I don’t know about you, but I literally feel like my dad can do anything. Among a million other things, he spent hours teaching me how to ride a bike in an empty parking lot, fixed all my flat tires, and grilled up the best steaks I’ve ever eaten. Next up on the list? Teaching me how to drive a stick shift.  How awesome is that?

In addition to being able to do all things, he can also make all things.  He built all the bookshelves in my room, made me my first desk (it fit perfectly for a six year old!), and even constructed my own violin stand (how else was he going to get me to practice?).  After years of sawing and nailing together pieces of wood to give me all the things I wanted, I thought I might as well learn from him, as I always have, and build something for him back!

For the dad that’s always working on his phone:

Since he works two jobs, my dad checks his phone more than a teenage girl. I thought it would be fun to make him his own iPhone case, so his constantly-in-use phone stays protected.  Here is a wonderful tutorial on how to decorate your own case; the designs in the picture might be too girly for you dad, but remember, you can use whatever design you want!  My dad loves to read the paper and is always talking about politics, so I thought a newspaper background would be neat.

What if he already has a case?  You can also make him this iPhone holder, which is soft, protective, and can keep his ear buds from getting lost and tangled.

 

For the dad that built you everything as a child:

As I mentioned earlier, my dad used to always make me nightstands and bookshelves to store all my storybooks (mostly Harry Potter). Now that I’ve grown up, maybe its my turn to take out the saw and drill!

    

This DIY nightstand is super useful for organizing all of his books, magazines, journals, etc. It’s fairly easy to make, and can easily be done in your garage with the right tools. Best of all, it has wheels, so he can easily move his books to his office without having to lug them around in his arms!

Because I have so many pieces of furniture that have been handmade by him, I KNOW he’s collected a lot of tools over the years that are just piled in a dirty paper box in our garage.  As a result, I thought it would also be good to make him this tool handle box to keep all his tools in.  It looks nice, can be carried around easily, and can definitely hold a lot of tools! It is also extremely affordable to make – the box itself is only ~$3 at Target.  Personally, I’d probably take some Sharpies add a personalized note on one side!

For the dad that’s looking snazzy:

Okay, so most of the time, my dad actually looks pretty terrible.  He wears the “haven’t slept or changed clothes in two days” kind of look all the time.  But every once in a while, he’ll have a business dinner or event to attend, and I’m always shocked by how nice he looks!  To nudge him in a positive direction and maybe give him some incentive to look nicer, here are some great DIY gifts that will make him look sharp:

Who doesn’t love a man in a bow tie?  This DIY bow tie is SO easy to make, and you don’t HAVE to decorate them with hearts (personally, I like the checkers).  It’s clip on, so your dad won’t have any excuse to not wear it!

Looking snazzy for men isn’t just about clothing, its also about hygiene (which is often neglected!). Sometimes my father is just too lazy to shave, but I figured if I made this set of DIY Rum Soap and Aftershave set, he’d enjoy the experience so much more!  Soap might not be his favorite thing, but spice it up with some rum and cinnamon and I think he’ll warm up to it!

 

For the dad that loves to eat:

Lastly, if you can’t think of anything else to give him, why not give him some homemade food. All men love food, right? This DIY Whiskey Hot Sauce isn’t something he can find in stores, but just like in the DIY Rum Soap, the mix of alcohol and spice is a dream come true.

If he’s more of a snacker, I can’t think of anything better than this Beer-Candied Bacon.  Beer and bacon – his actual two favorite things. Give him a jar for him to snack on as he reads the paper after he comes home from work.  But actually… this looks so good, I might just go make some for myself right now!

Hopefully you found these DIY gift ideas helpful! But no worries, if you’re still stumped about what to get him, just have him make a list on CheckedTwice so he can share it with the whole family!  Gift giving doesn’t have to be so hard after all.