I think the most striking differences I see are that folks outside the U.S. (and, probably, Canada) get by on much less space than we Americans seem to need. Other posters have mentioned some of the space-saving measures folks in other countries use. When we visited Japan, we stayed in Japanese-style hotels. In those hotels, the floor of your room is tatami (reed) mats. The bedding is a cotton mattress and linens which are rolled up and stored away when not in use and placed directly on the tatami for sleeping. Very functional; very space-saving (the disappearing bedroom!). In Japan we also got used to seeing smaller versions of almost everything, including city delivery trucks which were about the size of the smallest cars you can buy in the U.S. One room of our hotel had the washing machine that did all the laundry for the hotel -- a big ol' Maytag top-loader and dryer (!). It seemed huge among all the smaller items we were seeing around us. And, all told, people in other countries seem to have a lot less stuff than Americans do. One other difference I have noted is that central heat and air-conditioning are less prevalent than they are in the U.S. -- at least among more-developed countries in Europe and Asia.

In Budapest, I took the duvet out of the sheet bag so I could just have a sheet. The duvet was too hot and there wasn't a sheet to use. I was pleasantly surprised the housekeeper didn't stuff it back in; I pictured the two of us doing this little dance (out, no in) each day. She probably thought I was an oddball, and a crazy American, but she accepted my quirks and rolled with it. Köszönöm! I agree the detergent used by hotels is awful, mostly noticed in the towels, but I've never considered traveling with a linen-refresh spray. It would just be one more thing to worry about spilling in the luggage or having to put in my quart sized baggie of liquids.

I agree with kathyg. Down with stinky stuff, and that includes all of those strong detergent and fabric softener smells. UGH!!!! I am "of an age" and we never had those things when I was growing up. Clean is clean, not smelling Mountain Oyster Fresh. ( If you don't know what a mountain oyster is or how it might smell, ask Siri. ) Now days it seems that everything that we use (and, we use a LOT) has some awful odor to it, from our dish soap to all hair and grooming products and cleaning solutions. Allergies are not the problem for me. It is just that they are pervasive odors that permeate EVERYTHING. My daughter's family uses these strong laundry products and when I put my grandson's clothes into my own wash, the entire load of laundry smells like that one shirt or PJs. It is so unnaturally pervasive! Unreal! And, take a walk on a Sunday evening when so many of your neighbors dyer vents are blowing out air when they are getting the laundry taken care of to start the week. It is like a cloud of miasmic vapors! I would not advocate adding anything else to the mix of aesthetically toxic vapors in the already overly scented world. All of that stuff ends up in the waste water that ends up in our waterways and in our atmosphere. One can envision a world where all the waters have begun to smell Springtime Rain Fresh. Just where does one suppose all of that stuff goes? It cannot be washed "away". That is a mythical and wishful place where all the bad and excess stuff goes to disappear. It no more exist than do little people living under toad stools or monsters under the bed. The only winners here are the obscenely wealthy profiteers who make vast fortunes from convincing millions of people that they need to make these artificial scents an integral part of their realities. Annette, I will bet that your cabin is already clean and welcoming.

Surely, there is a way to shut off your water. You need to shut off the water to change washer hoses, work on sinks and toilets, etc. Locate your water meter. There should be two shutoff valves, one in the feedline to the meter and another in the water line leaving the meter that supplies the house. These two valves are needed to change out the meter. In my town, meters are changed out every 10 years for calibration and/or updates. In my state, there is a 3rd shutoff not accessible to the homeowner and it does require a special tool. This valve is buried at the lot line where your supply line connects to the city or association supply. Its at the lot line were city/utility employees may turn off the water without entering your property and do not have to get a court order. About your washer hoses. Trace your washer hose from the back of the washer to its source. Normally, these hoses (hot and cold water) are connected to a faucet or valve and may be behind the washer. A nice installation places these valves above the washer so they can be reached without moving the washer.