Safer/VOC-free alternative to Contact Paper?

[capsgirl08]

Moderators, please move this if this should be somewhere else.  Thought this looked like a good forum, but maybe there's a better one!

We just picked up a dresser via Freecycle for our baby who is due in March.  I was about to line it with contact paper, but after taking one whiff of it, then feeling the baby kick immediately upon me smelling it as if to say, no! bad!, I decided against using it.  The adhesive is what concerns me, and the fact that it would be in the dresser with her clothes, which could absorb those toxic chemicals. 

Still, because the dresser is kind of old, I would like to line it with something...Does anyone have any ideas?  I Googled for ideas and didn't come up with much.

One thought is to laminate some pretty paper and then just place it in the drawer, or use double sided tape sparingly...But just thought I'd field the mamas here!  Also, is there something in the laminate that could be of concern??

Thanks in advance, everyone!

[pear-shaped]

Why not just use regular shelf/drawer lining paper, the kind that isn't adhesive? I've found that it stays in place pretty well, at least in wooden drawers. Here it's sold wherever the contact paper is, you just have to look for it. It costs less, too.

[ChristyMarie]

You could use pretty fabric.  Seam tape or spray adhesive might work to secure it.

[4evermom]

I just lined some drawers with wrapping paper.  My grandmother would cut open a paper bag and fold the edges under.  Freezer paper can be used.  Drawer liners doesn't need to be adhesive or coated.

[ChristyMarie]

Originally Posted by 4evermom 

I just lined some drawers with wrapping paper.  My grandmother would cut open a paper bag and fold the edges under.  Freezer paper can be used.  Drawer liners doesn't need to be adhesive or coated.

How do you get the wrapping paper to stay flat in the drawer and not shift around?

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by ChristyMarie 

Originally Posted by 4evermom 

I just lined some drawers with wrapping paper.  My grandmother would cut open a paper bag and fold the edges under.  Freezer paper can be used.  Drawer liners doesn't need to be adhesive or coated.

How do you get the wrapping paper to stay flat in the drawer and not shift around?

I cut it a few inches too big and folded the edges under so it fits nicely.  There isn't any room to shift around and the bent under edges keep the curl under control while getting it all situated.  Then the clothes on top take care of it and the curl eventually goes out of the paper.  I don't think the paper I used was especially heavy but it wasn't super thin, either.  

I suppose you could unroll some and hang it up for a while if the curl is still a problem.  Or reroll it around the tube the opposite way for a day, as well.  We'd do that with posters when I worked at a picture framing store.

[marimara]

My first response was, why line it in the first place?  Is there something wrong with the drawer bottoms, ie peeling paint, funky smell, etc?  To me, lining it with something is just one more thing to worry about (ie chemicals, most adhesives are toxic and offgas nasty stuff)), or to fuss with ( its not sitting straight, I didn't cut it right, it's wrinkling,etc.).  If it's an old laminate wood dresser, it most likely has done most of its offgassing already.  Wood and laminate wood products have glues that off gas.  Also if its made of particleboard or plywood then there may be formaldehyde in it.  I would focus on cleaning it well and if I really needed a liner, use plain cotton.  I would get a cotton sheet and cut 2ply squares that fit the drawers and sew them inside out, then turn and topstitch them.  Then deal with the shifting of the fabric.  

[allnaturalmom]

My first thought was to line w/cotton fabric. You could use a heavier cotton twill or duck if you fear shifting around and it could co-ordinate w/the room colors.... or just be neutral, lots of options. We use regular shelf paper - uncoated/no adhesive for dds. I think I might switch to cotton now.... Off to find my 'To Do' list and add it.....

[capsgirl08]

I knew I could count on the mamas here for great ideas.  The bottoms of the drawers are sort of "crumbly" if that makes sense...parts of the wood come off and yes, there is a distinct smell to the dresser...not bad necessarily...just old and someone else's clothes smell, if that makes sense.  Thought it would be nice to line with something.  Going to try out a few of the ideas here for a few different drawers and see which works best for us.  Thank you!  Don't know why I was stuck on adhesives...no pun intended...

[redvlagrl]

My mum always used brown paper or old wrapping paper. Fold the edges in, as others have said. It doesn't move around ebcause it fits flush.