DEPARTMENT:

You Can Do It,
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Arecent AARP survey found that 89 percent of older Americans want to stay in their current homes for the rest of their lives. As people age, the design and functionality of their home play an increasingly important role in how well daily activities are performed, and with so many new products on the market, it’s easier than ever for them to achieve this.

Assistant Manager Bill Prette helps Calvin Lee and his grandchildren, Andrew and Amanda Yip, select paint at the Honolulu store. Photo by Candice Kraughto.

The Home Depot offers free workshops every week on a variety of topics. Many of them are simple projects that can make your home safer and more comfortable. More importantly, if you have some spare time and a selection of simple tools, you can do them yourself!

Weekly Clinics

Thinking about installing a ceiling fan or taking steps to make your home more energy efficient? You can create the living space you want while improving the look and value of your home with the tips and information you receive at The Home Depot’s in-store clinics. Subjects change each month and cover basic how-to projects, including décor, painting, landscaping, and bathroom and kitchen installations.

The clinics are open to people of all skill levels; a knowledgeable associate simplifies seemingly complex projects with easy-to-follow instructions. Sessions generally run for one hour and it’s not necessary to pre-register.

Disaster Preparedness

Although hurricane season in the Pacific usually runs from June 1 through November 30, it’s never too early to be prepared. As we saw last year, large storms can strike at any time and cause significant damage to your home. Associates can answer your questions about disaster preparedness, from how to install hurricane clips to what items are needed in an emergency preparedness kit.

The Home Depot also distributes a free 16-page guide that contains important information on emergency agencies, what to do if you need to evacuate, and tips on how you and your family can weather any storm. The back cover doubles as a tear-off emergency supply checklist.

You can obtain a copy of the guide at the information desk of all stores. You also can visit the Web site www.homedepot.com and enter “hurricane” in the search bar to reach the Hurricane page where you can access an online version of the guide. 

Do-It-Herself Workshops

According to a national home improvement survey conducted by The Home Depot and Roper Public Affairs and Media, an increasing number of American women are strapping on tool belts and sharpening their do-it-yourself skills. Ninety-seven percent of the women surveyed said that taking control of their life meant learning how to do things for themselves, 82 percent stated that doing home improvements gave them a sense of accomplishment and 73 percent said they wanted to learn more about handling minor home improvement projects.

Generally held four times a year, Do-It-Herself workshops teach women how to do everything from building an outdoor relaxation space to setting up organization features that keep valuables within reach. Pre-registration is suggested and can be done online.

Kids Workshops

Here’s a fun way you can spend quality one-on-one time with your grandchildren! These workshops teach do-it-yourself skills and tool safety to kids aged five through 12 while instilling a sense of accomplishment. Since 1997, more than 12 million projects have been completed at Kids Workshops nationwide, including birdhouses, step stools, toolboxes, crayon holders and picture frames.

Kids workshops are offered on the first Saturday of each month between 9:00 a.m. and noon. Accompanied by an adult, children can construct projects from pre-fabricated kits that are designed to be both educational and practical. In addition to the project, each child receives an achievement pin and a kid-sized orange apron similar to those worn by The Home Depot associates.

Garden Club

Love watching your garden grow? Then become a member of The Home Depot Garden Club! Members of the Garden Club receive exclusive discounts; great growing tips on everything from watering to fertilizers; a monthly e-mail newsletter; gardening articles; and access to message boards that they can read online or receive via e-mail.

Find information fast by consulting the online library, which contains more than 30,000 answers to frequently asked gardening questions. If by chance you can’t find the answer, experts at The Home Depot’s Garden Center can help.

 The Garden Club also provides an area where members can list local and regional gardening events, meetings and shows. Joining the club is free and easy to do on The Home Depot’s Web site.
Clinics

Following is a schedule of clinics that are available at The Home Depot’s Honolulu (521-7355), Pearl City (455-1200) and Kapolei (674-6120) stores on Oahu. Topics and schedules are subject to change without notice. For more information, call the store nearest you or visit the Web site.

Karen Lewis-Caneso is the Flooring Supervisor at The Home Depot in Honolulu. An associate for more than seven years, she started with the company as a paint specialist teaching clinics on faux painting. She also has worked in the décor department as a window treatment specialist.

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