I have a thing with compartmentalizing. I have to have it to feel sane. It's because I think it keeps order where chaos would reign. If you've got a bunch of stuff you need to keep in one drawer, the only way to keep it all in check is to have each thing have a place. It's true with the junk drawer and it's true with the clothing drawer.

You can buy drawer dividers, but if you've got cardboard lying around, it takes about 10 minutes to whip some up. I cut pieces to size, taped 2 together for stability, and wrapped them in contact paper (though that's an optional step).

Then I fitted them into the drawer. I cut the lengths of cardboard so that they fit pretty well, and once clothes are added, they're pretty stable. But you can tape the edges with painters or masking tape if you find them too wobbly for your liking.

Once you've got the dividers in place, you can employ the file method to put your clothes away. I fold clothes to the height of the drawer and the stack, vertically, like files. For Lou's shirts, that works out to folding in thirds, and for her pants, fourths. I do stack her shorts, but everything else gets filed away. It's amazing how much easier it is to keep the drawer relatively tidy when you can see what you're looking for. And it's also amazing how much you can store in the drawer when you file things.

DIY Drawer Dividers and the Filing System for Clothes

Of course, this is not our only divided - and conquered - drawer. I find they're especially critical when storage space is at a premium, and every drawer is pulling double duty. But even if you don't use a drawer for more than one type of clothing, try using dividers and the filing system and see if it makes getting out and putting away clothes a little easier. And let us know if it works for ya. Thanks for reading!