Weird research

I'm currently researching things a person can carry that have multiple uses. This way I can set up the character in my game with a basic inventory of useful everyday items rather than having them pick up everything that isn't nailed down and have everything with just one use.

These crazy Swedish people seem to like coming up with new uses for everyday objects. Most of them involve dismantling the object in some way though, which I'd rather avoid, the thing needs to be able to go back to its original state really for this game. Still interesting:
http://www.atelier-v.ch/index.html

Hey, this looks interesting...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/may/07/ethicalliving.lifeandhealth

...Come to think of it, I think I may have an old book on this kind of thing somewhere about the house. Mainly on domestic uses though.

Some things I know to be useful:
A bandanna
A sewing kit (needle and thread)
A tube of glue
Paperclips
Pencil/Pen and paper
A knife (but I would rather not have the character carry a knife with all the ruckus about knife crime lately, despite the fact that they'd be using it practically and not violently)
A lighter
Plastic bottle
A spoon
a magnet
Rubber gloves

....I think if it wasn't obvious before, it just became really obvious that I spent about ten years in the girl guides...
Still, a character who carries a spoon, a plastic bottle, some paperclips, a lighter and a bandanna and solves problems somehow seems way more badass than somebody who carries a load of special gadgets. I guess they'd be like a pacifist Jason Bourne hahaha!