Must-have tools for DIY beginners 📝

Over the years, I saw my little creative studio (a.k.a. my bedroom) fill up with more and more DIY supplies. Every time I started a new craft, I would buy new things, and soon enough my collection grew exponentially. If you want, I could even make a little tour of my supplies!

But some things I had to buy right from the start because they’re just essential. Some of them I got later on, but I definitely felt the need for them early. In this post, I’ll share the materials I believe are worth getting as soon as possible to help you in your creative journey — they’re super handy!

Here’s the list:

• Hot glue gun

One of my absolute favorite tools! I remember seeing my favorite creative YouTubers using it in lots of DIYs and quickly realizing I needed one too.

A hot glue gun is super versatile and essential in many crafts: it works both as a strong adhesive and as a sculpting tool (I once made a phone case entirely out of hot glue).

I’ve had the same glue gun for years and it still works perfectly! It’s a UHU brand one, blue (one of my favorite colors), and super beginner-friendly. It doesn’t get as hot as more “professional” ones, which was great because it was safe for me to use even when I was only 14. I won’t lie — I did burn myself a few times, but nothing serious since the glue never got extremely hot. On the flip side, the glue dries quickly, which sometimes made it hard to smooth out lines, especially for projects like the phone case where I wanted perfect finishes.

Still, I love it and it’s been a great friend in many projects. That’s why it earned the top spot on the list!

• Paintbrushes 🖌️

Kind of obvious, but still a must. I have a huge collection and still need more! I’d say 90% of my DIYs involve painting — which is one of my favorite parts.

To start, I highly recommend brushes in 3 sizes: one big for large areas, a medium one, and a fine one for details. You can see the exact sizes I mean in the photo.

• Paints 🎨

Following the brushes come… well, paints, of course. I have a whole box just for them. I mostly use acrylic paint, which works really well for most DIYs. I always try to have the primary colors and then mix to get the shade I want. Instead of having a tube of both light and dark pink, I just keep a tube of magenta and mix it with white, red, etc. to get the exact tone I need. I also keep a few metallic ones, like gold and silver.

• Small paint containers

I can’t tell you how much I wanted to buy little paint pots to store my mixed paints but could never find them at the shop I went to. Every time I had to mix colors for a project, I faced the same issue: wasting paint. If the paint came straight from the tube, I could sometimes put it back in. But once it was mixed, I had no way to store it, so I’d have to throw it away (and if I needed that shade again, I’d have to remix — and it never looked the same 🥲).

But one day, I finally found the little pots I’d been dreaming of. It was a turning point! You can’t imagine my happiness — my mom was with me and got scared by my excitement 😆

Now I keep those little containers filled with custom-mixed paints that I can reuse later. If I need to let a coat dry, I just close the lid and the paint stays fresh!

• Paint Palletes

This one’s a classic and really doesn’t need much of an introduction. It was actually one of the very first art materials I ever got (maybe even the first!), and it’s incredibly useful whenever you’re painting and need more than two colors at once.
I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love seeing my paint palettes all messy — not only do they get more colorful, but they also hold the history of all the DIYs I’ve painted with them 🥰

• A good pair of scissors

Most people already have scissors at home, but for DIYs, I recommend a good-quality pair. It doesn’t have to be expensive! The idea is that you should be able to cut things like fabric, EVA foam, cardboard, etc… without much effort.

• Craft knife/X-Acto

Super useful when you need to cut something precisely or in cases where scissors can’t quite reach. It’s also great for working with clay or cold porcelain. Just make sure to clean the blade often so the clay doesn’t dry on it — once it hardens, it’s nearly impossible to remove. Believe me, I’ve been there and had to replace the blade. Another mistake: leaving the knife soaking in water or even just resting while wet. Big no-no. It’ll rust quickly. Always wash and dry it right away.

• White glue

One of the most versatile glues! It was one of the first ones I bought and I still use it a lot. I always try to buy the transparent finish version, especially because back when I started crafting, I used it as varnish 😅

• Varnish

Very important! This was another product I wanted to buy early on but had a hard time finding (hence why I used white glue as a substitute for a while). Varnish helps protect your DIYs. Not all projects need it, but in general, anything painted should be sealed so the paint doesn’t get damaged over time. Even clay and cold porcelain crafts need a layer of varnish for protection.

Mod Podge is a great option. It’s not too thick and dries relatively fast. It may look white at first, but once it’s dry it becomes transparent. It works really well! Recently, I got one matte and one glossy varnish from different lesser-known brands and they’ve been doing a great job so far.

Something to keep in mind when you’re varnishing your DIYs: patience is everything. Let the paint dry completely before even thinking about picking up that varnish brush.

Then, go ahead and apply as many layers as you need — just make sure to leave at least 3 to 4 hours between coats so everything sets properly. Trust me, rushing this part can undo a lot of hard work (been there 😅).

• Clay

Speaking of clay, here it is. Not exactly a must-have, but hear me out: it’s SO fun to sculpt, which is why I decided to include it.

With clay, the sky is the limit. There are so many things you can create. Yes, it can be a bit tricky at first, but like everything else, practice makes perfect. Whether you’re skilled or not, fun is guaranteed.

I use air-dry clay, which is way easier to work with. Oven-bake clay is more durable when dry, but it has the downside of needing an oven. I’m planning a separate post on sculpting tips to share everything I’ve learned over time. Once it’s out, you’ll be able to find it here!

• Cutting mat

You have no idea how much my old desk suffered from my DIY adventures. Many times, I didn’t protect the surface before using my craft knife and, since it was a wooden desk, I ended up cutting it too — oops.

Eventually, I got a small cutting mat that helps a lot, but I’m still planning to get a bigger one (A3 size) for materials like cardboard. Trust me, your desk will thank you.

And that’s it for my list! These are the tools I find super useful for a wide variety of DIYs. Now, when I say they’re worth getting early, I don’t mean you have to rush out and buy everything at once. Just remember: the most important thing is to start. This list is just a guide to show you what’s out there and how each tool can help. 😊

Hope you enjoyed it! And if you think I missed something, leave a comment — I might even add it in! 💕

See you next time! Ladybug out! 🐞