How To Create An Organized Junk Drawer For Free
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.
Who doesn’t dream of an organized junk drawer in their kitchen! I sure have, many times. 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!
THE 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 last year 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 and 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 dish cloths and towels. It is a very large and wide drawer which quickly became overcrowded when we begin to add junk there also.
We need a dedicated junk drawer as all homes should have one!
THE TARGET DRAWER
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 garage. It is the natural location for a junk drawer that I tried to keep out of my kitchen. Silly me.
OH MY DEAR JUNQUE!
Here is all the junque which was in the kitchen towel drawer! Shocking how much was actually in there!
First I tested all the ink pens to be sure they were good. The markers were returned to the craft room which was recently organized. I could create a box of pens and pencils to donate to a local school and I think I will.
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.
Cut your boxes to fit comfortably inside the drawer
I got busy finding boxes to use as organizers. I sat each one inside the empty drawer to mark the height on the side. The cut was made below the line to prevent the organization box from being too tall.
Boxes I used included; tissue, belvita, pop corn, storage bags, two foil boxes, instant oatmeal, Pop tarts, and one cereal box which I cut the sides off to use.
The red heart Duck Tape box was used in our previous home when I organized a much smaller kitchen drawer a few years ago. Notice it crammed full of stuff in the first Before picture above.
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It is like putting a puzzle together finding all the boxes to fit but well worth the genuinely little effort it really takes.
HOW TO MAKE FITTED DRAWER ORGANIZATION BOXES
- Duck tap
- Pretty craft paper
- Mod Podge
- Various previously used boxes, the kind that household products and food come in
Create nice sturdy boxes with these three simple things you can find around your house. Plan ahead and save those empty aluminum foil boxes because they are perfect for the junk drawer.
Measure and cut the boxes so they will fit inside of your drawer allowing room for the drawer to open and close freely.
Then use Duck 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. We use the pretty craft paper on the inside.
Now, cut the pretty craft paper to fit the inside bottom and sides and pretty up the inside of your boxes. You can skip this step and leave the boxes plain but you won’t be able to use a damp cloth to wipe them out. The Mod Podge creates a good sealer allowing for wiping.
Apply one or two top coats of Mod Podge to the inside for a good sealer. Allow to dry and you are done!
Visit Week Two where we are Using Drawers To Organize Game System Accessories
For more kitchen and dining room drawer organization ideas, visit the other host blogs below.
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So many great organizing ideas!! Thanks for sharing and Thanks for stopping by!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Whoa what a transformation! I love it!
A foil box!!! That is so smart! I should totally start saving those because that is the perfect size and shape to wrangle utensils. Thank you for the awesome (and inexpensive) idea! Your drawer looks impeccable now. I’m sure you won’t mind having this particular junk drawer in your home.
Shirley, It’s genius the way you used those boxes for storage trays! You rock!
Jeannee
I love these boxes covered all pretty to make organizers. What a brilliant idea. Now you have a junk drawer…yay! It looks great.
Great job! I love how you didn’t have to spend a cent on organizing your drawer.
Woow First of all thanks so much for the lovely lovely post. This is very helpful post.
I love that you recycled all types of boxes to make your drawer dividers. What a great budget-friendly way to organize drawers. Oh, and isn’t it amazing how much stuff we can cram into a junk drawer?!
I love the idea of creating dividers for free! Plus you can customize them to fit your drawers perfectly. Definitely want to try this!
Shirley,
Great ideas and some that i have used in the past myself!!
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!!
Hugs,
Deb
I love organizing things too! I use the plastic containers from Dollar Tree in a lot of my drawers. Thanks for sharing on To Grandma’s House We Go!
Great idea to use boxes from your pantry. I love the colorful duct tape for projects. Every house does need a junk drawer. Your junk drawer looks amazing.
What a clever way to make containers for storage in a junk drawer! Not only will the drawer be organized, it’s pretty, too. It’s great to see ideas that are budget friendly.
I need this so bad. My junk drawer is small with tangled string and all sorts of things I am sure I don’t need. I will use this post as a guide to get organized. And in such a pretty way.