Tool Tip: Use a Snow Shovel as a Dust Pan

Got a big mess?  Then you need a big dust pan!

Snow Shovel Doubles as Dust Pan

I live in Nashville, TN.  A snow shovel is one of those tools you just don’t use that often in the South.  But when you do need it, you’ll be sorry if you don’t have it.  Recently, as I was packing up my basement and shop to sell my house, Brad and I were going through my tools deciding which ones made the cut to be packed up to move, and which ones were going in the yard sale or trash pile.  He jokingly said, “Why on Earth are you keeping that snow shovel you’ve probably only used 5 times in the last 10 years?”.  And I snapped back at him in my best smart-alecky voice, “Duh… I use it as a dust pan the rest of the year!”  He looked a bit surprised at first, but then it didn’t seem so stupid when I was sweeping up the floor and putting it to good use.

It’s really almost too simple when you think about it.  A snow shovel is shaped like a dust pan.  But it’s bigger, and more ergonomic in design.  So why wouldn’t you use it in the same way?

And the added bonus:

When I’m cleaning up my shop by myself, than handle is long enough for me to hold in place, or to prop up to make actually getting the dirt and debris in the pan a bit easier.   When you think about it, it’s far more reasonable to use the snow shovel as a dust pan, than to use a dust pan as a snow shovel.  If you go online and google it, you’ll read a bunch of posts from people who didn’t have a snow shovel who tried to dig out with a dust pan.  Whew!  That's a lot of work. I say, ditch the dust pan, keep the snow shovel!

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