I love to live in a house that has a homely feel, you know, lived in. I don’t like to feel so
uncomfortable like I’m in a museum and can’t touch anything! You know some homes you go into,
and it’s like you’re on edge as things are so pristine? Don’t like that. What I do like however, is that
it is maintained throughout the year but still feel like a family lives there.
There are several things you can do to maintain your home. This will prevent you having to do an almighty clean because you have visitors coming over. It will also save you some money and might even save you having
to ring your insurers about certain problems. For sure, this will be one way to show that you are a good neighbour as they will enjoy seeing your pristine home and gardens. Over time, I’ve noted some of the things to do that will
help you to maintain your house and home. Below, I’ve listed a few of them.
Small can of paint
Have you noticed sometimes a few little scuff marks on your walls that you can’t seem to explain?
Well some of them you can explain away. The trick for dealing with this is to always have a small
can of matching paint for each paint (colour) in your house. That way, as soon as a mark appears,
go get your little paint and brush and restore the look. If the scuff mark isn’t too bad, you can try a
solution of water and a little washing up liquid. Use a clean cloth that’s been wet in the solution to
wipe any visible marks. This is also good for skirting boards too.
Steam clean
Every now and again, high traffic areas like the kitchen need a proper steam clean. This helps to
lift dirt and especially grease from surfaces, leaving a fresh look and smell. If you haven’t got the
equipment to use, there are places like ARGOS that actually sell them and there are other places
too, that let you rent their equipment at reasonable rates. During Spring cleaning, you will have less to do if you constantly maintain the home throughout the year.
Clean gutters
This is not a particularly pleasant job but it is well worth it as it can save you hundreds in damages
to not only your house but that of the neighbours! During the year, guttering can become filled with
fallen leaves, dust that turn to mud, insects, bird droppings and a whole host of other things. The
resulting muck is actually a good breeding ground for bothersome plants that don’t require much
care! Yes, I have seen plants growing in the guttering before. If the guttering doesn’t allow water to
flow freely, then it can back up, overflow unexpectedly and cause damage! You don’t want a nasty
neighbour coming round to accuse you of causing the damage because they cleaned their
guttering and you didn’t do yours! It’s always best to live peacefully with the neighbours.
Move furniture around
If you have lovely carpeting or another nice flooring type, then it’s a good idea to move the furniture
around so that the wear is distributed more or less evenly. I remember when I was little my mom
used to change around the furniture in the rooms so often, we used to wonder where she’d get so
much energy from. I must say it is not something I’ve adopted from her but I need to. Apart from the
obvious distribution of wear and tear, moving the furniture around gives the whole house a fresh
new feel that I just love moving the furniture around sometimes allows you to find hidden treasures
(like lost money or even that document you’ve been looking for)!
Clean skirting boards
See my tip above about the simple solution that can be used periodically on skirting boards.
Window frames
Most insurance companies will not honour claims relating to window frames! So take care of them.
Depending on what yours are made of, check for things like rust, water damage, peeling paint,
swelling etc. Adopt the approach of checking and fixing as you go along. Make it a good habit to
stick to.
People who have nice, comfortable, lived in homes, use some of these ideas to maintain their
houses. For those with trophy homes that no one can feel comfortable in, that’s another matter.
Do give me any other tips and advice you’ve used or heard of for maintaining your comfy home. I am particularly impressed with any tips that will save money.
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xoxo
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