Building Your Home Maintenance Tool Box
Whether or not you are particularly handy with tools, every home should have a toolbox stocked with the basics. If you have these tools handy, you are much more likely to keep up with maintenance tasks as they pop up.
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Basics
The first thing that everyone seems to think of when it comes to stocking a toolbox is a hammer and a screwdriver. So this is a great place to start. You will want to have straight and Phillips head screwdrivers and an Allen wrench set to go with them. Now add pliers, regular and needle nose. You will also want several adjustable wrenches and a socket wrench set. Along with your regular claw hammer, you will want a ball peen hammer and a mallet. Then you can round out your hand tool selection with a pry bar, a pipe wrench and a sledgehammer. A power drill with an assortment of tips is also an essential addition to your toolbox.
Tools for Cutting
You want to always have the proper tool for the job, so get cutting gear that has broad use to begin and then you can add more specific cutting devices to your collection later. Start with a good utility knife, a pair of tin snips and a good hand saw. Then as your need increases you can add in other saws like a coping, bow, hack, circular, crosscut and jigsaw.
Safety First
Whenever you are working with tools, always put safety first. First protect your eyes and ears with glasses and earplugs. Use a dust mask and have a flashlight handy in your toolbox. Invest in a solid stepladder and good quality extension cords. You can always add various rope, clamps and work lights as you need them.
Tools for Measuring
The old carpentry saying 'measure twice, cut once', speaks directly to the point in home repair. Have a good tape measure and lead pencil in your toolbox. You can also have rulers, a combination square and a chalk line, and as you do more work around the house your tool collection will grow.
Fasteners
Now that you have all of your tools in place, you want to also have an assortment of screws, nails, fasteners, nuts, bolts and washers. Sandpaper is always good to have on hand as is a good bottle of wood glue. And finally you will always want a can of WD-40 spray lubricant and duct tape. That way when all of your other tools are not getting the repair job done, everyone knows that you can fix just about anything with enough duct tape!
Growing your Collection
There are many other tools that you can add to your collection, and as you do a project that requires a new tool, you can add to your collection. In time your tools will become more and more specific, but for now, these are the tools that you should have on hand to do most light maintenance around your house. As you collect tools, at some point, you will also need to add another toolbox to your collection.
