Declutter Your Junk Drawer in 5 Minutes!

Think of your junk drawer as a drawer for multipurpose items, rather than junk. 

Empty & Assess: Quickly empty all the contents of the junk drawer onto a clean surface and see what you have. You will often find coins, business cards, receipts, office supplies, tools, random gadgets, etc.

Categorize: There are generally three types of items you will find: trash, things that belong  (i.e., they live in your junk drawer) and things that don’t belong (i.e., they live somewhere else in your home). Sort the items you've emptied into these three categories. 

Dispose of Trash: Items that have no clear purpose or are broken and can be discarded. When in doubt, toss it out. If you haven't used or thought about an item in months, it's likely safe to let it go. If they're recyclable or need special disposal, set them aside for proper handling.

Items that Don’t Belong: Return items that go elsewhere in your home to their rightful place. Do this right away, rather than creating another burdensome task.

Items that Belong: Identify items that are essential or frequently used and that if you were to look for them, you would first check this drawer. Put these back neatly into the drawer.

Prioritize Space: Reserve the prime drawer space for items you use most frequently. Lesser-used items can go toward the back.