Cue Aretha Franklin. I've never really thought about myself as someone who fixes things...in fact, I usually break things. But aside from my clumsiness, I also don't have much confidence in the area of home maintenance and repair. I totally bought into the gender stereotype that it's "man's work" - mostly because it was easier for me.
Enter The Home Depot. Okay, not really. The store itself still really intimidates me. But they have an amazing breadth of FREE classes for home improvers! My favorite? The Do-It-Herself workshops. These are geared toward and attended by women, and I'm a big fan! I've taken two sessions with my good friend Kate - one about painting and one about eco-friendly gardening. They've been fantastic! Not only are you typically in a small group, but you can ask all those questions you've been afraid to ask to an expert in their different departments. It's essentially like a tutoring class for those of us who might be behind in the subject of fixing things.
Best part? Free stuff! Out of the two workshops I've taken, here are all the things I've gotten for free: issues of Martha Stewart Living magazine, a can of primer, a strawberry plant, and a 4x8 wood garden bed! Yeah!
So for those of you who maybe need some brushing up (or a total reboot) of your home improvement skills, I'd look into the Home Improvers' Club at Home Depot. Great resource for people who want to get creative, get their hands dirty and put some sweat equity into their house!
Have you taken any home improvement classes to learn about how to take care of your house or would you rather pay someone to do it for you?
Totally agree. The classes have been great. Home improvement stores can be a little intimidating and these classes are a great opportunity to ask questions without feeling like a total idiot. I liked the gardening class so much I went home and put plans in the works to start a vegetable garden.
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