Gift Idea For The New Homeowner

When my husband and I were newlyweds I remember wishing that there had been a way to include "rags" in the bridal registry at the department store. When the dog threw up, mud was tracked in on the carpet or household repairs left our hands covered in grease we wanted to reach for a rag! But in a new marriage, often everything is new and there's been no time to create rags from old towels and T-shirts. You don't realize how much you depend on rags until you don't have any.

In the same way, new homeowners may be embarking on the adventure of home ownership without the necessary tools! They'll need to hang pictures, make sure a shelf is level, remove a tree branch, tighten a loose screw, or oil a squeaky screen door.

The January 2006 issue of Sunset Magazine* had a terrific gift idea for new homeowners! It's a 5-gallon plastic bucket draped in a pocketed bucket "skirt" which is filled with all the basic tools to get any new homeowner started. See Illustration photo below.

You'll need:
5-gallon bucket
bucket "skirt" that is made to hang on the outside of the bucket

Fill the pockets of the "skirt" with any items you think the homeowner will need. Such as:
Tape measure
Stud finder
Hammer
Screwdriver set
Nails
Screws
Level
Pliers
Wrenches
Utility knife
WD-40
Caulk
Teflon tape
Spackling paste
And... A few rags!

Finish it off with a big bow on the bucket handle and you've got a great house warming gift for the excited new homeowner.

Additional Information
Garden Guides - Make this apron (read more)
HGTV - Brilliance of the Bucket (read more)

* Sunset Magazine http://www.sunset.com/sunset