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You wouldn't happen to have a space in your home that looks a little like this, would you? The dreaded but oh-so-handy junk drawer?
Tucked inside, a plastic 3-drawer unit has become our organized junk drawer, and it's been extremely helpful in keeping our counters clutter-free.
The bottom part also leaves us enough space to toss our recyclables until we have time to empty them into our curbside container.
Labels on the outside of the drawers make sure that we're both using this system in the same way. Whenever we come across a new category that needs a home, we just add a new label to one of the drawers. (And just to address any concerns, the lighters in the second drawer have been relocated to higher ground until our daughter is old enough to respect what they do and how dangerous they can be.)
It would be wonderful if everything in the drawers was lined up in neat, tidy rows, but honestly, how long would that last? Two days... tops. There are always going to be those random pieces and parts that make their way into the drawers, which means that once a year or so, we have to go through them to weed out anything we no longer need. But I can't remember the last time we had to hunt for a battery, a felt pad (which we use under everything!) or a rubber band. And I have to imagine that has saved my husband and I from a variety of silly arguments and trips to the store. Which is well worth the small amount of time it took to organize our "junk!"
Odds are, you do. And where there's one junk drawer, there could be many. They're the perfect spot to hide extra pens, old keys, lip balms, children's trinkets, batteries and more. Somehow, many of these things don't seem to belong together, and yet, where else DO they belong? Is it really possible to organize these clutter magnets?
It's definitely possible, and since junk drawers often collect items that we need frequently, it's a good idea to tackle yours and give these items a proper home. It doesn't have to be perfect, but some small containers or labeled drawers will go a long way toward saving you the time and frustration of hunting these things down when you need them.
One quick and easy way to keep your drawer organized is to use a utensil organizer or even just small, shallow dishes to keep like items together.
Photo Source: www.flickr.com
By keeping office supplies in one compartment, batteries in another, etc., you'll not only be able to find what you need, but you'll also know just where to put these items when you find them hiding around the house.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, my husband and I have only one drawer in our kitchen, so we had to come up with another solution for our "odds and ends." Just inside the entrance to our kitchen, we have an antique cabinet that provides a little surface space to catch our loose change, receipts, and planners.
Tucked inside, a plastic 3-drawer unit has become our organized junk drawer, and it's been extremely helpful in keeping our counters clutter-free.
The bottom part also leaves us enough space to toss our recyclables until we have time to empty them into our curbside container.
Labels on the outside of the drawers make sure that we're both using this system in the same way. Whenever we come across a new category that needs a home, we just add a new label to one of the drawers. (And just to address any concerns, the lighters in the second drawer have been relocated to higher ground until our daughter is old enough to respect what they do and how dangerous they can be.)
It would be wonderful if everything in the drawers was lined up in neat, tidy rows, but honestly, how long would that last? Two days... tops. There are always going to be those random pieces and parts that make their way into the drawers, which means that once a year or so, we have to go through them to weed out anything we no longer need. But I can't remember the last time we had to hunt for a battery, a felt pad (which we use under everything!) or a rubber band. And I have to imagine that has saved my husband and I from a variety of silly arguments and trips to the store. Which is well worth the small amount of time it took to organize our "junk!"
