House Manual

While you are staying in Lizzie's Condo, it is your place.  That means you can use whatever is in the apartment as if it's yours; you don't have to ask permission.  The coffee, tea, soap, toiletries in the bathroom medicine cabinet, peanut butter--all yours.  So too Kleenex, olive oil, and spices....

Where things are in the building:

Each floor has its own trash chute and compost and recycle bins: go down the hall from unit #519 to the end of the corridor and turn left to get to the trash room.  Follow the instructions for each type of waste, and be aware of the hours when trash can be dumped.

Unit #519 has a reserved parking space in the parking structure off Sutter Street just east of the Sutterfield entrance; your space is #3 at bottom of parking garage.  You’ll need the fob to enter and exit the parking structure and to enter the nearby elevator (uphill a few yards from parking space), which goes to 5th floor.  The fob isn’t needed if you want to take the stairs, though endurance is.

Where things are in the apartment:

Dishes and cooking supplies are usually where they should be.

Cleaning supplies specifically for bathroom and kitchen are under their respective sinks.  General cleaning supplies—vacuum cleaner, Swiffer, etc.—are in the hall closet across from the washing machine.

Washing machine and clothes dryer are in the hall between the bathroom and bedroom.  They work well, but the cycles take a long time.  The washing machine is quite efficient and doesn’t need much detergent.  Please check the dryer’s lint filter after using it.

Since you are in The City, as locals call San Francisco, air conditioning means opening windows.  If it’s quite warm, some guests have opened the front door to take advantage of the air conditioned hallways. 

Though the radiant heat from the windows tends to keep the apartment balmy, there are wall thermostats when it does get cold.

The window coverings allow you to go from total privacy to total exposure.  There are two sets of controls: one lets you manipulate the opaque curtain, and the other raises and lowers the see-through curtain--it has top-down/bottom-up capabilities.  Try the entire system out.  You'll find you might configure the window coverings one way in the morning, when you want the sunlight to flood the apartment, and another way in the evening when you want more privacy.  We plan to create an instructional video.

TV/Wi-Fi/Entertainment:

The Wi-Fi password and network name are on the side of the modem/router, which is under the TV.

The TV is not attached to either cable or satellite.  Instead it’s a “smart TV” and has apps for Netflix, Amazon Fire, and Hulu already installed. (Many thanks to David Abasta!)  As you’ll see, there’s rich content available, though you may not be able to watch Michigan football games.  Basic instructions are in the Living Room section below.

Housekeeping:

Please vacuum when needed and before you leave; check the vacuum's dust catcher periodically, and empty it over a trash can.

As mentioned, cycles for the washing machine and dryer take a long time.

The mirrored closet doors are quite heavy and can be difficult to move, especially the doors opposite the laundry closet.

Wipe down the shower tile after bathing, and and please wipe down the shower fixtures and grab bar..

No-No’s:

Because the counter tops are part of the original design, don’t put hot plates or hot pots on them without trivets or hot pad holders.

Don’t smoke in the apartment.

Don’t put compostable or recyclable "stuff" in regular garbage.

Don’t lose the fob or key.

Don’t take these instructions personally.

Living Room

As you enter the apartment, there’s a light switch immediately to your right (see picture); the light switch for the kitchen is to the left of the microwave, and the dining room light switch is just past the closet.  All three have dimmers.

TV/Wi-Fi/Entertainment:

As mentioned earlier, the TV doesn’t have cable or satellite service.  It does, however, have several apps (content providers) already installed, including Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, etc.  And the Internet service is fast and secure.

To access programming, make sure the wall switch to the right of the TV is on.  Next, push the power button on the remote and wait until the “no signal” message appears.  Next, press the “V” button in the middle of the remote and the content providers will pop up on the bottom of the TV.  Navigate with the remote to enjoy the programming of your choice.

The Wi-Fi is robust, secure and will support simultaneously activities.  As mentioned, the 15-character password is printed on the side of the router/modem, as are the network names.

