Author Topic: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain  (Read 170707 times)

4alpacas

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #500 on: August 21, 2017, 10:16:32 AM »
In regards to making your home easier to maintain, I have a few aqua globes and they make it easier to keep my plants watered. If you don't know what they are, they are glass globes that you fill with water and stick in your plants and they will be watered for about 1-2 weeks.

I got them because I was having issues over watering some of my finicky plants and the plants are now thriving with the aqua globes. It doesn't work well for plants that like dry soil though.

I'm going to start asking for these for birthdays and holidays. They will easily cut down the time I spend each day water plants and when we go out of town we don't worry about those plants dying.

We have a few of these, and they're great! My husband recently discovered that empty wine bottles work well, too. Well, empty of wine, refilled with water! (We used to get boxed wine, but after we moved, we discovered a grocery outlet store that sells wine for as low as $3/bottle, and it's good!) We use them around the yard in places where we haven't set up drip irrigation yet, and they last for about a week. The globes are obviously prettier, though, so we use those in the house.

I supposed you'll need to recork the bottles and make a small hole in the cork? Or how else would a wine bottle work?

I asked my husband something similar when he first showed me the upside-down wine bottles in the dirt... isn't the hole too big? Doesn't the water all just drain out at once? He said no, you just have to press the wine bottle firmly into the dirt, so the dirt goes into the narrow part of the bottle and holds most of the water in.
I finished a bottle of wine on Saturday, and I'm using this technique in my raised bed.  So far, so good!  No need to spend $1 on an aquaglobe.  I'm able to use my garbage (actually recycling, but whatever). 

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #501 on: August 21, 2017, 05:16:07 PM »
Yeah, I added my empty wine bottle to my peppers container. Getting more wine today. Only *lightly* using my tomato container as a rationalization ;)

koshtra

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #502 on: August 21, 2017, 05:22:34 PM »
Tomatoes is lookin' peaky, hon: we better buy another case of wine!

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #503 on: August 21, 2017, 06:45:08 PM »
Tomatoes is lookin' peaky, hon: we better buy another case of wine!
I didn't see you there in the corner of my kitchen ;) haha.

Jury is still out on the efficacy of the system for the peppers though. The neck of the wine had to go so far down to be stable, I worry it'll be too low for the peppers' shallower roots system.

No cost though, so why not?

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #504 on: August 21, 2017, 07:17:46 PM »
We are installing sconce lights in all the rooms, where you can just flip a switch on the wall and not have cords all over the place collecting dust.  Even the bedrooms.

This is why I would love ceiling fans. No more pedestal fans cluttering up the floor, collecting dust. But we're renting.

With This Herring

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #505 on: August 21, 2017, 07:32:14 PM »
We are installing sconce lights in all the rooms, where you can just flip a switch on the wall and not have cords all over the place collecting dust.  Even the bedrooms.

This is why I would love ceiling fans. No more pedestal fans cluttering up the floor, collecting dust. But we're renting.

Window fans are the way to go for renters!

Anatidae V

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #506 on: August 21, 2017, 08:06:17 PM »
We are installing sconce lights in all the rooms, where you can just flip a switch on the wall and not have cords all over the place collecting dust.  Even the bedrooms.

This is why I would love ceiling fans. No more pedestal fans cluttering up the floor, collecting dust. But we're renting.

Window fans are the way to go for renters!
what is a window fan? **Google** hmm, but we tend to have flyscreen on our windows, doesn't seem compatible?

With This Herring

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #507 on: August 21, 2017, 08:23:15 PM »
We are installing sconce lights in all the rooms, where you can just flip a switch on the wall and not have cords all over the place collecting dust.  Even the bedrooms.

This is why I would love ceiling fans. No more pedestal fans cluttering up the floor, collecting dust. But we're renting.

Window fans are the way to go for renters!
what is a window fan? **Google** hmm, but we tend to have flyscreen on our windows, doesn't seem compatible?

