Parchment Paper Is Key For Perfectly Organized Kitchen Drawers

For some home cooks, having a solid, organized foundation is essential before starting a project — it's why a well-considered mise en place can soothe even the most anxious of creators. But long before you even approach step one, a chaotic kitchen drawer situation can cause paralysis, preventing you from moving forward with your project. While there are plenty of ways to use parchment paper in your cooking, it can be used for another super-simple trick that will help you get your drawers perfectly organized with those handy trays and dividers in a snap.

When it comes time to purchase drawer organizers, approaching a retail display of various shapes and sizes is daunting — even if you've gone through the process of measuring and jotting down your dimensions. Rather than go to the great length of carrying your drawer with you to the store, simply empty it out and line it with a length of standard-issue parchment paper. Be sure to fit the drawer from corner to corner, and use a sharp knife like a box cutter to precisely excise a piece that is the exact size and shape of the drawer. From there, roll up that sheet of paper and pop it in your bag before heading to the store.

Once you've made it to your retailer and have your modular drawer organizing options in front of you, you can simply unfurl this parchment on the floor and use it as a blueprint with which to experiment. Then you can easily move those pieces around on the paper, playing a game of real-life domestic Tetris to determine what makes the most sense at home and how different sizes and shapes of dividers will fit together in your kitchen drawers. 

Keep in mind that you'll still need to measure for height before you leave home, to compare against these inserts at the store. This way, you can be certain that you'll have the headspace and clearance for the organizers you select. Once you have your selections, simply replicate your ideal design in your real kitchen drawers back home.

Maybe you've looked at our ultimate guide to kitchen knives and decided to purchase them all, or perhaps you need an ice cream fork and want to give it a designated home. No matter what your drawer needs, this super easy paper trick will help you perfect the art of kitchen tool organization.