5 smart ways to organise your chest of drawers

With a little effort to keep your chest of drawers neat inside, everyday routines become that bit smoother. Try these ideas to organise your drawers so you can always find the clothes and accessories you need—no more rummaging.

1. Give each drawer a clear purpose

Make storage simpler by assigning a specific role to every drawer. You could group by colour, or organise by clothing type or activity. Take a quick look at what you own and how you get dressed each day, then set up the system that fits you best.

2. Add practical drawer organisers

Use boxes or organisers inside each drawer to keep items neatly separated and prevent a jumble. Add as few or as many as you need, and you’ll find it far easier to rearrange, replace or remove things whenever you like.

3. Roll, fold and stand - don’t stack

To make the most of drawer space, roll or fold clothes and stand them upright side by side. You’ll see and grab items more easily than with piles stacked on top of each other. Rolled pieces also work brilliantly for dividing a drawer between you and a child or partner.

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4. Give accessories the spotlight (and their own space)

Use trays or small boxes to organise jewellery and accessories so the inside of your chest of drawers is as pretty as it is practical. With everything contained and in its place, you’ll always know where to find each piece—and where to put it back.

5. Give non-clothing items a clear home

If your chest of drawers also holds miscellaneous bits, use inserts and sturdy boxes—lidded or open—to corral sunglasses, toys, USB cables and other must-haves. Organised this way, a drawer becomes a handy home for all your odds and ends.

Set limits on what lives inside

You don’t need to cram your drawers with absolutely everything you own. Your chest of drawers will feel calmer if bulky or out-of-season items live elsewhere—hang them in the wardrobe or tuck them under the bed in a storage case—so everyday clothes stay easy to see and reach.