20 Actually Useful Items to Keep in Your Junk Drawer
HGTV Magazine is spilling on the products you really need.
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Junk Drawer
They get a bad rap, but junk drawers can be lifesavers — if you fill them with the right stuff. Click through to see 20 must-have items.
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HGTV Magazine
Battery Tester
Determine which of your remote control batteries is dying with this handy tool that measures AAA to 9V batteries. Gardner Bender analog battery tester, $9, sears.com
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Double-Sided Tape
The no-touch rolling dispenser means tape won’t lose its tackiness from too much handling. Scotch adhesive roller, $8, joann.com
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Long-Lasting Pens
Ditch all your dried-up, stolen-from-the-bank cheapies, and trust a couple of these reliable pens. Each one has enough ink for seven years’ worth of list making. Note to Self pen and Punctuation pen, $9 each, both seltzergoods.com
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Utility Scissors
The supersharp blades are strong enough to through heavy material, and the built-ins, including a bottle opener and wire cutter, are clever add-ons. The scissors can also be disassembled to become a knife. Cuts+More 9" stainless steel scissors, $20, fiskars.com
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Spackling Paste
Fill small cracks and nail holes as soon as you see them with this spackling compound in a does-it-all tube. The flat edge serves as a putty knife, and there’s a built-in sanding pad for smoothing, too. 3M Patch Plus Primer 4-in-1 applicator, $7 for 3 ounces, lowes.com
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Superglue Packets
These tiny tubes ensure you get fresh glue every time, not the block of cement you haven’t touched since 2011. Krazy Glue 0.5-ounce single-use tubes, $4 for a set of 4, staples.com
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Stain Remover Pen
The formula treats coffee spills, marinara splatters and red wine dribbles until you have time for a full wash. Tide to Go instant stain remover pen, $3 for 0.33 ounces, drugstores
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Do-it-all Tool
It may be less than 6 inches long, but this device includes 23 separate tools, including a screwdriver with 15 removable heads tucked inside its base, a 6-foot tape measure, a level, a flashlight, and even a hammer for light jobs. Kelvin 23 aluminum multitool in stellar silver, $30, kelvintools.com
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Phone Charger Organizer
An iPhone charging adapter and its corresponding cord nestle neatly in this fish-shaped block. Goldie CableKeep iPhone charger organizer in orange, $13, nicebydesign.com
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Eyeglass Repair Kit
This teeny suitcase holds all your repair needs, including nose pieces, mini screwdrivers, and a magnifying glass so you can actually see what you’re doing. Eyeglass repair kit, $7.50, kikkerland.com
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De-Griming Pen
This easy-to-control pen makes quick work out of removing price stickers and other gummy residue from hard surfaces. Mess-Free pen, $10 for 0.34 ounces, amazon.com
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Rubber Zip Ties
Unlike the plastic kind, these are reusable. Seal bags and bundle items like cable wires and extension cords with them. UT Wire Q Knot rubber ties, $8 for a mixed set of 24, staples.com
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Flashlight
A telescoping wand and a bendable head mean
you can peek in, under, and around sinks, cabinets and hard-to-budge furniture and appliances. The bottom is magnetic — useful for picking up dropped screws and nails in tight spaces. Telescopic adjustable steel and aluminum flashlight, $18, momastore.org
you can peek in, under, and around sinks, cabinets and hard-to-budge furniture and appliances. The bottom is magnetic — useful for picking up dropped screws and nails in tight spaces. Telescopic adjustable steel and aluminum flashlight, $18, momastore.org
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Earbud Holders
Wrap buds around these plastic caddies and save yourself the annoying task of untangling. Bobino cord wraps, $10 for a mixed set of 3, kikkerland.com
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Pet-Hair Brush
Sticky sheets on rollers can dry out over time, but these velvetlike bristles won’t lose their grabbing power. A chamber at the bottom even snags the fur you’ve collected so you can dump it out. FurLifter On-the-Go brush, $10, oxo.com
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Stapleless Stapler
You’ll never have to worry about running out of staples since this gadget doesn’t use them. Instead it punches and folds through a few sheets of paper to secure them together. Kokuyo Harinacs stapleless stapler in pink, $9, walmart.com
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Hem Tape
When was the last time you had an extra 10 minutes to sew your pant cuff in the morning? This sticky tape mends an unraveled hem and holds it in place for one to two wears. Scotch Essentials adjustable hem tape, $5 for a set of 24 strips, amazon.com
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Screen Wipes
These moist wipes safely de-gunk your phone and tablet, and the individual packets are perfect for throwing in your purse. Windex Wipe & Go electronics wipes, $6 for a set of 12, drugstore.com
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Furniture Pencils
Disguise scratches in wood with these colored wax pencils, which fill and tint scuffs. Keep a few hues on hand that match your furniture. Minwax Blend-Fil pencils, $5 each, homedepot.com
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Label Maker
This one has a comfy ergonomic grip and — bonus! — doesn’t need batteries. Dymo embossing label maker, $13, containerstore.com
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