Preparing for winter III

smeeth

winter prep list (I've taken my time uploading this!:o)

MUST RING LANDLADY!
-boiler service
-kitchen tap fix
-cooker fix
-fridge fix


[STRIKE]-sort out garden and patio[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]-buy mini hot water bottles
-buy ice scraper and deicer
-bread making stuff
-long life milk[/STRIKE]
-salt
[STRIKE]-sugar
-sort out wardrobe[/STRIKE]
-go to tip
-sort out airing cupboard
-sort out freezer
[STRIKE]-clean windows (inside and out)[/STRIKE]
-clean the outhouse
[STRIKE]-cover patio table and chairs & bbq[/STRIKE]
-check powercut box
[STRIKE]-fix fence panel[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]-bleed radiators
-stock up on pescriptions[/STRIKE]
-fix riding boots
-waterproof work clothes
[STRIKE]-make snow bag for car
-dehumidify conservatory[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]-resilicone shower[/STRIKE]
-wash hoover filter
[STRIKE]-buy new bulb for outside light
-put a duvet under the bottom sheet for extra warmth[/STRIKE]
-put calor gas bottle in shed (still haven't done this!:o)



Still so much to do, hopefully get some done next week, as working all weekend!

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

tugrin wrote: »

My Victorian cottage has hideous sliding doors, one glazed with plastic - a full length fluorescent tube in the kitchen- inevitable artex on all ceilings and an open plan black steel and teak open plan staircase. Im in the slow process of demodernising it but its a slow process with no cash

It does make you wonder how some people can have such bad taste does'nt it,ruining a period building with modern fittings.
We moved into a lovely Victorian house which had had all the original fittings removed but the potential was huge.
Its taken us ages but we've fully restored it so don't give up.
Its so satisfying and well worth it.

Quasar

Today I bought a large bag of salt to use outside the front door and along the path out of the front garden for when we get ice. Those areas do get very dangerous and I'm not taking chances. The people in the other flats will benefit too but it always occurs to me to do something, lol. So that's a good deed done, I suppose.

tugrin

FrugalFriend - I struggled with my open fire for the lst 2 winters - trying to keep it going all night when it ws really snowy and way below freezing but I got sick at the thought of coming down at 6.30 to a freezing cold sitting room and by association kitchen that I have caved this year and bunged it up and am relying on my electric rads. I have been as warm as toast so far with very litle effort and not too much electricity. Bearing in mind that at some points during the last 2 winters I was getting through £20 of coal aweek PLUS topping up with electric fires it cannot possibly be more expensive.
As to the damp I think that it almost inevitable with SOME chimneys and a dehumifidifier would be your best answer (there is a real dehumidifier support group going on in this thread) look on ebay which is where I got mine or look on amazon if you can afford full price (good for reviews anyway)
Mrs Tittilemouse - thank you for those encouraging words - did I mention the 3 types of ceramic tiles in the kitchen all different shades of yellowy-beige (on the floor as well) and obviously job lots. I have done my sitting room quite nicely - got rid of shelves held up with those angle iron back struts and put in some built in proper wood ones, painted it with a Farrow abd Ball-type clour and finish and oc course have some nice old bits and pieces that I have gathered over the years. Just the rest of the house to do now -bedroom next (took out the teak coloured melamine built in dressing table and console type thing age ago but not surewhat to do about the aluminium framed built in wardrobe which spans whole of room!!)
greenbee - in my studio-shed he had hs model making workhop - that ay it all really doesnt it!!

greenbee

Get rid of the wardrobe tugrin! Advertise it on freegle in the spring saying they need to come and dismantle in themselves so they know how it goes back together. Start looking out for stuff on their now to replace it with... You can always store it in the model-making workshop if you get stuff before you can deal with it!

When I moved here (only a 1950s place, nothing glamourous) I was permanently cold and thought I'd never be able to afford to make it nice, but it's getting there. I've done all the big stuff except replacing the floors upstairs. ln 12 years i've rewired, replaced the boiler, replaced the patio doors, changed/moved radiators, moved the inside kitchen door (it was next to the loo door...), put in a new kitchen (originally i had units take out of my parents' kitchen and i still have my grandmother's oven!), put a handbasin in the downstairs loo, fixed the roof, replace the gutters etc, had new hot and cold water tanks (all this boring stuff gets in the way of the fun stuff!), fenced the council side of the garden as they seemed happy to leave the corrugated iron the previous tenant had used, widened the drive so it fits a modern car, moved the gas meter to the outside of the house, fitted a woodstove in the fireplace, turned the outhouse at the back into a proper utility room (still a work in progress)... Last year I had the garden landscaped as it was a mess and drove me potty, got rid of the asbestos garage and rotting shed and my dad gave me a new shed so I could have a decent one; this year I have done the bathroom, sorted out the ceilings and am now getting wiring (electrical/phone/data) done to allow me to work anywhere in the house and keeo moving stuff round without too much disruption!

