Decluttering your junk drawer
Getting rid of the junk in your trunk
So what?
ICYMI – our previous post outlines the benefits of decluttering. In summary, the benefits are having more money, time and energy.
What is a junk drawer?
We all have one. Or two. Junk drawers are so common that there is even a Wikipedia page for it. It’s a drawer where we put the most random things in. It can be filled with a mix of anything and everything. Whether of sentimental value, your most prized possession or objects with no value can all end up in a junk drawer.
Spread it out
The first step of decluttering your junk drawer is to take out its contents and spread it out. Find a large, clear space and dump out whatever is inside your junk drawer so you can see everything. Once you chuck out the things that are broken or rubbish, sort and group similar items. For example, kitchen items with kitchen things and office items with stationaries.
Decide its purpose
Once empty and its contents sorted, your next mission is to decide on the purpose of the drawer you’re decluttering. Is the drawer located in your kitchen? Or your study? Think about where the drawer is, what it should be used for and what would belong in it. It’s important to be absolutely clear about its purpose as ambiguity will cause the drawer to be refilled with junk again.
Where they belong
Go back to the sorted pile of stuff and relocate all the items that do not belong in the drawer you’re decluttering. These should go to the areas of your house or office where they belong. Take time to organise and put them away.
Final arrangement
Once your pile has been minimised to whatever will go into the empty drawer, start arranging the sorted items in the drawer. You may need to use dividers, containers and other organisers to arrange and place what’s in your pile into your drawer.
My experience
We have a junk drawer in our study, kitchen and lounge. Each junk drawer has its purpose. The study drawer contains stationeries, small electronics and related apparatus (i.e. flash drivers, cables) and other random work-related objects. The kitchen drawer has kitchen utensils and other gadgets that are required for cooking. The lounge drawer is used for items that we have on Facebook Marketplace. Once listed for sale, the goods that are for sale are put into the drawer until someone buys them. Oh, and a hair dryer.
What now?
- How many junk drawers do you have in your home and/or office?
- Is it overflowing with random things that makes it hard to find what you’re looking for?
- Are there things in the drawer that don’t belong?
- Start decluttering by dumping its contents on a clean surface.