A reader question came in a few weeks ago, and I thought it was such a good one it deserved a whole blog post. She explained that she is a new homeowner and doesn’t really have tools yet. “What tools do you recommend that you use for pretty much everything you do?”.
Love it!
I love tools, the first gift I remember my husband giving me when we were dating was a tool set. I ask for tools for Christmas, and getting a new tool makes me so happy. However, just like anything else, there are tools that are very useful and some that are just taking up space.
Some tools are also very project specific (ie: a tile saw) others are more general, and will be used over and over again. This is meant to be a general list of tools to have in home DIY projects.
One more note – I don’t have a favorite tool brand – there are better quality tools than others, but that also doesn’t mean you need to buy the most expensive one to get good use out of it. I’ll link to some tools in this post so you can see what I’m recommending – but keep an eye out for sales at your local hardware store, or even yard sales to stretch your dollar farther!
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This first list is where I’d start if I were starting from scratch. These were some of the first tools we purchased when we were new homeowners, and they will get you started.
Safety first! Have these items in your garage/workshop to protect yourself. A good pair of gloves, safety glasses and ear plugs. {A note on the ear plugs: I realized one of my fears of power tools was how loud they were. May sound silly, but once I was wearing ear plugs they just didn’t seem so scary anymore.}
1. Cordless Drill – I use this one EVERY SINGLE PROJECT. Not to mention it’s great for hanging artwork, and other small repairs around the house.
2. Level – Keeps things straight – need I say more?
3. Screw driver set – Get a good assortment of screwdrivers. I have a short handled, flat head screwdriver that was my grandfather’s and it touches every project I do. They are just useful for so many projects!
4. Hammer – get a good one that will pry and pull nails.
5. Measuring tape – We have at least 5 of these, and I can never find one when I need it. So do yourself a favor and buy a couple. Get a good sturdy one that will hold it’s own when you are measuring a long distance.
6. Circular saw – This was the first type of saw we bought and we still use it all the time. You can usually purchase a tool pack that comes with both a circular saw and a cordless drill – great for the first time. As you build more, buy an extra battery pack though so you can have both tools accessible at the same time.
As we started doing more and more home projects (and furniture flipping) these were the secondary tools we bought – and immediately wondered how we ever lived without them!
1. Clamps – Small clamps, long clamps – buy some clamps – they act as extra hands!
2. Sander – No you cannot sand that by hand. I prefer a quarter pad sander to an orbital, but either will do. For around $50 you can get a good one that will last a long time.
3. Chop saw/miter saw – This is the saw we don’t know how we lived without. So quick and handy to use, get’s those angles right every time!
4. Saw horses – These are great because they fold flat. Super handy to set up as an extra workstation, yet very lightweight!
5. Nail gun – This thing is the best ever, and you will use it for everything. You do need a compressor to go with it.
6. Stud finder – Sure you can knock on the wall, but does that really work?? This is how I’m sure to hit the stud. Kids love to “help” with this too!
7. Square – Yes you need one. Check yard-sales for these. Super handy to mark straight lines when cutting wood, and checking your right angles.
8. Dremel Multi-Max– This little tool is amazing. It has a flat blade so it’s able to get into places other saws can’t. It’s also an oscillating blade so I feel less likely to cut my fingers off when I’m using it (you still could get hurt so use caution, just saying I feel like it’s not so scary).
Tools I thought I needed, but don’t use much:
Router – I was really excited to get a router, I have two. A mini one and a table router. I just don’t hardly use them. They certainly have their place (especially in fine wood working), but this doesn’t make my top list.
Jig saw – This little saw is nice to have because it’s really easy to handle, however I notice I don’t use it much. If you want a finer detail cut, or are going to be cutting something curvy this is the one for you – otherwise you don’t really need one.
Dremel – I told you about the Dremel Multi-Max above, but the regular Dremel tool with all the little bits and sanders sits on the shelf gathering dust. I never found it to be very helpful with the projects I was working on.
I was a blog reader long before I started this blog. The original bloggers I followed were all Home Decor and DIY bloggers – check them out if you want a little more DIY inspiration, tips and how-to’s: Thrifty Decor Chick, Young House Love, Ana White (especially for furniture building plans).
I hope this tool guide was helpful to get you started in the right direction. Invest in these items a little at a time and before you know it you’ll be ready to conquer any DIY project that comes your way!
Did I miss any of your favorite tools?? Let me know in the comments if I did!
Until next time,
Jenni
