My sister had a yankee swap just before Xmas and my wife almost got a set of screw drivers.
She retold the story to her sister who gave her a set for Xmas.
observing how pleased that my wife was to have her own tools, I went shopping.
I picked up a small 17" lightweight tool box, a 16 oz claw hammer, and a 5 piece plier set to complete her set up.
My wife now has "her tools" and she's delighted. She doesn't have to go through my tools (which tend to be everywhere) to try and find something.
They are eVolv brand instead of craftsmen so they look different so she can always tell if they are hers.

does anyone else do this?

 

Years ago my cousin bought his wife a small toolbox (pink) that had a few essentials. She wanted her own stuff (situation similar to yours) if he "borrowed" anything and didn't put it back where it belonged there would be "hell to pay."

 

My wife has her own toolbox......literally a small cardboard box that resides on a shelf next to the refrigerator in our basement. It is NEVER, EVER moved. It has a hammer, pliers, tape measure, assorted screw drivers and other odds and ends. It is best to ask permission before using anything in it and woe be unto the person who does not return a borrowed item to the box.

 

We bought our daughter a really nice little pink toolkit complete with a hardcase that has just about every household tool anyone could ever need, including a cordless screwdriver with assorted bits, hammer, etc. and even heavy duty scissors for Christmas this year. I think its a nice thing to have. I've always kept a nice toolset with assorted screwdrivers, cordless screwdriver, hammer, nails, etc. I think its a must-have and there's never a dispute about my "borrowing" +1's tools. I have been known to complain because he did not have a cordless screwdriver and was constantly using mine. He finally went out and bought his own.

 

My wife keeps her tools in the kitchen (for preparing meals and goodies) and I do not touch any of them and I keep my tools in the garage and basement and she doesnt touch any of them. This arrangement has worked well for 44 years so why change anything.

 

Since I live alone, you bet I have my own tools. It's empowering. I also have an air compressor to air my car tires. I recently bought a bow saw to cut off the bottom of my Christmas tree. I like my Skil cordless screw driver a lot.

 

I hardly ever use a tool - pretty much a screwdriver now and then, or a hammer to hang up a picture. So I don't need my own set.

 

I bought a set for +1 several years ago. She uses them a lot.

 

We've tried the other tool box idea, but with five children, they still used the tools from the garage but not from the workshop. I bought tools for the boys when they started working on their own cars. My wife's tool box is now in my workshop and her gardening tools are in the garage. All this to say that my mother in law loved to work around the yard and when she came over she would lend a hand with the yard work. One day she couldn't find the hand clippers so she she used my side cutters to trim the grass around the flower beds. Still laugh when I use them. Just celebrated our 35th anniversary.

 

We have a small "all-in-one" tool set that is in the garage just outside the kitchen door. it is not hers or mine, it is the "house" set. The "real" tools (full mechanic's box on wheels, mig welder, air tools...) are in the second garage out back.