all things DIY and design. By trade, I am a performing songwriter based in Nashville, TN - I’ve released three albums, toured the world, and licensed my music to national television shows and films - but more recently, I've added ‘DIY Blogger’ to my eclectic resume. The House of Wood is where I document my adventures in woodworking, interior design, and life as a musician, military wife, and mother of two unbearably adorable babies. When I’m not writing, recording, or touring, you’ll usually find me in the garage building furniture! I’m pretty freakin’ excited to join the iHeart Organizing team and I can’t wait to share a few organizing DIY projects with y’all!

21 comments:

  1. Yep, Jen, you were right. Jen from The House of Wood is an absolute genious! I will be looking for these plastic drawer dividers ASAP. Thanks for sharing such a great tip!

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  2. Love this, I need to do this ASAP!

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  3. Love the drawer organizers! I may have to order some!

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  4. Hi Jen! Love these drawer dividers, but the link didn't take me to them?

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    1. Oh no, I am so sorry, the link must not have pasted over correctly. Thank you for letting me know. I have updated the post: http://amzn.to/1Tw0G90

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  5. Hi, Jen, the link to the Amazon plastic drawer dividers has them out of stock without hope of restocking. I tried the company, Rockler, but they no longer carry them. I searched the web for others but could not locate. Can you help find another online site for them?!?!? Thanks!

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    1. I am so sorry Carmen, they were there earlier, I added a few to my online cart. Here is the direct on Rockler's site: http://www.rockler.com/drawer-divider-holders-select-size?avad=55963_db3731a2&avad=55963_db37344e

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  6. I love this!!!! So how do you cut the poplar? do You need any speacial tools?

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    1. Hi Kim!

      Home Depot has cutting stations that may allow you to cut the wood down right in the store. Another option is to use a small miter box like this one: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-Deluxe-Miter-Box-with-Saw-20-600D/100034395

      Of course, an electric miter saw would also work. Just measure and cut. :)

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  7. Thanks everyone! I see that the drawer dividers are currently unavailable on Amazon but they are also sold by Rockler and are currently in stock. Here's the link: http://www.rockler.com/drawer-divider-holders-select-size

    Also, it's worth mentioning: I was expecting the plastic to be thicker and when they came in the mail, I was initially disappointed by the quality - flimsy and seemingly cheaply made. Once I installed them in the drawers, however, they work just fine. If you find that the adhesive doesn't stick as well as you'd like, you can also use super glue to strengthen the bond. Hope that helps!

    xoxo JWoo

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  8. This question is about the DIY calendar. I like the idea but am looking to use it as a dry erase board. Would that acrylic hold up over time doing a lot of writing and erasing? Thank you.

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  9. Everyone, they're back in stock on Amazon! Placed my order. Can't wait to try these out!

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    1. Do you have a link to them on Amazon? I can't find them.

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  10. I really liked the desk area you set up, and especially that gray paint used in your bedroom. Do you know who makes it and what it's called? I did click your link but it wasn't listed.

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  11. Love this idea! We just moved into a new house and I planned to DIY some dividers. How strong is the adhesive on the divider holders? I want something that will hold, but we are in a rental, so it would have to be removable without damaging the drawer.

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  12. This looks so great and helpful! Thank you for sharing!

    Allegra xx

    www.allegraghiloni.wordpress.com

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  13. Dental molding works just as well from your local hardware store.

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  14. Get them directly from the manufacturer for much less: http://www.outwater.com/lg_display.cfm/catalog/2016_Master_Catalog/page/G-16/highlight/divider%20strips
    and use foam core board, covering the cut edge with some white paper tape from Amazon or elsewhere.

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  15. The link says 404. But for those that don't know, any binning strip will work, so search for binning strip in your browser and find the one that works for you. =)

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  16. Try this - Cool stick on drawer dividers. http://www.outwater.com/lg_display.cfm/catalog/2016_Master_Catalog/page/G-16/highlight/divider%20strips or direct from Rockler.com - search "drawer dividers" Rockler has brick and mortar stores, check and see if there might one near you.

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  17. I am IN LOVE with this!!!! I think I heard angels singing!! I'm going to do this right away!

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