To clarify for everybody, I think of window fans such as in this pic or this other pic.  One or more fans arranged horizontally in a solid frame that fits inside the opening of a partially-closed window, usually with sidewalls of adjustable length to keep air from going back the wrong way.  Fancier versions allow you to either pull air in or push air out by flipping a switch.  Are they uncommon in Australia?

Mine sits inside the screen/flyscreen with no issues.  In my windows (and other windows I see in the US) there is a gap of a few inches between the windowpane and the screen, which is plenty of space for the back of a window fan.

Anatidae V

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #508 on: August 22, 2017, 02:28:53 AM »
We are installing sconce lights in all the rooms, where you can just flip a switch on the wall and not have cords all over the place collecting dust.  Even the bedrooms.

This is why I would love ceiling fans. No more pedestal fans cluttering up the floor, collecting dust. But we're renting.

Window fans are the way to go for renters!
what is a window fan? **Google** hmm, but we tend to have flyscreen on our windows, doesn't seem compatible?

To clarify for everybody, I think of window fans such as in this pic or this other pic.  One or more fans arranged horizontally in a solid frame that fits inside the opening of a partially-closed window, usually with sidewalls of adjustable length to keep air from going back the wrong way.  Fancier versions allow you to either pull air in or push air out by flipping a switch.  Are they uncommon in Australia?

Mine sits inside the screen/flyscreen with no issues.  In my windows (and other windows I see in the US) there is a gap of a few inches between the windowpane and the screen, which is plenty of space for the back of a window fan.
that sounds good, then. I have seen air conditioners stuck in a window, but normally it's booked in. I've not seen a window fan before, I'll be looking for one before summer cos it sounds great

Kerowyn

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #509 on: August 22, 2017, 07:56:01 AM »
I have a window fan similar to the one With This Herring posted. It is glorious for when it's too warm for nothing but not so hot/humid that air conditioning is needed, especially when the apartment has gotten warm while we were out at work all day but the temperature outside is pleasant. I always have it on exhaust--it pulls the hot air out of the apartment rather than pushing outside air in.

galliver

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #510 on: August 22, 2017, 11:23:16 AM »
We are installing sconce lights in all the rooms, where you can just flip a switch on the wall and not have cords all over the place collecting dust.  Even the bedrooms.

This is why I would love ceiling fans. No more pedestal fans cluttering up the floor, collecting dust. But we're renting.

Window fans are the way to go for renters!
what is a window fan? **Google** hmm, but we tend to have flyscreen on our windows, doesn't seem compatible?

To clarify for everybody, I think of window fans such as in this pic or this other pic.  One or more fans arranged horizontally in a solid frame that fits inside the opening of a partially-closed window, usually with sidewalls of adjustable length to keep air from going back the wrong way.  Fancier versions allow you to either pull air in or push air out by flipping a switch.  Are they uncommon in Australia?

Mine sits inside the screen/flyscreen with no issues.  In my windows (and other windows I see in the US) there is a gap of a few inches between the windowpane and the screen, which is plenty of space for the back of a window fan.
that sounds good, then. I have seen air conditioners stuck in a window, but normally it's booked in. I've not seen a window fan before, I'll be looking for one before summer cos it sounds great

We have that exact first one! Two of them! Can confirm, sits fine in front of a screen (but also in the US-CA). Doesn't entirely solve the cord problem, but does a lovely job of drawing sweet, cool CA evening air into the heated up house. We used to have two to encourage flow-through, but now we have too many plants in that one window so we make do with one.

nickybecky1

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #511 on: September 05, 2017, 03:04:06 PM »
I'm posting to follow. I read through most of the thread and checked out the recommended Make your House do your Housework book - it's so helpful! We're doing well in a lot of areas but it gave me a few ideas like getting rid of table lamps and mounting desks to the wall that I think will make a big difference!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #512 on: September 05, 2017, 06:31:33 PM »
Thought of this thread last week when I had a house guest who used obnoxious pink toothpaste and left it smeared in the bathroom sink.

I rinse the sink every time I use it, but even if I didn't, white toothpaste would never look that bad.

I did have a word to the piglet after the second morning.

