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.
Ben Akerlund
23 articles by Akerlund
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.
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.
Design & Space
Rugs, and the mistakes people make with them
Almost every rug in almost every home is too small, and the effect is more damaging than having none.
Plants & Garden
Growing from seed
Seed is the cheapest way to fill a garden, and the failures happen at predictable points.
Repairs & DIY
Silicone, sealant and filling gaps
Choosing the wrong product for a gap is the reason so many repairs fail within months.
Organising
The garage, shed and loft problem
Storage spaces outside the living area accumulate without limit, because nothing forces a decision.
Design & Space
Making a room quieter
Noise is among the most common complaints about homes, and the two problems it covers require different solutions.
Plants & Garden
Winter in the garden
The season with the least to do and the most consequence for the following year.
Repairs & DIY
Tiling and grouting
A small tiling job is within reach for most people, and the preparation determines whether it looks professional.
Design & Space
Furniture arrangement
How a room is arranged determines how it is used, and most rooms are arranged around the television by default.
Cleaning & Care
Seasonal maintenance
A short list of tasks at defined points prevents most of the expensive household problems.
Repairs & DIY
Draughts, insulation and keeping heat in
The cheapest measures have the shortest payback, and most homes have not done them.
Design & Space
Colour, and how to choose it
Colour looks different in a room from on a chart, and the reasons are predictable enough to plan around.
Plants & Garden
Soil, compost and what plants actually need
Most plant problems trace to the growing medium, and improving it is more effective than any feeding regime.
Repairs & DIY
Basic plumbing that is worth learning
A handful of plumbing tasks are straightforward, and knowing where the stopcock is matters more than any of them.
Design & Space
Lighting a room
The single ceiling light is the default in most homes and is the worst arrangement available.
Plants & Garden
What to do with a balcony
Small outdoor spaces are frequently unused because of a few practical obstacles, all of which are addressable.
Repairs & DIY
Hanging things on walls
The fixing matters more than the screw, and choosing the wrong one for the wall is why things fall down.
Organising
The entrance and why it matters
The first two metres of a house determine how much clutter enters it, and most homes have no system there at all.
Design & Space
Making a small space feel larger
Several standard suggestions work and several do not, and the effective ones are mostly about sightlines rather than colour.
Repairs & DIY
The tools worth owning
A short list covers the great majority of household repairs, and buying beyond it is generally wasted.
Organising
Storage that works and storage that hides the problem
Most storage solutions make things harder to find, and the principles that avoid that are consistent.