“We don’t call them junk drawers, they’re utility drawers,” organization guru Sabrina Gardner explained during our interview for “Top Drawer” on page 30. Really? Clearly, she hadn’t seen my kitchen drawer. Garden twine, charger cords and loose rubber bands tangled around three pairs of scissors, a ruler and a ring of old keys that opened who knows what. Tattered business cards and post-it notes cowered in the corners. It looked like a couple of meerkats nested in that drawer, and I dreaded opening it. Sound familiar? (In my defense, the silverware drawer to the left is an Insta-worthy picture of perfection.)
Gardner’s advice: “Empty a messy drawer entirely and begin fresh. It’s a game-changer.” I did and it was. Okay, her tip didn’t actually knock my world off its axis, but it did put me on an enlightened path to purging (a.k.a. spring cleaning). Since then, I’ve tackled my desk, the hall closet and our entire guest room, clearing each completely before putting back much less than I had removed. A clean sweep, you might say.
We’re big on tips here at US&D, and Gardner’s organizing advice is just the beginning of many expert pointers woven throughout these pages. We turn to in-the-know design pros and pundits who offer ideas, large and small, to help us make our homes all we want and need them to be. Of course, no two of them approach design and decorating exactly the same way, so learning the whys behind the whats—the reasons for their decisions—is not only uniquely informative, it’s inspiring. Plus, it makes for a great read.
Enjoy! As you peruse for pointers, I’m headed out to confront my cluttered garage. I may be a while.
Featured image courtesy of Salt by Sabrina
Click here to read our Winter 2022 issue.
