I'm having a hard time visualizing the layout. Any chance of some kind of picture?
Also what kind of stuff do you have? You mentioned wallet, phone, watch, keys, etc., What's the etc.? How big's the drawer, what could get squished? (Because if you had your own drawer, what you mentioned doesn't seem like that much stuff to me).
Maybe you can compromise. Phone in the drawer makes no sense, maybe you can reason that with her. So how about you just leave the phone out, and work on leaving the keys and wallet in the drawer (doesn't really matter if they get squished or scratched does it? And I don't know how attached you are to your watch, but maybe try to ditch that (with cell phones, it's really just a bracelet now anyways), or maybe put it somewhere else like in the bedroom? So instead of leaving 4 things out, you're down to 1. I dunno.
In my pockets or on my person when I am out, I have eye drops, chewing gum, car keys, wallet, and watch, and sometimes change, satellite/mp3 player, headphones, and blue tooth receiver (which I charge). I put spare eye drops, gum, cough drops, pens, headphones, and things like that in one of the drawers to begin with. Just the ones I use regularly are on the cozy.
I am at work, so I can't upload any pictures for you guys. The cozy is wood and actually matches the color of the dresser thing, so it doesn't look bad in that regard. It has a top portion, three slants for phones with holes for chargers, and a small drawer at the bottom. It is maybe 5 inches tall, a foot deep, and a foot wide.
Here is the dresser thing
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/holden-sideboard/prod7000036.ip?navAction=push