Spring, the warmer temperatures, a desire to live a less cluttered and more centered, simple life always gets me in the mood to deep clean and organize!
One quick place to start with is the kitchen “junk” drawer. Sometimes tackling an entire room can seem daunting, so if you just pick one small portion of a room, it makes the task more bearable. I don’t claim to have a junk drawer, but the far right drawer in my kitchen begs to differ. The drawer is actually for things we reach for regularly, like pens, hand lotion, mailing supplies, tape and tape measure, and my beloved post-it notes.
The kitchen drawer is just dying to be a Junk Drawer.
A year ago, the drawer was squeaky clean and organized, just like I like it. I even had all of my favorite Papermate ball point pens in one spot.
But lately, the drawer has been winning.
Big time.
Before this weekend, it was looking like this:
But after taking everything out, sorting, throwing out, and reorganizing, look who’s winning now!
Take that! I need more of my favorite pens but I can’t always find them!
I also organized the drawer next door. That drawer is for my larger notepads and my go-to electronics (camera charger and external camera card reader). I use these all the time, so I like to keep them in the kitchen drawers.
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I used a simple clothespin to hold our earbuds.
Seems like the kitchen drawer needs a thorough cleaning about every 6 months to keep the “junk” at bay.
As you know, a girl after my own heart! Looks amazing, and love the tip about using the clothespin for the earbuds, genius!
Such a simple solution to use the clothespin. I just happene to have lot's of those and some cords that are calling their name! Thanks for the idea.
I am always taking a few drawers and organizing them… My favorites are bathroom vanity drawers and ones in the kitchen too
I just did my kitchen junk draws two weeks ago 🙂
You always seem to make cleaning look fun! Drawers look much better 🙂 It always seems to make me feel better when there is no junk drawer in our kitchen…you're right though…every 6 months it is definitely time to clean out again!
I guess maybe I need to tackle my junk drawer too! It's looking similar to some of those before pictures!
I'm pretty sure even the most organized people can't keep a junk drawer free of "junk" forever! I know I can't no matter how often I organize it. LOL
Hugs for you for showing what real life looks like. What a great quickie makeover. One of our drawers is looking like that too!! Where did you get that awesome yellow and white notebook???
My junk drawers always get out of control!
Great job! Where did you find that yellow notebook? So cute!!
Great ideas!! And your kitchen is beautiful!!! :))
Great idea with the cloths pin!!
Great job! My junk drawer is definitely more like the before picture right now!
Are your dividers from the Container Store? I don't have one by me so was hoping to find them somewhere else. I think they help with giving everything a "home" and I'm crossing my fingers that will keep things cleaned up a little longer. 🙂
Our junk drawer needs tackling too. I like that you used dividers and containers to keep everything organized inside your drawer. Isn't it funny that every house ends up with a kitchen junk drawer?
Looks great and this is something I definitely need to do!
Organizing aside, I love the white and deep dark colors in your kitchen. It looks so welcoming.
Phew, I'm not the only one with drawers that seem to breed clutter over night! I'm feeling inspired to tackle my drawers now. What I find to be the biggest space zapper is all of the manuals you get for kitchen gadgets! What do you do with yours? Xxx
I have just added organizing kitchen drawers to my list of to do's. Looks great!
I feel the same way. How do you find the time Megan? I think you said you are back to work. I just can never manage to do all that I want to do!! Looks great.
My junk drawer is in serious need of a good organizing! You have inspired me to do just that this weekend! 🙂
Organizing – always a 'feel good' thing. Over the weekend I worked on our office bookshelve!
oh how I need your mad organizing skills over here. You would literally faint if you saw my drawers.
I'm inspired. Kitchen drawer organization is going to the top of my list.
Totally agree! I am definitely have to dump and redo every six months or so. Your drawers look great.
We SOOO need to organize our kitchen and bathroom drawers…like bad. You did a great job!
Great job! I agree every kitchen has a junk drawer:) Mine used to have it too, but after we got new cabinets installed, I have less drawers and junk is everywhere:( I am thinking of getting a pretty box from target or something to put all the stuff in there. Wonderful idea on headphones!
http://curlijuli.blogspot.com/
GREAT idea on the earbuds! Those things drive me cray-zay!! and we have the exact same tape measure! 😉
Are your favorite pens the blue paper mate? These are my favorite also and I never can find them….confession…if I happen to borrow one….it sometimes finds it's way into my purse.
Kind of a random question but how do you like the placement of your microwave? we are looking at putting it in the same location inour new house so I couldn't help but notice yours.
Thanks!
My goal this weekend is to purge the kitchen (we're having a garage sale next month…and it hasn't been purged since we got married last year, so it's overflowing). Hopefully I can get the husband to part with his bacherlor day's toaster oven…It's never been used in my house…I'm not even sure what it's used for! Thanks for the inspiration. LOVE this blog, found you via I heart organizing!
That yellow notebook is from Target!
Our manuals and warranties go into an accordion folder that we keep in my husband's office.