I. LOVE. TOOLS. Power tools, hand tools, crafting tools, and dental tools (I was a dental assistant for 17 years). It wasn’t easy narrowing down my top 10 must-have tools. Only after purchasing our house, I realized what a behemoth this house would be in terms of fixing things. It sure has taken me for a ride. Along the way, I’ve found that without specific tools fixing this beautiful house just wouldn’t have been possible.
TOP 10 MUST-HAVE TOOLS FOR DIY’ers
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I have consulted my “dream team” of DIY’ers: Joseph is one of my husbands, and I’s best friend’s (he’s an engineer and a Damn good DIY’er), Melanie is my older sister and fellow student of our parents, and my DIY Jedi Master aka my Mom.
Just so it is clear this list does not include the obvious “must-haves” like a ratchet set, Allen wrenches, hammer, assorted pliers, flat-head and Phillips screwdrivers measuring tape, circular saw, gloves, utility knife, and assorted hand saws. There are some great toolkits out there. I own the one featured below by Stanley. The list below is for people who want not just to maintain their house but do some DIYing.
This is my #1 for a good reason. You will need it for practically every home improvement project. I have two, and I LOVE them. The impact drill is amazeballs! I burnt out two motors trying to put up the hardy backer board to tile my bathroom. When my hubby brought me the impact
I have three sizes of levels, 48 inches, 24 inches, and 12 inches. Their uses go beyond them DIY projects as I also use them for decorating and crafting. I’m a massive fan of the good old-fashioned bubble levels but see the purpose and efficiency of the laser models. If the budget allows, I would invest in both.
I use these suckers for everything, even cleaning around the house. Since 2009 I have gone through 5 putty knives until I found some that felt good in my hand. I recommend having a few different sizes and shapes to accommodate various projects. This is an essential tool.
Okay, this one you could live without…but why would you want to? I use my shop vac all the time inside and outside the house. It is especially great for sucking up spiders. I hate spiders! It seems like the little engine that could at the end of all my messy projects. There are so many excellent attachments that you can purchase, which makes it hand to clean up the car. Also if you are buying one that is a wet/dry vac, then those big spills are easily cleaned up as well.
Miter saw
I have used this to make so many cool projects. I have cut hundreds of feet of baseboard trim, trim for the front door along with creating a badass fireplace mantel. Once you have mastered the miter cut, the DIY uses are endless. Aside from having a circular saw, this is a non-negotiable saw to have. Make sure to purchase one with a laser marker to show you where to cut. This is not a cheap purchase!
At first, I thought that these oscillating tools were kind of a gimmick, really not worth their salt, but boy was I wrong. After our kitchen flooded and I had to remove the glass tile back-splash with a short deadline of 10 hours to remove and replace the drywall I was panicked. My mom bought and brought over this oscillating tool, and it saved the day. I was able to cut around the tile and remove it in sheets instead of trying to pry it off the wall. Also, I used it to sand all my kitchen cabinets before painting them. Love this little guy! It also has applications for crafting.
Air compressor with accessories
This is, by far, my favorite tool to play with. It makes putting up trim fun. That really says something for me because I have trimmed out my whole house. This can be a little intimidating to use because of the sound and also the fear of shooting yourself or someone else. Read the instructions and make sure to properly store the tank to prevent rusting. If you want to re-upholster some larger furniture using the staple gun is fast and easy.
Everyone knows what a stud finder is right? Then why do I see so many people using the “knocking” method to find where the studs are. This stud finder is tremendous and the most accurate one that I have ever used. I was able to purchase it at our local Costco but also found it on Amazon. Of course, it is crucial to know where the studs are, but, you also need to understand where pipes and electrical lines are. This guy shows you it all. I highly recommend it!
This one seems like a no-brainer to me. Do you enjoy being electrocuted? Well neither do I. I was recommended this tool by my girlfriend’s husband, who just so happens to be a journeyman electrician. If it’s good enough for him, then it’s good enough for me. I have changed out all my outlets, light switches, and light fixtures using this little guy. Talk about a real-life saver…literally.
This one might be a little strange to have on a must-have tools list but let me explain. When we purchased our house, we used these pry bars to remove all the baseboard trim on the upper floor. Then the house flooded and we had to remove all the trim again. Using these pry bars always removed everything without damaging the wall or the trim. A lifesaver in my book.
These, of course, are all my must-have tools, in my opinion. I hope that they work just as well for all of you as they did for me. Happy DIYing!
In the process of buying a new house? How about starting some renovations in your home? I have a couple of great posts on house hunting, what to do before you move into a new house and must-have products every homeowner should have. I also have an excellent free househunting printable to help you keep track of all the houses you’ve looked at. Check out the DIY section on this blog for some fun home decorating and DIY tips for homeowners.
This is such a great post. very informative 🙂 I really enjoyed it !!
http://www.ambiinwonderland.com
I am so glad you liked it! I read your blog this morning. What a gorgeous site! Hope you keep reading mine. Happy blogging.
Awesome list! I’m working on building my collection of tools and most of the items on my must buy list is on your post. Looks like I’m on the right track then, eh? 🙂
Yes sir I would say you are on the right track. All the tools I listed I could not live without being a home owner. Good luck on finishing your collection! Cheers.
