Women are using their buying-power to influence the home improvement industry.
Companies are beginning to design tools for women and product lines that appeal to DIH (Do It Herself) handy-women.
Women are the largest group to make decisions about home improvement, and women buy many of the tools and materials needed for home projects.
A recent survey from the Home Improvement Research Institute says the number of home improvement products bought by women has increased in recent years.
Women account for $70 billion worth of purchases in the home improvement industry, up from just over $55 billion in 1995.
This trend is due to women owning their own homes and tackling their own home repair projects.
Home improvement shows on television, and local home-and-garden events with "How-To" information let women know they can be successful with any number of projects.
Especially helpful are home improvement shows featuring women carpenters and designers.
Women-teaching-women can offer a big boost in confidence.
These shows demonstrate the tools needed for specific home improvement projects and how to use them.
"Tool Belt Diva" on Discovery's Home Channel is a good example.
The host, Norma Vally, tells women which tools are 'must-haves' for a handy woman.
Vally says women need: -- 16-ounce claw hammer with a smooth head.
She says this is an all-purpose hammer -- not too heavy on a woman's wrist, but heavy enough so a woman won't be "under-gunned.
" -- 25-foot tape measure.
Its width allows the numbers to be read easily, and it doesn't collapse or bend when pulled out past a few feet.
-- Retractable utility knife with blade storage in the handle.
This tool is useful for cutting everything from vinyl tiles to drywall.
The blade is easy to replace and extra blades are stored in the handle.
-- Ratcheting screwdriver with multiple bits.
The different bits swap out easily, depending on if a small or large Phillips or a slotted head is needed.
The ratcheting action allows you to keep a steady pressure on the head of the screw while simply twisting the handle to screw it in.
When shopping for a tool, women look for a good grip and fit in their hand.
They want quality tools that help them feel independent and empowered.
They want tools that are easy to handle and reliable for simple projects like painting, or more complex projects like installing a ceiling fan.
Many manufacturers involved in the home improvement industry today are offering products with women in mind.
They are creating tools for women that are lightweight, have rubber grips, and are ergonomically designed without compromising the strength of the tool.
Some manufacturers are offering products such as protective gear and specialty tools for women, to help them feel comfortable and safe as they work on their home repair projects.
One of the fastest growing leaders in the tool market for women is Tomboy Tools.
Their tools are available online and are sold directly to customers through "tool parties," where home consultants educate women on how to do their own home improvement projects with their own tools.
This is the sales method used by Tupperware, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, and several others.
Mary Kay has around a million demonstrators, maybe more.
Pampered Chef has around 70,000 demonstrators; Gold Canyon Candles has around 20,000 demonstrators.
By comparison, with only around 1,000 active demonstrators, Tomboy Tools is looking for more women to teach and demonstrate at their home tool parties.
With expected growth of over 70% in 2009, Tomboy Tools seems right now to be one of those 'ground-floor' opportunities.
Pink tools for women are very popular.
The parties are fun and successful, and largely because of the quality of the tools.
Ergonomically designed tools for women, they are colorful, smooth, and stylish, making them 'just right' for home improvement and Do It Herself (DIH) projects for women.
At the tool parties, women are taught how to use simple hand tools, such as pliers and ratcheting screwdrivers, and more unusual tools for women such as picture-frame-levelers.
They are also shown how to use the nearly-famous magnetic pink hammer for women.
This special hammer is popular for several reasons (in addition to being a good, solid pink hammer)

1. A small magnet allows the hammer to hold the nail for you as you start the nail, removing the risk of hitting your thumb.
   
2. It is perfect for those common tasks around the home.
   
3. It is pink.
   

The women who own and operate Tomboy Tools are committed to helping women feel independent, inspired and empowered to do their own household repairs and home improvement projects.
They want women to save time and money while becoming better stewards of their most important financial asset - their home.
And they hope more women will become demonstrators, and take advantage of the opportunity to have fun and earn money while they teach other women how to have more control over their lives.