I’m sure we all have our own idea of junk drawer essentials no matter where we live. Is my list any different than yours? I’d love to know!!
Who knew that I would be opening up my junk drawer for the world to see as part of my Where Bloggers Live collaboration!! I didn’t even organize it since I am all about keeping it real! But I will share some great organizing hacks below too if you need them.
Quote of the day: “You’re only as young as the last time you changed your mind.” Timothy Leary
Quick announcement: I’ll be having a bevy of giveaways to celebrate my blogaversary, that will only be available to my email subscribers. It will be starting November 15, so make sure to sign up to get on the email list. And make sure to invite your friends.
What is a Junk Drawer Exactly?
I think the inventors of the junk drawer need a new marketing agency. Why would we want to name it such a negative term as junk drawer?? Wouldn’t it be more fun to call it something like the “treasure drawer?” Or how about “random drawer?”
But junk drawer is the traditional term for the place we store all of those various items that aren’t kitchen gadgets, that are needed on occasion, yet we don’t want them seen on the top of our counters.
I thought it would be practical to share some of my junk drawer essentials. Whether they are needed for your household is up for discussion.
Junk Drawer Essentials
My 15 junk drawer essentials:
- Pens and pencils. Did you know that the physical writing things down is much more effective than typing it into your phone. That’s why I think written grocery lists are better!! Don’t believe me? This study by the Future of Education might convince you.
- Scrap paper for those reminder notes. See above.
Insider tip: I use the back of my daily calendar for my scrap paper. Why do I love these daily calendars? How else do we remember what day it is since we don’t write it down on our homework anymore??
If you need some daily calendar ideas for next year, I’ve got you covered:
1-Jeopardy Fans
2-For pessimists an uninspirational calendar
3-Positive thinking. This is the one I’ll be getting.
4-Cute cats. But I can’t leave out the dog lovers.
- Notebook for daily diary of how the body is reacting to new supplements, foods, etc. We started this with our naturopath visits when trying out new remedies. It’s VERY helpful for so many reasons. Another idea is to keep track of this information on a calendar.
- Magazine inserts. WHY would I have these? I use these to refill my spices from the bulk containers to the smaller spice containers that fit into my overhead cupboard. I call this thrifty upcycling.
Insider tip: I made a quick YouTube video to show you how this is done. These work for those spice containers where the hole is smaller than your funnel, PLUS you just throw them away afterward instead of having to wash them.
- Flashlights for those annoying times the electricity goes out. Or for looking on the floor for those itsy bitsy things that fell out of your hand.
- Super glue. Sure, you could store it in the garage, but I use it so often that I like it here instead.
Insider tip: This Loctite super glue has become my favorite. It allows you to apply just a drop very precisely PLUS the top doesn’t get glued onto it. Make sure you get the one with the blue pushable sides!! Once you try it you’ll never go back to other brands.
- Lipstick (This is how I know I’m turning into my mother. She always had this in her junk drawer too, haha). For those times you’re running out of the house, or just need a quick flash of color on your lips.
- Chapstick. For the same reason as above, yet you don’t need color, just hydration.
- Pencil sharpeners. Because the kind that are attached to the wall are so 1900’s!
- Tape, tape and more tape.
- Labels. We don’t buy special labels but use ones that are attached to our address labels or old labels we’ve had for years.
Insider tip: We cut up labels to use on our freezer food. Important safety tip: ALWAYS include what it is and the date. Because you may look at it in 6 months and have NO recollection of what you stored in that bag/container.
- Emery board. Cutting butternut squash is hard on the nails.
- Bandaids. Very important for the sous chefs of the family.
- Measuring Tape. Because I am redecorating constantly, haha!!
- Scissors. Not seen in the above photo because they were being washed.
Organizing Hacks for All of your Junk Drawer Essentails
My junk drawer has always landed in the kitchen no matter where we have lived. It’s always the furthest from the middle of the kitchen and tends to be a smaller drawer. Now is it always organized?? Yes, until my husband starts throwing things in it willy nilly, (can you tell who is the organizer in our household?)
1-It’s nice to corral the writing utensils in one spot. I like the rectangular trays for this job.
Insider tip: A thrifty hack is to take an empty cereal or rectangular box and cut off the top 2/3 to create a holder. Make sure to reinforce the corners with masking tape.
2-Personally I do like different size trays like these or these for all of the random junk drawer essentials. I use trays that are connected for my kitchen utensils only. My junk drawer essentials don’t fit as nicely into pre-sized compartments.
3-Organize occasionally. Because this is the place where all random things accumulate, it gets overrun with those things we don’t know where else to put them. Yet sometimes it is more about being lazy about finding its true place in the house. Or is that just my husband? LOL!!
Where Bloggers Live & Junk Drawer Essentials
What is Where Bloggers Live? It’s kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…Bloggers! Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and hear all about the personal backstories and interesting details? Who knew we would get to the nitty-gritty like opening our junk drawers for all to see? But I guess nothing is sacred anymore, haha!!
I hope you pop over to the other 5 women to read about their junk drawer essentials. You never know what yours might be missing!!
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
The Series
Inside Our Home
My Community
Holiday Lights in Phoenix
Things to do in Phoenix
Valentines Day–The 3 Important People in my Life
Arizona Facts That May Surprise You
My Home Office
A Day in My Life
Our Front and Back Patio
Our Kitchen
Vacation Memories
Closet Tour
My Favorite Things
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
The Guest Room and Murphy Bed
The Remarkable Evolution Inspiration for Life
Help Me Figure Out How to Decorate My Entryway
DIY and Life Lessons
Home Away from Home
Can’t Let Go
Organizing Ideas
Books
Bathroom
Past Home Memories
Favorite Music
Junk Drawer Essentails
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