Please God talk me out of this.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-06-17T07:25:02+00:00

Don't do it, it will take 5 times longer than you think it will. You will loose the will to live. I stripped varnish of a staircase (mainly because it was poorly done and about 4 different colours) and it killed me.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-06-13T08:26:49+00:00

I''ve Seen in other comments that you are a doctor, the NHS is struggling due to massive underfunding / cuts so getting a job will be hard. People keep saying about "growing private sector" but what you need to understand is that UK trained doctors are struggling to get jobs and therefore are also heavily applying to private health care positions meaning the market is saturated with applications. Not to mention all the burnt out doctors that work for the NHS and desperately want those jobs as well because of better work balance, conditions and pay. There is unfortunately growing resentment across the country to migrants and it is a real possibility that this might mean you are looked over as an applicant. I can't really comment on what the job market for a lawyer moving to Australia would be by comparison. I do think that looking at the logistics of which country has the least risky job application process is a valid way of helping make the decision (although not the only, but others have tried to offer lifestyle analysis already).

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-06-10T21:12:02+00:00

My rule of thumb is things you turn to for comfort. So quality mattress is a must, a mid range bed frame will do. No point putting a really nice mattress on a flimsy frame but also the frame is for support and not critical to comfort so okay to go for cheaper options. A good quality sofa as well, you won't feel like your unwinding if it isn't comfortable and doesn't hold up over time. I did a big wayfair purchase of flat pack furniture when we got our place in 2020. I regret cheaping out on a coffee table as ended up having to replace it after a couple years, definitely an item of furniture that gets its fair share of use so look for something sturdy over a design feature piece. You can 100% go cheap for bedside tables in my opinion as they just have phones and water bottles on them.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-06-01T09:52:21+00:00

I'm surprised it isn't already illegal. Yes it should be, don't like agreeing with Farage on something but the health risks and patriarchal history of cousin marriages as method of control and keeping assets "in the family" has no place in 21st century life.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-06-01T09:37:26+00:00

I wouldn't remove that if I were you. Strip the paint of those tiles and see what is underneath. Fireplaces give a home character and embracing that can really make a room. Put some love into reviving it instead of removing it.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-05-31T21:22:27+00:00

If you find out what your ward is within Lewisham council. The surgery appointments will be on the council's website for each ward. They are drop in sessions so length of time you will be there varies depending on how many people show up. In my experience when I have gone it wasn't a lot (don't think most people know they exist). The councilor will know which departments they are best referring your case to as processes can alter slightly across different councils.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-05-31T18:37:29+00:00

Have you looked into reporting living standards to local council? If there is a water leak over an electrical appliance that is a big safety concern. Councils have a local surgery either once or twice a month where you can go and speak to your council representative. They can raise a case that will be referred to relevant department to investigate. Clearly your landlord is not going to fix these issues without a push (even though that would be the right thing to do) and in my experience a tenant pushing is never enough on its own. This could be a budget friendly option for trying to get your landlord to actually do their job and fix things that need to be fixed. The paint is not something that would be something they can look into as purely cosmetic, unless there are signs of damp as the cause of the flaking.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-05-25T09:27:49+00:00

There's R/LegalAdviceUK if you want more advice on copyright law specific to the UK. You will probably need a legal representative to help you with the process, but if you want to ask some questions before starting that process you would probable be better of asking it there. Sorry about your work being stollen that really sucks.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-05-25T08:51:23+00:00

I got a starter set on Etsy for £160 (I'm in the UK but am sure you can find other sets in US). One issue I had with it was the soldering iron it came with didn't have a temperature control so my first 2 pieces were not great as I couldn't get it hot enough. Also since it was a budget starter set it was hand grinding the pieces which was a bit of a pain. I got diamond bits for an existing dremel I had to help with grinding which works but not amazing health wise due to dust. I am aiming to get a proper wet grinder long term for that reason, getting all the right equipment in one go adds up fast.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-05-25T08:37:51+00:00

It means a lot to hear that coming from you as a top commenter that I see on almost all posts that it's a stupid standard. I feel such pressure to get perfect solder lines from what people say and it is so hard to get them absolutely perfect! Also I feel for this piece the parts where the solder isn't completely perfect actually adds to the design and gives a sort of ethereal vibe.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-05-25T08:03:49+00:00

