There’s a point where every dad realises that owning a house, flat, or even just furniture comes with an unspoken contract: things will loosen, fall off, wobble, or break at the worst possible moment. Having a basic tool box isn’t about being handy or loving DIY. It’s about being able to deal with everyday problems without immediately calling someone else in.
This isn’t a list for aspiring tradespeople or weekend renovators. It’s a realistic first tool kit for normal jobs around the house. The kind of tools you’ll actually use, again and again, often for things you didn’t see coming.
A Cordless Drill
This is the backbone of any dad tool kit. Even if you don’t consider yourself good at DIY, a cordless drill quickly becomes essential.
You’ll use it for building flat-pack furniture, putting shelves up, fixing loose hinges, mounting curtain poles, attaching baby gates, and dealing with random household fixes that need more than elbow grease. It’s also what turns awkward jobs into manageable ones.
You don’t need anything industrial, but you do need something reliable enough to drill holes, drive screws cleanly, and handle the odd job without struggling. Once you own one, you’ll wonder how you managed without it.
A Hammer
It sounds obvious, but a hammer does far more than bash nails in. You’ll use it for putting up pictures, light demolition jobs, knocking things into place, tapping rawlplugs flush with the wall, and occasionally persuading something stubborn to move.
A basic claw hammer is ideal because it also lets you remove nails when something goes wrong, which it often does. It’s one of those tools that earns its keep in unexpected ways.
A Set Of Screwdrivers
Flathead and Phillips screwdrivers in a few common sizes are essential, even if you own a drill. Some jobs need finesse rather than power, especially when dealing with delicate fittings, electrical faceplates, or tight spaces.
They’re also what you reach for when a screw needs a quick tweak rather than a full removal. A decent set saves time, frustration, and stripped screw heads.
A Tape Measure
If you own furniture, shelves, pictures, or a washing machine, you need a tape measure. It’s used far more often than people expect.
Measuring spaces, checking clearances, lining things up, and avoiding the classic mistake of drilling holes in the wrong place all depend on it. It’s one of those tools you’ll grab without thinking, which is exactly why it deserves a permanent place in your tool box.
A Spirit Level
Anything you put on a wall needs to be level. Shelves, pictures, TVs, mirrors, rails, cupboards. Eyeballing it never works, even if you’re convinced it will.
A small spirit level prevents wonky shelves, slanted frames, and that slow-burning irritation you feel every time you walk past something you mounted badly. It’s a simple tool that saves a lot of regret.
An Adjustable Spanner
Plumbing-related jobs turn up more often than expected. Tightening a loose tap, adjusting fittings under the sink, assembling furniture with bolts, or dealing with a washing machine hose all call for a spanner.
An adjustable one covers multiple sizes without needing a full set, which makes it perfect for a first tool kit. It’s not glamorous, but when you need it, nothing else will do.
A Pair Of Pliers
Pliers are one of those tools you don’t think about until you suddenly really need them. Gripping, twisting, pulling, holding awkward parts steady, removing stubborn fixings, or dealing with bent metal all fall into their territory.
They’re also invaluable for small electrical or mechanical fixes where fingers just aren’t enough. Once you have a pair, you’ll find reasons to use them.
A Utility Knife
Opening boxes, trimming materials, cutting carpet, slicing packaging, removing old sealant, and dealing with general household cutting jobs all rely on a sharp blade.
A retractable utility knife is safer than most alternatives and far more precise than scissors for certain tasks. It’s a quiet workhorse that ends up being used constantly.
A Basic Set Of Drill Bits And Screw Bits
A drill is only as useful as what you put in it. A small set of drill bits for wood and masonry, plus a selection of common screw bits, covers the majority of household jobs.
You don’t need dozens of obscure sizes. You need the ones that match the screws and fixings you actually use. Having them to hand stops jobs stalling halfway through.
A Torch Or Headlamp
DIY rarely happens in ideal lighting. Under sinks, behind appliances, in lofts, cupboards, or garages, visibility is usually poor.
A torch or headlamp makes jobs quicker, safer, and far less annoying. Using your phone torch works in a pinch, but it’s rarely ideal when both hands are needed.
A Small Tool Bag Or Box
Finally, none of this matters if you can’t find your tools. A simple tool box or soft tool bag keeps everything together and easy to grab when something goes wrong.
It doesn’t need to be big or fancy. It just needs to live in one place so you’re not hunting through drawers while something leaks, wobbles, or threatens to fall off the wall.
This kind of tool kit isn’t about being impressive. It’s about being prepared. With these basics, most everyday household jobs stop feeling like emergencies and start feeling manageable, which is exactly what a dad’s tool box is really for.