The average man has many responsibilities that require him to be prepared for anything.  From fixing a leaky pipe to changing the oil in his car, there are so many different things every man should know how to do. But instead of having them on hand at all times, people often forget what they need until it’s too late and end up paying someone else to do these tasks for them, which can get expensive!

One way to avoid this is by keeping certain multi-purpose items around your house or apartment that you can use when needed. Here are 6 common tools that every man should own.

1) Programmable Flashlight

Besides using flashlights for finding things under your couch or behind the fridge, they do more than just help you get around in the dark. If you own a 4-way flashlight then all of this becomes more interesting. This is a newer item that I just came across, but it’s definitely worth mentioning. You can click here to read more about it. A programmable flashlight has multiple functions such as an SOS signal and a strobe light.

2) The Swiss Army Knife

I’m sure you’ve seen one before, but if you haven’t then it’s worth mentioning how many useful tools come on one small knife. You can use it as a screwdriver or box opener, use the scissors for cutting boxes, twine, or even cleaning out your ears. Okay, maybe not that last one. But it has a knife at least! I know what you’re thinking, “A Swiss Army Knife can’t replace all of my other gadgets!” And I agree with you. However, I’m not suggesting that each man should buy a Swiss Army Knife and get rid of every other item in their home, only that they should have one to add to the collection.

3) Survival Bracelet

This might seem like a weird one, but trust me, it’s not. I’m always afraid that I’ll lose my phone or my keys and have no way of contacting people or getting back into my house. So what do I do? I buy a survival bracelet. It has a built-in whistle for emergencies as well as a fire starter, knife, and screwdriver (among other things). Now if I ever lose my keys or my phone, I’ll at least have a means of starting a fire or contacting someone for help.

4) Multi-Tool

This is another one of those items that I never leave home without. I have a small multi-tool that I keep in my pocket at all times. It has a knife, screwdriver, can opener, and other various tools that I’ve found useful over the years. If you’re ever stranded somewhere or just need to do some quick repairs around the house, a multi-tool will be your best friend.

5) Lifestraw Bottle

As if carrying around a tool wasn’t enough, I went out and bought a bottle with its own built-in water filter. Now when I go camping or traveling to parts of the world where drinking water is inaccessible due to contamination, instead of carrying around three or four large bottles of water, all I need is my Lifestraw Bottle. After pouring in dirty water through the cylindrical neck of the bottle, it gets filtered and purified on its way into your mouth. Talk about easy!

6) Smartwatch

This one is a little more recent in my life, but I’ve found it to be just as useful as all of the other multi-purpose items I own. A smartwatch does everything a regular watch does plus much more. You can use it to track your heart rate and fitness progress, answer phone calls and texts without ever having to take your phone out of your pocket, and even make purchases at the store with your watch. It is truly a man’s best friend in this age of technology.

In this article, we have discussed the importance of owning at least one Swiss Army Knife and some other multi-purpose items. In addition to a knife, you may want to add a 4-way flashlight with timer capabilities or programmable flashlights that can switch between being spotlights or floodlights. You should also have a survival bracelet in your arsenal for emergencies as well as an emergency whistle. A multi-tool is another important item worth buying because it has so many different functions such as a screwdriver, box opener, and even a can opener which comes in handy when you’re stranded somewhere without access to tools!