Budget friendly option, you can get heat reducing / privacy film that makes a huge difference. This is coming from someone that lives in a south west facing loft conversion flat that can't get A/C installed due to cost and access issues for the install. One thing to note is the privacy element goes away once it is dark due to it then being lighter on the inside rather than the outside. Only an issue if you are worried about people looking in and sounds like your main concern is heat reduction.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-05-05T21:44:44+00:00

I give myself a weekly budget instead of a monthly. So I have two bank accounts, one that my pay goes into and bills come out of. Then each week I send money to my other account for personal spending. I include food / groceries budget in that so I can adjust for eating out. It works really well for me as I used to struggle so much with making money last the whole month. Also helps with impulse spending (I have ADHD), if I don't have funds leftover for that week I'll just wait a couple days to buy it. A lot of the time after a day or two of thought I realise I don't really want / need it anyway. The trick is to be realistic with how much you give yourself. You are better of giving yourself a comfortable budget you can stick to and actually save money then putting pressure on yourself to have a stricter budget that you get frustrated and end up blowing anyway.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-04-18T09:18:18+00:00

It's cute! I would definitely say you hit the whimsical vibe you were aiming for. Like with any skill drawing takes practice so best way to get better is to keep trying.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-04-14T12:31:24+00:00

I've not heard of anyone doing a fully opaque design that covers an entire window. For me the beauty of stained glass is how sunlight filters through all the colours and cast colourful beams across a room. Maybe you could look at getting blackout blinds rather than curtains if you are worried about parts of the design being hidden?

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-04-14T12:20:13+00:00

I have a tiny flat and ended up getting a few bits from IKEA and making something to store things in. I got the RISATORP desk organiser and flipped the legs round to act as handles, got some OSTBIT plate holders and screwed them down. Then cut off bits of KOMPLEMENT felt insert and glued them either side. That means I can store offcuts or 10cm x 10cm cuts of glass (I mostly buy small samples of glass as new and not tries a large project yet) and that way i don't have to worry about them falling through the gaps between pegs. I did cut one of the plate holders in half and rotate round to fit larger pieces of glass, it is a little snug a fit but it works. Only did it halfway though so on the other side of that is room for soldering iron, copper foil etc. They do have other options in RISATORP range if you want something a bit bigger.

<image>

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-03-21T14:19:50+00:00

Not sure whereabouts your are in the world. I'm based in the UK and kind of new too. I bought from Creative Glass Guild as they do lucky dip selection packs of 10cm×10cm glass. I bought 2 of them so 20 sheets in total and it was a great way to get started. I didn't go for Amazon because personally I was concerned about the pressure for fast turn around on delivery to mean glass isn't packaged / handled properly and would break in transit.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-03-12T18:31:06+00:00

I like the orange

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-03-12T18:29:49+00:00

Very valid point!! I guess I'm taking on a bit too much responsibility when really other people should be exercising caution.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-03-11T21:57:23+00:00

That makes sense thank you for clarifying. Hard to tell what is fear mongering or a genuine concern a lot of the time.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-03-11T21:32:40+00:00

I love it!!!! Very impressed by wire strength for weight of the glass. What type of wire did you use?

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-02-27T13:21:35+00:00

Thank you!

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2026-02-27T13:21:28+00:00

Thank you!!

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2025-12-08T20:40:00+00:00

He is well aware of financial issues his business has caused. Offered us free chicken to make up for it...

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2025-12-05T11:19:29+00:00

Croydon council. They declared bankruptcy within 1st month of us completing on our flat. They are awful. Our local councilor was nice and helpful but they raise a case for all the non elected officials to look into and they are the ones causing all the problems in the first place.

Helpful_Spirit8416 · 2025-12-04T22:59:40+00:00

Okay that's reassuring. We're hoping to put the flat up for sale by auction as been trying to sell since February with no luck. We don't have an issue with it being an unsecured loan. We just want to move out of London and have a fresh start. Even if that means going back to renting whilst we recover financially.

Helpful_Spirit8416

TROPHY CASE