Design & Space
Outdoor space, however small
A yard, a balcony or a doorstep is usable space, and treating it as a room changes how it is used.
Meraloo — A house that works
Design & Space
Finishing a room, and knowing when to stop
Rooms are frequently abandoned at ninety per cent, and the remaining ten is where they become finished.
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Design & Space
Ceilings, and why nobody looks at them
The largest uninterrupted surface in most rooms is the one that receives no attention at all.
Design & Space
Making a home work for how you actually live
Most homes are arranged around an idea of domestic life rather than the one taking place inside them.
Cleaning & Care
Laundry problems and how to solve them
Grey whites, smelly towels, machines that smell and clothes that wear out early all have identifiable causes.
Plants & Garden
Growing herbs properly
Supermarket herb pots die within a fortnight for a reason, and the plants themselves are easy.
Kitchen
Bread, and why it is worth making
Bread requires four ingredients and mostly time, and the technique is simpler than its reputation.
Organising
All organising →
Organising
Buying less in the first place
Decluttering treats the symptom, and the volume of things coming into the house is the actual cause.
Organising
Keeping records of the house itself
A house accumulates a history, and having it written down saves money and argument later.
Organising
The garage, shed and loft problem
Storage spaces outside the living area accumulate without limit, because nothing forces a decision.
Repairs & DIY
All repairs & diy →
Repairs & DIY
When to call a professional
Some work is legally restricted, some is dangerous, and some is simply not worth the time it takes to learn.
Repairs & DIY
Silicone, sealant and filling gaps
Choosing the wrong product for a gap is the reason so many repairs fail within months.
Repairs & DIY
Doors, windows and things that stick
Sticking doors, failing catches and draughty windows have straightforward causes and quick fixes.
Kitchen
All kitchen →Kitchen
Bread, and why it is worth making
Bread requires four ingredients and mostly time, and the technique is simpler than its reputation.
Kitchen
Eating well on a small budget
The cheapest ingredients are frequently the best ones, and technique matters more than money.
Kitchen
Pots, pans and what they are for
Different materials behave differently on heat, and a small number of pans covers almost everything.
Plants & Garden
All plants & garden →Plants & Garden
Growing herbs properly
Supermarket herb pots die within a fortnight for a reason, and the plants themselves are easy.
Plants & Garden
Growing from seed
Seed is the cheapest way to fill a garden, and the failures happen at predictable points.
Plants & Garden
Winter in the garden
The season with the least to do and the most consequence for the following year.
Cleaning & Care
All cleaning & care →Cleaning & Care
Laundry problems and how to solve them
Grey whites, smelly towels, machines that smell and clothes that wear out early all have identifiable causes.
Cleaning & Care
Cleaning as a household system
The question of what gets cleaned, how often, and by whom is a logistics problem before it is a cleaning problem.
Cleaning & Care
Dust, allergens and indoor air
Indoor air is frequently worse than outdoor air, and several common practices make it worse still.
Design & Space
All design & space →
Design & Space
Finishing a room, and knowing when to stop
Rooms are frequently abandoned at ninety per cent, and the remaining ten is where they become finished.
Design & Space
Outdoor space, however small
A yard, a balcony or a doorstep is usable space, and treating it as a room changes how it is used.
Design & Space
Ceilings, and why nobody looks at them
The largest uninterrupted surface in most rooms is the one that receives no attention at all.
About Meraloo
Organising, small repairs, cooking, plants and the projects that make a home function — with the parts nobody photographs included. We publish explanatory articles rather than news, which means an article here is written to still be useful a year from now. Every piece is bylined, sourced and read by an editor before it appears — the full process is set out in our editorial policy.