Fix It Clinic
Stearns History Museum Fix-It Clinics
A Fix-It Clinic is a free event where you can bring broken items from home—like small appliances, electronics, toys, clothes, and more—and get them fixed! Skilled volunteers will help you figure out what’s wrong and show you how to repair it. You’ll get hands-on help with things like taking items apart, sewing, unscrewing, or opening them up. It’s a fun way to learn useful repair skills, prevent items from being thrown away, connect with others in your community, and save money!
Upcoming Fix-It Clinics
Friday March 28, 4-7pm at the 510 Art Lab in Sauk Centre
Friday, August 15th, 2025, 1-4 pm at the Whitney Senior Center in St. Cloud
Friday, November 14th, 2025, 4-7 pm at the Sherburne History Center in Becker, MN.
First-come, first-served, with items accepted until 30 minutes before the event ends.
Accepted items
- Clothing or other textiles
- Electronics (small gadgets, clocks, radios, etc.)
- Furniture (stools, ottomans, dining chairs, etc.)
- Jewelry
- Lamps
- Small household appliances (blenders, hair dryers, coffee makers, etc.)
- Toys
- Vacuums
Non-accepted items
- Large items that cannot be carried by one person.
- Items with gasoline engines.
- Items needing a full zipper replacement (this repair isn’t available during the event due to time constraints, however some smaller zipper repairs can be done).
What to bring
- There is a 2-item limit and you must be able to carry the items in; additional items may be repaired if there is time and available fixers.
- Any parts you have (buttons, screws, etc.).
- Special tools (if a special screwdriver or other tool came with your item).
- Willingness to learn!
What to expect
- Learn and grow: Get hands-on experience and learn valuable repair skills while working alongside our friendly volunteer fixers.
- We’ll do our best: While we can’t promise every item will be fixed, we’re committed to giving it our best shot and helping you along the way! If there are parts needed that we don’t have, we will assist you in finding them. You can either purchase the parts and fix it yourself, or bring them to a future event for repair.
- Item disposal: If something can’t be repaired, we’ll help guide you on how to responsibly dispose of it. If parts, such as cords, can be salvaged to facilitate other repairs, we would gladly accept them for future use. Tri-County Solid Waste Management Commission: https://www.stearnscountymn.gov/1393/Tri-County-Solid-Waste-Management-Commis
- Wait time: Depending on the clinic, wait times will vary.
- Sewing repairs: Need a quick fix? Our talented sewists can help with basic mending, hemming, and even fixing zippers.
- Other repair options: While we focus on minor fixes, we’ll help find other repair solutions if we can!
Volunteer at a Fix-It Clinic
Do you love fixing or mending things? We’re looking for volunteers to assist with repairs or event support! If you have skills in tinkering, carpentry, electrical work, mending, or can help with general event tasks, we’d love for you to join us!
Interested in helping out or know a youth who’d like to get involved? Fill out this volunteer interest form or call 320-253-8424 for more details. Youth under 18 may need to be accompanied by an adult.
Program support & funding
Ann Marie Johnson, Community Engagement, development@stearns-museum.org or 320-253-8424
Funding for this program is made possible through a Statewide Waste Reduction and Reuse grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, in partnership with Reuse Minnesota.
