Kitchen Safety & Organization Tips

How to safely store & organize kitchen junk drawer items

Alright, guys. Let’s get real for a second. Even if you’re the neatest, most organized, type-A person, you probably have something in your home that you’re not exactly proud of. And I know what it is. We all have one. It’s not pretty or on display, but it’s sort of a necessity. A place where things that don’t have a place find themselves.

Any guesses?

A junk drawer.

Even the name is a bit cringy. But don’t worry, even a drawer full of “junk” can be an organized masterpiece! Now that you’re in the spring-cleaning groove, what better time than now to finally get it cleaned up? I know, it’s overwhelming at first glance, but I promise it’s easier than you think to get it into working order.

What do you typically find in this part of your home? The items that don’t really fall into another category or room. Usually, this drawer is in the kitchen in a designated area. Things like scissors, rubber bands, thumbtacks, lighters, batteries, sticky notes, screws, screwdrivers, paperclips, spare keys… you get the idea. Those random items that you need for little projects, to open a letter, or light a candle.

With storing this array of items that often get thrown in and out willy nilly, sometimes safety rules and caution are thrown to the wind! We can all use a reminder now and then, along with some suggestions for how to safely separate and store these items in your kitchen.

For one, let’s be sure to keep these items out of the reach of children. When it comes to batteries, especially, make sure you store them in a closed, cool, dark environment. 

Store batteries together of the same kind and all in the same direction, do not mix old and new batteries in different directions. If not kept in the original packaging, store them in a plastic, lidded container. Avoid direct sunlight or extreme cold as both conditions can drain the battery. Keep different kinds of batteries separated as not to cause a chemical reaction or confusion because, well, we’re all human.

mDesign’s battery storage organizer box has divided sections clearly labeled with which kind of batteries fit into the compartments. The lid closes the batteries off from encountering other batteries or other items that they could cause harm to. All your battery safety tips taken care of in one go with this divided box!

Now that you’ve got your batteries safely stored away for when that remote control stops working, what about a more serious safety topic: smoke alarms. Yes, they may have a shelf – or wall – life of about 10 years before you need to check or replace them, but if you’ve moved into a new place or hear some chirping, it’s time to get changing!

Step one is figuring out what kind of smoke alarm you have to begin with. Battery or hardwired? The battery kind will obviously have a battery inside that you’ll need to purchase and replace. A hardwired detector includes a few wires inside and attaches directly to the wall. Here is a simple set of instructions on how to change both kinds of detectors

For batteries, tools, miscellaneous items, and more that you need in your junk drawer at a moment’s notice, drawer organizer sets can get this mess into shape before you know it!

mDesign’s set of interlocking drawer organizers fit together so you can arrange them in a way that fits your drawer and your needs. It comes with two large compartments and five smaller compartments. The set’s interlocking system keeps the pieces together no matter how much you’re digging around in there! Depending on the size of your drawer, you can even use two of these drawer systems together to make one large one and really transform your junk drawer into a functional resource in the home.

Extra items such as extension cords, power tools, super glue, white-out, etc. may be items you’ll want to store on higher shelves or cabinets that cannot be reached by little ones and not in a junk drawer nearer to the ground.

Keep you and your family safe, happy, and organized this spring by following these standard safety tips and making sure your alarms, batteries, and other junk drawer necessities are in check!

Shop the Look: These honeycomb dividers provide custom storage in any drawer.

Shaylee Dillen is a SEO Content Writer at mDesign
and considers herself a caffeine and cosmetics fanatic!

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