Top 5 household life skills for young carers

We know that many young carers find themselves caring for someone and looking after a household before they have all the life skills they need.

The good news is that there is a lot of information online to help you. We have gathered some of the household basics together for you to explore.

Laundry

Learning how to use a washing machine to get the best results isn’t hard, but there are a few tips and tricks to know.

This guide gives you a useful overview – How to do your own laundry – a guide for beginners. Most washing powders or liquids also have guides on their websites, so you can look up your brand online to see what they say.

Cleaning

The key to cleaning is to do a little but do it often. This Beginner’s guide to cleaning takes you through each area of the house step by step, and lets you know what to look for and what to do. There are lots of other cleaning tips on the Stay-at-home mum website.

As a carer, you may also be able to get help at home with cleaning, gardening or other chores.

Cooking

We all enjoy a home-cooked meal, and cooking for yourself and the person you care for can save you money. There are many recipes and videos about cooking available online.

If you want to start simply, the Easy dinner page on Allrecipes and the Stay-at-home mum website have many simple, practical recipes for families.

As a carer, you may also be able to get help with cooking or meals.

Budgeting

You might be in charge of the household budget, or might need to keep an eye on spending each week. Making a budget helps you to manage your money and make sure you have enough for everything you need.

How to do a budget from MoneySmart or Your complete guide to budgeting will talk you through the steps to making a budget. These websites also have tips about saving money.

Shopping

You might not think you have to learn how to go shopping, but there are a few tips that can help you to shop within your budget and make sure you bring home the things you need each week.

Australian grocery shopping – a beginners’s guide and Everyday products that should be on your grocery list are good places to start. There are also many useful guides on how to save money when you shop, such as 18 tips to reduce your groceries.