The Perplexed Minimalist — Nechama

Vibe: Baffled
Level of Panic Upon Opening: 0

“What kind of junk? I can’t think of where I store junk. We’re empty nesters — no one’s messing anything up anymore.”

From the Organizer’s Eye

“You’re a minimalist. Things are open and easy to find. You have all your small things contained in one section. That’s what’s going to help keep things neat. Maybe there’s a little too much space, which could be dangerous. But for you, it’s working.
— Devorah

The Therapist’s Take
“You’re someone who likes to stay in control, but within reason. You’re not putting the pens and scissors in separate compartments, but you’re definitely someone who likes to keep things fixed and organized.”
— Shoshana

How I See It

There’s space in the drawer because everything else has its own space. This isn’t a space where clutter will form. There’s actually no space in my home where clutter can form. I don’t let it. It either belongs in the trash or has a designated spot.

The Conflicted Curator — Malka

Vibe: Identity Crisis
Level of Panic Upon Opening: 7

“It’s always too messy. It was meant for keys and pens and it ended up being a dumping ground. Every few days I go on a rampage and just throw stuff out. After I sent this picture, I threw out half of the contents. I usually move stuff around every time I open it, and throw at least one thing away.”

Look, Ma, So Organized!

“I’m surprised no one commented on my touchup kit for my kitchen cabinets. I use it all the time!”

From the Organizer’s Eye

“Is this an electronics drawer or a junk drawer? Lack of clarity about the drawer’s function could be making this more frustrating. The bins are a little bit big — try having more small bins, with more subdivided categories. Separate the keys and USBs. You have the space, and it’ll be less confusing.”.
— Devorah

The Therapist’s Take

“This is a busy home where someone is trying to stay organized. There seem to be a lot of people, a teenager’s phone, a couple of car keys. You’re someone who has a lot going on. And look at the clock — you seem like someone who tries to stay structured, but the clock is in the drawer, so it may be a little bit more difficult for you.”
— Shoshana

“No deeper meaning to the clock — I assume someone just stuck it there.”

The Gatekeeper — Gittel

Vibe: Protective
Level of Panic Upon Opening: 2

“I can tell you one thing about this drawer — it’s off limits to my kids. I like to know that my pens are there, that they don’t disappear, and that everything is in the place where I left it. My kids know they cannot touch this drawer. Do they always listen? Ahem. I’m fine when it’s like this, but when it piles up… help!”

From the Organizer’s Eye

“I love that this drawer has sections, but I think it could benefit from better categorization. Put some of the higher-use items in the front, and the less used items in the back.”
— Devorah

The Therapist’s Take
“I like how it’s kind of organized, but not really. You probably know where things are in your life, but things don’t have to be super-duper organized. You have the moisturizing cream, facial tissue and sunglasses. To me that says practical and on the go. And you had this drawer separated, but you’re not really sticking to all the dividers. So maybe you’re someone who has goals, but you’re managing them at your own pace.””
— Shoshana

The Reluctant Keeper of Everyone’s Stuff — Rikki

Vibe: Holding the Line, Mostly
Level of Panic Upon Opening: 4

“I feel annoyed every time I open this drawer. I see all the stuff people hid there out of sight. I made separate bins for pens, pads, and chargers, and then when I open this drawer I see everything all over the place. I try not to get emotional about it.”

From the Organizer’s Eye
“This drawer has the bones of a system. You need a bit more maintenance and better categorization. It looks like you’re struggling to maintain the categories. I would even add labels. They don’t have to be anything fancy. You could literally use masking tape with a word on it — flyers, banking, mailing — things like that, so that you know where to put things.”
— Devorah

The Owner Weighs In

“I try to have a system, and family members don’t follow through. They don’t care the way the mother of the house does. It’s messy, but not messy enough to get me annoyed. I’ll try the label suggestions. Maybe it will help.”

The Therapist’s Take

“You’re someone who’s working on yourself. You try to stay in control, but even when you’re not, you still continue. It looks like your family’s just dumping things in the bins at the front — that’s where your people are impacting it. But we get a clearer picture when we look at the bins in the back of the drawer, where you have your keys, batteries, the remote, paper clips. You’re ready and prepared.”
— Shoshana

“I don’t organize it too often. If I’d feel more strongly about this, I’d probably clean it more often. For example, this Shabbos my grandchildren were playing and I saw the toys were in a very disorganized state. That made my blood pressure rise, and that Motzaei Shabbos, I was Pesach cleaning the toys. That situation I would’ve rated a ten.”

The Counter Clearing Realist — Chani

Vibe: Function First, Aesthetics Second
Level of Panic Upon Opening: 4

“I wish this drawer would look better, but it’s the place we put stuff when we want to clear the counters, plus it has all the items we may need. When I need something, I just take it and then close the drawer. So I’m not spending that much time dwelling on how it looks.

When it gets really bad, I’ll organize it. A few times a year, I’ll go through it. I usually plan to throw away about half the contents, but there’s so much in there that family members claim they need.”

Clutter Confessions

“There’s so many Tehillims in there because I keep looking for one that has a font that’s easy to read, and when it doesn’t work out, I put it in the junk drawer, instead of back with the seforim. And there’s so many hole punchers because I never threw them away after my kids graduated high school. I guess you never know when you’ll need a hole puncher. Or maybe I should find a school supplies gemach.”

