Broken, loose or stuck: the small tools drawer you open ten times a year
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
A small knife, the right tape, a precision screwdriver, and fresh batteries solve most minor household annoyances in two minutes. Here's what belongs in that drawer and what it costs.
There's a box in the hallway that you can't open without finding a pair of scissors. Your phone charger only works if the cable is bent at a specific angle. The remote control isn't working, and you don't know if it's the batteries, because there are only dead ones in the drawer. And in the attic, there's an extension cord no one remembers what it belonged to.
Each of these, individually, isn't a chore. They are two-minute annoyances that linger for months because the right little item isn't at hand. This article is about that one drawer: not the toolbox with a drill in it, but the drawer in the kitchen or by the front door where the small stuff is kept. What belongs in it, what should you look for, and what does it all cost?
Three types of small jobs, that's all there are
If you keep track for a few weeks of what you open such a drawer for, a short list remains. You open something (a package, packaging, a blister). You secure or close something (a box, a loose cable, something on the wall). Or you keep something going (batteries, a loose screw, a cable that's starting to fail).
That's also the classification for what you buy. Anything outside of that — sanding, drilling, sawing — belongs in a toolbox in the shed, not in a drawer. Keep the drawer small, and it will remain useful.
Opening without damage to yourself or the contents
The biggest source of broken items is a kitchen knife used as an opener. A utility knife cuts lighter, you can extend the blade far enough to go precisely through one layer of cardboard, and you simply break off a blunt tip instead of continuing to push.
The Kinzo Utility Knives 3 pieces (from €1.95) is the cheapest way to put one in the kitchen, one in the hallway, and one in the car.
If you want a few in reserve for an association, canteen, or shared workspace, then the Utility Knife Set of 8 pieces (from €4.95) makes more sense than eight individual ones.
The Ink Eraser and Utility Knife 2-in-1 (from €5.95) combines a knife with an ink eraser — handy if the drawer also serves for administrative tasks.
Practical rule: extend the blade only one click. This way, you cut through the top layer of cardboard and not through what's inside. This saves damaged returns and cut foil from products you still want to sell or return.
Securing: tape is not one product
Almost everyone has one roll of tape at home and uses it for everything. That's precisely why packages open and gift wrap tears. There are three distinctly different types, and all three are inexpensive.
A dispenser sounds excessive for home use, but the difference lies in the finish: you pull a strip of the correct length, cut it straight, and hold the box closed with your other hand in the meantime. Anyone who returns something to a webshop monthly will notice that difference immediately.
For items that need to be hung without drilling, self-adhesive hooks of 6 x 6 cm, 10 pieces (from €5.95) are the cheapest solution. With this type of hook, always pay attention to the stated weight and the surface: adhesive holds less well on wallpaper and powdery wall paint than on tiles or varnished wood.
Keeping things running: screws, cables and power
Most devices that are "broken" have a single loose screw, a dirty contact spring, or a cable that has kinked at the plug. For the first two, you need a screwdriver small enough for electronics; a regular screwdriver is usually too coarse.
The Screwdriver Set A-Series, 5-piece (from €3.99) is intended for small screws in electronics — the size you need for battery covers, spectacle hinges, and toys.
Cable Protectors, set of 4 (from €1.95) slide over the spot where a charging cable most often kinks: just behind the plug. They are cheapest if applied before the cable frays.
Is your power outlet just too far away? A USB 3.0 extension cable of 2 meters (from €9.95) is often a cheaper solution than a new device in a different location.
Batteries deserve their own corner in the drawer, preferably separated: full on the left, empty on the right. For devices that draw little power — remote controls, clocks, a kitchen scale — zinc batteries like the Panasonic AAA Zinc, 4 pieces (from €9.95) or the more affordable Dynamic Energy AAA, 16 pieces (from €5.95) suffice. For your phone on the go, a compact power bank of 3000 mAh (from €14.95) is enough to get a device going again.
Finding what you've put away
The last part is most often skipped and yields the most: write down what you store. A set of permanent markers, 5 pieces in 3 colors (from €4.95) or Top Write permanent markers, 5 pieces (from €4.00) is enough to label cables at the plug, describe boxes in the attic, and put a date on an opened package.
Loose parts that you save "for when it breaks again" don't belong loosely in the drawer. A cardboard box of 15 x 15 x 15 cm (from €1.99) with an inscription on it is enough for all adapters, cables, and screws combined. If you want to keep the drawer itself organized, a desk organizer with phone holder (from €5.00) on the counter or desk does the same job for pens, knives, and markers.
What does it all cost?
A basic drawer consists of five things: a knife, a roll of wide tape, a roll of narrow tape, a precision screwdriver set, and a pack of batteries. Based on the prices above, you'll spend around €20 to €25 — a one-time purchase that will last for years. The expansions (dispenser, cable protectors, extension cable, power bank, markers, storage box) each add a few euros.
The rule of thumb: buy the five basic items all at once, and supplement as soon as you notice you've needed something twice. What you haven't touched after six months, you probably didn't need.
Assemble yourself
For individual components, check Scissors & Knives, Tape, Batteries & Chargers, Cables and Office Supplies. Are you unsure if something fits what you have at home, or do you want to assemble a kit for an association, office, or shared workspace? Feel free to email info@verpakkingdeals.nl — we'll help you consider quantities and sizes so you don't order the same thing three times.
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