DIY Junk Drawer Organizers

What drawer in your kitchen drives you crazy more than the junk drawer? We didn’t even have one, so I created a well-organized junk drawer without spending a dime on dividers or plastic bins.

With more than 45 years of homemaking, I have learned a few tricks through the years. There are ways to enjoy your home without spending lots of money on expensive things.

Creating an organized junk drawer without spending money on expensive organizers is one of the household projects that I still love, a few years later. I still have this system in my kitchen junk drawer. Those duct tape covered boxes are holding up quite well.

Who doesn’t dream of an organized junk drawer in their kitchen! I sure have, many times. The frustration of the disorganized mess drives me mad sometimes. But I took the bull by the horns, with almost no money, and made it happen! 

Junk Drawer Problem

We did not even have a junk drawer in our kitchen! GASP! I was so traumatized by the clutter we encountered in our home when we packed to move into our current home, that I foolishly decided not to have a junk drawer in my new home.

Here are my Most Useful Packing and Moving Tips: What Worked and What Didn’t

Opting out of an organized junk drawer was not a good idea, and here’s why. My dish towel drawer became the junk drawer. Overcrowding quickly erupted!

In my defense, there are two organizer boxes in this drawer, which were used in our former home, so at least I did have good intentions. 

This drawer is to the right of the sink, making it the perfect place for dishcloths and towels. It is a very large and wide drawer, which quickly became overcrowded when we began to add junk there also.

We need a dedicated junk drawer, as all homes should have one!

My Target Drawer to repurpose

The Potholder drawer is to the left of the stove. It is a smaller drawer and also overcrowded with years of accumulated potholders. 

This drawer is under the first counter we approach as we enter the kitchen from the living room or garage. It is the natural location for a good junk drawer.

What is in your junk drawer?

Here is all the junque which was in the kitchen towel drawer! Shocking how much was actually in there!

Clearing the junk

The first thing to do was to clean out all of the junk that was in the wrong drawer.

I began by testing all the ink pens to ensure they were working properly. The markers were returned to the craft room. We have friends who are school teachers. They are always in need of pens and pencils for their students, so I donated my excess.

Then I returned things to their rightful places and created a new home for straws. Those expired coupons found their way to the recycle bin.

DIY junk drawer organizers

I started saving empty boxes from the kitchen instead of putting them in the recycle bin. I intend to cut them to fit. Then cover them with pretty duct tape from the Dollar store. The tape will allow me to wipe them out with a damp cloth occasionally.

The boxes I used included tissue, Belvita, popcorn, storage bags, two foil boxes, instant oatmeal, Pop-Tarts, and one cereal box, from which I cut the sides to use.

How to customize the box organizers

Cut your boxes to fit comfortably inside the drawer.

I set each one inside the empty drawer to mark the height on the sides of the boxes. The cut was made below the line to prevent the organization box from being too tall.

The red heart Duck Tape covered box was used in our previous home when I organized a much smaller kitchen drawer a few years ago. Notice it is crammed full of stuff in the first picture above.

Fitting your boxes is like putting a puzzle together. You will need to experiment until you find the perfect combination for your drawer. I turned all of my boxes upside down for this part.

Once I was satisfied with my collection of boxes and had them properly fit to the drawer, I got busy prettying them up a bit. That is where the duct tape came in. It was my only expense for this kitchen organization project.

How to make fitted drawer organizers from repurposed boxes

Create nice sturdy boxes with these four simple things you can find around your house.  Plan and save those empty aluminum foil boxes because they are perfect for the junk drawer. 

Supplies

• Duck tape
• Pretty craft paper, optional
• Mod Podge
• Various empty small boxes, the kind that household products and food come in, such as aluminum foil, Poptarts, Kleenex, or cereal. You get the picture.

Step 1

Measure and cut the boxes so they will fit inside your drawer, allowing room for the drawer to open and close freely.

Step 2

Then use Duct tape on the top edges and sides to make the boxes more sturdy. Be sure to also cover the top ends where the cut created an opening. Basically, cover the entire exterior of the box with Duck Tape. The duct tape will make your organizer boxes sturdy and allow you to wipe them clean occasionally.

Step 3 (optional)

Now, cut the pretty craft paper to fit the inside bottom and sides.

You can skip this step and leave the boxes plain or cover them completely with duct tape. If you don’t cover the inside bottom of the box, you won’t be able to wipe it clean occasionally.

Apply one or two top coats of Mod Podge on top of the craft paper to create a good sealer. Allow to dry, and you are done! Mod Podge dries quickly.

Last step

Add your junk into your new custom made organizers and close that drawer. Be proud of yourself. You did a good job. Doesn’t it feel nice to have a well-organized junk drawer now?

More Home Organization Ideas

How I Organized My Craft Room

 Would you like to organize your weekly menu plans? Grab our Meal Planner Set.

 

 

Thank you for sharing!