How to Organize a Junk Drawer—And Why Most Get It Wrong

My biggest issue with the term junk drawer is the word junk. If something truly has no purpose, why are we storing it in valuable space in our kitchen, mudroom, or office? Now don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying everything in your junk drawer needs to be high quality or particularly valuable. What it does need to do, however, is serve a purpose.

When organizing any space in your home—from your fridge to your closet—every item should earn its keep. If you don’t wear those black pumps, donate them. If you keep buying that bag of spinach but never finish it, it might be time to re-evaluate. The items in your junk drawer should follow the same rule.

Once you stop thinking of it as a catch-all space and start thinking of it as a utility drawer with a purpose, it becomes much easier to keep organized. Below is my step-by-step system for organizing a junk drawer so it actually stays that way.

Rachel Rosenthal

Rachel Rosenthal is an organizing expert and founder of Rachel and Company, a Washington, DC-based professional organizing firm. Since 2007, Rachel’s firm has worked with 3000+ clients and teamed up with prominent brands, including West Elm, Pottery Barn, The Container Store, and Four Seasons. Rachel’s expertise has been featured in 100+ publications, including Real Simple, Martha Stewart, House Beautiful, The Rachael Ray Show, and local NBC, ABC, and Fox morning shows. Rooted in the belief that organization can be achieved by all, Rachel emphasizes solutions that are easy to use and enhance a home’s existing aesthetic.

How to Organize a Junk Drawer (Quick Steps)

If you want the quick version, here’s the simple system I use:

1. Empty the drawer completely
2. Declutter broken or unused items
3. Relocate items that belong elsewhere
4. Create categories for what remains
5. Add drawer organizers or dividers
6. Return items thoughtfully—and prep them for use

Now let’s break down each step.

Why Junk Drawers Get Out of Control

The biggest problem with a junk drawer is the catch-all mentality. We’ve been conditioned to toss items we don’t know what to do with into one drawer and deal with them later. That’s how you end up with drawers bursting at the seams and never being able to find the battery you know you have, or the matchbook you need when the power goes out.

Just like every other space in your home, your junk drawer should contain intentional categories. When every item has a place, the drawer becomes useful instead of chaotic. Changing your mindset from “junk drawer” to a drawer that holds categorized items with purpose is the first step in organizing it.

Step-by-Step Guide to Organizing a Junk Drawer

Step 1: Empty the Junk Drawer Completely

Yes, everything. I know the thought of it can make most of us wince, but the first step to organizing your junk drawer is to dump it all out. It’s the only way to see exactly what you’re working with. Once the drawer is empty, wipe it down so you’re starting with a clean slate.

Step 2: Declutter and Remove Broken Items

Next, declutter the items you pulled out of the drawer. Some things will be obvious—like tossing trash or recycling old receipts. But don’t stop there. Write with each pen to make sure it works. Test batteries. Turn on flashlights. Check tape rolls. You might be surprised how many items in a junk drawer are actually broken or unusable. Think through which items you truly need in your home and which ones can be discarded or donated.

Step 3: Relocate Items That Belong Elsewhere

After decluttering, look at what remains and decide whether it actually belongs in this drawer.

For example:

• Does your screwdriver need to live in the kitchen, or should it go in the garage or toolbox?
• Is that ruler better suited for the kids’ homework area?
• Should extra charging cables live in an office drawer instead?

Relocating items helps prevent your junk drawer from becoming a storage space for things that belong elsewhere.

Step 4: Create Categories for What’s Left

Once you’ve decluttered and relocated items, you’ll be left with the things that truly belong in the drawer. Now it’s time to create categories.

For example:

• Scissors
• Tape
• Batteries
• Pens and pencils
• Rubber bands
• Small tools
• Chargers

Grouping items into categories makes it much easier to find what you need—and maintain the system over time.

Step 5: Add Drawer Organizers or Dividers

Once you’ve identified your categories, measure your drawer so you can add organizers that fit. Some type of bins or drawer dividers is essential for junk drawer organization. Because these drawers often contain multiple categories, organizers prevent everything from sliding together into one big pile.

Measure the width, depth, and height of the drawer, then find organizers that fit your space and categories. Adjustable dividers, small bins, or modular trays all work well. Think of it like playing a little Tetris until everything fits perfectly.

Step 6: Put Everything Back (and Prep It for Use)

Now comes the satisfying part—putting everything back. Place each category into its designated organizer or section. But before you close the drawer, take it one step further.

This step will be unique to your junk drawer, but consider sharpening pencils, folding the end of the tape over so it’s easy to grab, refilling a lighter, or pairing batteries by size. These small finishing touches make a big difference. Now everything in your junk drawer is ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

What Should Actually Go in a Junk Drawer?

A well-organized junk drawer typically holds small, frequently used household items that don’t have another obvious home.

Some common items include:

• Batteries
• Scissors
• Tape
• Rubber bands
• Pens and pencils
• Flashlight
• Matches or lighters
• Phone chargers
• Small tools like a screwdriver

The key is that every item serves a purpose and belongs to a category within the drawer.

Common Junk Drawer Organization Mistakes

If your junk drawer never seems to stay organized, one of these habits might be the reason.

Treating it like a catch-all.
A junk drawer should not be where random items go to disappear.

Keeping broken items.
Dead batteries, dried-out pens, and tangled cords create clutter quickly.

Not using drawer dividers.
Without organizers, everything slides into one chaotic pile.

Mixing too many categories.
Limiting the drawer to a few simple categories helps keep it functional.

Never editing the drawer.
A quick reset every few months keeps clutter from building up again.

How to Keep Your Junk Drawer Organized

Once your drawer is organized, a little maintenance will go a long way toward keeping it that way. A quick five-minute reset once a month can help prevent clutter from building up—use that time to toss broken items, test pens, or remove anything that’s found its way into the drawer without a real purpose. Try to return items to their designated sections after using them so categories stay intact, and be mindful about what you add back in. If something doesn’t serve a clear purpose, it likely doesn’t need to live there.

A junk drawer doesn’t need to be perfect, but with a simple system in place, it can stay functional, tidy, and easy to use.

Organize Your Junk Drawer With the Help of These Hard-Working Products

Once your drawer is decluttered and categorized, the right organizers make all the difference. Drawer dividers, small bins, and modular trays keep items from shifting around and turning back into one big pile.

The right tools help ensure that every item in your drawer has a home—and stays there.