Unpopular opinion alert!

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Junk drawers are overrated!

Here's the thing. Junk drawers are a catch-all for those items you hesitate to throw out because you believe they can be helpful someday.

However, you tossed those items into the drawer. The drawer gets crowded, things bump into each other, and some previously useful items get damaged. Have you ever encountered a damaged battery? They can be downright dangerous if not correctly handled. How about a pen that has come apart and leaked all over? That is no fun to clean up.

It doesn't have to be this way!

If you are anything like me, you grew up in a house with a junk drawer. You just accepted it as a fact that they were part of every household.

However, I am part of a generation with a smaller home than my parents. That means limits on space, especially in the kitchen. When space is at a premium, unorganized spots have to go.

Despite my rant over junk drawers, there were times when they were the go-to location for specific odds and ends.

If you need a screwdriver, it'll be there. How about an extra rubber band? You can probably find one in the junk drawer too.

You don't have to use your space in all the conventional ways. If you have a spare drawer in your place, it can be helpful to use it for a few items. It does help to think about how you use your space so you can plan what items make the most sense in your drawers.

If you sit at the kitchen counter to write correspondence and pay bills old-school style, then it makes sense that stamps, envelopes, and a couple of pens would be handy in a drawer.

Do you take care of a lot of simple home repairs? Then have a screwdriver and flathead at your beck and call.

The possibilities are endless, but it's important not to overwhelm your drawer with garbage and other miscellaneous items. It's a good practice to include drawer dividers or drawer organizers to keep everything tidy and easy to find.

I challenge you today to empty that junk drawer. 

Sort out and throw away the garbage. 

Clean that drawer out. 

Think about what you access most in that drawer. 

Place in drawer dividers or organizers. 

Put the most valuable items in the drawer, then put the remainder of the things away in their appropriate homes.

This small transformation will keep your items intact, streamline the use of your kitchen, and help you find what you need quickly.