Everyday life…

We had no idea what was coming down the line….. 

…That a global pandemic would keep us locked up in our homes putting an abrupt halt to our everyday life, social activities, travel and schooling.

Or, that a war in Ukraine would cause an unprecedented rise in the cost of living.

Or, that the UK government could/would cause such chaos, misery and lack of confidence leading to higher mortgages, poverty and the threat of blackouts.

It’s no surprise that permacrisis is the Collins Dictionary word of the year. We are living in a state of news-driven flux.

During the pandemic we were forced to stay at home because it was the safest place to be.

We were wary of anything we touched outside – even door handles – and were careful about who we saw and where we went. Inside, we devised new everyday rituals. Disinfectant wipes soon became a routine way of life.

At times we wondered: is this the new normal?

Two years on, we now have more things to worry about

A rise in the cost of living means we are battling sky-high costs. and constantly looking to see where and how we can cut back. 

Our home is a full of things we like to own and to have. But now our choices – in design, technology, lifestyle and space- make us more conscious of every socket, light and gadget we use.

In the pandemic people thought about moving to a bigger home for a new life, a new way of living

Once, we marvelled at   Grand Designs homes for their beautiful, open-plan, big windows, free-flowing spaces.

Now a big home looks cold, over-sized, empty and impossible to heat. A much more attractive prospect is a smaller home with fewer rooms, good insulation, efficient sustainable heating systems  and access to public transport.

Is this a wake-up call to re-think what we do and how we live?

One solution might be to develop our urban spaces as a 15 minute city. A place to live in a better resourced neighbourhoods, instead of an urban sprawl, where we would have less need for a car.

Rising costs of basic utilities, fuel and food prices is affecting everything we do outside and inside our homes. Apart from the very rich, everyone is having to make adjustments to save money, to pay the bills.

What can we afford? 

How can we cut back? 

What are  Essentials vs non-essentials?

At home we are advised to  wear more layers, switch off lights and use the oven less. Armed with   new knowledge of kw outputs and costs per hour we are watching the pennies – as the pounds disappear.

It feels familiar…Have we been here before?

I remember my dad getting very angry if we left the immersion heater on – or if we wandered off and left the kettle steaming. He was paying the bills, we were not.  I am now paying the bills and I see his point.

With widespread fuel poverty  Warm Spaces have emerged as places where people can go to be warm. For some, to spend as much time outside of the home as possible may be the only viable solution – if they can.

It’s been seven months since I last put the heating on. 

In the evenings I sit at home wearing two fleeces, thermal socks. Often, I’m wrapped a blanket. Others are sitting at home with hot water bottles, draped in wearable blankets, hats and scarves. Sales of electric ponchos are trending.

At home I will wear whatever it takes to stay warm – and save money. In lockdown I got used to wearing ‘comfortable’ clothing. I haven’t worn heels for years.

To reduce electricity costs I try to use the washing machine less than before. The problem is: if it’s raining, wet clothes can hang indoors for days and still never feel completely dry. After a few days damp clothes start to smell like wet dog.

steamy showers can lead to mould and wet towels never dry.

In all this happiness is… my electric blanket. It’s cheap to run and it is a truly luxurious experience  to be warm, and to stay warm.

With fluctuating petrol prices I walk more and use the car less. Mostly, I use it to drive to budget stores where food and household goods are cheaper than the bigger supermarkets. 

It all sounds super-abstemious and Dickensian –  because it is.

Compared to Victorian times we have labour-saving household equipment, evolved technology, better social and working conditions and rights. But as humans, it all comes down to the same basic things:  to eat, heat – and live. 

So many people are having to make really difficult decisions, they are  sacrificing a lot and/or falling into poverty and debt. 

How impossible must it be for young families and elderly people, or people with a life limiting illness who rely on having a heated home. Some people fear for their future because everyday life is so challenging. It’s clear: the long-term health consequences of what we are going through now will be significant.

All we seem to talk about is what we are doing to save money. 

A year ago, I’d never heard of an air dryer.

In the past year, sales of air dryers have rocketed – because they are cheaper to run than a conventional oven.

While the technology has been around for a while, but it’s in these straitened  times  that it has come into its own. Everyone is looking to find ways to cook on a budget.

A squeeze that is affecting people inside the home also impacts on life outside. 

People are cutting back and re-prioritising their spending. At what should be the busiest time of year the  indications are that hospitality, catering and retail will be hit very hard

With every crisis… recession… war… pandemic… we expect to see a huge shift in attitudes and expectations, and the emergence of a new way of life.

On the upside, the second-hand clothes market is booming.

People are looking at what we have to sell- and what can make them money.  This shift towards a more sustainable approach to clothing is a sea-change in attitudes towards pre-owned, used garments.  Major stores such as  M&S are trialling hiring out capsule wardrobes so people can add freshness to their wardrobe, and still reduce their outgoings. 

The Guardian suggests the fashion industry  contributes “more to climate change than the aeronautical and shipping industries combined. It’s clear  something has to be done. 

We will still desire new clothing (or new to us) so it will be interesting to see if it is fast fashion, mid-fashion or high fashion that takes the biggest hit in this crisis – or the next.

Food re-distributing Apps such as Olio may have been around a while but have suddenly come into their own.

Social innovation looks to the need. It fills a gap and brings about a shift in the way we think, act and consume everyday goods.

The  mild autumn has made a home without heating an easier place to live. And that’s a good thing. Except, maybe not….

 Dire warnings from a UN environment report indicate ‘the rapid transformation of societies’ is the only way to limit the impact of global temperatures.

There is the problem as we see it, and how we experience it in our own homes – in our everyday life.

There is the problem as science sees it, the bigger picture, the longterm view of where we are now, and where we are likely to end up.

And then there is how each government deals with the crisis – knee-jerk, in a flap or intuitively with joined up thinking.

It is the ultimate real-world design problem.

A crisis situation t calls for innovation and anticipation, fore-sight and insight. If business, science, governments and design could unite with one purpose to think creatively, and strategically we would be more prepared for whatever comes next.

If our home is to be a place of intimacy, comfort and cosiness then we need to imagine a world where we can manage energy. Perhaps, where every home has solar panels– or a windmill. Where we would drain less of the worlds resources, and capitalise more on what is sustainable.

What is good for the planet should be good for us.

Nuala Rooney

I am designer, educator and researcher developing creative and holistic human-centred insights within the social/spatial sphere.

You may also like...

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.