These small plastic parts chest are not just for nails and screws! (As you can see in our Craft Room Organization Ideas.) With a little paint, labels and some bling, you can transform them into a classy and stylish way to organize office supplies. We’ve got printable standard drawer size labels you can use for your own cabinets if desired. Your office supplies never looked so good!
Organize Office Supplies Project
LABEL SIZES & CHESTS: Many of these types of chests have drawers that are generally standard in size but they may vary slightly. These labels will fit drawers that measure approx. 4.5″x2.25″ for the large size and 2″x1.25″ for the small size. Also, some drawers can have a divider slot on the inner front of the drawers. Those cannot easily have labels on the inside but you can attach them easily to the outside. I personally have three different brands and sizes of chests and the labels fit all of them.
- Plastic parts or craft chest. Check your local Walmart. Amazon carries a few but they are pricy!
- Spray paint
- Rhinestones
- Printable labels below (or make your own)
- Spray adhesive. (Make sure you get the type that allows for temporary bonds and use out outside.
Download
Blank Labels (pdf)
Instructions
- Remove the drawers from the chest. Spray paint the chest the color of your choice, using two or three thin layers, allowing them to dry completely in between each coat.
- Lay out the drawers, gather all your office supplies and place them in.
- Write the titles on your labels to match the drawers.
- Print and cut out your labels. They are aligned in such a way that you should be able to cut directly between them with no trimming required. (Unless a specific drawer needs it.)
- I attached my labels inside the front of each drawer but you can also attach them to the outside if desired.
- Using a spray adhesive that allows for temporary bonds, lightly spray the fronts of your labels (or the backs if you’re placing them on the outside of the drawers.) I used 3M General Purpose Adhesive which does both permanent and temporary bonds depending on how long you let the glue dry before affixing to the item. I let the spray set for 60 seconds to make the bond temporary. I barely sprayed mine with tiny short spurts as I just wanted enough adhesive to tack the label into place. This allows you to easily replace labels in the future.
- Fill up the chest with your drawers!
My office supplies had gotten a bit out of hand.
I purchased a plastic parts chest.
I spray painted it to match my office.
I set up a card table and laid out all the drawers and then proceeded to fill them up with my various office supplies. 
I titled all my labels to match the drawer contents, then printed and cut them out.
I chose to put my labels on the inside of the drawers facing outward. I took them outside and laid them all face up on a piece of old poster board. Then I did a very light spritz on all of them and let them set for 60 seconds for a temporary bond. This way I can change my labels easily in the future if needed.
Add on your bling! I chose rhinestones.
36 responses
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You’re my hero! I organize tools, screws, bolts with this…SPACE SAVER and easy to see! <3 !!!
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I guess I am going to need one as well 🙂
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Love this! I never thought about using one of those organizers this way and now I want to go buy one this second and do this. Thanks for the idea 🙂
You’re very welcome Ashley! Good luck!
Great idea! I have so many odds and ends to organize in my home office! Thanks for sharing this idea at Motivation Monday at Mom Home Guide! It was picked as a feature this week!
Thanks so much Lauren!
Love this idea. Congrats on your #HappinessisHomemade feature.
Thank you Audrey. Ü
Loved this project. Thank you for sharing at the Wonderful Wednesday Link Party!! I have chosen your project to be Featured at this coming weeks Wonderful Wednesday Party. Please come to see your feature and share with us again!! Wonderful Wednesday goes live at http://mustlovehome.com every Tuesday at 4PM. i hope to see you there!! Hugs- Christine
Thank you so much Christine! I’m always honored to be chosen. Ü I’ll be at the party as always!
oh my goodness, come to my house, nancy!! love it! and thanks so much for linking up last week! xoxo
lol! Glad you like it Jocie!
Thanks for the free labels! I love the addition of the little gems to glam it up! I am so going to do this with my craft room supplies too!
You’re so very welcome Joanne. Glad you found it helpful!
Are you the only one that touches the office supplies or does the rest of your family have access? Do they put things back where they belong? I can see my self putting up a sign like you see in the library, “put unshelved office supplies here” and then put them away myself, LOL! Great idea!
It’s just me and Roy now so I’m the main dispenser of the supplies as they are in my office. But I’m pretty touchy about having things put back where they go… still Roy slips now and then. Ü
SO awesome. I have a bit of an office supplies obsession, so I know my husband would really appreciate getting rid of all the packaging and junk laying around!
lol! Well this should work great for you then Morgan!
Hi Nancy, What a clever idea – and love the bling too! Thanks for sharing! Blessings, Janet
Thanks Janet. Ü
This is such an awesome idea! I have so many little things flying all over the place–it would be great to organize them in tiny cute little drawers 🙂 Thanks for this–stopping in from SITS Sharefest and hope you’re having a great weekend 🙂
Thank you Charlotte. Ü
What a great idea! It looks great! Perfect size, it doesn’t take up much space and keeps everything in place. Love it!
Thanks Tina. Ü
Great idea! I’m sharing with my sister, who needs some major office org help!! Visiting from What to do Weekends party.
Thank you so much!