Assembling a Home Tool Kit: What You Need
Even for the unhandy, a basic home tool kit is essential to any household or apartment. Here’s what you’ll need.
Screwdrivers
- Combination manual driver with interchangeable Phillips and straight bits.
- Cordless power driver with interchangeable bits.
Hammer: Handle several to find the one that feels good to you.
Cutting
- Utility knife. Cast metal with a supply of blades, or plastic with snappable blades.
- Scissors. Inexpensive; for cutting packaging, trimming peel-and-stick tiles.
Gripping:
- Adjustable wrench – small.
- Needle-nose pliers with wire cutters.
- Slip-joint pliers.
Measuring
- Metal tape measure. 12 feet, with increments marked – 1/8, 3/16 and so on.
- Level – for these purposes, a small one, a foot or less in length.
- Metal ruler – for measuring, and as a straight-edge to guide cutting.
Fastening
- Selection of screws, bolts, picture hangers, finishing nails.
- Duct tape – for quick temporary repairs.
- Electrical tape – for uncomplicated wire maintenance.
Tips
- Use a snap case to hold your tools so small things won’t fall out.
- Don’t get top-of-the-line items for your home tool kit but don’t cheap out either. Often cheap tools are made of inferior materials. Most big-box home stores carry a range of prices.
- Don’t put away your tool kit until all the pieces of it are back inside. Having it sitting on the kitchen table for 3 days is better than opening it one day, finding tools missing, and no idea where you left them!