Is there a better way to organize clothes? Dressers have been around for generations, but cube organizers offer a practical solution with a different look. Cube storage is useful for putting different things in their place in offices and cubbyholes are a mainstay in kindergarten but does it belong in your bedroom?

Here we compare and contrast these two pieces of furniture side-by-side and name which clothes solution has the advantage in each attribute:


Easier to Customize: Cube Storage  

Cube Storage already has the advantage of allowing the user to choose whatever style of bin they want for each space; options are numerous with colors from natural fiber to bright pink and textures from fabric to wicker. Some cube organizers also have the option to install doors or drawers in each space, expanding the selection to more possibilities.

If you acquire a dresser, that’s a solid, immutable piece that you plan to use whole. You can’t really change the drawers, and if you wanted to, you can add casters to the bottom of the furniture to allow it to roll but rarely will that occasion ever come up.


Easier to Organize: Dresser Drawers  

Dresser dressers have one huge advantage that cube storage does not have: Dresser drawers can vary in size and commonly have more width. This means the ability to store thicker clothing like sweaters and pants. And for those of us who are not innately neat, we can stuff all types of one clothing into a particular drawer and not think too hard where to grab our pants.

Cube Storage is a wonderful solution when it comes to organizing clothes because it is easy to put shirts in one bin and underwear in another. However, containers are limited by their cube space so to maximize the use of the box; you have to fold or roll your clothes into your cube storage. It is almost like having to pack for a suitcase for an overhead airplane compartment every time you want to store your clothes.


Easier Access: Cube Storage  

Since most cube storage doesn’t have boxes native to the furniture, there will never be a time when you can’t access anything out of a bin or a basket. If you stuff too many shirts into a basket to the point a shirt falls out of it, pulling it out is not a big deal to recover that shirt.

While dresser drawers are opened by a simple handle, as they get older or subject to colder weather, some drawers get stuck and become more difficult to pull without repairing or maintenance. And if you overstuff your clothes into a dresser, they can fall behind one of the drawers, and you lose those articles of clothing unless to take the dresser drawer apart.


Affordability: Cube Storage  

When considering storage solutions if you are a college student or a first-time home buyer, cube storage is going to be the more cost-efficient option. You can find decent cube storage solutions beginning at $40.00 and nicer finishes, sizes, and spaces at $70.00 or more. Decent dressers will start around $150.00 to $250.00 and will go upwards depending on the quality of the materials. Particleboard and fiberboard are what contribute to the prices on the lower end of the market while specific construction and use of wood are markers of a higher-end product.


Looks Nicer: Dresser Drawers  

Dressers are designed pieces of furniture from concept to execution. There is a satisfaction in having a dresser that fits well in the aesthetic in the room. Some people regard dressers as investment pieces and consider them furniture that they are going to keep for more than a few years.

Once a cube organizer is assembled, there is a sense of accomplishment from making one, but then its emphasis is on its practicality more than its appearance. A cube organizer is generally not an investment piece of furniture; when moving to a new place, the owner is more likely to assemble a new cube organizer, or possibly not need one in the living quarters at all.


Better Ensemble piece: Dresser Drawers  

When figuring out space in your bedroom, there are individual pieces of furniture that will be the anchors for your resting place. While everything is centered around the bed, certain support pieces of furniture are going to be critical to your interior design and matching or compatible looking dresser drawers tend to be an essential consideration.

Cube organizers can serve their function but other than color that matches the other hues of the room, their nature means that there will be at least one element of your room that is going look boxy. While dressers can also be angular, they are more likely to be taller rectangles in your room rather than squares.  


Easier to Move: Cube Storage  

The sum of the total parts of a cube storage is going to be lighter than the average dresser. It is effortless to remove the bins, and the edges of panels are natural places to grip the structure. A dresser has a solid center mass and often requires at least two people to move safely. Sometimes a dresser will not have a secure place to put your hands, making transportation more difficult.  


Sturdier piece of furniture: Dresser Drawers  

While people should generally use stepstools and ladders to climb and reaching things stored in high places, I would have more faith that a dresser drawer is going to support a heavier weight than a cube organizer. Most cube organizers are not rated to support a person’s weight, no matter how stable the framework looks.

Speaking of safety, existing mounting brackets allow for both pieces of furniture to be attached to the walls in the case of earthquakes or small children. If either you are not planning to move your dresser or cube storage for a while, it is worthwhile to take a few extra minutes to make sure no potential harm happens to you or others.


Easier to Assemble: Cube Storage  

Most cube storage units on the market can be assembled within 45 minutes. Many of these RTA (Ready to Assemble) packages have tools and fasteners already included. Assembling a dresser is going to take at last an hour and a half, and usually, you’ll need to have access to a screwdriver and possibly a hammer depending on what is necessary to construct the product. However, many dressers already come completed; it is a matter of delivering it to your home.


Better Privacy: Dresser Drawers  

In the case that you need to hide things from other people, a dresser feels more secure. But let’s face it, there are OTHER things that we also want to keep private than got our underwear and socks. The stalwart nature doesn’t invite others to rummage into our drawers whereas cube organizers, even at their nicest, look like they are meant to be opened.


Conclusion  

Selecting Cube Storage vs. Dresser Drawers appears to be more than just a personal preference; it feels more based on where you are in your time of life. Cube storages are best for people who are looking for affordable solutions where are they can customize it according to their needs and this trends more towards people with first time experiences, like a first move or a first job. Dresser drawers are best for people who have figured out their style enough to invest more money into furniture that fit their exact needs and tastes and plan to keep this for the long-term. In the end, there’s not a right way to organize, just a way you prefer.

If your preference leans toward cube organizers, check out this post where I build seven different ready to assemble cube organizers and tell you how these cubes stack up!