Tools Every Southerner Should Have in Their Home

I never thought about what tools I might need when I moved into my first apartment. I was too busy envisioning how the apartment would be decorated to even consider that I'd need a set of tools for that final vision to come to life. Thankfully my grandpa had the forethought to equip me with my own mini tool kit of "the essentials."

Looking through the kit I initially wondered if I would ever use some of the tools, like a plier set, but I was so wrong. I've used every single tool in my toolbox, and I've even added more to it.

While I am not a novice to tools – I learned a lot growing up from my dad, who is an expert at anything related to home improvement, repairs, and design – the thought of having to potentially fix things on my own was still daunting.

After many DIY repairs in my apartment, I started to mentally make a list of tools everyone should have at home, even if your home is less than 1000 sq. ft. Trust me when I say that you'll want what's on this list of basic tools everyone should have.

Hammer

From hanging decor on the walls to building furniture kits, a hammer should be the very first tool on your list.

A nail, screw, and wall anchor kit

If you're not in the business of constantly using a screwdriver and hammer, but still want to have a reasonable amount of the necessities for decorating and repair purposes, grab a kit that offers a sampling of different sized nails, screws, and wall anchors. Some kits will even include hooks and wire.

What's a wall anchor, you may ask? An essential tool that helps hold your heavier wall decor in place in the wall. I learned the hard way that a curtain rod hanging alone in dry wall may not be the most ideal set up – that's a story for a different article.

Level

Nobody wants crooked picture frames and mirrors hanging on their walls, so do yourself a favor and buy a level. You can thank me later.

Tape Measure

My tape measure is the most used tool in my toolbox. Measuring rooms for furniture and spacing pictures on the walls all require a trusty tape measure.

Screw Drivers

You don't need an overwhelming number of size options, but having at least a small, medium, and large size of both flat-head and Phillips-head screwdrivers – ideally magnetized – will come in handy more often than you think.

Pliers

Leaky shower head? Stuck socket cover? A trusty set of pliers is a must for any homeowner. You can find reasonably priced sets that include tongue-and-grove, diagonal cutting, long-nose, and slip-joint pliers at any hardware store.

Wrenches

Certain plumbing fixtures and swing sets, for all the young parents out there, require a wrench to tighten bolts. Having a range of different handle length wrenches will help you for smaller and harder to reach spaces.

Saw

If you have a yard, a saw is a necessary tool for clearing dead branches off trees. Plus, when it comes time to trim your Christmas tree you'll be glad you have a saw in your tool kit.

Multi-Tool

Quick repairs around the house can be made even easier if you have a pocket tool that serves as many go-to tools. Knives, pliers, and screwdrivers have never been more accessible.

Drill and Circular Saw

If growing up watching re-runs of "This Old House" with my dad taught me anything, it would be that a drill and circular saw offer so much ease during home repairs. While I have not yet upgraded to these tools in my humble apartment, they're power tools that everyone should have eventually.

Toolbox

Of course, you need a carry-all item for your newly assembled tool line-up. If you really want to look like a pro, go for a leather tool belt so all your necessities are strapped right to your hip.

Other items that are helpful for any homeowner include: WD-40, for all your squeaky doors and handles, a large flashlight, for any crawl space or power outage adventures, and a spackle kit, for filling any nail holes in your walls.