The Tenant's Toolbox
Renting an apartment, rather than buying a house or condo means never having to make repairs yourself, right? Not always. Sometimes, it's quicker, easier and surprisingly inexpensive to make a minor repair on the spot without calling the building management or the owner. Taking care of the small stuff yourself also means you won't get a reputation of being someone who calls to complain about every little thing.
To make your own repairs, you'll need a small toolbox stocked with a
few basic items. There's no need to buy expensive tools since you're not
planning to use them for professional work. Just get the least expensive
tools that will be sturdy enough for occasional use. "You can equip a
toolbox for your apartment, including the toolbox and everything in it, for
less than $50," says Heather Ream, a commercial accounts specialist at the
Home Depot superstore in Woodland Hills.
A few items to purchase are a monkey wrench, an assortment of
screwdrivers, a few hollow-wall anchors, a hammer and a utility knife.
Here are a few ways you might use these tools:
Wrench: "I dropped a ring down the sink at home and had to open the
P-trap, that's the U-shaped pipe underneath the sink, to retrieve it. You
might think, 'I don't do plumbing,' but it's very easy to get a monkey
wrench and unscrew the P-trap if you drop something small down the sink or
it gets clogged," says Ream.
Screwdriver: Ream suggests buying a teeny-tiny screwdriver of the
type used to repair jewelry or eyeglasses. This tool can be used to
tighten cabinet hinges, magnetic cabinet latches, towel bars and
childproofing devices. "We had a cabinet that didn't close all the way.
Our dog would bump it open with her nose and start eating everything in the
cabinet," she relates. A few turns of the tiny screwdriver solved the
problem.
Wall anchors: "I recommend that people living in apartments get
hollow-wall anchors to use before they put a screw or nail into drywall
that doesn't have a stud behind it. If you hang a heavy picture on a nail
or screw that is in drywall, but not in a stud also, it can fall right off
the wall and rip through the drywall," says Reams. (To find a stud, knock
on the wall and listen for a section that doesn't sound hollow.)
Utility knife and razor blades: These tools are useful for replacing
small pieces of carpet, opening cartons when you move into a new place,
scraping excess paint off mirrors, windows and doorknobs and similar tasks.
A tenant's toolbox is particularly useful when it's time to vacate
your apartment and restore it to the pristine condition that existed prior to your tenancy. Use a plastic spreader, a lightweight grade of spackle
and a sanding sponge to fill small holes left by picture nails. "When you pick up a container of lightweight spackle, it feels empty because it's so lightweight. It's inexpensive and you can sand it off right away (rather
than waiting a few hours for it to dry). Sand sponges are better than sand paper because you don't have anything to grip with sand paper. The sand sponge is literally a small sponge surrounded with sanding material that costs a couple of dollars. You can even sand light dirt off your walls if you need to," says Ream.
Other inexpensive items to add to your toolbox include a pencil and
eraser, a measuring tape, touch-up paint and a tiny paintbrush, a window
screen repair kit and an assortment of nails and screws. Don't forget to
buy a toolbox too. Ream says a plastic toolbox costs about $6. For $2
more, you can add a compartmentalized box to sort and store nails, screws,
plastic wall anchors, washers and other small items.
Tip: A well-stocked toolbox makes a nice gift for a young person
moving into his or her first apartment.
Marcie Geffner writes columns that give valuable "how-to" tips and tricks for home buyers and home sellers. Marcie has been covering real estate issues for more than eight years, formerly as senior editor of California Real Estate magazine and now on a freelance basis. Her articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union Tribune Sunday real estate sections as well as various real estate association magazines. You can e-mail Marcie at mgeff@worldnet.att.net.
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Written by Marcie Geffner
