Helpful hacks: Top tips from Dot Dot Dot guardians

We asked our guardians to share their useful tips, for new and prospective Dot Dot Dot guardians, on settling in to their new home. This month they spill the beans on getting to know other Dot Dot Dot guardians and how to add those all important finishing touches to your new space.

Getting to know other guardians

• If there’s a WhatsApp group already set up, join it as soon as possible. If not, set one up yourself with local Dot Dot Dot guardians.
• My best tip is to get to know other guardians! Once you start meeting people, you’ll have a good base to ask ‘how to’ questions and they’ll mention other guardians with the same interests as you.
• Ask your fellow guardians for volunteering suggestions. Also volunteering together is a great way to get to know each other.
• Make sure you introduce yourself to all the other guardians and suggest having a group social outing.

Making a space a home

• Don’t expect to turn an empty property into a home overnight – it takes time and effort, but that said… being a guardian is a unique opportunity to learn new life skills, seize it!
• Come prepared to paint and redecorate your room!
• Don’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that may be needed to make your space feel homely. Even if you don’t know how long you’ll be in a property, it is still worthwhile putting in the time with cleaning, fixing and painting.
• Have some money saved for things to get the flat looking like a home.

Being a Dot Dot Dot guardian

• Keep your Guardian Handbook somewhere handy – I pin the useful numbers page to my fridge.
• Remain in contact with you Relationship Coordinator, they are there to help you.
• If you’re new to the area, find out more about the neighbourhood and history of the building you’re living in.
• Set up your utilities and find out when bin collection days are as soon as possible. All the info on how to do this is in the Guardian Handbook.

Check out our available properties or take our quiz to find out if property guardianship with Dot Dot Dot is right for you.