Men are known for their tool love. But maybe it’s time for you to hop on the bandwagon. We’re not saying you need your own workshop (though, hey, that’s cool if you have those skills). But the right tools can make your life (and the projects in it) easier. Here are some must-have tools for your home, plus some surprising ways you can use them.
Kitchen shears. Save money at the grocery store by buying the cheapest cuts of meat, rather than expensive tenderloins or precut chunks. Then use your kitchen shears to trim the meat the way you want to cook it.
Immersion blender. Invest in an immersion handheld blender (anywhere from $25 to $50) so soup making, pureeing carrots for your baby, or whipping up a quick milkshake or smoothie is that much easier. Also great for blending black beans into an awesome dip for chips. It’s perfect for those little jobs when you don’t want to pull out (or clean) your blender.
Hammer. A hammer is essential for hanging art or tapping that paint-can top back on tightly. Bonus use: meat mallet for pounding chicken breasts into cutlets. Enclose meat in plastic wrap first, and don’t swing the hammer too hard (or you’ll have pieces of meat all over your kitchen).
Tape measure. From measuring a room for a carpet installation to figuring out how much fabric you might need for a project, a tape measure is an indispensable tool in any house. Look for one that’s at least 25 feet long and includes a locking mechanism so you can work by yourself if necessary. Bonus use: helping to mark a “how you’ve grown” log for your kids on a doorjamb.
Screwdrivers. Every house should have two kinds of screwdrivers to secure screws with slits in their top (use flat-head) or cross-shaped slits in their top (use Phillips head). You can use these screwdrivers to tighten a leg on a table or a door hinge that has come loose. Bonus use: poking holes in the top of a jar in which you might keep a caterpillar.
Retractable utility knife. These are the knives that the guys that drive delivery trucks usually have snapped to their belts. They can come in pretty handy around the house, too—from opening those boxes the delivery guy just dropped off to cutting dry wall, if you’re remodeling a room.
Wrenches. Go for an adjustable wrench (the kind with a “mouth” that opens and closes with the twist of a knob). Also have a set of Allen wrenches on hand—they’ll come in handy for assembly-required furniture. Bonus use: using wide-mouthed adjustable wrench to get the top off a hard-to-open jar.
i know that by making repairs or upgrading things around our house it might even increase the value whereas in an apartment i'm just making it better for the landlord in the end.
i know that by making repairs or upgrading things around our house it might even increase the value whereas in an apartment im just making it better for the landlord in the end.
Decadent (yet smart!) desserts
