By: Stacey Freed
Are you blind to the grime in your home? Admit it: It’s easy to get a little “Judge Judy” inside someone else’s home. We notice gunk on the floor, cobwebs in the corners, and dust on the overhead fan. But guess what? You’ve probably got some gunky places that your friends notice, but you don’t. (Sad trombone.) This is why we tracked down a domestic guru to help us with this article. No matter how hard it is to find dirt hideaways on your own, a little expert advice can make it all OK. Jan M. Dougherty, author of “The Lost Art of House Cleaning: A Clean House Is a Happy Home,” revealed the seven spots you’re likely to miss — and the best ways to make them presentable, stat: #1 Light FixturesLook up. Your light fixtures are loaded with dust and dead bugs. Take the fixtures down, spritz with a cleaning solution, and wipe clean. Dougherty uses a solution of five parts water and one part Krud Kutter, a non-toxic odorless all-purpose product. (Handy tip: When making the Krud Kutter solution, put the water in first. “Otherwise it’ll bubble over,” she says.) #2 Toilet BodyYou probably clean your tank fairly often, but what about all the bits and pieces that surround the tank, and the floor itself? For porcelain thrones, Dougherty recommends Soft Scrub with bleach to clean the minuscule cracks that form in the glaze over time. For any non-porcelain parts, she says vinegar will do. Start with the top of the tank and spray all the way around — the lid, under the lid, the seat, down to and on the surrounding floor, and even the walls behind the toilet. #3 Dust CollectorsThe TV mount, picture frames, computer printer, keyboards, and remotes are mega dust collectors. Use a microfiber rag that you’ve sprayed lightly with vinegar to banish it all. Vinegar isn’t electrostatically charged, so dust will take longer to return to that spot. #4 Drawer OrganizersCrumbs and dirt love those little compartments. Suck them up with a handy vac or spray with vinegar and wipe away with a rag. Don’t wait until the crumbs are three inches deep and have taken root in the drawer. If that’s the case, break the organizer down and clean with the Krud Kutter solution. #5 Ice MakerOld ice absorbs food odors, so it’s a good idea to clean and sanitize the whole system once in a while. Stop the machine from making more ice, pull out the ice bin, and dump the ice. Wash the bin and ice maker with vinegar, or put the bin in the dishwasher if your manual says it’s safe to do so. Wipe the ice maker with a dry rag to remove moisture. #6 Appliance HandlesYou touch them so many times every day. And you never think about it. Spray them all down with the Krud Kutter mix and then wipe. “One night a week, I take the knobs off the stove, remove the dish and the grease screen from the [over-the-range] microwave, and take the bowl with utensils that sits next to my stove and put them all in the dishwasher,” Dougherty says. “Do this before bed and by the morning you’ve cleaned half your kitchen, yet touched nothing.” #7 Glass and MirrorsDougherty washes dull, smudged glass and mirrors with straight vinegar. Be aware that if you’ve been using commercial cleaners it may take “four, five, six, maybe seven cleanings with vinegar to get all the wax off the glass,” she says. Bonus tip: “When you go into a room to clean you shouldn’t have to think. You should be able to turn up the music and rock and roll your way around the room,” Dougherty says. She uses a method she calls “The Path.” Start in one corner, move around the perimeter, then head to the middle. Clean everything in your path as you go around the room. There are many apps that can be useful for seniors and just about anyone else to address their safety concerns.
Please note: these apps are not endorsed by this website and/or by any parties involved. Do your due diligence to ensure the app you choose is best for you. Here are three popular apps that do the job: bSafe Cost: Free A personal safety app in which users create a social safety network of people who are notified in the event of an emergency or where users feel unsafe. Life360 Cost: Free A popular app amongst families, Life360 offers advanced driving and location safety features and location sharing for everyone involved in a created group. This app works in real time. Lifeline Response Cost: Free trial for 14 days This app aims to combat the problem of a 911 operator not knowing what a callers exact location is when dialing the emergency number. When a user enables the app, it begins notifying the proper authorities the moment your finger leaves the phone. If a user does not input the disarm code, the authorities still make a visit to your exact location. While there are many other apps available to make safety a priority, this is a great place to start. Physical and emotional exhaustion, stress, a lack of personal time, financial strain, and sleep deprivation. These are some of the challenges caregivers can face every day.
It’s no wonder they experience burnout. An infographic (https://bit.ly/3S7GrFg) by Bancroft, a Cherry hill, N.J.-based nonprofit that provides services, programs, and support for adults with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities, helps you identify and prevent burnout. Here are 8 signs that you’re on the way to burning out and might need a break.
Smart technology, some of which intersects with green and energy savings and is in demand among Millennials, can help you age in place with greater comfort and safety.
The Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence® and the MIT AgeLab reviewed and picked the top 10 smart home technologies for homeowners over 50. Such products can ease home maintenance and enhance safety and security. Here (https://bit.ly/3vjy53G) are the top 10.
Increase your home’s appeal for yourself or for buyers on the market with these organizational tips.
Decide what’s working in your home and what’s not. Take stock of items in your home and how they are organized. What spaces work for you, and which ones feel overwhelming or inconvenient? Do you have too many items stored in a space that is too small? Go room by room and evaluate your closets and drawers. Ask yourself, “what do I like about this current organizational set-up? What should change?” Take notes. Come up with a plan After evaluating your current system, come up with a new plan. Get rid of items that you no longer need or have space to keep—remember, the fewer things you have, the less time and space you will need to keep them nice. After decluttering, organize your items using bins, shelves, racks, or other systems for separation. Your system will work best if the objects you use most are easy to access without bending or reaching. Take a “step-by-step” approach Avoid burnout by breaking up tasks and starting small. For example, you could start with a closet that you can reorganize in a day, or you could sort through old clothes to give to charity. Once you are done, take a break before moving on to the next project. Ask for help Some labor-intensive tasks are hard to do alone. When needed, do not be afraid to ask for help. Larger projects likely require the help of family, community members, or hired professionals. Talk with people in your network, including your SRES® professional, for recommendations for qualified professional organizers, cleaners, or movers in your area. Tips For Getting Rid Of Excess Things Toss duplicate items: If you have more sets of work clothes or measuring cups than you need, consider giving away what is extra. Sort items into four piles: One for things to keep, one for things to donate, one for things to throw away, and one for valuables to appraise and/ or sell. Pass on belongings: If there are items you no longer need, or keepsakes you would like to go to a certain person, gift them personally now. |
AuthorJason Gelios, SRES-Senior Real Estate Specialist, Author, Public Speaker, and Expert Media Contributor of real estate expertise across the globe. Archives
April 2023
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