How to Make Drawer Dividers With a Plastic Sheet

Measure and note the length, width and height of the drawer. Sketch the drawer, as if you are looking at it from above. Include dimensions. Draw the compartments, as you want them to be positioned in the completed drawer organizer. Write in the approximate dimensions of the compartments. Decide which partitions will extend from one side of the drawer to the other, from front to back, or from side to side. These will be the main partitions.

Draw the main partitions on the corrugated plastic sheet, using a marker and a ruler. The length of the partitions will be the length of width of the drawer, minus a quarter-inch. The height of the partitions should be at least half-inch shorter than the interior height of the drawer. Cut out the main partitions, using heavy-duty scissors. Test-fit the partitions in the drawer. The main partitions should extend across the drawer with a one-eighth-inch space on either end.

Refer to measurements on your sketch to mark two pieces of plastic to line the interior walls of the drawer, perpendicular to the main partitions. The edge pieces should fit snugly against the edge of the drawer and be the same height as the main partitions. Remove the edge pieces. Lay the edge pieces side by side with their long edges aligned. Use a ruler and marker to draw a line across both edge pieces, where you want to position the main partitions. Cut the edge pieces one-eighth inch from and parallel to each side of the marked lines.

Reposition the edge pieces on the inside of the drawer, so the spaces between the adjacent plastic pieces are quarter-inch apart. Glue the edge pieces in place. The main partitions will slide into the spaces between the edge pieces. If you are using only main partitions, slide them in place after the glue has dried. If you are installing partitions perpendicular to the main partitions to make smaller compartments, lay the main partitions side by side with their long edges aligned.

Mark the main partitions where they will intersect with the perpendicular partitions. Use a ruler and marker to draw a line across both partitions, from top to bottom. Measure and mark the centers of the lines. Cut the main partitions one-eighth inch from and parallel to each side of the marked lines, from their top edges to the center marks. Use a craft knife to cut between the cuts at the center mark, creating quarter-inch slots in the partitions.

Slide the main partitions into the slots between the edge pieces. The slots in the main partitions should be facing upward. Measure, mark and cut the perpendicular partitions. They should be the same height as the main partitions and quarter-inch shorter than the width of the drawer. Lay the perpendicular partitions across the main partitions. Mark the perpendicular partitions where they intersect with the main partitions.

Draw lines across the perpendicular partitions, from top to bottom, at the marks. Measure and mark the centers of the lines. Cut the perpendicular partitions one-eighth inch from and parallel to each side of the marked lines, from their lower edges to the center marks. Use a craft knife to cut between the cuts at the center mark, creating quarter-inch slots in the bottoms of the perpendicular partitions.

Align the bottom slots of the perpendicular partitions with the top slots in the main partitions. Slide the perpendicular partitions downward, locking the main and perpendicular partitions together.

Measure, mark and cut edge pieces to hold the perpendicular partition in place against the inner wall of the drawer. The edge pieces should be the same height as the partitions. They should be affixed in position to firmly hold the perpendicular partitions in place.