Give your property some TLC during isolation
As COVID-19 continues on its path of destruction, home confinement has seen people conquer puzzles they never thought doable, challenge their culinary skills and have Netflix quiz them as to whether they are still watching.
More than ever, people are now using this time to tackle those tedious tasks around the house that have often been demoted to the bottom of the to-do list.
We’ve compiled a varying list of things that you could do to give your home a little TLC, add some value and have a little.
Fix up the yard
Being confined to your home doesn’t mean you can’t go in the yard! This is the ideal time (especially while we enter the somewhat ‘cooler’ months) to paint the fence, trim the hedges or do the paving that has been on the backburner.
Declutter
Time to go full Marie Kondo! The KonMari Method is Marie Kondo’s minimalism-inspired approach to tackling your stuff category-by-category rather than room-by-room. There are six basic rules to get started:
- Commit yourself to tidying up.
- Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
- Finish discarding first. Before getting rid of items, sincerely thank each item for serving its purpose.
- Tidy by category, not location.
- Follow the right order.
- Ask yourself if it sparks joy.
Clean out your wardrobe
Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you live in a one or two-season climate and you haven’t worn an item in six months, it’s time to let it go. If you live in a four-season climate and you haven’t worn it in a year, time to donate.
Start a veggie patch or herb garden
No matter how big or small your yard is, you can go green! Here are five steps to consider when starting your patch.
1. Position – you want an area with plenty of sun and protected from strong winds.
2. Garden bed construction – there are numerous ways to construct a garden bed. Do some research and find what is best for your space. Some popular materials that are used for construction are Besser blocks, straw bales and H4 timber sleepers.
3. Crop rotation – this is important for reducing disease and nutrient deficiency. If you are doing a veggie patch, it’s recommended to divide your veggies into four separate rotations groups: roots and stems, beans and peas, leafy greens and fruiting veg.
4. Soil – your backyard soil may already be adequate but in most cases you will need to buy a good veggie mix. When starting a new patch or in between crops, it is important to add things such as compost, manure or seaweed pellets to maintain nutrient-rich soil.
5. Mulching – a thick layer of mulch over your veggie patch will work wonders. Ensure your patch is fed with a liquid fertiliser every two weeks. Organic pellet fertilisers such as ‘Rocket Fuel’ can be applied every two to three months.
Article extrapolated from:
Garrity, A. (2019). ‘What is the KonMari method? Here’s how to declutter the Marie Kondo Way, goodhousekeeping.com, January 11. Available at: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/organizing/a25846191/what-is-the-konmari-method/
Hewitt, S. (2020). ‘34 productive things to do at home during self-isolation’, racv.com.au, March 23. Available at: https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/living/at-home/things-to-do-home-self-isolation.html
Ross, L. (2015). ‘5 steps to starting a veggie patch from scratch, gardenclinic.com.au, April 25. Available at: https://www.gardenclinic.com.au/how-to-grow-article/starting-a-veggie-patch-from-scratch