So you buy a nice two shelf bookcase but it’s wobbly and you know it won’t hold much. I’ve recently gotten one and my solution was to put L-brackets on it. After installing about 8 of these brackets at the cojoining parts of the shelving, it is now completely stable and ready for use.
Empty the lint trap on your dryer every time you use it.
If you have a dishwasher make sure there is no food clogging the drain every now and then.
Once a year, clean out the actual vent from the dryer to outside. The lint filter doesn’t catch everything.
Get a small tool box and start collecting tools inside it.
Basics to start with are:
- hammer
- screwdrivers (get the three major ones - flat, Philips (cross) and Robertson (square))
- screwdriver with multiple replaceable heads (get one with as many heads as you can)
- pliers (buy a set of at least three types) (also make sure at least one of these has a wire cutter)
- vice grips
- Allen key set (metric and imperial)
- adjustable wrench
- exacto knife (with replaceable blade)
- crow bar (at least 12" long but bigger is better) (don’t get smaller because you can use the flat screwdriver for anything smaller … a good size piece of iron is good for lots of uses)
To me this would be a good start. This is basically what I started with about 30 years ago and now I have a garage full of tools to literally build a house.
Every time you have something to fix or repair, use your kit and make sure to put everything back. And often you may need a special tool to get your job done, if you can afford it buy it and add it to your kit. The cost of the new tool will repay itself as you use it again later.
And if you are not mechanically inclined than don’t feel a need to grow the kit either. These basics will help with most situations.
Excellent list!
Man, how often needle nose pliers come in handy is INSANE.
The list I thought of is a list of the most common things I use in any kit for just a homeowner doing things around the house.
If the person isn’t interested in doing things around the house any more than they have to … then the kit is enough to do the most basic things.
If the person is interested in doing things around the house … then the toolbox can be filled with more and more things.
I like building/repairing/renovating/tinkering/mechanics and anything like that and after 30 years I have a ton of stuff and the main kit I carry around in my truck basically would allow me to do just about anything. Not a professional but capable enough to do about 80 to 90 percent of most things that is in, on, around, over or under a house.
An electric screwdriver is essential. Don’t even try to start assembling IKEA furniture without one, it will literally take twice as long.
Keep shoes at the entrance as much as possible, and don’t walk around your house in them.
The 2 minute rule! If it takes 2 minutes or less, do it now. It helps keep your place more organized.
Counter dirty? Wipe it (1 minute of work). Dirty socks - throw into laundry machine or laundry basket. Used a plate or two, wash it (shouldn’t take longer than 2 minutes).
It’s about making doing the little things a habit which makes a big difference. This obviously won’t prevent messes, but it’ll help maintain the home overall.
Do not do any plumbing or electrical work yourself unless you are a plumber or an electrician respectively.
Consequences for mistakes can be extremely costly and/or deadly. If you rent, it’s your landlord’s responsibility to get that stuff handled. If you own, just pay the tradesmen to do it right.
I disagree. You probably shouldn’t rewire your house yourself but changing out an outlet/switch or installing a water softener are extremely easy tasks that would not be worth hiring a contractor for. There’s quite a lot you can safely do on your own as long as you educate yourself and triple check everything.
Exactly. Replacing a light fixture, installing an outdoor floodlight, replacing a kitchen tap, replacing a shower mixer…all really easy tasks I’ve learnt from YouTube videos and are perfectly safe.
I agree. There are tons of resources out there that will tell you how to do it and typically they come with plenty of comments from other people telling why the particular example is wrong. From there you should be able to piece together a lot of the common mistakes, and understand how not to make them. If you can’t understand the why to any of them, perhaps it isn’t something you should be trying yourself.
Learn how to spackle
Mmmmm … spackle … delicious spackle
Forbidden fondant
Pest problem? Use Diatomaceous earth. It’s like tiny glass for bugs that rips them apart.
Poisons kill better because they bring it back to the hive. They will also poison your dog, cat, hamster, squirrels, etc.
UK experience:
- Open all your windows to air out for at least 20mins every day. If the place is prone to damp, twice a day. This includes days its sub-zero outside
- Cheap rugs in strategic high traffic places protect shit carpets
- If the landlord supplied it, the landlord fixes it
- Get a windup torch for when the power goes out (it will)
- Massive electric blankets to wrap up in rather than having the heating on 24/7
- Charity shops for cutlery, glasses, mugs, plates. cooking utensils etc. Just make sure to clean them well before using.
- Heavy thermal curtains in front of external facing doors and between rooms (if open plan).
- Make sure you know exactly where elec/gas/water meters are, make a note of their reg. no. and take regular readings.
- Get storage solutions that stack high rather than wide.
For younger or newer renters, I highly recommend the book Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair by Mercury Stardust
It covers so many things I wish I knew when I first moved out on my own, and probably would have saved me some serious money over the years.
