Make Over Your Junk Drawer

Everyone has one—a kitchen catchall that, like the Little Mermaid’s cavern, holds treasures untold and is normally in a state of complete disarray. But tackling that mess is surprisingly easy and will save you time in the long run. Organize it in just three simple steps.

Line your countertop with newspaper and spread the contents of your junk drawer on it. (Amazing how much fits in that little drawer, isn’t it?) Now that you can see everything clearly, go through and throw away anything that’s garbage—dried-up lip balms, expired coupons, mystery keys, etc.

Next, pluck out all the items that actually belong in other areas: screws and picture hangers (in the tool kit), tweezers and emery boards (medicine cabinet), and so on. Make piles for each area so you can quickly put everything away at the end. Then sort the remaining items (the ones that actually belong in that drawer) into groups by category—rubber bands in one, extra buttons in another, and so on.

The last step is to put everything back in the drawer. An inexpensive organizing tray will help maintain order. For small things, like paper clips and safety pins, you can even use an ice cube tray, with each section dedicated to a different junk genre.