The Essential Toolkit

Okay, so I got this really great handbag for Christmas.  It's not a Louis.  Or a Coach.
Or even a Michael Kors.

It's a Husky.

Most women are really excited to get a new handbag, right? Well, I certainly was no exception.

 It may be a different kind of handbag, but I definitely get more use out of this than my Kate Spade.

When I moved into my very first apartment in college at the young age of 18, my parents gave me a very heavy toolbox filled with a bunch of essential tools (screwdrivers, hammer, chisel, a box of anchors, and a cheap power screw driver). 13 years later and I'm still using that same red Craftsman toolbox today.  I love that my parents instilled that belief in me early.  Have the right tools so you can take care of it yourself.  What great advice for everyday life, right?

That tool box followed me across the country, through 6 rentals and now 2 houses.  I've replaced most of those early tools (except for the hammer), but thanks to my parents, I've always had the right tools to hang a frame or fix a toilet.

I've gained some experience over the last 13 years and I have worked my way through a few generations of tools.  I have learned what tools work best for me and the projects I am doing daily.

I received a call from a friend last week, and we chatted about how I hope to grow the blog this year.  I have some work to do, but part of it is creating a larger reader pool and appealing to those readers.  Being my only faithful readers (what up E family!), I asked what they would like to read about.  And they made a few suggestions...so here is the first requested post.

What every DIY'er needs in their toolkit (according to The Lovely Roost). 





Maybe you have a tool box filled with tools yourself and you want to know what to store in a toteable kit, maybe you are buying your first home (ahem...wink wink) and you want to have the essential tools at your disposal, or maybe you'd like to build a table you saw on Pinterest and you're not sure what you need.  This is a great starter kit for those everyday items.  It would make a great gift set for new homeowners or that special person in your life who needs the essentials.

We've used this same set of tools for anything from hanging a simple frame, building a table, and helping us through each step of renovating an entire room.  This is the kit that I found works best for our home.

First and foremost, having a toteable tool kit is awesomesauce.  I have a bad case of the 30 year-old brain (short term memory loss) so I'll go down to the basement for the tape measure and then completely forget what I am down in the basement for.  On the bright side, I can always use the extra workout running up and down the stairs.  This new tote comes in super handy for a forgetful sally.. this one here is mine and I lurve it (and it's only $16).

Now that I can keep everything in an open toolkit, the most frequently used tools are toted easily from the basement to where we're working.  And I always know where my tools are!

Here's what I carry in handy dandy tool tote...  

• Drywall Spackle - Fill knicks and holes in drywall.  This small tube is great for quick patching while we work on the house.  We keep a larger tub in the basement for bigger projects. 
• Wood Glue - Great for our woodworking projects.  I like keeping it on hand because if I don't, I have tendency to be lazy and not use the glue.
• Painter's Putty - Since we've been replacing trim throughout the house, we have filled 4,398,527 nail holes and still have more.  So this little tub has been a great friend for filling holes in wood quick with no mess.
• Putty Knife - we use this to spread putty, grout and even spread around glue.  It can also do some minimal scraping and maybe even light prying
• Can Opener - These are given to us free in ample quantities from the paint store.  Yet I can never find one when I need it (except now that I keep one in the kit).  They are for prying the tops off paint cans, and stubborn lids on drywall spackle. Sure, a screwdriver can do this, too.  But this one is a bottle opener, too.  I'll call that a win-win. Which is essential for use while working on household projects ;)
• Clamps - We've used ours to hold cabinets tight together while we attach them together, and also for holding projects nice and tight together while glue dries, or nails and screws are driven. 
• Pencil - this seems like a given, but we can never find a pencil when we need one.  Super cheap essential to always have sharpened and at the ready for making marks.  Make sure to always replace it immediately so it's easy to find.
• Needle Nose Pliers - we use this to help remove stripped screws and trying to grab in a narrow space.  The mouth also has a knife, which is handy when trimming wires or string.
• Tape Measure - I keep several of these throughout the house.  A mini one in the kitchen, one in the garage, one in the basement workbench, and my favorite one in my tool kit.
• Hammer - shame on you if you don't own one of these :)
• Flashlight - You'll work better if you can see.  Promise.
• Box Cutter - for cutting wires, tape, string, etc. and for scoring molding before removing (to reduce damage to walls and paint).  We also keep a spare in the garage.
• Stud Finder - so I always know where the hubs is ;) and for finding studs in the walls to drill screws into to better support frames and shelves.
• Window Scraper - really handy for scraping when the chisel isn't cutting it, and great for removing paint, caulk, etc on windows
• Level - because an uneven picture frame will drive anyone crazy
• Chisel - used for anything from removing stickers, shaving wood, scraping paint, prying lids and wedging between trim, tile, etc to help with removal with out damaging walls
• Angled Brush - Maybe it seems like a strange place to carry a paint brush, but we use this so often that it made it's way into our tool kit.  This angled brush is my favorite - I love the stubby handle and this guy will last for 15-20 latex paint jobs. (We prefer to use a cheap brush for oil-based paints and stains)
• Sanding Sponge - We keep a fine sanding sponge close at hand to smooth rough paint surfaces and sand down drywall mud when doing a quick fix to the wall.
• Multi-tool Screwdriver - I like the multitool with interchangeable tips so I don't have to carry several different screwdrivers.  Santa brought Justin a multitool this year with a ratchet feature to reduce turning.  I like the stubby handle so it can be used in smaller spaces.
• Socket Wrench Set - with sockets organized by size so it's easy to find the size needed
• Battery Powered Drill* for predrilling holes, removing and driving screws
• Drill Bit and Driver Set - I like the multi kits that come with the most commonly used drill bits and screw heads.  I would recommend a good set (otherwise you'll find yourself having to replace drill bits frequently) 

*A good battery-powered drill is all you really need to start off.  Once you become more advanced, you can add an impact driver to your kit.  An impact driver will help drive a screw into a stud with no effort. I still don't have an impact driver and I manage just fine!

This is a great start for those items used most often around the home.  Did I miss anything? What's your favorite tool that you can't live with out?

Next... we'll talk power tools!