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Photo: Mélange Paint / Image Treatment: The Spruce
Whether you are newly dipping your toe into the world of DIY or you’re a true crafting expert, there’s one thing you need: great supplies in your crafting arsenal. With the help of DIY extraordinaire Jen Talley of Perfectly Imperfect Furniture, we rounded up some must-have items for your own crafty toolkit.
Read on for some product suggestions from this pro. These picks are about to take your crafting kit to the next level.
Jen Talley of Perfectly Imperfect Furniture is a DIY and crafting extraordinaire. She is a furniture artist, thrifter, and knows a thing or two about the best products for completing DIY projects.
Ailile Store Craft Scissors
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Amazon
Is it just us, or do good scissors go missing as often as mismatched socks? But they're absolutely integral for any DIY kit, and we love how fun these tie-dye effect shears are. Either way, regardless of the look, definitely keep multiple scissor sizes stocked.
Muldale Twine Holder with String and Twine Scissors
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Amazon
Twine, as it turns out, has a million uses in your home. In the kitchen, in the garden, as gift wrap—it’s always great to have on hand and easily accessible. We love this stylish holder because it can be left out on a shelf or counter, and it also comes with scissors that remain readily available.
Knaid 40 Rolls of Slim Washi Tape
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Amazon
Washi tape is one of those things you've seen everywhere over the past few years, and there’s a reason for that. It’s incredibly versatile. Use it for small paper crafts, journaling, or to temporarily hang things on the wall without ripping off the paint.
HOTO Tool Set
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Amazon
No matter the project or its scale, Talley says you’ll need a basic tool kit—think screwdrivers, a hammer, and needle nose pliers. These tools will come in handy for everything from repairs to hardware removal to installations. We love this sleek and simple set by HOTO, which has minimalist vibes and comes in an easy-to-store carry case.
Zibra Premium Paint Brush Set
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Amazon
Paint brushes may all seem the same, but high-quality brushes will change the way you craft—and Talley agrees. “I exclusively hand paint all my furniture, so a good brush is essential," Talley says. "I love my Zibra brushes because they are such high quality and come in a variety of sizes and for specific applications."
Each brush in the kit serves a specific painting purpose. The Round Brush is ideal for painting curbed surfaces since the brush head conforms to the shape of the object being painted, and each brush leaves behind great coverage and a smooth finish.
Mélange Paints Mini Starter Pack
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Mélange Paints
While there are tons of paint options on the market, Talley tells us that this is one DIY area where quality is key.
“It’s important to start with high-quality products in order to get a high-quality outcome,” Talley explains to us. “My favorite paint brand is Mélange Artisan Mineral Paints. It’s easy to use, provides excellent coverage, is self-leveling, and has both a built-in primer and topcoat.” Plus, we have to admit—the packaging is much chicer than your standard metal paint can.
Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser
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Amazon
It’s important to start any craft with a clean workspace, and if you’ve spent any time on cleaning TikTok, you know that Barkeepers Friend is in everyone’s arsenal—and Talley is no exception: she uses it in her ‘hardware soup’ recipe. This concoction is what she uses to clean up original hardware, boiling it in vinegar and water and then scrubbing it down with Barkeeper's Friend.
This product can prove magical for restoring vintage pieces. Depending on your materials, it's also great for wiping down the finished product so you can fully admire the fruits of your DIY labor.
Novogratz Cache Blue 2-Door Metal Locker Accent Cabinet
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Home Depot
If you’re building up your DIY supplies, you’ll want a place to stash them. We love the utilitarian-yet-stylish look of this locker console. A great feature of metal lockers is how easy they are to wipe down and keep clean—and none of your cluttered craft supplies need to be on display.
decotacks Antique Copper Finish Upholstery Nails
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Amazon
Whether you’re reupholstering, refurbishing, or just refreshing, it’s all in the details. Decorative nails like these furniture tacks can elevate a project to a whole new level, with hardly any effort. Plus, they're multi-functional so even if you don't regularly work with furniture, you can likely put these to use on other DIY projects: think chic, heavy-duty pegboard tacks.
Hiili & Kaala Leather Dresser Knobs
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Amazon
An easy and super common DIY hack is to replace the drawer pulls on dressers, desks, and cabinets. Keep a stylish assortment on hand, so you can instantly upgrade a vintage piece, or easily swap out the hardware on anything pre-existing in your home.
OWLKELA Colored Masking Tape
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Amazon
While washi tape is great, you still should have traditional painters’ tape on hand. But the good news? It doesn’t just come in elementary-school blue anymore. We love a rainbow assortment for cheering up any paint project.
Green Lifestyle All Purpose Canvas Drop Cloth
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Amazon
In an ideal world, we would all have perfectly appointed workshops, ready for our craftiest dreams to come to life. But in reality, most of us are doing these projects in less-than-ideal spaces with floors and furniture that require protection. That’s why a reusable drop cloth is key. It makes clean-up super easy and is much more sustainable than throwing down a bunch of plastic garbage bags.