Every household has a junk drawer, and it’s often found in the kitchen—at least that’s where mine is located. This drawer is filled with random items that don’t have a designated place. It’s the drawer you quickly stuff things into during a cleanup or when unexpected guests arrive. It’s incredible how much you can fit in there during those moments. Often, it’s so packed that you can barely close it—you have to push things down to get it shut. This is the drawer you want to avoid at all costs and never open in front of your guests.

Why the Junk Drawer?

I inherited the concept of a junk drawer from my parents, and I’m sure many others can say the same or at least pass the blame. When my husband and I bought our first home, I set aside one drawer for utensils. Without much thought or hesitation, I also designated another drawer as the official junk drawer.

Occasionally, I muster the courage and determination to clean out the junk drawer. First, I remove the larger objects to create more space, making it easier to open and close the drawer once I finish—or decide to give up. As I dig deeper, I become fixated on the coins at the bottom of the drawer and start gathering them. What initially felt like a tedious task transforms into a treasure hunt as I search for all the coins I can find. At least I’m getting some reward for this not-so-exciting chore. I also enjoy discovering those rare gems: a gift card, an old driver’s license, and the earring I once misplaced. By the time I finish searching for these treasures, I often feel exhausted and frustrated with the clutter in the junk drawer. Although I have a bag filled with trash to throw away, it seems like not much progress has been made, and the drawer still looks full. For some reason, I never seem to complete the organization process, but I remind myself that I have at least found some treasures.

The Unthinkable

Last week, the unthinkable happened: our junk drawer broke. It finally gave out on us. We neglected it for too long. I couldn’t remember the last time I went through it. So, what’s a girl to do? I took out all the junk from the drawer and packed it into plastic bags — three bags, to be exact. Now, before you judge me, I dare you to go empty your junk drawer and see how many bags you can fill. And for those who don’t have a junk drawer, I would love to know your secret.

Later that day, I started going through the three bags. I followed my usual routine: I removed the larger items first, looked for any cash (because I need to get paid!), and searched for any hidden treasures. I ended up throwing away a lot of trash, but I gave up again. Now, the bags are still sitting on my kitchen table, which means all of our clutter is piled on the counter, and I don’t like it. Who likes having their junk exposed?

The Mind’s Junk Drawer

The broken drawer, the garbage on my counter, and my procrastination to sift through the bags reminded me of the junk in our lives. Many of us have a metaphorical junk drawer in our minds or souls. Some individuals have taken on the complex and often overwhelming task of sorting through this drawer to process the clutter and find healing. However, unlike our physical kitchen junk drawers, we tend to avoid addressing larger issues such as abuse, trauma, destructive behaviors, addictions, and grave mistakes. Instead, we often only discard smaller items, like the little white lies we’ve told or minor errors we’ve made, because the bigger problems seem too difficult to confront. As a result, some of us continue to add to this metaphorical junk drawer without actually opening it, sifting through it, and addressing the larger issues. Consequently, our emotional “junk” is starting to spill out.

We are hot-tempered, overwhelmed, full of shame, filled with sadness, or simply exhausted from all that we are holding in our minds and souls.

There comes a day when we reach a breaking point and can no longer avoid the larger issues in our lives. Much like a cluttered junk drawer, we can feel broken and struggle to piece ourselves back together. However, unlike a junk drawer that we might hide from others, the clutter in our minds and souls should be opened up and shared with someone we trust. We encourage you to contact us. We can help you understand and connect with the significant aspects of your life, facilitate healing, and assist you in creating new “drawers” for these larger issues, such as the “letting-go” drawer, the “forgiveness” drawer, and the “confession” drawer. Our therapists are here to support you as we work together toward a life of emotional well-being.

Clean the Clutter

Let’s revisit my junk drawer. I finally organized it, and although it’s still a bit messy, I’ve learned a valuable lesson: I can’t always control what gets added since others contribute to the clutter. Still, I make an effort to keep it maintained to avoid it becoming a bigger mess. When I open the drawer and find something that doesn’t belong there and has a better place, I take a moment to put it where it belongs. I don’t let it pile up with too much clutter.

This experience reminds me that I should sometimes open my metaphorical junk drawer, look inside, and see if there’s anything I need to address. More importantly, what I’ve learned from my therapy is that I don’t have to do it all alone. Consider reaching out today to get started on your journey through therapy.