Junk Drawers

Well. two drawers are cleaner in my house today. Here are some tips for cleaning out a junk drawer.

• Pour out the contents of the junk drawer. You might want to dump out the contents on newspaper to protect whatever surface you may be working on. Don't get discouraged as you look at your pile. In just a few easy steps your drawer is going to undergo a dramatic makeover.

• Many people are surprised to find that when they clean out drawers nearly half of what was in the drawer was trash. Get rid of the trash first and you'll be well on your way to an organized drawer. Throw out anything that is broken, outdated, or you haven't missed since it went in the drawer.

• There will probably be at least a few items that actually have a place where they belong other than the junk drawer. Take a few minutes and replace these items so that they will be easier to find next time you need them.

• Sort through the remaining pile of junk. Group items together by type, use, or place of use. Make a few little piles as you group the remaining items. Don't forget to doublecheck that you haven't missed any trash or items that need to be put away elsewhere.
  

• Inexpensive drawer dividers make a big difference in keeping a junk drawer clean. Find a size that fits in the drawer you are working on. This plastic model has a second lift out tray to organize more little items easily.

• Some organizers have plastic word or pictures labels you can use to help remind you or others in your household about where to place junk. Determine the best place for each of your small piles of junk. Label the compartments and place all the items neatly into their new home.

• Now that you have the drawer of your dreams, endeavor to keep it that way. Make briefly evaluating the drawer part of your monthly cleaning list. If you have labeled the drawer compartments even small children can understand how to organize the drawer effectively. Accomplishing even just this small organizational goal can boost you up and get you ready for new organizational challenges.

Thank you, Housekeeping.com.

My family's been quite sick this week. Frankly, I'm surprised I'm keeping this up. Tomorrow my goal is to clean carpet. Cassie