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All you need is a screwdriver.

If there was one key lesson Michelle Phillips learned after renovating her 1980s kitchen, it’s that everything needs to have a place. The marketing professional–turned–cabinetry expert originally had a medium Maximera drawer from IKEA next to her stove for all of her and her husband’s cooking tools (a countertop container looked too cluttered), but they soon found rummaging around to find the right spatula was a hassle. Rearranging cabinet shelves is easy, but no one ever thinks about modifying drawers.

Luckily it wasn’t too late. Phillips could still switch out the drawer’s interior arrangement so it had two levels instead of one—without having to swap the door front or exterior hardware. All she needed was a screwdriver. Here’s how you can do it, too. 

A post shared by Michelle (& Eric) Phillips (@phlippingourhome)

Remove the original Maximera medium drawer from the cabinet and take it apart. You can discard all pieces except the drawer front. Put the original front (with the two white drawer slides still attached) to the side, though; you’ll need it later. 

Build the two low-profile Maximeras based on the provided instructions. Install the Utrusta front onto one and the original drawer front you put aside on the other; the latter will be the lower drawer. 

You’ll already have one set of drawer tracks inside the cabinet. Install a second set above for your additional low-profile drawer. Phillips recommends using the third peg slot down from the top.

Slide the drawer with the Utrusta front onto the top rollers. Slide in the drawer with the original medium front on the original track. Admire your handiwork. 

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