Junk Drawer Overhaul: Me first

Since I was asking everyone else to share their ugly side, its only fair I did the same. As I've mentioned I'm absolutely terrible at organization. I try, I really do but it always seems to get the best of me. Case in point, the four drawers in my shelving unit. They look pretty harmless when closed.

DSC_0225

But check out the mess lurking inside.
DSC_0226.jpg

I pulled everything out and found so much random stuff - loads that doesn't belong here or went into the trash.
DSC_0240.jpg

After I had throw so much away it wasn't too hard to put it all back neatly but let's face facts: there was zero chance I'd keep it that way. So I thought about how I could encourage myself to keep it neat.

DSC_0255.jpg

Out came the Casablanca from Cutting Edge Stencils (ordered for an entirely different project I'm saving til later this year) and some thin pieces of wood cut to size. Not only was it a good way for me to practice the stenciling technique but having a pretty pattern would encourage me to keep organized so I could see through the bottom. Two birds, one stone - hooray.

I used my new favorite shade of paint - a mix of navy and teal called Plummage by Martha Stewart.
DSC_0278.jpg

Check it out now.
DSC_0283.jpg

The used a white plastic organizing tray I had laying around as well as some old teacups I had leftover from another project. (I'll probably add more teacups as I find them.)

DSC_0286.jpg

I'll keep my fingers crossed that my messy side doesn't take over again but for now this method seems to be working.

65 comments:

  1. Love. It. I bought shelf liner with a damask pattern for the exact same reason. I have learned to have large storage spaces because everything gets all jumbled and disappears. I think I'll take a cue from your teacups and find a fun, funky, vintage way to compartmentalize all those cavernous spaces!
    Thanks Mrs. L!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This turned out very pretty - thanks for the tip! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think you're right in stenciling the drawer bottoms. Who would want that loveliness covered up?!?

    ReplyDelete
  4. This looks so amazing!

    I am always organizing something!

    Not too long ago I re-did my Office...
    http://confessionsofanewoldhomeowner.blogspot.com/2010/01/ah-thats-better.html

    And some of the Linen Closets... (and under the Sink!)
    http://confessionsofanewoldhomeowner.blogspot.com/2010/05/kitchen-101-organization.html

    Martha had some awesome tips for under sink organizing and I even found some recipes for homemade cleaners that I found worked better than the store stuff! And they're eco friendly too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. You'll think me crazy, but i have teacups in my drawer but I cut foam to fit w circular cut-outs so the tea cups don't "jiggle" when opening the drawer.. drove me crazy. Now it doesn't :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ahh! Plummage is totally one of my faces as well! I made over a nightstand with it over that summer and fall! I love the tea cups too! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cute! What a great idea to paint the insides of the drawers. I'll have to remember that.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Aren't teacups just the greatest thing for organisation. I use them for office supplies, earrings, makeup anything really because they are just so cute. There cuteness makes me want to clean and keep things organised so it's definite bonus.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love that stencil, can't wait to see what else you have planned for it! I bought some china for my bathroom drawer, but broke a couple on the way home :( I love the way it looks though. Great job, and good luck.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh and I love the color too. I just bought some new mugs at Target that are a similar, but darker color. I told my husband over the weekend that it's my new inspiration color.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love this! That stencil is awesome and the color you chose is great too! Makes me want to organize!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow. Just lovely. I need to go clean my drawers so I can stencil them!

    Denise
    http://www.extremepersonalmeasures.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous9:20 AM

    Looks great! Love the stencil. My junk drawer (I only have one) is constantly cleaned by me. My new project is to make my pantry pretty like these:

    http://inspirationfordecoration.blogspot.com/search/label/pantry

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous9:20 AM

    Very nice. I love the stencil! (I did something like that with tea-cups, and I secured the cups with glue dots found at my local craft store!)

    Quick Q: what is the counter of your shelving unit made of?

    -Anna

    ReplyDelete
  15. This inspires me to clean out all my drawers and closets.

    I love pulls on your drawers. Are those original? If not, could you let me know where you found them?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh my! The first thing I noticed was your white footed fruit bowl. I have that exact same bowl! I found it at a local thrift shop for 50 cents but I LOVE how expensive and cute it looks.

    I think it's cute that you use tea cups to organize the mess.
    I used rubber bands from my daily paper to cobble together a bunch of empty yogurt cups into a neat and tidy organizer.

    How to you decide what to keep and what to toss? It seems like I hold on to everything because it "might" be useful.

    seemorganacook@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love that stencil you picked out-its so pretty. Is it bad that I don't even think the drawers were that horrible to begin with? They look great now, though!
    ~Tanya

    ReplyDelete
  18. PhillyLass9:34 AM

    Love the teacups idea! Even your storage is stylish. Question-- did you use a coat of poly over the stenciled drawer inserts? And is there any reason you didn't apply the stencil directly to the drawer bottoms?

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love Cutting Edge Stencil! I used one in our small basement bathroom. And I love your idea and that stencil!

    http://myyearstartedtuesdaynight.blogspot.com/2010/03/basement-bath-redux.html

    ReplyDelete
  20. I LOVE that trellis stencil! Makes the drawers so glam :D

    ReplyDelete
  21. Philly - No, I didn't do a coat of poly or even a second coat. The painted soaked into the wood well enough and Im not worried about small scratches. I didn't stencil the drawer bottom itself b/c I couldn't figure a way to do so without cutting the stencil (and I want to use it in full size for another project).

    Morgana - One thing I am good at is throwing things away I don't have a very specific use for. So once I set myself too it, getting rid of the extra junk I had collected was easy enough.

