Welcome home! I hope you’ll have a lovely stay here. Here is everything I can think of to make 45 Ferndale Street a great place to spend a little time.
Please let me know if there is anything missing!
Cindy
The House
Wi-Fi
The network ID for the Wi-Fi is Glass_Slipper. The password is on the fridge.
Phone, Email, & Mail
If you need to find me, I’m usually on my mobile somewhere:
- Cindy Tonkin: 0412 135 426
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing Address: 45 Ferndale Street, Newtown, NSW 2042
There’s a key to the mailbox by the front door. There’s only one, so please put it back after using it. Feel free to check the box yourself if you have mail sent here and are expecting something. I rarely get mail, so I check it sporadically.
Please Tell Me If Something Isn’t Working or Runs Out
This house was built in 1893. Things break or fall apart all the time. If you notice something broken please let me know so I can get it fixed! The sooner, the better.
I provide the major staples (toilet paper, paper towel, dishwasher pods, cleaning stuff). I don’t always use these things myself. If you use something and it’s running low, just text me or leave me a note to let me know, please! The only household items you provide are your own clothes washing powder/liquid and your personal toiletries for the shower.
Bedroom Things
- Ceiling Fan: Your ceiling fan will keep things cool. Don’t run it while you’re not in the room—it doesn’t do anything but circulate air, and it doesn’t keep the room cool in itself. The remote will change how bright the light is, the speed, and direction of the ceiling fan. Ask me to show you. I tend to use the master switch on the wall to turn it on and off; it will remember the settings you give it.
- Wall Decor: If you want to remove the art or the mirror from the walls, please just give them to me. I have a hanging system on each wall, and I have more hooks if you need them. Please only use pins on the pinboards. Do not make any holes in the walls, wardrobe, or floor without talking to me first. No Blu-Tack on the walls. If you would like another pinboard, just let me know.
- Bedding: If you need bedclothes, I have spares, so let me know.
- Audio Courtesy: If you’re taking calls or watching TV or YouTube, please use a headset, even in your room. I will do you the same courtesy.
Bathroom Things
The full bathroom with shower is downstairs at the back of the house.
- Light Switch: The bathroom light is just outside the bathroom door. It has 4 switches. I have added a lump to the bottom left-hand one for the fluorescent light over the basin, because it’s the main one we use. I have also written “Light” on it in Sharpie.
- Exhaust Fan: The other important switch is the exhaust fan (top right, marked “Fan”). You’ll know it’s the right one because the fan hums. Please put on the exhaust fan whenever you shower, or if you’re using the clothes dryer. Switch it off when you leave or when the dryer is done. If you don’t do this, the bathroom and my studio get foggy and mouldy, and water drips from the bathroom ceiling.
- Shower Setup: The shower is poorly designed. Here’s what works. Before you get into the shower, hang your towel on the hook over the toilet. Arrange the curtain to go across the whole shower before you get in. When you turn off the water, hang the shower curtain back on the taps, and for bonus points, pick up the rubber mat on the floor and hang it off the tab. Grab your towel from the hook and dry yourself inside the shower (it’s the widest part of the room). This minimises puddles on the floor. If the floor does get wet, please mop them up before you leave the room.
Your Shelves in the Bathroom
There’s a black basket hanging on the wall of the shower for your shower stuff. You can also keep things on the mustard yellow trolley if you need to. There are two shelves for you there.
Keep the Bathroom Sink Clean
If you’re shaving in the sink, please wipe it down with a microfibre cloth afterwards to pick up stray whiskers. You’ll find spare microfibre cloths in the shelf under the dryer. Put dirty cloths in the bottom basket of the big laundry cupboard for me to wash. Also, please leave both toilet seats down.
The Upstairs Loo
There is an upstairs loo, but it has no exhaust fan. So please do your poos downstairs. Please leave both toilet seats down.
Kitchen Things
The principle of the kitchen is that after you’ve finished, I shouldn’t be able to find any remnants of your dinner on the counter, stove, or sink. Please wipe everything down after you’re done.
Please avoid putting food or milk down the drain. Scrape food into the green bin on the counter. Put old milk on the garden outside.
I’ve left you an empty shelf in the fridge and two shelves in the tall cupboard next to the sink. There’s also space in the freezer. Please seal food so we don’t get cockroaches or moths. If you can avoid leaving things on the counter, that would be grand. If you need more space, talk to me.
Plastics
You’ll find larger plastics in the bottom drawer and smaller plastics in the tub in the middle bottom cupboard.
Coffee, Tea, Sugar, Spices, & Paper Towel
There’s all kinds of tea in the cupboard above the microwave. Help yourself! If you prefer a particular kind of tea, please replenish it when it runs out. You’ll find sugar there too.
Spices, oils, salt, and such are in the left-hand cupboard above the stove. If anything runs out, please let me know.
Paper towels are in the right-hand cupboard above the stove. Avoid paper towels where possible, they are not recyclable (put them in the landfill bin, not the green bin). If you can use a microfibre cloth instead, please do. Put dirty cloths in the laundry cupboard bottom shelf (unless they are super stinky. Then put them on the verandah or in a bucket of water).
