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How to find your dream Singapore home

Photo by Kelly Lacy from Pexels

Finding your dream Singapore home is hard. It’s exciting and scary all at the same time. That is why we have devised this ‘How To’ guide to help you narrow down your search. 

  • Set a budget
  • Choose an area
  • Discuss facilities
  • Look at the amenities
  • Do some research
  • Get the feeling
  • Use Casa Mia Coliving

Set a budget

The first step in finding your dream Singapore home is to set a budget. Have a frank and honest discussion, evaluate your financial situation, and set a realistic price range for your home. This will help you to narrow your search by eliminating properties that are over your budget.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Choose an area

Your next task is to choose the area that you would like to move to. Singapore is a beautiful location, but each area has something different to offer. For example, Marina Bay is within walking distance of the Singapore Business District, and therefore the perfect location for working professionals. Defining an area for your dream house could be based on price, amenities, work, or relationships. Whatever your reason for choosing an area, defining a specific location for your house-hunt will streamline your search.

Photo by Jahoo Clouseau from Pexels

Discuss facilities

Facilities are a large part of finding your dream home. Make a list of all of the facilities you want in your dream home, perhaps splitting your list into dealbreakers and non-essentials, and refer to your list when you go on viewings. You will find that there are some facilities that you will be willing to live without for the perfect house, whereas others are essentials that could turn a supposedly perfect house into the wrong one. 

Look at the amenities 

Amenities, such as schools, restaurants, and shops, could be a deciding factor for the area you choose to search and are imperative to look at before deciding on your dream home. Important local amenities will be different for each individual, so prioritise the amenities that you view as important. For example, if you have, or want, children, schools and parks may be an important local amenity for you and your family. 

Photo by David McBee from Pexels

Do some research

Whilst finding your dream home, go the extra mile and do some research into the area you will be moving to. A quick search on the internet, talking to people, and spending some time in the area can be all it takes to decide whether your dream home is right for you. It’s better to do your research now before papers are signed rather than later. 

Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels

Get the feeling

No matter how much research and preparation you do, the most important thing to consider when finding your dream home is how you feel about it. Take the time to view various properties and evaluate how you feel at each one. You may find that the one that feels like home is the one you least expected. Keep an open mind and follow your feelings.

Photo by Teona Swift from Pexels

Use Casa Mia Coliving

If you are a young professional, you may struggle to find the time to look for your dream Singapore home. Luckily, Casa Mia Coliving provides the perfect solution. Casa Mia is a coliving property manager offering private bedrooms in shared homes with a convenient search process and a great community. They offer affordable accommodation, with flexible terms, and all the services you need to just move in and start enjoying your new place.

You can now get 5% off of your first three months when you use the code LAHP5. Head to https://www.casamia.co/page/singapore to see what’s available and use the code LAHP5  in the request form on each of your chosen homes. 

Whilst you are busy searching for your dream Singapore home, don’t let your laundry pile up, let us take care of it for you. Book your Laundryheap order today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app. 


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Tips For Cleaning Curtains

When it comes to cleaning around the house, curtains are often overlooked, either because we don’t know where to begin cleaning or it just seems like a time-consuming process.

Cleaning curtains is the same as cleaning your delicate clothes but easier. We’ve put together a simple guide on how to clean, dry and maintain your curtains.

Machine Washing Curtains

Not all curtains can be machine washed. It all depends on what type of fabric they are. It’s best to check the care label as it will show you the right way to clean them. If your curtains are cotton, it is generally safe to put them into the washing machine on a ‘delicate’ cycle.

For sheer or lace curtains, that can be machine washed, put them into a large delicates bag or pillowcase to keep them extra protected from fraying in the wash.

Hand Washing Curtains

If for some reason you can’t locate the care label or, you don’t want to put your curtains in the washing machine because it is delicate, hand washing is a safer option. Since you have control, it will minimise the risk of damage to the fabric. If you’re don’t know how to hand wash, check out this hand wash guide. Since curtains are large, it’s best to use the bath tub, unless you have a sink that’s large enough.

Drying Curtains 

If the care label advises you not to tumble dry your curtains, line or hang dry them outside provided that the weather allows you to. Make sure to keep away from direct sunlight to avoid bleaching and if possible dry in a breezy place.

For tumble drying, use a low heat setting and remove the curtains just before they dry completely, to avoid wrinkles and creases. You can iron or press the curtains while still damp.

Dry Cleaning Curtains

If your curtains are dry clean only, then you should get them dry cleaned and avoid machine and hand washing. Curtains made from delicate fabrics such as velvet, velour, brocade, chenille wool or silk should dry cleaned.

