2.09.2009

# Home and Garden # Organization

Ruminations on a Junk Drawer


I'm not sure if the familiar urges for spring cleaning have just reached me early this year or if my home was crying out for an overhaul, but I have spent the past two weeks culling and cleaning chez moi. Not a junk drawer went unturned, not a picture frame undusted.

I tend to be a very tidy person anyway and always have a clean home. Every night before I go to bed I do a once over and make sure there are no dishes in the sink and that the cushions on my couch are propped up in an orderly fashion. There is nothing worse, to me, than waking up to a messy house. And, of course, I make my bed every morning without fail. (I think my mother told me when I was a kid that if I didn't make my bed, spiders would crawl into it- that scare tactic seemed to work wonders as I still do it today!)

However, just because it looks outwardly tidy does not an organized home make. I would hide things away in drawers, cupboards and baskets thinking that out of sight meant out of mind. The trouble is that whenever I would pass these drawers and cupboards I would get an uneasy feeling because I knew deep down that the clutter behind those doors was there to stay... until I dealt with it.

So I decided to tackle my home, one junk drawer at a time. I probably thew away 5 large trash bags full of things that I had been storing- talk about junk! Now, as opposed to having- count them- 4 junk drawers in my kitchen, taking up highly valuable space, I now have one drawer that I call my 'miscellaneous' drawer. It no longer contains 'junk', but has highly useful things like take out menus, nuts and bolts, errant pens and appliance manuals.

The best method for tackling junk drawers for me? Do one at a time. Dump everything out on the floor while you are watching television (preferably some cleanliness motivating show like Clean House, How Clean is Your House? or Anthea Turner Perfect Housewife). You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in a half an hour- horrified at the trivial junk you've been holding on to- and proud that you have done something productive rather than merely wasting away in front of the television.

I am not sure how long this junk-drawer-free life will last, as I tend to be a very "going through a phase" type of person. But I aim to do my best.

So I would love to know... how many junk drawers do you have?

Image of Anthea Turner, Perfect Housewife courtesy of www.dailylife.com

16 comments:

Rose said...

I think I am the opposite of you! All of my drawers and wardrobes are very organised. I have storage boxes within drawers and liners over clothes etc. The problem is space and when I don't have more I tend to just pile things up. So inwardly everything is organised but outwardly I have 2 huge piles of books that don't fit on shelves and clothes hanging on the backs of doors etc. Oh dear...

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Rose- lol! It sounds like we need to switch houses and get it sorted out!

Here, There, Elsewhere... and more said...

Great post - I have a spotless home but way too many junk drawers I need to sort - I can't even remember what's in them..!

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Here There... Bonjour! Well I just read your posting on "what's on your desk" and I have seen first hand that your do have a spotless home... now about that pesky desk drawer... :)

Perfumeshrine said...

You don't want to know the number and plight of the junk drawers I have. I don't either. Don't make me think of them, please! (I have notes and papers and books practially EVERYWHERE)
"How clean is your house" is my excuse that there are more messy people than me! LOL!
I envy you :-)

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Helg- lol! You can do it girl! Tackle one at a time... if I can do it ANYONE can :)

PS- I do love watching all of those shows because it makes me feel better about myself too :)

vicki archer said...

Junk drawers are fun - you never know what will turn up when you least expect it! I have a bit of both, that is, I have a tidy home but a few little junky spaces squirrelled away. Have a fun weekend, xv.

ScentScelf said...

Oh, dear...I am quite in between...I love the internal order like Rose...but find that my occasional desire to put the overflow away *somehow,* combined with my inherent ability to find value and/or interest in every little thing, leads to "stuff(ed) drawer" syndrome.

That's right; one day, every kitchen implement and oddity smiles beautifully at you from its well organized, beautifully presented assignment. The next week, the execution of the "put away" chores by others in the family, combined with visits by welcome guests (but much delayed preparation and therefore last minute "stuff and hide"), turns the museum collection display into...a jumble.

***sigh***

I think Vicky has a good attitude toward it all. On my current academic schedule, I am able to fully breathe into that approach for one week during the school year, and for over a month during the summer. ;)

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Hi Vicki- yes indeed. While cleaning out my junk drawers I found a lot of things that had gone mysteriously missing :) I also found a lot of money... which is always a good thing :) Hope you've had a great weekend!

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Scentscelf- I had a few places that suffered from "stuffed drawer syndrome" too... but now that my junk drawers are clean, the clutter seems to have migrated to my desk. hmmph.

Dionne said...

I totally need a tidy house at all times. I hate having even a single dish in the sink. My husbo and I make sure that we wash each dish as we use it because otherwise it will just pile up and be a nighmare!!

Unknown said...

I just did some major organizing this weekend and truthfully I am such a junk-a-holic.

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Dionne- It is very lucky that you and your husband are on the same page re: cleanliness! I envy you!

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Jena- Yes I have been completely overwhelmed lately with commitments so my junk drawers have gone a little by the wayside...

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

This is a topic dear to my heart as I am such a hoarder. The very worst thing I will hoard is magazines. I find it so difficult to part with them! I have piles of magazines and thousands of books. I don't feel as guilty about the books. I love tidy homes but sadly with a three year old it's not always possible. How I wish...

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Primrose- I hoard magazines too! I always feel that I will need a recipe or look in them for inspiration when I want to decorate... I find the best way to handle this is to cut out the recipe or article and put them in one large binder... it's a nice thought but so far I have yet to do it! :)