[This is day 4 in a series called 31 Days to an Organized Home. Click here to see all of the series posts to date.]
Applying contact paper can be a tricky and frustrating project. Today I want to share with you the tips I've learned that will simplify the process.
Step 1: Lay the contact paper face down in your drawer from one side to another. Crease the paper at the drawer side to mark how wide your drawer is. Remove paper from drawer and cut on fold.
Step 2: Place the piece you just cut back into the drawer face down and use it to measure back to front this time. Crease any extra at the front of the drawer. Cut on crease.
Now you have a piece that is nearly perfectly the size of your drawer.
Step 3: Take the piece and roll it up with the decorative side facing in and perpendicular to the way it was previously rolled. Like this:
The rolled up piece you are holding should be the width of your drawer, and the exposed edge at the top is going to go at the back edge of your drawer.
Step 4: Pull back the first two inches of the backing. Lay the corners down nicely in the back of the drawer.
Step 5: Slowly pull away the backing, unrolling the piece as you go and carefully smoothing it down.
Voila! Now you have a re-papered drawer in less time than it takes a two year old to get board of playing with the drawers contents.
Thanks for stopping by The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking.
I've never tried adding paper to drawers, but it really would brighten up our kitchen drawers to have this. I just need to work out where I can get some sticky backed paper - I'm sure Google can help!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day,
Jade
I bought mine at our Local Dollar Tree! They had three nice choices to pick from :)
DeleteThey have many choices at Wal-Mart
Deletebored not board..just saying.
DeleteWhat is the purpose of contact paper in drawers? Is it just for decoration? Maybe it's easier to clean?
ReplyDeleteThat's very pretty! Where did you get the paper? I love that pattern.
ReplyDeleteCristinkay, it's DEFINITELY easier to clean. I put contact paper on my pantry shelves and it wipes up SO easily! Also, if you have something horribly gross spill in your drawer, rather than having to pull the whole drawer out and try to sterilize it or something, you can just pull out the contact paper and start over! I love easy ways of getting a clean slate! Thanks for the tip for how to do it easily! That's a great way of doing it! Any tips to make doing a pantry shelf easier? ;)
ReplyDeleteLiz: The paper is from Lowes. I know I've seen the same print in other stores too. Try any home improvement center or department store.
ReplyDeleteLove your post! I am enjoying reading through all your organizing tips. Just a quick spelling correction "a-two-year-old to get bored" (not board) : )
ReplyDeleteHaha....oh you're right Beth! I hadn't noticed the typo. I guess this blog series has my brain fried! LOL!
ReplyDeleteOne question: Do you notice any difficulty in removing contact paper when you replace it?
ReplyDeleteI've had some down for over 10 years and it comes right off.
DeleteHi, I just found your blog and I love it! Such an inspiration for messy-me :)
ReplyDelete1 great tip for positioning and repositioning contact paper, prepare a really soapy water solution, and lightly sponge it on the whole surface. the soapy wetness lets you slide the contact paper in place a little, and when it dries your contact paper will be stuck securely in place. Be careful not to overwet wood and chipboard surfaces though, no worries with glass an metal.
First, let me just thank you for sharing these tips! I have followed them step by step and you never failed me. We just moved into our new house that we bought from Ryan homes.
ReplyDeleteOh I LOVE that stuff! Things don't slide around in your drawers that way either! Peeling contact paper off of a surface has always been my concern. That shelf liner is an excellent alternative.
ReplyDeleteI love this blog and all the ideas I can incorporate into our new home. The shelf contact paper can provide you long-term rewards. I recently removed all the contact paper I placed in the cabinets of our laundry room over twenty years ago. We put our house up for sale and everyone comments on the "new" cabinets they think we installed. I'm definitely using the contact paper in my new home, too.
ReplyDeleteI had some left over vinyl flooring the soft kind. I used that for drawer protectors. Easy to clean and water proof.
ReplyDeleteHi Valerie! Left over vinyl flooring is an awesome idea!
DeleteI've been thinking of using contact paper for the backing for bookcases to add color to rooms. Also want to use it on various shelves- like in the closet. Thanks! I have seen it at Home Depot and Lowe's for those who are looking.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this info. I had noticed this post awhile back and had been planning to Contact-Paper the drawers in the dresser I picked up to use as a change table in our baby's nursery. Yesterday I finally picked up some paper at Zellers and got down to it today. 9 drawers later - thanks to your method, I'm still sane.
ReplyDeleteI did end up rolling it from side to side instead of back to front, because there was less annoying paper to manage that way, but your tips were really helpful.
Thank-you! I love reading your blog and when I get messages in my email telling me there's an update! :)
My sister and I contact "papered" our mom's mobile home kitchen about 20 years agao. The style then was cute country with ducks and apples. She loved it. It still looks great - just a bit dated now! Super easy to wash down from time to time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this site. It is so encouraging. I love organization but lack a lot having my home organized. Now I plan to try to follow your 31 days to an organized home but I work so I will have to take longer than 31 days. Thank you for your witness as I read the part about you. Without Jesus we are nothing. He makes it all worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your willingness to share!
Do you have any ideas on how to keep the shelves on a revolving corner cabinet clean (also known as a "lazy susan")? Thank you!
ReplyDeletei only tear the backing away for an inch or two around the edges. It will still stick down, but it doesn't bubble and wrinkle in the center where the backing paper is intact.
ReplyDeleteHow do you tear the backing off the contact paper???? Help its taking too long!!! My paper is about 5 yrs old do you thin thats making a difference?
ReplyDeleteI want to say to cristinkay that I personally use it bcuz the house has been lived in before and can be quite dirty. After cleaning the drawer, it adds the extra cleanness to being you the first person to use it. just my opinion on why to use it. It can be very pretty too
ReplyDeleteIf you put the paper in the freezer for a while before you put it down, it will not stick as quickly so you will have some time to make sure it is exactly where you want it.
ReplyDelete