It goes back to 'a little, often'. How often do I clean my sink? The answer is both always and never because I don't have to.

kelvin

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #513 on: September 06, 2017, 06:25:10 AM »
I used to work in a factory that had adopted the Toyota Lean 5S system. It was an eye opener.

Everything was set up so that a total stranger could walk into our factory floor and find what they were looking for in 30s or less. In general, this means everything clearly labelled, and lots of empty space on the shelves so your eye can quickly isolate the thing you're looking for.

Everything I needed for a particular job was all contained in the same spot - preferably without having to turn around or take an extra step to reach a tool. If I'm making coffee at home, I should be able to grab the coffee, sugar, cream, mug etc. without having to turn around or take an extra step. If I'm going jogging, my jogging clothes are kept with my running shoes and my cellphone sleeve. Everything in the same spot.

If you're moving from an apartment to a house, there's going to be some weirdness because you're used to doing everything in 2 rooms. I'm house sitting right now and it feels super weird to get changed in the bedroom, I'm used to changing in front of the TV. So I moved my suitcase to the rec room. Don't be afraid to do something odd, just make sure the furniture in that room can accommodate what you actually use it for, not what's "normal".

KiwiSonya

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #514 on: November 06, 2017, 09:11:34 PM »
This is the best thread.  I bought the Ergonomics book recommended earlier in the thread and it has already changed my life.  My kids (4 & 6) are terrible eaters at the table - up, down, up, down, food on floor etc.  Instantly fixed by putting a stool under their feet.  Also bought a stick vacuum so we (incl them) can clean up the messes we make during the day.  I also bought them a step stool and their own cutlery and crockery in separate colours and they are taking full responsibility for serving themselves, washing their dishes, drying and putting them away.  And they love that they are able to be helpful.  Feel a bit silly that I didn't notice earlier that our house didn't really allow them to be independent.  And I'm still waiting for the arrival of Don Aslett's book - takes ages for mail to come from US to NZ! Thanks for the great tips everyone.

Which ergonomics book? Missed it!

So a stool under their feet while sitting makes them sit better??!

Sorry am only a year late but the awesome book I was referring to was Ergonomic Living: How to create a user friendly home and office by Gordon Inkeles and Iris Schenck. And yes, having chairs that support kids feet makes a huge difference. Quite honestly my kids were right pigs at the table but are 100% better with foot support. I sat on a bar stool without foot support recently and realised how distracting it was, like having a conversation dangling from a cliff by one arm.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #515 on: November 06, 2017, 09:20:59 PM »
This is the best thread.  I bought the Ergonomics book recommended earlier in the thread and it has already changed my life.  My kids (4 & 6) are terrible eaters at the table - up, down, up, down, food on floor etc.  Instantly fixed by putting a stool under their feet.  Also bought a stick vacuum so we (incl them) can clean up the messes we make during the day.  I also bought them a step stool and their own cutlery and crockery in separate colours and they are taking full responsibility for serving themselves, washing their dishes, drying and putting them away.  And they love that they are able to be helpful.  Feel a bit silly that I didn't notice earlier that our house didn't really allow them to be independent.  And I'm still waiting for the arrival of Don Aslett's book - takes ages for mail to come from US to NZ! Thanks for the great tips everyone.

Which ergonomics book? Missed it!

So a stool under their feet while sitting makes them sit better??!

Sorry am only a year late but the awesome book I was referring to was Ergonomic Living: How to create a user friendly home and office by Gordon Inkeles and Iris Schenck. And yes, having chairs that support kids feet makes a huge difference. Quite honestly my kids were right pigs at the table but are 100% better with foot support. I sat on a bar stool without foot support recently and realised how distracting it was, like having a conversation dangling from a cliff by one arm.

This!

I'm short and my feet dangle sitting in my arm chair, our dining chairs, train seats...

It's distracting, and I think it contributed to some minor back issues I had for a while, trying to make myself comfortable when everything is designed for giants. I still tend to sit cross-legged wherever possible.

