Toolbox Essentials for the Beginning DIY-er

Over the past month, I’ve been resetting home. For me that means adding furniture to fill out seating and tackling that pesky list of projects I’ve been putting off for a while. In the past, I’ve put off purchasing power tools because of the expense. It always seemed less expensive to borrow items. This year I took the plunge, after realizing I truly needed a drill between renovating my workspace and my home. (To those of you who I borrowed a drill from for months at a time, I’m super sorry.) When building out this toolkit, I kept things super simple. I know I can add more items later, but these were the items I needed to get done on my project list. In a moment of total honesty, I too thought that with life and maturity would come the man to stay the course of time and bring with him his stash of power tools. That hasn’t happened yet and it was time to purchase my own.  I can also say that I can now confidently navigate both big box hardware stores in town, while sipping on a glass of iced coffee, and wheeling around a lumber cart with one hand. No damsel-in-distress-at-the-hardware-store here, I’m a lifestyle blogger who has found victory in wielding my power tools.

Keep reading below for all my toolbox essentials!

toolbox essentials

A good hammer. I’m sold on Stanley products. They’re affordable and are great quality for the price. You will find this list filled with their stuff. This hammer has a good weight and balance to it with a comfortable grip for all of those long projects.

A drillbit set: This set is affordable and has almost every bit you could need. I can’t wait to drill into 2 x 4 and create perfect round holes with these bits. Bring on making my own pour over coffee stands, candle holders out of drift wood, and coasters. This set is going to make it happen.

Plier set: Our last pliers were used constantly. I’ve needed these to pull finishing nails out of reclaimed wood recently. (Because saving on lumber is always a good idea.)

Black and Decker Jigsaw: Perfect for making cuts. This saw has been put to serious work recently in our home. With a headboard project and DIY shelving it has been invaluable. It’s a little guy, but gets the job done and is incredibly affordable. I love breaking the notion that power tools to get things done have to be expensive.

All in one Screwdriver: This one is a favorite, with almost any end you could use, it keeps things nice and compact. I love all-in-one options that work. Living in a townhome, this helps save on storage space and future purchases.

Cordless drill: No need for cords here, this drill can handle almost any surface, from drywall to wood. With 12 volts of power, it has a bit of push behind it, but still remains lightweight.

Wire snips: I’ve been working on my outdoor space throughout the summer (three more projects to go before the full reveal), these have been perfect to bring about colored copper flashing and bullnose wire mesh for a concrete succulent wall. Heavy duty and with rubber comfort grips, I can say that these snips don’t cause blisters after a day’s worth of work, which is a really, really good thing.

Copper spray paint: I recently shared by copper obsession. It hasn’t subsided and I don’t think it will anytime soon. Unfortunately, lots of big box stores haven’t caught up to this trend in my region. My solution? Spray paint. I can’t stop using it guys. Bright copper everywhere and I absolutely love it.

Tape Measure: Whether you’re measuring walls, furniture, or cuts of wood, this is a necessity. You know you’re a lifestyle blogger when you always have a tape measure in your bag and this one takes the cake. With weight to the tape, you can measure great lengths by yourself without someone on the other end of the tape, which is always great.

What are the essential items in your toolbox?

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  • This is incredible!  I thoroughly enjoy how you actually wrote a piece of on-point information on what to buy, what tools to buy, whether I should buy a set or not, and it’s certainly worth the read, especially for those like myself who love DIY projects.