Sunday, November 1, 2015
UHeart Organizing: DIY Acrylic Drawer Dividers
It is always funny when the contributors and I fall into the same organizing wavelengths. It happens quite often and always causes me to grin big when we are on similar paths with our ideas (great minds think alike right?). I recently shared how we DIY'd some wooden, adjustable dividers from our son's armoire drawers (yet the concept could be used in any drawer). Today, Ursula is joining us from Home Made by Carmona, and she is sharing her stunning acrylic version of adjustable drawer dividers. The best part, no major tools are required and they will turn out incredibly lovely. Acrylic anything gets my heart racing, and this project was no exception.
Hi there amazing organizing lovers! Ursula here from Home Made by Carmona, excited to share with you my latest and greatest in stylish organizing.
There is nothing I hate more than having to sort through a drawer to find what I'm looking for. Any drawer, kitchen drawer, bathroom drawer, clothing drawer, office supply drawer... you name it! Ideally, wouldn't it be amazing to know exactly where everything is, where it goes, and when you opened a drawer you could see everything at a glance? Ah-mazing. Am I dreaming? Well then don't pinch me, because I'm not willing to wake up from this one!
In order to achieve this dream, half the battle is organizing the drawer in a way that maximizes the space and allows you to get a clear view of everything in it. So, today I'm going to show you how to make stylish and custom adjustable acrylic drawer organizers. I made an entire set for my bedroom wardrobe, and I LOVE them!
Why custom? Because I am not of fan of purchasing a set of acrylic organizers that don't fit precisely in the drawer and end up wasting some space. Now with these DIY acrylic organizers, you can adjust the inserts to fit into the drawer perfectly. As a matter of fact, they are designed specifically to each individual drawer!
Ready to get started?
Materials what you'll need:
- Dentil molding
- Plastic sheets
- Wood glue
- Finishing nails (optional)
Tools you'll need:
- Hack saw (or something to cut molding to size)
- Carpenters steel square
- Vice grips
- Plastic cutter (or really sharp utility knife)
- Measuring tape
- Paint & spray paint, painters tape (all optional)
Begin by measuring the length of your drawers and cutting 4 pieces of dentil molding to size. Be sure that each piece of molding will line up (so start cuts from the same location on each square). These will act as slots where you can insert your dividers.
Glue down the two pieces of dentil molding to the back and two to the front of the drawer. One at the bottom of the drawer, and one near the top. If you like you can use finishing nails to add a little security and hold the molding in place.
*Alteration Note: If you prefer your organizers going across the drawer rather than back to front, that is fine, add the molding to the sides of the drawer instead.
While your molding dries in place. Measure the drawer from front to back, from molding strip to molding strip. Remember, you want your dividers to be able to slide in place without being too snug or too loose, so measure from the crevice in the molding, to the crevice of the molding on the opposite side. This is going to be the length of your acrylic sheet. Then measure how deep your drawer sides are, and you'll have the dimensions for your acrylic (plastic) insert.
Place your acrylic sheet on top of a piece of scrap wood you don't mind cutting/damaging. Using your carpenters steel square (or T-square, whatever you have) and a pair of vice grips to hold it in place, you will use your plastic cutter to score the acrylic sheet in the desired size. You will want to score it 3 or 4 times in the same line... go slowly as it is easy for the cutter to wander outside of the lines you are trying to make. Accuracy is more important than pressure when scoring; remember you're not trying to cut it, you're trying to score it.
Next move it down to the edge of your wood work top, still using the carpenter square and vice grips along the score line. Allow it to overhang right where the score line is, then gently snap the acrylic by pressing downward. This part is much easier than you'd think, it doesn't take much pressure, and the break line is quite clean! Do this for as many inserts as you desire to have.
Tip: if you have a small piece that needs to be broken off, without much of an over hang, use a pair of pliers instead of your hands to break along the score line.
Now if you like, you can paint your drawer, and even add a little glam to your acrylic inserts by spray painting the bottom. I love a gorgeous metallic gold, so I am covering the tops, and spray painting the bottoms.
I love that these acrylic dividers are adjustable. Finally time to insert your acrylic dividers and get organizing!
Practical, yet stunning! My entire set of wardrobe drawers got a full organizing makeover!
Just to give you a peek at a few of my drawers, and how I organized them; notice how everything is easily visible without having to sort through it to find what you need?
You could make these same organizers using wooden inserts, but honestly I just love the look of acrylic. It is beautiful and reflective, and nothing can get mistakenly hidden by being jammed in a corner somewhere.
Whether you need small slots, large slots, or you need to change how many acrylic dividers you require for each drawer, it is easily done without having to run out and purchase a new set of organizers.
Then come back, and make these DIY acrylic organizers to go with them. It will be the perfect custom combination!
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"Hi, I'm Ursula and I blog at Home Made by Carmona where there is always a fun DIY project in play. I've got expensive taste and no money, I'm a neat freak who's house didn't get that memo, and I firmly believe organization has the power to improve our homes, habits, and the members that abide there! I'm so thrilled to be here at IHeart Organizing, the blog that first inspired me to start my own blogging journey."
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