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Because you've been spending so much more time at home over the last year, you might have started DIY-ing a whole lot more—or maybe you've noticed more things that need fixing around your house. (Bound to happen!)
Designer Genevieve Gorder is no different. "We have noticed so many things that we need to fix," she says about her home. "I want to go over five of the basic essentials that you need to have in your toolbox at home in order to get these things done."
1. A quality drill
"There is a muscle in every house and you need to invest in that muscle—and it's called a drill," Genevieve says. "Everybody on the planet needs one—whether you're hanging lighting, you're taking a picture down, you're unhinging something. You all need a drill. What I don't want you to do is buy a bad drill."
These are the key elements Genevieve looks for in a drill:
- Voltage. "I have a 20-volt. Anything 18 to 20 is great."
- Cordless. "A non-negotiable. I need to get wherever I need to go."
- Light. "A little light so you can get into the dark corners is super, super important.
- Speed. "But most of all, I don't want to have to work for my drill. A good drill works for you."
This is the drill that Genevieve swears by—and it's on sale for $99 (60% off) through July 4.
2. A paintbrush with the perfect angled tip
"Paint brushes aren't all made equally. [My brush is] two-and-a-half inches wide. For [a little more money], you can have the most perfect lines. Yes, I sometimes tape—but what this brush has is the perfect angled tip, so when I'm cutting in on the edge, it has a no-drag, so there's no pull of bristles. It also makes a perfectly straight line. I also love the way the handle feels. That's really important, as far as weight and balance and hand feel, how you use a particular tool. This one is perfect."
3. A good hammer
"A good hammer is crucial to any renter [or] owner," the design guru explains. "[For] any size home, you need a hammer. For hanging up stuff, taking things apart and putting things together, this guy is by your side."
What makes a good hammer? Here's what Genevieve loves about hers:
- The weight and balance. "It's not too heavy in one direction so I have to fight to hit," Genevieve says about her hammer.
- The wood handle. "It fits really nicely in the smallest of hands."
- The nice curved rip claw. "When you want to take stuff out [or] take stuff down, you want a nice curved back wing."
- Its strength. "Make sure it has enough muscle for you. Otherwise, you're spending too much time doing the things you probably don't want to do anyway."
Genevieve's hammer is from her grandpa, but if you want a similar one, she recommends this one (though—FYI—it has a leather grip versus wood).
If you're after that wood grip, this one is similar to Genevieve's recommendation—but with a wood grip instead.
4. An air purifier
"I know you don't expect to see this on my five essentials [list] for DIY-ing," the design pro says, "but it's really important. Home reno kicks up dust, it kicks up dandruff if you have pets, allergens, bacteria. And then there [are] all the fumes from doing home renos, so these are essential."
This is the air purifier Genevieve uses.
5. Kitchen shears—but not necessarily for the kitchen
"I spend a lot of time in the kitchen; I love cooking, and these are an essential tool in the kitchen," Genevieve says. "But they're also something I have multiple versions of around the house. Especially when I'm doing fix-it projects, you need these guys. You need them to not only cut through stuff like cord and rope, you need them to get through the terrible packaging that all of our stuff comes in. Am I right?"
