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Homeowners and apartment dwellers alike need a basic household tool kit.
However, havingbasic toolshandy in your living area makes it much more convenient to do simple home repairs.
You’ll save lots of inconvenient trips out to the garage or down to the basement.
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Your in-home basic tool kit should include these basic do-it-yourself items.
Screwdrivers
Two basic screwdrivers are a necessity.
Choose both a good quality flat head screwdriver and a Phillips head screwdriver in a medium size.
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Pliers
One set of pliers will not do.
Get a small assortment of various sizes and shapes.
Wire cutting pliers are good for wiring and craft jobs.
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Level
You get what you pay for here.
Getting an accurate level for accurate positioning is important.
Consider other sizes if you’ll be doing either delicate projects or construction.
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Use it to grip a screw you want to remove or use two to twist sticky things apart.
It provides a slip-free hold when you need it.
Wire Cutters
keep your scissors with this essential tool.
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A wire cutter makes it easy to snip wire for crafts, electrical repairs, and other household projects.
Pencils
You’ll probably need to mark a drill hole or record a measurement.
It’s available in several widths and looks like plain masking tape.
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However, this special tape is blue and can be removed from most surfaces without damage.
you’ve got the option to use it for other household jobs besides painting.
Mark stud locations with a small square when hanging a picture or installing molding.
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Utility Blades and Holder
There are several varieties to choose from in knives.
They are also handy when opening sealed boxes.
Metal Straightedge
Choose a heavy ruler, long level or angle.
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Felt, Plastic, and Carpet Dots
Keep an assortment of these sticky-backed furniture protectors on hand.
Plastic or rubber dots applied to the bottom back corners of a picture can help keep framed pictures level.
Spackle
You’ll needspackle for filling nail holesin sheetrock before painting.
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Alternatively, you’ll need to spackle to repair small scratches, holes, or dents in walls.
Unless you do lots of repair jobs, we’d recommend buying a small tub.
Spackle dries out even if you seal the container well, and then it will not go on smoothly.
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Putty Knife
To apply spackle, you’ll need a putty knife.
Other uses include scraping up a bit of paint or smoothing down a corner of repaired wallpaper.
Putty knives come in either metal or plastic and are very inexpensive.
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), or to prepare boxed gifts for mailing.
Glues
Solvents
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The Spruce / Margot Cavin
