A Few Good Tools Can Keep Home Together

First there are a few tools that you would want to keep in a handy spot.
· WD-40 oil · duct tape · locking pliers · a flashlight or work light · gloves · tape measure · utility knife · wire cutters · sandpaper of assorted grits · putty knife · speed square · straight edge with right angle · small level · wire · string · screws and nails in various sizes · wood glue and rags.
Even if you aren't handy, there are everyday situations that require a hammer, a screwdriver, a tape measure, or a saw. Even if you live in an apartment there are basic tools that should be in every house, whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or all thumbs. At least have a hammer, screwdriver, and a tape measure. Many manufacturers are coming up with toolboxes that fit in kitchen drawers because the kitchen is an ideal place for tools to be easily accessible. It's better to have the tools at hand where they are needed than having to run to the basement looking for them.
Useful Tools For Special Projects
Although it doesn't fit in most toolboxes, a plunger (maybe two) should be standard in every house. Keep it under the kitchen sink or in the bathroom so you can get to the blockage before it starts doing real damage. A 12-ounce hammer is ideal for banging in nails to hang pictures.

Contractor John Burke is a big fan of pry bars, and carries two or three different kinds. He also carries a small crowbar that provides the right amount of leverage for removing stubborn nails from lumber. The tape measure he uses is 30 feet by 1 inch. Burke said he preferred the newer tape measures that lock automatically and are released by squeezing the bottom. While he admitted that his toolbox is appropriately stocked for a professional, he said he thinks that people should have basic tools for the basic tasks that come up every day. "The two most important things in a toolbox are ear protectors for using power tools and safety glasses," Burke said. "I won't let my kids help me unless they are wearing safety glasses." Mike Mangan, who travels the country as a spokesman for Sears Craftsman tools , agrees. Although his toolbox is better stocked than those of the average homeowner or apartment dweller, Mangan said the most important advice he could offer was to spend money for quality, even if you were buying only a few essential tools . "When you buy a 99- cent screwdriver, you get a 99-cent screwdriver," Mangan said. He suggests a claw hammer weighing 18 to 20 ounces and a rubber mallet that at least can be used to bang a hubcap back on a wheel without denting it. And, Mangan said, "When you buy that tape measure, get one that can be read on both sides." Burke also recommends chalk because it is easier to remove than pencil marks, and a sea sponge, which is useful for smoothing joint compound in minor drywall repairs. The level can be a small as 9 inches, but Mangan said he thinks a 48-inch level is more useful for getting pictures straight when you hang them. Buy a set of screwdrivers with different sizes of Phillips and slotted heads, he said.
Matt Schultz, a preservationist, said he believes that the toolbox should include a corded drill with screwdriver bits because the number of small jobs around any house or apartment will pay back the investment quickly. Because most inexpensive furniture - Ikea's, for example - needs to be assembled, Schultz suggests putting Allen wrenches of various sizes in the toolbox, too. The popularity of computers has created a need for precision screwdrivers - both Phillips and slotted-head - to remove tiny screws that hold screen covers. These tools , once used exclusively by hobbyists, watch- repair people, and jewelers, are useful also for tightening screws that hold eyeglass frames together. Finally, "no matter what you decide to keep in the toolbox, don't forget a first-aid kit or Band-Aids," Schultz recommended


I Pull Out All The Stops To Sell Your Home
Lonnie Snyder
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty Southeast Sound
Phone: 206-406-2710
Email:
snyder@kw.com
Website: http://www.callsnyder.com/
Blogsite: http://renton-real-estate.blogspot.com/
Lonnie Snyder is a full time real estate agent and REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty specializing in Residential Real Estate for buyers and sellers in Washington’s Kent, Renton, Newcastle and South Bellevue.
Oh, By The Way. . . . . I AM NEVER TOO BUSY FOR REFERRALS.

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