Opening your drawers can feel like staring into a black hole of forgotten stuff, but a focused sweep can reclaim that space fast. Reporting on junk drawers, basements, closets, and kitchen storage consistently points to the same small culprits that quietly pile up. Start with these 12 things in your drawers today to cut visual noise, reduce safety risks, and make room for items you actually use.
1) Dried-Out Pens and Markers
Dried-out pens and markers are classic junk-drawer clutter, and experts note that non-functional writing tools quickly overwhelm limited space. Guidance on useful junk drawer items emphasizes stocking tools you reach for repeatedly, not a tangle of dead ballpoints and cracked highlighters. When you keep dozens of pens that no longer write, you bury the few that do, slowing you down every time you need to sign a form or label a box.
A practical approach is to test every pen and marker on a scrap sheet, then immediately toss anything that skips, leaks, or has dried tips. Limit yourself to a small, intentional set of reliable pens, a permanent marker, and maybe a fine-tip for labeling. Clearing the rest not only declutters the drawer, it also supports a broader trend in home organization toward curating functional tools instead of hoarding broken backups “just in case.”
2) Duplicate Utensils
Duplicate utensils hide in kitchen drawers, where they crowd out the tools you actually cook with. Reporting on kitchen decluttering solutions highlights how organizers use dividers and inserts to reveal just how many extra spatulas, peelers, and tongs you own. Once everything is visible, it becomes obvious that you do not need four vegetable peelers or three nearly identical ladles competing for the same narrow slot.
To declutter, pull every utensil out and group like with like, then keep only the best version or two of each category. If you cook daily, you might justify a backup spatula, but you probably do not need a third. Removing duplicates improves accessibility, reduces the time you spend rummaging, and aligns with a broader push toward small-kitchen efficiency that favors a compact, high-performing toolkit over a crowded, frustrating drawer.
3) Old Receipts
Old receipts are one of the fastest ways drawers become paper graveyards. General home decluttering advice on things to throw out identifies loose papers and documents as prime candidates for immediate disposal, because they multiply quietly and rarely get revisited. When you stuff every pharmacy slip and coffee receipt into a drawer, you create a dense layer of paper that hides more important items like warranties or passports.
A better system is to decide which receipts you truly need to keep, such as those for big-ticket electronics or recent home repairs, and store them in a labeled envelope or digital folder. Everything else can be shredded or recycled as soon as it hits the drawer. This quick purge reduces visual clutter, cuts the risk of losing critical paperwork in the mess, and reflects a broader shift toward digital record-keeping through banking apps and email confirmations.
4) Expired Coupons
Expired coupons linger in desk and kitchen drawers long after they have lost any value. The same reporting that urges you to clear out unnecessary household items notes that expired promotional materials contribute to clutter without offering real savings. When you flip through a stack of faded grocery coupons or old mailers, most are already past their dates, yet they still occupy space and mental energy.
To declutter, sort coupons by expiration date and immediately discard anything that has lapsed or applies to products you never buy. Going forward, limit physical coupons to a small, visible envelope and rely more on store apps and digital loyalty programs that update automatically. This shift not only frees drawer space, it also reflects a broader consumer trend toward digital discounts that are easier to track and less likely to become forgotten clutter.
5) Brittle Rubber Bands
Brittle rubber bands and stretched-out ties often collect in kitchen and office drawers, even though they no longer work. Reporting on basement items to get rid of points out that degraded elastic loses effectiveness over time, making it an ideal target for quick purges. The same logic applies in your drawers, where dried, cracking bands snap when you try to use them and scatter tiny fragments into corners.
Instead of keeping a tangled ball of unusable bands, test a few and keep only those that still stretch smoothly without breaking. You can store a modest number in a small container or around a single sturdy object, such as a jar. Removing the rest reduces mess, prevents future frustration when a band fails mid-task, and supports a more intentional approach to small organizing tools that actually function when you need them.
6) Corroded Batteries
Corroded batteries are more than clutter, they are a potential hazard hiding in your drawers. Guidance on hazardous basement items warns that leaking or expired power sources can damage nearby objects and surfaces. When batteries sit loose in a junk drawer, they can ooze, crust over, and even react with metal items, leaving behind residue that is difficult to clean and potentially unsafe to touch.
To declutter safely, inspect every loose battery and immediately remove any that show white or rust-colored buildup, bulging, or sticky leakage. Place damaged batteries in a bag or container designated for proper recycling, following local guidelines rather than tossing them in household trash. Keeping only fresh, clearly labeled batteries in a small caddy not only frees space, it also reduces the risk of drawer damage and aligns with broader efforts to handle electronic waste responsibly.
