My Mom has always had a drawer in the kitchen that all of us kids called the "lid drawer." There are always more lids than containers to match and it is always the one drawer that you have to yank open. Usually that is because there are too many lids and/or the rubber band ball has gotten too big.
And, every time you force it open, out come the bread ties, spare string wrapped around a pencil that hasn't been sharpened since 1959, and a small super ball that looks like an eye ball that I placed in the drawer for safe-keeping in 1964. It was the place to go in the time of need for something of aid when in dire straits.
When my eyeglasses broke one weekend in the fifth grade, I went to the lid drawer for a bread tie. Socks falling down? "Get a rubber band out of the lid drawer." You could always find some spare change in there, too. I had a falling out with the lid drawer in the Seventh Grade when a friend spent the night and turned her mouth in disgust when asking for a paper clip for her book report. "Look in the lid drawer," I said. "The WHAT drawer? We only use Tupperware."
Until recently, when my fiance helped me pack my kitchen while moving after living at the same residence for fourteen years, I had wiped the memory of the "lid drawer" from my mind.
"You're gonna throw out this stuff, aren't you?" he asked after jerking open the drawer in the far corner of the kitchen."Nnnooo! Don't touch that drawer," I yelled.
"What do you need all of the lids for? You don't have that many containers. And what the heck do you need all of these wine corks for? This is all junk."
"Junk!? How do you think we store all of the leftovers that you cook? And when I start all of my seedlings in the spring, are you gonna wipe up the water that leaks out? No. Because I put those lids underneath the pots. And when you get around to staining that table, are you just going to let the stain just drip all over the floor? And what about when we can't find a coaster? Are you gonna let that drink put a ring on your newly-stained table? And . . ."
My fiance pulled the lids out of the trash and packed them up to move to their new drawer. I realized that you can't fight frugality . . . and why? At least I don't keep a rubber band ball. My brother does.
Becky from Charlotte, NC
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My mom always had a "junk" drawer just like this. Anything that didn't have a home would wind up in the junk drawer: rubber bands, spare change, twist ties, random nails, screws, etc., old coupons. I can close my eyes and remember that distinctive smell right now.
Jess
Hi, Becky -- I have a (tongue-in-cheek) question: why would you have put an eyeball into that drawer for safekeeping in 1964? (:o)
Hey Nancy--As I remember, I think my Mom put it in there (it was one of those small "superballs" with an eye painted on it) because as I was playing with it, I knocked down one of her heirloom glass pieces on the shelf in the living room (not a good place to be testing out a superball!) and broke it. She put it in the drawer (I was only four and couldn't really reach the drawer) and I would pull a chair up when she was hanging out laundry just to bounce it a few times.
I just love your story! When my children were little we had similar which they called the 'everything' drawer. Now they're adults with their own homes, but I still have my 'throw it in there drawer." More than one actually!
This really brings back the memories! We had a "junk" drawer growing up. It had tons of stuff in there! It used to get stuck and the stuff would fall out from behind and under the sink when it was too full. I remember she would put "prizes" from cereal, cracker jack, and such in there for safe keeping until there was enough to "go around" between my brothers and I.
I truly enjoyed your story, thanks for sharing!
OH MY GOSH ! TO FUNNY. I LOVED YOUR STORY
I LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HAVE AT LEAST 1 "JUNK" DRAWER USUALLY 2
IT'S ALL THE JUNK THAT I JUST KNOW I WILL NEED SOMEDAY
THANKS FOR THE LAUGH
I love that story! I have a drawer just like that! Funny...It must be a regional thing, being that I live not far from your home town, Lol!
Wow, I haven't thought of a name for my drawer, as I already have the junk drawer. I throw my lids, twisties and produce bags in another drawer for food related things. I used my old sturdy lids for baby plates, being the right size!
My Mamaw had a drawer that sounded like your Mom's "lid drawer", although we never named it. It had nearly the same items identically, bag ties, rubber bands, jar lids. My Mamaw saved would reuse pieces of "tin foil" a million times it appeared (just wash it, fold it & reuse whenever possible). When Mamaw moved in with us, Mom & my Uncle, her brother, had the chore of going thru & tossing out everything. My Mom would mutter everytime, under her breath, she came across another rubber band, bread or bag tie, paper clip, piece of raggedy tin foil, jar lid, etc. LOL! Thanks for the memories. Today would have been Mamaw's birthday, she's been gone 21 years now. Thanks again for the memories.
My grandmother had the same lid drawer you had while growing up, tinfoil and ALL! Are you sure we aren't related? I do live in the South afterall! lol This sure brought back some sweet memories for me.
Our "Lid drawer" was called the furnow drawer "put it in there for now we might need it later". And we always could find what ever we needed.
I call it my junk drawer. As you said you can find anything in there going back to the 60's. My mom had one too. Must be heridity or in the genes.
Lid drawers are what brings the whole planet together. I'll bet they exist all over the world! Thank you for the laugh and the memories, and I also have a few lid drawers, here in Canada!
Don't remind me! I have several carrier bags hanging around which contain the contents of old 'lid drawers' emptied when we moved house. It's not junk - I would chuck it if it was! (The larger version of a lid drawer is the garage.) :)
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