Tools Build Self-Confidence

                There is nothing more gratifying then DIY projects.  In the end (if all went well) you are left with a finished project that is exactly what you wanted.  You did it yourself and you saved money.  Doesn’t that boost your self-esteem ladies?  I’m not talking about anything huge here.  It could have been something as simple as hanging some pictures or installing some shelves.  It’s nice to know how to do these things, and by building a relationship early with tools, you can achieve great things in your home! 

                Some of you may be mothers.  You know that building your child’s self-esteem early is essential for them to grow with good mental health and self-worth.  We’ll talk about teaching your children about tools in another blog, but let’s discuss how getting started early with tools is a great idea. 

                Being comfortable using a hammer when you’re younger means you’ll be more likely to use it to do tasks in your home later on.  Familiarity and knowledge about the simple tools most often used in the home as early as possibly means your children will take more interest towards using them.  If you’re not a parent and were not taught early to use tools, there’s really nothing to it.  They’re not scary or intimidating.  They bring you empowerment and control over your home, something most of us women may already know plenty about! 

                There are guides to help you sharpen your DIY skills; you can click here to find books written by women to assist fellow DIY Divas in home and car repair.  Ignore the stigma that tools are for men.  If you use a meat tenderizer while you prepare dinner, why on Earth can’t you use a hammer?  You can!  Ladiestoolsonline.com has a wide array of tools meant for you!  Now you can install your new faucet or light fixture with tools that are made for women.  Give it a try and tell me how much your DIY task boosted your self-esteem!

Security Checklist

            In these modern times of uncertainty, we can no longer rely on simple neighborhood watch programs or a family dog to protect our homes from intruders.  Now more than ever, we are applying state-of-the-art technology to ensure our home safety.  Motion-sensor lights and alarms are often part of a normal home.  In lieu of the technology that keeps us safe, we must remember some standard safety measures we need to apply daily to our lives.  Use the list below (consider printing it and posting it in your home) to make sure you’re doing what you can to keep you and your family safe at night.

·         Make sure all entrances to your home are locked.  If your doors have multiple locks, use them all.

·         Close any mechanical garage doors and entrances into your garage and lock them.

·         Close and lock all windows.  If you own a second story home and sleep with the windows open at night, you should be safe to do so, as long as there is no lattice or latter readily available for intruders to scale your home.

·         Draw all curtains or blinds.  If an intruder cannot see what is in your home, they are less likely to be interested in entering.

·         Make sure all your vehicles are secure.

·         If you have motion detectors or security lighting, make sure it is functioning properly.

·         Set any home security system you may have. 

Even the safest of homes can be the target of a break in.  Do all you can to make it difficult for criminals to gain entrance to your home.  If it’s time consuming and tricky to get in, the perpetrator knows that his time is better spent elsewhere. 

Now that you’ve made sure your home is safe from the outsiders, go through your house and make sure there aren’t any safety issues on the inside.

·         Check to make sure your stove is turned off.

·         Unplug anything that doesn’t need to be plugged in.  This could be a coffee maker or toaster.

·         Turn off all unnecessary lights to conserve energy.

·         Pick up any objects left on the floor that could cause a tripping hazard.

·         Make sure nightlights are working.

These simple checklists can help organize your nightly safety routines.  Post your routine where you can easily see it and remember to utilize it. 

Choosing Your Basic Tool Kit.

                When looking to create a toolbox for your home, deciding on which tools you need could be very difficult.  You don’t want buy a trunk load of tools and only use five of them.  At the same time you don’t want to start a project and not have the right tool for the job.  So how do you pick the tools you really need?

                Take a look at the typical projects you plan to do around your home.  These projects will be a good guide for you to build your tool box.  If you plan to hang frames and hooks, you’ll need a hammer to secure tacks and nails.  You’ll need a screw driver to secure screws and a tape measure for all your measuring needs.  A level will make sure your projects are straight and a pair of pliers will secure hooks and serve as a wire cutter.

                If you plan to assemble a lot of items, you’ll run into many types of fasteners. 

  Nails typically used to secure backer-board (you know, that cheap cardboard stuff) will require a hammer.  Screws with a single slot will require a flat-headed screw driver. Screws with a cross slot will require a Phillips head screw driver.  It is also common to see hex-head fasteners, which will require Allen wrenches.  It is important to use the correct size of screw driver or Allen wrench on your project because the wrong size may not fit, or will cause the fastener to become stripped, making it difficult or impossible to turn.   Your toolbox should have a variety of Allen wrench and screw drivers.  Rather than having several screw drivers in your toolbox, a handy tool is a multipurpose screw driver.  It has interchangeable heads.  This will not only save room, but can save you the time of digging for the right-sized head.

                After you have identified the tools that you need, it is important to keep them located in a toolbox.  Keeping a well-organized tool box will give you more time to work on your projects and less time searching for your tools.  Find a toolbox with more than one compartment for your items.  Separate compartments can help organize your fasteners and other little pieces you find along the way. 

                Some other pieces you’d want to include in your toolbox are scissors and a utility knife.  They can come in handy when you want to open boxes or cut patterns out of thick cardboard and even some wood. 

                Hopefully this gives you inspiration and sends you off to get yourself a useful tool collection to aid you in the home improvement and hobby projects you’ve been longing to begin.