5 Days of Homekeeping Skills for Girls and Boys – Teaching Every Day Home Maintenance

One thing we don't touch on enough today is teaching our children how to fix something before taking the expensive step to replace it. Instead of just tossing it to the side take some time to repair your belongings and keep them in good standing. This is a frugal lesson as well as a practical lesson in home maintenance.

You may think boys would love lessons such as these more than girls but girls can get in there too and wield a wrench. Any repair work that goes on in our home always involves our daughter. My husband gives her mini lessons in what he is doing and she helps with organizing tools and hands on stuff too.

Many years ago my best girlfriend was moving into a new apartment. For a house warming gift my husband and I gave her drill. She was so happy and so was her father who came to town a few weeks later to help her put up some new shelves and get things organized. Let's just say he was impressed with the practicality of the gift. And actually my husband picked it out so kudos go to him.

So how would you go about teaching a youngster Home Maintenance Skills?

• 1. Well first off I would have them help you whenever you do any home maintenance. You know your child and their capabilities best.

When our daughter was about 5 we noticed she had great organizing skills. So since then she's been in charge of counting and organizing the little baggie of screws and whatnot that come from PIY (Put It Together Yourself) furniture.

Once she learned to read she was in charge of reading directions for repairs and such.

With supervision daddy lets her hold the drill or hammer in something.

Again with the organizing she keeps track of when it's time to service something (clean the washing machine, change filters in heater

• 2. Next as your child gets older you may even want to incorporate a weekly lesson on Home Maintenance.  Clue them in to the lovely organized list you keep for what needs to be done when.
  • Free DIY Workshops at a Home Depot near you.
  • [simpleazon-link asin=”0811838285″ locale=”us”]Homeowner's Record Keeper[/simpleazon-link]

• 3. Put Together a Tool Kit for Your Home and Show Your Children How to Use the Tools (at age appropriate times).

The Top Five Basic Tools Every Home Should Have

1. Hammer

There's no doubt about it – a hammer is one of the most important tools you can have in your home tool box. The most versatile type of hammer is a claw hammer. The claw hammer has two flat prongs on the end through which you can pry out nails. The claw end can also work to pry things, like tiles or linoleum.

2. Screwdrivers – Phillips and Flat Head

Can't tell you how many times we've pulled these two out for things around the home. These days, you can't even change the batteries on a kid's toy without a screwdriver. And you'll need a set of each – they usually come in three sizes, so you'll need six screwdrivers. The uses for these tools around the house are too numerous to list here, but everything from assembling furniture kits to hanging pictures requires a screwdriver.  So put these at the top of your list.

3. Needle-Nose Pliers

You'll find a lot of uses for this tool. Needle-nose pliers can be used for anything from making jewelry to working on your home's wiring (maybe leave this to the professionals unless you really know what you're doing). A couple of sizes won't hurt – sometimes the smaller size is good for tiny tight places. The larger ones are excellent for any job where you need to grasp and move something within a small space.

Some needle-nose pliers come with a wire-cutting blade at the base near the plier's hinge. This makes it a 2-for-1 tool. Speaking of wire cutters…

4. Wire Cutters

Less common in a home tool kit. Even if you have the cutters on the needle-nose pliers, it's a good idea to have another set of wire cutters as well. You can more easily “nip” a wire in a tight place if you need to without the “nose” of the pliers in the way. Wire cutters can be very handy, even for decorating (like cutting floral wire).

5. Tape Measure

A good tape measure with a lock feature (so the tape doesn't whiz back into the case the moment you take your finger off of it) is indispensable around the house. I'm not talking about the floppy ones you use in sewing but the home improvement kind that comes in a little box with a release button. You'll use this tool to center pictures, measure furniture, and determine the size of your house's rooms and/or yard. If you're thinking about getting windows replaced, fencing put in, carpeting put down, or any similar job, you'll need a tape measure like this.

These are just the top five – feel free to add on more as you think of them! But it's good to start with the basics.

Visit Some More Awesome Blogs this April!

Kathy @ Kathys Cluttered Mind ~ Fieldtripping Fun
Leah @ As We Walk Along the Road ~ Great Kids Reads
Shalynne @ Wonderfully Chaotic ~ Birth and Babies
Lisa Marie @ The Canadian Homeschooler ~ Canadian Teachers Pay Teachers Stores
Nikki @ Angels of Heart ~ Easter: The Cross for Preschoolers
Jenn @ Treasuring Life’s Blessings ~ Family Friendly Finger Food
Lisa @ Golden Grasses ~ The Working Woman’s Guide to Homeschooling