How do I Choose the Best Drawer Organizer?

A drawer organizer is one of the household items that is incredibly useful and usually taken for granted until it's not there. Without it, the drawer could hold a hodgepodge of mixed together items that take forever to sort through. The best drawer organizer is one that fits the drawer you need it for, is of an appropriate material for what it's storing and has enough sections to truly keep things organized. Draw organizers are often tailored to a specific room and come in a variety of sizes and depths as well as a variety of materials.

When choosing a drawer organizer, the first step is to decide the room in which it will be used and the type of items going into it. Plastic organizers are good options for any room, as they are easy to clean. Metal organizers typically come in a mesh design, which means they aren't ideal for holding small items such as jewelry. They may also not be good to use if storing anything liquid — if the liquid spills, the mesh may be difficult to clean and might rust. Keep in mind that wood can stain should anything spill on it, so if storing liquid items, it may be best to use an organizer made from a different material.

Factor in the size of the drawer when choosing a drawer organizer. Measure the depth, width and height and compare it to the organizer options. Some are specifically tailored to fit in deep or narrow drawers or in drawers that are extra wide or narrow. There are also those that are expandable, which is ideal if you want to move it from one drawer to another that's a different size. The organizer should fit snugly so it doesn't slide around when the drawer opens and closes.

Considering a drawer organizer comes with sections that vary in size and shape, think about the size of the items going into it before choosing one. When organizing cutlery, opt for an organizer that has individual compartments tailored for each type. Bathroom items, such as makeup, come in a variety of sizes, so choose an organizer that has a section or two large enough to hold makeup brushes and other tools as well as sections that are small enough to hold lipstick. For nail polish, there will also need to be some height to the separators of the sections so the bottles don't tip over as the drawer opens and closes. When organizing jewelry, choose one that has sections long and narrow enough for bracelets, wide enough for large earrings and small enough for rings and studs.

While it may not seem important to choose a specific type of drawer organizer, it can be much more useful when it's tailored for specific needs. Using one that doesn't properly hold the items is almost as bad as not using the organizer at all. When everything fits properly and looks neat, it can reduce the chances of the drawer becoming a mess again.