To save yourself bringing your curtains to the dry cleaners, you can use dry cleaning services such as Laundryheap, who will collect and deliver your them.

Steam Cleaning

A convenient method for cleaning your curtains which is safe for almost all fabric types is steam cleaning with a hand-held steam cleaner. This method requires minimal effort as you can steam while your curtains without taking them down. It is perfect for heavy curtains or those made with natural fibres.

Begin at the top of the curtain, making your way down with gentle vertical strokes. Make sure the steamer is on a delicate setting.

Maintaining Curtains

It’s essential to wash/deep clean your curtains at least twice a year to remove dust and odours. To keep them looking fresh in between, vacuum your curtains using the soft brush attachments once a week and do clean your windows and sills, and dust curtain tracks.


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How To Brighten Up Your Bedroom

If you’re looking for some ways to naturally brighten up your bedroom, we’ve compiled an easy-to-do list that does not require you to make any remodelling changes.

How To Brighten Up Your Bedroom

  • Use light coloured bedding
  • White walls and ceiling
  • Update your lighting
  • Avoid dark and heavy curtains
  • Add metallic accessories

  • Add a Plant

  • Keep your room clean tidy

Use Light Coloured Bedding

An easy way to begin brightening up your bedroom is to start with your bedding. Consider changing your bedding to light colours if they’re not already. Opt for choosing all-white bedding or light tones that compliment each other.

White Walls And Ceiling

If you have patterned wallpapers or contrasting colours on your walls, get rid of them and paint your walls (and ceiling) white. Since white doesn’t absorb colours, it sends out light bouncing back onto other surfaces creating a brighter space. If you have white coloured walls that are looking a little dull, consider a retouch.

Update Your Lighting

Consider changing your light bulb to one that’s brighter or your light shade into one that gives out more light. You can even add a lamp or two in the most shaded areas of your room.

Avoid Dark And Heavy Curtains

Although dark and heavy curtains are great for blocking out the light at sunrise, it can make your room feel dull and gloomy during the day. Replace your curtains with some light blinds and sheer draperies or choose lightweight and light-coloured curtains.

Add Metallic Accessories

Incorporate a few metallic accessories into your bedroom like a metallic framed mirror, picture frames, vases, and other decorative objects. These items will reflect light, transforming a dim space into a brighter atmosphere. As a bonus, they will also make your room appear luxurious.

Add A Plant

Plants not only help to liven up a room, but they will add colour, contrast, natural appeal, and will purify the air in your room. Choose easy to maintain plants such as cacti, snake plant, pothos, Chinese evergreen, or dracaena.

Keep Your Room Clean And Tidy

A messy and disorganised bedroom can create the illusion of it being small, dull and dark. It’s essential to keep your room clutter-free and tidy if you want to brighten it up. Make sure to do occasional dusting, clean your windows and keep bedding items clean and fresh. If you want your bedding items such as your duvet and pillows professionally cleaned, you can give them to a laundry service.


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How To Care For Your Bed Linen

Everyone loves to cosy up in fresh crispy bed sheets, but overtime your bed linen begins to wear out and no longer feels comfortable. It’s essential to take proper care of your bed linen to keep them lasting long and ensure you’re getting good sleep.

How To Care For Your Bed Linen

  • Check the care label
  • Wash Bed linen weekly
  • Don’t wash with clothing
  • Air dry them
  • Store linens well

Check The Care Label

By reading the care label instructions carefully on your bed linen, you can ensure that you’ll give your bed linen the proper washing, drying and ironing treatment it requires.

One thing for sure is that you should avoid using bleach as this is too harsh for the fabric. 

Wash Bed Linen Weekly

Since your bed linen comes into direct contact with your skin, it’s necessary to have them changed and washed every week. Sweat and dead skin cells end up accumulating on your bed, turning it into a breeding ground for bacteria.

Don’t Wash With Clothing

Wash your bed linen separately from your clothes to help keep them in good condition. It will allow your sheets to get the proper cleaning it needs and prevent clothes from potentially getting caught onto and ruining the fabric fibres of the linen.

Air Dry Them

The best way to dry your linens after washing is to hang or line dry them outside in the sun where the result will leave them with a natural crisp. Alternatively, you can dry them indoors.

If you must tumble dry them, do it on the lowest possible heat to prevent your bed linen from shrinking.

Store Linens Well

Before folding and storing away your linens, make sure they’re fully dry to avoid a mildew smell and mould from forming. Keep them stored neatly in a cool, dry, ventilated place that isn’t too compact. Air circulation will maintain the freshness of your bed linen and prevent any unpleasant smell from developing.

