The Ultimate DIYer Gift Guide

The holiday season is here, and what better time to treat yourself or your loved ones with tools they need to make beautiful DIY projects! Whether you're shopping for yourself or for someone else, every DIYer needs these things to tackle any project, anytime!

Paint

Do you or someone you know love to transform old or thrifted items? Give the gift of paint! From 80 cent acrylic paints to $8 spray cans, paint has a way of completely transforming an item from old and outdated to new and a total vibe. Acrylic paint can be mixed together to form unique colors, so buying a variety to create a go-to set is a must. If you lean neutral, grab black, white, tan, brown and orange. If you lean dark, grab black and all the primary colors. Having a can of gray and black primers on hand help a ton on repaint projects. Black, off-white and matte clear coats also go a long way. When gifting for others, I always recommend getting your ROYGBIV basics and a couple of neutrals to give your recipient a nice, mixable variety, and a can of white primer spray paint.

Paint brushes

Believe me when I say every DIYer needs a full range of paint brushes that are of at least decent quality. You'll need everything from black square sponges to fine-point art brushes to wall rollers. These can usually be purchased in large sets on sale. Bouquet of flowers? I'd rather get a beautiful bouquet of new brushes! (But yeah, also the flowers.) Don't pass up the variety packs. Some of my favorite projects have been completed with cheap variety brush sets!

Wood stain

Wood stain is one of those products that don't get used too often, but you always regret not having it on hand. The small cans of stain go a VERY long way. I always recommend having Natural (doesn't really change but enhances wood as is), Provincial (mid-range browning) and Espresso (dark brown) on hand at all times. Stain, like paint, can be mixed together to create new colors and shades. Stain can also be thinned out and layered to create lighter or darker shades. If you are staining wood that will be subject to wear and tear, consider also picking up a can of polyacrylic in clear to give it a protective top coat.

Drill & assorted bits

Not only is a drill a necessity for DIY projects, but also just to have for your home. Invest in a good drill ($50-150 range), a screwdriver bit set and a drill bit set. Most hand tool companies are condensing down the batteries for their cordless items, so be sure that the drill you get comes with a battery! The drill bit sets should be a minimum between 12-30 pieces to have a good variety for any task. They also come in their own cases at that size, which means storage is simplified for you!

Glue gun and glue sticks

If you purchase nothing else from this list, please let a glue gun and glue sticks be the thing you walk away with. You can get a cheap glue gun for about $4 (like these from Joann's in high temp or low temp) and a pack of glue sticks from the Dollar Tree. You will almost ALWAYS need a glue gun. Are you really a crafter if you don't have a glue gun?

Other bits and bobs

Scissors and craft knives are always great to have on hand, as well. Investing in scissors depends on your use. While you might not thing about it, you will want to consider having a pair of scissors for the different types of projects you work on. Do you or your gift recipient work with fabric a lot? Having a dedicated set of sheers just for fabric is really important. Scissor blades can dent easily and cause problems for other projects. Avoid using scissors on floral wire and stick to wire cutters for that. Likewise, projects you cut could need sanding. Consider having a sheet of fine grit and medium grit sandpaper on hand. Fine grit smooths, while medium grid roughs up (great for needing glossy surfaces primed for painting). A good storage tote can help keep all these tools in one convenient place. A crafter's tool box, a regular tool box, or a craft tote can really help keep things from spreading out and turning in clutter.

What other items do you have in your DIY tool box? Let me know in the comments below. I'd safe my favorite ones are my floral wire cutters, my vinyl pick and my jewelry plyers. I think I end up using those tools more than anything else I own, even my glue gun. And that's saying something. Be sure to check out all the affiliate links I have above for my favorite product recommendations. As always, the links come at no cost to you, but purchase of those items through my links does help the blog fund itself (which means more and bigger content for your viewing pleasure)!