We asked you what household skills people should learn in their 20s, but what about those who are a little older and more experienced in living on their own? What household skills do you think everyone should know how to handle in their 30s?
Image from donnieray.
Ideally, you’d already know the basics of most household skills and how to take care of yourself by the time you reach thirty, but there’s more you can learn (and master.) While there are online guides and videos that can help, knowing what to look up in the first place can be tough. So, where should people in their 30s start? Share your advice in the discussion below. Make sure to include the skills, why people should learn it, and any helpful resources.
Comments
5 responses to “What Household Skills Should Everyone Learn In Their 30s?”
I dont think household skills are dictated by age but more status.
Im just shy of 30 and moved out of home a long long time ago and the household skills I had to learn when i moved out are things my friends living at home (around the same age) just cant comprehend as they just live in a house but not manage a house.
The only things I can suggest is that you should be old enough to have an understanding of your abilities / limitations, willingness to learn new things and also know when to ask for help when you find yourself in over your head.
Things are different for me since I live by myself and can only make educated guesses as to what skills are required for couples, shares or young families as they will have different skill sets they need to manage.
Granted i’m by no means a master but i’v found the best flow that works with my lifestyle
When in doubt consult Lifehacker :p
Seriously when I cook, build or do something around the house the wife has never seen from me before the first thing she says “Have you been on Lifehacker again?”.
I’m not sure that over 30 is a magic formula for anything. It may change who lives in the house though.
1. Learn how to clean efficiently
When cooking, clean up as you go. In particular, don’t leave tricky items (like a colander) until it dries.
If you want to clean something (eg. A floor, a colander), don’t rub the one spot. Use the water /cleaning agent to loosen things up by going over a section first, then revisit.
2. Batch your jobs
Cook in bulk and freeze, rather than a meal for each night.
3. Get everyone involved
I know most people don’t consider it housework, but decide on who takes kids out (and I do consider it a domestic task, despite census excluding it). It gives everyone a change.
Get your kids involved early in tasks (rubbish, floors, dishwashing or dishwasher duty, cooking)
Do things as a team (eg. Spring clean, car wash, outside day), then celebrate together.
4. Know yourself
Nobody likes to clean the toilet. Work out what these avoided tasks are and rotate them as a team.
Help each other improve and learn.
5. Use resources to learn
Check out cooking web sites, Bunnings DIY, etc
If I had to identify the number one household skill, it’s working together as a team. If you live by yourself, think of friends and potential partners (either respect them with a tidy house or work with them).
Most of the linked comments from the under 30s were good. Fixing taps ( lithium grease, washers), toilets, power tools, painting. No point repeating good advice.
At mid 30’s without kids, Here are some things I’ve been doing quite a bit;
•Repair a dry-wall; Lean a few different ways of repairing holes and dents in plaster walls.
•Install in-wall cables for surround sound and TV’s; get used to gang plates and running cables through the roof/floor space.
•Change a nappy; even if you don’t have kids you’ll know people who do and it makes life allot easier. Especially if you start baby-sitting.
•Have a bunch of 2+ and 5+ kids toys on hand; similar to above
•Organize and store what you have; buy some tubs and label everything. You’ll start having lots of junk keeping it sorted helps allot.
•Look at obtaining an affordable house, and learn to budget all you expenses.
•If you have a mortgage; add extra payments and learn to pay it off. At 30 10 years seams like a long time at 35 having a mortgage gone in 5 years (or less) is a blessing.
Sometimes people aren’t aware there are things to learn, such as how to separate clothes of different fabrics, weights and colours in the washer and dryer.
I’ve shared houses with too many people who have completely ruined my clothes or bed linen in a single wash or dry cycle.