If you require a professional laundry or dry cleaning service for top quality cleaning, schedule a collection with Laundryheap. 


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5 Robots That Can Help Out At Home

It’s clear that robotics, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing how we do things in our daily lives. We can see that AI has already taken over some daily activities, whether it’s home automation or automated retail. The collaboration between robots and humans are increasingly developing.

5 Robots That Can Help At Home

  1. iRobot: Roomba: This is a very well known vacuum robot that stays ahead of dust, dirt and keeps your floors clean everyday, so you no longer have to manually vacuum the floor yourself. There are now several new Roomba products that are more intelligent as well as powerful. The latest model (Roomba i7+) has an automatic dirt disposal, so you don’t have to worry about vacuuming for weeks at a time.

  2. Pillo: Make your medication management simple with this automated ‘medicine cabinet’. Pillo stores your medication in a patented pill-wheel, split into doses and dispenses into a special cup. Pillo will basically give you the right meds on time, every time and records when you take your pills so you never miss a dose. Pillo has a built-in facial and voice recognition that acts as a security layer, ensuring the pills are only for you. You can also get interactive with Pillo with its touch screen interface. In addtion, you can ask questions, receive notifications and alerts to help keep you on track of your health information and medication dosage.

  3. Toibot: You can now forget about having to clean the toilet yourself with the worlds first toilet-cleaning robot. Toibot will clean your toilets using cleaning capsules and a flexible brush, keeping the toilet bowl disinfected, cleaned and polished. Toibot works all with the push of a button and is powered by batteries. It can also be easily attached to any toilet bowl.

  4. Aeolus Robotics: Aeolus’ robot helper or ‘maid’ can take care of household chores for you such as picking up clutter, mop the floor, wash the dishes and move around furniture; it can even bring you a something to drink! This clever robot is voice-controlled and continuously learns every detail of your life to improve how it serves you. It recognises voices and faces, can take on new tasks, remembers where more than 1000 household items were or should be located and can even locate lost items.

  5. Moley Robotics: The world’s first robotic kitchen featuring an advanced fully-functional chef robot will now be able to take over cooking at home! The robot features two robot hands that can completely reproduce the functions of kitchen staff, with the same speed, sensitivity and movement as those of human hands. Other than advanced robotic arms, the robotic kitchen features an oven, a hob and a touch screen unit. It is operated by it’s touch screen unit and can also be operated via smartphone

Aeolus and Moley Robotics have yet to launch their robots to consumers, whilst the other robots are already available to order or pre-order.

Although there isn’t a robot that will take over your entire laundry routine just yet, there are AI technologies  that will fold and iron your clothes for you- but this requires a BIG investment! These will also, no doubt continue to be advanced and redeveloped.

The best option for you is to outsource your laundry by giving it to Laundryheap. An on-demand collection and 24 hour turn around is great for when you don’t want to or have the ‘time’ to do the laundry.

Download the Laundryheap app on iOS or Android.


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How To Wash Duvets And Pillows

Our duvets and pillows are often the most neglected items when it comes to washing bedding. Since these items are the bulkiest and do not come into direct contact with our skin, having it cleaned is not exactly a top priority. 

Did you know you should wash your duvets every 6 months and pillows at least every 3-4 months? Although we may not notice it, bacteria and bodily fluids build up on our duvets and pillows over a short period of time.

Having said that, let’s take a look at how to wash duvets and pillows at home:

Duvets

Synthetic:

  • Use a gentle cycle that has minimum agitation.
  • Only add about 1/3 of laundry detergent than you normally would.
  • Use a normal spin cycle setting.
  • Make sure to completely air dry your duvet before it is used again.

Feather:

Check the care label before going to wash, as some feather duvets require to be dry-cleaned only.

  • If the feather duvet is machine washable, wash on a gentle cycle, with a gentle detergent.
  • Make sure to air dry duvet before using.

Removing Stains

Clean up any stains as soon as possible! To remove a stain, move as much filling away from the stain, until isolated for effective stain removal. Tie the stained area with an elastic band and treat stain accordingly. 

Pillows

Many pillows, whether it be cotton, down or synthetic, can be put into the washing machine, if not dry-clean only. It’s always important to check the care label before going to clean your pillows to make sure.

If they can be put into the machine:

  • Use a gentle cycle.
  • Only use 1/3 of laundry detergent.
  • Wash two pillows at once if it fits, to balance the load.
  • Make sure pillows are completely dry- If the care label allows tumble drying, set it to low heat, otherwise air drying is the way to dry.

Removing Stains

Again, you want to take care of any stains right away. Always dab, not rub stains with a stain pre-treat before washing as normal.  If it’s a feather pillow, isolate stain by shaking feathers away and treat accordingly. 

