Organizing Kitchen Drawers Just Got Easier With This Genius Parchment Paper Trick

One look at the chaotic mess of an unorganized silverware, utensil, or junk drawer in the kitchen is enough to send most people into a panic state, frozen with indecision about which organizers (or the millions of options out there) are going to transform their disheveled drawers most efficiently. Choose a setup too small, and your organizers float around ineffectively inside the drawer, whereas choosing an option slightly too large means a trip back to the store for a return. The entire process can be extremely overwhelming, causing many to impulse buy something ill-fitting in an attempt to get it over with, or giving up altogether. However, preparation is key for avoiding overwhelm, indecision, and making a poor purchase. There's a wonderfully simple hack to help you find the best-fitting drawer organizers, and all you need is a little parchment paper.

Payton Elizabeth Leihgeber (@paytonleihgeber) shared on Instagram how she used parchment paper to create a template of the inside of her drawer to take with her on a shopping trip to purchase organizers. Because she had the full-scale template to lay out in real time right in the organization aisle, she could ensure she was buying the right size and the most effective configuration before buying. This is an especially great idea for those who struggle to picture what they need or how things will fit, as it takes all the guesswork out of the process with a physical planning tool. Absolutely genius! You'll never head to the store for organizers again without using a clever and incredibly handy parchment paper template. Let's dive right into the details of this clever trick.

Create your drawer template by placing a piece of parchment paper flat inside the drawer, matching up one of the corners so that two perpendicular sides are lined up with the edges of the parchment paper. Next, mark and cut the other two sides so that the parchment paper is the same size as the interior of the drawer. This will allow you to bring an accurate, full-scale template of the available storage space to the store with you. For added convenience and clarity, you can also write the dimensions on the parchment and label it with which drawer it is in, in the event of planning for multiple drawers on the same shopping trip. Don't forget to include the interior height clearance of the drawer to make sure your organizers aren't too tall.

Head to your favorite store to buy organizers with drawer template(s) in tow. Lay the parchment down on the floor so you can simulate various organizer configuration options. The template will help you visualize and space plan the end result to ensure the dimensions will work with your drawer before you leave the store. Once you're happy with the final layout, purchase your new organizers with confidence, bolstered by the peace of mind that they will fit beautifully in your space. This technique not only works perfectly for organizing utensil and silverware drawers in the kitchen, but also for templating drawers for storage in the bathroom, office, craft room, and more. The next time you need to optimize and organize your kitchen's drawers, come prepared with a full-scale parchment paper template to take all of the guesswork out of which organizers will fit best for the perfectly compartmentalized storage system of your dreams!