So, you know those times when you get yourself into a situation and need a tool, but you don’t have it — most likely because the tool that you need is always overlooked or mildly disregarded, due to its low impact upon your everyday living habits? Then the time comes when either something goes wrong or you may have a small project that requires that tool. You go to grab it, and… yup!  You guessed it. It’s not there. That’s when you realize you never had it to begin with.

I can’t say I haven’t been there.  I wish I could, but it would be a lie.  So in an effort to make some of you aware of the essentials you may not even know you don’t have, I’ve put together a top 10 list of items I think every home should have. Hopefully it may help some of you out there avoid any potential dilemmas in your future.  

 1. Screwdriver Set – Every home should have at the bare minimum, a screwdriver set.  What I mean when I say screwdriver set is a multi-piece, flathead and phillips screwdriver set.  A proper screwdriver set is vital to the do-it-yourselfer. There will always be loose screws that need to be tightened or projects that require you to tighten a fresh screw in.  

2. Clawhammer – The next tool would definitely have to be a good ol’ fashioned clawhammer.  Clawhammers not only help you hammer in nails, they also help you remove any pesky nails.  When paired with a good screwdriver set, these two tools should be able to handle most of the basic tasks you might encounter around your house.

 3. Duct Tape – You can never have enough duct tape.  With enough duct tape you could fix the world.  Well, not literally. You know what I mean. Back to the point.  Duct tape is always good to have around the house. I wouldn’t recommend it as a permanent fix for most of your household problems but its second-to-none at quick fixes until a permanent solution can be implemented.

 4. Pliers  – Pliers are definitely one of the tools that are continually overlooked. I recommend that if you’re going to purchase pliers that you purchase an entire plier set. There are multiple types and they all serve various purposes.  And believe me, they definitely make things a lot easier for you. Standard pliers are great for gripping things as they have both fine and rough teeth in them so you can hold both smaller and larger objects in place.

 5. Adjustable Wrench – It’s always a good idea to have multiple adjustable wrenches.  Especially if you don’t own a socket set. They are great for tightening down nuts and bolts.  That is why I recommend you have at least two. One to hold the head of the bolt in place while the second wrench is being used to tighten down the nut.

 6. WD-40 or Liquid Wrench – Either of these two products are great to have.  They are perfect for loosening old screws, nuts, or bolts that have rusted tight. Sooner or later you will start to notice that certain cabinets might squeak when you open and close them. Doors may creak when they’re used. If you are like me, this will drive you bonkers.  

 7. Tape Measure – You can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been. The tape measure is that fine-tuned tool that links your past, present and future right before your very eyes on a slim piece of unrolled material. If you ever want to stretch your carpentry wings and fly you can’t do it without being able to make accurate measurements.

 8. Utility Knife – So, I think almost any household has a utility knife.  Whether its one of those $.99 ones with the break-away blades, a flat-bladed knife that doubles as a scraper or a more professional utility knife with the replaceable blades — no matter which one, every house should have one.  

 9. Super Glue – This little baby does wonders. It’s so simple to use. Just make sure you keep it out of reach of your kids or pets. It can be highly toxic if ingested and will adhere just about any two objects together. Trust me when I tell you that it will literally glue your hands together.

 10. Wet/Dry Vacuum – Every house should have this.  If you’re even a little bit like me then you tend to make messes all of the time.  That’s why we have plenty of wet/dry vacs. If I had to broom all the dirt that I tracked around I’d never stop.  Plus, Selina would kill me. So at the very least have one of these. Plus, you can remove the internal air filter and suck up water if need be.  This is definitely an item that you want to have when you need one.

I know most of you already possess these items. But if not, take it from me, you’ll want these tools.I really do hope that this was helpful.  If you have other items you think that may be more important than the ones I have listed please feel free to let me know.