Are your drawers a victim of your clutter?  If your drawers are crammed full, difficult to open, or you simply have no idea what’s stored inside, then it’s time to clean them out! Organizing a drawer is a relatively simple process and doesn’t take that much time. 

For drawers that have a specific purpose, e.g. socks, shirts, etc. the process of re-organizing is much simpler, since you need only remove the items that do not belong in the drawer, purge the items that are torn, stained or you are no longer wearing, and then return them to the drawer using an appropriate drawer organizer.  

For a typical junk drawer, purchase a junk drawer organizer and then begin the following process:   

1. Empty the drawer entirely.

2. Sort the items into categories, e.g. pens, paper, rubber bands, paper clips etc.

3. Discard items that are broken or dirty.

4. Donate or recycle items that you have an excessive amount of. You may find yourself with 47 pens. Even if you place a few pens in each room, you’ll still have too many!

5. Clean out the drawer, and if desired, insert a drawer liner.

6. Insert the drawer organizer into the drawer and begin organizing your items. If the organizer is packed full, then you need to purge some more.

Using drawer organizers might possibly convince you that you can be organized, and if you are good about putting the items back in their right compartment, the drawer will stay organized!

Jacquie Ross is a Maryland based Professional Organizer, writer and owner of CastAway the Clutter! Jacquie has been writing for Home Storage USA since 2007. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), NAPO-Baltimore Chapter, and Maryland Association of Professional Organizers, she shows homeowners how to reclaim their time and space, and offers organizing and time management workshops.  Jacquie can be reached at jacquie@castawaytheclutter.com. Visit CastAway the Clutter to sign up for her free organizing tips at www.castawaytheclutter.com and register for one of her current organizing workshops.