Let’s be honest, we all have at least one junk drawer in our homes. And if yours has become an array of disorganised chaos - a state easily achieved - it's time to get things in order and learn how to organise a junk drawer.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a love-hate relationship with my junk drawer. It’s the place where I store anything and everything; the random items I think I need to keep but aren’t important (or pretty) enough to have their own dedicated home. But despite being a jumble of wires and knick-knacks, storage and organisation is still key in this space.
And no, organising your junk drawer doesn’t involve throwing everything out and setting the whole drawer on fire… despite how tempting this can be. With proper care and attention, you can turn this mishmash of things into a practical, efficient drawer that’ll help you keep track of these must-have items.
1. Empty the entire drawer
When organising any drawer - junk drawer or not - the process has to get worse before it gets better. And while the idea of pulling everything out of the drawer may sound daunting, it’s one of the best way to get the job done as efficiently as possible. After all, there’s probably a lot of things in your junk drawer that you didn’t know existed.
That’s why Ingrid Jansen and Lesley Spellman from The Declutter Hub, advise to ‘Take everything out so you can see exactly what’s inside. Junk drawers collect crumbs, odd bits, and hidden clutter, so starting with a clear surface makes it easier to sort.’
While you’re doing this, there’s a high chance that you’ll come across dead batteries, old receipts and other rubbish that should have been thrown away months or even years ago. So, it’s worth keeping some bin bags on hand during this stage so you can throw this junk before it ends up back in your junk drawer.
And if you do find yourself with a load of receipts or items that have your personal details on them, make sure you shred them to protect your privacy. I have this Fellowes P-30C 6 Sheet 15 Litre Cross Cut Shredder (£29.99 at Argos) and couldn’t recommend it more.
2. Declutter what you don’t need
When you’ve removed everything from your junk drawer, thrown away the rubbish and are left with the contents around you, it’s well worth taking a moment to declutter what you don’t need. The more ruthless you can be, the better.
There are so many decluttering methods you can use for this step, but it’s important to find one that works for you. Personally, I swear by the 5-second decluttering method for my junk drawer as it’s simple, quick, and doesn’t require any battles with emotions as most of the items are practical rather than personal.
Hester Van Hien, a Home Decluttering and Organising Consultant from Tidylicious, agrees. She says, ‘If you can make any quick decisions about items, let them go there and then. If you can't decide in a split second, leave the decision-making until later.’
Of course, it’s important to clarify that decluttering doesn’t always mean getting rid of your belongings and throwing them in the bin. There are so many ways to deal with items after a declutter, including donating to friends and family or simply re-using elsewhere around the house.
3. Find a new home for less reached for items
If you want to maintain an organised junk drawer, it’s well worth removing items that you might need one day but don’t reach for on a regular basis. This way, you can keep the contents of your "junk" drawer streamlined so that it holds useful items in a convenient place, then find a new home for the less reached for items.
Hester echoes this, saying, ‘Some of the items that you're keeping might belong elsewhere in your home, rather than in your junk drawer. For example, you probably already have a spot for your medication and paperwork. So put items from these categories where they already have a home.’
In most cases, these items will instead live in filing cabinets - like this Vinsetto Filing Cabinet with Lock and Hanging Bar (£72.99 at B&Q) - or in other cupboards, drawers or rooms. You could even use your loft if you know you definitely won’t be needing it anytime soon.
However, you need to be careful that by finding a new home for these items, you don’t simply create another version of your junk drawer elsewhere. So, move things intentionally and make a note to keep an eye on this new area so it doesn’t get too decluttered.
4. Use drawer dividers
Everything you have left should then be split into categories (for example, charging cables with charging cables and pens with other stationery) and placed back in your junk drawer, but you should avoid simply throwing everything back willy-nilly.
In fact, when it comes to organising a junk drawer, drawer dividers will be your best friend - and they won’t cost you a fortune. These Vtopmart 8 Pack Drawer Dividers are just £19.99 from Amazon and come highly reviewed. But you don’t want to buy storage compartments, you can be creative and use things you already have lying around.
Shannon Murphy, Professional Organiser and Founder of Simpl Living Co, says, ‘Phone boxes are fantastic, separate them into two pieces and use them as little trays for batteries, keys, or small tools. You can also use cable tidies (or budget-friendly sandwich bag ties) to keep cords organised.’
Just make sure that you keep things organised with like-for-like items, as Hester warns, ‘Once categories start mixing, your drawer will start to look messy and disorganised again. And we all know that when a drawer is messy, it makes it difficult to find things.’
5. Change your mindset
The above steps will help you organise your junk drawer, but the key going forward is not to slip back into old habits. Stick to the system you've created and don't let everyday life get in the way of keeping on top of it.
'If you think of it as a dumping drawer (or junk drawer), that’s how you’ll use it,' says Siân Pelleschi, President of APDO, and Founder of Sorted!. 'Instead, think of its purpose and the specific items it’s for only, and you’ll find it easier to keep on top of.'
Junk drawer organising essentials
These organisers are ideal for organising your junk drawer, as they come in a wide range of sizes to suit your space.
If you want to avoid a jumble of cables and tangled cords in your junk drawer, I couldn't recommend these enough.
Decluttering a junk drawer can be difficult, but you can use these boxes to help you separate your items into keep, donate, or chuck piles.
FAQs
What do you put in a junk drawer?
A junk drawer is the perfect place to put smaller, practical items that you need regularly but don’t want on show or cluttering up other areas of your home. It could include items such as:
- Spare batteries
- Pens and other stationery
- Chargers and other essential cables
- Small DIY tools
- Plasters and other first aid items
What should I remove first when decluttering?
When starting to declutter, it’s always a good idea to remove any rubbish first. This way, you can clear out items that you know for certain you don’t need, and the junk that has no practical or personal connection to you. In fact, you’d be surprised at how much space you can clear up just by getting rid of old receipts, dead batteries, and other useless items.
So, how do you organise your junk drawer?
