Pros and Cons of a Custom Drawer Organizer from Cutting Edge
Do you need a drawer organizer? There are many options – learn when you should choose removable over fixed organizers, and more.
As a contractor, designer, or cabinet maker, you’ve probably had customers come to you with inspirational pictures of storage options from Instagram or Pinterest. They might say, ‘I love this organizer – can you replicate it?’ or ‘I found this spice tray online and want something similar in my kitchen.’
So, when a customer brings you a drawer organizer idea, what do you do? Do you turn them away? Do you take a shot at creating what they want? If you say no, your potential customer could go to a competitor who can fulfill their request. If you attempt it without experience, mistakes and wasted time will cost you.
What if you could order exactly what your customer wants?
At Cutting Edge, with over 20 years of experience, we specialize in producing custom items. From range hoods to decorative doors, we’ve tackled countless custom projects. We also create fully customizable drawer organizers tailored to your customers’ needs.
In this article, we’ll cover the different types of drawer organizers available, their benefits and drawbacks, and when to consider each option. You’ll learn about:
DIY drawer organizer
When you order DIY drawer organizers, our team ships you the material you need in 8’ boards. This option lets you produce drawer organizers without worrying about ordering and preparing rough lumber.
Pros of DIY organizers
Why would you choose to order the material and do the rest of the work yourself?
- To save time and money: DIY organizers are the least expensive option because you’re only paying for the material. In addition, you don’t have to wait weeks to receive the product because our team only has to prepare and ship the material.
- To give your team control over the finished product: with DIY drawer organizers, you’re in control. You choose how to build the organizer and what layout to use.
Cons of DIY organizers
DIY drawer organizers aren’t always the right option for one major reason.
- Requires time and effort from your team: you or your team must build the drawer organizer, which takes time you might not have to spare.
- Requires expertise: if your team isn’t experienced with drawer organizers, DIY organizers can end up costing more money than a pre-assembled organizer.
When should you choose DIY drawer organizers?
DIY organizers are a good choice if you’re running tight on the budget or if you need to complete a project in a short amount of time.
Also, DIY might be the best option if your customer doesn’t know what they want yet or wants the drawer organizer to fit in an existing drawer box. In the latter case, you need your dimensions to be 100% accurate – and the best way to achieve this is to have the drawer box right there when you build the organizer.
Fixed dividers
Fixed dividers are a simple option. Our team takes one or two dividers and glues them into place within the drawer box. Usually, you use fixed dividers to split a drawer box into two or three equal sections.
Pros of fixed dividers
There are two major advantages to fixed dividers.
- Saves money: thanks to their simplicity, fixed dividers are cost-effective. With a minimum price of only $10, they are very affordable.
- Saves space: often, you would only choose one or two dividers per drawer box, which means this option takes up the least space.
Cons of fixed dividers
However, fixed dividers aren’t always the best option.
- Must be ordered with a drawer box: because we attach fixed dividers to a drawer box, you either have to ship our team the existing drawer box or order a new drawer box for the dividers to go into.
- Fastened to the drawer box: you can’t remove a fixed divider without severely damaging the drawer box.
When should you choose fixed dividers?
Fixed dividers are an excellent option for cost-effective and simple storage solutions.
Spice trays
Of the options on this list, spice trays are in a class of their own. They come with four angled shelves attached to two edges.
Pros of spice trays
Spice trays have two major benefits.
- Practical storage: unlike storing spices in a cupboard, spice trays allow you to store multiple spice jars in a drawer without losing sight of their contents or labels.
- Saves money: Spice trays start at $60 – less than half the cost of the cheapest spice pullouts, a popular alternative.
Cons of spice racks
However, spice trays also have some limitations thanks to their unique design.
- Fewer customizations: unlike the other options on this list, you can’t fully customize spice trays. We only offer them in Birch plywood because the construction method isn’t stable enough to allow us to use solid wood.
- Specific aesthetic: Spice trays also might not be what your customer wants. Often, customers prefer spice pullouts because they can use up narrow spaces that wouldn’t be useful as a cupboard.
When should you choose spice trays?
Spice trays are an excellent option if your customer wants to store their spices in a drawer instead of a spice pullout or cupboard.
Removable drawer organizer
Removable drawer organizers have multiple storage compartments with a supporting base.
Pros of removable organizers
This option is easily the most practical choice in this list.
- Functional: thanks to the base this option includes, you can easily remove the drawer organizer without spilling the contents.
- Not fixed in place: we do not fasten removable organizers to the drawer box. So, if you decide you don’t want them, you can take them out without causing damage.
Cons of removable organizers
However, you might not go this route for two reasons.
- Most expensive: Removable drawer organizers are the most expensive option on this list, thanks to their complexity. Each organizer costs a minimum of $65.
- Takes up more space: although removable organizers help organize your drawer, they also take up some space. The base reduces the height of your drawer box, while each compartment reduces the internal area.
When should you choose removable organizers?
Removable organizers are perfect if your customer wants to be able to remove the drawer organizer without spilling its contents. Maybe they regularly deep-clean their kitchen. Or, if the organizer is going in a deep drawer with a separate lower section – in which case, you need to be able to remove the upper organizer easily.
Removable drawer organizer (without a base)
Just like it sounds, this option is a removable organizer that does not have a base.
Pros of removable organizers without bases
Compared to removable organizers, why would you choose to go this route?
- Saves space: because these organizers don’t have a base, you can use the full height of your drawer box.
- Not fixed in place: these organizers are not fixed inside your drawer box. You can remove them without causing damage.
Cons of removable organizers without bases
But, these benefits might not outweigh the drawbacks of this option.
- More expensive: with similar complexity to removable organizers, this option is the second most expensive choice, starting at $60 per organizer.
- Less practical: without the base, removing the organizer means the contents of the drawer spill.
When should you choose removable organizers without a base?
Is there ever a scenario where you should pick this option? Absolutely! In fact, we can think of two right away:
- If your customer wants to organize a drawer box whose contents already take up the full height.
- If your customer wants two layers of organizers in a deep drawer box, you can use a removable organizer without a base for the lower section.
Drawer organizers are a unique storage option
You might wonder how to keep up with ever-changing options and increasing choices. Whether you have a small or large team or produce one or hundreds of kitchens yearly, you simply can’t provide everything your customers need.
So, our team is here to step in and fill the gaps. Now that you fully understand your drawer organizer options, it’s time for you to take the next step.
What is that? Learn how much drawer organizers cost.
