Essential Tools for New Homeowners: A Complete Guide

Published October 4, 2024

Absolutely Essential Tools for Homeowners

Every new homeowner needs a basic set of essential tools to handle common repairs and maintenance. These tools will help you fix things around the house, hang pictures, or complete small projects with ease. These tools have enough use cases or should be on-hand to avoid an emergency trip to the hardware store when time to fix something might be needed to avoid damaging your house, like quickly fixing a temporary leak. Here are the must-have tools for every household:

Hammer

There’s a joke among trades that anything is a hammer if you try. Having an actual hammer is essential though. A hammer will be used for driving nails, hanging pictures, and small demolition projects. It’s a must-have for any household when putting things together or taking things apart.

Screwdrivers (Flathead & Phillips Head)

These screwdrivers are perfect for assembling furniture, tightening screws on cabinets, and fixing small items like electronics. Having both types covers most screw sizes you’ll find at home. There are a lot of multi-tool screwdrivers that will include Phillips head and flathead attachments. Some will also include other, less common screw types, like Torx and hex heads. At one point, we’ve all used a flathead screwdriver to chisel or pry things.

Set of Pliers: Needle-nose & Slip-joint

Pliers can grip and bend wires, pull out nails, and hold small objects tightly. Adjustable multi-grip pliers, a type of slip-joint plier, is useful for removing larger nuts and bolts with a hex head and for light-duty plumbing projects, like replacing a shower head. Hiring a professional to do electrical work is always advisable, but for confident DIYers, needle-nose pliers with a wire cutter integrated into the head gets a lot of use.

Adjustable Wrench

An adjustable wrench is great for tightening or loosening nuts and bolts. It’s also handy for plumbing repairs like fixing a leaky faucet or tightening pipes. In a lot of applications, you can use a wrench where a socket set could be used.

Tape Measure

A tape measure helps you measure spaces for furniture, curtains, and DIY projects. It’s a simple tool that makes sure you get the size right the first time and avoid costly mistakes.

Utility Knife

This knife is used for cutting boxes, trimming materials, and making precise cuts in carpet or plastic. In a pinch, it can be used to cut or score drywall for repairs. The most use you’ll get out of it, however, probably won’t be from projects, but from unpacking all those Amazon boxes you’ll be getting as a new homeowner.

Cordless Drill & Drill Bits

Your first power tool is going to be your biggest investment in your initial homeowner tool box. It will also be the tool that makes your realize the convenience of having a power tool to do a specific job. A cordless drill is a time-saver when drilling holes in walls or assembling large items. It’s also perfect for hanging shelves or curtain rods. If you find yourself using the drill as a power screwdriver more than a drill, it might be time to invest in a dedicated power driver.

You should buy a cordless drill when you see a good sale on one. If you wait to buy a drill when you need one for project, you may be paying top price for a drill or choosing an inferior model because it’s the cheapest option at the time. This is a decision that could cost you in the long run as you tackle more projects around the house.

Level

A level ensures your pictures, shelves, or anything you hang are straight. It takes the guesswork out of making things look right on your walls. A quality metal level also comes in handy as a straight edge. Some levels will include measurements.

Hand Saw

You might think that saws are reserved for carpentry or wood work. But there are many projects around your house where the need to cleanly cut through material is needed. Cutting a hole in the wall to run cable, trimming foam insulation to size, or cutting through small pieces of plastic or wood are common. I’m not going to suggest a traditional hand saw here, because there are two small saws that I use more than most on projects.

A staggered teeth hand saw

A staggered-tooth hand saw eats through material. While not precise, these saws can easily cut through most non-metal material quickly. It can be used as a jab saw to cut into drywall, a wood saw to roughly cut through 2x4s, and are also great for outdoor pruning work.

Compact hacksaw

Hacksaws are designed to cut through metal. Compact hacksaws take up minimal space and make cutting through small plastic and metal objects.

Safety Gear (Goggles, Work Gloves, Dust Mask)

Safety is not optional. Even routine projects have potential to produce debris, dust, or other hazards. Don’t regret doing a DIY project to save money, which ends up costing more money in medical bills, because you avoided wearing safety gear. Safety gear is essential for protecting your eyes, ears, and lungs while you’re working. It’s important when using power tools or dealing with dust and chemicals. If you are using power tools, you also want to consider ear protection.

