Every home has what we lovingly refer to as the “junk” drawer. Usually the bottom drawer in the kitchen, it’s a treasure trove of odds and ends from takeout menus to business cards for local plumbers and electricians, scissors to tape, and all kinds of other bits and bobs which we may rarely use but always need.

But the junk drawer isn’t just a place where bits and pieces go to die (or at least be forgotten). It’s an important spot where certain important items can be kept and found in a moment.

Here’s what you should absolutely keep in your junk drawer:

  • Flashlight – when you need it, you’ll know exactly where it is.
  • Pliers – great for screw removal and other kitchen jobs.
  • Tape – for wrapping gifts, sealing envelopes, and providing quick fix-it jobs.
  • Spare Batteries – of various sizes. Keep them in a small container or tub.
  • Spare Light Globes – another item you need to find quickly if the lights go out.
  • Scissors – buy the best scissors you can afford. You should have multipurpose shears to cover everything from cutting string and paper to segmenting a roast chicken.
  • Screwdriver – for tightening loosened cabinet handles, handles for pots and pans, etc.
  • Super Glue – go for the small single-use sizes as large tubes of glue invariably dry out.
  • Sticking Plaster – if you’re going to cut yourself, chances are you’ll be in the kitchen. Have a few plasters of different sizes so that if you do cut, bump, or burn yourself, you can quickly apply First Aid. Burn cream is another great idea to have in this drawer.
  • Aspirin – again, the kitchen is a great place to keep aspirin or Tylenol for fast access if you need it.
  • Tape Measure – so it is easy to find when you need it.
  • Rubber Bands – these are ideally kept in the kitchen and when they have a designated home in the junk drawer, you’ll never need to go looking for them again.
  • Pen/Pencil/Marker/Highlighter – these are all household essentials and when you keep them in a designated place, you’ll know exactly where they are every time you need them.
  • Notepad – for jotting down shopping lists and other reminders.
  • String – use it for cooking and a myriad of other jobs.

All of these items, from the best scissors you can find to tape and super glue, are household essentials. They’re often misplaced and inadvertently bought in multiples. By keeping them in your junk drawer, whether it’s in your kitchen or elsewhere in your home, they are always at hand. Isn’t it time to organise your junk drawer? Have we forgotten anything? Let us know in the comments