‘Tis the season of holiday decorating around the house and putting away all the clutter. Everyone has the famous junk drawer which houses all the miscellaneous items, but can you actually find what you’re looking for inside of it? Here’s 4 ways to properly organize your junk drawer to keep it as the “catch all” of items but also be able to find all the hidden treasures.
What is actually inside the junk drawer? Has it been years since you went through everything? Dump out the contents onto an open counter to see what you’ve been storing in there. Take this opportunity to wipe out the bottom of the drawer as it has probably collected dirt and dust.
Most of the time junk drawers tend to house the same items: batteries, pens/pencils, tape, writing pads, etc. But over time they fill up with all sorts of items that belong elsewhere or simply need to be thrown away. After emptying out the drawer, make different categories: keep, giveaway, trash. The “keep” pile can be broken down further into items that actually belong in the drawer vs items that have another home elsewhere. Analyzing everything that’s been in your junk drawer helps you to know what is a necessity and what the purpose of the drawer is.
Find easy ways to keep organization in your junk drawer by separating items based off of the categories you previously placed them into. Ziplock bags (or stasher bags for a more eco friendly option!) are great to keep pieces together and see through so you quickly know what you’re attempting to reach for. A silverware caddy is also helpful for separating pens/pencils, paperclips, and other items. It keeps everything in it’s own space and readily available for you to grab at a moment's notice.
After your junk drawer is completely organized, it’s important to keep it that way! In order to do this, think twice before stashing items back inside. If you need to, create a pile next to the junk drawer of items that belong elsewhere and make it a point to put those away on a weekly basis. So many times we just add miscellaneous items into our junk drawers out of laziness but don’t let your hard organizational work go to waste.