How to DIY a Charging Drawer in a Nightstand

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You can have a charging drawer in your nightstand within minutes with minimal tools and only for the cost of a power strip! You don’t need to pay for expensive gadgets and you don’t need to do significant modifications to your drawers.

Who doesn’t want to stash away the cord mess created by the multiple devices we each own and plug in overnight? A phone, smartwatch, tablet, Echo dot, a lamp … Before you know it, the top of your nightstand is looking like a tangled web and is the opposite of the clean and calming environment you need to drift away to sleep. (Read my post on achieving that Fluffy Bed Look from the catalog pages.)

Factory-made charging nightstands

I chose my previous nightstands partly because they came with a built-in power strip in the drawer. I thought that I needed to pay extra for that factory-installed functionality but when I received the nightstands, I realized the special feature is as simple as a power strip with an opening for the cord to plug into the outlet.

So when I refreshed my bedroom, I chose the nightstands I really liked even though they didn’t come with a built-in charging station. I knew I could make a DIY charging drawer inside the nightstand myself.

But if you don’t own a drill and want to consider some ready-made charging nightstands, here are some good ones currently on the market:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Some great budget-friendly options from Amazon:

DIY charging drawer

It’s as simple as drilling a hole in the back of your existing nightstands. You will need a special large-hole drill bit. I used a drill bit for boring hinge holes which is not the best option. Use one of the drill bits from this kit instead. Then fish the cable from a power strip through the hole. Make sure the hole you drill is wide enough for the plug to pass through it. If you can remove the drawer, it will be even easier to fish the plug through. The back of the drawer doesn’t extend all the way up to the top so there is enough room for the cable to sit in that space.

This is the power strip I used. It also has three USB ports (not shown in photo.)

I only charge my devices overnight – usually, just my phone and Apple watch – and leave the drawer open. I’m not concerned about overheating but if you are, this should put your mind at ease.

Check out my comprehensive list of essential DIY tools I use for all my projects!