Garden & Home TeamEven if you’re not the handiest person, a tool kit is still a must-have in your home. Pictures will need to
be hanged, spaces need to be measured for new furniture, and, when you have the right tools, you can
put up a shelf that is completely straight and sturdy.
You don’t need a heavy duty toolbox used in construction sites. A simple toolbox with a few must-have
items is more than enough to make sure you’re prepared for any home mishaps or DIY jobs.
Tape measure
No home is complete without a tape measure. From working out home renovation measurements to
deciding where to put new furniture, a tape measure is super useful. You never want to be in the
situation where your new couch arrives, and it can’t fit through your door. Most measuring tapes are just
over seven and a half metres, which is perfect for normal home projects.
Hammer
For hanging pictures and assembling furniture, you need a hammer. There are a tonne of different types
of hammers out there, but the most common one – and the one you need in your home toolbox – is a
claw hammer. One end is flat and used to drive nails into a wall or piece of wood, and the other side is a
claw that you can use to remove nails.
Super Glue
Sometimes you just need a quick fix – that’s where super glue comes in. When a skirting board starts
lifting, or a drawer handle begins to come free from your bedside table, a quick dab of super glue can
keep things stable for a while.
Spirit Level
No one wants a skew shelf in their home. When it comes to drilling holes into walls for pictures, cabinets,
and shelves, a spirit level is a must-use tool. Once you create a hole, that’s it – you’ll need polyfilla and
to add more time to your project to get back to square one to start over. With a spirit level, you can get
the perfect, level measurements you need to drill holes with confidence.
Screwdriver Set
Screwdriver sets run from four pieces all the way up to 60 pieces. Don’t worry, you can leave the 60
piece sets for the serious DIYers. For normal screw tightening on cabinets, drawers, and desks, you can
get away with just having a simple six piece screwdriver set. Popular Mechanics recommends having
Phillips, slotted, and square-drive heads.
Utility Knife
This thing will come in use often. A utility knife is basically a retractable knife with a very sharp blade.
You can reach for this tool when you need to open a box, cut off a piece of a hosepipe, or trim vinyl
flooring.
A Few Painting Tools
You don’t have to have all the necessary requirements to repaint your entire home, but including a
paintbrush, a roller brush, and a paint tray in your tool kit setup will definitely come in handy. For marks
you want to touch up, having a brush on hand will ensure the job only takes a few minutes.
Safety Gear
Better safe than having to rush to the hospital because something flew into your eye while DIYing. Some
jobs don’t require taking safety measures (like touching up some paint), but other jobs do. If you’re
exposing yourself to fumes when spray painting or doing gardening, it’s important to protect your eyes,
lungs, and hands. A pair of work gloves, goggles, and a sturdy mask will last a long time, and you’ll be
glad you have them in your tool kit for those more unusual, intense jobs.
Cordless Drill
While this isn’t an absolute necessity (if you’re only interested in tightening things when they’re loose,
your screwdriver set will do the job), a cordless drill can make a regular DIYer’s life so much easier. As
well as cutting holes and driving in screws, this handy electric tool can be fitted with various drill bits for
specialised projects. If you want to take your toolbox to another level, this is the tool to do it with.
Stop calling up friends and family looking for tools so that you can do a DIY job at home. Put together a
simple toolbox and be prepared.
What About The Actual Toolbox?
You need to have a durable toolbox for all your tools. A simple toolbox can be under 50cm, and have
enough space for the must-have items. Look for a box with an inner removable tray – this is useful when
it comes to keeping things organised, as it will help separate smaller items like bolts and pencils.
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