The hardwood floor scratches easily, so be careful, especially when moving the swivel chairs, ottoman (even though it has castors) or dining room furniture.

The couch, which weighs as much as a bucket of white dwarf star "dirt", converts easily into a sofa bed.  To operate, remove the pillows, pull on the cloth handles on the edge of the couch, and walk backwards—voila!  Mattress pad and sheets for the sofa bed are in the drawer beneath the real bed.

The hardwood loves to be Swiffered…as much as the carpet loves to be vacuumed.  As mentioned, the Swiffer and vacuum are in the closet opposite the laundry room.

Please use trivets and/or coasters on dining room table. 

Kitchen

A close look at the framed piece of art on the wall between the kitchen and dining room reveals a completed jigsaw puzzle that is glued onto a backing and framed. The image for the puzzle was originally a painting by Catherine Mackey, a well-known San Francisco artist we know.  A German puzzle company bought the image and created that thousand-piece puzzle, which is available from Amazon. The puzzle was put together by Audrey Rottman, with help from Rae's sister Mary and her brothers, Jim and Tom.  There are several other Catherine Mackey pieces in the apartment—one in the bedroom and two stunning pieces in the bathroom. You may also recognize the artistic style, since another of Catherine's paintings, a much larger piece, is on our living room wall in Claremont.  We invite you to get better acquainted with Catherine's art by visiting her website, catherinemackey.com.  And the next time you're at our house in Claremont, take a few minutes to really admire the west wall of the living room.

The cabinets were installed when the building was built, so please open and close them with care.

The counter tops are likewise old, so wipe spills quickly with a sponge or paper towels.  To clean them, use either warm water or a non-corrosaive cleaner.  Please don’t use anything harsh on any of the kitchen surfaces.

The electric kettle is quite efficient.  Make sure the lid is down so it will automatically shut itself off.  And make sure to fill it so the water level is between the marks on the glass.

The toaster has "funky" (a San Francisco word) controls, so please unplug it when it's not in use and when you leave.

Teas and non-perishables are in the pantry.  Coffees are in the refrigerator, and coffee filters and cone are usually in the pantry.  Tea pot and tea strainers are in the cabinet to the left of the microwave.  As we mentioned earlier, treat Lizzie's Condo like it's your apartment, and use whatever you want to eat or drink.

Dish soap is under the sink, as are dishwasher “pellets.”  Trash can and can for compost, along with replacement bags, are there too.

Wine glasses and flatware spot readily, so please wipe them before putting them away.

If you notice we’re running low on kitchen things, please replenish a thing or two.  Whole Foods is a few blocks away, on the corner of Franklin and California, Target is a mile or so west on Geary--a one-way $3.22 Uber ride away--and there are a couple Safeway Stores within a mile radius or so.

Bedroom

Sleep on the ledge in the bedroom at your own risk (Lizzie, however, used to clamber up there with a pillow, book and cup of tea.  Check it out....)

The mattress pad and sheet for the pull-out sofa bed are in the drawer under the foot of the bed.

When you leave, please put used sheets, pillow slips and used towels in a bag labeled #519.  Fold the shams, and leave them on the ledge.  Then after making the bed and laying out clean towels for the next guest, give the bag with the used sheets, etc. to the Manager, along with the key and FOB.  A cleaning service will pick up the laundry and wash, fold and return a clean package to the Sutterfield for the next guest.

Bathroom

Clean towels and washcloths should already be hanging when you arrive.  And as mentioned, the clean towels you got from the Manager when you arrived are to be put out for the next guest before you leave.  This will be explained in “Checking Out” section below.

As mentioned, after each shower, please wipe down tile in shower enclosure, as well as faucets, fixtures and grab bar.

There are extra tissues, rolls of TP, and bathroom trash bag liners under the sink.  There’s also a scale there, which, fortunately or unfortunately, usually tells the truth.

You’ll find extra incidentals—tooth paste, dental floss, analgesics, etc.—in the medicine cabinet.  Please replace any you have used; there’s a CVS two blocks away, on the corner of Sutter and Van Ness.