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Have you recently acquired a new home? Well, congratulations! As a new homeowner, we’re assuming that you are moving into a new home that does not require any major repairs–well, for now. As you get settled in, you will have to do some modifications around your home, from hanging picture frames to painting the walls. At some point, you could also be fixing a leaking pipe.

To do your own repairs around your home, you will need to have various tools in your toolbox. But what should a new homeowner put in their toolbox? In this article, we will share with you what we think are the five must-have essential tools every new homeowner should own.

#1: Screwdrivers and Hammers

A toolbox is incomplete without them. These tools are considered the basics, as they are useful for almost every maintenance and repair around the home. Every homeowner does not need to worry about the varieties when it comes to choosing hammers. A normal hammer made of metal can do the job effectively. However, for more delicate tasks such as assembling your newly bought furniture, you may want to pick a rubber mallet hammer to avoid breaking the wood. Even tasks as simple as replacing the remote control batteries will need a particular tool. Hence, screwdrivers are a must. The only problem homeowners encounter when choosing screwdrivers is the numerous shapes and sizes. However, it is important to note that screwdrivers are not one-size-fits-all. New homeowners should get screwdrivers in different shapes and sizes. You can easily find screwdrivers sold in sets.

#2: Drills and Drill Bits

Of course, every home needs a few wall frames and floating shelves to add a sophisticated touch. By adding drills and a set of drill bits to your toolbox, you will be able to easily speed up your interior designing and repairing.

#3: Spackling and Putty Knife

Do you think your graduation photos look a bit off hanging over the mantle? Sure, you can move them without having to worry about leaving a tiny hole in the wall. The consequence of hanging frames up on the wall is leaving nail-sized holes in them, which can be quite bothersome. Now, we can totally understand why landlords–if you have lived in an apartment–get hopping mad over nails and holes in the wall. Fortunately, you can preserve your wall in a cost-effective way with the use of some spackling and a putty knife.  All you need to do is fill the holes with some spackling, sand them flat, and finally, paint over them to match the color of the rest of your wall.

#4: Tape

We’re pretty sure you have heard the age-old household joke about fixing anything with a simple duct tape. While it may be true for something that unexpectedly breaks and needs to be held back in place, there’s more to household tapes than just a simple duct tape. New homeowners should also have electrical tape as well as painter’s tape for tasks that simple duct tape can’t handle. You may think electrical tape isn’t very important, but you would think otherwise once you discover stripped wires on your appliances. An electrical tape is useful for insulating any material that conducts electricity, especially electrical wires, to prevent electrical current from passing to other wires that could potentially start electrical fires. Instead of replacing the appliance itself, it’s more reasonable to wrap the stripped wires up until they can be repaired by a professional. Painter’s tape, on the other hand, is a homeowner’s must-have if they want to personalize their home by repainting the walls. It easily helps homeowners achieve a crisp edge when they paint. It is also used for making temporary lines when planning renovation projects as they can be easily pulled up.

#5: Tape Measure or Carpenter’s Tape

As you get settled in your new home, you will be doing a lot of measuring–from windows for curtains or blinds to floor spacing for furniture. Therefore, you will need a good measuring tape. For all-around measuring, you may want to choose a 25-foot length of carpenter’s tape. You might also want to pick up a laser distance measure from the hardware store for an even quicker and effortless measurement. They are great for measuring longer distances across rooms. Some laser distance measures can even do calculations for estimating the area and volume.

The Takeaway

Most new homeowners start out hanging paintings and wall frames around their home, and over time, they move up to replacing plumbing parts which can be very tricky if you don’t have the right tools. While our list is by no means the limit on which tools every new homeowner should have in their toolbox, these tools listed above are just some of the most essential ones.