133 - The Junk Drawer Series: Decluttering those random screws and hardware

Summary

In this episode, Heather Tingle tackles the clutter of DIY hardware bits in your junk drawer. Learn how to organise, declutter, and decide what to keep or let go of, making space and reducing stress.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to DIY Clutter

02:48
Identifying and Managing Spare Parts

05:34
The Guilt of Unidentified Items

08:56
Practical Tips for Organizing DIY Supplies

11:48
Conclusion and Encouragement

Resources

Episode 104 on dealing with miscellaneous bits

Transcript

Heather Tingle (00:01.134)
Hello, untanglers, and welcome back to another episode of Decluttering Untangled with me, your host, Heather Tingle. So today's episode, we are gonna go back to the junk drawer and we're going to deep dive into one of the most, I think, guilt-ridden corners of it. So, like, not pens and mystery keys. Today, I want to talk to you about bits of DIY stuff, like hardware type stuff.

You can see this is not something that I'm used to. But it is something that I see all the time with clients. And that is like the random screws, the old, like I want to call them wall plugs. Some people call them wall plugs. The tiny bag of like bolts or like washers that came with a flat pack like 15 years ago. And it's lived in your drawer ever since that kind of stuff. So we're talking about like, I want to say that

mini DIY hardware. Hopefully that all makes sense. So if you have got a handful of like random nails rattling around, a collection of picture hooks you've never hung anything with, and one mystery metal thing that you've got no idea what the hell it is, this episode is for you and we're gonna sort that out today. So let's start with the most common thing that I see and that is you build the flat pack, you follow the instructions or don't as the case may be if you're anything like me.

And it works out okay, like it works, the thing is there, but at the end there is a random bag of leftover screws, a couple of spare dowels, an allen key and there's usually something else like a piece of plastic something that you don't actually know what on earth it was and it was probably something that held all those bits together in all honesty. But you keep it. Of course you keep it because your brain goes to, but what if a screw falls out? What if I resell it? What if it starts wobbling? What if I need it?

So it goes into the junk drawer, never to be seen again and getting in the way or falling down the back of the junk drawer. So when you try and close it, it doesn't close. So my take on this is that having worked with clients quite a lot and we're looking at things like spare rooms and extra furniture, and then we want to let them go, the Allen key is absolutely useful. So if you have got a packet of Allen keys of all different sizes, look at the one that you've got, the random one.

Heather Tingle (02:24.47)
and match it against those. Is it a duplicate? If it's a duplicate, you can let it go. If it's not a duplicate and you haven't got anything else like that, so you haven't got any other Allen keys, then absolutely keep it. Pop it in a small toolbox or a dedicated spot, back in the junk drawer and it stays there. That is okay. But the spare screws and the spare bolts, if the thing is up and it is not wobbly, it's working. It's okay. It's probably been there for years and it's absolutely fine.

highly likely that they can go because you probably don't need them. And let's face it as well, something really important to think about, if it falls apart, you have options. So you can often get bits from the manufacturer or from your local hardware shop. But also, if a piece of furniture fails out dramatically enough that you're to need replacement parts for it, I would say there's a reasonable chance you'll be looking at replacing it anyway. So you probably won't need those little bits.

I am not saying I live in a throwaway society and I want things to last, but most things are mendable by getting something else from somewhere else anyway. If letting go of that stuff feels really genuinely too much, that is OK. You probably put it with the manual. Get rid of the manual because we talked about that the other week. Get yourself a small sandwich bag or a Ziploc bag. Old coin bags are really good for this. And here's a really important bit. Label it so you know what the stuff is off.

before you put anything in it, then like, so right, what the furniture is on it or where it is or, you know, where in your home it is or what colour it is or whatever. Something that's going to make sense to you when you look at that bag, you know instantly what furniture it relates to or thing it relates to, might not even be furniture because a labelled bag of spare screws that belongs to, for example, a Billy Buck case from Ikea is great and it makes sense. You know where it is, you've got it organised, it's neat. That is completely different to a random

jam jar of mystery screws that belong to absolutely nothing and you've got no idea. One's a decision, one is just chaos in a pot, okay? And I know that saying, there's gonna be a voice in your head, isn't there, saying, what if? Well, we'll talk about that in a minute. But for now, sit with the idea that those screws, properly labeled and contained, are okay. They are not the enemy. They can go in a pot, as long as you know what they're from.

Heather Tingle (04:52.789)
Unlabeled screws, lightly around loose in a drawer are absolute nightmares. They are not something that you want in your life and they are the enemy. Enemy is bit strong though actually, isn't it? So the other thing is there is also the guilt of not knowing what something belongs to. So the stuff that you can't identify, what on earth is it off? So a small silver ball, plastic clip, something rubbery that might be a washer, might be part of a toy, who knows? You don't know where it came from.

You just notice you throw it away, something will probably break and you'll need it that exact moment. And that is a normal feeling, especially for neurodivergent brains, because we're really good at imagining worst case scenarios in vivid detail, going down a million different spirals. And that's why we're so good at problem solving. But I did an episode on this, episode 104, go listen to that and then come back to this one again, because that's all about dealing with bits and pieces you can't identify.

