Tool Talk Tuesday featuring Centsational Girl

I recently decided to bring back my Tool Talk Tuesday series because I missed the DIY section of my site...life has gotten in the way of life and I haven't had much time to work on my house or do any projects!

At BlissDom, I met TONS of insanely talented women...and the DIYers inspired me more than I can say.  My second day at the conference, I had the opportunity to have lunch with a few women who I am proud to call friends now!  Kate, the Centsational Girl, has an amazing site and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!!!  So, she was the perfect person to relaunch Tool Talk Tuesday with!  Kate, thanks SO MUCH for lending me this post and for the sweet intro!  Next time I'm up in wine country, I'm looking you up!!!  XOXO

Hey JJ, you are a gal after my own heart.  I'm so flattered you'd consider me to be on your inspirational site.   I never get tired of paint and power tools, just like you.  You should see my closet now, it's bursting with even more supplies.  I just can't stop!  I was so delighted to lunch with you at Blissdom and know that you are an inspiration to your readers. Someday, we shall create a masterpiece together, you and I.  Until then, keep on DIYing.  Big hugs.  Kate

I’ve recently been asked by several readers what tools I consider essential to be a successful DIYer.  

Now some gals are proud of their closets full of designer shoes and clothing.  (Need I say Mariah?  Kimora?  Eva?  Paula?)  Not me.  Don’t get me wrong, I love clothes, handbags and shoes too, but I don’t have the budget to invest as heavily as the aforementioned celebs. 

In truth, if given the choice, I’d take the chair and chandelier in Mariah’s closet over that shoe collection.  But that’s just me.

But speaking of closets, there is one in my world that I like very much.  It’s not gilded.  It’s not glamorous.  It doesn’t have any shoes inside.  But I’m very fond of it. 

It’s my supply closet. 

Oh, yeah, now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about!  So many adhesives, paints, and brushes, it’s enough to make me teary.  I love my DIY supply closet. 

So to answer your question about necessary products, I’ll take this shelf by shelf.  These are the products on my shelves, but I consider only the items in bold to be essential. 

Shelf One: Rubber silicone sealant, crazy glue, wood glue, spray adhesive, light & medium spackling, acrylic latex caulking, rubber cement, white epoxy, grout sealant, metal polish,wood filler, tile & stone cleaner, and a caulking gun. 

Shelf Two:  Long handle paint roller, short handle paint roller, extra rollers, painter’s tape,disposable masks, paint thinner, stain/paint stripper, paint trays, recycled plastic containersfor smaller paint projects. 

Shelf Three:   Craft paints in various colors, rags, coarse grade sanding pad, medium grade sanding pad, fine grade sanding pad, regular sandpaper, artist’s flat brush, artists filbert brush, natural bristle paint brush for oil based paint projects, synthetic angled medium brush (nylon or polyester) for latex painting, small synthetic paint brush, roll of plastic sheeting, roll of paper sheeting, spray primer, spray paints in various colors, spray paint gun, staining pads. 

Oh joy!  It’s my prized spray paint collection. 

Bottom shelves:  Oil based and water based Zinsser primer, various metallic glazes, leftover paint for all the rooms in my home, Minwax Wipe-On Polyurethane.   

I also keep a supply of tarps on hand for painting and staining, as well as a stack of newspaper for all of my spray paint projects. 

Note: Even though I store all of these chemical in a closet, I do not seal it up tight to allow for some ventilation.  Something about stored up toxic fumes makes me a hint nervous.  So these doors are always cracked open a bit.   

And I haven’t even mentioned tools!  In Part Two, we’ll talk all about tools, including power tools, hand held tools, and craft tools. 

Not including tools, what supplies do you consider essential for your DIY projects?