You don’t always need a handyman to repair small problems in your home. Do-it-yourself approaches are more popular than ever and can save you money. Keep a few essential items on hand to tackle a variety of household projects.
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Level
While it may be tempting to simply eye something to make sure it’s even, it’s not the best approach. Keep a level handy so you can hang items on your walls without worrying about them being too low or high on one side.
Levels are also great if you are trying to build or add to existing furniture. You can make sure everything is level and even so there is less of a chance that what you’ve put together is going to fall.
Levels are available in a variety of styles, and this will affect how much they cost. You can plan on spending more on a laser level than you will spend on a torpedo level that you have to hold against the wall.
Great Tape
Finding a great tape that can work inside and outside is essential for anyone fixing things around the house. The strongest 3m double sided foam tape is a great choice. What makes this tape stand out is its ability to actually fix items permanently instead of being a temporary solution. The right tape means you spend less time on repairs.
This tape is also ideal because it can adhere to any shape and is often impossible to see once it is on an item. It also does well in a variety of temperatures.
Tape Measure
Most problems can be avoided if you measure before you begin a project. You can easily figure out if the furniture you want to move will actually fit through a doorway or if the item you are going to build will fit in the space you designated for it.
Retractable tape measures tend to be the simplest to use because you can pull them to the length you need and then click in place to get a measurement. It’s worth it to buy a tape measure that meets your needs because there is almost no job in your home that won’t require one at some point.
Stud Finder
Don’t aimlessly pound holes through your wall trying to find a stud. Use a stud finder to mark the right spot the first time and ensure pictures, bookcases, or other furniture are properly harnessed.
If you accidentally hammer into the drywall instead of a stud, you don’t have a stable base for whatever you’ve attached to the wall. This can lead to furniture toppling over or pictures and mirrors crashing to the ground. It may also cause holes you’ve put in your wall to rip since the drywall can’t hold the weight.
A stud finder helps you avoid the need to fix holes that were placed in the wrong spot, and this will save you time and money.
Sander
Many DIY projects or upgrades involve sanding down a surface so another one can be applied. While you can do this by hand using sandpaper, it is an arduous task. If you have a sander, this job will take much less time and have more professional quality.
A quality sander will last a while and you will only have to replace sanding pads as they wear down. Make sure you know what surfaces responded best to sanding and which ones are too weak to handle. For instance, the drywall may not stand up to sanding as well as other surfaces.
Putty Knife
Though it’s a simple item, a putty knife can be used in many ways. Traditionally used to fill holes and smooth the putty out, a putty knife can also help peel paint or gunk off of surfaces. You can also remove the tape that won’t come off walls any other way.
Make sure to choose a putty knife that is the right size for your needs. In fact, you may want to invest in more than one so you can have an array of sizes. Smaller putty knives are easier to handle and make doing intricate work easier. However, when you need to cover a large space, having a larger putty knife to scrape with can save you a ton of time.
Keep the right tools on hand to make fixes around the house easier.