The Therapist’s Take
“You look ready for anything. You have multiples of everything. This is your go-to drawer, not just your junk drawer. When you need something, you have it ready, and it’s in this drawer.”
— Shoshana

From the Organizer’s Eye
“You could make the drawer look nicer by moving the bins towards the front, and putting the loose items in the back. If the loose items are high-use items, put them in bins and put some of the other stuff in the back. You do have a lot of scissors, tape, and pens and pencils, but you also have space for them.

I’m assuming you use your siddur but there’s at least two Tehillims in there. Do we need all those seforim in here?”
— Devorah

The Classic Chaos Drawer — Elana

Vibe: Visually Chaotic, But Full of Purpose
Level of Panic Upon Opening: 40

“My junk drawer is pretty much all miscellaneous stuff, but I know what’s in there. It’s organized for me. I know what I put there: my measuring tape, my ribbons, stuff that I need when I’m wrapping things, or when I need batteries. But every time I open it, the urgency to organize it is off the charts. I can’t stand it.”

The Therapist’s Take

“Different people have different supplies that are most prominent. You have the pen and the paintbrush all the way at the bottom. Your priorities seem more practical, day to day — maybe fixing things, as opposed to writing and painting.

“You have multiple focuses, seem more free-spirited. I see the knitting so you’re probably nurturing. You’re someone who wants to connect with people. You are someone I would go to for a fun time.”

— Shoshana

From the Organizer’s Eye

“This is a pretty typical junk drawer. An organizational system with clear categories might be useful. I would also corral some objects — for instance, the random battery. I would try to put it in the box with the batteries, unless you specifically feel like you need to keep it separate so you know it’s old. But if it’s not new, then maybe you should throw it out. And you have a lot of loose wires. Make sure they’re all current, then wrap them with twist ties. If your family won’t maintain that, then try to contain them within a bin.

You also might want to think about storing some items elsewhere. You have string, an empty tape dispenser and the tape measures. Are you holding on to that for a reason? Could that be thrown out or stored with the crafts? And do you really need three tape measures?”

— Devorah

Need to Stow

“These items really have no place in another part of the house. I just need that measuring tape a lot. I need whatever else is in there. Do I really need three tape measures? Probably not. But let the record state that the person who owns this drawer is a very busy person and doesn’t have time to organize.”

The Everything Drawer Household — Freida

Vibe: Where Busy Days Land
Level of Panic Upon Opening: 40

“This is where everyone throws everything in — the everything drawer. I know it’s not normal. I’m going to clean it. Don’t judge me.”

The Therapist’s Take

“You come across as easy and fun. You like to cook, but you stuffed your scale, cookbook, and potholder in the drawer, and there’s a takeout menu on top of them. You probably want to be a little creative and a little fun in the kitchen, but maybe you’re not interested in cooking every day.”

From the Organizer’s Eye

“Bins! Take measurements to make sure bins will fit in the drawer, then empty things out, categorize, and decide what actually needs to stay. Do you need all the menus? Do you use the scale often? Can the bills go in a magazine stand that you store in another cabinet? A lot of the stuff could be put elsewhere.”

— Devorah

Okay With It

“I’m not good at organizing. My kitchen is really upside down. My friend came over and redid my freezer. But the truth is, I’m not someone who cares about stuff like that. It bothers me, but not enough for me to do something about it.

Maybe if I was really bored I would do it. My son has become something of a lunatic about organizing, and he just cleaned out our front closet. We had shoes in there from the flood and he almost gave away my fur coat, but it’s amazing now. I appreciate it, but I don’t do it well.”

Junk Drawer Reveal

As a professional organizer, Devorah spills the deepest secrets, straight from the darkest recesses of a messy junk drawer.

Main Problem with Junk Drawers:

Most junk drawers have the same problem — too little space, and too many things. But sometimes a junk drawer has the opposite problem —it’s too big for the contents it’s holding. When there’s empty space not utilized correctly — with bins, for example — it will get messy.

Generational Differences:

I don’t think that either older or younger people are more likely to have a neater junk drawer. I do see differences, though. In older people’s junk drawers, there will be mountains of keys and nobody knows what they’re for, but they won’t get rid of them. In younger people’s junk drawers, there will be fewer, because physical keys are used less. Younger families will have more art supplies because when the mom is cooking they like to have a few crayons or markers so that their kids can color.

Junk Drawer Apologies:

Sometimes people have a beautiful home, their junk drawer is perfectly organized and functional, and they’re the ones who are embarrassed. And some people have drawers you can’t even open and they think it’s normal.

Junk Drawer Treasure:

Money, gift cards, credit cards, gift certificates, jewelry. I once found a diamond stud, just one.

Junk Drawer Garbage:

Expired supplies, dried-out markers, old crayons, and glue that’s not really working, or that’s half empty. I don’t think people hold on to this stuff for any reason — I think they just never got around to going through the drawer and sorting.

No Junk Drawer Emergencies:

I almost consider it a forgotten area, because no one calls me down to do their junk drawer. They’ll call me to do their kitchen, their bedroom, a playroom. Once as I’m there, it will be area that that comes up, and it makes a huge difference. After the fact, people will call me and say, “Wait, this was here. Where did you put it?”

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 984)