KiwiSonya

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #516 on: November 06, 2017, 09:38:49 PM »
I completely understand. I am short legged and often find myself awkwardly perched. And I have long term back pain issues. I made the change for the kids but now you mention it I have just realised that there is no chair in my entire house that I can seat on with feet of the floor. More changes needed. Where are the giants that furniture is currently designed for? The struggle is REAL!

shelivesthedream

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #517 on: November 11, 2017, 11:59:27 PM »
I completely understand. I am short legged and often find myself awkwardly perched. And I have long term back pain issues. I made the change for the kids but now you mention it I have just realised that there is no chair in my entire house that I can seat on with feet of the floor. More changes needed. Where are the giants that furniture is currently designed for? The struggle is REAL!

One of the giants is ny husband! I'm 5'2", he's 6'2". Imagine trying to buy chairs together! And all the handy diagrams suggesting you alter your kitchen countertops if you're taller or smaller than average...yer 'avin a laff! One day I dream of a kitchen big enough that we furnish ourselves to have his n hers countertops.

TheWifeHalf

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #518 on: November 12, 2017, 09:46:04 AM »
If we drop some food on the floor and it's not something that will harm them, we call the dogs to clean it up!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #519 on: November 12, 2017, 04:59:39 PM »
I completely understand. I am short legged and often find myself awkwardly perched. And I have long term back pain issues. I made the change for the kids but now you mention it I have just realised that there is no chair in my entire house that I can seat on with feet of the floor. More changes needed. Where are the giants that furniture is currently designed for? The struggle is REAL!

One of the giants is ny husband! I'm 5'2", he's 6'2". Imagine trying to buy chairs together! And all the handy diagrams suggesting you alter your kitchen countertops if you're taller or smaller than average...yer 'avin a laff! One day I dream of a kitchen big enough that we furnish ourselves to have his n hers countertops.

I'm 5'1", he's 6' and just a big dude. We have a big comfy lounge for him to sprawl on, and a wingback chair for me to perch cross-legged.

TomTX

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #520 on: November 12, 2017, 05:12:03 PM »
This is the best thread.  I bought the Ergonomics book recommended earlier in the thread and it has already changed my life.  My kids (4 & 6) are terrible eaters at the table - up, down, up, down, food on floor etc.  Instantly fixed by putting a stool under their feet.  Also bought a stick vacuum so we (incl them) can clean up the messes we make during the day.  I also bought them a step stool and their own cutlery and crockery in separate colours and they are taking full responsibility for serving themselves, washing their dishes, drying and putting them away.  And they love that they are able to be helpful.  Feel a bit silly that I didn't notice earlier that our house didn't really allow them to be independent.  And I'm still waiting for the arrival of Don Aslett's book - takes ages for mail to come from US to NZ! Thanks for the great tips everyone.

Which ergonomics book? Missed it!

So a stool under their feet while sitting makes them sit better??!

Sorry am only a year late but the awesome book I was referring to was Ergonomic Living: How to create a user friendly home and office by Gordon Inkeles and Iris Schenck. And yes, having chairs that support kids feet makes a huge difference. Quite honestly my kids were right pigs at the table but are 100% better with foot support. I sat on a bar stool without foot support recently and realised how distracting it was, like having a conversation dangling from a cliff by one arm.

We tried this, unfortunately shifting/sliding/tapping/tipping/kicking the footstool was an irresistible temptation.

KiwiSonya

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #521 on: November 12, 2017, 05:23:27 PM »
Actually the footstool didn't last long because I bought a Stoke Tripp Trapp chair and a similar knock off version which is adjustable and has footrest built in. I expect them to last until my kids are teens and can touch the floor. But yeah, I can certainly see potential for playing with a foot stool under the table.

With This Herring

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #522 on: December 01, 2017, 05:11:09 PM »
In recent news, horizontal blinds are a terrible window covering choice for a bathroom with no ventilation.  Good job, previous tenant.  I washed them in the tub the other day.  I'm glad I only have the one window, as they took far too long.  They are still somewhat grayed, but now they feel like plastic instead of grime.  I call that a win.

