Tools & toys

Light Keeper Pro

What’s to love: A quick fix for repairing nonworking strings of incandescent Christmas lights by finding and replacing the bad bulb.

What does it do: In many light sets, when a bulb burns out, a small piece in the bulb, called a shunt, is supposed to keep the electricity flowing so that other lights in the set stay lighted. Sometimes the shunt fails and you get a string of partially lit lights. To find and fix the string of lights, remove a bulb and plug the Light Keeper Pro into the empty socket and pull the trigger. This sends a pulse of electricity through the string, fixing the shunt and lighting the bulbs that aren’t burned out. You can then easily find the burned out bulb and replace it. If this method doesn’t work, there might be a loose bulb or a broken wire. The tool also has an audible voltage detector, allowing the user to scan the light set and find the problem. It sells for $19.99.

Closet Organizing Cubbies

What’s to love: Hanging boot and clothes cubbies help keep the closet organized and outfits ready to wear.

What do they do: Both cubbies attach with Velcro straps to the closet rod and can be snapped together with other cubbies for a custom look. The Hanging Boot Cubby, which sells for $20, has three compartments. The clothes cubby, which sells for $30, has four compartments, each with a labeled flip-down front. Cubbies come in ivory, navy with vanilla trim and hunter green with chocolate trim. More information at Greatusefulstuff.com.