Customizing Store Bought Jewelry Drawer Inserts (And Saving Over $500 On A Custom Jewelry Drawer Insert)

A few days in the past, I confirmed y’all the jewellery drawer with the glass prime that I in-built my walk-in closet. It’s a reasonably large drawer with inside dimensions of 41 5/8″ x 15″.

And it has a glass countertop over it in order that all the pieces reveals when the drawer is closed.

So then I believed that I might construct my very own compartments. That manner, I might construct it to suit the exact dimensions of the drawer. So I picked up a number of of those poplar boards from House Depot. These are 2.5″ x 48″.

And so they’re 1/4″ thick, which I believed made them excellent for this venture.

My concept was to tear them down to three/4″ strips, reduce them to the lengths wanted, and construct a grid contained in the drawer. Then I needed to stain the within of the drawer, in addition to the grid, in a really mild, heat brown stain shade.

Nevertheless it didn’t take lengthy for me to understand that I’d by no means get these items collectively good in a manner that I used to be glad with. I attempted placing them along with scorching glue, however I couldn’t use sufficient glue to maintain them collectively. If I used an excessive amount of glue, it could squish out the edges, after which these items wouldn’t settle for stain. If I used too little, they wouldn’t maintain collectively. I additionally tried utilizing wooden glue, however that dries so slowly that I’d mess up the primary part as I began making an attempt to assemble the second part.

However this wasn’t a type of tasks. With all the massive tasks that also have to be achieved within the walk-in closet (like portray the cupboards and constructing the middle island), the very last thing I needed to do was spend my time doing this random time-consuming venture that I used to be about 95% positive I wouldn’t even be glad with when it was completed.

Again on-line I went. I’ve to confess that for about an hour final night time, I went again to the concept of a {custom} insert. I used to be truly very tempted when I discovered this firm that can do {custom} acrylic inserts for nearly any function you possibly can consider. There are occasions when paying a excessive worth for one thing is definitely worth the comfort to me. However once more, due to the dimensions of the drawer, I knew I’d be taking a look at a worth of a number of hundred {dollars}. I simply couldn’t make myself do it.

So final night time, I searched excessive and low on Amazon for inserts that I believed may work in my drawer. I couldn’t discover the proper dimension (not surprising), however I lastly decided to go with this set of four in a light gray (affiliate hyperlink). Every set comes with 4 completely different grid sizes.

I knew that I needed two of the identical dimension since most of my earrings are fairly small. And I wasn’t positive what different dimension(s) I needed to make use of, so I ended up ordering two units. (I LOVE Amazon in a single day supply!! Hooray for rapid gratification! I ordered earlier than I went to mattress, and it was on my doorstep after I wakened. 😀 )

The colour is barely darker than I had hoped, however they’re very properly made and durable.

I’m truly fairly enthusiastic about how they appear! They’re not an ideal match, but it surely positive beats the heck out of paying over $500 for a {custom} insert.

Even with shopping for two units, I nonetheless paid manner underneath $100 for them.

4 of them match into my drawer, and my plan is to paint match a pattern dimension of paint to the grey in order that I can paint the entire inside the drawer in the identical shade.

There’s a 1-inch hole on the entrance, however that doesn’t even present when the drawer is closed. In order that doesn’t hassle me in any respect.

And since I’ve 4 trays left over, I’m contemplating making an attempt to chop down one of many further trays (the grids are detachable) to fill within the further 3.5-inch house within the center to get a completely personalized dimension and have the entire drawer, from left to proper, crammed with trays. I do not know if I can do it, however you might be sure that I’ll attempt!

Anyway, I’m more than happy with how that is turning out. I believe as soon as I get the within of the drawer painted to match the trays, it’s going to look unbelievable! And naturally, I nonetheless plan so as to add tape lights contained in the drawer and contained in the necklace compartment as properly.

I’m additionally nonetheless making an attempt to work out the small print of how I need to end off the necklace pull-out storage. Y’all had some nice concepts on that, so I’m nonetheless weighing the choices.

UPDATE: I did it! I used one of many further trays, reduce it down, and put it again collectively to fill the additional house. And now I’ve what appears to be like like a completely {custom} jewellery drawer with inserts that match completely into the 41 4/8-width of my drawer. Whereas having a {custom} insert made for this drawer would have price me properly over $500, this feature using these Amazon trays (affiliate hyperlink) and chopping down one of many trays to suit price me $65.88 for 2 units, plus about an hour of time to remake one of many trays for an ideal match.

It was actually quite simple to do. These trays are manufactured from a mixture of skinny cardboard and heavy cardboard, so all of this could possibly be achieved with scissors and a razor blade. I first eliminated this strip of velvet-covered cardboard from across the inside a set it apart to reuse.

I eliminated it very gently in order that not one of the velvet would come off, and in order that the cardboard didn’t get bent as I eliminated it.

After which I might simply separate the edges from the underside of the tray. I used a razor blade to chop the underside all the way down to the three.5-inch width that I wanted to fill the house.

After which I put the underside piece in place after which put the 2 lengthy facet items in place.

Then I used my razor blade to chop down the highest and backside facet items. This was the trickiest a part of the entire course of as a result of they type of needed to be mitered. Doing a mitered nook with a razor blade isn’t the simplest factor to do, however I simply labored with it patiently till I acquired it to suit. It wasn’t excellent, but it surely was ok. As soon as the cardboard was reduce to dimension, I fastidiously trimmed the velvet with scissors to offer it clear edges on the corners. After which I used scorching glue to connect these finish items to the facet items.

And at last, I reduce down these inside strips to suit and glued these again on to offer it a completed look. It was a fairly easy course of. And look how good that appears now! I’ve a completely personalized match, and I saved at the very least $430 over what a {custom} insert would have price for this drawer!

I nonetheless want to color the within of the drawer to match the inserts, and I believe it’ll look so good as soon as it’s all achieved.

I do know it’s in all probability foolish, however that is a type of small particulars that I get so enthusiastic about. I like issues to look {custom}, however I don’t at all times like paying the value for custom-made objects. That’s why I DIY a lot. However there’s no manner I needed to make the entire velvet-covered insert from scratch. This was a superb compromise between store-bought and {custom}. And you may’t beat that worth!

Right here’s what it appeared like earlier than:

And right here’s the personalized look…

It’s a small element, but it surely’s so a lot better!