How To Make A Secret Agent Style Drawer Organizer

Have you ever seen a spy movie where they open up a drawer and everything is in a perfectly organized foam holder? Well, In this video, I walk you through how to make that exact thing. Whether you are an experienced craftsman of a brand new to DIY I'll show you how to make a really cool secret agent organizer. You can do this with a traditional pen, paper, knife and some scissors. Or you can use a laser cutter like the xtool d1 pro. You can use this for kitchen organization or pantry organization. I think that this could be a really cool business product that is offered if we could automate the tracing and cutting process. With laser cutters like the xtool d1 pro coming down in price this could be a really cool project. If you like DIY projects or cool business ideas, you should definitely consider subscribing to my channel.

[@wyzer9]

Hey, Coby! Just found ya! (Fellow "tinkerer" here.) So, just as an FYI, most projects can be "guess-timated" as "half parts, half labor" (super rough, super basic "budgeting"). If we take the cost of the materials (foam board, contact cement, foam backing, etc.) and add the cost of your "labor" (your preferred hourly rate x the length of time for the average drawer insert "build") then factor in a "wear and tear" calculation for the laser cutter, you should have a good idea of a price (not counting things like taxes and shipping, ofc). Hope that helps!

[@baileybuttars4563]

Dang, Coby! you're super creative and I might actually have to do this myself sometime!

[@tylerpestell]

When I was in the Air Force I was tasked with organizing all our tools. We had a LOT of tools and I had to manually cut soooo much foam. A laser cutter would have been amazing. Especially since we had the same tools in multiple buildings, could reuse the digital assets.

[@isabellal1434]

For anyone looking for an even less expensive option, you could print out the outlines of the items at real size and tape the page to the foam (or trace the object directly onto the foam) and then cut them out manually, though the shapes would be less precise and it would take a lot more labor.
I was planning on doing this for the tools in my desk drawer and I bought a upholstery foam for it, but I’m glad I saw this because that gym mat foam looks even better!

[@wyzer9]

Wow, good idea! (You'd laugh if you knew how I did my first prototype of these. 🤣) Thanks!

[@thunderclapwhips]

This is so cool!!!

[@digitalbuzz]

Contact cement is best for EVA foam. Apply, let dry to tacky, then attach foam parts. Get it at the orange or blue box stores. Hot glue gun also works in a pinch. oh, and cover up your med labels.

[@tanyahunter192]

Put a thin coat of rubber cement on both areas to be glued and let it dry completely. Then put the two pieces together.

[@Witty..UserName]

I have done this with all my tool /equipment boxes at home using the laser cutter at my local library (until I finally purchase one myself). From my garage to my workshop to my art studio - everything has a home & I did exactly like you did with the colored foam underneath.
My "day job" is in medical manufacturing & "we" (by that I mean cell leads on the floor) hand cut Kaizen foam for 5s. I am trying to get my company to subcontract me to laser cut everything because it looks SO much better. Our shop is already very sano (VW bug term for clean looking) & clients are impressed... but laser is the next level (& regular foam is SO much cheaper than Kaizen). I also, personally, don't like how Kaizen looks or works.
To pay our cell leads to hand cut (expensive) Kaizen foam, plus the cost of the foam is about $120/ drawer. Plus it takes time out of their normal duties.
My time, at home, plus materials, I will be able to do it for about 70$/drawer. That is at a discount to my time at work though. If I charged my regular wage it would more than double the $70 number. I also wouldn't do this project at the Library.. I am waiting until I get my own laser in my home shop. I have also considered getting/using a CNC router for this... that would make Z/Depth cuts much easier. I don't really have space for one & I think the laser will be more versatile for me as well. Worst case I can cut different layers of foam & glue it together to create any vertical features I want.