What’s in My Tool Box

By contributing partner and guest blogger, Isabelle LaRue

I love tools and have lots of them. I have so many, in fact, that I have a whole closet full of them in my apartment! So when I’m asked which ones are a must to have for a beginner DIY’er, it’s hard for me to pick favorites. But when I made a house call recently to help a friend who was moving into a new apartment, I realized that the tools I chose to bring with me are in fact my “go-to”, “must-have” basic tools and fasteners. So here’s a list of what I brought with me:  go-to

Multi-tool: This is by far my most used and cherished tool - There are many different kinds out there, but most of them will give you a few basic screwdrivers, pliers, a knife and other small useful tools.

Tape Measure: This is definitely a must have and if you don’t have one already, I would recommend spending a little extra money for a good quality one that’s at least 25 feet long – this will be most useful over the long run.

 

Cordless drill and drill bits: No matter if you’re a beginner or advanced DIY’er, a cordless drill with a basic set of drill bits and drivers is a must. This will be useful for everything from putting furniture together, to building your own simple furniture projects. And to make less of a mess when drilling into walls, I use a post-it note to catch the dust. 

Hammer: This is one of the basic tools that I always bring along, even if I don’t think I’ll need one. I glued a magnet to the end of mine so it can hold small nails.  

Level: Nowadays, smart phones can also act as a level but I still like to have a small level on hand. I also have a fancier hands-free laser level – it’s great for hanging picture frames when you don’t have a helper- it literally sticks to the wall or ceilings and stays there!

Fasteners: My go-to fastener that I always bring with me are SPAX Multi-Material Screws – I know they will work for just about any material (wood, dry wall, masonry, sheet metal, and plastic), and because they don’t require any pre-drilling, they make any project go much faster. I bring a kit with me that has several sizes so I know I’m covered no matter what. 

Wall anchors: You never know what type of wall you’re dealing with I always bring an assortment of wall anchors and hanging hardware to cover my bases.

So these are the absolute basics I would bring on a general house call but if I were also planning on building something, I would add these tools:

Miter Box and Saw: Although you can get most lumber cut at the hardware store, every DIY’er should also have a miter box and saw in their tool arsenal — it’s perfect for making straight or 45 degree cuts in small wood boards.

 

Speed Square: they are really inexpensive and are great for ensuring that angles are at 90 degrees and for transferring measurements. 

 

Clamps (corner clamps, bar clamps and spring clamps): they are like having a second set of hands and make building much easier, especially if you’re working alone. 

What about you? Would you add another tool to this list? Please share in the comments below!

SPAX.US

Isabelle LaRue is the creator, producer and host of the award winning DIY home show "Engineer Your Space". Isabelle designs solutions that transform less-than-perfect spaces into beautiful and functional homes. Featured in well known online publications, you can see more from Isabelle at http://www.engineeryourspace.com/ or find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.