Reimagine Thrifted Vintage Drawers Into Cubby Storage With Just A Few Pieces Of Wood

For impassioned DIY and upcycle project enthusiasts, the sight of an old or vintage dresser fills the mind with innumerable clever ways to repurpose old dresser drawers. From crafting a side table or ottoman, to creating a shelf, the humble drawer is replete with possibilities — like this storage cubby DIY upcycle. What better way to enhance the utility of a sturdy vintage drawer than by creating several storage cubbies inside of it?

Perhaps more exciting still, you can let your creativity run wild with all the brilliant ways to upcycle old drawers into something beautiful. Style your drawer cubby with craft paper or paint. Add additional storage with hooks or a towel bar. Create labels to help make your upcycle project an organizational dream. Then, hang it on the wall — or, add feet and let it sit on a table or counter. The best part, though, might be just how easy it is to make. All you need — in addition to the drawer itself, of course — are some pieces of wood cut to size, wood glue and nails, and any decorative accoutrement you'd like to add.

Begin the project by measuring the space you have available inside your drawer, and calculating how you'd like to break that space down for your cubbies. Once you've got your basic design established, cut the wood pieces to the appropriate size and affix them to your drawer with wood glue and nails. Alternatively, for less than $25 you could attach premade wooden cubbies — like these Lifewit Drawer Organizers – to the inside of your drawer in the same fashion.

The last step is to style your drawer cubby. Create interest by adding some stylish craft paper to the back of your drawer (although this step would likely be easier if you adhered the paper to the inside of the drawer before you create cubbies). Stain or paint your project in a fun color, or add some additional storage by screwing hooks into the bottom. Alternatively, depending on the size of your drawer, you could add a wood towel bar to the bottom for hanging storage. Or, perhaps you'd like to attach some vintage label holders to the front of the cubes to give the look of an old apothecary. Then, mount it on the wall, or add feet so it can sit on a table. 

When you're looking for creative ways to repurpose old or unwanted items, creating storage ranks right up near the top. However, teeny tiny drawers — perhaps those you'd find in an old desk or apothecary style cabinet — may present a slightly more significant challenge. When the drawer space you have is already quite small, it doesn't make sense to fill it with storage cubbies. You could, however, create a wall of them. 

Select a variety of drawers and arrange them gallery-style on your wall. Use the biggest drawer as a sort of centerpiece, though that doesn't mean it has to be in the center of the wall. The intent of this element is to create a sort of focal point, but it can be situated off center. Then, you'll use the second biggest drawer and a smaller one to create balance on the other side of center. Leave some space between them that you can fill in with smaller drawers — or even small shelves or art pieces. Alternatively, you could connect the drawers for a sculptural storage solution. Attach a few drawers together using the drawer boxes, and then hang the whole collection on the wall. Stain or paint them, and then fill your drawers-turned-storage-cubbies with art or sculptural pieces to finish the look.