Everyone should have a box of random cables – and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise

If you’re planning on moving house any time soon, make sure to have a thorough clear out before you do.

Clothes that haven’t been worn for years can make their way to a charity shop and unloved children’s toys can go with them. Your unwanted furniture can find a new home that isn't yours. Do you have an old TV in your loft? We did, and there is almost certainly a good reason it was there, but you should really get rid of it before the removal van turns up.

We recently moved house and did not do any of this. A month after our moving day we are still navigating around boxes. A not inconsiderable amount of floor space allocated to items we likely don’t need or want.

There were boxes of cables, too. Most of them for our home cinema and hi-fi systems. Integral parts of the house. Essential items. But there was also a box of, well, random cables.

“Do we need all these cables?” asks my partner.

“Oh yes,” I reply confidently.

“...what for?” comes the predictable follow-up question.

“Well, I don’t know – and that’s exactly why we need them.”

Every house needs a box of random cables. Just like every house needs a drawer full of elastic bands, tiny screwdrivers, those little rubber pads for making doors close quietly, and a massive key of unknown origin.

Of course, you can’t know what you will need and when but the point is you’re prepared.

The accumulation of cables has a clear purpose – to prepare you for that unforeseen eventuality, ensure you avoid an unwanted trip to your local electrical shop and, most importantly, avoid any downtime whatsoever with whatever it is that isn’t working.

I’m happy to report I recently used my box of cables. And it felt good. Really good.

Connecting our Sonos speakers to the new wi-fi network proved less than seamless. After a series of button presses and a diverting light show, the app gave up on me and raced ahead to the foolproof option. “Connect your speaker to your router using an Ethernet cable,” came the order.

An Ethernet cable… Yes. I have one of those. Three in fact. I looked at my box of random cables with a feeling of pride, satisfaction and even achievement. Minutes later, our Sonos speaker was successfully connected.

I had used the box of cables. It had worked. I'd have been lost without it.

So have that spring clean (whether you’re moving or not) and find new homes for those unwanted items, consumer electronics very much included. But that box of cables? That’s going nowhere. You’ll need it.