Declutter the Junk in Bedroom Drawers

The top drawer of a bedroom dresser or wall unit often ends up being the perfect place for a bedroom “drop zone”—you know, the place where a wallet, car keys, spare change, loose earrings and a vast array of miscellaneous items find their way at the end of a long day. Over time this helpful utility space can end up turning into a pile of junk if you aren’t careful.

Here are 5 steps on how to create and maintain an orderly bedroom drop zone:

Step 1: Clean the Drawer
If your drawer already has amassed a large amount of miscellaneous clutter, dump it out. Once the drawer is free of debris, wipe the inside with a damp cloth or paper towels and multipurpose cleaner.

Step 2: Sort
Go through all the items you’ve found in your drawer and place them into like piles: pocket change, receipts/paper, jewelry etc. Start deciding which of these piles you’d like to keep in your drawer, which ones you would like to keep somewhere else and which items need to go in the trash.

Step 3: Letting Go
If you find items in the drawer that are no longer useful or relevant, throw them away. Test out ink pens and if they are dry or leaking, toss them. If you have an earring that’s missing its mate for over a year, chances are it won’t turn up, so let it go. Take a look at any stray paperwork you’ve found in the drawer. Likely most of it is old receipts. If they’re receipts for small purchases or purchases that are also documented on a statement, throw them away.

Step 4: Divide
Before placing items back in the drawer invest in drawer organizers, also known as dividers. Drop zone drawers almost always look a mess because the items stored in them are small and hard to corral. Dividers keep tiny pieces in their place and like items together.
You can have dividers installed in your wall unit drawers when the wall unit is built or purchase dividers at a home goods store later on. They come in acrylic, bamboo, metal and other materials to match your décor.
Items found around the house can be recycled into drawer organizers, like an ice cube tray or small Tupperware containers. Simply consider what type of small items you need to store and the size of your drawer.

Step 5: Store and Maintain
While the drawer is still empty, consider lining it with a shelf liner or wallpaper. This will give the interior of the drawer a personalized look and it will also make the drawer easier to wipe down in the future.
Once you’ve installed your dividers and figured out what you want to keep in your drop zone drawer, start putting items back.
To maintain the neatness of the drawer over time, stick to your divider system. Make sure that each time you place something in the drawer it goes into its proper compartment. If you’ve decided you’ll no longer keep spare change in the drawer, have a coin jar handy. If you have an annual date set to do fall and spring cleaning make sure to include your drop zone drawers on the list.