TY, it was a process for sure. First I had to find a pallet that was pretty close by, because I have a very small car. I found some a block away, but the business was always closed as I went to and from work. One Sat, I decided to drive by and lo and behold, they were open! You know that look you get when you ask for something that someone else is going to throw away? Yep, I got that look! But he even helped me load it into my car. I got a can of paint, and used some left over primer I already had. Getting my hands dirty was just the BEST!!! Thank you all for your kind replies :))

I think the problem with dealing with junk drawers is the memorabilia, stuff you really don't want to throw away but has no real use any longer. The make it hard to make decisions on throwing out. Perhaps you could approach the problem with the attitude that you are going to do just a little compression and sorting, not a main cleanout. If it's a drawer, can't be too big so find a card board box (or two) and as quick as you can without giving yourself time to change your mind, hold your breath (kind of like jumping into cold water LOL) and dump that sucker totally out. Release your breath. Get a few gallon ziplock bags handy. I find them useful as sort of file folders for the drawer. eyeball the drawer and try to come up with some higher level categories. Turns out our junk drawer had a gazillion pens and pencils (one bag), a million rubber bands of various sizes (another bag), hundreds of small batteries (a little plastic tray I found) and a very large stack of owner's manuals/product info (perfect for a ziplock). Also, a curious assortment of memorabilia including old keys which I didn't want to throw out(a little box). Assign a zip lock bag to each category (if size works) or use box Now. just wipe off each item and put it in the appropriate ziplock bag or box (whatever). If it's a pencil or pen, make sure it writes before keeping it, else toss. If its an owners manual, make sure you still use the product. Else toss. Put the bags and/or little boxes back in the drawer. At least it will be sorted. You probably still need to do more declutering but at least now you know what decisions to think about regarding what to toss (I'm thinking there is no way we need that many batteries when we can buy them so cheap. I will probably toss many of them but haven't yet.) Don't put the bag of memorabilia back in the drawer. Put it somewhere else with other memorabilia, maybe where you store your photos, or in the attic or somewhere that it doesn't take up such precious real-estate. --Alice

thanks! And here's the other suction-cup wall pocket intended for the bathroom that I pressed into service. Before the flashlights stood on that section of the shelf. You had to reach around the tape dispenser to get to them, and they'd fall over, etc. (bcs you were usually reaching for them in the dark) Yay for heavy-duty Scotch mounting strips! also note where the hammer is. If I'd put it on the strip at the top, it would have taken up the entire strip. At first, I just left it standing on its head in the corner, but I wanted that space for the electric screwdriver, and I didn't like that it was loose. I'd purchased a 7"-long magnetic strip, so I put it deep in the triangle area, where it's hard to store anything else, and stuck the hammer to it. Keeps the hammer out of the way, in the same spot always, and it won't fall over, etc. Also note the gap BEHIND the drawer unit, and the note on the wall. In that gap are some things that I wasn't willing to get rid of but may not need anytime soon--like extra bleach pens, extra trash-can bags, and the magnetic strips that go w/ the blackout curtains. And on the left, Command hooks (and some other off-brand stick-on cup hooks) for the extension cords--this is really having a big effect, too.

I don't have one. Anything that is office related, paper, pens, etc goes in the desk in the office. Anything tool related, screw drivers, etc. goes in the basement at the tool bench. I had planned on an "office" drawer in the dining room buffet so that at least pen and paper would be available on the 1st floor. That won't be needed now that DS has moved his bedroom to the 2nd floor office and we moved the office into his bedroom which is off of the dining room. Growing up we always had a "junk" drawer and I always found it had nothing but junk. Stuff you never use, pens that don't work, etc.