Once your junk-drawer makeover is complete, ride that energy into another quickie organizing project, like overhauling your sock drawer. Then take another 15 minutes to sort the rest of the “junk” into a drawer organizer and relocate tidbits that belong elsewhere in the house (screwdrivers back in the toolbox, change in the change jar, and so on). (Okay, there haven’t been any studies, but we all know it’s true.) So go for it: Take 15 minutes just to pluck out items that can be tossed-dried-out Sharpies, expired coupons, ancient restaurant mints, and duck sauce packets. That said, it actually doesn’t require a ton of time to whip into shape it’s convenient to focus on while dinner simmers or kids do homework, and seeing it tidy is scientifically proven to produce a giant surge of fresh motivation. Neglect being its very essence, it’s typically one of the most chaotic spots in your home. To get your declutter momentum going, there’s a particular spot that professional organizers often recommend you tackle first: the junk drawer.

Build motivation by decluttering this spot first. So we asked her and other pro organizers to tell us more: How can we have the organized home of our Instagram fantasies while working within the reality of our everyday schedule and energy levels? Here are their totally doable organization ideas and sanity-conserving hacks give them a try, and you’ll be a vision of organization in no time flat, color-coding your wardrobe using matching hangers and implementing lazy Susans in places you never thought possible.

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