Organize with Hikidashi Boxes

If you’re familiar with Marie Kondo and her Konmari method, then you have likely also heard of hikidashi boxes. Hikidashi means “drawer” in Japanese. These boxes can be used as a way to create more storage like an actual drawer does, or as a way to organize items within an existing drawer. Marie Kondo’s hikidashi boxes tend to be lidded boxes made from strong cardboard or fiberboard materials and lined with decorative paper.

The lids and the boxes themselves can be used jointly (as a proper box) or separately to sort items of different heights within a drawer. Below, I am sharing some of my favorite hikidashi box options, as well as organizational boxes in other materials. 

Hikidashi Boxes

Cardboard Hikidashi Boxes

Traditional hikidashi boxes you have seen Marie Kondo use tend to be simple, lidded cardboard boxes. This organizing solution is fantastic for a few reasons. First, the materials can be sustainably sourced as well as composted after they are no longer of use. Second, they are an affordable drawer organizing solution. Third, it’s extremely easy to upcycle boxes you already have in your home and use them as “hikidashi” boxes. 

Shoeboxes are excellent for this! I have definitely repurposed adult and child shoeboxes as organizers throughout our home. Shoeboxes are easy to paint or recover in decorative paper, then insert in drawers to organize clothes, makeup, office supplies, and kitchen supplies. I like using larger shoebox lids to organize mixing spoons in my kitchen and smaller shoebox lids to organize items like chip clips. Check out this hikidashi box DIY from Hunker for more ideas.

The last thing I’ll say about traditional cardboard hikidashi boxes is that they are incredibly modular. You can use them as drawer organizers for a while, then determine you no longer need them for that purpose. It is easy to repurpose them in a new area of your home as an actual box on a shelf or in a closet. Below are some of my favorite hikidashi box options:

Cloth Storage Bins

Cloth storage bins are incredibly popular for a number of reasons. They are lightweight and usually foldable. That means they are easy to store away if you aren’t using all of them at one time. They are also durable and won’t tear or warp if they get wet. 

I have used fabric organizers in my son’s room to separate his socks, bibs, and other small items within his dresser drawers. I received mine second hand from my sister in law, but I listed a handful of great options for purchase below:

Wood Organizers

Wood boxes are an excellent, sustainable choice for organizing your home. I love organizing with bamboo boxes in my kitchen. I also love using wooden boxes and trays to organize my son’s toys and art supplies throughout our home. 

A lot of the wooden boxes we use in our home have been found second hand via apps like Facebook Marketplace as well as in local thrift shops. Because wooden boxes tend to be longer lasting and higher quality than fabric or cardboard, they also tend to be more expensive. Finding second hand boxes is a great way to save money. Plus, it’s eco-friendly!

Plastic

I’ll admit, plastic boxes tend to be my least favorite option. Plastic production is bad for our environment and once produced, it’s difficult to properly recycle. A majority of plastic products end up in landfills so I do my best to only buy plastic items second hand or to avoid them altogether if I can! 

With that said, plastic is popular for a reason. It’s easy to clean, extremely durable, and very affordable. It can also look nice to have a tidy drawer full of items corralled in clear organizers. Plastic drawer organizers are most commonly used in places like kitchens and bathrooms where drawer contents might get dirty or wet. Simply clean the plastic organizers with soap and water, then they’ll look as good as new again. 

Looking for more inexpensive ways to organize your home? Try repurposing old candle jars to store pens in your office or makeup brushes on your vanity. Or try repurposing old plastic food containers to store small items like nails and screws in your garage or paperclips in your office.