I also have a porter cable c2002-Wk in the garage, it helped me a tire pump, a few woodworking. I’m happy with it.
I love that air compressor soooo much. It is the most enjoyable power tool that I own. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post!
I thank you so much for your effort in writing this post.
Thank you so much. I hope you continue to enjoy my future posts.
This information is magnificent. I understand and respect your clear-cut points. I am impressed with your writing style and how well you express your thoughts.
Thank you very much! It’s not easy being a Dyslexic writer!
Seems like you have all the boxes checked! This list would make a great start to any diy person. I have almost everything on the list except the air compressor and tools and the oscillating tool. I just have a battery powered nail gun. It was my first big purchase and it can use regular nails or staples. I love it. I liked your blog on the curtain rods. I built a desk with the legs being made out of the same pipe as those rods. I think curtains with those rods would match nicely. I had also considered building shelving out of it. Thoughts on that?
I think that making shelving would make a great addition to the desk. There are so many tutorials on Pinterest for making that kind of shelving. I guess the sky’s the limit. Thank you so much for reading my posts. Cheers!
Thank you so much for your time in writing this post.
Very good blog post. I definitely love this site. Continue the good work!
Thank you very much Melissa! This is wonderful post and pretty impressive as well. I just love your idea.
Thank you. I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
A DIYer can never have enough tools! My most used tool is my cordless drill. I would add a jigsaw to your list for smaller cutting applications. Great post though!
Hi George. Thanks for reading and commenting. Yes a jigsaw is a great tool to add to the list. I just narrowed it down to my top 10 tools I use the most. A jigsaw is a wonderful and usefull tool to add to any DIY’ers arsenal. Cheers and hope you have a great new year!
An amazing post! And awesome list of must have tools those are well-researched. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much. All my research was trial by fire! Being a homeowner has made me realize that having the right tool for the job is essential for my sanity. I’m glad you enjoyed my post!
Your curtain rods look great. I want to throw out the vertical blinds that came with mt home and use your idea for the patio doors – just wasn’t sure how to go about it. Now I know, thanks to you, and will get them done soon. From a 73 year old who enjoys DIY.
Hello there Ruby! This is a very easy DIY that you should be able to do on your own. I would recommend if you are trying to put up more then 5 ft at a time to have some help when you are ready to finally mount them. Good luck and let me know if you have a questions about the build.
Amazing blog post Melissa. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Steffy Joe. Thank you so much! I am so happy you liked it and checked out my blog.
Good to know that woman can really be familiar with power and hand tools =)
Hi Tom. I’m going to take that as a compliment. Shockingly, there are millions of women that are familiar and badass with tools. The living and non living kind…. cheers!
Excellent. Absolutely loved reading and very helpful at the same time 🙂
Thank you Robert! I love my tools and love sharing my thoughts with the world. Thanks for reading.
Thanks for gathering all the important tools under one roof. This post is really helpful for all the DIYers who tend to execute work on their own.
This is helpful. However, hiring the professional and right contractor is really important because it will surely get the job done right without any accident or damage.
Hey there Jonathan. While you are certainly right about hiring proper contractors some of us prefer to do the DIY thing. Also you might have a vested interest considering you work for or own a drywall repair company? I’m hoping you read through my post to understand that I have almost single handily renovated my entire upper floor of my house by my onesies. This included a TON on drywalling, plumbing, electrical, painting, caulking, spackeling, wood work and general female bad-assery! Not because I couldn’t afford to hire someone but because I wanted to get my hands dirty and make a home I was proud of. Also, my hubby isn’t a “hands on” type of guy…so there’s that. Thanks for your comment.
Hey Melissa
I am 100% agree with you about this matter because we all need some fixing issues in our house on a monthly basis. Your article was amazing and I invited you to read mine.
Toolszip.com 🙂
Rafi recently posted…How to Use a Jigsaw – Pro Tips to Ace the Task
Thanks Rari! I enjoyed your post as well.
Awesome post…. Luckily i have almost all of these tools. I keep DeWalt drills the cordless ones.
hey i found this blog really engaging and all the information you shared was very helpful.
as a DIY persothisn i always look for something like this i am glad i stopped by this one.
thank you for sharing .
helen stiffler recently posted…What Exactly is A Master Electrician?
Thank you! I don’t have most of these yet!
Hey, thank for sharing the information about different tools. Really nice!
Hey Melissa,
Thank You so much for Sharing very informative article. tools is very necessary for every day.
as- i am a furniture designer. many days ago we used hand Saw, when delay to create furniture.
now we use power tools & create furniture easily…
Alex recently posted…Best Table Saw – Reviews and Buying Guide of 2019
Hey, Alex says thank for sharing the information about different tools. Really nice! your article
Great list of useful tools. This tool is very necessary for everyday life. Unfortunately, I don’t have all of them that you listed. But I have Ryobi Miter Saw , drills, voltage tester, pry bar set. these tools help me a lot in my daily life.
James Rk recently posted…How to Cut a 135 Degree Angle on a Miter Saw Like a Pro