One of the most disorganized places in most people’s homes is the junk drawer. I finally said “enough”, and have some recommendations for replacing it if you’re in the same spot.
Enough Was Enough
It’s hard to say when it happened, but at one point, the junk drawer in my home was born. While it was once somewhat organized, over time, this space became a disorganized mess. Items such as pens, tangled cables for my iPhone 16 Plus (our review), outdated appliance manuals, and other miscellaneous items accumulated and became unmanageable.
Searching for a screwdriver, for example, became a challenging task because I had to sift through multiple items. Looking for AA batteries that worked required the same level of effort as conducting an archaeological dig. It was time for a change.
The Replacements
That change meant sorting the items in the drawer and finding new places for them. Notice I said places, not a single location. I found that spreading everything out was the key to adding much-needed organization to my home.
A Dedicated Tool Drawer
My dad is handy with tools and has a variety of them for both big and small jobs around his home. In my household, the only tools I have are a variety of screwdrivers and Allen wrenches of different sizes, which require little storage space.
That space is now a shallow drawer inside a living room table. Joining the tools in the new location are a measuring tape, a ruler, a pocket knife, and nail clippers. The new tool drawer is also where we store loose screws and nails, as well as separate boxes for each type.
Battery Station
There are four types of batteries we use in our home: AA, AAA, 9V, and CR2032 coin batteries for Apple AirTags. For whatever reason, the junk drawer had become a repository for mixing new and old batteries. This meant needing a fresh one was always a challenge.
Now, the batteries are separated and placed in a small, lidded container, which is stored in what was once the junk drawer. Old batteries are now separated every time they are replaced, then placed in our recycling bin far away from the newer batteries.
This new battery station is also where we store fully charged portable chargers for our mobile devices, as well as a collection of cables and electrical plugs. Before I added these, I went around the house and found the ones we had, separating the good from the bad. There were numerous frayed cables, outdated plugs, and chargers that no longer functioned. Gone, they went.
Pen and Stationery Location
Improving what I called the pen situation in our household was another reason the junk drawer had to go. Previously, because the drawer was so full of other items, working pens rarely made their way back to it. Instead, much like the charging cables, they were found in multiple locations around the home. Of course, I could never recall those locations when I needed a pen.
Now, I store pens and pencils in a decorative ceramic cup that sits above the drawer we use for stationery and takeout menus. The house rule is that the pens are tested before they’re returned to the new location. If they no longer work, they’re discarded.
Additionally, that paper drawer is where we now store other “office” items, including sticky notes, paper clips, rubber bands, stamps, and envelopes. Many of these had also once been stored in the dreaded junk drawer.
One Place for Coins
Our family doesn’t collect coins in the traditional sense, but they do “collect” incidentally. We always seem to have stray coins scattered all over the house, including in the once-junk drawer. Now, we separate and deposit our coins into two ceramic bowls stored in a cabinet in our kitchen, one for pennies and the other for larger, more useful denominations.
It’s incredible how quickly the coins are piling up now that they’re all stored in the same location.
More Ways to Organize
Clearing out and removing the junk drawer led me to make other changes in my home to make it more organized.
New Keys Location
This started by installing a key hook in the kitchen. Previously, keys had no official location, although they sometimes ended up in the junk drawer. There’s now a hook for everyone’s car and house keys.
In the same kitchen cabinet where our coins are stored is another bowl where we put less frequently used items. This combination makes finding the keys much easier, although it’s not a perfect system. I still tend to lay my car keys on the kitchen table, which is less than ideal, but I’m making an effort to improve.
Device Charging Station
In addition to finding a new home for charging cables and other gadgets like iPhones, iPads, and smartwatches, I also designated a separate location in our living room for charging our devices. This setup reduces the likelihood of cords going missing and ensures the devices are easier to find.
Next to the device charging station is also room for small earbuds and headphones. Organizing my mess of tech gadgets has removed a lot of the stress around them.
First-Aid Kit
During this process, I also realized we didn’t have an actual first-aid kit at home. Instead, bandages, antiseptic wipes, and other items were thrown haphazardly in different places. Now, there are fully stocked first-aid kits in each of our bathrooms—located under the sink, making them easier to find.
The area under the bathroom sinks is also where our flashlights are now stored, alongside a fresh set of batteries. In the event of an emergency, it’s much easier to find both items, whereas before, with the junk drawer, it was much more difficult. Lighters and candles are also stored in these locations.
In homes with small children, it’s best to move both of these items to cabinets higher off the ground.
Clearing and eliminating the junk drawer in my home served to establish both functional organization and reduce household stress. The ability to locate everyday items much more quickly has eliminated both time waste and feelings of frustration.
The initial work of decluttering and organizing required effort, but the lasting advantages of an efficient and organized space have proven valuable. Our home now features a system that replaced the former junk drawer, creating an organized and efficient daily routine.