So, the lesson is that tricky-to-clean blinds are a poor choice in moisture-rich environments.  Go for a curtain that can be tossed in the wash or a roller shade that can just be wiped down instead.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #523 on: December 01, 2017, 05:51:02 PM »
I love this thread... :)

Horizontal blinds are fiddly to clean wherever they are. We leave ours down all the time and they get dusty and mouldy. I never remember to go over them regularly enough. And the string gets grimy too, yuck.

We are replacing our windows with double glazing - they will have so many benefits - aluminium on the outside so zero repainting, fewer layers of insulation needed on the inside so less clutter/ less to clean, hopefully no condensation so less cleaning of mildew from the glass, no need for curtains should mean less dust in the house. If we replace the blinds it will be with timber or PVC plantation shutters, which are less fiddly to clean and have no strings to break.

Zoot

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #524 on: December 01, 2017, 06:33:01 PM »
In recent news, horizontal blinds are a terrible window covering choice for a bathroom with no ventilation.  Good job, previous tenant.  I washed them in the tub the other day.  I'm glad I only have the one window, as they took far too long.  They are still somewhat grayed, but now they feel like plastic instead of grime.  I call that a win.

So, the lesson is that tricky-to-clean blinds are a poor choice in moisture-rich environments.  Go for a curtain that can be tossed in the wash or a roller shade that can just be wiped down instead.

Your post is very timely--DH and I are considering installing plantation shutters in our master bathroom.  Would these be as icky to clean as blinds would be?

Anatidae V

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #525 on: December 01, 2017, 06:35:04 PM »
Ah I have horizontal blinds, they seem very nice quality compared to other ones I've seen but that doesn't stop them being a pain to clean! They're also really heavy to pull up, so I just tilt them and as a result feel like I'm living in a cage. Ugh.

I am definitely looking forward to having easy to open blinds in a house of my own.

PS Zoot I would hate plantation shutters too, because of the cage effect, but they would be easier to clean.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #526 on: December 01, 2017, 06:52:26 PM »
Ah I have horizontal blinds, they seem very nice quality compared to other ones I've seen but that doesn't stop them being a pain to clean! They're also really heavy to pull up, so I just tilt them and as a result feel like I'm living in a cage. Ugh.

I am definitely looking forward to having easy to open blinds in a house of my own.

PS Zoot I would hate plantation shutters too, because of the cage effect, but they would be easier to clean.

You should be able to fold them back though.

With This Herring

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #527 on: December 01, 2017, 08:37:03 PM »
In recent news, horizontal blinds are a terrible window covering choice for a bathroom with no ventilation.  Good job, previous tenant.  I washed them in the tub the other day.  I'm glad I only have the one window, as they took far too long.  They are still somewhat grayed, but now they feel like plastic instead of grime.  I call that a win.

So, the lesson is that tricky-to-clean blinds are a poor choice in moisture-rich environments.  Go for a curtain that can be tossed in the wash or a roller shade that can just be wiped down instead.

Your post is very timely--DH and I are considering installing plantation shutters in our master bathroom.  Would these be as icky to clean as blinds would be?

I would guess they would be worse (but I've never lived with them).  I was able to remove the blinds and stick them in the partly-filled bathtub for scrubbing, but that wouldn't be practical with those shutters.  Those shutters have the same issue of many, many little slats.  The moisture in the bathroom makes them magnets for toilet paper dust and the tiny fibers shed by towels, clothing, and people.  That same moisture makes the dust adhere in a way that doesn't happen in, say, our living room.  It becomes this nasty, filmy layer.  And, because all the little slats are separate, you have to clean each one individually, instead of doing a solid wipe or scrub across a single surface.

Anatidae V, how would the plantation shutters be easier to clean?  I can see solid board shutters being better...

People who have installed their own window covers in bathrooms, what have you found to be decent-looking and easy to clean for Zoot?

nickybecky1

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #528 on: December 01, 2017, 09:13:56 PM »
I kind of feel like the lowest maintenance window covering in a bathroom is no window covering, or that stick on privacy film. We have two bathrooms with windows and both have obscured glass, which is what I'd recommend for someone replacing windows. For someone who isn't replacing windows anyway, I've heard great things about the privacy film that you can DIY. I think younghouselove has a tutorial on how they did it. Private, let's lots of light in, and wipe down a single surface.