    Kate - The whole shelving unit is new so nothing but the lead doors are original. The pulls are from Restoration Hardware.

    Anon - The counter top is made of wood like the rest of the built in.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow it looks great - I really love the stencil.

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a great solution! I wonder if that would work for me...

    http://40daysof.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/fat-tuesday-volume-iii/

    ReplyDelete
  24. That looks amazing, i love the stencils.

    ReplyDelete
  25. whistlerpotpie11:06 AM

    This is great!

    I totally appreciate that you didn't buy any new organizing tools to organize with! You did such a beautiful job - genius to make the drawer bottoms cute...and I love that stencil!

    Thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. looks awesome! anyone know where i could find shelf liner in a damask print for a dresser i'm making over?

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous11:40 AM

    Absolutely inspiring.

    Lurker Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  28. That is a fabulous idea! I love that the inside of your drawers are now so pretty. I want to do the same thing.

    ReplyDelete
  29. That looks absolutely lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Now I feel guilty... like I should clean out my junk drawer or something!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Those drawers are gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous1:42 PM

    How cute! I love the plummage color and the stencil is such a good idea so you reward yourself by getting to see through the bottom.

    I use teacups to help organize my bathroom makeup drawer. But my teacups are baby cups - the kind you get as an infant with your initials on them. Ha, finally found a use for them in my mid-twenties!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous2:10 PM

    SO SO SO cute! That amazing pattern would definitely keep me organized too! (and Plummage is one of my favorite MS colors right now)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Fabulous!! You can come to my house anytime now!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Wow, what a difference. It looks like a lot of stuff when it's upended onto the counter, and much less in the drawers, so you really must have been merciless with the tossing. I don't mind a little disorganization as long as it's tucked away. I can't be worrying about keeping things neat Every. Single. Day.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Melinda Ke4:35 PM

    Four junk drawers! Wowzers. I only have one junk drawer...........and a huge junk closet. Ha! I like the tea cups idea for organization, very cute. This just may be the motivation I need to confront my junk drawer, and if I'm feeling really brave maybe the closet.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Love that color! Great idea to make them pretty so you'd be motivated to keep them clean! I used the same logic in my closet makeover ;) The teacups are so pretty - I use ramekins in my junk drawer, but the tea cups are much cuter!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Ooh, I love that trellis stencil. And the color is pretty too.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Smart trick, I can imagine you'll want to keep these drawers organized if only to be able to see the design you stenciled!
    Janell

    ReplyDelete
  40. They weren't disorganised by drawer standards! But good job making them even better! I keep telling myself if I could just get the right dividers...

    ReplyDelete
  41. Now THAT is clever! And bonus about getting practice with the stencil:)

    ReplyDelete
  42. great ideas!! love the tea cups! :)

    ReplyDelete
  43. need those stencils. stat.

    ReplyDelete
  44. This is beyond great, I'm a sucker for anything stenciled! What a fantastic transformation!!!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Oh wow! Brilliant!! Love this idea and feel the need to paint the inside of all my drawers now.

    ReplyDelete
  46. The paint color is very sophisticated. I love it!

    www.aliceindesignland.com

    ReplyDelete
  47. *heart* the teacups. And the stencil.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Thanks for the junk-drawer inspiration...I needed it. The tea cups are such a great idea!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Stencils on drawer bottoms = brills.

    ReplyDelete
  50. oooooohhhh.. that looks cool!

    ReplyDelete
  51. That is just fantastic. How lovely to open your drawers and see that amazing pattern. And the color = FABULOUS!

    ReplyDelete
  52. That stencil makes such a beautiful difference! Also love Plumage. Just bought a sample to try out on a pc of furniture. Hope I love it as much in person as I do from what I've seen of it so far on the web.

    ReplyDelete
  53. I just did the same (minus the stenciling) to all the drawers in our house last weekend. I don't know what got into us but we were on a roll. I'm kind of loving how the stencil color matches the background on your blog...

    ReplyDelete
  54. The stenciling is amazing! I have got to Google it.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Such a perfect project- I love anything that involves a little color and some organization

    ReplyDelete
  56. Thank goodness you shared this problem! I have had the exact same issue with our downstairs shelving unit, but have lacked the willpower to do anything about it. The stencil idea seems so easy and actually fun to do. Thank you for making me realize that reorganization doesn't have to be such a chore.

    ReplyDelete
  57. I'll forgo comments about your 'painted drawers'. These look amazing...and that color is absolutely divine!!!

    ReplyDelete
  58. Thank goodness you shared this problem! I have had the exact same issue with our downstairs shelving unit, but have lacked the willpower to do anything about it. The stencil idea seems so easy and actually fun to do. Thank you for making me realize that reorganization doesn't have to be such a chore.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Such a perfect project- I love anything that involves a little color and some organization

    ReplyDelete
  60. This is awesome! Totally love this idea!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Ada @ New York5:37 PM

    This def inspires me to keep my shelf drawers neater so I can peek at the gorgeous designs :) GREAT idea!!!

    ReplyDelete
  62. rowhousenest10:36 AM

    Love this idea but i wonder if there was a way i could get around having to place pieces of wood into my drawers? Maybe on thick paper?

    ReplyDelete
  63. patrice9:15 PM

    ok - now i must find stencils and paint inside my cabinets!  This is just too stylish!
    Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete

There is nothing that thrills me more than hearing from readers. Please share your thoughts. ♥

Follow @ Instagram

© 2007-2020 Brooklyn Limestone. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy
Back to Top