There's Simply No Need For Traditional Clothing Drawer Liners — Here's A Budget-Savvy Alternative

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Without some kind of protective layer, the drawers of your dresser can feel a bit rough to the touch. This can cause them to snag delicate fabrics, with some clothes even catching on splintered wood or frayed MDF edges. That's exactly why a drawer liner is a must. They add a softer layer on the rough surface to help protect clothing, and they overall make drawers look cleaner and more polished. But instead of spending money on traditional drawer liners, there is an easy and budget-friendly way to upcycle something you already have at home: old pillowcases.

The idea for this hack, which comes from TikTok creator @eddisonredesigns, is to cut pillowcases and attach them to the bottom of drawers using Mod Podge, a glue and sealant often used for crafts. The idea is that, thanks to the adhesive, the fabric will permanently stick to the bottom of the drawer and soften the surface. It's a creative way to reuse pillowcases for organization and storage, and all you really need besides the fabric is Mod Podge, scissors, and a measuring tape or ruler.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that Mod Podge strongly bonds with wood. While you might be able to take it off with serious elbow grease and clever hacks to erase glue reside, it's not intended to be reversible. So if you have a valuable dresser on your hands or aren't sure you want to commit, you might want to make some modifidications to this hack to make it work for you.

The original idea for this hack is simple: measure the dimensions of the bottom of your drawer, and cut pieces from pillowcases that will fit there. Then, apply Mod Podge to the entire base of the drawer with a paint brush, and place the fabric on top of it. Using a credit card or ruler, press the fabric down to eliminate air bubbles and fabric wrinkles.

@eddisonredesigns

Use this trick for affordable drawer liners! Shop your local craft store for a discounted fabric and grab a tub of MODGE PODGE. This fabric cost me $6 for a yard and a half and I have enough left over for another set or two! #modgepodge #furniturerestoration #furnituredesign #thriftstorefinds #furnitureonabudget #drawerliners #furnituremakeover

♬ original sound – eddisonredesigns

If you like this hack but wish it was reversible, there are a few alternatives. First, you can secure the fabric in place with four pushpins on the corners of the fabric. Another option is to use double sided tape or Velcro-style Command Picture Hanging Strips. Whether you're dealing with small holes in the drawer or residue from Command Strips, it a lot easier to remove or conceal than an entire drawer covered in Mod Podge. The other benefit of this change is that, if the pillowcase gets dirty, dusty, or stained, you can remove it and throw it in the wash.

Finally, you can totally adapt this DIY and use bed sheets or curtains instead of pillowcases. All you really need is a flat piece of fabric that's large enough to cover the entire bottom of the drawer, so even large shirts, scarves, beach towels, or blankets could work. At the end of the day, the point of this hack is to make easy DIY liners that you can use in drawers without having to spend any money, so use whatever you have available.