But I've never lived anywhere with window treatments in the bathroom so maybe it's regional?

KiwiSonya

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #529 on: December 01, 2017, 09:41:25 PM »
I second no window covering in bathroom, or privacy film. We have single glazing so I have used double sided tape to attach large circle bubble wrap to mine. Insulates and gives privacy. We don't mind the look but we are not style gurus.

With This Herring

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #530 on: December 01, 2017, 10:00:48 PM »
...But I've never lived anywhere with window treatments in the bathroom so maybe it's regional?

I currently live in a region where every neighbor is in sight of the bathroom window, including the backyard where my landlord's kids play.  So window covering in general is not optional.  :)

Linea_Norway

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #531 on: December 02, 2017, 02:08:59 AM »
...But I've never lived anywhere with window treatments in the bathroom so maybe it's regional?

I currently live in a region where every neighbor is in sight of the bathroom window, including the backyard where my landlord's kids play.  So window covering in general is not optional.  :)

My bathrooms also have windows that neighbours can look into. We have a film cover on the lower half of the window that does the job. I personally don't understand why the house was built with such big and low windows in the bathrooms. I think it was to ensure all similar windows in the house, seen from the outside.

shelivesthedream

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #532 on: December 02, 2017, 02:26:22 AM »
...But I've never lived anywhere with window treatments in the bathroom so maybe it's regional?

I currently live in a region where every neighbor is in sight of the bathroom window, including the backyard where my landlord's kids play.  So window covering in general is not optional.  :)

I honestly would look into privacy film. The patterns and opacity can make a huge difference. We used to overlook the backs of two houses with large downstairs bathroom windows and privacy film. In one we could tell if the light was on or off and that was it. In another, there was a day when we glanced out of the window and said, "Wait, I swear there are TWO people in that shower...!"

SavinMaven

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #533 on: December 02, 2017, 08:24:07 AM »
PTF

nickybecky1

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #534 on: December 02, 2017, 08:52:44 AM »
...But I've never lived anywhere with window treatments in the bathroom so maybe it's regional?

I currently live in a region where every neighbor is in sight of the bathroom window, including the backyard where my landlord's kids play.  So window covering in general is not optional.  :)

I honestly would look into privacy film. The patterns and opacity can make a huge difference. We used to overlook the backs of two houses with large downstairs bathroom windows and privacy film. In one we could tell if the light was on or off and that was it. In another, there was a day when we glanced out of the window and said, "Wait, I swear there are TWO people in that shower...!"

This exactly! I should have clarified that we live in an urban area close to neighbors where people would be able to see into bathrooms without some sort of covering. But the privacy glass does the trick and the film would too. If privacy is a top priority, be sure to read reviews to find out which ones would do the level of privacy where you can only tell if light is on.

Catbert

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #535 on: December 02, 2017, 09:48:08 AM »
I would not put plantation shutters in a bathroom, however, I find them okay to keep clean in other parts of the home. 

Plantation shutters have bigger and more rigid slats so you can wipe them with a barely damp cloth (or dust if you do it often enough) without fear of mangling the slats.  My standards are low which likely helps.

Poundwise

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #536 on: December 12, 2017, 07:41:36 AM »
We have plantation shutters AND privacy film in our master bath.  The bathroom has an efficient fan and there don't seem to be signs of warping yet (shutters are about a year old, but there is also a shuttered closet door that probably has been there for decades.)

Only time will tell if the shutters are difficult to clean. I dust about once a month (supposed to be weekly but, reality), doesn't seem to be too bad. 

shelivesthedream

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #537 on: December 30, 2017, 10:02:33 AM »
Does anyone have any pro tips for easing that final, crucial step of laundry: putting away? We line dry in summer and tumble in winter and both wear shirts a lot that require ironing. What usually happens is that stuff comes in and I don't have time to iron it straight away so it rests in a tangled mess in the laundry basket and then I do another load and have to put that on top and it spills out onto the floor and...argh!

