Less bandits also means less members of your party who end up wounded, and less ammunition that is expended fighting them off.
Doing so will minimize the amount of bandits that get in, which can save on the amount of supplies that are stolen from you during the night. One of the best moves we ever made was to board up our shelter as quickly as possible. If you're not sure what you need to build that extra heater, you might end up wasting space in your bag that could be used for medicine, food and even weapons. By knowing exactly what we need - let's say four pieces of wood and eight components - we are able to ensure these items end up in our backpack while out scavenging. We tend to spend an awful lot of time taking notes about what we should be building for our shelter, as well as what supplies are needed to complete those items.
Having it available in your home will mean additional space in your backpack for other, more vital items while out scavenging. An axe will allow you to chop up otherwise useless cabinets around your personal dwelling, resulting in a great deal of extra wood. One of these tools, the axe, is of vital importance to your group. You'll start off with a work bench, but gathering the correct supplies will allow you to build another one that specializes in various tools and basic weapons.
