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Having the right tools in a household makes the difference between getting the job done and putting it off until never. When you’ve got a task, it’s always the unforeseen problems you encounter that can derail you. Having the household tools to conquer any task will keep you on track to getting the task complete. Get the tools that get the job done. Here are practical tools for every household.

Leatherman C2

A pocketknife is a handyman’s favorite tool, but a good Leatherman knife works even better, saving you from not only finding a knife but also a screw driver, pliers and a saw. Stocked with 4 screw drivers, pliers and wire cutters, there are few jobs this baby can’t tackle. It also comes with a corkscrew as well as a can and bottle opener, so it’s as great in the kitchen as it is in the garage. Attach it to your keys and take it everywhere you go. The Leatherman brings multiple tools to any job.

Hammer

The hammer is easily one of the most useful tools in any home. They come in all shapes and sizes, depending on the size of the job. You may want a large carpenter’s hammer for deck building or cabinet making. You can also get sophisticated with hammers that have tuning forks in the handle to cut down on the vibration in your arm. Some expensive models are made with titanium heads, which are lighter and stronger and feature less vibration. You just can’t do most jobs without a good hammer.

Cordless drill

Being able to drill without carting around the extension cord is what gives the job mobility. You can complete more jobs quickly and easily. It’s important to have a fast changing battery, one that can get a good charge in an hour or less, since it usually goes out right in the middle of a job. If you drill often, you may want to keep a spare battery so you can keep working. Going cordless with the drill is like sprouting wings. You’ll wonder why you ever bothered with the full cord in the first place.

Tool Logic Key Ring

How often do you discover you need a light in the middle of a big task? Unless you carry a good light on your key chain, you’ll have to drop everything you’re doing to sort through the garage for a good light. Keep a strong light on your keychain and be that much more ahead of the game. Don’t let a light delay the job when you’ve always got one in your pocket.

Headlamp

More than just convenient for woodsmen, a good headlamp lets you see while keeping your arms free for tasks. I kept one for backpacking for years, but always out of habit ran to the household flashlight. I couldn’t find the household flashlight one day in the middle of a big job, so I just strapped my backpack headlamp onto my head and realized I suddenly had both hands free and I could see perfectly. Since then, I use it on all household jobs that need extensive light.

Level

Essential for hanging bookshelves, a good level keeps your work even and straight. It’s ideal for hanging pictures as well as curtains if you want to be exact. Some modern levels use a beam of light so you can get the angle exactly right. You can use this in place of a pencil or chalk line and have nothing to erase. Keep it straight and never have to guess at gravity’s grade again.

Opportunities knock, but emergencies just barge in through the front door. That’s why it’s critical to have a first aid kit that has all the essentials to handle any emergency that suddenly shows its face. Be prepared. It’s good advice for Boy Scouts, moms and hiking buddies alike.

Here are 7 things every first aid kit should include. Don’t be caught without them.

1.    Band aids, gauze pads and other dressings

Band aids treat injuries of all shapes and sizes, so keep a multipack handy for large cuts, finger wounds or that blister on the end of your heel. Variety makes perfect. If you are a parent, you know how handy Band aids can be at stopping tears.

You should also keep sterile eye pads, gauze pads and burn dressings that include a sterile pad soaked in a cooling gel. Occlusive dressing can be used to treat a “sucking chest wound,” in which air is sucked into the chest cavity and collapses the lung. Petroleum gauze is also handy and aides healing.

2.    Scissors

When it comes to bandages, you’re going to need to cut, so don’t overlook the scissors. These can come in handy not only for bandages, but cutting clothing to make into bandages and tourniquets as well as cutting tape. When emergencies happen, you need to move fast and don’t have time to rip bandages and clothing. Scissors can be very effective at reducing the amount of time it takes to apply a bandage.

3.    Latex Gloves

Latex gloves are ideal for cleanliness, protecting the person giving the first aide from blood contamination as well as the person receiving first aid from bacterial contamination. If you are out in the woods, you may not easily be able to wash your hands, but infection can be deadly. Keep in mind that President Garfield likely died not from the assassin bullet but by the dirty fingers that went into his body to retrieve the bullet.

