5 TIPS TO ORGANIZE A MESSY DRAWER

Oh, boy! Can my kitchen drawers get out of hand!!! 

YIKES! I wonder what is at the bottom of that drawer?

 Just take a look at this mess!

But with just a little time and a plan my drawer went from the mess above to an organized and neat drawer where I can find everything easily!

Here's how the drawer looks now. all pretty and organized...

Ta-Da!

Here are 5 tips that can be used to clean and organize any drawer!

1. TAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF THE DRAWER AND CLEAN THE EMPTY DRAWER

Everything needs to come out of the drawer... everything!

Once the drawer is empty, scrub it clean! Inside the drawer, runners, front... every inch of it.

Can you believe all of this was in one kitchen drawer. And that doesn't even include all the dozens of paper napkins that went right in the trash!  

Things can get out of control pretty fast!

but wait... there's more...

2. SORT OUT EVERYTHING

Put everything into 4 categories.

Put Away, Give Away, Throw Away, And Put Back in Drawer (or closet, or cabinet, etc)

 I suggest using 3 boxes or garbage bags for a large organizing job.

3. Edit Again!

BE RUTHLESS!

 Look at all the things in your PUT BACK group. Ask yourself if you really need everything! Are there any duplicates that you don't really need?

Get rid of every single thing that is not useful.. or is tired... or very old... or doesn't work... or you have not used in the past 6 months!

4. Use Containers

Container are made to CONTAIN things so they don't become a mess!

So find bins and containers that will fit into your drawers and organize from there!

I found 5 containers that fit wonderfully in my drawer. 

1 deep green bin

2 stackable containers

1 small plastic container 

1 basket

5. Put everything away NEATLY!

Sooooo important. Pay attention to the way you put things away in your clean drawer. Use the space wisely!

Think neat! Be deliberate! When a space is clean and very organized it makes putting things away in an organized manner so much easier!

I filled the bottom stackable bin with straws and hot dog holders.

Rolled up bar towels were put in the top stackable.

I took a clue from a great suitcase packing trick... roll things. Not only does it look very neat, but a bin can hold more rolled tings!

Bins stacked.

I put paper napkins in a basket. I slipped small cocktail napkins in ziplock bags.

 It keeps them much neater!

Before I put the basket of napkins in the drawer, I slipped the pad of disposable place mats under it.

The only thing left to put in the drawer were my coffee filters for my once-in-awhile coffee pourovers and my can't-live-without cheesecloth!

In a basket they went!

That's it! I could have stuffed the drawer full again... but my mantra was...

BE RUTHLESS!

And the result was a nice, organized, pretty drawer!  And I know what's at the bottom!!!!

I bet you can find a drawer to organize! Let's get going!

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