Keeping Up With Home Care

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floridacatlover
Posts: 8056
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: Keeping Up With Home Care

Post by floridacatlover »

Both my neighborhood and mom’s neighborhood are pretty well maintained.

My townhouse community is not actually a condo but what is called a planned unit development. We own our little plot of land. We are each responsible for our own roof, which must use a certain shingle. It used to be that we each did our own outside painting but some people didn’t keep up with it so about six years ago our HOA took it over. I’m glad. Our HOA handles lawn care but we each maintain plants/flowers at our entrance. My problem right now is my gutter. Not the high two-story gutter but the gutter over my laundry room which I cannot reach with my small ladder.

On mom’s street most homes are well maintained except one house near the opposite end of the street which is not terrible but just looks messy. Mom’s neighbor mostly cuts mom’s front yard. I do the much larger backyard and all the trimming front and back. I like it but it is a lot of work. My friends think I should hire someone. I wish I could find a handyman to do some odd jobs. Also I’ll have someone paint inside and out at some point. I’ve decided I just cannot paint a room anymore. One issue with a lot of things is I’m short (5’) and cannot reach even some things that are simple. More and more, I’m more fearful of climbing beyond the second step of the ladder.

I can see the advantages of apartment living.

I have no plans to sell mom’s house but it actually looks like it was a smart financial decision to keep it - at least for now. Housing prices in my area are on fire. Of course climate change could make my whole county unwanted at some point.
icfrugal1
Posts: 2952
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:54 am

Re: Keeping Up With Home Care

Post by icfrugal1 »

HappyDaze wrote: Sun Apr 25, 2021 9:16 am Some things happening in my neighborhood have made me wonder how people "keep up" with things - like yard work (mowing, trimming, etc.), cleaning gutters, keeping trash taken away, that sort of thing.

As a single person, I will admit that it isn't always easy for me and I did finally hire a trash removal company because it was hard for me to keep up with hauling my garbage to the dump. I also have a maintenance company for lawn mowing and trimming and once in a great while (2x this season), snow plowing.

I take care of trimming shrubs, flower beds, cleaning gutters, making sure there is no litter around (it blows in from goodness knows where).

So very recently some people up the street got a dumpster and started cleaning up their property. It was a MESS - piles of lumber and metal and garbage, overgrown plants, falling down fence, you name it. I thought well, how nice that they're cleaning it up. Turns out they MOVED - and the house is for sale. I guess I don't understand why you wouldn't want to have things nice for yourself - why wait until you're moving to clean things up?

In the other direction, a young couple just moved into a house that has been vacant for about 4 years. These kids are real go-getters - they were out yesterday mowing and hauling brush and cutting trees, sweeping the driveway, bagging up trash, washing porches. and windows. They were hot and tired but gave me huge smiles and hellos when I walked by.

I mean there are LAWS here about having rubbish around and not taking care of things - but apparently it's ignored for some people and not others.

I'm considering taking a plate of cookies and a gift card to the local sandwich shop to my industrious new neighbors (they're about three houses down - but our back yards kind of connect - it's a weird layout).

Do you have help for maintaining your property? Is it a struggle for you? What motivates you to keep it nice? What are your biggest challenges with home maintenance/repair, cleaning up, etc.?
Please do, take the cookies. So happy for your neighborhood.

IC
clemencia2us
Posts: 11445
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:21 am

Re: Keeping Up With Home Care

Post by clemencia2us »

I used to care and would be out there doing stuff

Not anymore. I mean it isn't trashed out but not all green and blooming like some people.

I am ready to just live in an apartment.
ChristmasTrees
Posts: 3983
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:53 am

Re: Keeping Up With Home Care

Post by ChristmasTrees »

Dh and I do most of the work ourselves. Our just turned 16 year old granddaughter took over mowing last year as a summer job. It gives her money and frees us up for more time on the weeding and plant care. Three acres..so riding mower.

We have a log home that needs to be clear coated about every three years....we hire a painter for that.

DH can fix just about everything, so he takes care of maintenance. I do the inside work. I had help with heavy cleaning for a little while...but discovered I'd rather do it myself...as long as I can.
jckitty
Posts: 3400
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:55 pm

Re: Keeping Up With Home Care

Post by jckitty »

I find myself hiring out more home maintenance stuff every year, I still mow but use a rider and I refuse to push mow...it aggravates my fibro really bad. I use a battery weed eater for trim work.

I hire out the leaf removal and gutter cleaning...ladders are not for me.
I still do most of my own painting but can see that coming to and end LOL....again, ladders :roll:

I have been consolidating flowerbeds for some time now and use a lot more pots. For me it is easier.
I no longer cut most of my own fire wood, the fiancé cuts and splits it and I do the stacking.

I did sign on with a trash removal company, I share the container with DD and the renter. I can't generate enough trash by myself. I still haul recyclables.
I live in a rural neighborhood and only have one neighbor (by dads house) that has construction trash all the time but in fairness he is always doing something construction-wise and he does clean up when he can.
He doesn't have trash its more building stuff and mess from digging 2 ponds... but he is working on it.
The trash in the neighborhood is from people on the road....
I see the future being hiring out the mowing and eventually the wood could become an issue.

For me, I always think I am still a 30 something and can do things I need more time and help with.UGH!
JCKitty
clemencia2us
Posts: 11445
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:21 am

Re: Keeping Up With Home Care

Post by clemencia2us »

well the COD is out there washing down the porch.

He likes to feed the stray cats there. He gives them canned food and they spread it around. yuck

But he does hose it down. He keeps things tidy outside. But his room - OMG - hoarder!

I used to be so organized. Pantry just perfect etc.

This one year of being just here has not helped.
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