The right Tools for the Home
The household tool set is probably one the best investments a husband can put in his wife's Christmas stocking. It's not a gift which should be the main focus of attention, but something that can be shared between husband and wife as a reminder that she is indeed capable of many of the household chores and doesn't need to borrow his tools. In fact, many of those repairs will need doing while he's out a work, and it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Wrapped up in a nice toolbox, this can be kept in a handy place in the home so that emergencies can be dealt with easily within the home.
The kind of things that a household tool set would need are those practical things that no one can ever find at times of need. A torch would be a very important tool, as well as making sure that it has batteries that function. Add to this the tools needed for everyday household repairs, and you are onto a winner. Here's a breakdown of the kind of things that are needed for different tasks around the home.
A quick temporary mend
It's a good idea to have duct tape. Used for all kinds of fast repairs, duct tape is vital, as well as tape used for electrical wires. These don't take up a lot of space, and having scissors with which to cut the tape is also handy. Other things which are handy for quick repairs would be hand tools such as a smallclaw hammer, used to pull out protruding nails, an electrical screwdriver to fix plugs in the home and a multi purpose screwdriver set withall the headsneeded, so that no matter which screws are encountered, the tool can do the job. A set of hex keys are also good for emergencies, especially if you have flat pack furniture in the home. When the fittings come loose, a quick repair job is easy when you have the right tools at hand.
For plumbing emergencies
These can happen at any time. As well as having the standard plunger in the cupboard under the sink, the tools used here would be an adjustable wrench, rags and plumber's tape. This is what is used to make sure that when the pipework is put back together, it is water tight. Chances are that any household will experience blocked sinks, and taught how to deal with that emergency, the tool kit would be very valuable indeed.
Cutting tools
You can never have too many. Make sure that you have a good quality craft knife with a retractable blade, and a hand saw. There are several types on the market, but if you buy a reasonably sized toolbox, you can include a hack saw and a general purpose saw for cutting wood.
Tools for decorating
It's great to have enough tools for decorating because this is something all households have to do at some time or other. The kind of things to include here would be decent paintbrushes in one and a half inch, two inch and four inch sizes. The large brush will be less used but if you buy one with fairly long bristles, it can be used for wallpapering. Paint scrapers are a necessary part of the kit as well in various sizes, as well as sandpaper in various grades.
Screws and nails, tacks and accessories
Although these are not tools, they make an essential part of a tool kit because they may be needed at any time. If you put each size into separate boxes, it's always handy to be able to find them when needed. You will also find it extremely handy to have measuring tools. A good quality tape will never go amiss. Try to choose one which is of reasonable quality and which glides back into the cover when not in use. Another tool which is going to come in handy for all kinds of jobs is a spirit level.
Although there are many additional items that you can add at a later stage, the above items will get you off to a good start for use in the house. It's a good idea to make sure that those in the house who are likely to use the tools have basic knowledge on changing plugs, or performing basic plumbing or decorating jobs, so that when an emergency occurs, they don't just have the tools, but also know how to use them. Teach them safety as they really will need to know how to switch off both the water and the power.
There are many already made up tool sets for homes that you can buy, but when you gather up the items individually, you get more freedom of choice, and can make a great gift that shows that you took your time choosing especially for home use. It may not be quite the gift that the little lady expected, but it's a very practical one indeed that will be used over and over again. If you give her this gift between jewelry and perfume, it will be very well received, and if the tool kit is for the man of the house, he may appreciate the addition of cordless screwdriver and attachments as an added bonus.
