Junk Drawers: Spaces that contain numerous unrelated items tossed loosely inside, usually in an effort to clean up.

I’ve just spent this week helping someone move their family of five to another house close by that had more options for them. The problem was not packing things up. After all, the movers are experienced at packing anything. The issue instead is how to unpack and be set up as quickly as possible in a new place and have it look welcoming.

When you have multiple junk drawers in each room of the house, the packers simply wrap up the contents together, and when you unpack in your new location, you end up with the same junk drawers.

If you were moving this month, how difficult would it be for you to get ready so that the change was easily accomplished? Even though you may have no plans to move at this time, it is a good idea to periodically reevaluate your organizing systems.

When you find yourself in a similar situation where drawers have simply become hiding places for clutter, you do not have to fix everything at once. Try this step-by-step approach:

• Block 30 minutes at week on your schedule to work on one drawer at a time.
• Determine what should be in that drawer. What is the most logical use for that location?
• Take out anything that doesn’t belong in the area.
• With what is left, group like items together within that space using suitable containers.
• Put aside whatever is left until you set up a location later for those pieces as you move onto another area to organize.
• Plan another 30 minute block of time on your schedule for the next drawer.

It is so much easier to manage your time effectively when you know where to find everything, and it is so much faster to clean up when you know where things belong. You may not actually move this month, but you will be ready for any opportunities.