Basic Tools for Housework

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Day 8 of #Write28Days Challenge

Do you ever wonder what are the basic tools for housework? I do!

I see many gadgets available nowadays and I wonder if I need them all. Every time I am doing some hard and manual task or cleaning something yucky, I am thinking – what tools can make my job easier?

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There are some basic tools we all need and then there are those nice-to-have tools. I try very hard not to get scammed into buying things because they often end up as white elephants in my house. Then I feel guilty for wasting money.

What do I recommend?

I will share the basic tools we use. And some tools which I call investment pieces which are expensive but worth investing in for certain seasons of our lives.

Housekeeping Tools

For people with dust allergies, a vacuum cleaner, preferably one with HEPA-filters are a basic necessity. And in the season of many small children and no help, floor cleaning robots are a basic necessity for us.

a) The Roomba and Scooba

We invested in a Roomba and Scooba when I was pregnant with our sixth child back in 2006. I had quite a bad bout of backache during that pregnancy which made all the bending and stretching to vacuum the floors very painful.

At that point in time, my oldest was 9 and not very good at handling our vacuum cleaner. So, seeing the dust and strands of hair he missed made me irritable.

A friend then recommended iRobot’s Roomba and Scooba to us. It cost us around $400 and $1,200 respectively. Prices have gone up by quite a lot since then.

The Roomba and Scooba were lifesavers. I love how you can set them up, go out and then come back to a clean home. However, as the robots aged, the motors become very noisy which some of us cannot tolerate.

So when the Roomba died, I did not replace it. Also, as mentioned, the price has risen substantially. We are still using the Scooba though since that is used much less often than the Roomba (2x/day!).

b) Dyson Stick Vacuum Cleaner

The Dyson stick vacuum looked great but the price was too high. So I tried the Philips SpeedPro Max, The motor is strong but the parts are not durable. They kept snapping and breaking on us. Frustrating. I guess that’s why they have retired the model I had?

So when Dyson Fluffy V8 went on sale at the last Great Singapore Sale, I grabbed it. I love it!

Pity they have yet to invent a machine that can dust or a machine that can take down my curtains, wash, dry and then re-hang them.

c) Washing Machine and Dryer

We have an LG 10kg washing machine but I do not like it and will not recommend it. It does not wash the clothes well. Occasionally clothes have to be re-washed because they smell.

Some people swear by their dryers but we have done without one for the longest time.

But a dryer was very helpful when I was cloth diapering the children. Now? I just dry our laundry using the sun and wind.

d) Cooking Equipment

The Thermomix is often raved about. And I finally witnessed a demo. It really is an amazing tool. But….$$$.

If you can afford it and have the space for it, go for it! You can check out my friend, Amy’s Thermomix Yummies page to see what it can do.

The cheaper alternatives are the Instant Pot and the Philips Pressure Cooker. Not exactly the same but then you get what you pay for.

Since I prefer cooking one-pot or one-tray meals a basic crockpot and a built-in oven are necessities for us.

Last but not least, we have a Le Creuset cast iron wok for stirfries, a blender and food processor.

Basic Tools Needed Only

I will repeat here that we do not need expensive and fancy gadgets to get housework done. You buy what you need at the price which is comfortable for your budget. Not all gadgets are helpful or necessary. Don’t be swayed by smooth-talking salespersons.

Tomorrow I will write all about routines. See you!

Related Links

Kitchen Equipment for Our Large Family
Gadgets – Boon or Bane?

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