Organisation experts are urging you not to throw away your shoe boxes - instead, they say these handy boxes can be excellent at dividing your drawer space.
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I have a drawer at home packed with clutter and no real method of organising it - so I’m always looking for new ways to organise deep drawers. The shoe box method utilises old boxes to make more storage space in your drawers and create compartments for your items alongside.
Its adaptable nature means it makes suitable storage ideas from organising your kitchen drawers to your junk drawer - this is everything you need to know.
The shoe box organisation method
‘Whilst many people keep hold of shoe boxes for storing shoes, or ‘just in case’, they have a brilliant practical use that many of our customers are shocked when I share. I advise that they’re perfect for organised drawer spaces by creating a divide for each item category,’ explains Carl Benson, space-saving expert at Suffolk Pocket Door Company.
‘It’s very common for us Brits to use a utensil tray for kitchen drawers to try and organise our cutlery, and these shoe boxes are the perfect way to make every drawer equally organised.’
This method is ideal for separating small items - which are easy to leave unorganised, such as socks, cleaning supplies, jewellery, make-up an stationery, making it an easy storage and decluttering method to follow.
To follow the method, Carl first recommends emptying your drawers completely and sorting through the contents to decide what to keep. He says to bin any damaged items or duplicates. Then you can slot your boxes into the drawer and catagorise them - now you can place the items back in the correct place.
When to avoid using the shoe box organisation method
While this is an easy method to follow, it will not be suitable for every type of drawer - especially if you have shallow drawers.
‘Where this would not work, is a cupboard where boxes can be stacked or the boxes don't fit snugly, such as under a sink. You should be able to see what is in each box, with ease, for this method to be effective,’ says Carl.
It also not suitable for damp areas and damp and condensation can damage the cardboard of your shoeboxes or cause mould. It is also recommended that you add silica gel packets (£5.95 at Amazon) to keep the contents of the boxes dry.
‘One common concern is mould, especially in humid environments. To prevent this, ensure that shoeboxes are clean and completely dry before use,’ says Anna Michaels, a spokesperson for Sicotas
‘Regularly airing out your drawers and keeping them dry will also help prevent any mould build-up.
‘Overall, using shoeboxes as dividers is an affordable, eco-friendly, and highly customisable solution. It's a great way to upcycle and organise at the same time, reducing waste while maintaining a tidy living space.’
Drawer storage ideas
Opting for sleek linen dividers can make your drawer storage look more stylish, whilst still keeping your belonging seperate.
This set comes in a variety of sizes, which makes it perfect for small items such as jewllery, ties and make-up.
The depth of these drawers makes it a great choice for bulky items as well as giving you more space to stack smaller bits.
Will you be using the show box method to organise your drawers? Let us know what you think.
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