The "junk drawer" has become a universally acknowledged space where you store all the things that doesn't seem to have a place. It is not always a drawer - it could be a room, box, or a corner in the attic. 
In truth, most of us have one, and almost none of us know how to deal with it.

The junk drawer

Self Improvement

Don't think how you will organise items if you're still considering what to keep. You can only assess available storage space when you're done decluttering.
Sort and throw away first before you put back the stuff you've been collecting in your junk drawer.

Discard before organizing

Gather all the items of one category in one spot. You can only decide what to keep and what to discard if you know what you have and how much you have.
Categorization is important in the process of decluttering. The five main categories are clothes, books, paper, miscellaneous, mementos. Gather and assess all like items at the same time. If you have two junk drawers, tackle the objects in both spaces at the same time.

Tidy by category, not location

You can have as many subcategories as you need for your home. When it comes to organizing, is easier to start with larger items.
Approach the items according to categories. For example, get all your safety pins in one area and all your paper things in one spot. Then ask how many safety pins do you really need?

Tackle one group of items at a time

Everything in a junk drawer should be uniform and seen.
Ideally, put the items in small boxes and dividers. Then make them visible by storing things vertically. You want to see what you have.

Treat the drawer like a dresser

Paper piles include mail, bills, receipts, and magazines. When you can't throw anything away, follow a three-folder filing system:
<ul>
<li>Pending papers: Anything that requires action, like a bill you have to pay.</li>
<li>Forever papers: Birth certificates and mortgage documents that you don't handle often.</li>
<li>Temporary papers: This folder is for papers you know you'll let go of in the future, like warranties, lease agreements, or study materials.</li>
</ul>