Ladder or Step Stool

A ladder or step stool helps you safely reach high places, like when changing light bulbs, painting, or installing smoke detectors. “But I can stand on my barstool.” Sure there are a lot of ways to reach high places without a ladder or step stool. Like safety gear though, doing a job the right way means doing it safely. Having a sturdy platform to stand on is essential.

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Suggested Tools for Homeowners

While not immediately essential, these suggested tools will be very useful as you take on more advanced home projects. Most of the jobs of the tools in this section can be done with the essential tools or by other methods. However, having these tools will make jobs easier or more successful. They help with tasks like hanging heavy items, mechanical repairs, or sealing and repairing.

Non-Contact Voltage Tester

If you do any DIY work, a voltage tester should likely be in your essentials tool box and not a suggested item to have around the house. This tool is critical to test weather or not an electric wire is “hot” (electrified) or not.

Stud Finder

A stud finder helps you find wooden beams inside your walls so you can securely hang heavy items like shelves, mirrors, or a TV. Spend a little extra and get a stud finder that can also detect pipes and wires behind a wall to avoid accidentally drilling or cutting into something that can cause damage or harm to yourself.

Allen Wrench Set

Allen wrenches (hex keys) are needed for assembling furniture, like chairs and tables, and tightening bolts on appliances or bicycles. This isn’t on our essential list, because a lot of furniture manufacturers will include the right size Allen wrench in the packaging for assembly. You may end up having a collection of Allen wrenches from the fixtures and furniture you buy that include them.

Socket Set

When your slip-joint pliers won’t work, a socket set is needed for tightening and loosening nuts and bolts. It’s useful for car repairs, lawn equipment work, furniture assembly, and other mechanical tasks. Sockets provide a tight fitting around nuts and bolt heads, providing greater non-slip leverage for loosening and fighting.

Putty Knife

Putty knifes come in handy for a lot of things other than what they were made for—spreading spackle. Scraping old paint, getting gunk out of cracks, or wallpaper is a bonus use of putty knives. Or, use it what it was made for to spread spackle as filler to fix holes and cracks in walls.

Flashlight or Headlamp

After using the flashlight on your phone for enough projects, you’ll likely find yourself wanting a light that is brighter, easier to mount, or less precious to have around projects than your phone. A flashlight or headlamp is a must-have for working in dark spaces like attics or during a power outage. It helps you see clearly in low light and who cares if you get it dirty. It’s not your phone.

Caulking Gun

A caulking gun seals gaps around windows, sinks, and tubs to prevent leaks. It’s great for keeping your home air- and water-tight. A caulk gun is the applicator for a lot of different material that is packaged in tubes. Silicone caulk is used in bathrooms to seal seems in tubs and sinks. Latex acrylic caulk is paintable and used to patch cracks or holes in molding. For heavy duty glueing or sealing, there are many industrial strength and specialized materials that are applied using a caulk gun.

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Conclusion: The Right Tools for DIY Homeowner Projects

As a new homeowner, having the right tools on hand can save you time, money, and frustration. By investing in a basic toolkit, you’ll be prepared to handle common household tasks like assembling furniture, hanging pictures, fixing leaks, and making small repairs. The absolutely essential tools like hammers, screwdrivers, and a cordless drill will cover most of your daily needs, helping you maintain your home and complete DIY projects with confidence. They are the foundation of your toolkit, giving you the ability to take on basic tasks easily.

As you get more comfortable with homeownership, the suggested tools—like a stud finder, caulking gun, and socket set—will help you take on more specialized projects. Whether you’re sealing windows, hanging a heavy mirror, or patching up walls, these additional tools will make the job faster and more efficient.

Owning a home means there will always be projects, big and small, waiting to be done. With the right tools in your toolkit, you’ll be able to tackle these projects head-on and enjoy the satisfaction of keeping your home in great shape. Investing in a mix of essential and suggested tools now will ensure that you’re well-equipped for any challenge that comes your way, from quick fixes to bigger renovation tasks. Plus, knowing how to use these tools will give you the confidence to take on even more DIY projects in the future!

Posts on Slice Hardware are for information purposes only and not advice for projects, tool use, or safety.