A word for a collection of unorganized and unrelated little things
I am looking for a word that describes a collection of unorganized or somewhat organized and unrelated little things. The word is similar to "toolbox", which can describe a collection of unrelated tools.
I know the following sentences are awkward, I'll try my best to explain. Little things refer to an object (not neccessarily physical, could be something like computer programs or paragraphs) that is too small/little/insignificant to occupy a place on its own.
For example, I write a software that calculates the sum of two numbers. It is not significant enough for me to have a webpage for it, however, I could put it on a page for a collection of such little programs along with a software that outputs "hello, world". The title of this page would be "My _____ of programs".
Thank you.
Solution 1:
Miscellany seems the obvious choice.
Melange, medley and hodgepodge could all have a place.
Solution 2:
One of my favorite words for this is farrago.
farrago a confused mixture; hodgepodge; medley
[TFD]
Solution 3:
Assortment would be a good word to fill the blank.
NOUN
A miscellaneous collection of things or people:
"My assortment of programs."
Since 1791, the etymology seems to suggest the very unsorted sort you mention:
assortment
1610s, "action of assorting,"
from assort + -ment.
Sense of "group of things of the same sort" is attested from 1759;
that of "group of things whether the same sort or not" from 1791.
assort
late 15c., "to distribute into groups,"
from Middle French assortir (15c.),
from Old French assorter "to assort, match,"
from a- "to" (see ad-) + sorte "kind" (see sort).
sort
late 14c., "group of people, animals, etc.; kind or variety of person or animal,"
from Old French sorte "class, kind,"
from Latin sortem (nominative sors) "lot; fate, destiny; share, portion; rank, category; sex, class, oracular response, prophecy,"
from PIE root *ser- (3) "to line up"
(cognates: Latin serere "to arrange, attach, join;" see series).
The sense evolution in Vulgar Latin is from "what is allotted to one by fate," to "fortune, condition," to "rank, class, order." Later (mid-15c.) "group, class, or category of items; kind or variety of thing; pattern, design."
Solution 4:
Junk Drawer is a good metaphor for that, if a teeny bit pejorative.