Moving into your own place for the first time can be simultaneously exciting and daunting. On one hand, you can fully enjoy a sense of independence. On the other, you have added responsibilities—including taking care of the house or apartment. Often, when people venture out on their own, they remember to bring their clothes, their music collection, and pots and pans, but they neglect to stock up on certain tools they were used to having easy access to back at home. The guide below lists some items to pick up at your local hardware store.

Tools Everyone Should Have

1. Toilet Plunger

You can never predict when a blockage may prevent your toilet from flushing. Instead of rushing to contact maintenance or a plumber in the middle of the night, have a plunger handy. For most minor clogs, working the device up and down is enough to break it up. This can even work in some instances for clogged sinks and shower drains.

2. Step Stool

It’s not always easy to reach the highest points of a room, as you may discover when you try to extend your arm to the top of a cabinet or change a light bulb. A step stool can be your most invaluable tool in moments like these.

3. Surge Protector

Rather than risk overloading your circuits with your myriad of electronic devices, invest in a surge protector. They are also useful during power outages—redirecting extra electrical surges caused by the storm into the ground.

4. Toolbox Essentials

Moving often involves putting together furniture and hanging up paintings or posters. Therefore, you should come equipped with a hammer, nails, a Phillips and flathead screwdriver, and likely some painter’s tape. These necessities are the means by which you can turn your house or apartment into a home.

Ready to stock up for your new place? Pay a visit to Wolfe Ace Hardware in Lincoln, NE. Serving the community since 1982, the hardware store is proud to offer a wide range of tools, electrical and plumbing supplies, and gardening essentials for the home. Visit them online to find out about their services or call them at (402) 466-7707 with questions about their inventory.