So if it's a big sticking point for you, go and have a listen to that because I go into a lot more detail on how to deal with that. But the short version is now, if you still don't know what it's for now, after however long it's been sitting there, you're probably not going to suddenly work it out. It can go. Okay. You get a head that says it's okay for that H, an H S I O. It is okay to let something go that you can't identify. It is not recklessness. It is just being honest with yourself and getting your space back. Okay.

The next one, stuff you do recognise. Roll plugs, three different sizes, probably 20 of each or ones that have been used and they've got a bit of plaster dust on them and sometimes even a screw in them and a bit of plaster dust. Those pitch hooks you've had since the last house, collection of nails that have maybe some of them a bit bent and gone a bit rusty. They might feel like you are justified to keep them because they are. I want to say there's something

Permanent about metal rather than plastic. Plastic sometimes feels easier to let go of but metal feels like a resource. However, you do not need to keep them. A small supply of roll plugs and picture hooks can be useful if you are going to use them. Like you don't need to keep 20, like a couple will probably be enough. So if you want to hang something up, then you've, you know, we've got the picture hooks to do it.

Heather Tingle (07:16.494)
It's really handy to have them, I get it. The question is how many do you actually need? A couple? Do you need 20? Are you likely to put 20 holes in your wall? I mean, I could put 20 holes in my wall if I was going to try and put a picture up, but I am not gonna try and put a picture up. And this is the thing I see a lot of people's houses, an enormous quantity, because you only wanted two screws and you got a pack of 50 because it was cheaper. Massive packs of nails.

road plugs like all different colours and sizes and shapes and like huge ones down to little ones and you only wanted a couple of the middle sized ones. Hooks and sort of fixings. And when I ask when they last use any of them or have they got any projects coming up where they're going to use them, the answer is something usually like, I don't actually do DIY. I'm not really confident enough to do it. Or no, I really got anything planned. Which also means that if something did need doing, they'd probably get someone in and that person would bring their own stuff. So you probably wouldn't need it.

So who are you keeping the nails and stuff for? Ask yourself honestly, do I actually do DIY? Am I likely to use these things? Do I hang things up for myself regularly? In which case, yeah, a small organized stash makes complete sense. But if you're anything like me, you're keeping supplies for a version of a shelf that doesn't even exist. And it's all right to say that. You're not gonna get any money knocked off a quote off someone if you've got like four roleplugs that they can use instead of them bringing their own.

The other thing to remember, and which is probably the most important thing, is that things like screws and roll plugs, they're not rare. They're actually quite easy to source. Like a small pack is pretty cheap and you can get them online or your local DIY shop. Let's face it, there's loads of them around. So if you genuinely did need one, you can get it again pretty easy and pretty quickly and pretty cheaply. So let them go.

If you don't need them immediately, it's all right to do that. Get your space back.

Heather Tingle (09:17.388)
I do want to be clear here though. Obviously I am not a master of DIY. So I probably take a harsher reaction than some of you to, some of you might. And I'm not saying throw everything away and know nothing, but there is a real sensible version. So a small toolbox or dedicated container with a reasonable selection of the basics makes sense. A few different size screws, if that's what you use, a handful of role plugs, a picture hook or two, Allen keys from Flatpak.

maybe command strips or hanging picture strips if you use them regularly, that makes sense. So it is useful to have like a DIY box or toolbox where these things can go. It can take up a small defined amount of space. Crucially, you can find things in it when you need them because it's not overflowing mystery bits and bobs. And that's the difference between having a useful small toolkit and a junk drawer full of random stuff.

it makes a difference to when you need it and daily life. So what I'd love you to do is go rummage around that junk drawer and find everything you can that's kind of DIY hardware. So screws, nail bolts, plugs, hooks. can we also, actually, this is probably an extra to add in. Plugs taken off all the appliances.

are you actually going to rewire something? Because most things these days come with molded plastic plugs already on them that you can't replace. Do you really need to keep some old plugs or could you just get a new one from the DIY shop if you ever actually did need it? And that is less and less these days because most things do come with the plugs already molded on. So do have a look at that. Anything you can't identify, let it go.

or listen to episode 104 and put it in a bits box. Go and listen to that now and see how that helps. And then anything that is specific that still exists in your home and you're deciding that you're gonna keep it or not, then label it, bag it up, get it organized. Random spare stuff that you're never gonna use or don't really would have the confidence to use, let them go. And then...

Heather Tingle (11:42.2)
get it all organized in a small toolbox, tin, zip lock bag, whatever works for you. Fits in the container, a small amount relative to what you use and then let the rest go. You don't have to be B &Q or a hardware shop. You don't have to stock absolutely everything in every size for every occasion. You just need enough for the life you actually live, not the DIY life you actually imagine you're gonna have one day or need to prepare for. So there you go.

I hope this has helped a little bit. Until next time, remember you're not alone, be kind to yourself and keep untangling.