diy drawer dividers

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our policy page for details.

ByKaren Sloan Updated on

make custom diy drawer dividers with this easy tutorial.

You know that cringey feeling when you open a very disorganized kitchen drawer? With every open, I think my heart sinks a little lower.

I’ve had it with the clanging and rolling around of utensils, the desperate search for a tiny vegetable peeler (why is always hiding in plain sight?), and the sheer waste of space that comes with a drawer in dissarray.

showing a messy kitchen utensil drawer
my chaotic kitchen drawer

Enough of this chaos.

Because today, we are making our own drawer dividers.

Things You’ll Need

creating pocket holes for diy drawer dividers
Kreg Pocket Hole Jig

DIY Drawer Dividers

wood drawer dividers in a kitchen drawer

Organize your drawers by making your own custom wooden drawer dividers.

Total time: 2 hours

  1. Measure your drawer

    Measure the inside dimensions of your drawer – the width, length and height.

  2. Design a template

    Drawer Divider Templates

    Create a layout for your drawer dividers. To start, we will have four pieces that go all the way around the inside perimeter of the drawer (like a border). Our drawer dividers will be connected to these border pieces. The dividers are more stable when you do it this way.

  3. cut wood pieces

    putting together your diy drawer dividers

    Using the dimensions from your template, cut your wood pieces (straight cuts) using a saw.

  4. drill pocket holes

    creating pocket holes for diy drawer dividers

    Create a pocket hole at each end of your wood pieces. You can do this by setting the pocket hole drill bit collar to 3/4. Then, set the pocket hole jig to 3/4 and clamp it on the end of each piece of wood. Then, drill all your pocket holes.

  5. connect pieces together

    showing a square next to a drawer divider to ensure right angles

    Using the appropriate pocket hole screws, and the Kreg driver bit, connect the pieces together. I’m using 1.25 pocket hole screws because I have all 3/4 inch wood. Before driving in the screws, use a square tool or a level to make sure the dividers go in nice and straight.

  6. sand the dividers

    orbital sander

    Use an orbital sander or a sanding block to sand the drawer dividers nice and smooth. You don’t want any rough edges sticking out. I did not stain or paint my dividers, but you can do that next if you want to.

  7. Coat with Polyurethane

    polyurethane varathane

    To protect your dividers, brush on a quick coat or two of polyurethane.

  8. insert into your Drawer

    wood drawer dividers in a kitchen drawer - in post how to create your diy drawer dividers

    Final step! Insert them into your drawer and get organizing! That’s so much better now, isn’t it?

wood drawer dividers in a kitchen drawer
wood drawer dividers in a kitchen drawer
a close up of wood drawer dividers in a kitchen drawer
wood drawer dividers in a kitchen drawer
wood drawer dividers in a kitchen drawer

And that’s all there is to it! I can’t tell you how much happier I am with these kitchen drawers. Everything is organized! Now I can always find that dang vegetable peeler. And dare I say it, I think I’m a better cook. (errr…maybe I took that one too far…)

xo Karen