Tools · Skill 01 of 06
Identify Common Tools
Most household repairs are done with a handful of tools. Learn what each one is for and you stop guessing — and stop damaging the thing you're trying to fix.
Companion
You don't need a workshop. You need to know what eight or nine things are actually for.
- A basic tool set
- Standard
- A 20–40 piece homeowner tool kit from a hardware store.
- Low cost
- Discount-store screwdrivers, pliers and a tape measure bought one at a time.
- Already have
- Whatever is already in a kitchen drawer, a toolbox or a car trunk.
- Somewhere to keep them
- Standard
- A small toolbox or tool bag.
- Low cost
- A dollar-store plastic bin with a lid.
- Already have
- A sturdy shoebox, a bucket, or a drawer you keep clear on purpose.
- 01Gather what you already ownPut every tool you can find in one place — drawers, closets, garage, car. Most people own more than they think, and duplicates tell you what you're missing.
- 02Screwdrivers: flat and PhillipsFlat head fits a single straight slot. Phillips fits a cross. Size matters more than people expect — the tip should fill the screw head, not rattle in it.
- 03Pliers: gripping, not turning boltsSlip-joint pliers grip and hold. Needle-nose reach into tight spots and bend wire. Never use pliers where a wrench belongs; they round off the corners of nuts.
- 04Adjustable wrench and hammerAn adjustable wrench turns nuts and bolts. A claw hammer drives and pulls nails. Both work best when you keep the tool square to the work instead of at an angle.
- 05Tape measure and utility knifeA tape measure is the tool you'll reach for most. A utility knife opens boxes and trims material — always cut away from your body with a fresh blade.
- 06Name them out loud, then store them togetherPick each tool up, say what it does, then put it in one container. A tool you can find in ten seconds is a tool you'll actually use.
Worth Knowing
- Buying one good tool at a time beats a cheap 200-piece set you never open.
- Yard sales, thrift stores and older relatives are the cheapest tool sources there are.