Alright, my friends! I told you I am on an organization kick and it sounds like so many of you are, too. My advice is start small with one project so it gives you a jump-start and makes you feel accomplished. For me, it was the junk drawer. Our “before” junk drawer truly gave new meaning to junk. It was a hot mess but now we are back in action and I sort of want to show my drawer to everyone that walks through the door.

I always like to show the “after” so you don’t spit out your coffee when you see the before. This type of thing makes me gloriously happy. It’s one of those things that can be ridiculously frustrating when it’s a disaster and yet it’s not time-consuming to fix. I am just the queen at putting it off.

THE BEFORE

So bad! So when we moved in I just tossed whatever trays I had in this drawer. It as organized for a bit and then it just truly became a junk drawer. If you are local, The Mexican Taco is awesome for parties! I found 10 of their cards in this drawer. LOL.

THE PROCESS

So of course the first step is to empty EVERYTHING and sort. It was really easy as most of this was trash. The plethora of pencils I found were sharpened and returned to the kids’ supply caddy. They use it every day and it’s truly been a lifesaver for staying organized.

After deciding what would stay in the drawer I treated myself to these new pens. I was so tired of trying to track one down each time I went to pay bills or write a note to a teacher or friend. Now I am all stocked up. There is a strict rule now! If you use one of these pens it is not to leave the kitchen. Wish me luck with that.

LOCATION LOCATION

rug (on sale) | kitchen towels 

I am big on having the junk drawer in a spot that is super accessible and that makes sense. I stand in that exact spot at least five hours a day. No joke! I prep meals there, talk to the kids while they work on homework, and of course clean. But it’s the most convenient spot to grab scissors from when I am cooking or helping the kids.

MEASURE TWICE

When it’s time to buy inserts or make you own from boxes, be sure to measure your drawer accurately. I got super lucky as I had already bought these from Ikea for our new pantry. I tried them in this drawer and much to my surprise they were perfect! Many stores carry these. I have seen them at Costco, Target, Ikea and the Container Store. To me they are a VERY worthwhile investment.

I recently talked about how I always keep lotion handy. I must grab this 3-4 times a day.

FIND WHAT WORKS

While these bamboo organizing trays are great, I need to corral smaller items. I searched the house and discovered that our favorite reusable plastic containers for the kids’ lunches fit perfectly. Luckily we have way too many. But you can find them at Target. They are a perfect fit in the Ikea organizing system.

I always try to have a little collection of notes. I use these when I want to write a note to one of the children (good luck on your test today type of thing!) or if I want to attach a tag to a gift. It’s just nice to have those close by. These were place cards I found in the dollar section of Target. They make the best little cards.

My camera charger will always be in this drawer! I suppose it should be with my camera equipment but for some reason it has always been in this drawer and it’s so easy for me to grab.

I love this sweet little notebook from Sugar Paper LA. One of my all time favorite stores. Ever. I could live in that store. My very first crack at a small business was personalized stationary so this store speaks to my heart. If you are local, there is one in Lido Village in Newport. Worth a walk around.

So there it is! First organization project of 2018 is in the books. This spurred my cleaning out the entire fridge and our kitchen cabinets. It’s a bit like the If You Give a Pig a Pancake series. One thing leads to another. But if it means I am more organized I am all for it. I’ve rounded up some great options for getting your junk drawer organized below.

Organizing Goodies

Let me know if you’ve been getting things straightened up around the house. I love hearing what you all are up to! Stay tuned for more projects coming soon.