Final yr, I had a small transforming mission that received just a little out of hand. It will definitely led to me transforming my entire kitchen. That’s a narrative for one more day and one other weblog put up. Nevertheless, I’m actually grateful for a number of the adjustments that got here from this rework, particularly our new DIY charging drawer.
I added much more drawers within the backside cupboards as a result of they’re a lot extra sensible and usable. And by doing so, freed up quite a lot of house. For the primary time, I used to be left with drawers I didn’t have a goal for. I remembered one thing I’d seen years in the past on Pinterest about making a charging drawer or docking drawer.
This has now change into certainly one of our most-used drawers (in all probability proper after the silverware and spice drawers). I really like that it’s led to more healthy tech habits too.
On this put up, I’ll stroll you thru how I created a charging drawer with a drawer I already had. I’ll additionally clarify why it’s so essential to maintain our units out of the bed room. Plus I’ll share how this small change has made a huge impact on our household’s tech habits.
Why It’s Necessary to Maintain Units Out of the Bed room
First, let’s speak about why having a charging drawer within the kitchen—or one other widespread space—is a game-changer. Particularly on the subject of your sleep hygiene and general well being. Many people are responsible of bringing our telephones into the bed room, whether or not it’s to verify social media, reply emails, or (let’s be trustworthy) scroll by way of limitless reels. However there are some essential the explanation why this may not be the healthiest selection.
The Influence of Blue Gentle on Sleep
One of the apparent causes to keep away from having units close to your mattress is the impact of blue gentle on sleep. The screens of telephones, tablets, and different digital units emit blue gentle. This may intervene with melatonin manufacturing, the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. Research have proven publicity to blue gentle earlier than mattress can delay sleep onset, scale back sleep high quality, and make it more durable to fall right into a deep, restorative sleep.
By retaining your units out of the bed room, you’ll be able to assist your physique wind down naturally, with out the interference of synthetic gentle. In the event you’ve ever discovered your self scrolling mindlessly in your cellphone earlier than mattress after which having hassle falling asleep, you’ve skilled this firsthand. The answer? Maintain your telephones, tablets, and different units in a devoted charging house exterior the bed room. Just like the charging drawer I’ve created.
In the event you aren’t keen to try this, there are issues we will do. Examples embody placing a pink gentle filter on the cellphone, carrying blue-light blocking glasses. It’s also possible to swap to one thing just like the Daylight Computer (I really like this for journaling and writing at evening).
Cut back Late-Night time Distractions
One other situation with having units close to your mattress is the fixed temptation to verify them. Whether or not it’s an pressing work e mail, a textual content from a good friend, or the most recent information replace. This fixed connectivity can result in late-night distractions, leaving you feeling wired and anxious as a substitute of relaxed and prepared for relaxation.
With a charging drawer, you’ll be able to create a wholesome boundary between your bed room and the surface world. By setting a agency rule that units have to be charged within the kitchen or one other designated house, you’ll be much less prone to verify them through the evening. This easy behavior can enhance your sleep high quality and enable you be extra current with your loved ones through the day.
Improved Focus and Connection
When your units are tucked away in a drawer, it’s simpler to give attention to the current second. For households, this implies extra high quality time spent collectively with out the distractions of texting, gaming, or scrolling. By having a delegated space for charging units, we encourage everybody to be extra intentional about when and the way they use expertise.
Now, let’s speak about how I created this charging drawer and why it’s been such a game-changer in our dwelling.
How I Created My DIY Charging Drawer
Making a charging drawer in my kitchen was a comparatively easy mission, and it didn’t require quite a lot of fancy instruments or abilities. I began with a drawer I already had in my kitchen, and with a number of small changes, turned it right into a practical and arranged house for charging units. Right here’s how I did it!
Step 1: Discover the Proper Drawer
I had a drawer in my kitchen that was underused and just a little disorganized, so I made a decision to repurpose it for this mission. Ideally, the drawer must be in an area that’s simply accessible to the entire household however not in a heavy-traffic space the place it could possibly be a distraction. Our kitchen labored completely as a result of it’s near our household’s every day actions, but it surely’s not the place the place we go to unwind at evening.
