When cooking long, bitty meals, I am often struck by the muse of organization. While the timer ticks down to dinner, I set to work rearranging a corner of the kitchen that just hasn’t been sitting right or smoothly in my cooking process. Most recently, as my potatoes roasted, my messy drawers took the hit. They have always been haphazard: this one for cutlery, this one for a smattering of utensils that roll back and forth every time I open and close them, this one for chopping boards and… letters apparently? Plus, birthday candles, a few random bowls, oh, and a phone charger.
What I really need is some proper guidance on how to organize kitchen drawers. In my search, I found this new IKEA VARIERA Drawer Divider, and I think it's a pretty solid solution. Simple but deceptively transformative, this slim bamboo divider slots into your drawer and, in moments, turns an amorphous storage space into a series of purposeful sections. Better still, it adjusts to fit the drawer you already have, rather than asking you to reorganize your kitchen around it.
Drawer dividers and organizers are small but essential details that make a kitchen feel calm, considered and far more methodical — even when the drawers are open. Suddenly, everything has a place, turning the often-hidden, guilt-laden chaos of kitchen storage into an all-round cooking sanctuary.
Though it looks like little more than a simple wooden slat, IKEA’s VARIERA Drawer Divider is deceptively clever. Slot the non-slip end into the back of the drawer, stretch it to the required length and secure it in place, and suddenly that unruly space has a little more structure. Use one to divide a drawer in two, or add several to create separate homes for everything from cutlery and utensils to chopping boards and kitchen gadgets.
At 11.8cm tall, VARIERA is compact enough for most kitchen drawers while still giving deeper drawers some much-needed structure. It is just 1.8cm wide, too, so it makes its presence felt without eating into valuable storage space. Made from bamboo, the divider has a light, warm finish that brings a little natural texture to what can otherwise be a very functional corner of the kitchen, and would look just as at home dividing wardrobe or dresser drawers in the bedroom.
In the kitchen, that pale wood pairs particularly well with other natural-toned IKEA organizing solutions, such as the EKLATANT Jars and IKEA 365+ Food Containers. And while it is compatible with most kitchen drawers, it feels especially at home alongside IKEA’s own systems, from a KNOXHULT Base Cabinet to a full kitchen setup.
It’s part of IKEA’s wider VARIERA range of small but whip-smart organizing solutions, including VARIERA Shelf Inserts for making use of forgotten vertical space inside cupboards and VARIERA Non-Slip Mats that keep cookware from clattering around every time you open a drawer. But if you're looking for other options, here are some of my favorites.
If you’re sold on the idea of extendable drawer dividers, why stop at one? This set of four can be scattered around the house, with each lightweight bamboo divider adjusting to the length of your drawer and held in place by non-slip feet. Use all four together to create a makeshift cutlery or utensil caddy, or deploy them elsewhere to segment everything from pots and pans to T-shirts and jumpers.
IKEA’s Drawer Divider is one of several clever new additions to its VARIERA series, which is dedicated to making the most of cupboard and drawer space. This extendable cutlery and utensil tray takes a slightly more conventional approach, corralling every fork, knife, spoon, and spatula into its own compartment while still adjusting to the width of your drawer.
M&S gives the classic cutlery tray a more elevated treatment with this wooden drawer organizer. It isn’t adjustable, but the varied compartment sizes make room for everything from teaspoons to taller utensils, while the warm wood finish is a welcome departure from the usual plastic. At just 5cm tall, it is equally suited to shallow drawers as well as deeper ones.
Made with gray plastic, this MultiFit Drawer Organiser takes a more industrial route. Impressively customizable, it extends vertically to meet the length of your drawer while three smaller sections can be adjusted horizontally to make use of every available inch. In the kitchen, that could mean separating cutlery from utensils; elsewhere, it could divide craft supplies from stationery.
Another whip-smart option, this Copco organizer uses three large and three small adjustable dividers that slot together like a jigsaw, adapting to whatever your drawer or cupboard happens to be hiding. Use it to corral stray Tupperware lids, organise craft supplies or finally impose some order on the dreaded everything drawer. At up to 35.5cm wide, it isn’t the most compact option, but its 6cm height means it can still slip into both shallow and deep storage.
If even a well-organised drawer still doesn’t feel like it has enough room, this multi-tiered option takes storage upwards. Two hinged layers each contain seven compartments in varying sizes, giving smaller essentials and bulkier items their own designated spots. Keep everyday pieces in the upper tier and lesser-used items underneath, then unfold the hinge when you need to reach them.
A smoothly organized drawer may not be the most glamorous part of a kitchen, but it is one of those quiet details that makes the whole room feel more considered. And it’s just one thing people with tidy kitchens always have, alongside hidden appliances and impressively organised bins. For those of us with a little more drawer chaos, it’s something to aspire to once the Tupperware lids are finally under control.
For more product inspiration, subscribe to Livingetc's newsletter.