Rubbermaid Giveaway: Conquering Your Junk Drawers
I’ve never known a family that doesn’t have a “junk drawer.” Most families have more than one. It may be a small problem, but wouldn’t it be great to finally solve that problem?
Recently, Rubbermaid sent me their brand new 6-piece interlocking drawer organizer set, which is set to hit the stores in the next few weeks.
They also gave me a second set to give away to one lucky Virtually Organized reader. But before we can get to the fun stuff, I thought this was a great opportunity to offer some tips and ideas for organizing that infamous junk drawer.
To begin with, I really don’t like to call these catch-all drawers “junk” drawers. After all, it really can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
So instead, I prefer to call these babies “utility drawers.” But before you get to a functional, organized utility drawer, you need to go through the organizing process.
Step 1: Empty out the entire contents of your former junk drawer.
Step 2: Take a deep breath and start sorting the junk into categories (think “like with like”). Make sure to include the “trash” pile and the “belongs elsewhere” pile. Now, everyone will have different needs when it comes to what they want to store in this new utility drawer, but for this kitchen version, some of the categories included pencils, paper, extra/neighbor’s keys, tools, paperclips, and hair tools (if you’ve got little girls, you know that sometimes it’s easier to quickly do their ponytails right before they run out the door for the day).
Step 4: After figuring out what you’re left with, the next step is to assign each category to a container, or in this case, one of the Rubbermaid drawer organizers.
What I really like about these organizers is the rubberized bottoms that help prevent the contents from shifting too much when you open and close the drawer. I also like that they are completely separate, which allows for a very flexible and customized arrangement.
To help ensure the maintenance of this newly organized drawer, each compartment gets a label. Obsessive? Maybe. But I swear by the power of labels for keeping an organizational system flowing smoothly. Plus, just because you know and remember that the right drawer is for “tools and quick fixes,” it doesn’t mean that the rest of your family members do.
Have you made a New Year’s resolution to get organized? If you’ve fallen behind on this goal because you’ve found organizing an entire house, or your entire life, just too overwhelming, try starting small with this junk drawer project.
To help you on your way, Rubbermaid is giving me an additional set of drawer organizers to give away to one lucky Virtually Organized reader. To enter, leave me a comment below to let me know which junk drawer in your house you plan to organize. For additional entries, Tweet about this contest and join my Facebook Fan Page, Virtually Organized by Debbie, and let me know about it in your comment below. I’ll announce the winner on February 3rd.
Simply yours,
Debbie
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I have a junk drawer in my kitchen that is halfheartedly organized. These Rubbermaid organizers would just do the trick for that drawer.
It’s going to be the one desk drawer…I can’t believe what happened to it..lol.
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It is a toss up between my utility drawer that is a free for all or the desk drawer that needs a little more help.
I like how you added labels to the organizers. Knowing me, it’d revert back to a junk drawer without them.
Quick question on the organizers. Do they also include rubber on the bottom, too? (So the actual container doesn’t slide in the drawer, or do you simply rely on an entire drawer liner?)
Wayne-
Good question. The rubber is just on the inside of the organizers. I was concerned about the containers sliding around in the drawer, too. But since they interlock with each other, the weight of the entire unit, especially when full, seems to help them remain stable.
my top desk drawer at home!!! Oh my heavens, its a terrible mess. I can’t organize it, because I’m scared to open it!! I’m sure there is something creepy and crawly in there! If I were to win, DH will HAVE to be on hand to take care of anything living in there!!!
I’m going to organize the drawer in my kitchen that has become a catch all for my office necessities. It’s a pain to dig through everything just to find a pencil.
This is perfect timing! Our “utility” drawer is now overflowing into 3 drawers. Thanks for the giveaway!
My kitchen junk drawer needs this.
I need so much help. I am almost a hoarder, not quite, but always afraid to throw things away just in case I “need” it tomorrow! I would love to organize my junk drawers, especially the one of the two in the kitchen…it would save me a lot of frustration! I will tweet this contest!
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Wow, these look fantastic! I’d love my kitchen junk drawer to be organized. Right now, I can’t even close it!
Our “utility drawer” is quite nice right now, but we need some help in the baking-and-eating-supplies drawer. You know the one – the little things you put in the ends of corn on the cob, a couple of spatulas, a set of measuring spoons, the works!
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Ooooohhh…we have a drawer in the kitchen that is cluttered within 30 seconds of getting cleaned. Maybe these are the answer!
we have a drawer in our frontroom that is in serious need of some organizing. Thanks for the tips too!
I am part of your facebook fan group and I tweeted about it at http://twitter.com/mountie9/status/8379304328
I am going to have to go with my office drawer, with the paper clips, pens, highlighters, post it notes, keys, and OMG don’t open the drawer!!
My kitchen junk drawer is desperate for a makeover. And my desk drawer could use one as well. Or maybe my bathroom drawer will be the winner.
my kitchen “junk” drawer needs help badly!! just need to find the time to sit down and do it.
my catch all drawer in my kitchen really needs some organization
The bathrooms & bedrooms are pretty good but the kitchen one is devolving into a mess. There’s just too much stuff and the drawer itself is breaking so I can’t put much into that we’d need daily access to. So I need to move the stuff to a smaller drawer and I’m just dreading it until I find the right organizers & little system. I think I’ll have to try this one.
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My address book drawer needs to be organized and updated
The kitchen drawer for sure, those little odds and ends need a new home!
