I have an idea that I think would not be too difficult to code. It would require two additional inventory slots (don't know if that's simple or not, but that should be the hardest part), one for each hand. You could put your weapons in there and they appear on your belt (or are invisible, as long as graphics aren't ready). Now if you start fighting, the things from those slots automatically move into the "hand-slots" (those that already exist). Perhaps when you move out of a dangerous zone or into a town, weapons that are drawn should automatically move in those new slots, but I'm not sure about that. Of course you could always move them back manually.
If that is done, there wouldn't be the need to have weapons drawn "just in case" or because you could otherwise forget to put them in your hands before fighting. Even if weapons aren't automatically drawn when fighting, you wouldn't have to search your whole inventory for your standard weapons each time and could not sell them accidentally.
