The Junk Drawer
One Junk Drawer
Let’s talk about junk drawers—those catch-all places we all have in our homes where random stuff goes to live. I bet you have at least one, probably more. If you’re like me, you might even have a few scattered around—a kitchen junk drawer, a desk junk drawer, maybe even one in your bedroom. And let’s not stop there, because truth be told, we’ve got junk drawers in other areas of our lives too: our minds, our emotions, and even our relationships.
If there were ever a time when our junk drawers overrun us, it’s now. It feels like we’re surrounded by stuff—literal and figurative—and we keep finding new places to stash it all.
How Many Junk Drawers Do We Need?
Think about it. We’ve got junk drawers for work, family drama, social media feeds, grudges, and dreams we’ve put on hold. And when we run out of space? We find “extra storgae.” The rise of the storage unit says it all. Can’t fit it in your house anymore? No problem—just pay someone to hold onto it for you. The same thing happens in our minds and hearts. When our mental and emotional junk drawers get full, we don’t always clear them out. Instead, we find ways to stuff more in. But at some point, don’t we hit a tipping point?
“Live simply so that others simply live.”
Gandhi
Maybe it’s time we rethink how much we’re holding onto.
Junk Food vs. Junk Drawers
Here’s a thought: Junk food is designed to satisfy a craving quickly. You consume it, enjoy the moment, and move on. But junk drawers? They’re a different story. They’re where we hold onto things indefinitely. Old batteries, receipts, keys to who-knows-what. It’s all there because we might need it someday, right? The same goes for the clutter in our minds and hearts—those old regrets, fears, or assumptions we’ve never let go of.
“Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?”
Rumi
From Junk Drawers to Curio Cabinets
Now Imagine this: What if we traded in our junk drawers for curio cabinets? Instead of shoving things into a drawer where they’re hidden away, we’d display only the things that truly matter to us. A curio cabinet is intentional. Every piece inside has meaning—a story, a memory, a purpose. What if we treated our mental and emotional lives the same way?
“Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.”
Henry David Thoreau
A curio cabinet invites us to do just that—simplify and curate a life that reflects what we value most.
How Do We Let Go?
I’ll be the first to admit, letting go isn’t always easy. I’ve got my fair share of junk drawers, both literal and figurative. But I’ve been working on it. I’ve learned to protect my mental space. And you know what? It’s made a huge difference. My head feels clearer, my heart lighter.
It’s not about having nothing; it’s about having the right things. What would your life look like if you cleared out the junk and made room for more of what truly matters?
Take Inventory
Here’s a challenge: Go through one of your junk drawers today—or even better, go through a mental or emotional junk drawer. What are you holding onto that no longer serves you? What’s taking up space that could be used for something more meaningful?
“Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.”
Rumi
Curate a Life That Reflects You
When we let go of what no longer serves us, we create room for what does. What’s in your curio cabinet? What do you want to shine and sparkle for the world to see? Your happiest memories? You deepest values? Your wildest dreams? That’s what belongs there.
So, let’s stop holding onto the junk. Let’s curate lives filled with meaning, joy, and peace. And let’s savor the echoes of space we create when we finally let go.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
Henry David Thoreau
What’s in your junk drawer? And what could your curio cabinet look like? Let’s start clearing out the clutter, one drawer at a time.
Talk soon…
G