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House and Home

Got an old, cold house like Laine's? Here are seven ways to make it warmer and cheaper

Australian homes are notoriously cold in winter — draughty, with poor insulation, thin glass and inadequate heating. But there's a growing movement of people retrofitting their homes to make them cheaper to run and more comfortable year-round, while also reducing emissions. 
A young woman wearing grey dress over black skivvy stands in front of a house, smiling with a mug in her hands

How to clean puffer jackets, Oodies and ugg boots (and why you shouldn't wear socks with slippers)

To keep your puffer jacket, ugg boots and Oodie looking good for many seasons to come, we've got some simple cleaning tips that don't involve a drycleaner.
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woman wearing a pink puffer jacket and peaking through the hood

More households in NSW with mortgages, higher incomes are struggling to pay their power bills

A survey of more than 1,000 people in NSW found that 39 per cent of respondents that had their energy disconnected were from middle income households.
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Silver energy electricity box with woman holding door

Simple ways to keep your indoor plants happy in winter — and jobs to avoid until spring

Some of our favourite indoor plants are tropical, so cold weather and heating can make their lives harder.
A man with chin-length brown hair is smiling and hugging a large plant in a big white pot.

Squeezy water bottles, cardboard and potatoes: How you deal with icy windscreens in winter

Readers recommend using cardboard and towels to prevent ice from forming, plus a handful of inexpensive tools to deal with an icy windscreen at the start of the day.
A woman wearing a beanie, puffer jacket, scarf and gloves sits in her car, unable to move as the windscreen is frozen.

How 'crazy' is Perth's housing market? Ask Craig Townsend, who just lost out on a home literally at the last minute

If you want to get a sense of the "insane" nature of Perth's property market right now and the breakneck speed at which homes are selling, look no further than Craig Townsend's experiences last week.
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Craig Townsend 2024-06-21 08:06:00

Defrosting your windscreen can be an early morning nuisance. Here's the easiest way to do it

For those living in a cold climate without a garage or an undercover park, a frozen windscreen may be a familiar — and possibly frustrating — sight. So, how do you fix it?
Man scraping ice from the windshield.

Dread the cold? These cheap items will help you stay warm this winter

Whether your priority is to make life in your rental property less of Survivor-style experience, keep energy costs down, or just to be cosier, winter can be a season of challenge.  
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door snake

Doing laundry without a dryer? Here's how to speed up the drying process

We speak to science communicator Lish Fejer, one half of FixIt Chicks, for her top tips and "unconventional ways" of drying laundry this winter — without the cost of a dryer.
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Close-up of someone hanging out white linen on a white indoor clothes drying rack located near a kitchen.

'Not now, not ever': Readers share their feelings about unannounced guests

It was once a common way of staying in touch, but after we explored the etiquette of an unannounced visit, opinions were divided. This is what you had to say.
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Young couple welcoming guests at an apartment doorway, with smiles and arms outstretched.

Ron could be a modern-day Gilligan living on his isolated island. But he has no desire to be rescued

Ron O'Brien lives most of the year wandering around his island home in solitude, living off-grid away from the pressures of the rat race. It's a "great lifestyle".
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Man leaning on balcony railing with coffee cup, looking out to sea, small wallaby marsupial behind him, coastal background

'It's fun to judge': The appeal of real estate reality television

When it comes to reality television, the arguments and scandals of Married at First Sight aren't for everyone. So why does the real estate reality television genre continue to appeal to such a broad demographic, when other shows fail to? 
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A composit image of cast members from Luxe Listings Sydney, the Oppenheim brothers and Chriselle from Selling Sunset.

Heritage-listed mansion set to go under hammer in first-ever sale since construction 110 years ago

Along with seven bedrooms, almost 6 hectares of gardens, and servants' quarters with a Downton Abbey-like bell system, this heritage-listed property up for auction in the Blue Mountains comes with an interesting backstory.
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Large white mansion.

How much does it cost to run aircon versus portable electric heater in winter? Here's how to save the most

Winter is here, and experts say there are ways to stay warm while saving money on your power bill. One of them is to avoid setting the heater temperature too high.
A heater on the floor with two feet warming up next to it. The feet have socks on

Moving back home, co-housing, and boarders. How three households embraced communal living

One photographer looks at three households embracing communal living to see if Australians can adapt their way of life as housing becomes ever more unaffordable. 
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two women sit on an outdoor couch

'There were no takers at all': Seller loses $100,000 putting home on the market in Darwin

Justine and her partner cut their losses and sold their home cheap in the inner suburb of Darwin after months of no takers. 
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A woman wearing glasses looks right at the camera.

'We're here!': The golden rules of dropping in to someone's house

Dropping in used to be a common way of staying in touch, but is it still OK to do it? An etiquette expert says unexpected visitors can be a horrifying thought for many.
A smiling woman with dark hair in a bun wearing a grey hoodie holding a mug in the front doorway.

The hidden costs of home ownership and why they're on the rise

Paying a mortgage is just one part of home ownership. Here are some of the other expenses to factor in.
A home buyer looks at documents. In the foreground of the image is a model house and keys.

Will cutting migration help the housing crisis?

The political airwaves since last week's federal budget have been dominated by the Opposition's claim that it can free up housing for Australians by cutting migration.
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ABC News Current
Duration: 9 minutes 31 seconds

'I wonder if they understand the carnage': Landlord loses thousands in bid to evict tenants on expired lease

A Queensland landlord says he has been left thousands of dollars out of pocket trying to evict renters who refused to leave after their contract was up, delaying the sale of the house.
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A picture of a home with a for sale sign out the front.

analysis:Peter Dutton has spelled out the maths on home ownership — and he might have done us a favour

In using his budget reply to rail against foreign investors buying up existing properties, Peter Dutton almost made a case that could really help first homebuyers.
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A close up shot of Peter Dutton in glasses.

GJ Gardner Homes founder starts work on $12m mansion in Noosa hinterland, modelled on a French chateau

It will have eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, 14 car spaces, a ballroom, two wine cellars, two lifts, and have room for a dining table that seats 22.
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A man standing in front of a huge home

'Not the biggest house, but we love it': Transforming a 120yo church into a family home

Former churches are being given a new lease on life as homes and holiday accommodation, as places of worship close their doors and are sold.
Picture of the interior of a renovated church.

T-shirts and other surprising things you can compost

In a worm farm during a warm season, a cotton T-shirt can take just three to four weeks to break down in your backyard compost.
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Hannah Moloney holding a compost bin in the garden

perspective:I built a tiny house I can't live in — but I have no regrets

When Rio started building a tiny house during COVID lockdown, moving 3,000 kilometres across the continent wasn't on the cards. 
A young person with short hair, wearing a long-sleeve white T-shirt, standing in front of a tiny home.