Can I have a junk drawer?

There is a short answer to this, and I have a feeling you’re going to like it: Yes! Sure, it’d be nice to live in a world without stray rubber bands, random business cards and uh… marbles? But I organize for real life, so I’m pro-junk drawer. Having said that, opening a junk drawer doesn’t have be a horror movie jump scare. 

The first step to organizing is the dreaded act of emptying out the drawer and seeing exactly what you have. Once you’ve decided what to keep, donate and trash — and after you’ve celebrated finding that thing you’ve been looking for for ages — put items into groups that go together. 

One inexpensive organizing system is a silverware caddy. These long sections serve as little homes for all the minutia. Having a system makes the stuff look less like junk, and more like life’s little necessities. Pricier options, like shallow drawer trays and drawer dividers, all serve the same purpose.

Real life doesn’t have to mean chaos. Make little changes like this eliminates stress. Save the jump scares for the horror movie you can now see because you didn’t spend your evening looking for that thing you just know you put in your junk drawer!