I need tools!

If I get a house I need tools!

What tools do I need?

Earnest question from my son during his househunt. Well. huh. He’s right. He doesn’t have any tools. Aside from the small hammer I gave him as a joke after an amusing story of him fixing his barracks bed with his military-issue flashlight. What tools does he need?

In this family, we know tools. My father came from a rural background of fixers and turned into an extraordinarily handy man. My husband has a mechanical background and is the best to have around when I decide to rip up various parts of the house. He is great at helping me put it all back together. They both love their tools. Funniest Christmas ever when they gave each other the exact same saw. And me, I buy tools, store tools, and buy maintenance products for those tools. I know what industry professionals want and use.

And here we left the newest man of his house high and dry without a knowledge about what he will need when he becomes a homeowner. To be fair, to give that child a tool any younger would have turned my hair white faster than it already does. The houses he is looking at are at the bottom of the property ladder and will definitely need a hammer along with a lot more.

Here is a list of essential tools every new homeowner should have to tackle various home improvement projects and maintenance tasks.

20 oz Claw Hammer - Hammers come in all shapes and sizes. This hammer will cover most common household needs. The 20oz is how heavy the head is on the hammer. The heavier the head, the more power. 20oz is versatile enough to get most projects done. The claw end is helpful when having to pull nails or for where leverage in prying is needed.

Screwdriver set - Sets can range to a couple screwdrivers all the way up to 40 pieces! A good starter set is between 10-14 pieces. At the very least a #2 phillips and flathead screwdriver will get you started. I have a combination driver with tips in my work bag. Al ong with a couple stubbies and minnies, I have never really needed more for simple fixes.

Pipe Wrench Set - It seems like one would be enough, but no. It takes one to hold the connecting pipe from spinning as you tighten or loosen what needs doing. A 4-pc set should get you through most common repairs.

Adjustable wrench set- Handy for adjusting and tightening nuts and bolts of various sizes.

Plier set - slip joint plier, needle-nose, and locking pliers are essential in a home tool set.

Tape Measure - Pro tip - get a tape measure with both SAE and metric measurements.

Level - Your shelves and picture frames will thank you. But also so will your appliances that work much better when leveled.

Utility Knife - Useful for cutting through cardboard, packaging, and materials. My number one tool on my list when removing carpet. Getting a nice utility knife that you can replace blades and retracts automatically is a toolbox staple.

Stud Finder. New houses require new decorations! New shelves! Preserving your new drywall is of utmost importance. Get a stud finder to drive those hangers and braces right into the studs in your walls for strength.

Flashlight - Yes, your phone comes with a flashlight. But sometimes you need to lay your light down to see at a specific angle. Or you need to be reading directions while looking at something in the dark. Trust me, it will come in handy.

Small step ladder - Your chairs are made for sitting and a nice step ladder will help you reach those hard to reach places. I am a huge fan of this particular step ladder as it is rated for up to 350lbs and it folds to be 1” wide! It stores so easily and is the best one I have ever owned, mostly because I can tuck it away when not in use.

Plunger - You never know when you might need one and it’s a bad day if you don’t have one. Get one.

Power screwdriver - Although I recommend choosing your power tool line early, to get you started, a power screwdriver will get you in the right direction. Save your hand and wrist, especially when assembling furniture, and invest in a power screwdriver that comes with multiple changeable bits.

Tape - Handy in all sorts of repair. Electrical tape for fixing nicks in electrical cords or for cord management. Painter’s tape for clean lines during painting or if you need to mark level on a wall so it won’t pull the paint away. And of course, duct tape. Although my facility guys are really moving over to using the black Gorilla line tape because as they say, “it is really, really sticky and holds real good.”

Lastly, Storage - Get some good storage to hold most of your tools and keep them organized and easy to find. While one of those huge rolling boxes are the dream of every new homeowner, start just big enough to hold your new collection and grow from there.

While this isn’t an all encompassing list, this will get your started in the right direction.