Like many people, we have acquired a cobbled-together set of tools over the years – some stolen from our parents, some we’ve bought in a last-minute rush to put furniture together. But if you want to be more organised, there’s a basic list of tools that every household should own – particularly as you never know when the need may arise (yes, emergencies happen!). Here are the basic tools that will see you through most jobs.
Hammer
A basic hammer will allow you to put furniture together, hang up your artwork, and prise nails out of the wall if you no longer want them there. A good hammer will last a lifetime!
Screwdriver set
A set of basic screwdrivers will see you through everything. If you’ve ever tried to put batteries in toys on Christmas morning, you’ll know how important it is to have a selection of screwdrivers lying around!
It’s good to have both a cross-head (or Phillips head) screwdriver, as well as a flathead screwdriver. You can also get a small screwdriver with detachable heads, which is really handy to have around.
Retractable folding knife
A Stanley knife will see you through so many jobs! It can cut through cardboard, flooring, plastic, leather, and more; if you need to cut anything to size, a Stanley knife is perfect.
Pliers
Pliers are one of those tools that come in handy way more often than you’d think. If anything is stuck, pliers are the thing you need. A set of three (to deal with varying jobs) is ideal for all situations.
Wrench
An adjustable wrench is perfect for gripping, fastening, and loosening things. If you want to tighten or undo nut and bolts, this is what you need. You may not need this as often as some of the other tools on this list, but when it’s needed, particularly when it comes to plumbing jobs, it’s the best thing for the job.
Allen key set
If you’ve ever assembled a piece of flatpack furniture, chances are you’ve got a couple of these floating around somewhere. But having a set of Allen keys (or hex keys) is useful to have, especially if you need to tighten a piece of furniture – we often use them to tighten desk chairs, for example, as they become loose over time.
Funnel
This is a weird one to include as a tool, but bear with me! A good plastic funnel is vital for jobs like topping up your car with oil. You don’t realise how much you need one until you attempt to pour liquid from one thing into another – a funnel will save you so much mess.
Tape measure
A basic retractable tape measure is a lifesaver, whether you’re measuring your child’s height for a car seat, trying to figure out if a new piece of furniture is going to fit where you want it to go, or you’re trying to evenly space pictures on a wall. You’ll definitely need one!
Basic drill kit
Buying a drill kit feels a bit overwhelming. But for common household jobs, you don’t need anything fancy or expensive. This DeWalt set will last you for a long time, and will cover a range of household jobs.
A combi drill will cover most jobs like making basic holes, and an impact driver is brilliant for driving screws or bolts into different materials.
Plus, if you need more drill bits later on for specific tasks (like drilling into ceramic, for example), you can pick them up later and use them with your original drill.
Electric sander
Sand paper is great for small things, but if you need to strip and repaint a windowsill or a piece of furniture, an electric sander is what you want. It makes sanding down larger surfaces much quicker and easier.
Picture hanging kit
A picture hanging kit is great if you have a lot of artwork to hang, particularly when you first move in! It makes the process of hanging pictures far easier, and is designed to reduce damage to the wall underneath. This is one of those tools that you’ll be grateful to have over the years as new artwork comes into the house.
Stud finder
A stud finder is a vital bit of kit. It allows you to find wires hidden in walls, floors, and ceilings. This means you won’t accidentally drill through wires, keeping you (and your home) safe from accidents.
Is there anything we’ve covered (or not) that has proved essential over time? Let us know in the comments below.
Featured image: Bermix Studio, Unsplash
