When we bought our first house 5 years ago we did not own many tools. We had a few basics, but it wasn’t until we started doing a few projects on our old house that we started collecting more tools. Then when we moved into our new to us house 3 years ago that needed a lot of love we really started accumulating more tools. Now that we have many, many projects under our belt we have come to rely on a few go-to tools that we use in almost every project we tackle. If you are a new homeowner or are just getting started in DIY projects this post is for you – I’ve rounded up my favorite tools that are a good base to have for many different kinds of projects you may tackle around the house.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. For more information, see my disclosures here. This post is not sponsored. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
1 – Hammer
A hammer was the first tool I ever used. It’s great for hanging pictures, but can be used for so much more! It’s a nice tool to have around the house, even if you aren’t planning on tackling any major projects! Nathan prefers a large wooden hammer, but I like a smaller hammer with a grip.
2 – Tape Measure
A tape measure goes right along with a hammer. It’s something we use for almost every single project we do! Very useful from hanging pictures, to more complex projects like installing moulding.
3 – Level
A level is useful for so many things! Hanging pictures, installing backsplash tile, installing moulding… you name it and it’s probably a good idea to make sure whatever you are doing is level. Can you tell we have done a lot of picture hanging?
4 – Screwdriver
A screwdriver is another practical tool to have around the house whether you are planning on doing projects around the house or not. It comes in handy for putting furniture together and taking things apart. We don’t have this fancy screwdriver, but it’s definitely on my wish list of tools because it would be so convenient to be able to swap out all of the different heads easily.
5 – Drill
A drill is a very nice to have tool if you are doing anything beyond normal house maintenance (although we use ours all the time!). We love this drill and the batteries usually last a few hours. We do have multiple batteries and usually just keep one on the charger so it’s always ready to go.
6 – Stud Finder
If you are hanging anything heavy on your walls or from your ceiling its usually a good idea to use a stud finder. You could always use anchors, these are my favorite for hanging heavier things), but if you want to get something in a stud using a stud finder is an easy way to do so.
7 – Rubber Mallet
A rubber mallet is nice to have when you feel like you need to use a hammer, but the hammer’s head would damage whatever you are hitting, like wood or metal.
8 – Clamps
We have used clamps for a number of projects around the house. Whether its holding wood in place while wood glue sets or clamping a piece of wood down to securely screw it they have come in very handy!
9 – Pry Bar
If you are doing sort of renovation projects a pry bar comes in very handy! We have used this for everything from ripping carpet up, tearing out cabinets, removing old tile. Our renovation projects would have been much harder without our beloved pry bar!
10 – Linesman Pliers
These pliers are a top contender for my favorite tool. They are incredibly useful and multi-functional. They are fantastic at gripping, which makes them great for pulling carpet staples out. I find myself grabbing these pliers for more than I ever imagined.
11 – Mitre Saw
A mitre saw is on this list as a “nice to have” if you are doing any sort of projects using wood. It’s definitely on the more expensive side, but it is well worth it if you plan to install trim or build anything with wood!
12 – Nail Gun
A nail gun is another “nice to have” if you are doing any projects involving wood, like installing trim. It’s another item that is more on the expensive side, but it is worth it if you use it. This is not the exact nail gun we have, but I love how compact this one is for smaller projects and you don’t need an air compressor for it.
