When It Comes to Housework, Men Are Getting Better But Still a Long Way Behind

A new study on how Americans spend their time at home reveals a distinct gap in terms of who's doing what when it comes to housework. Between the dishes, vacuuming, dusting, yard work, and laundry, the work required to keep a home running isn’t equally shared. The good news is that men are getting better at putting in the time. New data from the Pew Research Center takes a closer look at how those hours break down, tracking how much time men and women spend on housework each day, and it doesn’t come anywhere near being equal. Cutting to the chase, women are still doing more, and by a meaningful margin. On average, women spend 2 hours 19 minutes a day doing housework, while men spend 1 hour and 34 minutes. Despite increasing female labor force participation, women still handle most unpaid domestic labor, a persistent imbalance that leads to roughly 13% less free time than men.

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Bored Retiree Creates Supersized Household Objects

A DIY fanatic who became bored after retiring has come up with an unusual way of filling his days — by creating supersized models of everyday household items. In scenes reminiscent of the ‘80s blockbuster Honey, I Skrunk the Kids, Steve Wainwright lives in his home among huge objects, including a giant pencil, a clothespin, an audio cassette, and a 13-amp plug. “Once retired, you can only cook and clean for so many hours,” said Wainwright, who lives with his wife Cat (pictured below) in Peterborough, UK. The 62-year-old has a background in engineering and electrical, which has helped him to figure out how to up-size ordinary items. A garden workshop that Wainwright built himself is the base for all the crafting. His oversized objects — made from wood, metal and plastic — have cost him about £2,500 ($3,382) so far, and taken up to two weeks to make. Some have been sold to local people through word of mouth, but Wainwright says he just wants to keep making his creations as a hobby. 

 

 

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Sleeping With the Birds

The higher the perch, the closer we are to the birds. If you long to be nearer to your feathered friends, you’ll want to flock to the Biosphere room at Sweden’s Treehotel. The unique cubed structure is suspended above the ground with a facade that’s surrounded by 350 birdhouses, inviting the winged creatures to stay alongside you. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in collaboration with ornithologist Ulf Öhman, Biosphere is as enveloping as it is eco-conscious, inviting new habitats for northern Sweden’s bird population. Approaching the entrance of the room looks a little like you’re walking into a black box; the exterior is clad in dark wood to highlight the light-colored birdhouses. The interior has similar treatment, but the space is punctuated with large floor-to-ceiling windows that provide ample natural light to the 3,800-square-foot split-level space. The minimalist aesthetic is intentional in order to let nature shine. Birdhouses are visible from every window, including the skylight above the bed. For birders, it’s a dream come true to watch the winged creatures, whether that’s above their heads or through the giant windows next to them. A double room starts at €1,000 ($1,179) per night.

 

 

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Chinese Carmaker Patents Voice-Controlled In-Vehicle Toilet

Chinese carmaker Seres has been granted a patent for what it calls an “in-vehicle toilet” that slides under a passenger’s seat for a toilet-on-the-go. The feature is meant to provide restroom facilities on long journeys and while camping. Seres hasn’t announced any cars that have toilets and it’s uncertain if any will be made. To stand out in a highly competitive market, Chinese electric vehicles have become increasingly packed with unconventional features like built-in massage seats, karaoke systems, and a refrigerator. The latest, the under-seat toilet, comes with a fan and exhaust pipe to channel odors out of the car. Waste that’s collected in a tank has to be manually emptied. The toilet also features a rotating heating element that evaporates urine and dries other waste. When not in use, the toilet is concealed beneath the seat, making full use of the space inside the car without requiring more room. In-vehicle toilets are rare, with most found in long-distance coaches, but they’re not unheard of in cars. In the 1950s, a special version of a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith included a in-built television set and a toilet beneath the passenger seat. 

 

 

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