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.
Ines Cardoso
26 articles by Cardoso
Plants & Garden
Growing herbs properly
Supermarket herb pots die within a fortnight for a reason, and the plants themselves are easy.
Organising
Buying less in the first place
Decluttering treats the symptom, and the volume of things coming into the house is the actual cause.
Design & Space
Choosing and arranging art
Blank walls are the most common unfinished element in a home, and the barriers are mostly false.
Cleaning & Care
Dust, allergens and indoor air
Indoor air is frequently worse than outdoor air, and several common practices make it worse still.
Kitchen
Pots, pans and what they are for
Different materials behave differently on heat, and a small number of pans covers almost everything.
Cleaning & Care
Kitchen hygiene, proportionately
Some kitchen practices matter substantially for food safety and others are theatre, and the distinction is well established.
Kitchen
The store cupboard
A well-stocked cupboard means being able to cook without shopping, which is worth more than any single ingredient.
Repairs & DIY
Doors, windows and things that stick
Sticking doors, failing catches and draughty windows have straightforward causes and quick fixes.
Organising
Living in a rented property
Making a rented home work involves changes that are reversible, and knowing which are permitted.
Plants & Garden
Cut flowers and making them last
A few practices double the life of cut flowers, and most of them concern water rather than the flowers.
Kitchen
Appliances and how to keep them working
Most appliance failures are preventable maintenance issues, and the maintenance takes minutes.
Repairs & DIY
Assembling and fixing flat-pack furniture
Flat-pack assembly has predictable failure points, and most wobbly furniture can be repaired rather than replaced.
Organising
Sharing a household
Most domestic conflict is about invisible work and unstated standards, and both are addressable by being explicit.
Cleaning & Care
Windows, glass and mirrors
Streaks come from technique and residue rather than from the product, and the method that works is simple.
Kitchen
Cooking without recipes
A small number of structures underlie most everyday dishes, and learning them replaces most recipe use.
Repairs & DIY
Electrical basics and the limits
A small amount of electrical understanding prevents most household problems, and the boundary of what to attempt is clear.
Organising
Children, toys and the volume problem
Toy accumulation follows a predictable pattern, and there is evidence that fewer toys produce better play.
Cleaning & Care
Cleaning the kitchen properly
The kitchen accumulates grease, limescale and burnt residue, and each responds to a different approach.
Cleaning & Care
Cleaning a bathroom
The room that causes most complaint, with problems that are mostly about moisture rather than dirt.
Kitchen
Keeping food longer
A substantial share of household food waste comes from storing things in the wrong place, which is straightforward to correct.
Repairs & DIY
Painting a room properly
Preparation is most of the work, and the finish reflects exactly how much of it was skipped.
Repairs & DIY
Damp, condensation and mould
Most household damp is condensation rather than a building fault, and distinguishing them determines whether the fix works.
Cleaning & Care
Cleaning products and what you actually need
A handful of products covers nearly everything, and several common combinations are ineffective or dangerous.
Kitchen
A kitchen that works
Kitchen layout follows a small number of principles, and most frustration comes from ignoring them rather than from lack of space.
Repairs & DIY
Fixing things instead of replacing them
A substantial proportion of discarded household items are repairable, and the obstacles are information and confidence rather than skill.