5 Things Every Set Dresser Should Carry to Be Useful on Set

Whether you’ve never set foot on a set before or have just had your first couple of weeks of work in the industry, you want to make yourself useful and memorable. It starts with what you’ve got in your pockets.

These are the tools that save time, solve problems and make other people’s jobs easier.

Tape Measure

Just having a tape measure on you helps you stand out. When someone turns around and says, ‘Have you got a tape measure?’, you’re not standing there empty-handed like a spare part.

And the thing is, someone will always ask.

It might be for checking whether a sofa will fit through a doorway or working out where a rug needs to land. You could be sizing up a table, a kitchen unit, a curtain drop or a picture that needs hanging.

Everyone owns one, but not everyone carries one at all times.

That alone makes it worth carrying.

Sharpie

You’ll find one of these in the pockets of any set dresser who knows what they’re doing. It’s an absolute must, especially when sending props back to hire houses. When you haven’t got one, things slow down quickly.

You’ll need it to label boxes, write on tape, mark a position or scribble a quick note. It beats a normal pen on almost any surface and works when you need it to.

It’s cheap and simple, but it earns its place very quickly.

Leatherman / Multitool

Having a good multitool on your hip saves time when you’re in a pinch. It gives you the basics of a tool bag on you at all times, which is handy when you need to get a quick job done.

Need to cut something open, tighten a screw or snip a cable tie? You need a tool now, not in a minute.

It’s not about replacing a full set of tools, it’s about getting things done there and then.

Being a dresser who can solve small problems immediately shows your value very quickly.

That kind of usefulness gets noticed.

Phone

This is probably the most controversial thing on the list, but when used properly it’s the most valuable tool on you.

When you walk onto a location, you’ll need it to take photos both before and after dressing. You’ll be sent schedules and call sheets that you need to stay on top of to stay in the loop. You might get reference images showing how something needs to look, or need to check continuity during a redress. You need to be reachable at all times for last-minute changes and messages that don’t get repeated twice.

Sometimes the only way to confirm something is to pull it up on your phone and show someone. That’s normal.

What isn’t useful is being the person who has to say, ‘Hang on, let me find it’ every time. Or worse, the person who has no idea what’s going on.

Keep it on you, stay in the loop and, most importantly, be disciplined.

Used properly, it makes you sharper. Used badly, it makes you look switched off.

Gloves

This might seem obvious, but it’s one I’ve overlooked for years. You won’t think about them until you wish you had them.

In this job, you’re going to be carrying furniture, dragging units and dealing with rough timber, sharp edges, dust and dirt. It’s hard on your hands, to say the least.

Keep a decent pair on you so you haven’t got to think twice. You can move faster, carry things confidently and get stuck in when needed.

None of these things are complicated, expensive or hard to carry. But together, they make a real difference.

They show that you’re prepared, switched on and ready to help, and that’s exactly the kind of person people remember.

Set Notes is a practical resource for people trying to break into set dressing, props and the art department. If you’re just getting started, explore the rest of the site for more beginner guides, on-set basics and advice that helps you show up prepared.