| If you are a new home owner, you need to learn | | | | style to give you most versatility for pounding |
| to do some easy fix-it jobs and become familiar | | | | tasks and basic nail removal. |
| with the term 'do-it-yourself'. And you don't need | | | | Screwdriver |
| to be a new home owner necessarily. You could | | | | Buy small, medium and large sized head |
| be out on your own for the first time and moving | | | | screwdrivers in both a standard (also called flat) |
| into an apartment or condo. Or maybe you are | | | | and Phillips versions. Most of the time you can find |
| just a college-bound student and you are heading | | | | a set that has long and short lengths of all the |
| off to live in a dorm. | | | | sizes that you will commonly need. |
| Regardless, there are going to be times when | | | | Pliers and Wrenches |
| things breaks or go awry and you need a little | | | | There are three basic pliers that you need: |
| know-how to fix some of these little | | | | needle-nose for small, intricate grabbing tasks, |
| inconveniences. | | | | slip-joint pliers for most common jobs and a |
| There is no need for you to be intimidate or | | | | groove-joint pliers for larger tasks. When starting |
| overwhelmed. Everyone has had to start from | | | | out, the best wrench you can buy is an adjustable |
| square one when they first move out. And you | | | | wrench. These come in a variety of sizes so opt |
| will be amazed at just how simple it is to take | | | | for a small and a medium to cover most tasks |
| care of these little nuisances life throws your way. | | | | found around the home. |
| Once you have fixed your first wobbly chair, hung | | | | Utility Knife |
| a dozen picture frames and tightened that screw | | | | A cheap utility knife is indispensible when you are |
| on the refrigerator, you'll be ready to tackle | | | | required to cut something and all you have are |
| installing that new ceiling fan. Really! | | | | table knives. Opt for a disposable type that has |
| Basic Tools | | | | removable snap-off blades that you remove as |
| In order to get started down the road to being | | | | they dull. These are cheap so pick up a couple and |
| self-sufficient and able to handle some everyday | | | | keep one in your tool box and one in your kitchen |
| fixit tasks, you have to get a basic tool set. The | | | | draw for cut off those darn plastic packaging |
| first thing I recommend is to get a small tool box. | | | | items that are so tough to open. |
| This should be large enough to accommodate | | | | Level |
| several items about the size of a large hammer | | | | Buy the longest level you can afford. But don't |
| (you know what a hammer looks like, right?) and | | | | overdo it. Most jobs only need a level with a |
| have a removable tray with separate slots for | | | | length of 2 feet. This is very handy whenever |
| screws, pins, nails, etc. This will only cost about | | | | you are hanging wall items such as pictures to |
| $25 at your local home center. | | | | ensure they are...well, level. |
| Hammer | | | | Measuring Tape and Yardstick |
| The hammer is possibly the most used tool in the | | | | These are self explanatory. The measuring tape |
| home. Look for a model that is about 12 ounces | | | | should be at least 9 feet and it helps if you can |
| in weight with a sturdy, well-balanced handle. The | | | | get both of these in standard and metric |
| handle can be of any material but I like fiberglass | | | | measurement. |
| or wood. The head should be a 'claw-hammer' | | | | |