LIST: Things about The UK you wish you had known

Do  a lot of people have the American size refrigerators? I did think the fridge was small my first visit, but then I realized the truth is I don't use but a third of the space in mine at home. If you eat a lot of fresh foods they don't keep as long so you don't use as much room.  As for the washer and dryer thing there, the ones at my SO's house are small, but he manages to put as much clothing in as I do at home. Granted he irons everything, I imagine from cramming so much in there lol but I haven't noticed a problem with the size of the appliances.

I never knew screens on windows were not common  there. That kind of took me by surprise. I was thinking of the mosquitoes and nasty critters that would fly in around here if I didn't have them, but then I never encountered too many bugs in England. Just curious though, are bats or birds a problem with that???

We would have the space for a US sized fridge, if we had carved a chunk out the of old fireplace.  As it stands we had to fit a fridge in the space on one side of the fireplace after we knocked out two shelves... hence we have a tall but narrow fridge.... which I find is fine and I have managed to cram food/leftovers from Thanksgiving for 20 people two years in a row with little problem... what I do need is more freezer space and we are going to get one and put it in the storage room.

I do use a lot of flat tupperware type containers as I find they don't take up much space and I can fit a lot in and stack them.

Larger washers and dryers have become more widely available here in recent years if you have the space for them.  For example:

Whirlpool top-load washers

Whirlpool dryers

Bear in mind though that the larger U.S.-style dryer with its more powerful heater will need a dedicated electrical circuit installed, so that will add to the overall cost.    You would also need to check that you have a suitable supply of hot water for the washer; many smaller British washers have been plumbed with only cold.

THis is a lot of the problem we have had adjusting is the fact DW is still payed in US dollars that we have to convert to our UK bank account OR just use our American debit card.  So in following the link about washers, it would cost us about 600 dollars for a washer when you could get one at sears in the US for 300.  This has been one of our main problems with adjusting over here is the fact that we are huge savers for the future and since we came over we really havn't been able to put anything away. 

I just want to state this for everyone...........I know some of my posts are negative and I am just speaking from my own perspective.  DW and I are homesick and we are expecting our first child so the stress is sort of getting to me.  We have had a great time over here and seen some wonderful little towns and done some great traveling.  We don't have any regrets about coming over to the UK, we are just ready go home.  I'm sorry to be doing anyones head in if I came off like a complainer.  The novelty just wore off for us.  But i'm glad we did it, I would reccomend it to anyone.

no drier or dish washer here.....and I'm still alive.

I do wish our house was a bit bigger though, so that we weren't constantly looking at drying clothes- it feels cluttered to me then.
But, it is better for your clothes and cheaper, and yes, more friendly to the environment.

In saying that, I do use disposable nappies, so.....(oops)

Can't we all be a wee bit more environmentally aware and energy conscious

Dryers are about the worst offenders in terms of electrical energy consumption.   For example, even a fairly modest 3kW dryer will use the same amount of energy in 90 minutes as it would take to keep a 100-watt lightbulb burning non-stop for 45 hours!

I know, I will probably get some slack for this but bear in mind, it's just how I feel. I can't stand clothes horses and those sorts of things. I think they are absolutely tacky to have especially if there are going to be people who might drop by. 

Oh I would never leave it out in the open when people come over!!! I put them up in the bathroom on one that fits over the tub for the most part. If we're expecting company I put it up in the spare room. If it's just us it's in the dining area 'cause at the end of the day, if it's pouring rain and you need to dry clothes....

SS, I've never seen bats here, though I'm sure they're around, and we've never had issues with birds coming in windows. Wasps, bees, and flies, yes though! The problem is that even if we had screens, we tend to leave our back door open on warm days so the garden becomes an extension to our tiny kitchen - and the bugs get in then. I've got an emergency can of Raid for wasps - it's the flies that drive me insane - we can't give the cats wet food in the summer 'cause last year the flies kept laying eggs in it. 

I would never leave my clothes hanging up when guests were arriving- they go in an upstairs bedroom anyway.  Also, I never understood what the airing cupboard concept is all about, but it is very handy.  I put my towels in there over the boiler and they go all soft.  It is also the quick dry solution in our house. 

I have a small fridge too (although I have a freezer the same size). 

Everyone is groaning about the exchange rate- it is painful.

  Also, I never understood what the airing cupboard concept is all about, but it is very handy.  I put my towels in there over the boiler and they go all soft.  It is also the quick dry solution in our house. 

Ooh yeah, airing cupboards are brilliant!
The house im in now is the first house i've ever had which has had one, and i love it!

SS, I've never seen bats here, though I'm sure they're around, and we've never had issues with birds coming in windows. Wasps, bees, and flies, yes though! The problem is that even if we had screens, we tend to leave our back door open on warm days so the garden becomes an extension to our tiny kitchen - and the bugs get in then. I've got an emergency can of Raid for wasps - it's the flies that drive me insane - we can't give the cats wet food in the summer 'cause last year the flies kept laying eggs in it. 

That's good then, bats must not be too common if you haven't noticed them. I see them a lot here at night and around my office building hanging  during the day. They don't freak me out if they are not swooping around me, I understand they are good for eating bugs and are actually protected here from killing them. I just wouldn't want one in my house, same for birds, they can be my friends.. outdoors 

I never noticed flies there, here I was thinking you didn't have many. Then again all the times I have visited were in the late fall, and late winter/early spring so it was probably too cold for them. Bees and wasps in the house would freak me out. I have only been stung once and because of my reaction to it, my doctor said if I ever get stung in the face or neck to go immediately to the ER. Ok thank you very much for scaring the heck out of me I told him. I refuse to get stung again..lol I am fiesty like that

Actually there are bats here. It depends on where you live.  My dh grew up in the country and in small villages and they always had bats in the barns and yes, even some in the church!!  I have actually seen a few when we go down to visit his mum but  living just outside of London I have never seen any.

yea, and it's impossible not to convert it to pounds when you are being paid in dollars.  We don't really have a choice but to look at the conversion everytime.

It's something of a numbers game for me, as I'm being paid and buying things in both currencies.   With the exchange rate as it stands at the moment, I try to buy from the U.S. on my U.K. credit card and keep U.S. funds Stateside and not transfer them over here until the rate drops again. 

Re bats, they can be seen around the Norfolk countryside at dusk without too much trouble.  We're not overrun with them, but they're not exactly rare either.

can somebody explain what's with the carpeting in the bathroom floor and toilets

edited to say : YUK YUK YUK! LOL!

can somebody explain what's with the carpeting in the bathroom floor and toilets

It's a relatively old-fashioned thing that used to be standard and expected but now appears to be falling out of favour. I think Americans tend to feel that it's unhygienic (I definitely do!) and happily seems to be less and less common. Before moving into our house we told the landlord we wanted the carpet in the bathroom taken out and he was very happy to do so.

My mum used to like a carpet in the bathroom so that the floor isn't cold on your feet when you get out of the bath...she has been converted now though, I think because she is getting lazier in her old age and finds the tiles easier to keep clean.

Vicky

Our place was only built 3 years ago an it had carpet built into it. Fortunately for us, we are the first people to reside in this residence despite the fact we rent.  I think it's wierd too. DH mum has carpet in her bathroom and it has been nothing but a pain for her.  Especially when you had a water leak and had to rip it up only to find the wood underneath had been rotted out because of all the moisture!