Tips on DIY and furnishing a second home or ex-pat home or job move

Problem
You leave for six months or a year and your home falls apart.
The cost of shipping all your stuff overseas, then shipping it home again, is less than the cost of buying new.

You take a job but your furniture arrives by sea and takes three weeks.

You find a great place to rent, from an absentee or elderly landlord or landlady, but lots of things need fixing.

You arrive happily. But your curtains don't fit, the funiture doesn't fit, and the bedding doesn't fit.

Answers
PROJECT PREPARATION
List all the things you need for a project from the DIY store and check everybody concerned to compile  a checklist:

For example, no good buying paint and getting home and finding we need brushes and a mixing pan.

PRICING
Make or find a guide to budget options.

List of professionals who could do the work and estimated prices so you can find out if it's cheaper to hire somebody than DIY;

TIMING
Painting and projects
Estimated times of project - can't have windows open to dry paint if going out for the day;

Estimate time it would take to paint a room of various sizes;

LADDERS

What sort of ladder do I need to paint a ceiling or could I hire one, or re-sell it - if no room to store it.

Keep a ladder or step stool to change light bulbs.

B & Q UK
See free brochures on DIY in stores.
Watch videos.

TIP
Take your shopping list.
Take your phone to photograph products.
Note or photograph barcodes, model numbers, brands, in case you want to order on line later.
Keep measurements of windows and floors and doors in the back of your diary or a notebook.
Take with you a tape measure showing measurements in inches and centimetres.

Shopping For Bedding
When shopping for bedding, note the size of a bed, width, length, height of mattress.
Check bedding to see whether a bottom sheet is included. Some sets are duvet cover and matching pillowcase only.

HOUSEHOLD INVENTORY
Check your inventory and add the brands or product codes or all furnishing and fixings.
For example, you have a Neff oven, sink, etc.
You want to record the date of purchase and number of the helpline and end of guarntee date.

When buying, register guarantees.

Photograph and print information on side of item so when the washing machine goes wrong you know the helpline.

Also keep the orignal sizes. That is handy when when buying a replacement.  You know which size for searching on line, answering questions from a salesperson on the phone, and buying another item from a sales person from a shop.

Read the instructions. For example, some washer-dryers can wash a bigger load than they can dry, because you need space to toss the wet items in the air. If you overload, the items just get tangled and stay wet and creased.

You also end up running the drying cycle longer. If the machine is supposed to last so many washes a year and you do twice that number, it might break down in two years instead of four. If you have space, it is better to have two machines stacked on top of each other, rather than a washer dryer.

If you buy two stacking machines, you also need a third item, the part which fixes them together. The two machines must be the same size. You can't have a bigger machine bouncing about and sliding off, or breaking the machine below.

Useful Websites
B & Q
diy.com

Author
Angela Lansbury

Night time or day time swim in tropical Singapore

When it gets cool, it is time to cool off. This pool is in a condo.

If you want to go swimming in the daytime outdoors, or at night, pick a hot country. You might like Florida. Even Washington DC. I lived in Rockville, Maryland. The pool in our complex where we rented was open in summer from around Easter until autumn.

In Singapore the temperature is tropical so outdoor swimming pools in the condos where expats stay are open all year. When are they closed? For events, such as a poolside dinner for national day.

If you live in a house and don't have a shared pool in the complex or estate, you might want to join a club which has a pool. If you work for a large international company, they might pay for club membership as part of the perks, the deal, the incentive for moving.

Japan, like England, has four seasons, and few blocks of flats will have pools.  

Now you know what to look for, whether taking a job long-term as an ex-pat, or orgnaising a conference or business trip to stay in a hotel.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer and author.

Finding Free Fun Activities

Problems
I want to learning languages, learn to sing, go to social events. First problem, is where to find an activity. It's not hard to find things to do. But most of them cost money.

Answers
You can earn enough to do everything you want.
1 Or search around and pick the cheapest activity.
2 Or search for a free activity.
3 Or start a self-help workshop group where you can get free accommodation for meetings.
4 Or find an online teaching source, then start a group in your home, watching and learning together, or learning and then teaching others.

 1 When I lived in the USA I was isolated. Later, as an expat in Singapore, I discovered groups attached to the clubs, such as The American Club, The British Club, also the Japanese, French, German, Swiss and other groups. If you joined the club you could go to activities such as courses, most of which charged fees. In Singapore cheaper classes for languages, music, art, yoga, tai chi, are held at Community Clubs (whcih used to be called Community Centres.).

Another source of information is Meetup.

If you are near a large public building such as a church, synagogue or mosque, they may display notices of events, some of which are cheap or free because the venue is provided free to help the members or attract outsiders as a community service or to get new members.

For example, in St Lawrence's church in Edgware, I saw a sign for a singing group.

If no group exists yet, you might consider starting one. First steps are to ask around friends, acquaintances, and people in reception or administration in public buildings.

Free First Time
Many courses offer you a free first lesson. Find out the cost of joining because if you like it, you may decide to join. Take business cards or write your name and phone number of email on a few pieces of paper. Then if you find a friend you can stay in touch.

Free Museums
London's free activities include the Guildhall (check opening times and days on their Website) in the city, mentioned in a previous post. Tourist Boards will tell you about free museums, or free days at museums. In some cities such as Caridff in Wales, major museums run by the local council or government are free.

Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International has many clubs and events which are free for guest who simply observe other trainee speaker, although some events incur fees. It depends on their policy and the cost of the venue.

Toastmasters Worldwide
Toastmasters International began in 1924 in California. It is now in 141 countries with 16,400 clubs and more than 352,000 members. I have been to more than 50 clubs in Singapore, as well as several clubs in the UK, several in China, one in Thailand and one in the Czech Republic. If you want to start a club, attend the nearest one and find a couple of other people who are interested in starting a club in your area. The organisation gives free starter packs and all sorts of help for starting a club.

Useful Websites
https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club
https://www.meetup.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer, author and speaker.
Please share links to your favourite posts.