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	Handy Household  Tools build a basic toolkit | 1 2 3

So you’re not exactly the handy type? Even if you never in your life plan to use any of those skills they tried to teach you back in middle school woodshop, there are a few basic tools that you’ll want to have on hand for decorating, repairing and maintaining your home.

1 screwdriver, flathead + Philips head
	Ideally you’ll want an assortment of flathead (fig.1) and Philips head (fig. 2) screwdrivers, to cover a range of screw sizes. Longer screwdrivers are good, as they can give you access to hard-to-reach places. Try to use Philips head screwdrivers with Philips head screws (the ones with the cross rather
than the single slot) – your screwdriver may slip if you try to make do with a flathead, and can potentially cause injury, or at the very least possibly wreck your screws.

2 hammer It’s generally a good idea to buy quality hand tools, as the well-crafted ones really will last you a lifetime. (Oftentimes top-brand names such as Craftsman will offer lifetime warranties. Splurging on professional quality, however, is probably overkill, unless for some reason you’re planning to make use of your tools on a daily basis). With hammers especially, however, be sure to avoid the real cheap-os … the metal head

can snap off from the wood handle rendering your tool completely useless. A good general purpose hammer to look for is a basic carpenter’s claw hammer (fig. 3).

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