What’s your home toolkit like?

As a homeowner you are going to come up against all sorts of projects. From changing a lightbulb, hanging artwork to putting up a birdhouse how ready is your toolkit to make your house your own? The last thing you want to do is use an inappropriate tool for the job (like a flat screwdriver on a Phillips screw) and end up stripping the screw and causing more work than the original project would have been.

Screwdrivers

How many different screwdrivers are there? Dozens if not hundreds if you count different sizes and shapes. The good news is you don’t need that many for your day-to-day project. A good place to start is a size 0 Phillips for the mini jobs like changing batteries in small electronics, a size 1 or 2 Phillips is going to be your go to workhorse and typically sets of these screwdrivers are very cheap. A couple sizes of flathead screwdrivers is important as well for projects like paint jobs where you need to remove outlet and switch covers.

Tape Measure and Level

Yes, I know every iPhone has a built-in level, and it might work great for leveling a picture frame on a nail, but when it comes to bigger projects like hanging a shelf, get yourself a good footlong level that will ensure you complete the project the right way.

Hammer

How many different kinds of hammers are out there? A contractor will give you one answer, but every homeowner only needs one and it will accomplish everything from putting a hanging basket post in your garden to a nail in the wall for a picture frame.

Flashlight

A flashlight is a must-have in every emergency preparedness kit, but it’s also good in a toolkit. Your overhead lights might not highlight the small space you are trying to work in, and a flashlight can help make sure you get the job done right.