5 Things Every Home Toolbox Needs (And Nothing More)

You don’t need a garage full of power tools to handle the day-to-day stuff that comes up around a flat or house. Most jobs — hanging a shelf, tightening a wobbly chair, fixing a squeaky door, putting together flat-pack furniture — only need a handful of basics.

If you’re just moved in, or your toolbox is currently a single screwdriver in a kitchen drawer, here’s exactly what to get and why.

1. A Decent Screwdriver Set

Get a set with multiple flathead and Phillips sizes, ideally with a magnetic tip. Cheap single screwdrivers strip screws and round off — a proper set with the right size for the job saves you a lot of frustration. This is the single most-used tool in any home.

2. A Claw Hammer

For picture hooks, flat-pack assembly, and the occasional bit of light demolition. A mid-weight claw hammer (the claw is for pulling nails back out) covers nearly everything you’ll need around the house.

3. A Tape Measure

Before you buy furniture, hang a shelf, or cut anything, you measure. A 5-metre retractable tape measure is cheap and gets used more than almost anything else in the box.

4. An Adjustable Spanner

One adjustable spanner covers a huge range of nut and bolt sizes — useful for furniture assembly, tightening fixtures, and basic plumbing jobs like swapping a tap washer.

5. A Box of Mixed Screws, Wall Plugs & Picture Hooks

This is the one people forget until they need it. Having a small stock of common screw sizes, wall plugs for different wall types (plasterboard vs masonry), and picture hooks means you’re never stuck waiting to finish a job because you’re missing one screw.

What You Don’t Need to Start

Skip the power drill, jigsaw, and full socket set until you actually have a job that needs them. It’s easy to overspend on a toolbox full of tools that sit unused. Start with the five basics above, and add tools as specific jobs come up — that way nothing in the box is dead weight.