Junk Drawer Organization
You’re only allowed one. One drawer in your kitchen where you let misfit odds and ends accumulate. Mine is filled with things I think I need, things I might need one day, things I know in the back of my mind I will probably never need but keep anyway. Every household is allowed one junk drawer, but I have two. Today, I want to share tips for organizing your junk drawer. Since I have two, I am taking a different approach. I am leaving one (for now) and completely cleaning one out. In this post, I will show you how I eradicated all the junk in my…drawer. The easiest solution would be to dump it all in the trash or to call Fire Dawgs to come haul it all away for me (wink). But many items in my junk drawer are keepsakes or smaller parts to bigger things I need, like screws and adapters and batteries. I want to organize this space because order makes feel peaceful; order inspires me. Here is a photo of my junk drawers before my organization overhaul.
Junk Drawers in My Kitchen. Which should I choose to organize?
Steps to Junk Drawer Organization
1. Throw Away and Recycle.
Throw away or recycle all clutter you don’t need. In my drawer, I had receipts from 3+ years ago, chargers to electronics I don’t own anymore and my husband’s dried up boutonniere from our wedding in 2012. I had to ask myself, “Do I really need this boutonniere?” Realistically, my son probably isn’t going to want to see it one day. Should I keep the pictures from the drawer? Absolutely. But Should I keep the withered boutonniere or the used birthday candle just because I once thought they had “sentimental value?” Absolutely not. I recycled the paper trash and first generation IPod and threw away the boutonniere, and I feel so much better.
Let go of junk
2. Put things where they actually go.
While cleaning out my drawer, I found a many items that did not belong, like cold medicines and camera accessories. Why were these random (but useful) items in the junk drawer? Because I was too lazy to put them back. The second step to junk drawer organization is to put things back where they belong!
3. File, File, File.
The next step I took when organizing my junk drawer was filing important papers. I filed receipts, gift cards, recipes, and important financial documents. Filing these papers, especially the receipts, will come in handy when I go to file my taxes next month. PS. Don’t forget to file your taxes by Tuesday, April 15th!
4. Use it or lose it.
What do I gain from hoarding Yankee vent sticks and KFC gift cards? Why do I save up these items as if they will be useful to have during a Zombie apocalypse? This last step to complete junk drawer organization is easy: Use the items that don’t get filed or thrown away! I put the vent sticks in my car where they are actually useful, and I took the night off and got KFC for dinner, a win/win situation if you ask me! Here is the finished product. An empty drawer, a clean slate, the possibilities are endless!
Junk drawer before and after