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Christmas Ideas for Your Handyman

Here at Home Improvement Retailer (H.I.R.) we like to share information that is often as much value to the consumer as it is to the retailer. That’s the case with this piece. We’ve compiled a quick list of Christmas ideas for your handyman (or woman) not only for the winter season but carrying you into next summer.

Cordless anything.

Few things are as tedious and potentially aggravating as having to find the right extension cord and carry it along when you’re using any power tool. That’s why H.I.R. put cordless tools at the top of our list. Whether it’s a drill, circular saw, sander… whatever. There is a huge strength in NOT having to drag around extension cords. Check out the tools that might be replaced with your gifts and find the best quality you can afford at your local retailer. Several manufacturers make a single tool handle with interchangeable tool heads, i.e. drill, sander, saw. That can make storage easier and versatility greater.

Power washer.

It’s winter everywhere in the country. While in the northern parts that means a lot of ice and snow, in the southern parts it may only mean more humidity. Either way, by the time winter has come to an end, you’ll have plenty of items that are in need of a thorough cleaning; everything from your deck to the deck rails to house siding and vehicles. A good quality power washer can save a lot of money you’d have to otherwise pay to someone else to do the work.

Paint sprayer.

For a lot of things (like that aforementioned deck and deck rails), after you’ve cleaned them, they need to be painted. Brushing and rolling can be therapeutic but also more time consuming than necessary. A good paint sprayer can save you a LOT of time when you’re putting a new shade of color on that deck and rails… or furniture… or whatever needs it. There is a wide variety of sprayers available with different functionality, capacity and other features. Select what will serve your workman the best.

Lawnmower.

Once spring arrives and the grass is all growing again, it’ll need to be cut. There will also be gardening to do and a variety of other lawn/ranch chores. Whether your yard is just the right side for a push mower or if you have so much that needs done you can justify a riding mower, spring is the perfect time to pick up what you need. If you decide to get a push mower, know what characteristics you want before you buy. Do you need to bag your cuttings? Do you want a self-propelled mower? Do you want gas or electric? If your work needs go beyond mowing grass, check out the various riding mowers that are closer to tractors in their functionality. If you do it right, you can get one that has a plow attachment to set you up for next winter.

Composting Tools.

After you’ve done that cutting, what do you do with the grass clippings? In rural areas, a lot of people compost it. In more urban areas, it gets bagged for trash pickup. If you fall into that compost end of the spectrum, you’ll need the appropriate tools to set up the site and work what you compost. Determine the size of your site and consider the stakes / barriers (screen or fence steel) necessary to mark it out and hold in the composted items. Get a good quality hoe, shovel and digging fork. They are the ideal companion tools for the man who intends to compost his grass clippings.

Rain Barrels.

Provided it’s legal in your location (and it’s unthinkable that it’s not legal in some, but that’s reality), catching and using rain water for your gardens can not only save you money but also help the ecosystem. Decorative rain barrels and an assortment of those that have a more utilitarian appearance are available in most hardware stores. Barrels can hold anywhere from thirty to fifty gallons each and most houses have two to four downspouts from their gutters. Do the simple math and you can have anywhere from sixty to two hundred gallons (or more) of rain water available for your gardening needs.

Thinking ahead about practical (and appreciated) Christmas presents can put a big smile on your handyman’s face. We hope this list is helpful!

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