Tag: tools & electrical helpers | Apartment Therapy

Ten Years Later: A Good Gift

Using the toolkit pictured above over the weekend, I remembered it was a gift from my uncle from over ten years ago. Wondering if it was still available, I gave it a quick Google......

I recently spotted this orchard ladder at a local garage sale for $50. It was something like 13' high and wasn't very sturdy, but its shape was very appealing. Thus started the search for others lik...

Tool Sharing

Sharing is always good: zip cars, bicycles, houses, food... Now we know about tool sharing, too. Some cities have organized "Tool Libraries" (libraries unto themselves; others may be part of a regula...

Ian Fraizer and the Bag Snagger

This comes as a follow-up to our Plastic Bag in the Tree post from March. A fierce March wind storm left a plastic bag in one of our trees and we were searching for a way to remove it (it's not as eas...

9 DIY Kits for the Home

As we look for ways to spend less money at home, DIY is an attractive option. To do something yourself, you need the proper tools, and kits are one way to make sure you're covered. We've rounded up ...

YO-HO Aluminum Snow Shovels

Who needs one? After a smart purchase in December (before the crazy loads of snow fell) at True Value, we are continually happy with this most basic snow shovel. Last year, we blogged a few good-looki...

Chemical-Free Drain Cleaner

Last night at a family dinner party, we heard a lot of praise for a chemical-free drain cleaner that costs around $2.50, is made from a piece of thin plastic, and is said to work better than toxic c...

Heirloom Tools
This Old House

If you have a DIY-er in your immediate circle, tools can make a great holiday gift. For something a little out of the ordinary that will last a lifetime, check out This Old House's list of heirloom ...

Look! Our Outdoor Workshop

One of the challenges of small space living is having to find room to do "workshop" type projects. When we redid our desk during the January Jumpstart (thats right, dead of winter, in Chicago) we had ...

Cordless Drill Recommendations: High and Low

While our friend - and super-handyman - Dave was over to help us install our IKEA credenza, we asked him for a few cordless drill recommendations, from light usage to heavy-duty high end. Click belo...

Shoveling Snow

If no one else is doing it for you, then you want shoveling made easy (Pretty? Maybe not so important). We found a few shovels worth looking into for the winter, so you're not caught in a drift with...

Best Products: Shur-Line 10-in-1 Multi-Purpose Tool

If Superman were a tool, he'd definitely, without a doubt, be the Shur-Line 10-in-1 Multi-Purpose Tool. This thing can do anything. We've used it to peel paint, shear stubborn heads off of wall anc...

Green Tip: Laptops Over Desktops

If you're in need of a new computer, consider a laptop over a desktop. Even better, choose one with Energy Star certification. For more information, check out the Home Energy Saver site sponsored by ...

Look!: Pumpkin Carving Kits

If you're up for carving some pumpkins this weekend, Time Out came up with three easy carving kits. We've never used a kit before, but just end up generally getting (somewhat) creative, making a mess,...