How to Organize Your Messiest Kitchen Drawer (Featuring Drawerology)
- Emily Santos
- Apr 24
- 4 min read
If you were to open the drawers in my kitchen right now, you might expect perfection. After all, I am a professional home organizer. But I have a confession to make: until very recently, my kitchen tools drawer was a disaster.
We had just moved back into our house after a remodel, and many of our old drawer organizers no longer functioned. They either didn't fit the new drawers, or the categories of items we were storing together had changed. So, I did what many of us do when we are overwhelmed — I just shoved my kitchen tools into one drawer, closed it, and let it sit that way.
It probably would have stayed that way for a while (at least until we hosted an open house, because I know friends and clients love to poke around and see how an organizer organizes!). But then I received an email from Drawerology, a new custom drawer organizer company based in Olympia. They asked if I had any projects that would benefit from testing their product. The answer was an immediate yes. I let them know that I a few messy drawers of my own after a remodel and would love to try their product.
If you are wondering how to organize kitchen drawers that have become a catch-all for clutter, here is the step-by-step process I used in my own home.
Table of Contents
Have a larger home organization project and not sure where to begin?
Where do I start? Empty and sort your kitchen drawerÂ
The most effective way to organize your messiest kitchen drawer (or any space) is to pull everything out and sort it into logical categories. Yes, everything.
Once the drawer is empty, sort the items into categories that make sense to you. As you do this, consider whether there are items elsewhere in your home that belong in these categories, or vice-versa.
For example, if you are sorting a "junk drawer" and find batteries, are there batteries stored somewhere else in your house? Could you move these junk drawer batteries to that main location to free up space? Or, if you are sorting a kitchen tools drawer and find measuring spoons, are your measuring cups stored in a different cabinet? Can you co-locate them in this drawer so all your measuring tools are together?
How to decide what to keep (and what to relocate)
Once your items are sorted into categories, it is time to edit. Decide if there is anything within each category that you no longer use.
This is the moment to create space for "future you." If you are sorting a high-use drawer and there are low-use items inside, can you relocate them? Can you let them go entirely? Do not let infrequently used items get in the way of achieving your goal of a highly functional, organized drawer. If you only use that specialized gadget once a year during the holidays, it does not deserve prime real estate in your daily tool drawer.
How to measure for kitchen drawer organizers
Once your categories are finalized, you need to separate them with containers so items can easily go back to where they belong. This is where the Drawerology system came in.
Measuring was the fun part. I got to use Drawerology's online "Drawer Lab" design tool for the first time, and it was incredibly intuitive and easy to use. You enter your drawer dimensions, then tap to split and drag dividers to resize each compartment until the layout matches your categories. They also include specific measuring tips to ensure the final product fits perfectly. Because their inserts are custom-made to go to the very edge of the drawer, getting the measurements right is crucial — but their tool makes it foolproof.
Installing your new drawer organizers
My new Drawerology drawer insert arrived in one piece. Because it is custom-built to go to the very edge of the drawer, it truly maximized the space, which I was impressed by. There is no wasted space around the edges like you often get with off-the-shelf modular bins.
The only downside to a custom, single-piece insert is that you cannot adjust it in the future. To account for this, I made sure to design the compartments large enough that the categories could flex over time if my needs change.
Have a larger home organization project and not sure where to begin?
If you have a bigger project and want more step-by-step details on tackling a whole room, check out my guide on The Secrets to Home Organization. And if you find yourself struggling to let things go during the sorting phase, read my tips on How to Sort Household Items Without Getting Stuck.
Want to tackle more than one kitchen drawer? Kitchens are one of my favorite projects. Take a look at my kitchen and pantry transformations and reach out to schedule a free consultation. I provide home organization services across the Seattle area and would love to help you create a space that fits your life.