010510Drawers05.jpg

One of my New Year's resolutions is to keep my dresser drawers organized. As you can tell from this photo, my drawers have gotten a little out of hand. You know how it is – in the hustle and bustle of daily life you want to grab your clothes out of the drawer and go. Then, on laundry day, you drop your clean clothes in the drawer and promise you'll be back later to straighten up. Well that day is today! And here are a few tips for getting your dresser organized and keeping them that way.

010510Drawers04.jpg

1. Every few months, take everything out of your drawers and refold them. It's not a very fun job but it will keep your drawers tidy and organized. Plus, it's a good time to pull out stained or torn clothing.

2. Rather than stacking T-shirts, try "filing" them. As you can see in the after photo, I filed my color T-shirts so I can easily assess which one I want. When items are stacked it's invariably the one of the bottom that you want and getting to that one involves disrupting all the others…and that's what leads to a messy drawer.

3. Use containers in your drawers to hold the small stuff. In my drawer I've used a few containers. There's a small bank where I stow my collection of wheat pennies and other old money, a jewelry box for watches and necklaces, plus a large bowl to hold my bow ties.

4. If you have a particularly large drawer, consider picking up dividers or organizers. You can find organizers at stores like The Container Store which will help you keep things tidy by creating sections in the drawers.

5. Keep your drawer smelling fresh by storing candles in it. Whether it's a new or even just a little nub of a mostly burned one, a candle placed in your drawer will keep your clothes smelling lovely. You could also use bars of soap.

Images: Jason Loper

(Re-edited from a post originally published on 01.05.2011 - JEL)