For a device that is designed to be used while on the go, the smartphone turns out to be a surprisingly adept aid to anyone working on a home or garden. And with mobile applications now numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the question is not “Are there apps out there to help my renovation/garden project/home-repair project?” but “Which ones?” Below, some mobile tools that will help make your smartphone a better “home” computer than, well, your home computer.

Ben Color Capture from Benjamin Moore, ColorSnap from Sherwin-Williams

Paint chips can be daunting. (How many shades of gray can there be?) Rather than attempting to decipher them all, find a hue you like in the real world and turn it into a gallon of paint with either of these tools.

Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams offer free applications that analyze the colors within photos you have snapped or uploaded to your mobile, and then display the closest matches in their line. Sherwin’s ColorSnap adds a palette of complementary shades to choose from for trim possibilities.

HandyMan Sidekick

Never again will you wrap up a project only to find that you’re missing a few crucial inches of wallpaper or have one too many gallons of paint.

This Home Depot wingman calculates exactly how much you need of a given material. Plug in your room’s dimensions, including how many windows and doors are in it, and HandyMan will tell you how many gallons or rolls to pick up. It can do similar computations for flooring or gardening projects. Extra perk: a feature that displays a bright compact-fluorescent bulb on your phone’s screen — an impromptu flashlight when you’re working in a dark corner.

Home Sizer

Planning to build an extension? This app lets you map out square footage, as well as construction costs. If you’re gearing up to build your home from scratch, the application breaks down mortgage costs so that you can make size adjustments, as well as changes to your loan term to more closely match your monthly budget.

I.D. Wood

Fifth-grade wood shop taught you only so much. This pocket guide gives you everything you need to know in the lumber aisle, including detailed specs and photos of 160 cuts of wood. You can find out how durable and sustainable that bed frame you’ve been eyeing is, or browse woods by color. Once you find the ideal timber, the program will show you appropriate cutting techniques and even the right nails to use for your project.

iHandy Carpenter

Five carpenter’s tools in a single application mean less sifting through an old toolbox to hang a picture. A digital plumb bob tells you if your walls are straight, while a bubble level helps keep things straight. Coolest feature: a digital ruler that measures items larger than your iPhone by using the mobile’s touch screen. Use the digital protractor when designing D.I.Y. pieces; when you’re done, pull out the surface level to make sure the desk you just built is on the straight and narrow. (NYT)