My desk drawer. Wow what a mess. Dont even know where to start *eyeroll*
My junk drawer in the kitchen looks much like yours. I could stand to clean it out and organize it.
That drawer was tooo bad. Looks like it could still be opened and closed quite easily. I have drawers that I have to reach into to make sure nothing is sticking up to high to open….I am sooo disorganized (and I don’t want to be).
I’d definitely organize my kitchen drawer full of bizarre implements. I can never find my cherry-pitter or melon-baller when I need them!
Every drawer in the House has become a Junk drawer. Might need a few New Years to get them done.
My “hardware” drawer is my junk drawer! It needs a major clean-out — it’s full of screwdrivers, picture hangers, shoe laces, carton cutter, nails, screws, sticky tack, tweezers, tick remover (for the dog), and more! Things I need, but not everyday (thankfully, especially the tick remover – phew!)
Thats a simple answer : My daughter Drawer(s). Finally a Solution !!!
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I would love these for my makeup drawer!
I would love these! You can never have enough dividers and labels for things. I have a kitchen junk drawer that needs fixing!
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I’d organize the kitchen junk drawer. It needs serious help!
I would love to have this for my kitchen junk drawer. I dumped it into a box the other day so I could make myself clean it, and the junk is still in the box because I don’t have an organizer or any way to organize the drawer. This would be perfect!
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Thanks, Lily. It’s an extra step in the process, but the labels really do help with maintenance. Especially if other people are in and out of the drawer, too.
I only have 1 junk drawer. It is under the kitchen countertop. Somehow my sweet children think that when it is their turn to clean the counters off they can just take everything off and shove it in that drawer. Not pretty!!!!!
I also became a fan of your facebook page!
I’m working on 2 drawers in the bathroom. The first aid drawer (lots of little tubes & reasons for them — rubbermaid looks perfect) and the animal first aid drawer (who knew? It’s like having a bunch of 2 year olds with all their needs!)
Just tweeted it too!
Pretty much every drawer is a junk drawer in my apartment right now, because we can’t really afford to buy a lot of organizing stuff (there’s a Container Store just right down the street from us though, so it’s very tempting!). Though we did just buy some plastic drawers for under the office desk. We’d use them for the top drawer of the drawers under my desk. It has a little bit of everything in it and could definitely use some organization!
I also tweeted (@megnyar) and joined your Facebook fan page!
Thanks!
Thanks for speaking at our meeting. I’m starting the decluttering process now….starting with that kitchen drawer.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Yvonne! I enjoyed meeting with your group and talking about everyone’s organizing issues. Let me know how that drawer project goes!
I’ve got TWO junk drawers in the kitchen that I need to go through (they’re skinny). I actually have similar divider/tubs that I used and I even put rubbery shelf liner in the bottom to keep them from slipping. BUT they have become junky again. I need to try your label idea and see if that helps.
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I have the kicthen-junk-drawer-from-hell and these organizers would be just the ticket! Go Rubbermaid!
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My Kitchen junk drawer sounds like a good one to start on!
National Clean Off Your Desk Day created a major junk drawer in our home office! Help! : )
7 junk drawers in my house…not including the kids rooms! I really must get on top of these! Thanks for the inspiration!
This would be so helpful. We have more than 1 junk drawer – one+ for me & one for hubby…
the two drawers beneath the utensils drawer, oh what a mess
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What are the dimensions of the boxes? I have super small drawers in my kitchen and I’d like to know if they would fit. I’ll be looking for these in the store when they come out
I have a drawer in my kitchen that is a catch all, and although it isn’t too bad, these boxes would help it even better. I was thinking a good alternative might be a silverware organizer for my super small drawers in case these dont fit.
Good luck everyone!
My junk drawers are REAL bad!!! If I win these puppies, can I get you and the label maker thrown in???
Good question, Chris! Since I already did a label maker giveaway some time ago, I’ll up the ante and throw in a little personal organizing advice to whoever wins the contest!
@Cali-
The organizers all vary in size, but because they’re all separate, you could use the skinny ones in your narrow drawer, or possibly just the one larger container with the smallest ones attached in the front. Then you can use the remaining containers in yet another drawer (get 2 drawers organized for the price of one!). Even if the containers don’t completely fill up your drawer space, you can create another section from the space remaing in your drawer after you place the drawers. That’s what I love about this product: flexibility.
Oh I would love to tackle our kitchen junk drawer.
Thanks for the giveaway.
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my kitchen junk drawer
tweet http://twitter.com/phxbne/status/8559771075
The drawer for all the ‘important stuff’. It’s time to give it some (organized) integrity. Such an irony!
[...] Thanks so much to everyone who entered the “Conquering Your Junk Drawers Rubbermaid Giveaway!” [...]
Hello people… Im fresh here but I can not wait to commence having/getting some wonderful conversations with you all! I just figured i would introduce myself to you all so hi there!
[...] We all have at least one junk drawer (some may have more than just one, but we’ll save that topic for another day!). While I personally believe in the virtues of this space, let’s face it, if we call it a “junk drawer,” where’s the incentive to keep it organized? Give this much-used space the respect it deserves and start thinking of this drawer as more of a “Utility,” “Necessity,” or “Tool” drawer. Take 15 minutes to dump the contents, sort the items into categories, and, using dividers or re-purposed containers that fit the space, assign homes to the different categories within the drawer. (For more tips and pictures to help you with this project, check out my recent post, ”Conquering Your Junk Drawer.”) [...]
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