If you resign yourself to seeing it as a long-term project you can do it. Most of my furniture and curtains are cast offs from family and friends, blinds have been made from fabric remnants or old curtains and dowel, and are held up by cuphooks, the sitting room carpet needs replacing and I still have painted, damaged floorboards upstairs. However, it is now a comfortable home, not just a house, and I can see that nearly all the hard work has been done!

Raksha

For those with old electric blankets - I think the Fire Brigade run a checking service each winter - you might like to give them a ring to find out (NOT on 999 though )

I'm worried some of you seem to be putting extra layers on top of your leccie blankets - I seem to remember that they are only designed to work under a sheet...

tugrin

PHEW greenbee - what energy!! But it is inspiring to know that it can be done over time. Im on my own so it will probably take longer (ie no family to help) BUT I am very practical and when Im feeling well still quite strong for a middle aged old bat so there is hope. Yes I do hate the flipping sliding wardrobe with the stupid dorrs that are always catching and the flimsy formica fronts - I was going to wallpaper over them with some nice William MOrris to begin with but they are so carp that Im glad I didnt waste my money and time.
The modern ceiling spotlights although bright do not seem to help the overall cold and gloomy feel either - dont know what to replace them with tho' as ceiling is quite low.

greenbee

I took the celing lights out of my sitting room and have a lighting circuit for table lamps.

Kitchen and bathroom have inset spots which I don't really like but are necessary due to low ceilings. Kitchen also has lights under all the wall units for flexibility. Hall has flat glass fittings, and the electrician has just shortened the cable on one of the landing lights so the airing cupboard door opens without hitting it! I out extra lights in the hall and on the landing so they're not so dark. And having table lamps as well means you can have different bulbs, so soft light in the evenings, but biobulbs or similar in the overhead light for daytime/makeup.

I'm on my own too, mostly, as OH doesn't live here and is only a recent acquisition... I have bribed friends and family to help, and am lucky that I now have a job that allows me to pay for the professional help rather more easily than previously.... Although it means a lot less time at home (despite working from home I travel for around 8-10 weeks a year) to do stuff myself.

I started doing cosmetic stuff to make the place habitable (after rewiring which was a priority), and the built up funds to do stuff properly. Don't do too much at once, as it becomes a strain!

prepareathome

tugrin wrote: »

I struggled with my open fire for the lst 2 winters - trying to keep it going all night when it ws really snowy and way below freezing but I got sick at the thought of coming down at 6.30 to a freezing cold sitting room and by association kitchen that I have caved this year and bunged it up and am relying on my electric rads. I have been as warm as toast so far with very litle effort and not too much electricity. Bearing in mind that at some points during the last 2 winters I was getting through £20 of coal aweek PLUS topping up with electric fires it cannot possibly be more expensive.
!!

I don't blame you turgin, although I would love to be able to use the fireplace or get a wood stove, there is no way now I would rely on them totally, well not unless a power cut hits. If it did for now I have a calor gas heater and a gas cartridge heater both of which give heat almost instantly. Suffering for the sake of OS and maybe saving money is not worth it. If you enjoy the lifestyle of getting up to a freezing house fine, and if you have to do it because of lack of money fine but otherwise anyone who does it in my book just likes playing the martyr.

Would that mirror on a roll cover the aluminium wardrobe at all and make it look any better?

LavenderBees

Raksha wrote: »

For those with old electric blankets - I think the Fire Brigade run a checking service each winter - you might like to give them a ring to find out (NOT on 999 though )

I'm worried some of you seem to be putting extra layers on top of your leccie blankets - I seem to remember that they are only designed to work under a sheet...

Thanks very much for this info. I'll investigate the local fire brigade...well, their checking service anyway...:rotfl:

I coudn't work out the best way to have the bed layers, but what you say makes sense to me.

Cheers again

L x