Basic Tools to Own

I like to pretend that I can build anything at home. In reality, there are times where I just don’t want to spend money on things, and so I do it myself.

These days, it’s pretty simple to do most anything yourself if you have the time and energy. You also need the money to build or complete what you want, but assuming that you already have the money, then doing it yourself is generally possible.

As an example, I finished more than half of my own basement by myself. Maybe someday I’ll write up how I finished a basement while having a couple of wild kids running around. It took a bunch of time both learning and doing, but at the end of the day, it turned out really well.

While finishing a basement is going to require a lot of tools, there are few basic tools that everyone should have around their home. Below are the tools that I consider essential, followed by a couple of examples of things I’ve built with just those tools.

Tools

Level

You should own at least a couple of levels - a smaller level (under 12 inches) and a longer level (2-3 feet). I have a level that’s 5 feet in length as well, but that's really only for bigger projects.

There are so many times where you need to make sure your work is even that a level is a must have - if you don't, then you can expect a lot of uneven results.

Tape measure

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

I shouldn’t even have to put this on the list. Make sure you have a few of these as they tend to wander off with the kids.

Hammer

This should be obvious to anyone that has things to do around a home or apartment. A hammer can be used in so many different ways. If you’re going to hang pictures, then you’ll need a hammer.

Beyond pounding nails in walls, you can use hammers for moving tight pieces of wood into place, or pulling apart wood.

Make sure to invest in a good quality hammer. For years I had a little hammer and was always struggling to drive nails into a wood. Once I had a good solid hammer, I never had that problem again. A heavier hammer will make jobs much easier.

Drill and Screwdrivers

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This is yet another tool to not cheap out on. A good solid drill will make a huge difference in your experience when you need to use it. I went through 4 drills before I finally realized this. A cheap drill will just make things frustrating for you.

I have a DeWalt impact driver that I really like, but there are a lot of great options out there. Just realize that you’ll probably be spending close to $100 for a good drill.

In addition to a drill, make sure you have several screwdrivers as well. Make sure you have extras as well since your kids will likely end up playing and running off with them more often than you’d like.

A screwdriver is important to go with a drill because there are times where you don’t want to get something too tight, or a drill is just too fast for your needs.

Circular Saw

This is one item where you can go cheaper if you’d like. My circular saw is a $20 tool that I bought 10 years ago when I first bought a home, and I’ve been using it ever since.

What’s more important here is to make sure you get a good blade for your saw and that you change that blade and take care of it. A sharp blade will make cuts much easier.

Make sure to be extremely careful when using a circular saw as a moving blade is always dangerous, especially if you have kids running around. I keep my kids away when using the blade so that I don’t get distracted by what they’re doing. I also always wear eye protection when using the saw.

Things to do with above tools

Hang curtains

Photo by Orlova Maria on Unsplash

This was the first thing I had to do when we bought our first home, and all I had was a junky drill. It didn’t go well, but I accomplished it.

On our second home, I had a much nicer drill, and it was easier to hang curtains. I still hate hanging curtains and blinds though.

Build a standing desk

I have a standing desk at home that I built myself out of Ikea furniture. You can read how to build your own standing desk in our article here.

I actually only used my drill and screwdrivers for this project - no cuts necessary. I could have built it out of wood as well, but the Ikea route was so much simpler.

Build a platform/deck

I’ve now built 2 platforms in my backyard, with a third coming. The only tools needed were those listed above.

The basics of this are as follows:

• Measure lengths needed
• Mark boards to cut length
• Cut with circular saw
• Connect with nails and/or screws
• Flatten out area where deck will lay
• Place base blocks
• Place base in place
• Cut top board
• Place on top and nail in place

Watch for a much more detailed write-up in the future about a project like this.

Conclusion

There are so many different ways to use some basic tools at home. With a little bit of research, and a few mistakes, you can build many fun and useful things around the house.