Homes don't have to be made low maintenance - regular cleaning keeps a home maintenance free. Cleaning as you go or regular dusting and vacuuming keeps housework minimal so nothing is a huge effort. Squeegee the shower after use for minimum cleaning for example. If you don't have a place to store everything, then maybe look at just what you are trying to store and how much you really need. I can't visualise "hidden" areas that accumulate junk, maybe they should become storage areas so necessary "junk" can be stored neatly. Weeds can be kept to a minimum in gardens with mulching, which is also good for water retention, most trees need regular pruning and drop leaves and twigs regardless of whether they are evergreen or not so they aren't exactly non-maintenance, sure there are a lot of plants that need little watering if one is short on water, but that is good for the environment too. Specific plots for vegetables is a sound investment or flowering plants just to pretty up the garden are not a lot of work and if water is readily available a sprinkler system can take the drudge out of that. The garden is good therapy for reducing stress and if approached that way can only benefit our lives.

Hi there, we just do a wipe down every day for cleanliness ( can still see some marks with this) and a wipe and buff once a week to look as new. We have red wine, turmeric, beetroot, coffee drips, grey ‘pencil’ scrapes from plates. Oils are pretty much a daily addition on our benches too, and as it is also our backsplash it gets tomato sauce, spatters etc from cooking. All disappear with the wipe and buff method except for the pencil type marks which I use another Enjo product called marble paste on then follow up with the usual routine. I think you may have to make the hard decision between the fresh concrete look or a stone that shows less marks in certain lights- choose whichever feature will make you the happiest in the long term. Either way you will love your new space.

Hi I currently have mixed hardwood floor and am wanting to bleach and lime them but im concerned about maintenance. I heard they dont age well due to dirt lodging in the scratches but this comment from over 10 years ago. Has anyone got light timber floor that could offer advice?

Paving the path cuts down on maintenance, large or oblong pavers with stone mulch, or casual stepping stones look great also, I would use a stone mulch as the birds love to scatter a pine bark one all over the path. Keep planting simple to cut down on maintenance also.