Where to put a dog bed, and why it matters
A dog that ignores an expensive bed and sleeps on the tiles is not being difficult. It is telling you something about the spot, and usually about the temperature.
School uniforms: what a year costs and how to spend less
Most families buy too many of the cheap items and not enough of the ones that get worn every day. Here is what a year actually needs, and where to…
What it costs to run an air fryer, slow cooker and oven
Every article that gives you a dollar figure for this has guessed at your electricity tariff. Here is the calculation instead, using two numbers you already have.
Air fryer or slow cooker: which one for which meal
These two appliances solve opposite problems, which is why households that own both use one and resent the other. The difference is when the decision has to be made.
Getting a kids room dark and cool enough to sleep in
An Australian summer throws two things at a child's bedroom: a sunrise before five and a room still holding yesterday's heat. Both are fixable, and mostly for very little.
Two kids sharing a bedroom
Sharing goes wrong over two things: territory and sleep. Solve those and a small room works. Solve neither and the biggest room in the house still will not.
Backing up family photos so you do not lose them
Phone sync is not a backup, and the difference is the thing that catches people out. A deletion syncs everywhere in seconds. Here is a setup that survives it.
Home wi-fi that reaches the whole house
Most wi-fi problems are solved by moving one box and changing one setting. Work through it in order and you will know whether you have a coverage problem or a…
A vegetable patch kids will actually help with
The mistake is almost always starting too big. A patch a child keeps helping with is smaller than you think, and it produces something edible within a few weeks.
Watering a garden under water restrictions
Most Australian cities have permanent rules that apply every year, not just in a drought. Knowing which kind you are under changes both what is allowed and how much you…
Flyscreens, windows and window tracks
These are three jobs that only work as one, in a specific order. Do the windows first and the track grit will be back on the glass within a week.
End of lease cleaning: the jobs that decide it
The standard is not spotless. It is the condition the place was in when you moved in, less fair wear and tear. That is a lower bar than the cleaning…
Getting your bond back
Your bond is not held by the agent, and it is not theirs to keep or return. Knowing who holds it and what the inspection is actually comparing against changes…
Changing your address: who to tell and when
Some of these have a legal deadline, some cost you money if you forget, and some only matter once a year. Here they are in the order that actually protects…
Moving house with kids
Moving day itself is the short part. The fortnight either side is where children either cope or come apart, and most of what helps happens well before the truck arrives.
Allergy-aware party food
Hosting a child with a food allergy is mostly about what you ask beforehand and how the table is laid out. What to do, and what never to improvise.
Birthday party ideas by age, 1 to 12
The right party for a three year old and the right party for a nine year old have almost nothing in common. Length, numbers and format by age, one to…
Birthday parties at home for under $100
A home party for ten children under $100 is straightforward once you know which four costs are worth paying and which five are pure decoration spend.