4 min readProfessional organizers are more than willing to help you declutter your space and organize it in a way that makes sense for your life. But not every bit of stuff has to go, especially when it’s relegated to a junk drawer.
Yes, if you have a junk drawer in your kitchen or office—and most of us do—many pro organizers won’t mind it a bit. But it does help to give it a different name.
“Junk drawers are more of a utility drawer,” says Lastree Lemene, owner of Ready Set Declutter. “If we think of them as a junk drawer, it is going to just always end up [in] chaos.”
Here are some reasons a junk drawer deserves to keep its spot in your home, along with tips on how to make it more useful and less chaotic.
A Junk Drawer Reduces Visual Clutter
First, let’s talk about the reason there’s a junk drawer in the first place.
“A junk drawer is needed because it reduces the visual clutter,” says Marie Potter, a professional organizer based in British Columbia, Canada. It gives all the random, small things that would otherwise be on your countertop a home—one of the “secrets of organizing,” she explains.
It Provides Structure
Or at least a junk drawer can if you limit yourself to putting certain categories of things in it. Potter suggests five categories: writing instruments and pads, “keep togethers” like elastic bands and clips, electronics, hardware, and “mystery bits” (if you know, you know). Of course, you should edit these as you see fit.
“If you can’t open the drawer, then that means you need to go and do a serious edit,” Potter says. She suggests leaving some breathing room in the drawer—around 10 to 15 percent, but don’t sweat the precise math.
It Saves Time
Even if your junk drawer is truly a hot mess most of the time, at least there is a likely place for something “lost” to end up. Having one spot to search rather than turning your home upside down can save you boatloads of time—even if you have to rummage around in your drawer for a bit.
“If you can find something in 15 seconds or less, you’re doing it right,” says Potter.
It Doesn’t Even Have to Be a Drawer
The kitchen is arguably the most popular spot for a junk drawer, but it doesn’t have to be there, nor does it even have to be a drawer, according to Lemene. “It can be a container with different items that you need to grab and go,” she says, adding that her clients have housed theirs anywhere from the garage to the entryway.
Potter agrees, and says that your junk drawer can be any portable container, like a toolbox, that you can stash on a shelf or in a closet.
How to Organize Your Junk Drawer So It Works for You
If you’re inspired to look at your catch-all drawer in a new light, here are some pro tips to make it less about junk and more about utility:
Clean the Drawer
Laura McHolm, cofounder and chief of organized living at NorthStar Moving Company, recommends dumping out the drawer, giving it a good cleaning, and then lining it with shelf paper.
Add a Drawer Organizer
All three pros suggest using expandable organizers to fit the drawer and make the most of the space. But you can also repurpose small boxes and containers you already have—like the one your last iPhone came in. “Apple boxes are indestructible,” says Potter, who recommends keeping the lids on to house sharp things like thumbtacks so you’re not poking your fingers every time you look for something.
Lemene also recommends labeling spots in the drawer to remind you where things live to keep it from becoming a dumping ground.
Purge Your Stuff
McHolm suggests asking yourself the hard questions like, “Do you really need 1,000 rubber bands?” (No, you don’t, so get rid of at least 995 of them.)
As for those mystery parts that tend to accumulate, McHolm recommends putting them in an empty jar or container and placing it in a closet. If the day comes when you figure out what they’re for, you’ll still have them, but they won’t be taking up room in your junk drawer.
Another small maintenance task that often goes ignored: Check pens every so often to make sure they actually work. If they don’t, gather them up and recycle them; Potter mentions that many Staples locations (including in Canada) have recycling programs for writing instruments and other office supplies.
Switch From Paper to Digital
Food delivery apps help cut down on the stacks of menus stashed in drawers, but what about those appliance owner’s manuals? McHolm reminds us that everything is online these days, so do a quick search for the manual in question, bookmark or download it, and then toss the paper version in the recycling pile. Same thing for receipts; a receipt-scanning app can help if you’re reluctant to toss them, she says.
Reset as Needed
Junk drawers will need to be reviewed and reorganized at some point, but let your household dictate the timeline. “When it starts getting junky, that’s kind of your sign that things that don’t belong there are starting to pile up,” says Lemene.
