No More Dresser Drawer Clutter: Reuse Shoeboxes To DIY A Smart Storage Solution

You might love shoeboxes nearly as much as the shoes themselves. After all, they can be repurposed in a variety of ways — especially when it comes to crafts and organizing. But have you ever thought of using them to tidy up messy dresser drawers? Unsurprisingly, shoeboxes are excellent at doing that too. If you tuck them inside a drawer, you're able to fill them with smaller items that typically float around and clutter up the space. Plus, you can beautifully upgrade the boxes first in order to disguise them.

According to a 2023 survey conducted by KURU Footwear, the average person in the U.S. buys approximately four pairs of shoes a year. Hopefully, you've saved some of those boxes! You can use them to organize things like rolled-up belts, scarves, socks, underwear, and other accessories. It's simple — just fill a drawer up with boxes so that it's completely divided. Or, let a single box share the space with clothing, such as a stack of jeans. If ever it won't fit, trim the cardboard down to create a shorter container. Kid shoe boxes would come in particularly handy for miniature items like jewelry and mementos.

Before starting this shoebox repurposing hack, clean out your dresser drawers. Create a bag for items that can be donated to a relative, charity, or a secondhand shop. Then, sort everything out into organized categories, which will help you determine the best-sized boxes for each group of items.

Just because you're using shoeboxes, it doesn't mean they have to look like them! One affordable creative upgrade is to wrap them in contact paper. It comes in a sea of colors and designs, like glossy marble or natural wood textures, so you can create a look to complement your dresser's style. Cover the outside of each box, being careful not to leave any bubbles behind, and line the inside with matching contact paper or a lightweight fabric.

If you want to step up the look, decorate the outside of the shoebox with braided rope. Start by covering the entire inside of the box in a pretty paper or fabric. Then, glue pieces of rope all along the outside, which will give it a chic appearance. After your boxes are fully decorated, create dividers but cutting up the lids, if you'd like to separate small possessions. Cover the dividers with paper, and glue them in.

Place your items neatly into the boxes before sliding them into your drawers. Puzzle them together the best you can in order to not waste precious drawer space. If you're only using one or two shoeboxes but they keep shuffling around, attach them to the bottom of the drawer using loops of tape. In the end, your dresser drawers should be clutter-free. Combine these shoeboxes with other dresser organizing ideas to maximize the unit's storage potential and keep everything tidy and easy to find.