Why you should ditch the junk drawer

Many people have one, that never-stays-organized-catch-all drawer. I haven’t had a junk drawer in 4  years and I am loving life without it. Now you may be wondering, “but where will I store my papers & batteries & whatever other miscellaneous items that go in that drawer”  What if I told you that that catch all drawer was not necessary and it is possible to find an organized way to store those items?

Problem #1 with the Junk Drawer: It never stays organized

So maybe you are one of the VERY few people who can keep their junk drawer perfectly organized..but chances are you are not. You may get little baskets and organize it nicely but not long after it is a disaster zone again. why ? because nothing in that drawer has it’s own appointed space.

Problem #2 with the Junk Drawer: It is an excuse for clutter

Sure it may not be visible but clutter is clutter, I noticed by evaluating life after a junk drawer that I keep a lot less random crap that would otherwise have done right in that blackhole of a drawer.

Problem #3 with the Junk Drawer: You forget things exist

Admit it you go out and buy things you believe you need (glue, batteries etc.) only to later find out you had it in the bottom of your endless pit of stuff.

Problem #4 with the Junk Drawer: If it’s junk it should be chucked

Is the stuff you put in your Junk Drawer really junk? if so it should be thrown out with the trash (since that is where junk goes) if not it should have it’s own place somewhere else in the house.

So how do you make the dreadful move from junk drawer to organized living? 

Step 1: Empty the junk drawer

Step 2: Throw out any garbage

Step 3: Organize what is left. Below are some examples on what to do with some common junk drawer items

Batteries: Create a battery space in your tool box using tackle boxes

Take out menus: Create a takeout menu folder

Thread: put it in your sewing kit

Step 4: Utilize the drawer for something else. (i.e the drawer my husband wanted to designate as our Junk Drawer |until I “very calmly” reminded him that we do not have junk drawers anymore is currently being utilized as a drawer for my pot holders & oven mits.

Step 5: Never look back. Like I said at the beginning, I got rid of my junk drawer years ago and never went back because now I know where everything is, it goes back to where it is supposed to go and nothing gets lost in the disorganized chaos that is the junk drawer.

If you just aren’t ready to ditch the junk drawer join me during my 10 minute a day January declutter challenge where I will explain how to organize it. 

So do you have a junk drawer? can you ever keep in organized? are you going to kick the habit? let me know in the comments.