Kitchen Junk Drawer

I have a partitioned double drawer in my kitchen.  One half of it is where I store the foil, cling wrap, baggies, etc.   The other half is supposed to be a "storage" drawer for those useful, and, sometimes, necessary, bits and pieces: extra twist ties and rubber bands, for example, or a permanent marker to write the contents of freezer bags.  Unfortunately, things tend to get shoved in there and then, it turns into the "junk" drawer!  Every now and then, I try to sort through and clear it out, but, I admit I haven't done so in quite a while.  So, the other day, I decided it was time to clean out the kitchen junk drawer.

First, I emptied out the side where I keep the boxes of wraps and baggies, etc., and wiped the drawer liner with a damp sponge cloth:

Empty Drawer

Then, I put back the boxes of wraps and baggies and a package of plastic straws:

Baggies and Wraps, etc.

There are different sized baggies, from snack sized to quart sized; gallon sized and larger are in the cabinet underneath.  I could simplify and buy just sandwich and quart sized bags, I suppose.  But I like having just the right sized bag and the snack bags come in handy for sorting and storing craft supplies, as well.  I have a couple of manuals for one or two of my kitchen appliances stored under the boxes of wax paper, etc., as well, which can't be seen in the photo.

Next, I emptied out the other side of the drawer and wiped it,  too.  Then, I sorted out what I was storing there and, all I can say is, "Hi, my name is Bless and I am a hoarder of odds and ends!"

Anybody wants to go on a scavenger hunt?  Want to see what I had stored in my junk drawer?

Every time we order food to go, it comes with plastic spoons, forks, and knives.  I wash and reuse them, sometimes, but, apparently, my storage drawer is where they go to multiply!  I had at least ten times the number of plastic utensils that are shown in the photograph below! 

Plastic Utensils

Or, if the food doesn't come with spoons and forks, they come with chopsticks and, any drinks come with straws:

Chopsticks and Straws

Or, if we get a dessert, then, there are little dessert spoons for ice creams and puddings:

Dessert Spoons

Occasionally, the little plastic tabs that close the plastic bag in which the bread comes break, and then, it is useful to have an extra bread tab, saved from a previous loaf, on hand; and those twist ties from produce bags have many uses, too, and rubber bands from bundles of scallions and broccoli, etc. can always be reused, right?  Think I have enough?

Bread Tabs, and Rubber Bands, and Twist Ties, Oh, My!

But, that's not the interesting stuff!  These are the hidden treasures that I discovered!

Hidden Treasures!

Chewing gum (I haven't chewed gum in years), a birthday candle (probably from daughter's 21st birthday), a piece of purple plastic clip like thing that probably broke off from something, a mini bag clip, a lollipop from???, a piece of plastic netting from a bag of fruit that I thought I could make into a scrubbie, the top from a bottle of dish detergent, and the last remaining cocktail fork from a package that my mother had!

Then, there was this battery operated wireless door bell - the small unit with the button used to be mounted near the door and the bigger unit was plugged into an outlet, inside the house, and it would chime when the door bell was rung.  Well, the smaller unit's battery died after a few weeks and I never replaced it and it has stayed in my kitchen drawer for at least 15 years, or, is it 20?

Wireless Door Bell

Are we having fun, yet?

This is the edge that came off a crisper drawer from the old fridge.  I got rid of the fridge, last year, but apparently kept the drawer edge!

Edge from Fridge Drawer

These following items are self-explanatory:

Napkins and Wipes

Yes, napkins from my daughter's 16th birthday.  She'll be 26 next birthday.  Enough said!  The wet wipes are more recent.

And, finally, these flex cords from long ago appliances.  My old rice cookers, I believe, which are long dead and gone.  But, ooh, look!  They are being kept neatly coiled with the help of some twist ties that have been reused! 

Cords from appliances long gone

I don't know why I keep them, they probably won't fit any of my other appliances.  But, I am not quite ready to toss them, either, so I put them back in the drawer.

I kept a few plastic spoons and forks and several unopened packets of them, as well (just in case I decide to pack a picnic lunch, one day, and want a conveniently packaged set of utensils); some bread tabs, twist ties, and rubber bands, and either tossed or recycled everything else. 

Sorted "Junk" Drawer

The drawer organizer tray has a few plastic spoons and forks to use when I give Dancer his tuna treats, two permanent marker pens for writing on the freezer bags, some twist ties, bread tabs, and rubber bands in baggies, a few candles and a couple of match books, unopened packages of plastic utensils (and, buried under them, the three appliance cords, although I might toss the cords, after all), a roll of masking tape, and a tub of silver tarnish remover.

I am hoping to be able to keep the drawer better organized in the future.

Kitchen Drawer

Do you have a kitchen storage drawer?  Does it turn into a junk drawer?  Or do you keep it well organized?