How To Organise A Junk Drawer in 10 Minutes

Everyone has at least one junk drawer in their home. It’s that drawer for all of the items that have nowhere else to go.

But if you’re struggling to close yours at the moment (or find anything!),

it may be time for a clean.

What should go in a kitchen junk drawer?

Some organising experts have an issue with the name of this drawer because there are actually useful items in this part of your home. There’s no reason for it to become a dumping ground; the ‘junk drawer’ can actually be a handy companion to help keep your home organised. You’re likely missing a big opportunity! Here are some ideas on what should be in your drawer. Use this list as inspiration; obviously, you may not fit all of the below items.

• Pens, pencils and notepads
• Keys
• Small screwdrivers
• Sewing kit and safety pins
• Documents
• Scissors, sticky tape (include additional rolls)
• Candles, lighter
• Batteries, small torch
• Blu Tack
• Stamps and envelopes
• Takeaway menus
• Business cards

How do you declutter a drawer?

Before you start, you may want to invest in some drawer dividers or organisers. These are relatively affordable, and you should already have an idea of the space you’re working with (you’ll only need a few small items if you’re organising one drawer) and know what you need. These are some options to think about from Ikea, Kmart and Target. You may want to wait until you’ve taken everything out of your drawer before you purchase any organisers, but I personally like to have everything there ready to go so I can get the job done once I start it.  

1. Remove everything

Yes, it’s stressful, but it’s necessary. And let’s face it, if you’ve been treating the drawer as a place for junk for a while, it’s likely much of it can be thrown out. Empty everything out onto the bench and discard things you class as rubbish as you go. Some items may require a little more thought about whether it’s trash or not.

• Is it out of date?
• Is it broken?
• Do you have more than one (I found 4 takeaway menus from the same restaurant during my clean!)?

This step should only take you a few minutes. Make sure to check things still work. Take this opportunity to wipe out the base of the drawer; it will air dry while you’re doing the following steps.  

2. Categorise

Like everything in your home, your junk drawer should have categories. A useful junk drawer should have items in it you use daily, or things you’ll be hunting for when you’re in a pinch. Remember to relocate items if needed. Is it necessary to have 7 pens in the drawer, or can you put some of those in the study or your desk? Create some categories that makes sense to you but as a general guide, grouping things like stationery, electronics/lighting, documents might work for you. You could even place things you use most often towards the front of the drawer and ‘emergency’ items at the back. This will take up the majority of your 10 minutes.  

3. Pop everything back

If you like, you can place a liner on the bottom of the drawer, to keep it super neat. Place your organisers into the drawers. If you’re worried they’ll slide around, use some Blu Tack to keep them in place. Place everything in neatly, reshuffling as required. Note, that things may not fit as you’d like – it may just mean, you’ll need to adjust and replan your strategy.  

4. Keep everyone informed 

This is important, and a step most organising websites don’t tell you about. Tell your family or housemates about what you’ve done (even show it to everyone – yes, be that person!). Doing this ensures that the household is on board and all your work won’t be wasted. Everyone else will grow to love this newly organised drawer, too!  

How do I keep my junk drawer neat?

Now that your junk drawer is in order, you don’t want to ruin your good work. Chances are, it’s going to be much easier to keep clean now! From now on, you’ll need to consider whether things belong in the drawer, rather than just throwing things in there like ‘old you’ used to do. You’ll be grateful you’ve kept things organised next time you’re madly hunting for sticky tape. Keep an eye on the stock levels in there as well – top up items like batteries and sticky tap, so you’ll never open up the drawer to an empty space.  

How can I keep my home organised?

Feeling motivated to continue organising your kitchen? In just five steps, you can get your pantry completely organised. For all of your professional home service needs, visit the Electrodry website or give our team a call on 13 27 13.