Household skills to pick up and impress your family with

I’m sure we are all familiar with our friends doing their best master chef impressions throughout the circuit breaker by now.

Or maybe you might have picked up some other skills like photography.

Circuit breaker and COVID-19 has shown us that it is important for us to possess skills of our own instead of relying on others – especially since you never know when the next pandemic will hit and force businesses to close.

Here are some less flashy but equally helpful skills to pick up for this isolating period and beyond!

Fixing aircon leaks 

Phase 1 of the post-circuit breaker will finally allow aircon servicing beyond emergency issues to be resumed. While there are definitely still some services that require a professional hand, common issues such as aircon leaks can be done with a ladder and some tenacity. With all of us might as well living in an oven, learning to maintain and fix the house’s aircon is bound to go a long way.

Check this easy to follow guide for fixing leaks below!

Unclogging sinks or toilets 

With all the cooking and eating at home throughout these two months, there might have been a more-than-usual buildup of gunk in both the toilet and kitchen sinks. This, unfortunately, can lead to clogs that could stink up the whole house.

Before giving the plumber a call, consider employing some DIY remedies such as using vinegar and baking soda or with a plunger. Similarly, these could be used for toilet clogs as well. Most importantly, however, is to take preventive measures by practicing good habits for both the kitchen and the toilet.

Here is a video demonstrating the money-saving powers of vinegar and baking soda!

Basic tailoring 

All that eating to kill the boredom might have added a few extra pounds and that could prove testing for our clothes. Amidst the disbelief that we are getting fatter, we might force ourselves into previously snug shirts and pants, before shredding a hole or popping a few buttons.

To prevent any further embarrassment, consider picking up basic tailoring skills. There are some fixes that do require a sewing machine but a majority would only require an inexpensive sewing kit.

Check out the short video below on how to sew on buttons, or this video here on mending tears.

Beginner gardening 

Gardening is a relaxing yet rewarding experience that requires quite regular dedication to get it right. While it’s probably impossible to grow a meal, there are still some select plants that could be beneficial for the family without any complicated maintenance needed.

Aloe vera, for example, could be grown and harvested for aloe vera gel, while lemongrass could serve to be a natural repellent around the house. It will take a while before plant nurseries open but you could start by learning to maintain some of the plants that you might have around in the house already. Take a look at this handy guide for more details!

Meanwhile, also consider giving this video a watch to find out how you could make the best of the space in the house.

Proper housekeeping and cleaning 

For most of us, housekeeping skills were picked up rather begrudgingly after the endless nagging from the parents. Along the way, we might have developed habits that just might not be effective in keeping the house clean. It sounds silly but the sharpening of these skills might prove to be invaluable especially with most of our life now spent at home.

Both work and study from home arrangements have also made the keyboard, mouse and laptop a hotspot for bacteria and germs. Regular maintenance could also extend the precious longevity of these essential items, saving you the trouble of spending more money.

Check out YouTube channel Clean My Space for more on the underappreciated art of housecleaning.

Perfecting ironing 

With working from home looking like the foreseeable norm, it will take a while before most Singaporeans have to put on more than what they went to bed with for work. However, picking up the right ironing skills now might be a sure-fire way to impress colleagues and friends used to your drab, wrinkled shirts. You could even show it off via your Zoom meetings, if you like.

Here is a quick guide on the right technique to looking clean and ready to tackle the post COVID-19 world!

Fixing a button or unclogging a toilet might be a little less glamorous than cooking up exquisite, Instagram-worthy meals but these household skills will still surely be able to impress your friends and family. Or even save you a couple of bucks!