Swapping screens for spanners – raising a new generation of DIY enthusiasts

There are many things younger generations are more confident about than their elders, but practical skills are rarely one of them. Research from waste disposal experts HIPPO found that more than half of Brits under 24 believe that they are losing DIY skills. In response, the brand launched its innovative #DIYLegacy campaign to encourage us all to pass on skills to the young people around us.

In the mere months since this campaign kicked off, there’s already been exciting progress, and influencers partnering with HIPPO are sharing stories about the DIY skills their children have learnt, and the projects they’ve given a go so far.

With the kids who took part aged between 4 and 13, it’s clear to see how building these DIY legacies can help foster a feeling of independence and confidence in tackling projects from a young age. Here’s how some of them got on…

DIY and styling enthusiast, Anita Russell, taught her daughter how to use a drill, and now they’re both reaping the benefits. ‘I’ve always included my daughter in our DIY projects – she’s loved learning from a young age and she can now use a drill by herself which is a wonderful achievement! She did a fantastic job helping me build a mini shed to store all our wood during the colder months.'

'Teaching her life-long DIY skills is all about putting her in good stead for the future, as well as learning the importance of repairing things and re-using materials to live more sustainably.’

Meanwhile, keen renovator Stacey Dyer has been involving her children with the work that goes into planning and prepping a space for decorating. ‘When children are living through ongoing renovations, it’s so important to get them involved so they feel included and can learn along the way,’ she explains.

‘I work with them to plan the décor for rooms, including creating moodboards and selecting items. That way, they can understand the vision along the way and appreciate what we’re actually working towards. It’s especially important to collectively have that end goal in mind when you’re knocking down walls or surrounded by renovation dust!’

Then there’s Rebecca Lewis who, in the midst of renovating her home, encouraged her son to learn how to put up his own shelves.

‘Our DIY legacy is all about explaining what we’re doing or getting them to use tools (with supervision!) so they can start building on their own bank of knowledge. It’s so rewarding that my son is now learning the steps to put up his own shelves,’ she says.

‘It proves just how important it is to demonstrate the value of doing things ourselves; building things and getting hands on.’

Whether you’re letting the young ones in your life get stuck into a DIY project, or you’re starting by filling them in on the steps you’re taking, it’s all a part of creating a DIY legacy that will be passed down for many generations to come.

Whatever project you’re working on, make sure you have a HIPPOBAG to hand to keep things clear and clean so your whole life isn’t taken over with the mess, and the working debris is out of your hair. You’ll also be helping to pass on more good habits to your children, too, as the convenient flat-packed HIPPOBAGs for home and garden waste are collected by HIPPO when full, with 95% of their contents going on to be recycled.

For more #DIYLegacy tips and inspiration, follow HIPPO on Instagram.