The change: clean a drawer

Most everyone I know has a junk drawer or multiple junk drawers.  It is the drawer that you keep throwing miscellaneous items into because you do not have a set place for the items to go to. For myself, I would keep throwing items into that drawer and when the time came to look for those items, it seems I could not find them.  I would then resort to purchasing it at the store.  The problem is that we sometimes will turn most all of our drawers into junk drawers never making it easy to find what it is we need to use.

Why make the change:

Having a “catch all” junk drawer makes it easy for us to be lazy.  It is so much easier to throw everything into a drawer never seeing it again, instead of actually putting it where it belongs.  In our simple living lifestyle challenge, we are looking to simplify our lifestyles not make it more complicated. We need to eliminate the junk drawer and find a place for all of those miscellaneous items.  We need to adopt the rule, “A place for everything, and everything in it’s place.”  Having clean drawers will give you a sense of satisfaction. You no longer will feel like you need to “shut out” the chaotic clutter in your life.  Get rid of it!  Simplify, make less stress and strain on your life.  Throw away the “could of- should of items,”  give away the ones you never use, and put to use the items that are “lost” in the drawers instead of buying more.

How do we do that:

Take one drawer this week and do the following:

• Dump out the drawer.
• Throw out the trash.
• Separate items that already have a place to go to like game pieces, or sewing supplies.
• Put those items away:)
• Separate the remaining items into piles of similar uses–like super glue and paper clips, screwdriver and nails, etc.
• Find a drawer organizer that fits your drawer.  You can use silverware compartments, or small plastic containers from the $1 store.
• Place “like” items into the compartments.
• Label the containers to help others know where to put their “junk.”
• Maintain your drawer by putting it on your cleaning schedule.

If you feel like you accomplished something and are pleased by what you did, I challenge you to take a drawer a day and organize them!!!  You will feel less cluttered and more empowered by having clean drawers in your home.  Don’t believe me—–try it!!