Could we start a 'low maintenance home' lessons learned thread?

[Oncemoreuntothebeach]

Our new home needs so much doing to it, new kitchen, new bathroom, insulation, new radiators. I work some silly hours sometimes, so I thought I'd use the renovations as an opportunity to introduce some things that would make life a bit easier.

What I've gleaned from the clever MNers on this board so far is:

•Don't have wooden worktops in your kitchen, far too much maintenance/faff to the keep them looking nice.
•Make sure that your toilet is wall mounted, far easier to clean the floor, but make sure you have easy access to the plumbing if something goes wrong.
•Make sure your kitchen cupboard fronts are flat, it'll mean less nooks and crannies for dust to gather in, and make sure your kitchen cupboards go right up to the ceiling too, so the tops of the cupboards don't become dust traps.

However, I'm sure there's loads more I could be doing to make my life easier! What are your favourite things about your home that make it less of a pain to keep tidy and functioning?

A robot vacuum for our downstairs hard floor. So much easier to keep them dust free.

I have another bathrooms top tip - go for frosted or reeded glass on a shower enclosure, and limescale/watermarks won't be anywhere near as visible.

Loads of cupboards/storage. Just shove it in, close the door and it looks tidy. You might never find it again, though.

No dogs or pets, children or husbands. But I think I rather have a beautiful, happy, if untidy and slightly (or not so slightly) scruffy house. If you make it too sterile and always prefer practical over aesthetics/comfort, it might be easier to clean, but will it make you happy?

Lvt flooring is very low maintainance. I second the robovac.

If you have a utility room, shiela maids are amazing for hoisting wet laundry out of the way.

Make sure you have enough sockets put in.

If I had my time again I'd have a counterlevel fridge and dishwasher to avoid constant bending.

There are def a couple of threads like this in the property section from a fee years ago; I know because I started them under a diff user name

I've got washing machine and tumble dryer fitted into the garage. Gives more cupboard space and less noise in the kitchen. I set them up on timers to wash overnight. I wish I'd known about fingerprints on gloss kitchen cupboards, though.

Towel rails, shower curtain rails, ironmongery must not be plated finish. Rust and wear takes it's toll. Solid stainless steel lasts. Brushed finish is easier to live with and can be restored with a pan scourer.

Whenever you buy storage boxes, always get the same brand. They will stack nicely when you use them and they will tessellate when not in use.

Glass cover for dining table can be wiped down and no more ruined tables.

Windows that go to the floor to eliminate windowsills.

A larder cupboard beside the fridge so there’s less trekking in the kitchen when putting away groceries

plain skirting boards with sloped edges for less dust gathering

If you live in the country, a mud room, or failing that, a porch for wellies, coats, boot pullers, hats, brollies, etc. So much easier if this stuff doesn’t get into the house.

Enough storage/cupboard space to enable you to follow the adage “a place for everything and everything in its place”, whether you are minimalist or maximalist. And label everything.

However many sockets you think you need, double it. I thought I'd gone overboard a bit. I so didn't.

A big enough airing cupboard. We had to get a much bigger hot water tank five years in, and now my airing cupboard is minuscule.

Grey grout for the bathroom tiles. Still get mould spotting but you can’t see it.

@Giggorata 's post reminds me of my best tip: shoes off household if possible! Vastly reduces time spent cleaning the floor. I actually don't go barefoot, I have indoor-only slippers.

If fitting a new shower make sure you put the controls at the entry of the shower enclosure that way the water warms up without you having to stand in the shower under luke warm water, I remembered that tip from a bathroom thread age’s ago & implemented it when we redid our bathroom.
yy wall hung rimless toilet & wall hung sink unit gives an air of space & much easier to clean.

This is a good one, I find these really annoying!

Wait a minute…. Are we supposed to dust above our kitchen cupboards?

Don't bother with a heated towel rail, they are just nonsense.

Install a normal rail above a radiator and hang the towel down to both warm and dry it.

IPA makes a good alternative cleaning agent when water and detergent doesn't work. Just use it sparingly on plastics and do not rub too hard.

Brilliant white surfaces (tiles and grout for example) look great when they are clean but show up dirt really easily. Use can use bleach gel to remove mould.

If you get something like a build your own sofa, buy a spare set of covers. When the old ones wear out you can swap the covers for an almost complete new sofa.

No idea of the state of the tops of our cabinets and never will as they are over 2m tall. When we replace our kitchen it’s unlikely we will go to the ceiling.

if you have to have the washing machine in the kitchen and a dishwasher, set them in cupboards - aesthetically its more pleasing but also reduces noise

the hall at the front door, get a doormat fitted in before the carpet/wooden floor starts, the total width of the hall, it means you can change the door mat when it gets worn without having to change the hall carpet.

as someone up thread said - sockets, kitchen sockets have more than you think you need and don't let anyone says its excessive. By the time you have a kettle, coffee machine, toaster, fridge, cooker, dishwasher, two phones charging, microwave, thats at least 7 with 2 usb charging points. Then you want sockets to plug in blender, iron, etc without having to unplug other stuff all the time - go for 6 doubles at least on the counter top

Oh I have another bathroom one. I haven't done this, but apparently if you're putting in underfloor heating in your bathroom (!) you might be able to get them to put some pipes in the wall behind the tiles so you don't have to bother with a radiator. Towels will dry faster so they'll be less fusty and your face cloth won't smell like hot metal.

I spent last night panicking I had made a major design faux pa by getting a stone resin sink and bath as both had mirade staining.

Sink messed up from DP pouring black radiator water down the sink and bath messed up from rose petal bath bomb stains.

Tried everything, then I got a piece of fine sand paper. Wow! Two second rub and all gone, rinse with water. Scratch proof, mark proof, stain proof although still wouldn’t risk dying your hair red in it.

Thoroughly recommend!

I did look at doing this. Wasn’t convinced with how the towels crease when hung that it would dry properly. Would have been a lovely design though!

I wouldn't call it scratch proof if you can sandpaper it.

Downsize and get rid of 50% of your stuff. I’m not even joking.