How to Nail Junk Drawer Organization Once and For All
Need some help organizing your junk drawer? Here is the junk drawer organization method that will make sure it stays tidy 24/7.
What’s the one spot in your house where you throw a bunch of random items together and call it a day? Chances are, it’s your junk drawer. Even if the rest of your house is completely organized from top to bottom, your junk drawer is probably the one place that could use a little extra help.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone! I was in the same boat about a week ago, until I decided it was time to do something about it. And now, I open my junk drawer, not because I necessarily need anything, but because it’s so beautifully organized.
So to get your junk drawer to the same place, I’m going to be sharing the reason behind why you’re junk drawer gets messy in the first place, how to fix it, a step by step guide on organizing your junk drawer, the best organizers the get the job done, and finally, some tips to help you maintain a tidy “home essentials drawer” (you’ll get the reference in a few minutes :)).
Let’s get into it!
This post was about how to organize your junk drawer for good.
Why your junk drawer gets out of control and how to fix it:
If your junk drawer looks like a bottomless pit of miscellaneous items, you’re not alone! It wasn’t too long ago my junk drawer looked the same way. A junk drawer is the one spot in every home that tends to get out of hand, quickly, and here’s why…
Here’s the problem:
No system, no order
If your junk drawer has seen better days, it’s probably because you don’t have a system for the items that go in that drawer. It’s kind of just a hiding spot for the items you don’t want to throw away because you think they’ll be useful, but also you don’t know where else to put them.
Without a proper system to keep everything contained, it becomes a massive free for all that builds chaos over time.
It is too easy to ignore
The label “junk drawer” kind of gives people a pass not to clean out or organize this spot. I mean, it literally has the word “junk” in the name. And once you close that drawer, you don’t have to see the mess, so it’s easy to forget about. That is, until you have to find something in that chaotic pile, then it really does become bothersome.
Nothing has a designated spot
When there are no categories, items are tossed in at random and float aimlessly with no “home.” One random item turns into ten, and then before you know it, your once practical drawer becomes a hot mess.
It becomes the default home for everything
This is something I’ve struggled with a lot! It’s so easy to categorize your junk drawer as a place where everything can go. It doesn’t have a home? Junk drawer. You don’t feel like putting the item away? Junk drawer. And so on…
If something doesn’t have an obvious place to go, your junk drawer is the answer.
Here’s how to fix it for good:
Give it a system
Stop treating your drawer like a miscellaneous dumping ground! I know this is easier said than done, but you have to fight the temptation and treat it like any other drawer in your home – with categories, designated spots, and organizers that make sense for your life.
Be intentional about what goes in
If you want to keep your junk drawer organized, you have to be intentional about every single thing that goes inside this drawer. It’s time to break the habit of throwing meaningless items in your drawer. Because not everything belongs in your junk drawer!
Before tossing something in, ask yourself if it has a better spot somewhere else in your home. And if it doesn’t, maybe reassess whether it’s essential. You’ll probably catch yourself wanting to put things in there that you know you’ll never use again.
Use the right organizers
The truth is, it’s really hard to keep a drawer like this organized, if you don’t have any inserts or tools to help you. There are so many small items that live in your junk drawer that need a designated container to live in, so they don’t flood the entire drawer.
The right organizers are the difference between a tidy junk drawer, and one that becomes a black hole of items within a week.
Step by Step Junk Drawer Organization:
Step 1: Empty and Sort Everything Out
First things first, take everything out of your drawer. And I mean EVERYTHING. In order to give your junk drawer a proper glow up, you’re going to need a blank canvas.
Sort your items into three categories:
- Trash – the items you will simply never use
- Relocate – the items that are better suited somewhere else in your home
- Keep – the actual essentials that you’ll use regularly
You might also want to vacuum the actual drawer or at least wipe it down to get rid of any crumbs or dust.
Step 2: Categorize What You’re Keeping:
Here are some common junk drawer categories that you might want to steal for yourself:
- Batteries
- Tools (e.g. tape, scissors, flashlight, lighter, etc.)
- Cords
- Notepads and sticky notes (to write down to do’s, notes, and grocery lists)
- Writing utensils (pens and markers)
If these categories don’t fit you or your day to day life, make up your own! These categories should be helpful to YOU. Just remember, only the essentials!
Step 3: Add the Organizers
Once everything is cleaned and sorted, it’s time to put in the organizers. Below, you’ll find the organizers I use to keep my junk drawer tidy. Just a few organizing staples that work like magic!
Step 4: Put Everything Back in Its Place
Once the organizers are secure and situated, it’s time to put your items back. I’ll go into more detail in the tips section of how to categorize items, but make sure you categorize things in a way that makes sense and gives you easy access to everything.
Pro Tip: Nothing in your junk drawer should be hiding. You should be able to see all of the contents at a glance.
Best Junk Drawer Organizers:
1. Silicone Cable Ties
Cords are easily one of the biggest culprits for a messy junk drawer! They get tangled, wrapped around items, and are no help for making your drawer look visually appealing.
Cable ties are a life saver! I have never seen my cords look more organized before. And I don’t just use these ties in my junk drawer, I use them all over the house! Cable management alone will do wonders for keeping your drawer nice and tidy.
2. Battery Organizer Insert
I didn’t think there was a way to store batteries that actually looked cute, while being practical. I was wrong! This organizer is actually one of my favorites in the entire house.
Before, I just had a bin of loose batteries in my hall closet. But I must say, this is a much better system and it actually keeps them organized. Not to mention, super easy to find which type of battery I’m looking for!
3. Packing Tape Dispenser
If you keep packing tape in your junk drawer (something I recently added), a good dispenser will make your life so much easier! Gone are the days where I would have a loose roll of tape in my drawer that I had to use scissors to cut.
I know this might not technically be an organizer, but I had to include it because it keeps the tape out of the way, and is actually super useful. This dispenser lives in the back of my drawer so it’s not in the way, but there if I need it.
4. Non-Slip Drawer Organizers
Clear organizers are the holy grail to drawer organization! But whatever type of drawer organizers you get, make sure they’re non-slip, or get some adhesive dots to put on the bottom so they stay in place.
And if the organizers don’t fit perfectly in your drawer, you might want to use some double-sided tape to stick the individual inserts together so they don’t fly around when you open and close your drawer.
Junk Drawer Organization Tips:
Now that your junk drawer is organized, I thought I would share some tips to keep it that way. The last thing you want is all of your hard work to go to waste!
It’s not a junk drawer anymore
We’re renaming your junk drawer the “home essentials drawer.” It sounds better, and from now on, there will be no junk in this drawer. It’s simply a helpful spot where your most used home essentials go. Everything in this drawer should be an item you use regularly.
Keep similar items together
This is an organization tip I swear by! And it’s not just for your junk drawer. Apply this to every spot in your home!
Grouping similar items together will help you find what you’re looking for in a matter of seconds. When there is a proper system that makes sense to you, and is easy on the eyes, you’ll probably be more motivated to it up.
Do a quick two minute drawer reset once a week
You might not need to reset your junk drawer once a week, but if you know yourself, and think you might need to straighten things up after a busy week, go back in their and tidy up. Maintenance is key! This is what is going to keep your junk drawer organized long term.
The one in one out rule
This is a classic home organization rule for a reason! It’s hard to create a mess when you have a rule like this to keep items limited. This rule will also help make sure you’re not throwing in random items you’ll never use, since they have to be more useful than the items already in there.
If the item is not something you use regularly, it’s going to be obvious when you use this rule. It’s simple and it keeps the junk out of your drawer! 😉
This post was about how to organize your junk drawer for good.
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