7) Mystery Keys
Mystery keys are a familiar sight in junk drawers, where they accumulate without labels or clear purpose. Advice on useful junk drawer essentials stresses that this space should hold items you can identify and reach for confidently, not a pile of unknown metal. When you keep every unmarked key from old apartments, luggage, or locks you no longer own, you sacrifice room for tools you actually need.
Start by testing any key you suspect might belong to current doors, mailboxes, or padlocks, and label those immediately with a tag or permanent marker. For the rest, set a short deadline, such as one month, to identify a use, then recycle or discard them if they remain a mystery. This approach keeps your drawer aligned with a broader organizing principle: every item should earn its place by serving a clear, ongoing function.
8) Obsolete Manuals
Obsolete manuals for long-discarded appliances often squat in utility or office drawers, taking up far more space than they deserve. Reporting on items to toss from your attic immediately highlights how outdated paperwork for gone furniture and electronics becomes dead weight in storage. The same pattern shows up in drawers, where thick booklets for a television you replaced years ago crowd out current documents you might actually need.
A practical fix is to match each manual to an item you still own, then recycle anything that no longer has a corresponding appliance. For products you keep, consider downloading digital manuals from manufacturer websites and storing them in a cloud folder, freeing your drawers from bulky paper. This shift not only declutters, it also reflects a broader move toward digital documentation that is easier to search, back up, and share when you need troubleshooting help.
9) Faded Takeout Menus
Faded takeout menus tend to pile up in kitchen drawers, even as you increasingly rely on apps and websites to order food. Coverage of cheap drawer organizers notes that once you corral utensils and tools, paper clutter like old dining flyers becomes impossible to ignore. Many of these menus are outdated, with old prices, discontinued dishes, or restaurants that have already updated their offerings online.
To streamline, keep only a very small selection of current menus for spots that truly lack a reliable online presence, and recycle the rest. You can also snap quick photos of any special instructions or favorite orders and store them in your phone, then let the paper go. Clearing these stacks not only frees space, it also reflects a broader shift toward digital food ordering through apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats, which update automatically and do not live in your drawers.
10) Sentimental Trinkets
Sentimental trinkets, from old friendship bracelets to tiny souvenirs, often migrate into jewelry or nightstand drawers where they create emotional and physical clutter. Guidance on things that feel illegal to declutter acknowledges that cherished but unused keepsakes can be hard to release, even when they no longer fit your life. When every drawer compartment is filled with objects you never wear or use, it becomes difficult to find the pieces you genuinely love.
A helpful strategy is to choose a small, defined space for sentimental items and limit yourself to what fits comfortably inside. You might photograph certain trinkets before letting them go, preserving the memory without keeping the object. This approach respects the emotional weight of these items while still honoring the decluttering goal of making drawers functional, and it mirrors a broader trend toward curating meaningful collections instead of storing every memento indefinitely.
11) Stale Makeup
Stale makeup and faded beauty products often linger in bathroom or vanity drawers long after they are safe or flattering to use. Professional organizers advising on closet items to get rid of point out that worn or unworn accessories can harbor dust and bacteria, and the same concern applies to cosmetics. Old mascara, cracked powders, and separated foundations not only perform poorly, they can irritate skin and eyes.
To declutter, check each product’s period-after-opening symbol and discard anything that smells off, has changed texture, or you have not reached for in months. Group what remains by category in small trays so you can see your daily staples at a glance. Clearing expired makeup reduces health risks, speeds up your morning routine, and aligns with a broader push toward intentional beauty routines that prioritize a few reliable products over overflowing, outdated collections.
12) Unused Cords
Unused cords and tangled cables for obsolete gadgets are notorious for creating chaos in desk and media drawers. Advice on letting go of hard-to-declutter items notes that tech accessories often feel risky to toss, even when the original device is long gone. As a result, you end up with a nest of mystery chargers, frayed USB cables, and outdated connectors that serve no current purpose.
Start by matching each cord to a device you still own, labeling keepers with masking tape and a marker. Anything that does not fit modern ports, belongs to electronics you no longer have, or shows damage can be recycled through electronics drop-off programs rather than kept “just in case.” This clears significant drawer space, reduces the frustration of digging through tangles, and reflects a broader shift toward streamlined charging setups that rely on a few versatile cables instead of a sprawling, untracked collection.