Split your loose paper pile in three

<figure><img src="https://img2.domino.com/dom/image/upload/w_auto,q_auto:best,c_limit/i/PHOTOGRAPHY-BY-HEIDI%E2%80%99S-BRIDGE-.jpg" alt="image"><figcaption class="image-caption-text" dir="ltr">Photography by <a href="https://www.domino.com/content/domino-media-group-nyc-office-pictures/" dir="ltr">Heidi’s Bridge</a></figcaption></figure>From the long forgotten to the frequently ignored, the “junk drawer” has become a universally acknowledged place where the miscellaneous goes to die. It’s here where we haphazardly store all the things we never use but can’t seem to part with. “Most homes I see do have a drawer (or even a room) for everything that doesn’t seem to have a place,” says <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lisatselebidis/" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">Lisa Tselebidis</a>, a certified <a href="https://www.lisatselebidis.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">KonMari consultant</a> who left her career in fashion&nbsp;after discovering Marie Kondo’s famous decluttering book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. “It really resonated with me. I said to my husband, ‘This is what I’m always telling you!’” laughs Tselebidis. “But I never ended up doing anything about tidying until 2017 when I rediscovered Marie Kondo while I was listening to a podcast.” Now, Tselebidis spends her time working with those in need of a home overhaul, one room (or junk drawer) at a time. In other words, she’s officially certified to organize any home—Marie Kondo style. Of course, it’s not always a drawer, as Tselebidis notes. In some homes, it’s a dusty box or nook in the attic. No matter what your “junk drawer” looks like, the truth is that most of us have one and almost none of us know how to deal with it.In an effort to conquer random paper piles, childhood mementos, and never-before-touched stationery once and for all, we&nbsp;asked Tselebidis for her top tidying tips for corralling random clutter. Here are five takeaways to apply to your own junk drawer—whatever that may look like.<h2 data-id="15xzBR" data-position="6" data-type="heading">Discard before organizing </h2>There are six core principles in the KonMari method, and this is the third key takeaway: Purge before you put it back.“Don’t think about how you’re going to organize items if you’re still in the decision-making phase,” suggests Tselebidis. “This is important because you can only assess available storage space once you’re done decluttering and have a set number of items left.” <h2 data-id="1WUfp8" data-position="9" data-type="heading">Tidy by category, not by location</h2>Categorization is a crucial part of the KonMari method. No matter which of the five primary categories you’re working on (clothes, books, paper, Komono/miscellaneous, mementos), it’s important to gather and assess all like items at the same time. Meaning, if you have two junk drawers (or, say, a drawer and a closet), tackle the objects in these spaces in one fell swoop. “You can only grasp what you have and how much of it you have when you gather all the items of one category in one spot,” explains Tselebidis. “Only then are you able to make an informed decision about whether to keep or discard an item.” Tip: You’ll have an easier time making decisions about what to keep and what to discard if you’ve completed the three preceding categories (clothing, books, and papers) beforehand. <h2 data-id="Z2oaBT2" data-position="13" data-type="heading">Tackle the miscellaneous one group at a time</h2>Komono can be broken down into as many subcategories as are fitting for your home and the objects you own. While there are plenty of Komono items you won’t find in a junk drawer (DVDs, laundry items, emergency equipment), she suggests it can be easier to start with larger items first.“When you’re in Komono, approach it according to categories. Sort like items with like. Get all your safety pins, for example, in one spot and all your post-its and paper things in one spot. Then, ask yourself, ‘How many safety pins do I really need? What’s a number that sparks joy for me?’” explains Tselebidis.Bath and bed, which includes everything from haircare items to linens, is its own organization feat that requires plenty of thought and care. Finally, there’s office goods: postcards, pens, scissors, electronic cords, memo pads—you name it. If you’re the type of person who likes to tick tasks off as you go, Tselebidis offers a <a href="https://mailchi.mp/c77bcf0495ff/konmari-checklist" rel="noopener nofollow" dir="ltr">complete checklist</a> of items in each Komono category on her site for free.<h2 data-id="Z7o80o" data-position="17" data-type="heading">Treat the drawer like a dresser </h2>The same logic that applies to Kondo’s famous folding method can be used in a junk drawer: everything should be uniform and seen. “Ideally you want to put them in small boxes and dividers,” says Tselebidis. Shoebox lids or even empty perfume boxes will work for smaller storage space like a drawer. “Then, make everything visible by storing things vertically. It’s the same principal with clothing—store things vertically as best as possible so you can really see what you have,” she adds. <h2 data-id="ZRXeui" data-position="20" data-type="heading">Split your random paper pile in three</h2><a href="https://www.domino.com/content/how-to-organize-papers/" dir="ltr">Loose paper</a> is a huge clutter pain point—we’re talking mail, bills, receipts, and piles of magazines. While Tselebidis is an advocate for going paperless, she also follows a simple three-folder filing system when you simply can’t throw anything away. Here’s a general idea of what your paper piles should look like: <OL><LI>Pending papers. In this bunch, keep anything that requires action—like a bill you have to pay or a letter you need to reply to. </LI><LI>Forever papers. Think birth certificates and mortgage documents. “This is a folder you don’t touch a lot,” adds Tselebidis. </LI><LI>Temporary papers. As its name suggests, this folder should be for papers you know you’ll be able to let go of in the future, like warranties, lease agreements, or study materials. </LI></OL>If we had to list one last rule to follow, you already know what it would be: only keep items that spark joy. The idea seems farfetched at first, but Tselebidis has seen the line of thinking transfer over into other areas of her clients’ lives. “I think that if you really stick to the method as close as possible and do it honestly and tackle every single category item, your whole life changes. It sounds silly if you think, ‘Oh, it’s just my stuff,’ but it’s really so much more. The first step can be your home. Then, you’ll start to evaluate other things in your life and whether or not they bring you joy,” says Tselebidis. Do it for the junk drawer—stay for the joy it brings you.See more organization stories:&nbsp;

Everyone has a junk drawer—but no one knows how to deal with it. That's why we recently caught up with KonMari consultant, Lisa Tselebidis, to steal her tips and tricks for tackling miscellaneous clutter.

From the long forgotten to the frequently ignored, the “junk drawer” has become a universally acknowledged place where the miscellaneous goes to die. It’s here where we haphazardly store all the things we never use but can’t seem to part with. “Most homes I see do have a drawer (or even a room) for everything that doesn’t seem to have a place,” says <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.instagram.com/lisatselebidis/" rel="noopener nofollow">Lisa Tselebidis </a>, a certified <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.lisatselebidis.com/" rel="noopener nofollow">KonMari consultant </a>who left her career in fashion  after discovering Marie Kondo’s famous decluttering book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

“It really resonated with me. I said to my husband, ‘This is what I’m always telling you!’” laughs Tselebidis. “But I never ended up doing anything about tidying until 2017 when I rediscovered Marie Kondo while I was listening to a podcast.” Now, Tselebidis spends her time working with those in need of a home overhaul, one room (or junk drawer) at a time. In other words, she’s officially certified to organize any home—Marie Kondo style.

Of course, it’s not always a drawer, as Tselebidis notes. In some homes, it’s a dusty box or nook in the attic. No matter what your “junk drawer” looks like, the truth is that most of us have one and almost none of us know how to deal with it. In an effort to conquer random paper piles, childhood mementos, and never-before-touched stationery once and for all, we asked Tselebidis for her top tidying tips for corralling random clutter. Here are five takeaways to apply to your own junk drawer—whatever that may look like.