We know that it can be difficult to wash bulky duvets and pillows at home, especially if your washing machine won’t fit them. That’s why we at Laundryheap are more than happy to clean your duvets, pillows and other bedding!


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How Often You Should Wash Your Home and Bedding items

Your home and bedding items need just as much cleansing as your clothes do!

If you’re unsure of how often to wash your bed sheets or towels, here an infographic guide on how often is appropriate to wash your home and bedding items:

Home and bedding washes

 

How often you should wash your bedding:

  • Bedspread: Every 1-2 weeks.
  • Duvet cover pillow case: Every 1-2 weeks.
  • Blankets: If used daily then every week, if rarely used, every month.
  • Duvet: Every 6 months.
  • Pillows: Every 3-4 months.

Bathroom items :

  • Bathroom towel: Every 3-4 use/ after 3-4 days.
  • Bath mat: Once a week.

Kitchen items:

  • Table cloth: If stained – immediately,  otherwise wash regularly.
  • Kitchen cloth/tea towels: Everyday!

We, at Laundryheap, know how difficult it might be to wash the bulky items, that’s why we offer home and bedding dry cleaning and laundry services. Book with us today for fresh sheets tomorrow! 


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5 Money Saving Tips For A Warm House This Winter

WINTER IS HERE!

For most of us, that means turning the heating up and spending ridiculous amount of money on our energy bills. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can stay warm at home this winter AND save money on your energy bill with these 5 tips:

  1. Block out the draughts
  2. Keep the heating low
  3. Use your curtains
  4. Make the most out of your radiator
  5. Add layers to your floor

 

Block out the draughts

The number one reason why it’s cold in our homes is because of poor insulation, letting in draughts! Nevertheless, there are a few ways you can stop the draught from coming in through your windows and doors. 

Patch up the gaps around your windows and doors and invest in self-adhesive rubber seals or insulation tape. This is a great investment that will save you money on your heating bill! You can also purchase a door drought excluder for extra insulation.

If you’re feeling creative, do a DIY door draught excluders or if you’re feeling cheap, why not use a pool noodle or an old pillow/cushion to block out the draughts, it will look awkward but it will do the job!

Keep the heating low

It’s cheaper to turn on the heating at a low temperature (18-21°C/ 64-69°F) than it is to turn it on at a high temperature at your preferred time. If you’re going to use your heating, set it at a low temperature and time it to turn on an hour or 30 mins before you wake up so your house is already feeling warm. Also, avoid keeping the heating on whilst you’re out of the house.

Use your curtains

If you have curtains,  here are some things you can do to try to keep the warmth from escaping through the windows:

  • Close the curtains before sunset to avoid the cold late night temperatures from invading in.
  • Keep curtains closed during the day if you’re not at home to lock in the warmth.
  • Use heavy curtains to block out the cold effectively, especially when you have single-glazed windows. 

Make the most out of your radiator

The heat from the radiators usually go upwards than around the house. To get the warm air to spread properly, cover some card (that matches the size of your radiator) with tinfoil and place behind the radiator to reflect the heat to go outwards rather than up. This will help retain more heat. You can also purchase a ready made foil insulation.

Add layers to your floor

Whether you already have a carpet or wooden floor, it’s always nice to add an extra layer on top of that, especially during the winter.

Add a rug to your carpet or wooden floor to keep cosy! You can also add a roll of carpet onto the wooden floor to keep the warm air from escaping.

Don’t forget, if the cold weather is making you lazy to do your laundry, Just schedule a collection with Laundryheap and we’ll take care of it for you! That way you can relax and enjoy being cosy and warm at home.

How do you keep your house warm and save money on your bills in the winter? Leave a comment!


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4 Apps For A Smarter Home

You’ll find that there are many smart phone apps as well as appliances that allow us to have an automated home.

Here are 4 apps for a smarter home:

  1. SmatThings
  2. Domoticz
  3. SURE Universal Remote
  4. Nest

Thanks to the help of these apps; all it takes is the tap of a button or voice command for a ‘smarter’ home. The development of software and technological systems have allowed us to take control over how we do things in our daily lives, especially at home! The benefit of this is that we don’t always have to be physically present when doing specific tasks, like turning off the light. Let’s take a look at how these apps work:

1. SmartThings

If you’re one who has SmartThings appliances at home already, this app will connect and control multiple devices such as smart devices, home appliances, TVs and speakers that are registered on the server via Wi-Fi AP. You can automate actions contextually and control your devices even when you’re not home. Check out these appliances that work with SmartThings.

