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Drawer of Last Resort - What's in Yours?

(89 Posts)
Mamissimo Wed 31-Aug-22 10:30:22

I was looking for an AA battery yesterday and Mr M said I should check the Man Drawer dumping ground/emergency tidy up/ repository of lost and odd bits drawer in the kitchen.

I found, amongst the superglue, tape measures and random screws , some odd Ikea fastenings, a pack of playing cards, the missing dogs collar, two extra strong mints (with delicious fluff!), rubber bands, a stone with a hole in it, gift tags, a Fire TV stick, several buttons, a photo of a nephew taken years ago....and a baby tooth!

What's in your drawer of last resort?

Smileless2012 Wed 31-Aug-22 10:35:31

Masking tape, sellotape, cables that I have no idea what they're for, a pair of reading glasses that Mr. S. has been looking for for ages (he said he looked in that drawer hmm),an old tv remote control and vaccination books for pets no longer here.

Calendargirl Wed 31-Aug-22 10:39:25

It used to be quite bad, but then I inserted a cutlery tray in there.

Still holds tape measure, batteries, pocket calculator, little torch, string, rubber bands, letter opener, nail scissors, tiny screwdrivers, radiator key, tweezers, sealing tape, and suchlike, but quite neat in the compartments, and relatively easy to find stuff.

Recommended.

Mamissimo Wed 31-Aug-22 10:45:10

Respect Calendargirl ! But if I followed your sensible lead would Mr M start squirrelling the random stuff somewhere else? He believes in a place for everything and everything in its place, but says there is still stuff left over ?

MissAdventure Wed 31-Aug-22 10:47:55

My drawers are full of last resorts these days.
I yearn for the time when I could say "Yes, I have that. Second drawer down, on the left"

glammanana Wed 31-Aug-22 10:57:54

I think everyone has a bit drawer don't they?
In mine I have tape measures/odd batteries/small screw drivers/pens/tape/plasters in various sizes/hair grips and much more really important items I might need.

midgey Wed 31-Aug-22 10:59:15

Oh dear…..I have several drawers like that!

Lexisgranny Wed 31-Aug-22 11:05:31

We have such a drawer and yesterday found this object lurking in the bottom. Neither of us can throw any light on what it is. Any help would be much appreciated- today is bin day! (Although it looks blue in the photograph, it is white, if that makes any difference).

fiorentina51 Wed 31-Aug-22 11:19:29

The contents of my Drawer of Last Resort has been transferred into two plastic boxes and put in a cupboard.
Last time I looked they contained a ball of string, an ancient tin of Dylon fabric dye, a plastic bag full of elastic bands. Various batteries, some fuses, a mini tool kit, 3 Alan keys, 1 plastic shelf support and some Rennies.

Ashcombe Wed 31-Aug-22 11:21:46

Lexisgranny: could it be a freezer scraper?

Shelflife Wed 31-Aug-22 11:26:44

Glad it's not just me !

ExDancer Wed 31-Aug-22 11:29:58

Lexisgranny a scraper for a glass cooker hob?

kircubbin2000 Wed 31-Aug-22 11:32:40

My trouble is a make up drawer.My daughter used to work in Boots and trained as a make up artist.She bought many eye products from all the top brands and gave me palettes of shades and lipsticks. They look so nice and most are still unopened but it seems a sin to dump them. I no longer wear make up.

GrandmasueUK Wed 31-Aug-22 11:40:46

I've got several boxes in my desk drawer to separate out a collection of miscellaneous items. I've got a couple of hand fans, staples, glasses repair kit, which I re-discovered shortly after throwing out my broken specs, lots of small stationery items and four candles ?. Every year my daft brother bought me a different set of four candles, which made us both laugh. Sigh .. I miss him but I do have a lovely collection of candles grin

Lexisgranny Wed 31-Aug-22 11:49:22

ExDancer and Ashcombe - both much better answers than anything we came up with. We have got a glass hob, and though one freezer doesn’t need defrosting, the other one does. I will dig out the handbooks and see whether it was included with either, quite honestly it doesn’t look substantial enough to be the kind of thing that you would buy in Lakeland ( other good stores are available!). Thanks for your help.

ginny Wed 31-Aug-22 11:50:37

I had to go and have a look.
Address book, various pens( most not working), several receipts, dog Pooh bags( clean), one glove, staples, dog brush, lint roller, two pegs a split bag of elastic bands, 5 wax crayons, sellotape, paracetamol, 5 buttons, Command strips , a small gold bell, 3 wrapped boiled sweets, a note written by DGS , a coaster and a pair of old glasses.
Have I sorted it out ?
No, just shoved it all back in !

