Homeowner Must-Haves - The Best Tools for Around the House

Tools are necessary to care for and maintain your home. But you don't have to have them all, and they don't have to be fancy (or even new) to work great for you. If you are a new homeowner and you don't have a toolkit yet, now's a great time to get one together! If you're already a home repair pro, well, this is also a great time to take stock of the tools you have and get them organized.

It's called a tool "kit" not a tool "scattered all over the house." So first order of business: gather your tools together and make sure your kit is readily available, easy to access, and easy to transport. Keeping your tools together in the same toolbox will allow you more time to work on the task at hand, rather than searching all over the house for the right tool.

There really is a minimum number and type of tools that every homeowner should not be without. Here's our Must-Have List:

Our Favorite and Most Useful Tools for Around the House:

• claw hammer; doesn't have to be heavy duty.
• various flathead screwdrivers; small, medium, large
• various Phillips head screwdrivers; small medium, large
• utility knife with extra blades
• razor blade scraper
• stud finder; magnetic are cheaper than electric
• adjustable pliers; channel locks
• crescent wrenches; small, medium, large
• putty knife; 1 standard, 1 wide
• tape measures; minimum 10', good to have a 25-35'
• flashlights; more is better; have backup batteries
• circular saw 7 1/4"
• electric drill 3/8" or 1/2"
• hand saw
• hack saw
• level; bubble type; 12-24"
• socket set; metric and SAE sizes
• toolbox for most of the above except saws

Experience has shown that you will probably use each one of these tools every month or so, even if you're not a big-time handyman. Most are just necessary for a multitude of routine repair jobs around the house.

One last note of advice. Scrimping on the price of tools may not always be the best action. Paying extra now for a more quality tool will give you years of satisfaction. Knowing the tool will perform as desired time and time again is worth the little extra you may pay up front. Break it down to a cost per use over the years and you'll quickly see the value in your investment.