2. Domoticz

This app is NFC supported which allows you to control and monitor your home appliances from the lights, switches and fans, to various sensors/meters like temperature, gas and water consumption, and much more! Through geo fencing features, Domoticz allows you to control these appliances even when you’re almost reaching your home. You also have the option to control your home from your wrist or via talk back features.

3. SURE Universal Remote

Sure Universal is a Smart TV Remote Control app. It lets you control your home entertainment and smart home.  The app can also cast music, videos and photos on the TV and other smart devices. You can also have full control of your smart home, Chromecast, Kodi, Roku and smart TV (Samsung, LG, Sony, Sharp, TCL, Toshiba, Hisense, Panasonic and more) , with built in Alexa and the power of your voice.

4. Nest

Only suitable if you have Nest products. The Nest app give you the ability to control all of it’s products from the Nest learning Thermostat to arming and disarming your Nest Secure alarm system.

In case you, let’s say for example, forgot to turn off the heating before you leave the house, Nest uses sensors, algorithms and your phone location to automatically turn it off

 

If you haven’t already, download our FREE Laundryheap app to make your laundry & dry cleaning collections easier! Available on iOS and Android.

organised home


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How To Be More Organised At Home

Overtime, clutter and mess start piling up, especially for families with little children. It’s hard to be organised at home when you have so many things to do already, yet so little time to do them. But there are ways that will help you keep track and stay on top of your organising game! 

How To Be More Organised At Home

  • Have a ‘home’ for your items 
  • Clutter control system
  • Ditch duplicate items
  • Get rid of things that you no longer need
  • Have a cleaning schedule
  • Have a checklist

Have A ‘Home’ For Your Items

You’ll notice that there are certain areas around your home that just have huge piles of miscellaneous items. The areas are most likely counter tops, tables and even on the floor. The reason why things just pile up is because we don’t know where to put them; they don’t have a home. 

So, find a place to put every item to avoid unwanted clutter and the inconvenience of tidying it up when guests come over. If it’s a book, put it on the shelf, if it’s stationary, put it in a drawer or if they’re documents, file it. Whatever it is, just find an appropriate place to keep it, where you’ll remember it’s location.

shelf storage organise

Clutter Control System

To help organise your cluttered items (and give a home to them), add a few accessories to your home. By accessories I mean wall hooks, wall cabinets, an entryway organiser, a coat stand etc. These will keep your things that you use on a daily basis stored in an easy to locate place. It’s especially useful for when you’re always on the go and you tend to leave your keys on the table or your coat on the sofa. 

Also, make sure to have storage boxes or baskets where necessary around your home to keep your things organised. You’ll no longer have to keep your things just laying around.

cabinet organise

Ditch Duplicate Items

It’s common to have multiple of the same items, for example, pens, dining ware, cups or slippers. But when is having multiple items too much? It’s when you have a restaurant amount of dining ware for a family of 4. It’s when you have 20 pairs of slippers for two people or when you have 50 pens in your home.

Getting rid of duplicate items is one way to a clutter-free and organised home. If these items are still in good shape, give them away. If they’re worn out or broken, throw them away. 

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Get Rid Of Things That You No Longer Need

Look through your book shelf , drawers or wardrobe and throw away things you no longer have use for. Again, if they’re in good condition give it away to someone who will benefit from it, like an old book or some old toys.

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Have A Cleaning Schedule

Household chores are always going to be difficult to keep up with, unless you have so much time on your hands.

To keep up with home cleaning, create a schedule. Yes! Cliché to say but a schedule will always help you be organised and keep you on top of things. Create a personalised, long-term schedule for non-daily tasks like cleaning your bathroom once every week or changing your bed sheets every 2 w

eeks etc.

For daily tasks like washing dishes or doing laundry, these should be done right away instead of putting it off. This will avoid more dishes or more clothes piling up.

If your laundry routine is a little too hard to keep up with, visit our 5 Tips To Stay On Top Of Your Laundry blog where we advise you how to keep on top of your laundry and provide you with a downloadable laundry schedule.

weekly plan organise

Have A Checklist

Checklists are great for setting yourself a reminder to do specific tasks. They’re great for quick, daily tasks, like remembering to take out the trash on time for rubbish collection day or putting away clothes. With so much things going on, it can be hard to remember the little things you need to do. So jot them down and tick them off once it’s done. That way you won’t have to wait till next week for your rubbish to be collected.

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Once you start doing things repeatedly around your home in an organised and orderly manner, you’ll eventually get used to it and then it just becomes a natural habit. 

If you have any other tips to an organised, clutter-free home, please feel free to share them in the comments section. 🙂