I’ve had a few tools of my own before, but I have not been able to keep up with them in the house. Although I have never received a ransom note, I’ve wondered if there might be a tool kidnapper lurking around, grabbing little screwdrivers and hammers. My husband, on the other hand, has lots of tools. He keeps most of them away from the house at his shop building, but there are a few stashed here and there in the garage at home.
Occasionally we have one of those household breakdowns that require the use of tools, and one of those incidents came this week. My garbage disposal stopped working, so my husband, being the handyman that he is, set out to install a new one. Of course we have our own way of doing these things. He gets under the sink and calls for the tools one at a time as he needs them, and I’m the tool-fetcher. For example, if he needs a Phillips screwdriver, I run to find one, but the last place I put it may not be where it is now. In fact it may not be in the next three places I look. When I finally locate the screwdriver, I dash back to my husband, still waiting under the sink. By that time he will need a hammer or some pliers and the search will begin all over again.
The frustration of searching for all those tools to fix the garbage disposal gave me my mission this week. I wanted to put together my own toolbox to keep in the house, but I wanted it to be “mine” so that the tools would not somehow disappear as they had done in the past. I knew I would have to do something different this time.
I started by gathering the kind of tools that I was often asked to find. I found some old tools that I knew I could use, but I bought a new hammer and a package screwdrivers of different sizes with both flat and Phillips heads.
Then I got a package of “girly” stickers and some clear nail polish.
Great idea! I wish I would have thought of that years ago when I was a parent of 5 (4 kids, 1 husband LOL!). I was the handy woman in the house but whenever I needed a tool…it was gone. Although, I'm not sure the stickers would have mattered as I had 20 acres and the "kids" would run off to the barn or other places with my tools. For your situation though, it's a great idea! Happy Memorial Day to you and your family! Are you cooking? What? I'm fixing barbecued chicken, baked beans, potato salad and strawberry shortcake for dessert…..just for ME! LOL!
I love your idea with the stickers! It's a simple project and it makes life so much easier! I have my own tools too so I always know where they are.
I like the idea of marking them with the stickers. My husband just bought me my own little tool kit. I wanted a pink set but got a black one instead. Having my own is great because I don't have to go searching for the tool I need, they are all just where I left them 🙂
Tool kidnapper? So funny! But what a great idea!
Love all your tools and the bag to contain them. Since it's just me, I don't have to worry about a tool napper but it really is a problem if "I" don't return them to the right place. I spent a little time last week sorting and organizing so they would all be in order. Guess we had tools on the brain, huh? 🙂
Pat
Brilliant idea!
When I was working (a thousand years ago, it seems) the guys in the shop were always 'losing' their tools and one or the other seemed to have 'extras' in his kit. I went out and bought small cans of enamel paints in primary colors, plus a white and black. Then, I painted each set of tools with a color and placed a matching blog on the corresponding toolbox. As new tools were added, so were they colored. Since the company supplied the tools, we were able to keep track of tools and the guys were able to give a full day of work because they didn't have to spend time looking for their tools. They abused them, less, also.
Unfortunately, I still have to reassemble and organize my tools and now I feel guilty. One more thing to add to the list. Thanks for sharing.