Doing your own home improvement and minor repairs has become popular for people to save time and money. When small repairs are done early, they don’t become expensive problems. Also, the value of your home goes up when it is in top working order. A few do-it-yourself (diy) tools come in handy for both repairs and decorating tasks.

Five of the top basic tools for a diy toolbox are a hammer, screwdrivers of several sizes with both flat and Phillips heads, regular and long nose pliers, at least 2 different size wrenches and a few basic power tools including cordless drills and a mitre saw. You should also have a good assortment of screws and nails in different sizes.

A hammer is handy for repairing furniture or hanging pictures. A lightweight hammer has many uses. It can be used for nails, tacks or fixing upholstery. A heaver weight hammer or a mallet is for bigger jobs like knocking down walls or making holes in dry wall.

Screws hold everything together from window shutters to eyeglasses. Several sizes and types of screw drivers are very useful for tightening door hinges, wall lamps and children’s toys. There are many varieties including interior and exterior wood, masonry and drywall, security screws that are tamper resistant and self tapping.

Pliers are good for loosening connections, bending wire and tightening connections. Long nose pliers are for hard to reach places or more delicate work. They are useful for putting together toys and furniture that need to be assembled.

Wrenches are needed for loosening and tightening pipes as well as nuts on bicycles, motorcycles and many other things. There are adjustable wrenches or several sizes of crescent wrenches.

Power tools are easy to use and can be a big time-saver. Cordless drills have rechargeable batteries and two to three speeds. They can have 17 torque settings with an electric brake and a fan cooled motor. They can also be used as a power screw driver for big jobs.

A mitre saw is an excellent tool for cutting accurate angles and mitred corners. It is useful for framing pictures and cutting corners for molding and baseboards. It can be used for plastic, Plexiglas, aluminum, steel and vinyl siding. The blade is usually 20.3 to 30.5 cm (8 to 12 inches) for common household tasks.

The top five DIY tools make home maintenance a breeze. A good tool box is important to keep them clean and safe, but a tool belt is something most people don’t think about. With a tool belt you can carry only the ones you need and be hands free to climb up and down a ladder.