I used to think that plastic wire ties were the best thing and always had a few in every tool box I have.Last year I purchased what has become my new "must have" thing which I now carry in every tool box. It might sound silly but its a roll of green Velcro sold as a plant tie to hold tomato plants to the stick. This Velcro is a single piece which has the two elements on either side of the strip so that it can stick to itself. It is available in the garden section of HomeDepot and at Walmart and, at about $1.95, it is a great deal with hundreds of uses.When I put the boat in storage for the winter I used the 1/2" Velcro strips to hold all the halyards and lines to the mast - The great thing was that it was easy to put on, take off, adjust and re-install. I have used it to hold coils of line together.Hold loops of wires togetherHold wires against bulkheads by putting a screw through a length of it and coiling it on itself .... The re-usability makes it better than a wire tie which must be cut every time you want to undo it. There are a million uses when you want something handy to hold things together, or out of the way - and at under $2.00 for a roll (at discount stores) of 30 ft ... its a great deal. Do you have a must have tool? If so share that with us.James