Now that I have dealt with the floors at my house, my next task was to venture into what for me is uncharted territory – the big box world of HOME DEPOT!
I need a lot of stuff and wanted to go see what the offering were – who knew HD was sooo big, and they have sooo much stuff? I guess pretty much everyone but me!
Miles of aisles…
…inside and out.
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The choices are seemingly endless…
I cashed in a lot of American Express ‘miles’ in exchange for $ 5,000 in Home Depot ‘money’.
I am certain that my SHOPPING LIST it is NOT comprehensive – I am seeking suggestions on items that I am missing, and which of the following options are the ones to get first:
6′ ladder, 10′ ladder, extension ladder, flashlights, fire extinguishers, grill, hammers, pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches, bird feeders, bird food, birdbath, wheelbarrow, wagon, lawn mower, rakes, shovels, fertilizer, grass seed, grass seed spreader, hand saw(s), tree pruning saws, hedge clippers, shears, post digger, gutter guards, gravel for driveway, WD-40, light bulbs, DIMMERS, tool belt, work gloves, gardening gloves, hat(s), cordless trimmer, potting soil, hand trowell, tiller, composter, hoses, lawn sprinklers, metal storage racks for attic, attic fan, ceiling fans (4), tiki torches, citronella candles, tick spray, clothes line, clothes pins, laundry baskets, vacuum, wet/dry vac, brooms, dust pans, and more…
The selection for each of these items is really extensive and there are so many decisions to be made!
I better stock up on band-aids, get a First Aid kit, and find out where the local hospital is located !
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It can be a dizzying experience, but it’s really great fun to begin taking care of a house!
You are so funny!
A little gardening stool so your back survives the gardening is good to have
The store has something for everyone alot of well known names are on display. They are usually knock offs of their better product lines. Koehler is a good example. I have found the quality leaves alot to be desired. Of course when you lived in the suburbs as i did for many years it was many times the only place to shop along with Lowes.
Just to use one silly example i needed 30 gallon black trash container bags for my yard. I purchased a box and guess what they did not fit the garbage can. It must have been sized for 29 1/2.
In general the pricing can be very low and it appears you are getting a good deal. “You get what you pay for”.
The up side is they will accept returns with no questions aaked.
I am not a big fan of the store or Big Box Stores in general.
This is the new America that has developed, like it or not.
Ron Weiss
I’ve heard thru the grapevine that HD sells name brands but they are not manufactured the same way with the same materials as the real name brand. That is, they may sell Moen faucets, for example, but HD negotiates a cheaper version for their clientele so Moen may, in this case, use plastic housing instead of steel… Point is, you may think you’re getting a designer, high end product but you’re not. Beware.
Thanks for the tip. I will ask my carpenter friends for help. Hopefully they can steer me in the right direction.
Glenn you need everything in the garden section.. one of everthing!!!!
Then the tool section:
Then the paint section.
I don’t think they have tick spray. You have to check yourself all the time.
Have fun!
Dan
Yikes!
the clothes pins will be too small to hold the laundry. The hand trowel will bend. The wheelbarrow handle will break off.The nozzle for your hose will no longer be available in the size you need. From my personal experience.
Flowers & plants? Knee pads.
Clothspin bag. Tree swing. This is vicarious fun…
Thanks Anne – I am open to any and all ideas!
Don’t forget the mousetraps!
Excellent idea! Thank you!
If a brand name something that you bought there breaks and you would like to fix it, you can find the part on-line, However, if bought from Home Depot it has a different number, is made from a different. lighter weight material that maybe very hard to install and will break again. If something big breaks, like a freezer, the repair person will be 2 hrs away and only available 1 afternoon a week to come evaluate, not fix.
Buy local – even if that means 30 miles away from your town.
PS I have friends who work at Home Depot, Our branch treats employees well. I try hard not to shop there.
Don’t forget the garden shed for storing all this “stuff”, including a peg rack or organizing system for these tools. They look great on display in the store, not so easy to find in a big pile on a workbench, greasy, muddy, crusted over with whatever. Have fun.
Thankfully I have a large shed that is very old but in pretty good condition – the pegboard sounds like a great idea!
I saw your post in the RISD alumni linked in page. Is this your first visit to any big box home hardware store, or just HomeDepot? I can’t imagine surviving home repair without a big box store since they put all of the little places out of business in so many locations. I loved your post. It made me laugh.
I had been to a Home Depot in NYC but it is not the same….I have never really had a reason to go. Twhen I went to the HD website! The options are dizzying!
I suggest buying tools as you need them and to get good quality. They lost longer and will perform better. I fully agree with the comments that HD often sells reduced quality tools. Also, you cannot get many repair parts there, such as replacement tapes for tape measures. They expect you to buy an entire new one when only the tape cracks.
I had a tape measure from Lowe’s. It was their Kobalt brand. The tape cracked and I took it back to the store. They exchanged it for a brand new one for free. Like Craftsman tools, most of their hand tools have a lifetime warranty.
Home Depot can be great for many things, but I agree that caution can be in order. I’m not surprised at the comment about Moen faucets above, as I do know, straight from a Halo rep, that at least the Halo fixtures sold there are not the same as you’d get in a regular lighting store, and are specifically made for Home Depot. Thus, they won’t be if the same quality or have the same light distribution characteristics – but for some jobs, they may be perfectly adequate.
I can’t say that I recall having any trouble with their tools or other products – but if you do have an issue, just take it back.
Loving the blog!
This post reminds me of my first (ever!) trip to costco about two years ago. I had no idea the range and quantity of stuff they offered. Looks like you had a productive trip to HD. Congrats on the CT home!