NO MATTER HOW hard we might try, accumulating bits and bobs is inevitable – especially in busy households.
This usually results in everything from batteries to bills getting thrown into a random drawer that only we know the nitty gritty contents of.
If this sounds like you and you’re reluctant to throw these things out, then it’s safe to say that it is the outside that counts. When it comes to choosing a location for your junk drawer, here are six good-looking catch-alls that effectively hide the mess within – they might even make it look like Ms Kondo herself called by.
The side hustle: A nod to mid-century style and iconic in every sense of the word, sideboards not only look great but they have a multitude of functions often becoming the focal point of the room they’re placed in. We love how @elsielarson has styled this piece with greenery that contrasts well with the light woods and gold mid-century pendant.
The Sipario sideboard from Arnotts will help you achieve the look if this fresh colour palette is for you. Style it well enough, and no one would even think to look inside – ensuring your junk drawer secret is safe and secure.
The affordable and stylish: Sliding doors will keep things streamlined and minimalist if you’re so inclined. And, if space is tight they’re a godsend seeing as they won’t bash off any surrounding pieces of furniture. Here, @inredarna has really taken the function of the room into account by choosing a piece that can be placed near the dining table without causing any obstructions.
Sometimes we want storage that doesn’t draw attention to itself but still does its job, like the MACKAPAR from Ikea that acts as a great anchor for this space and blends in seamlessly with the monochrome theme.
The traditional: Hark back to tradition with a sturdy chest of drawers that works in almost any room. As at home in the bedroom as it would be in the hall, the Chichester from Neptune is versatile in style and has a set of deep drawers that will welcome any accumulated clutter.
@kindredlivingltd proves how a classic design can be adapted to almost any aesthetic with this industrial seaside theme that teams the elegant shape of the chest with a selection of rougher materials like rope, wood and metal.
The hideaway: Your junk drawer doesn’t even need to be a drawer. Sometimes, a piece that doubles in function will be your saving grace – especially if you’re clutter-filled life is something you work hard to keep a secret. Housing items in a stylish footstool like this one from Michael Murphy Home Furnishing will keep things out of sight and mind, yet close enough if you ever need to find a particular bank statement.
@dennesthomefurnitureuk dishes out a design lesson by combining strong patterned floors and walls with this plush navy footstool that gives the eyes somewhere to rest.
The modern vintage: They may look old but apothecary chests will give a space a modern industrial update. @blueboneliving complements theirs with crisp white crockery, so the look isn’t too dark or overbearing.
Made from New Zealand solid pine, this Montpellier chest from EZ Living Interiors is finished in dark walnut stain that’s in keeping with the apothecary pieces of the past. And if you nominate one for your junk drawer it might just fulfil its original function of housing rarely-used medicines and remedies.
The basket case: For an affordable and stylish alternative to hefty storage pieces, grab some style advice from @hunkerhome and embrace the basket. Many in a row exude an air of organisation that’s perfect if you need to tidy up quickly before any impromptu guests arrive. They’ll be none the wiser.
Ideal in high-traffic areas like sitting rooms, hallways and kids’ rooms, look for baskets with handles, like this one from Next Home, so they can simply be pulled out and added to if any more bits and bobs make their way into your home.
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