Final yr, I had a small transforming mission that acquired slightly out of hand. It will definitely led to me transforming my complete kitchen. That’s a narrative for one more day and one other weblog submit. Nevertheless, I’m actually grateful for a few 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 lots of house. For the primary time, I used to be left with drawers I didn’t have a objective 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 turn out to be one in every of our most-used drawers (in all probability proper after the silverware and spice drawers). I like that it’s led to more healthy tech habits too.
On this submit, 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 vital to maintain our units out of the bed room. Plus I’ll share how this small change has made a big effect on our household’s tech habits.
Why It’s Necessary to Hold Gadgets Out of the Bed room
First, let’s speak about why having a charging drawer within the kitchen—or one other frequent space—is a game-changer. Particularly in terms 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 test social media, reply emails, or (let’s be trustworthy) scroll by means of infinite reels. However there are some vital the explanation why this may not be the healthiest alternative.
The Impression of Blue Mild on Sleep
One of the crucial apparent causes to keep away from having units close to your mattress is the impact of blue mild on sleep. The screens of telephones, tablets, and different digital units emit blue mild. This could intrude with melatonin manufacturing, the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. Research have proven publicity to blue mild 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 maintaining your units out of the bed room, you possibly can assist your physique wind down naturally, with out the interference of synthetic mild. In case 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? Hold your telephones, tablets, and different units in a devoted charging house outdoors the bed room. Just like the charging drawer I’ve created.
In case you aren’t prepared to do this, there are issues we are able to do. Examples embody placing a crimson mild filter on the cellphone, carrying blue-light blocking glasses. You may as well swap to one thing just like the Daylight Computer (I like this for journaling and writing at night time).
Cut back Late-Night time Distractions
One other concern with having units close to your mattress is the fixed temptation to test 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 an alternative of relaxed and prepared for relaxation.
With a charging drawer, you possibly can create a wholesome boundary between your bed room and the skin 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 test them throughout the night time. This straightforward behavior can enhance your sleep high quality and make it easier to be extra current with your loved ones throughout the day.
Improved Focus and Connection
When your units are tucked away in a drawer, it’s simpler to deal with 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 chosen 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 house.
How I Created My DIY Charging Drawer
Making a charging drawer in my kitchen was a comparatively easy mission, and it didn’t require lots of fancy instruments or abilities. I began with a drawer I already had in my kitchen, and with a couple of small changes, turned it right into a purposeful 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 slightly disorganized, so I made a decision to repurpose it for this mission. Ideally, the drawer ought to be in an area that’s simply accessible to the entire household however not in a high traffic space the place it may very well 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 night time.
You don’t want to purchase a brand new drawer—simply discover one which you have already got in your kitchen, workplace, or front room that’s not serving a lot of a objective. If the drawer is simply too small or shallow, you would possibly need to think about 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, maintaining every thing organized and out of sight.
I selected an influence strip that match completely contained in the drawer, with sufficient shops to cost a number of units directly. It’s vital to pick an influence strip that has an extended sufficient wire to achieve your nearest outlet. You additionally need one with surge safety to make sure the protection of your units. Make sure that the facility strip is positioned in a manner that enables airflow to stop overheating. To perform this, I re-wired a plug that was exterior dealing with on the facet of a cupboard to be inside dealing with. This left the cupboard under largely open. It now shops rubbish baggage and enormous containers for the kitchen.
You may as well add charging cords which are lengthy sufficient to comfortably attain from the facility strip to your units. I like to recommend maintaining 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 needed to strive a DIY possibility and am glad I did.
Step 3: Add a Silicone Mat to Defend the Drawer
As soon as the facility 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 scrub, making them good for this sort of mission. In addition they add a pleasant contact of group, maintaining every thing in place and searching tidy.
Step 4: Arrange the Cords and Gadgets
Now comes the enjoyable half: organizing the cords and units. I made certain to maintain every thing 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 turn out to be 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 must 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:
- Gadgets 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 test their units late at night time. And we get up with absolutely 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 meal time a extra linked expertise. We use this time to catch up, chat about our day, and deal with 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 best issues we’ve achieved for our household’s tech habits. It’s a easy resolution that promotes more healthy sleep, reduces distractions, and encourages extra conscious use of our units. By maintaining 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 case you’re searching for a easy option to make your house extra organized and tech-friendly, I extremely suggest organising a DIY charging drawer. It doesn’t take a lot time, and the advantages are completely value it!
Pleased 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!