It is a good idea for every homeowner to have a few essential tools around the house for routine maintenance, mandatory repairs, or should an unfortunate emergency fix need to be handled.

Here are 18 Tools that Every Homeowner Should Have Around

Phillips Head Screwdriver

A Phillips head screwdriver looks like an x or a + sign at the tip and is one of the most common tools in a toolbox. Even better is a screwdriver with interchangeable heads. This will allow you to work with screws of different sizes as well as flathead screws.

Flat Head Screwdriver

The flat head screwdriver is the most universal and useful of screwdrivers. It is good to have a few sizes such as small, medium, and large. As noted above a screwdriver with interchangeable heads allows you to only need one screwdriver in your box.

Tape Measure

A tape measure is useful for so many things, including helping to hang pictures and determining if a piece of furniture will fit in a room.

Level

So important for hanging anything on walls and making sure all of your handy work is straight.

Utility Knife

From helping to cut open Amazon packages to pulling out old caulking in the bathroom there are countless helpful uses for a utility knife.

Hammer

This one is probably the first tool people think about when they think toolbox. Not only is a hammer essential in the use of nails, it is good as a crowbar, for pulling out nails, and tapping things into place. A good quality hammer is long and lightweight.

Putty Knife

These of course are helpful for spreading putty they are also very helpful in the scraping of items like glue and paint from where they...

It's easy to love a home a little more during summer. There's something about open windows, hanging flower pots, and decorated decks that make a home's personality really come alive. This is also a time when a home's potential can come alive! In fact, it's a great idea to start doing some home projects now that will prepare your home for the summer whether you plan to stay or sell. 

Inspect and Perfect Your Patio, Walkways, and Driveway

Summertime usually means more visitors. That's why you'll want to make sure all of the walking paths, brick areas, and concrete spaces around your home are in top condition. Winter weather can create cracks and breaks that result in broken or uneven surfaces. Make sure you're getting everything smoothed over or filled in to create even, beautified surfaces that will make your yard a safe and inviting space!

Get Your Baseboards in Shape

Have you looked around at the baseboards inside your home lately? Dragging in salt and dirt from winter streets and sidewalks on your shoes for months can cause baseboards to look dirty. This is especially true if you have white baseboards inside your home. A damp cloth is usually all that's needed to get white baseboards looking sparkling and new. However, you may want to consider slapping on a new coat of white paint if your baseboards look particularly damaged.

Refresh Your Garbage Disposal

It's time to make sure your garbage disposal is fresh. After all, the summer heat can bring out smells that were hidden during the winter. Simply run a little hot water after adding vinegar or lemon juice to your disposal to get everything smelling very fresh!

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It's no secret that Coronavirus is a serious cause for concern, one that is sweeping all around the world. Your kids are more connected to the world than ever before. This is due to having instant access to breaking news via their cell phones. It's only natural that they, too, will have concerns.

Here are some of the best ways that you can help your children understand the anxiety that comes with the Coronavirus.

Let Your Kids Know That the Coronavirus is Almost Never Fatal

The very first thing that you should make clear to your children is that the virus is almost never fatal. In most cases, even if you catch this virus, the effects will be no worse than a very bad cold or the average flu. In other words, you'll need plenty of fluids and bed rest. But you won't be at major risk.

It has been estimated by many medical experts that almost all people will catch some form of virus at some point in their lives. It may have already happened to you or your children without any of you even being aware of it. You may have simply thought you had a bad cold and treated it with over the counter medication. 

This is not to underestimate the potential deadly effects of the virus. It can be deadly to the very elderly as well as those whose immune system is compromised. But for the average healthy person, adult and child alike, it will be survivable.

Let Your Kids Know How to Stay Safe from the Virus

The next thing you need to do is teach...

With the threat of the Coronavirus spreading across the world, you may have opted for the safest--and wisest--choice of self-quarantining. Unfortunately, you may realize just how bored you're going to be if the virus doesn't end any time soon. Thankfully, you have a subscription to Hulu, Netflix, and Disney +. With so much entertainment at your fingertips, what shows are actually worth watching? Here's a list of some of the best binge-worthy shows to catch while you're self-quarantined. 

1. Altered Carbon

How about a world where death doesn't always mean the end? Netflix's Altered Carbon offers a sci-fi world rich in lore and action. Season two was just released, so you have plenty of episodes to binge through. Follow the story of Takeshi Kovacs, an elite warrior who is deeply in love with the leader of a resistance movement. 

With their consciousness, memories, and perhaps even their souls, backed up on a device called a stack, they're able to be placed inside of whatever body is at hand. As you might imagine, being deathless comes with its share of problems. 

This show is great for those who love sci-fi, action, cyberpunk, and some incredible lore. 

2. Space Jam

Also on Netflix is Space Jam, the old Michael Jordan and Looney Tunes mix-up movie. Millennials will likely remember watching this movie often when they were a kid and sick. Why not watch it now as a sick adult? Looney Tunes still has the jokes, as you'll quickly remember.

Nothing can make you feel better than good old-fashioned nostalgia. 

3. What We Do in the Shadows

Since you're going to be hiding in your house with the threat of Coronavirus looming outside, you may start to feel like you're a vampire. What better show to binge than a comedy featuring vampires? What We...

Understanding How The Virus Spreads

When illness threatens the general population, there is a lot of fear. However, by understanding how the virus works and spreads, you can prepare in an effective way and stem the panic. Coronavirus acts similarly to SARS and MERS.

It is spread through respiratory droplets. This can be transferred via spit and sweat. It has been suggested that the virus can remain on surfaces that the infected touch. It is, as of yet, unknown how long the virus can live on a surface. The general estimate is from a few hours to a few days.

The best way to avoid catching Coronavirus is to avoid people. Whether through coughing, sneezing, touching sweat, kissing, or touching an infected surface, you can receive the virus.

In order to stay protected at home, you’ll want to disinfect the area and kill the virus. Here’s how.

1. Clean First

Cleaning is different from disinfecting. When you want to clean, you’re basically getting rid of dust, dirt, and dead skin cells. Anything that rests on a surface is essentially something that can be cleaned. Disinfecting means you are using cleaners to kill germs and bacteria.

Before you can disinfect, you should clean the house.

Take a wet cloth and dust the area that you intend to disinfect. A wet cloth will collect dust better than a dry cloth. It will also help prevent the dust from simply flying off the surface to settle elsewhere.

You’ll also want to sweep hard floors like wood, tile, and vinyl.

Finally, carpets should be thoroughly vacuumed. You may even consider deep-cleaning them with a carpet cleaner.

2. Disinfecting Hard Surfaces

When it comes to disinfecting, the first step is to wear disposable gloves. You’re going to be working with...