Repair & Improve

Packing a Vacation Toolbox

Be prepared with items to ensure comfort at your home away from home

by Tom Kraeutler, AOL Home Improvement Editor

Tom Kraeutler is the Home Improvement Editor for AOL.  In this column, Tom offers tips on the tools you'll need to take with you on vacation.

When you reserved that summer vacation cabin several months back, everything looked and sounded hunky dory─beautiful views, comfortable accommodations, and pretty-much modern conveniences for your summer stay.

Don’t let your daydreams of perfect relaxation carry you too far from reality, though.  Just as with your full-time abode, a vacation rental has its own collection of idiosyncrasies and can present minor fix-it emergencies while you’re in residence.

Pack a vacation toolbox with the rest of your family’s gear, and you’ll be armed for just about any development and free to use your time for well-deserved fun instead of waiting for the arrival of a repair pro. Here’s a suggested checklist, ready to be customized for your particular vacation destination.

The basics

• Hammer
• Screwdrivers (slotted and Phillips)
• Pliers
• Wrenches (socket and adjustable)
• Combo pack of nails and screws
• Tape measure
• WD-40
• Fabric-backed duct tape
• Electrical tape

 Safety first

• Flashlights
• Reflective tape

Power up

• Outlet tester
• Outlet converters (two-prong to three-prong)
• Extension cords in a few different lengths

Seal and secure

• Painter’s putty and putty knife
• GREAT STUFF (tm) Insulating Foam Sealant
• Quick-application caulking
• Paddle wire

For surprises

• Plumbing repair kit containing a variety of washers, bibb screws and O-rings
• Super glue
• Adhesive remover 

Cleaning up

• Magic erasers for wall marks
• Degreasing hand cleaner
• Cleaning wipes (disinfectant, glass, etc.)

With a bit of planning, you can make sure that home improvement emergencies won’t steal time away from the rest and relaxation a vacation should be all about!

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