Tool Box Essentials

That Aren’t Technically Tools

Owning a home consignment store requires a lot of tools. We need tools to put tables together and take chairs apart. We need tools to tighten loose things, repair broken things and hang all sorts of things. When I first started the store my Dad bought me a purple tool box full of purple-handled tools, many of which I still use today. But over the years I’ve added to that box, and the one I have at home, and a lot of what I’ve added aren’t technically tools at all. In my book, however, they are as important as that purple hammer from my Dad. So here’s my list of tool box essentials that aren’t really tools at all…

A Pair of Tweezers Is One Of The Best Tool Box Essentials

Bruce is laughing his head off right now because he knows how I feel about tweezers. I have fixed the smoke detector, replaced a tail light and stolen a washer from a spray bottle to fix the sprayer hose all with a pair of tweezers. They are kind of my go-to.Tweezers allow you access to some pretty tight spaces. They allow you to grab something that there’s absolutely no way for your stubby little fingers to grab. Sometimes it’s the end of a wire – like the one in my smoke detector that had come loose, and sometimes it’s something flat, like the washer in the spray bottle. I just couldn’t get my fingernail under it. There are a million uses, beyond hair and splinter removal, for tweezers. So grab an extra pair the next time you are at the drug store, or simply click here to buy it on amazon and put them in your tool box.

Insider Tip: A tool box does not have to be a traditional metal box with a lid. Your tool box can be any container that you deem pretty and practical enough to hold your essentials. Consignment and thrift shops, like Consignments Ltd., are great resources for these containers.

One of The Best Tool Box Essentials: A Can of WD40

From squeaky doors to cleaning rust from my garden tools, I have become a major fan of WD40. I had absolutely no idea, however, that it can take ink stains out of your carpeting! It’s true! I learned this, and many other amazing facts about this product, when researching for this blog. So direct from the source (click here: WD40), here are the top 25 uses for this great product that you need to have in your tool box:

1. You can remove tar, tree sap, and bird poop from car and truck exteriors.
2. WD40 shines the leaves on your artificial plants.
3. It removes crayon from walls, carpet, toys, plastic, compressed wood furniture, shoes, and from your dryer (just unplug it first!).
4. WD40 can clean gunk and scuff marks off your ceramic floors.
5. It shines and removes fingerprints from stainless steel appliances.
6. Lubricating squeaky drawers, doors, and small rolling toys is no problem for WD40.
7. It keeps garden tools rust-free plus helps clean them.
8. It removes ink from carpet, leather, and other fabrics.
9. WD40 protects wrought iron like outdoor furniture from rust

And…

1. It cleans and polishes gold and brass.
2. You can use it to remove adhesive from price tags, labels, and stickers.
3. It keeps metal surfaces from rusting
4. WD40 keeps hose ends from corroding
5. You can lubricate your tools or prevent saw blades and tools from rusting, plus loosen rusty nuts and screws.
6. Use it to lubricate doggie doors
7. It removes gum stuck to walls, concrete, shoes, and floors.
8. You can use it to coat outside pipes during winter to help prevent freezing damage or pipe bursts.
9. It removes wax from vinyl surfaces.
10. WD40 penetrates rusted parts so you can remove rusted nails.
11. It helps camouflage scratches in linoleum, ceramic tile, and counter-tops.
12. It removes candle wax or glue from carpet
13. And removes old duct tape and its residue.
14. You can use it to clean and soften paintbrushes.
15. It loosens stubborn zippers (just be careful around the clothing!).
16. And it even keeps bugs at bay. Spray WD-40 on window sills, etc to keep spiders and bugs out.

Who knew? Pretty amazing stuff, I’d say. So get a can (with the sprayer straw) for your tool box if you don’t have one already.

Zip Ties and Rubber Bands Are Something You Can’t Do Without

I lump these two together because a lot of their uses overlap. After all they are both meant for securing things or grouping things together. They both make my list of tool box essentials, however, because of all the other things you can do with them. Zip ties, for example, are great for securing the plumbers snake into a nice tight circle when it’s not in use. And they are absolutely essential for shortening electrical cords to eliminate unsightly excess and trip hazards. Need a small clamp when gluing something? Often times a rubber band will work just as well, if not better.

An Old Toothbrush Is A Great Addition To Your Tool Box

Cleaning off tiny bits of gunk whilst you’re working – like dust or metal shards – is really easy with an old toothbrush. So it makes my list of tool box essentials. I also keep one under the kitchen sink to get at hard-to-reach dirt in vases and such. And no, I don’t ever mix them up with the one in the bath. I think it’s a pretty handy “tool” and I hope you will think so too.

And Surprise! A Stainless Steel Fork Is The Last of My Tool Box Essentials

I have a fork, a pretty hardy one, in my tool box. No, it is not there for snacking whilst I am working, although that’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard. My fork is in with my tools because it is a great way to get nails out of the wall. Yes, you read that right. You place the back of the tines against the wall, slide the nail between the tines and gently pull the nail out. It often does a better job than the claw of a hammer because it does less damage to the wall. Pretty cool, huh?

For more helpful articles about things around the home, check out my previous blogs: How To Make Your Kitchen Smell Good and How To Hide Problems on Your Home’s Exterior.

Have A Lovely Sunday, My Friends. Marianne

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