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 high that I inbuilt 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 things exhibits when the drawer is closed.

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

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

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 gentle, heat brown stain colour.

Nevertheless it didn’t take lengthy for me to appreciate that I’d by no means get these items collectively good in a method that I used to be happy with. I attempted placing them along with sizzling glue, however I couldn’t use sufficient glue to maintain them collectively. If I used an excessive amount of glue, it might 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 initiatives. With all the massive initiatives that also should be performed 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 undertaking that I used to be about 95% positive I wouldn’t even be happy 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 thought of a {custom} insert. I used to be truly very tempted when I discovered this firm that can do {custom} acrylic inserts for almost any goal you may 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 scale 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 totally 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 once I awoke. 😀 )

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

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

Even with shopping for two units, I nonetheless paid method 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 within the drawer in the identical colour.

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 additional trays (the grids are detachable) to fill within the additional 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 may be sure that I’ll attempt!

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

I’m additionally nonetheless making an attempt to work out the main points of how I wish 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 additional trays, reduce it down, and put it again collectively to fill the additional house. And now I’ve what seems to be 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 nicely over $500, this feature using these Amazon trays (affiliate hyperlink) and reducing 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 fabricated from a mix of skinny cardboard and heavy cardboard, so all of this may very well be performed 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 aspect items in place.

Then I used my razor blade to chop down the highest and backside aspect items. This was the trickiest a part of the entire course of as a result of they sort of needed to be mitered. Doing a mitered nook with a razor blade isn’t the best factor to do, however I simply labored with it patiently till I obtained it to suit. It wasn’t excellent, however it was adequate. As soon as the cardboard was reduce to dimension, I rigorously trimmed the velvet with scissors to offer it clear edges on the corners. After which I used sizzling glue to attach these finish items to the aspect items.

And eventually, 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 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 feel it’ll look so good as soon as it’s all performed.

I do know it’s most likely 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 worth for custom-made objects. That’s why I DIY a lot. However there’s no method I needed to make the entire velvet-covered insert from scratch. This was a great 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, however it’s so significantly better!