Oven – Turn Both Knobs
To turn the oven on, turn both the left-hand knob (to normal oven – about 5o’clock on the dial) and the right-hand knob (for temperature). On the inside of the cupboard above the stovetop you’ll find an explanation of the pictograms on the dials.
If you cook something that drips (like cheese) or overflows (like cake), please use a drip tray or clean the oven afterwards. You’ll find baking trays in the middle cupboard under the microwave.
Small Appliances
- Top right-hand cupboard: Toaster, sandwich press, heart-shaped waffle iron, air fryer, and rice cooker.
- Cupboard right of the drawers: Pie maker (which makes excellent quiches).
- Cupboard under the clock: Blender, large pots, cake tins, electric grater.
Please put them back where you found them after use!
Cooking Guidelines
I am very particular about my kitchen. I don’t cook much, but I like the kitchen to stay clean. If you cook, please follow these guidelines:
- Dishwasher: Put your cups, plates, etc. in the dishwasher. Scrape solid food into the green bin first. No need to rinse! Stack plates parallel to each other so we can fit more in.
- Cooktop & Counters: Leave the cooktop and counters spotless. Wipe down using a blue microfibre cloth (found on the sink or fresh in the tall cupboard left of the sink). Spray bottles of grease remover are under the sink if needed.
- Sink & Plug Hole: Take any solid food out of the plug hole and put it in the green bin.
- Meat Scraps: If you cook fresh meat, take containers or meat scraps directly out to the outside bins as soon as possible—especially in summer.
- Exhaust Fan: Use the range hood fan above the stovetop if you’re making smoke or steam! Pull out the range hood to turn it on (or use the switch underneath).
- Dining: Please eat at the table, not in your room. Wipe up any crumbs and clean the table after eating. Placemats live under the stairs.
Dishwasher Rules & Power Savings
In the interest of using off-peak electricity, please only run the dishwasher before 3:00 PM or after 9:00 PM.
- Look for the magnet on the front drawer to know which drawer is dirty.
- Dishwasher detergent lives in a small plastic box on the sink. Put two teaspoons in the fold down drawer – ask me to show you.
- Trap for young players: The play button defaults to the last drawer closed, so make sure you open the dirty one last!
- Ensure lids don’t block the bottom spray rotor arms from spinning.
- Feel free to unstack a clean drawer.
Recyclables & Bins
- Under Sink (Recyclables): Paper, plastic, and glass go here. Empty into the yellow bin outside. Bottles/cans with Return & Earn deposits go in the clear box outside for local collectors.
- Countertop Bins: Green bin for food scraps (empties into the big green bin outside). Blue bin for landfill (empties into the red bin outside).
- Garbage Schedule: Bins go out Thursday afternoon. Red bins are every second Thursday; Green bins are weekly; Yellow bins are alternate Fridays. Match what the neighbours put out! Bring them inside the fence on Friday evening if they are empty.
Laundry Things
The laundry is located inside the downstairs bathroom.
Power Setup: Switch off the washer and dryer at the powerboard when not in use. Do not run the washer and dryer at the same time or the fuse will blow. If it trips, turn off one appliance and push the reset button on the power board.
- Put washing powder or liquid in the left compartment of the drawer (labelled). You need to provide your own detergent.
- The default cycle takes around 75 minutes; turn the dial to explore other options. Be aware that the short cycles basically don’t spin, so clothes come out literally soaking wet. If you’re trying to save time, don’t use them!
- Hang washing on the line in the backyard. Pegs are on top of the washing machine. Please bring pegs back inside after use to discourage spiders.
- If using the dryer, clear the lint filter after each load. Always turn on the bathroom exhaust fan, and run the dryer off-peak (before 3:00 PM or after 9:00 PM).
Ironing
The iron is in a cube in the cupboard under the stairs. There’s a small tabletop ironing board stored between the wall and the shelf.
Cleaning Stuff
- Dustbuster: Above the washing machine.
- Dyson Vacuum and Brooms: Under the stairs.
- Dustpan: Under the sink.
- Microfibre Cloths:
- Blue cloths (Kitchen only): Bottom shelf of the cupboard to the left of the sink.
- Other colours (General use): Stored under the dryer.
- Towels: Hand towels and tea towels are in the middle drawer of the tall bathroom cupboard. Place dirty towels in the bottom drawer for washing.
Lounge & Dining Room Things
Please feel free to hang out in the lounge room. Please remember to use headphones if watching YouTube or taking calls.
Heating & Fans: In winter, the heater lives next to my desk. Control the ceiling fans and lights in the lounge, dining, and hallway via remote. Run fans clockwise in winter, anti-clockwise in summer. Switch them on and off using the wall switch.
Piano
Sheet music lives under the stairs. You are welcome to play. Please plug in and use headphones at all times.
Fortnightly Cleaner
The cleaner comes every second Thursday around 8:00 AM (I will let you know in advance). They take about an hour, and it’s usually best to step out for a coffee or sit on the verandah while they work.
They vacuum and mop around whatever is on the floor, so please pick up your items if you’d like your floor cleaned! They do not wash dishes, so make sure dirty dishes are stacked in the dishwasher.
When You Are Ready to Leave
All good things come to an end! You’ve given a 2-week deposit, which means I expect 2 weeks’ notice when you plan to move out. Chat with me when the time comes. Here is the Exit Checklist.
