Whether you’re the type of person who likes to have a compartment for every pair of
socks or you’re happy if the laundry simply makes it back to your room, here are some
simple tips and strategies for improving the functionality and look of your dresser
drawers.
What’s in your drawers?
First, let’s identify the most common items people keep in their dressers. For men, it’s
typically socks, underwear, tee shirts, sleep wear, gym shorts, and workout clothes.
This will depend on the number of drawers you have, and how much they can hold. A
valet box on top of the dresser can be handy for tossing loose change, cell phone,
power cords, wallet, and keys.
For women, common dresser drawer contents might include bras and underwear,
lingerie, body shapers, and pajamas. Other items that lend themselves to drawers
include swimwear, scarves, certain jewelry, and other personal items.
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
If you find that your drawers are overflowing, or you’ve just let them get too disorganized
to find what you’re looking for, it’s probably time to refresh. Start by completely
emptying each drawer, one at a time, on the bed or other open space.
Have trash and donation bags handy so you won’t be distracted or tempted to leave the
room in the middle of the process.
Then simply sort through the items and get rid of mismatched stockings, worn out bras
and underwear, and ripped or stained tee shirts. If you have too many tee shirts or
scarves, donate them.
If you find items that belong in a different drawer set them aside until you get to that
drawer. If something turns up that belongs to another member of the household set it
aside to deal with later.
Is it the best arrangement?
As you go through the process with each drawer you may discover that a bigger or smaller space is needed for that category of clothing. Don’t be afraid to reassign the drawer for another purpose. Also take into consideration which items are used most frequently, and if possible, put them in front, in the most easily accessed drawers. This is especially important for people whose physical limitations make bending and reaching difficult.
Keeping it organized
Once you’ve completed the sorting, discarding, and donating it’s a good time to decide what type of organizing products can help you keep things in order. Drawer dividers are available which section off areas and keep different types of clothing from getting mixed together. These are helpful if your socks and underwear for example, are in the same drawer.
One type is a spring-loaded divider that fits most drawer sizes and can be used to create rows going front to back or side to side. Or, you can purchase small bins that fit inside the drawer to keep like items together If you like each pair of socks or underwear to have its own compartment you canpurchase products that do that as well.
For delicate items consider cloth-lined boxes or trays to prevent damage. There are so many retailers that sell organizing products that it shouldn’t be difficult to find the ones that fit your taste and budget.
Add scented liners for a bit of fragrance and to make your drawers more inviting. They may also protect clothes from any rough areas on the drawer itself. For those who really want to enjoy the “visual” appearance, try lining up your clothes by color. For socks, underwear, and camisoles fold each category in its own uniform
manner.
Consider rolling your tee shirts so they fit side by side and stacked on top of each other. It will be easier to find the one you want without upsetting or digging through a deep pile of flat shirts.
If you prefer flat, folded tee shirts, but have difficulty making them look neat you can even purchase a special folding board that will give you that perfect shape each time. Just remember that drawers are going to get messy from time to time. With a little bit of maintenance and a few organizing aids you can minimize the time it takes to keep your drawers looking neat, and functioning at their best!
