Home care
Taking care of the home may seem like a common and straightforward thing. Take out the trash, mop the floors, change the bed linen… However, not everyone knows exactly what to do, how to do it and how often. We bring you a weekly checklist of the most common household chores. Of course, everyone is comfortable with a different frequency of these activities, so don’t be afraid to modify the list or add other activities according to what suits you.
- Vacuum or sweep the floors
- Mop the floors
- Wipe off the dust
- Clean the kitchen
- Clean the bathroom
- Change the sheets
- Wash clothes
- Take out the trash
In addition to taking care of the household itself, other challenges will await you during your stay, and probably also various major and minor problems. Our article 10 practical tips for independent living will help you avoid at least some of these problems.
Tips for a more ecological household
Ecology is also a part of home care. Nowadays, the issue of saving natural resources is very important. Not only will you learn how to run a green household, but you’ll also save some money in the process! So if you want to introduce saving with these commodities into your everyday life, we have found an article for you in which you will find 31 helpful tips on saving energy. In addition, we also bring you our advice.
ELECTRICITY
Give preference to low-energy appliances. When buying any type of device, choose energy class A++ or A+++. They consume up to 70% less energy compared to class A. Over time, you will also save on electricity bills.
Watch out for standby mode! Many of the appliances connected to the outlet waste energy even when idle. Therefore, do not forget to turn them off when you leave for work or vacation. You will save on energy bills and, at the same time, help our environment.
Don’t buy new, repair. If a small appliance like a coffee machine breaks down, we usually buy a new one immediately. This type of waste is difficult to recycle and often ends up in landfills. The next time something goes wrong, use the services of a repairman and don’t throw away the appliance immediately. It will be even better if you check if there is an initiative in your area that will teach you how to repair your coffee machine yourself.
WATER
Save water with a low-flow shower head. It is generally known that we use less water when showering than when bathing. But did you know that you can also save money by replacing an ordinary shower head with one with a low flow rate? It adds oxygen to the water flow, so the stream is still strong but uses less water. It works the same way with faucets.
Think about how you will use water. There are many ways you can save water at home: load the washing machine and use short wash cycles; if you put a bottle full of water in the toilet tank, after flushing, the tank will fill less, and you will save money; take a bucket to the shower, and you can use the used water to flush the toilet; start collecting rainwater, plants love it! These are just a few examples of how you can save. However, it is better to watch how you use water and consider how it could be saved. Be creative.
THE FOOD
Start composting. Turn any food waste and kitchen scraps into compost. You can buy a compost bin very cheaply. Some waste services even offer it for free. Throw in leftovers or old food and just leave it at that. Over time, they become helpful compost that you can use in the garden. Today, some apartment buildings even have a container for organic waste. Try to look for it in your surroundings.
Minimise food waste. Tons of food are thrown away every day all over the world. While we don’t usually talk about the fact that we spilt sour milk in the sink or threw away the leftovers from dinner, we should start talking about it. Several options can help you waste less food. Make a weekly menu and buy only what you need. If you know you won’t eat something shortly, freeze it. For example, you can use vegetable peels to prepare a tasty broth!
Shop at wholesalers or farmers’ markets. In supermarkets, it is challenging to follow the supply chain. Sometimes, you can buy from a local producer and other times. The tomatoes come from a far country. When you shop in wholesalers, in many cases, you buy products without additional packaging. Farmers’ markets are also an excellent alternative for buying fruits and vegetables. You buy directly from the manufacturer and help the local economy.
CLEANING
Many people have their favourite laundry and cleaning products that they have been using for years and have never thought about the damage they can cause to the environment. Once flushed down the drain, they go into the water supply and cleaning the water again can often require more energy and hard work.
There are several simple remedies that you can use. Baking soda, lemon juice, or vinegar can be used instead of bleach and detergent to kill bacteria and remove grease and odours. If you don’t want to make your cleaning products, you can look for eco products in the store. There is always a way!
