Whether you have a big kitchen or a compact one, keeping utensils readily accessible yet organized can prove challenging. While it may be tempting to simply place them out in the open, you should think twice before storing kitchen essentials on your countertop. Not only can this quickly turn messy, but it also exposes utensils to dirt, grime, and even contamination. Keeping them in a closed drawer is the optimal solution, but rather than dumping everything inside, use the easy utensil organizing hack that Martha Stewart swears by to ensure every piece has its place and can easily be found. 

As Stewart told fans during an Ask Martha segment, she herself relies on a tiered cutlery divider to effortlessly double storage space in her own kitchen drawers. “This is so handy … It’s ingenious,” the DIY legend enthused. Indeed, this type of drawer insert allows you to split kitchen utensils between two levels while offering full access to both with the handy use of drawer sliders. The only real downside is the price, as ready-made tiered cutlery organizers start at around $150 and can go up to almost $400. Luckily, there is a cheaper alternative which involves DIYing your own adjustable tray using an existing drawer, 1-by-3 wood boards (just $2 each), and a pair of drawer slides (about $20). In essence, all this project requires is building and installing a secondary drawer inside an existing one that’s at least 5 ½ inches deep. Here’s how to get it done.

To take advantage of this Martha Stewart-approved organization hack on a budget, DIY a two-tiered utensil drawer in a few simple steps. First, empty your utensil drawer and pull it out completely. Measure its width, then subtract the thickness of the drawer slides (usually 1 to 1 ½ inches). Next, measure its length, so you know which drawer slides to purchase. Keep in mind that the longest available size is 20 inches, which will allow for the most extension and storage. Using these measurements, cut a ¼-inch piece of plywood to size to form the bottom of your second level drawer. ½-inch poplar or 1-by-3-inch wood boards can be used to form the sides and partitions, all held together with wood glue and ¾-inch brad nails.

As this additional level will need to slide out to give you access to what’s underneath, cut the back of the existing drawer down to accommodate its height. Finally, sand off any rough edges from your DIY wooden drawer organizer and seal it with a single-coat polyurethane. To finish, screw in the slides along the top edge of the drawer and attach your hand-made addition.

For a faster alternative, skip the slides and DIY a utensil organizer that is the full width of your drawer but only half its length. Place it horizontally on top of a full-sized organizer underneath, and simply slide it back and forth along the bottom level, or lift it up completely for easy access.