DIY Makeup Storage Drawer Dividers

I think I finally have all the storage space I want to hold my makeup collection.

After considering the default blogger option (the 9 drawer Alex) I opted out for a two reasons:

1) more space means more unintentional hoarding

2) the tall set of white drawers doesn't fit in our bedroom

But I did end up with other storage that works. I stole a page from Zubie and recreated her desk for my own/David's space and opted for the shorter Alex drawer system (5 drawers) which I found off craigslist for $60. This gave me 7 drawers worth of space in a much more flexible configuration since we've tucked the Alex into the closet.

 Merely having space is but part of the equation. After staring long and hard into the depths of the internet for ideas on how to (as David puts it) making every inch of space as efficient as possible, I nixed the buying-plastic-drawer-compartments route, and chose the (somewhat) less expensive but more time intensive option of creating some DIY drawer dividers.

Mostly inspiration was derived from the countless number of people who made DIY foam drawer dividers on Youtube and especially this video from Christine Kobzeff.

The steps are easy (though again, time intensive).

1) Buy foam board and measure the inside of your drawers.

tip: The Dollar Store has foam board for $1.25. Michael's has the same foam board for $4.99.

2) Think about how you want each drawer to be divided. Measure the foam board to the necessary dimensions and cut.

tip: Make sure to measure the inside of the drawer and leave some allowance for how thick the foam is. My drawers were 20.5"x 11.5" so I had two long pieces that were 20.5" long and two short pieces that were 11.30ish" which formed the border of the drawer. Each internal divider was 11.30".

You want the foam boards to fit really snug against each other. The tension helps keep the drawer dividers in place. If I had cut off too much, I would clue just a little more foam onto the end of a divider to help give it a more snug fit. If you have the necessary tension, you won't have to buttress your internal dividers with hot glue like Christine did.

 tip: Use a box cutter if you can. Scissors crush the foam near the cut and is more prone to mangling up the foam/not making straight lines.

3) Measure and line bottom of the drawers with a material of choice (optional).

tip: Christine makes covered foam boards for the bottom of her drawers but I didn't want to give up that 0.25" of space so instead I used grippy drawer liners from the Dollar store. I prefer this method since the friction keep products in place.

4) Cover foam board with a decorative material (optional).

tip: Christine uses two types of fabric. I used scented paper drawers liners from the Dollar Store (which were $3 a box). I stuck the paper onto the foam dividers with spray on adhesive and used a putty knife to smooth down the papers. I didn't pre-measure the paper but stuck the divider directly onto the paper, sprayed the other side, flipped the divider over and cut it away from the paper.

tip: Trim off excess paper with a pair of scissors.

5) Slot foam boards into place and organize your makeup.

tip: Thinking about where things will go beforehand makes this step a little easier since you will need different lengths of internal dividers depending on your needs.

Note how I said I have all the storage space I want. This doesn't actually mean I have all the storage space I need. There is some spillover that doesn't fit into the shorter Alex and the desk but I am honestly of the mind to continue purging so that everything does. Even seeing all my blushes laid out and fully taking up one drawer makes me unsettled about how many years it might take for me to use everything. Let the purging continue! Maybe I'll do a more full tour once I have everything in place.

How do you divide your drawers?

Daily Zen: All my "I'm too cold" complaints are solved here. Who wouldn't want to lounge around in warmth and comfort all day? Someone please deliver this to me asap.