Got broken stuff? These volunteers will teach you how to fix it

BOULDER, Colo. — Using a plastic welding gun, Zoe Turin mended a cracked laundry basket. 

Every month, volunteers like Turin help people to repair broken items at U-Fix-It clinics. Vacuum cleaners, lamps and kitchen appliances are among the most common items. 

“I can do a lot of stuff, but with plastic, I just don't really know what to do. Now I have four baskets that should work for another 20 years,” said Barbara Leaf, who attended a clinic in September. 

Boulder’s U-Fix-It program started in 2013. 

The organization’s work is part of an international movement of people teaching one another how to fix household items in an effort to reduce waste. In January 2026, Colorado will start requiring manufacturers to provide repair resources, like parts and instructions, for digital electronics sold in the state. Agricultural equipment and wheelchairs already have such protections. 

Approximately 67% or items people bring can be fixed during the clinic or with a new part, said founder and volunteer, Wayne Seltzer. 

“People are realizing that our current paradigm of you buy something and it works for a year, and then you throw it out isn't really the best way,” said Turin. “Once people become a little bit more confident that they can work on things on their own, then they might also put a little more thought into the things that they buy.”