21 Day Challenge - Day 1 - Junk Drawer

The first challenge is to organize your Junk Drawer. I was blessed to have my dear friend, Robin, come over a few days this summer and help me purge cupboards and drawers so my drawer wasn't too terribly bad, but it did live up to its name since she'd been here. The challenge is to only do 1 drawer, but I wanted to post pictures of the other drawers Robin & I sorted this summer after today's challenge...they are still lookin' good!

Today's Junk Drawer "Before"

This is "Take 1"

I'm calling this "Take 1" because after posting my pic to facebook for friends who are also doing the challenge, I realized it still looked pretty "junky".

So I went back and rolled up cords to carabeeners, the ribbon, and then took a few more items in the container on the back right to their real homes in other drawers.

I am using those "Take-out" containers we get from the Chineese restaurants as my organizers. They are great for holding things and they fit well in drawers because they're not too tall. I have the container sit on its lid because my hope is to get some nice drawer organizers from the Container Store some day, and when I do, I can use these take-out ones somewhere else ;)

This is "Take 2: Redo" :)

This is our "Pencil Drawer" that we organized this summer. We had pens, colored pencils, crayons, markers, EVERYTHING in every single space that could hold something. We took out 5 BLACK garbage bags of trash - it came out of 1 closet, 1 desk, 5 drawers and 4 cupboards. I am quite pleased with the results!

This is the drawer to house photo paper and extra files. I keep a couple permanent markers and the extra lead for mechanical pencils in here because the kids don't look in here - they're safe ;)

I rarely use this drawer and it's a good space for these items - now I can let the girls know where to find the stamps for all those letters they have written - I'd forgotten they were in here! :)

This drawer houses a zillion pens (but they are contained!), scissors, staples, paper clips, little post it tabs, thumb tacks (aka "pokey pins"), rubber bands, pencil sharpeners, rulers and calculators...and yes, it has been organized for about 4 months!

How are your drawers lookin'? You up for today's challenge? Set your timer for 15 minutes and work on it. If you don't get done, take a break for 15 minutes and then go back for another 15 minutes. You'll be surprised at how much you can accomplish! :)

Be sure to take before and after pictures and then share them with me (comment) ...I get so inspired!