There's more to life than just power tools.

For weeks before and after settlement, I scoured the Internet for a list of tools every homeowner must have. I couldn't find it, and I'm pretty good at finding things on the 'net. Without that list, I felt unprepared.

I don't like being unprepared. This is something for which I both blame and credit my father—a real-life version of Hank Hill, who, to quote Wikipedia "will always advocate doing the right thing in the right way."

So, without list in hand, I went to my local MegaHardware Store and bought a bunch of tools that I a) was convinced I needed and b) thought were pretty bad-ass.

Behold! The DeWalt 18 volt cordless XRP Li-Ion 4-tool combo kit with the following:

1. Reciprocating saw
2. Circular saw
3. Hammerdrill

(The 4th piece is a floodlight, which, while nice to have, wasn't a motivating factor in the purchase.)

Admittedly, I have a serious weakness for power tools. That weakness, combined with spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on something I'll spend the next three decades paying for, made the thought of spending a few hundred dollars on a set of power tools seem completely and totally reasonable.

It wasn't.

Anxious to share the joy that was my newly-acquired power tools, I called Dear Ol' Dad. After spewing the specs and eagerly awaiting the tool envy that I naïvely thought would be directed my way, Dad's steady voice asked, "Did you get any hand tools?"

Hand tools? Really? Do I need hand tools if I have a bitchin' set of power tools?

Yep. Sure do.

Fortunately my birthday was coming up, so for my birthday that year, I received some of the most useful hand tools I could have wished into existence.

   

1. Hand saw
2. Hacksaw
3. Level
4. Square
5. Vise grips
6. Channel lock pliers

As it turns out, I didn't actually need to scour the 'net for that list of tools...I just needed to ask Dad.

And now, after a year in the house, I've compiled my own list.