These adjustable DIY drawer dividers are quick, easy, and inexpensive to build and can be used in your nursery, kitchen, bathroom, or any drawer in your house!
I’m officially in nesting mode – but also over budget with the nursery. So when it came time to start organizing the nursery dresser, I had to get a little crafty! Amazon of course has tons of adjustable drawer dividers, but the price for outfitting six drawers started to add up quick. Not to mention I didn’t love that there weren’t taller divider options for my deeper lower drawers.
So, I set off to create my own!
Now I’m sure there are more professional tutorials out there – I’m not claiming to be an expert. But I am pretty proud of the solution I came up with, and I can’t stress how easy and quick it was! So if you’re looking for an *easy* DIY drawer divider tutorial that will give custom drawer organizer vibes, this is for you.
While I made these for my nursery dresser, they could be just as useful in your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, office – really any drawer in your house. They’re quick, easy, and inexpensive to build. Soon you’ll be wanting to add these drawer dividers throughout your whole house!
Watch my DIY drawer divider TikTok tutorial for a quick video with step-by-step instructions.
Reasons to Love These Adjustable Drawer Dividers
- You can use wood that matches your specific drawers (or stain to match).
- You can get the exact height to fit those deeper or more shallow drawers.
- They’re temporary! The foam tape I used is removable (vs. if you were to use wood glue). If down the line you no longer need the dividers, you can simply take out the wood separators + remove the tape and the drawers will be good as new.
- You don’t need tools! If you don’t have a saw, measure your drawers before you go buy your wood, then ask an associate to cut the wood to size for you. Most places should be happy to do so!
- Cost-effective. I spent under $50 on materials (lumbar and foam tape) and learned a new skill (priceless!). I guarantee Amazon would have been closer to $150 to do all six drawers.
- Quick! These truly don’t take a lot of time. I could have finished in one afternoon had I not run out of foam tape (learn from my mistake: buy two packs!).
- Easy. So easy, you’ll want to make custom dividers for every drawer space in your house!
Let’s get started, shall we?
Materials
- Wood (I used 4 inch and 6 inch tall inch pine planks. Get whatever height your drawer is + material that best matches!)
- Foam tape
- Saw (table saw, miter saw, etc. – or the nice lumber employee at a Lowe’s will do)
How to Build DIY Drawer Dividers
- Make the wood dividers.
Using the correct height wood for your drawer, measure the inner depth of the drawer. You don’t even need a measuring tape for this part – I simply placed my wood plank over the drawer to mark where to cut (just a tiny bit shorter than the depth of your drawer), then cut to the correct length using a miter saw. Because these drawer dividers rely on compression to work, you want to make sure they fit snug. Don’t cut too short!
Tip: If you’re worried about getting the length right, start by cutting one divider and seeing how it fits with the foam tape. You’ll then know if you need to cut shorter, longer, or the same for the rest of the dividers. You can then use the correct length board as a template for the rest of your cuts.
- Prep your drawers.
Grab your roll of foam tape and cut two pieces the width of your drawer to stick on the inner front side and two pieces for the inner back side of the drawer. Stick on and remove the backing.
- Insert drawer dividers.
Take your drawer dividers and slide them in between the foam strips. If you cut your wood the right length, it should be a snug fit. You might need to hammer or hit them into place (this is what you want as it means they will be sturdy and not move around on you!). Bonus: You can reposition them as many times as you want.
Voila! You now have the easiest DIY adjustable drawer dividers. Don’t worry too much about the foam strips showing – once you have your drawers full, you won’t even be able to see them!
Video Tutorial of Making Drawer Dividers for Clothes
For those of you who are visual learners, here are a few photos that break down the process.
First, I marked off where to cut wood by lying the wood over the drawer (I didn’t use a measuring tape for this whole project!).
Next, I cut the wood planks down to the correct size (just a pinch smaller than length of drawer). If you’re nervous, start by just cutting on divider and seeing how it fits (with the foam). It should be a snug fit. If it’s the right length, you can use that piece as a template for the rest.
Stick two rows of foam tape on both the inside front and back of your drawers. These will be what hold the dividers in place using tension.
Lastly, put in your drawer dividers. You know you cut your wood the right length if they’re a little snug to get in! It’s truly that easy. Bonus: You can rearrange the drawers at any time, or remove the dividers and the tape down the road if you no longer need them. It won’t damage your drawers at all!
Let me know if you decide to make these easy DIY dresser drawer dividers yourself – or if you have questions – in the comments below! Good luck!
Drawer Dividers from Amazon
Of course, if you’re in a pinch or not feeling up to doing it yourself, there are plenty of great drawer dividers on Amazon, too. I’ve linked a few good alternative options below!
This looks like an easy and also attractive way to make drawer dividers! I’m curious on the foam tape where the dividers are not attached, do items stick to that tape like socks or t shirts?
Good question – luckily things don’t stick! Only one side has the sticker adhesive, the other side is smooth like craft foam. Hopefully that description helps 🙂