Ten Minute Fix: The Junk Drawer

We all have one of these delightful drawers. It's a catch all for everything that doesn't have a place. Unfortunately, as time goes on, the amount of junk exceeds the capacity of the drawer and it becomes a place where things go to be lost forever. So, whenever you find yourself trying to stuff a double A battery that may or may not have any juice left into a drawer that may or may not contain a family of raccoons, it's time for this week's Ten Minute Fix.

Here's my junk drawer. It is home to things like a "welcome home" banner that we bought, but never used. Maybe whoever it was for never came home...? That's unsettling.

The fist step, of course is to empty the drawer completely. Take it all out. Don't hold back. This isn't the time for sentimentality.

Now that the drawer is empty for the first time since you moved in, take the opportunity to grab a rag and your favorite household cleaner to wipe out all the dust and raccoon droppings. Now that you have a clean slate, put back everything you use regularly or would like to have on hand for any time you do need it. The thing about drawers is they provide convenient and accessible storage for things we need. If you don't know what it is, or only use it once a year for the St.Patrick's day parade, it belongs in a box - not a drawer.

Okay, now we're to the hard part. Stay strong! First, there's bound to be plenty of stuff that can go directly into the trash. If you didn't miss it for the three years it was in that drawer, you probably don't need it. Of course there are some of those "maybe one day" items that you'll probably never use, but you know as soon as you throw it away a need will make itself known. If you really can't think of where to put them, a box in a closet is at least better than a drawer in your kitchen. For everything else, find a place, and put it away. Designate a place for batteries, miscellaneous nuts and bolts, business cards for businesses you'll never give your business to,  chargers for devices you probably don't even have any more, and wild animals that you've grown attached to.





So, my drawer ended up being a utility drawer, containing items I often have to grab for a quick project, but I'm  realistic. It's going to be a junk drawer again in a few months. That's okay though! Junk drawers are great. I'll just need to do another Ten Minute Fix around this time next year.