A basic toolkit and how to use each tool safely

At home, someone else may always have had the right tool. In your own room or flat, a small toolkit lets you build a desk, tighten a wobbly chair or hang a mirror in minutes, as long as you use each tool safely.

The starter toolkit

• A screwdriver set with both flat-head and cross-head tips (or one handle with interchangeable bits). Taskrabbit's assemblers call a sturdy screwdriver with precise bits one of your 'best friends'.
• Allen keys (hex keys): most flat-pack furniture comes with one, but a small set in different sizes saves time.
• A rubber mallet for tapping dowels and panels into place without denting them, and a small claw hammer for picture hooks and nails.
• Pliers, a tape measure, a spirit level, a pencil and masking tape.
• A pipe, cable and stud detector, which Places for People lists as a basic tool before any drilling.
• Safety goggles. A cordless drill is useful, but you can often borrow one from building maintenance, a friend or a family member instead of buying.

Using hand tools well

• Use each tool only for its correct purpose and keep tools sharp and well maintained, as Consumer NZ advises. A knife is not a screwdriver, and a shoe is not a hammer.
• Match the screwdriver tip to the screw head exactly. A tip that is too small slips and strips the head, which then becomes very hard to remove.
• Tighten screws by hand first and use a tool only for the final turns, so you do not strip threads or crack chipboard (Taskrabbit).
• Hold nails with pliers, not fingers, when you start hammering small picture pins.
• Work on a clear, well-lit surface and put tools back in their box as you finish with them, so nothing is left on the floor to step on.

Protective gear

• Wear eye protection whenever you drill, hammer or cut. Consumer NZ also recommends a dust mask when cutting or sanding, and ear protection for noisy tools.
• Tie back long hair and loose sleeves or scarves before using any power tool.
• Wear closed shoes, not sliders, when carrying heavy boards or using a ladder.
• Gloves protect against splinters and sharp edges when carrying boards, but take them off when using a drill so they cannot catch in the moving parts.

Ladders and step stools

• Use a proper step stool or stepladder, never a swivel chair, a table on wheels or a stack of boxes.
• Check the ladder first: Consumer NZ says to look for loose or damaged rungs and worn non-slip feet, and to repair or replace a damaged ladder.
• For a leaning ladder, Consumer NZ gives the angle as one metre out for every four metres up.
• Face the ladder, keep three points of contact (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand), and do not work from the top two treads.
• Ask someone to steady the base, and move the ladder rather than leaning out to the side.

Power tools and electricity

• Use an RCD (residual current device) with power tools. Consumer NZ says to always use one with electrical equipment outside and to press its test button before you start; using one indoors too is a sensible extra layer of protection.
• Check the cable and plug before every use. Do not use a tool with a cut cable, a cracked casing or tape repairs.
• Unplug the tool or remove the battery before changing a drill bit or blade.
• Read the manual for any tool you borrow, and if you are not confident, ask someone experienced to show you first.