In this post, I’ll show you how to organize a junk drawer so you can spend less time looking for your keys, and more time going places! Because we all have that crazy drawer in our kitchen, don’t we? The one that seems to collect all the odds and ends we don’t know what to do with, as well as the pens, the keys, the ear buds and rubber bands. Well, ours needed a major over-haul. Read on to see what I did, step-by-step.

Our Junk Drawer Before

Yikes! They don’t call them junk drawers for nothing! If you ever think I have it all together, this picture is living proof that I don’t. Life gets messy, and that’s okay! But it also feels good to put it in order again, doesn’t it?

Take Everything Out and Sort It

As I’m sorting, I toss anything that’s trash, or recycling, and set aside the things that go some where else in our home.  This step is like instant progress.

Wipe Down the Drawer and Measure It

As they say, measure once cuss twice. Make sure to measure all the dimensions of your drawer at least twice, and write them down. This will save you the headache of getting a container that doesn’t fit! Been there, done that.

Find the Right Container

I usually like to use repurposed containers, but for this drawer I needed something new. When I buy new, I usually opt for something modular so I can customize it to work for me, and use it in different ways in the future. I bought this awesome little set by See Jane Work at Office Depot!

Assign a Home For Items

I assigned the items homes based on my family’s needs. Here’s what we most need on hand (i.e. the things I’m constantly searching for!)

1. Keys
2. Headphones and iPhone charging chords
3. Wallet
4. Sticky notes and page flags (for recipes!)
5. Pens and permanent markers
6. A coin cup
7. Basic tools for quick fixes

Now everything has a place, and there’s no more searching! Best of all, my husband came home and sent me this text as soon as he saw it:

It’s always nice to be appreciated, isn’t it?

I hope this blesses your day, too. If you appreciated this post, please share it and post a comment below. I’d love to hear from you! You might also like this post: How to Organize a Small Kitchen!

With Heart,

Lauren