So you were lucky enough to get all those fun (and very much needed, of course) new tools for Christmas, but there’s just that one thing:  Now you just need to find an excuse to use them!  Well, fear not - here are seven suggestions for projects you can dig into and break in your new tools.  All can be completed in just a quick hour or less.

1. Install a stylish new chandelier where the builder’s bargain stock surface mount light fixture is still going unnoticed in your home.  Chandeliers are a great option in more places than you might initially imagine.  Be creative.
2. Go green by swapping out as many of the energy wasting incandescent light bulbs in your home with ultra efficient compact florescent units.  It’s easiest to do it all at once and you’ll see an immediate benefit to your electric bill.
3. Still have that gaudy 1970’s look in one of your home’s bathrooms that’s just begging for a quick modernization?  If so, you might be surprised at how much some new hardware can help.  Mounting new matching towel bars and toilet paper holders is a breeze too.
4. Hang a new picture (or several)!  One of the most popular home décor ideas today is turning your favorite digital photo snapshots into black and white using easy computer software and then framing them in simplistic black wood frames of varying sizes.  Use your new tools to mount these pictures in a random cluster for a fantastic new look.
5. Swap that corroded and clogged old bathroom shower head with a convenient and comfortable new personal shower kit.  They allow for more in shower storage and help relieve some of that accumulated holiday stress at the same time.
6. Replace your kitchen cabinet hardware.  This is one of those “get the most bang for your buck and your time” projects.  You be surprised what a few bucks and a few minutes of replacing tired and dated cabinet knobs and pulls can do!
7. Leave the light on with style with a new outdoor porch light.  Go ahead and peek outside at the porch light you have now.  It’s time, isn’t it?