Streamlining: Home Maintenance and Care

[LifestyleDesign]

Hey all,

So I've read of batching domestic chores, but does anyone have tips for streamlining home maintenance and care, without getting too pricey?

Easy, simple, and quick ways to ensure the home is within reasonable working condition and kept that way?

[NickG]

The only thing that comes to mind is a maid service. Depending on where you live there are probably a few in your area.

Are you talking about finances? Or home repairs?

It really depends on the specific problems you are trying to solve. Perhaps we could give more feedback if you give more details about what you're asking. =)

[LifestyleDesign]

I'm talking along the lines of preventive home maintenance and, if it comes to it, home repairs. For example, for those of us that own, lawn and property care. Making sure the plumbing is maintained before you have to call the plumber. Ensuring your electrical and heating systems are clean and working efficiently.

Regular, easy maintenance on the "bones" of the home to keep it running well for a while without getting trapped in the pit of extensive and lengthy home repairs and upgrades. Kind of understand where I'm coming from?

[NickG]

Hmm...I'm not really sure if there's a business that does that. I'm sure many companies would be happy to come out and take a look around (after charging you a large diagnostic fee) only to smile and say that everything looks fine.

I think true preventative home maintenance is mostly common sense and an understanding of simple environmental facts. Knowledge of how the piping in your area reacts to cold winters can help with stuff like that. Not screwing with home appliances is another way. So long as you treat your home gently and with common sense you shouldn't run into huge troubles. I honestly can't remember the last time our home was under major home repairs.

I don't really see this as a problem worth solving before hand. Stuff breaking down is inevitable. We have yet to reach a super intellectual state where everything lasts forever (maybe soon, though!). But following the 4HWW concepts will give you a large buffer of money, a lot of time away from home if you desire (which would cut down on home repairs a lot), and a lot of flexibility in time so that if some major home repair was needed you could deal with it easily.

Cheers,
Nick

[LifestyleDesign]

Yea, I'm really just looking to inject some minimalism into my lawn care and maintenance and time spent upkeeping everything. Not a large piece of property by any stretch of the imagination, but still time consuming.

[phil]

Sell the home, and rent, then its someone else's problem :)

Slave to our possessions. I find the less I own, the happier and easier life is.

But I still live in awesome places, just renting exotic villas around the world, etc.

[AlexMoen]

Sell the home, and rent, then its someone else's problem :)

Slave to our possessions. I find the less I own, the happier and easier life is.

But I still live in awesome places, just renting exotic villas around the world, etc.

But it's not a seller's market. Rent it out and have the spare rent collected take care of the home maintenance, then sell it in a couple years for massive start up capital and travel cash ;)

[BlindSquirrel]

Sell the home, and rent, then its someone else's problem :)

Slave to our possessions. I find the less I own, the happier and easier life is.

But I still live in awesome places, just renting exotic villas around the world, etc.

Right on. Less possessions = FREEDOM!