Sometimes one oversized junk drawer is far harder to manage than two smaller, organized drawers. With that in mind, I decided to clear out our increasingly chaotic double-wide junk drawer and redistribute its contents into a couple of empty, smaller drawers on the other side of the kitchen near the office. Since we use most of these items in the office area, moving them closer makes daily access simpler—even though we don’t yet have a dedicated office storage solution.

I find it helpful to take the drawer out and place it on the floor, spreading everything out so I can see what I have. From there I make three piles: keep, store elsewhere, and donate/trash. Seeing the items all together makes decisions faster and keeps the process from feeling overwhelming.

Some practical junk-drawer organization tips from a non-professional organizer:

• If you haven’t used an item in six months to a year, consider storing it elsewhere or getting rid of it. Reserve drawer space for things you reach for regularly.
• Group like items together so you can grab everything you need at once (for example: address book, stamps, and return-address stamp).
• You don’t need dozens of pens or paper clips—trim excess to only what you use.
• Notice items you never use, like an old stack of Post-It notes that survived a move. Freeing that space can make room for tools you actually use every day.
• Contain small items—clips, pins, staples—in divided boxes or small containers so they stay organized and don’t roll around.
• Shallow, spread-out piles are easier to search through than a few deep stacks; you can see more at a glance and avoid digging through a mess.
• Keep snacks handy while you work; a little energy helps the effort move along.

We have three empty drawers located right off the office in the corner of the kitchen. They offered a perfect solution for dividing up the former junk drawer contents.

The top drawer now holds envelopes and stamps on the right, our green address book along with the return-address stamp, tape, and stapler in front, and a brown divided box full of pens, pencils, scissors, paper clips, binder rings, wire, and bandages. Containing smaller supplies in a single box keeps them tidy and easy to remove when needed.

The second drawer stores batteries, rubber bands, safety pins, markers, crayons, and a strip of heavy-duty Velcro we use to keep frames from being pulled down. I also used this drawer for things like paper bank tubes for rolling change. (Update: checkbooks were originally here but have since been relocated for added security.)

The third drawer became home to our cloth napkins, table runners, and paper napkins—items that belong near the kitchen but don’t need to be in the primary prep area.

Among the little discoveries at the bottom of the old junk drawer was a permanent red ink stain from an old floppy disk—one of those oddly retro finds that brings back memories. I also realized my feet somehow appeared in several photos of the project; that was an amusing, unintended cameo.

One of my favorite finds was an old soccer button featuring a young John. It was a sweet reminder of the past and a fun piece of nostalgia. I also noticed our distinctive cabinet knobs watching over the finds.

My takeaways from the project are simple and practical: 1) Organizing tends to feel more daunting than it actually is—this entire transfer took less than thirty minutes once I committed to doing it. 2) Spending that half hour will likely save time in the long run, since keeping items in obvious places reduces the minutes wasted searching. 3) Waking up to a freshly organized set of drawers is surprisingly satisfying—small improvements create a calmer, more efficient daily routine.

What small organizing tasks are you tackling lately? Even minor efforts—clearing a drawer, sorting a bin, or donating unused supplies—can make a noticeable difference in how smoothly your day flows. And if you happen to find an old floppy disk or a relic from the dial-up era while cleaning, take a moment to smile at the memory.