What to Include in Your Off-Campus Toolbox

By Christine Ascher on April 23, 2017

When you’re living in a dorm, most of the maintenance necessary for the upkeep of your room is done for you; you don’t need to worry about repairing things when they break because you can just contact your building maintenance to fix them for you.

When you make the move off-campus, however, you’ll quickly realize that there’s a lot more responsibility involved in the upkeep of an apartment. While your building may still take care of some repairs, the process of moving in and maintaining a comfortable apartment will require some more preparation on your part.

To avoid being caught off guard, keep the following tools on hand.

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Measuring tape

Especially when you’re moving in and have to furnish your apartment, measuring tape is a must. You can’t just rely on sight when it comes to sizing up furniture; you’ll need exact measurements to go off of. Even if your apartment comes furnished, you might still want to use measuring tape if you decide to rearrange the furniture.

You can also use it as a makeshift level when you’re hanging pictures up on your wall; if you’re particular, you can use it to ensure that your pictures are at an equal distance from each other as well.

Screwdriver

A screwdriver is a basic tool that you should always keep around your apartment. Whether you’re assembling a new lamp or trying to put together your bedside table from IKEA, a basic screwdriver is a necessity. Keep a flared and Philips head screwdriver handy, as you’re likely to encounter both types of screws at some point.

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Jeweler’s screwdrivers

In addition to a normal screwdriver, you might also want to invest in a jeweler’s screwdriver kit. If you wear glasses, this is especially important — you don’t want to go through the stress (and the unnecessary and often time-consuming trips to the eye doctor) that comes with having a screw fall out of your glasses. You can also use it for replacing a watch battery or repairing electronics.

Hammer and nails

While living in a dorm, it was probably strictly forbidden for you to nail pictures or hooks up on the walls. When you move into off-campus housing, however, you might have a bit more freedom in what you do with your space.

Keeping a hammer and nails handy will make it much easier for you to decorate your apartment and to make it feel like home. If your building frowns on the use of nails to hang items on the walls, you might also want to invest in some spackle to fill in the holes when you move out. That way, you can decorate as you want without having to worry about losing your deposit or being charged for damage to the room.

Wrench

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A wrench is another handy tool to keep around; you can use it to fix your bike, put together your furniture when you’re moving in, and — if you’re particularly handy — for any plumbing emergencies. You can also use it to make your own adjustments to the apartment, for instance by replacing your shower head. Buy an adjustable wrench so that you’re prepared whatever the size of the nuts and bolts you’re working with.

Pliers

If you do end up using nails when decorating your apartment, you’ll probably want a good pair of pliers for when it’s time to take them down. Pliers have a variety of uses, ranging from removing nails from your wall to cutting wires. Depending on what you’re going to be using them for, you might want to invest in a few different types.

Needle-nose pliers are handy when it comes to bending wire or to hold a nail when you’re trying to hang pictures up. Diagonal cutting pliers are best for thick surfaces, and locking jaw pliers are useful for removing nails, screws, and bolts.

Flashlight

Keep a flashlight in your toolkit in case of emergencies. It will also prove useful when you’re moving in and out of your apartment, as you may not have enough built-in lighting to suffice until you get unpacked and can install more. You might also need a flashlight when you’re doing repairs to your apartment, to make sure that you can see what you’re doing.

Duct tape

Even if you don’t necessarily see yourself using a toolkit, duct tape is an all-purpose material that you’ll be able to put to a number of uses. Use it to save some money by repairing your torn bag or a cracked water bottle instead of buying new ones. Keeping duct tape around will not only allow you to put it to practical use; you can use it to tap into your creative side as well. Use duct tape as a border for your posters or even to make your own bag.

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