You don’t want to purchase a brand new drawer—simply discover one which you have already got in your kitchen, workplace, or lounge that’s not serving a lot of a goal. If the drawer is just too small or shallow, you would possibly wish to take into account swapping it for a deeper one that may accommodate a number of units.
Step 2: Set up a Energy Strip Contained in the Drawer
That is the place the magic occurs! The important thing to creating a charging drawer work is including an influence strip or surge protector contained in the drawer. This lets you plug in all of your units in a single place, retaining all the things organized and out of sight.
I selected an influence strip that match completely contained in the drawer, with sufficient retailers to cost a number of units without delay. It’s essential to pick out an influence strip that has an extended sufficient twine to achieve your nearest outlet. You additionally need one with surge safety to make sure the protection of your units. Ensure the ability strip is positioned in a means that enables airflow to stop overheating. To perform this, I re-wired a plug that was once exterior dealing with on the aspect of a cupboard to be inside dealing with. This left the cupboard under largely open. It now shops rubbish luggage and enormous containers for the kitchen.
It’s also possible to add charging cords which are lengthy sufficient to comfortably attain from the ability strip to your units. I like to recommend retaining a wide range of cords for various units—some for iPhones, some for Androids, and others for iPads or tablets.
I did discover energy strips particularly designed for this. However at virtually $300 every, I wished to strive a DIY choice and am glad I did.
Step 3: Add a Silicone Mat to Shield the Drawer
As soon as the ability strip was put in, I added a silicone mat to the underside of the drawer. This protects the floor and prevents any units from slipping round. Silicone mats are heat-resistant, non-slip, and simple to wash, making them good for this type of mission. In addition they add a pleasant contact of group, retaining all the things in place and looking out tidy.
Step 4: Arrange the Cords and Units
Now comes the enjoyable half: organizing the cords and units. I made certain to maintain all the things neat and accessible. This concerned coiling the cords and utilizing small clips to maintain them from tangling. I additionally made certain to go away sufficient room for every system to relaxation comfortably whereas charging.
For our household, the charging drawer has change into the go-to spot for telephones, iPads, and every other units that want a cost. Everybody is aware of the place to plug of their units. There’s additionally no have to seek for chargers or battle over who will get to plug in first.
Our Household’s Charging Routine and Display screen Time Habits
Since we added the charging drawer to our kitchen, it’s actually helped us set up wholesome habits round our system use. Right here’s how we use it:
- Units are charged in a single day within the kitchen: We’ve made it a rule that telephones, iPads, and different units have to be charged within the drawer in a single day. This ensures nobody is tempted to verify their units late at evening. And we get up with totally charged units, prepared for the day forward.
- No screens after darkish: We attempt to keep away from utilizing screens after darkish, particularly within the hour or two main as much as bedtime. With the charging drawer, it’s a lot simpler to maintain units out of attain and out of thoughts throughout this time. This behavior has helped enhance our sleep high quality, particularly for the children.
- Household-wide tech detox: We’ve additionally made it a behavior to maintain screens off throughout household meals. This has made time for dinner a extra linked expertise. We use this time to catch up, chat about our day, and give attention to one another with out distractions.
Conclusion: The Advantages of a DIY Charging Drawer
Including a DIY charging drawer to our kitchen has been among the finest issues we’ve achieved for our household’s tech habits. It’s a easy answer that promotes more healthy sleep, reduces distractions, and encourages extra conscious use of our units. By retaining our telephones and tablets in a devoted house, we’ve created higher boundaries between expertise and leisure. It’s additionally improved our general well-being.
In the event you’re on the lookout for a easy solution to make your own home extra organized and tech-friendly, I extremely advocate organising a DIY charging drawer. It doesn’t take a lot time, and the advantages are completely value it!
Completely satisfied charging, and right here’s to more healthy tech habits for the entire household!
What are your loved ones’s guidelines and habits round units? Go away a remark and tell us!
