Your home owner tool kit should handle the minor and some major repairs around the house or apartment.

A home owner tool kit is a necessity any time you are living in a house or apartment, whether you own it or not.  Get as many of the tools as you can afford now.  You can always add to your home owner tool kit.
You are a new home owner and are wondering what you should have in your tool kit to handle most of the day-to-day problems.  This could also apply to apartment dwellers.  This page will describe what I would want in my home owner tool kit. Detailed explanations of the items are found on the appropriate pages of the website.
The first thing to know is that you should buy the highest quality tools that you can afford.  Not only do high quality tools last a lifetime, with proper use, but they also will make the job easier.  For hand tools, spend your money only on tools that have a lifetime replacement warranty.
1.    Safety Glasses – This should be the first thing you grab out of your home owner tool kit.  Get a good pair with side shields.  They are not very expensive and worth the security.  An eye injury can come out of nowhere and be very serious. 

2.    Tool Bag – As the home owner is buying his/her tools for the tool kit, they must purchase something to contain the items.  I recommend a bag instead of a box.  The bag is less expensive than a box, lighter weight and more flexible so they are easier to store.  If you buy one that is large enough to insert your hammer, it should be big enough to handle your initial set of tools. 

3.    Claw Hammer – The home owner tool kit should start with a 16 or 20 ounce rip claw hammer with a fiberglass handle. Other handy items are the ball peen hammer and the dead blow hammer.
4.    Screwdrivers – The set should contain, as a minimum, a 3/16 and a 1/4 slotted screwdriver and a #2 and #3 Phillips screwdrivers.  Consider purchasing a set of square drive screwdrivers and torx screwdrivers.
5.    Measuring tape – The most useful tape for the home owner tool kit is 25 feet long and 1 inch wide with a blade locking mechanism.
6.    Arc-joint Pliers – Sometimes called the Channellock or water pump pliers, the 10 in. or 12 in. size are the most useful.

7.    Locking Pliers – Locking Pliers or Vise-Grip pliers are a very handy tool for the home owner tool kit.  I recommend the standard curved jaw type, 8 inches long

8.    Needle Nosed or Long Nose Pliers – Get the 6 inch size.
9.    Utility Knife – Sometimes called the Stanley knife, the home owner will find many reasons to get a replaceable blade knife and replacement blades for her tool kit.  The break-off blade knife is a good alternative.
10.    Hex Wrenches – Get a set of hex or Allen wrenches with 8 or 10 sizes in the range of 1/16 to 3/8 inch.
11.    Crescent Wrench – A home owner needs two adjustable wrenches in the tool kit.  An 8” and a 10” will cover most situations.

12.   Combination Wrench - Serious mechanical work will require a set of combination wrenches and a set of socket wrenches with a ratchet drive.

12.    Flashlight – The home owner will always be reaching into her tool kit for a good quality LED flashlight.  Choose the brightness that you think will be the most useful.
13.    Putty Knife/Scraper – The most useful will be one that is between 11/2 to 2 inches wide and flexible.
14.    Driver/Drill – Get a tool that is powered by a 14.4 to 18 volt rechargeable battery with a keyless chuck.  For big projects, 2 batteries are a must.
15.    Driver/Drill Accessories – When you have your drill, you will need some drill bits (1/8” to 3/8” or 1/2”) and some screwdriver bits with a magnetic holder.
16.    Stud finder – This is an inexpensive electronic device that will help you find wall studs.  This is necessary for hanging heavy items on the wall.
17.    Multi-tool – Many, many to choose from.  Get all stainless steel with pliers and screwdriver bits at a minimum.

18.   Handsaw - I you are going to do any woodworking, you will need to get a good quality handsaw.

With the items listed above, the home owner should have a tool kit to handle most of the everyday tasks around the home.