A cutlery drawer makeover for $0

Am I the only one who can't stand the cutlery drawer? I mean, really cant stand it?

We had bought one of those standard plastic cutlery trays.  You know, the ones that are supposed to keep your drawers tidy? But they don't! They never have enough spots for all the different types of cutlery. From steak knives to plastic spoons for the kids, these trays just never remember all the other pieces outside of standard service.  So where do these "extra" types of cutlery go? Inevitably they wind up shoved in the drawer beside the tray. Because, here is another issue, they trays never fit the drawer!
So you neatly place the plastic spoons beside the tray in the morning as you empty the dishwasher.  But over the course of the day, with the drawer being opened and closed a bazillion times, they slip and slide until most of what you're looking for is under the tray.

Then you find yourself thinking cuss words at a cutlery drawer and realize something has to change!
At least that's where I was at a few days ago.

Back at the end of September my parents had gifted That Guy and I a new dishwasher for our seventh wedding anniversary. As we were unpacking the dishwasher I noticed some strips of hyper pressured paper. They were just a "waste" packing material but they were calling to me. They resembled pieces of wood even though I knew they were paper.  That Guy was not thrilled when I announced "I bet I could use these for something someday" and stored them in our basement already filling up with so many other such items.
But now I actually have used them for something! They were perfect for this drawer makeover.


To begin I think its important that I show you, gentle readers, just what I meant about my drawer disaster.

This is a terrible cutlery drawer. 

So That Guy and I took out everything from the drawer and figured out how many spots we really needed and what was important to us. Like having the steak knives at the back of the drawer and the plastic kids cutlery easily accessible at the front.

Empty drawer and hyper compressed paper packing material.
Of course this would work just as well with wood. 

 Then we drew out a couple of arrangement options inside the drawer to see what we liked best.

One of the design options

Then, easy peasy lemon squeezy, we cut the paper packing material and using liquid nails glued them in place according to the design we liked best.

 Next I took some on hand shelf liner and cut it to fit our spaces.  Yes, I had shelf liner on hand. I buy it buy the roll from the dollar store and use it when I make hair clips for babies so they grip better. I still had plenty on the roll.

Shelf liner in

 Then I put all the cutlery back in the drawer and...Taa-daa!!!!

So tidy and lovely

I smiled every time I opened the drawer that day.  Sometimes I find thrills in strange places ;)