So is there anything I can change to ease the transition from line/dryer to actually away? Either physical reorganisation or new methods are welcome, but habit suggestions like "Just do it right away!" or "Have you tried doing a little bit every day?" are unlikely to be useful.

former player

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #538 on: December 30, 2017, 11:41:02 AM »
For the shirts and anything else that needs ironing, can you keep a set of hangers in the laundry basket? That way you can put the shirts straight onto hangers when they come off the line/out of the drier.  You then need to find somewhere convenient to hang them up - I have been planning for ages to put a tension rod in my downstairs shower room (must put it on the shopping list) for wet coats and damp laundry.

koshtra

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #539 on: December 30, 2017, 01:11:48 PM »
Well, I'm afraid the solution's in the habits, if you're not willing to just stop wearing stuff that needs to be ironed :-)

But, knowing ahead of time that I'm contributing to the less useful subsection of advice -- my own rule now is that I have to do later parts of the washing-and-drying-and-putting-away process before I do earlier parts. E.g. if there's laundry to be put away and laundry to be hung, I have to put away first; if there's laundry to go in the wash and laundry to be hung, I have to hang first. It makes for inefficiencies, but it also means that the laundry is ALWAYS put away, and I'm the happier for it. We used to have heaps and heaps of clean laundry, even after the kids were grown and moved out, and I just got sick of it, and said, "dammit, the process has to change, this is silly, it's the same total amount of work no matter what." The way you do it now, the ironing and putting-away is optional and the last priority, so of course it tends not to happen.

Does anyone have any pro tips for easing that final, crucial step of laundry: putting away? We line dry in summer and tumble in winter and both wear shirts a lot that require ironing. What usually happens is that stuff comes in and I don't have time to iron it straight away so it rests in a tangled mess in the laundry basket and then I do another load and have to put that on top and it spills out onto the floor and...argh!

So is there anything I can change to ease the transition from line/dryer to actually away? Either physical reorganisation or new methods are welcome, but habit suggestions like "Just do it right away!" or "Have you tried doing a little bit every day?" are unlikely to be useful.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2017, 01:15:10 PM by koshtra »

Fresh Bread

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #540 on: December 30, 2017, 01:24:39 PM »
SLTD: I think if you want to cut down ironing time you should at least finish your difficult to iron clothes in the dryer. However that's not that mustachian...
What I do (don't have a dryer) is take the shirts out of the washer and put them straight onto hangers. I shake them and smooth them out while wet to cut down on creasing. They go on the line on hangers (do one button up to hold them on the hanger). Then they come back in, straight into the cupboard. Likewise anything else stored on a hanger. I used to do it with tees too but then I started Kondo folding them not hanging. With the other things, I shake and fold them off the line and into the basket, and then put them on the bed for a final air. Then they would (usually) get put away before bed. Because they are already folded, it's not an arse at 10pm. Obviously sometimes nothing happens and it's thrown to the side :) We only iron shirts, so the ironing pile is the cupboard, ironed ones are kept on one side.

shelivesthedream

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #541 on: December 30, 2017, 02:06:48 PM »
Fresh Bread: wait, you put the shirt on the hanger then the hanger on the line?! Wow! Funnily enough, I find the dryer makes the shirts harder to iron. Line-dried shirts are relatively crease-free. Maybe because we have a washer-dryer so it's always fuller than optimal for drying. But next sunny day I am trying this hanger-line business because they might even be just about good enough to go straight into the wardrobe! I don't have to be smart for work, so light wrinklage is often acceptable, and my husband irons his own shirts so acceptable crease levels are up to him.

Also definitely keeping hangers in the laundry basket. I like this.

Koshtra: I know it's in the habits really, sigh, but if I can remove any little obstacles in the road then I'd like to!

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #542 on: December 30, 2017, 02:18:46 PM »
Yep, I solve it by not ironing. Ever. I don't think I've ironed anything in the last 5 or 6 years. As far as making sure things get put away- I do like koshtra. Parts just... must happen. That's my rule. It also helps that I fold on the table I use my computer on and eat one- so I can't do ANYTHING ELSE unless I finish all the way though.