Caleo Wed 31-Aug-22 11:50:46

Glass jar of rubber bands. Tin pencil box with assorted batteries. New pack of iron -on web, Tupperware box (no lid) containing sink plugs, rubber bands, key ring, S hooks, squirty spectacle cleaner, mobile phone chargers, small torch, foreign coins. Plastic ruler. Handbag mirror in celluloid case I got in a charity shop years ago. Small papier mache box containing a long-dead butterfly that had never woken up. Pullout tape measure. Giant paper clips. Pencil eraser. Other small papier mache box empty. Empty plastic coin purse with zip. Plastic protractor. New pack of batteries.

Grantanow Wed 31-Aug-22 12:11:32

Reminds me of a poem learnt at primary school!

'Penknife, pencil, seven bits of string, nails and marbles, a photo of the King, two little screw ends from a motor lamp and a tiny bit of coal....'

JackyB Wed 31-Aug-22 12:18:21

I should feel guilty, or perhaps smug, but all the items mentioned have a place in our house. I always tried to avoid a "miscellaneous" file when I worked, too. Nothing is "miscellaneous" - even if it's the only thing in that category, it can still be labelled with a more explanatory name.

A couple of years ago we painted the dining room and moved the sideboard out to get behind it. To make it easier to move we took all the drawers out and I sorted through them whilst DH did the painting. Rubber bands, batteries, sellotape, glue, candles, etc, were all sorted into boxes, jars and compartments.

I am always on top of my kitchen drawers. I reckon there are about 30 drawers and shelves in the kitchen and every few months I take one shelf or drawer a day and spend the month going through them, throwing stuff out and wiping them to get rid of the inexplicable crumbs that gather there.

My mother had a drawer for bits and bobs which she called the "toot" drawer (to rhyme with foot). In every house she lived in it was always the drawer furthest on the left, usually near the kitchen door.

Fleurpepper Wed 31-Aug-22 12:20:27

My problem is that I have several of 'those' drawers ;) Dog knows what's in them!

Yammy Wed 31-Aug-22 12:26:26

If it has a blade in it or where you could insert one it could be for cleaning the glass hob.
We have a drawer just the same, dried-up glue sticks, felt-tip pens and blue tac GC have used in the past. Curtain hooks for every type of runner that has ever existed. The old bus and library passes never used. Sellotape, masking tape and rulers. The list goes on.
I utilised GC shoe boxes when they were small and fitted them in to make compartments, I keep to the compartments DH rummages like a dog looking for a bone.smile

Marmight Wed 31-Aug-22 12:40:14

2 torches without batteries; 3 half used packs of incense sticks; 3 mini fold up shopping bags; a compact backpack; 3 buffs & 4 unused cloth masks; 3 empty spectacle cases, just in case; a clothes brush; head torch; cleansing wipes from ANA airlines; power bank; hairbrush; box of mixed picture hooks; instructions for an egg chair; 2x 1st class stamps; tube of ancient Uhu; tube of No Nails; an eraser; various ribbons; next door neighbour’s keys; pack of screwdrivers from a cracker; cheque book which I never use; 2 tape measures; paper clips and a pack of Love in a Mist seeds.
It’s a big drawer. Guess what I plan to do this afternoon ?

Soroptimum Wed 31-Aug-22 12:50:14

Lexisgranny I think it is to do with defrosting the greeter, you slot it in at the bottom and the defrosting ice drips out. I only know as we’ve lost ours!
As for what’s in the ‘drawer of miscellany’. I’ve put similar items into plastic bags e.g. birthday candles; old toothbrushes (handy for cleaning); rubber bands; different types of glue; ribbons; straws; bits of blutack; and so on….

MrsKen33 Wed 31-Aug-22 12:50:30

Pens, rulers, Pritt sticks, calculator and a tape measure. We are pretty tidy so most things have a home and we try to put them back in it. Saves an awful lot of time.

Soroptimum Wed 31-Aug-22 12:51:04

Freezer not greeter! Honestly……. ?