4.    Lights

Whether you face a blackout situation or an emergency in the woods late at night, bright lights are crucial to dealing with an emergency situation. With an emergency lighting station, you can adequately light a wide area through 21 lumens of light. It’s portable, and the case easily attaches to a majority of surfaces. Never be in the dark again.

5.    Knife

Unlike people, not all knives are created equal, so get one you can depend on. Doug Ritter’s RSK Mk5 (Ritter Survival Knife) may not be a knife you use for every day purposes, but emergencies are not every day events, although they can happen on any given day. It’s important to have a knife that can handle everything no matter where you are, one that can take on the world but is lightweight at the same time. It weighs less than an ounce but is just the kind of sturdy knife you need when lives depend on it.

6.    Waterproof survival case

If you are out in the woods, you need to be able to keep your emergency first aid kit dry, as soaked bandages are the last thing you want in a sudden emergency. A Witz Survival Case, for example, provides the basics but is sure to keep it all dry, even if you are canoeing and you end up in the river.

7.    A list of emergency phone numbers

You should keep a listed record of doctors’ numbers, the poison control center and other emergency contacts in your first aid kit. When panic hits, you might have trouble remembering important numbers and won’t have time to look them up. Every second counts, so keep this important information close at hand.

The Swiss Army Knife has an evolving legacy unlike any tool in the world. First registered on June 12, 1897, the Swiss Army Knife has served countless people through an endless array of tasks, from rote every day jobs to tasks of basic food and survival. It’s simple but lasting design has been copied and imitated for generations, setting the precedence for pocket knives a hundred years ahead of its time. To this day, over 34,000 Swiss Army Knives are produced every day, making it virtually the most popular utility knife of all time. Exported to over 100 different countries, the Swiss Army Knife is the true ambassador of Switzerland.

Inspired by the Need for Employment

To counter the widespread unemployment in his home country at the time, Swiss designer Carl Elsener founded the company with a basic design for a knife. The knife has evolved through several modifications and improvements over the years, although the design influence has been consistently stable. He chose industrial production of the knife over hand crafting in order to give his fellow countrymen a quality way to make a living that would stand as a testament to Swiss ingenuity and enhancement of quality. Today, his family-owned business in Schyz provides 950 jobs. His invention has created an industry that millions of people depend on for quality.

Inspired by the soldier’s knife that every Swiss enlisted man received in the army, Elsener crafted a light-weight and elegant pocket knife that contained six tools practical tools. He named his new knife the Officers and Sports Knife and virtually created the pocket knife industry with the implementation of a multi-tooled device that could easily fit into a pocket.

The Evolution of Development

To stand apart from copies, Elsener brandished his knives with the Swiss symbol as a standard emblem of quality.

Stainless steel was invented in 1921 and implemented into the knife’s design, increasing the longevity of this quality knife. Rust-free, each knife could be shared by countless generations, passed down through the ages from grandfathers to grandsons.

Universal Popularity

The knife was widely used by officers and soldiers in the United States during World War II. American soldiers called the knife “the Swiss Army Knife,” and the name stuck, becoming universally used for the rest of time.

Sales and output were substantially increased in the 1980s to meet with the growing demand for the knife.  A workforce of 730 produced sales of over 650 million.

Increasing Sophistication

Over the years, a variety of tools have been added to the features of the knife. Although the original knife contained only 6 tools, today’s knives can feature a USB flash drive, a digital clock, LED light, a laser pointer and even an MP3 player.

The 2009 SwissChamp XAVT features over 80 tools. It was a lot to put in your pocket and not nearly as lightweight as the original six tooled knife, but it could handle any job imaginable.

The Swiss Army Knife has formed a legacy over the years that rivals Swiss banks and Switzerland’s admirable stance of neutrality in the face of war. Though it has served soldiers, outdoorsmen and every day handymen alike, the knife stands as a testament to Swiss ingenuity and craftsmanship.

The knife has become standard fare for outdoorsmen and handy men alike, serving as a versatile tool that is easily portable. It’s been used on countless expeditions, from climbing the earth’s highest peaks on Mt. Everest to traversing the arctic ice of the North Pole to surveying and preserving the rain forests in South America. In fact, it was standard fare for NASA astronauts, serving as a Swiss ambassador even in the dark reaches of space.