I moved into my first apartment with zero tools. Not a screwdriver, not a hammer, not a tape measure. When I needed to assemble an IKEA bookshelf, I used a butter knife. It worked. Barely. It also ruined the butter knife.

If you are starting from nothing — and I mean nothing — here is what to buy and what to skip.

The Bare Minimum (Under $50)

• 16-ounce claw hammer. Driving nails and pulling them out. The curved claw is essential for removing nails without destroying the wall. $10-15.
• 6-in-1 screwdriver. One handle, interchangeable bits: two flathead sizes, two Phillips sizes, plus some hex. $8-12.
• 25-foot tape measure. The wider the blade, the less it flops when extended. 1-inch width minimum. $10.
• Needle-nose pliers. Gripping, bending, reaching into tight spaces, pulling staples. $8.
• Adjustable wrench (6-inch or 8-inch). Turns nuts and bolts of various sizes without a full wrench set. $12.
• Utility knife. Boxes, carpet, drywall, zip ties. Retractable blade. $8.

That is $56-65 for tools that handle 80% of basic household tasks: hanging pictures, assembling furniture, tightening loose handles, opening packages, minor fixes.

The First Upgrade (Add $30)

• Cordless drill. Black+Decker or Ryobi 12V is fine for apartment use. Do not buy the cheapest no-name brand — you will replace it in six months. $25-35.
• Level (9-inch torpedo). The bubble kind, not the phone app. Phone levels drift. $5.
• Stud finder. Magnetic ones ($8) work fine — they find the drywall screws, which are in the studs. Electronic ones are more expensive and not more accurate.