There are six core principles in the KonMari method, and this is the third key takeaway: Purge before you put it back. “Don’t think about how you’re going to organize items if you’re still in the decision-making phase,” suggests Tselebidis. “ This is important because you can only assess available storage space once you’re done decluttering and have a set number of items left.” Categorization is a crucial part of the KonMari method. No matter which of the five primary categories you’re working on (clothes, books, paper, Komono/miscellaneous, mementos), it’s important to gather and assess all like items at the same time. Meaning, if you have two junk drawers (or, say, a drawer and a closet), tackle the objects in these spaces in one fell swoop.

Tackle the miscellaneous one group at a time

“You can only grasp what you have and how much of it you have when you gather all the items of one category in one spot,” explains Tselebidis. “ Only then are you able to make an informed decision about whether to keep or discard an item.” Tip: You’ll have an easier time making decisions about what to keep and what to discard if you’ve completed the three preceding categories (clothing, books, and papers) beforehand. Komono can be broken down into as many subcategories as are fitting for your home and the objects you own. While there are plenty of Komono items you won’t find in a junk drawer (DVDs, laundry items, emergency equipment), she suggests it can be easier to start with larger items first.

“When you’re in Komono, approach it according to categories. Sort like items with like. Get all your safety pins, for example, in one spot and all your post-its and paper things in one spot. Then, ask yourself, ‘How many safety pins do I really need? What’s a number that sparks joy for me?’” explains Tselebidis.

Bath and bed, which includes everything from haircare items to linens, is its own organization feat that requires plenty of thought and care. Finally, there’s office goods: postcards, pens, scissors, electronic cords, memo pads—you name it. If you’re the type of person who likes to tick tasks off as you go, Tselebidis offers a <a dir="ltr" href="https://mailchi.mp/c77bcf0495ff/konmari-checklist" rel="noopener nofollow">complete checklist </a>of items in each Komono category on her site for free.

The same logic that applies to Kondo’s famous folding method can be used in a junk drawer: everything should be uniform and seen. “Ideally you want to put them in small boxes and dividers,” says Tselebidis. Shoebox lids or even empty perfume boxes will work for smaller storage space like a drawer. “Then, make everything visible by storing things vertically. It’s the same principal with clothing—store things vertically as best as possible so you can really see what you have,” she adds.

<a dir="ltr" href="https://www.domino.com/content/how-to-organize-papers/">Loose paper </a>is a huge clutter pain point—we’re talking mail, bills, receipts, and piles of magazines. While Tselebidis is an advocate for going paperless, she also follows a simple three-folder filing system when you simply can’t throw anything away. Here’s a general idea of what your paper piles should look like:

<ol><li>Pending papers. In this bunch, keep anything that requires action—like a bill you have to pay or a letter you need to reply to. </li><li>Forever papers. Think birth certificates and mortgage documents. “This is a folder you don’t touch a lot,” adds Tselebidis. </li><li>Temporary papers. As its name suggests, this folder should be for papers you know you’ll be able to let go of in the future, like warranties, lease agreements, or study materials. </li> </ol>

If we had to list one last rule to follow, you already know what it would be: only keep items that spark joy. The idea seems farfetched at first, but Tselebidis has seen the line of thinking transfer over into other areas of her clients’ lives. “ I think that if you really stick to the method as close as possible and do it honestly and tackle every single category item, your whole life changes. It sounds silly if you think, ‘Oh, it’s just my stuff,’ but it’s really so much more. The first step can be your home. Then, you’ll start to evaluate other things in your life and whether or not they bring you joy,” says Tselebidis.

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

KonMari Method Organization Tips for Decluttering the Junk Drawer

The junk drawer

Discard before organizing

Tidy by category, not location

Tackle one group of items at a time

Treat the drawer like a dresser

Split your loose paper pile in three

What is the KonMari Method?

KonMari Method Checklist: 5-Step Cheat Sheet (w/ Visual) | Sloww

Marie Kondo: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Bite‑sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

KonMari Method Organization Tips for Decluttering the Junk Drawer

The junk drawer

Discard before organizing

Tidy by category, not location

Tackle one group of items at a time

Treat the drawer like a dresser

Split your loose paper pile in three

What is the KonMari Method?

KonMari Method Checklist: 5-Step Cheat Sheet (w/ Visual) | Sloww

Marie Kondo: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career