TAKING THE JUNK OUT OF JUNK DRAWER IN 6 SIMPLE STEPS
1. DUNK THE JUNK!
Start by pouring out EVERYTHING from your junk drawer… don’t forget any old receipts or random sticks of gum! I recommend that you dump out the contents on newspaper to protect whatever surface you may be working on from any critters that could possibly be growing in your junk drawer. Don’t get discouraged… even if your pile is the size of Mount Everest. In just a few minutes, you will have conquered your junk drawer.
2. TRASH TIME
People are surprised to find that when they clean out drawers nearly half of what they find is trash. Sometimes things that are unidentifiable magically appear. It’s time to say good bye to those also. Throw out anything that is broken, outdated, unidentifiable or you haven’t missed since it went in the drawer.
3. TAKE OUT WHAT DOES NOT BELONG
While conquering your junk drawer you may find that there are actually items that have a real home other than the junk drawer. Do those items a favor and put them back into their natural habitat. Make a box of such items so that you can disperse them to their proper homes all at once when you are done.
4. TIME TO SORT
Now it’s time to sort through your remaining pile of junk. I recommend that you group items together by category, type, or use. If you have an overabundance of the same thing now is the time to be practical and purge or relocate the excess. No one needs 4 pairs of scissors in one place… not even you! Perhaps your home office or garage could use a pair?
5. DRAWER DIVIDERS
Drawer dividers make a big difference in keeping a junk drawer neat and tidy. You may be able to find something in your home already that will work perfectly. If not, stores like Bed Bath and Beyond sell a multitude of different styles and sizes. Measure the drawer before you go shopping and find a size that fits in the drawer perfectly.
6. KEEPING IT NEAT
After you insert your nifty new drawer dividers, it is time to put the contents of your new and improved junk drawer into their forever homes. Make sure to keep like items together. Again, polluting categories is strictly prohibited! That is the key to keeping things neat, tidy and organized…you wouldn’t want your junk drawer to transform into a junk drawer again!
Now that you have created the drawer (notice the word junk is no longer applicable) of your dreams, make a point to keep it that way. Snap a picture of your success with your phone (you can even Instagram it if you so desire) so you can reference it later. Whenever the drawer gets out of hand, glance at the picture and spend five minutes bringing your no longer junk drawer back to its happy place!
Accomplishing this small organizational goal can boost you up and prepare you to take on even bigger organizational challenges!
About Lori
Lori Gersh is a hands-on professional organizer, move manager and the owner of Leave It 2 Lori. Her focus is on helping her clients in Beverly Hills, Westlake Village, Calabasas, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, and other Southern California cities to declutter, organize, and transform their space. Whether you are upsizing or downsizing, organizing your home or your office, Lori and her team will handle it all.