ETA: just realized the ironing is related to the doing things immediately all the way through. Out of the dryer, straight to folding while still warm, no wrinkles.

marble_faun

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #543 on: December 30, 2017, 02:32:10 PM »
I skip the ironing (because it is something I really hate doing). As I pull warm clothes out of the dryer, I fold them and place them back in the hamper. It's then a snap to transfer the folded clothing-stacks from the hamper to dresser drawers.

If a garment does get really wrinkly, I have two approaches:

(1) Hang it up in the bathroom before taking a hot shower. The steam in the bathroom often reduces the wrinkles. (This is especially handy when you're traveling with wrinkly suitcase clothes.)

(2) Use an actual steamer to steam it, which takes just a minute and somehow just seems like less of a hassle than ironing.  (We have a steamer on wheels that I originally got years ago to use on my wedding dress. It works like magic.)

My clothes never achieve that ultra-crisp ironed look, but that never seems to last long anyway once you are wearing them.

Fresh Bread

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #544 on: December 30, 2017, 02:52:55 PM »
Fresh Bread: wait, you put the shirt on the hanger then the hanger on the line?! Wow! Funnily enough, I find the dryer makes the shirts harder to iron. Line-dried shirts are relatively crease-free.

Yep. Put a peg between each one or they slide into each other. If it's really really windy it might not work.

We had a washer dryer once and abandoned it because the dried clothes were impossibly creased.

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #545 on: December 30, 2017, 06:43:41 PM »
Fresh Bread: wait, you put the shirt on the hanger then the hanger on the line?! Wow! Funnily enough, I find the dryer makes the shirts harder to iron. Line-dried shirts are relatively crease-free.

Yep. Put a peg between each one or they slide into each other. If it's really really windy it might not work.

We had a washer dryer once and abandoned it because the dried clothes were impossibly creased.
My husband's button ups are hung with a peg on the bottom corner of the front pieces, and then as we take them off the line they go straight onto clothes hangers. He's happy enough with the result that there is no ironing.

BlueHouse

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #546 on: December 30, 2017, 06:48:36 PM »
I haven't seen anyone mention "hand-iron".  My BIL taught me this trick -- just before folding, lay out the shirt on a flat surface, use your hand to smooth the fabric and remove creases.  Wait until cool, then fold. 

This is best for cotton shirts that are dried in the dryer.  For a while, I thought he was ironing his undershirts because of how they looked. 

shelivesthedream

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #547 on: December 31, 2017, 01:13:14 AM »
We hang all our shirts and tops because I have realised that folding them is an obstacle too far. Trousers get folded, though, and obviously there's socks and stuff. Our washer-dryer is in a really awkward place, though, so we can get stuff out of it in a big tangled lump but have to take things elsewhere to fold.

I have done the shower steam thing a few times while away in an 'emergency', but the possibilities of doing it at home intrigue me. Sounds like winter is still going to suck, ironing-wise, but in summer: out of the washing machine, onto a hanger, onto the line; then into the bathroom til the next morning; then into the wardrobe. Intriguing possibilities! I iron less in winter anyway, though, because I'm usually wearing a jumper over the top.

Cranky

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #548 on: January 01, 2018, 06:30:27 AM »
Some things are better right out of the dryer, and some things are better line dried, I find.

I dry shirts on hangars in the winter, too, when all my line drying is inside.

Stuff that needs ironed goes right onto the ironing board, and I iron every Sunday. I think having a set time helps. I listen to a podcast while I do it, but I admit that I don’t hate ironing.

chasingthegoodlife

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Re: Advice for making your home interior easier to clean and maintain
« Reply #549 on: January 01, 2018, 12:40:38 PM »
My routine is almost exactly the same as Fresh Bread’s. While I use the dryer for some things in winter, I still tend to hang my nicer clothes to air dry inside because I think the dryer wears them out faster.

I put everything in the wardrobe and then iron things as I need them. In one way, this is inefficient getting the iron set up for just one or two pieces each time but I find this works much better for me because it removes the need to find a chunk of time to dedicate to ironing. The few minutes in the morning would only be used for drinking another coffee or messing around online, so ironing then saves my chore tome for other things.

 

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