A new year often gets us planning lots of new projects for our homes: what’s on your list for 2018? We’re planning a big kitchen renovation and a new look for our lounge, and both of those projects will involve a flooring re-think. With two kids and a pet cat, the flooring we choose will most definitely need to cope with busy family life; think muddy paws and wellies, heavy traffic and indoor football, and you get the picture! Having looked ...
Tips on choosing a smartphone for kids
Does your child own their own smartphone? The age at which we introduce our kids to this particular gadget is, of course, a personal decision, but there's no denying that smartphones are one of the most coveted possessions amongst older children and teenagers. From a parent's perspective, a smartphone for kids offers the reassurance of being able to get in touch with your child when you're not with them, and as such can help support them as ...
Festive reading: A Christmas Tale from Joules
One of my favourite things about the lead-up to Christmas is sharing festive books with my children. We've built up a little collection over the years, and it's always lovely to rediscover our old favourites each year. The build-up to Christmas is inevitably hectic and exciting for kids, and I always find that sharing a lovely Christmassy story is a brilliant way to help them (and me!) unwind and spend some cosy quiet time together. This ...
How to increase your home’s kerb appeal
As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression - and that’s just as true of homes as it is of people! We form an opinion of a property within the first few seconds of seeing it, so the impression your home makes from the kerb plays a crucial role in that process for visitors and potential buyers. So how do we get that all-important first impression right? There are lots of things you can do to enhance your home’s kerb ...
Buying kids’ outdoor clothing: what to look for
Are you looking to buy some new outdoor clothing for the kids this season? I thought my two were all kitted out, but a recent check on their outdoor gear made me realise just how much they’ve grown this year! So we’ve got a shopping list to tackle before the weather really turns cold, and this got me thinking about the features that I expect when I’m buying outdoor clothing. It’s no secret that the right kit can make or break your enjoyment ...
The best flooring for a family home
When you decide to replace the flooring in your home, one of the biggest decisions is choosing the right option for the room in question. With so many flooring types available, getting it right first time can feel a little daunting. In this guest post the experts at Flooring Republic have done the hard work for us; read on to discover their recommendations for each room in a typical family home. Kitchen & Bathroom Possibly the most ...
Budgeting: top tips for getting it right
If you're looking to improve your money management skills, this guest post has lots of top tips on how to get budgeting just right. What is budgeting? Well, it's basically making sure that you are spending less than you’re bringing home, and it lays the foundations for every financial plan. Budgeting isn’t all about restricting what you spend money on and cutting all the fun out of your life. It's really just about understanding how much money ...
5 easy ways to prepare your home for Christmas guests
Have you started your Christmas planning yet? Whether you’re a super-organised type who has everything worked out by now, or prefer to do it all last-minute, there’s no denying that the festive season often requires more planning and prep than any other time of year. I’ve started thinking about the present shopping, but so far that’s about it! Shopping aside, I think preparing our homes for all those extra guests can be one of the biggest jobs ...
My family kitchen wish list
Are you planning any big home projects at the moment? Autumn always inspires me to get cracking with the home improvement; I think the fact that there’s less to do outside in the garden frees me up to focus on indoors a bit more, plus the thought of Christmas looming on the horizon gives me a bit of a kick up the bum to get organised! Our next big house project is to replace our family kitchen; the current one is way past it’s best, and just ...
Home energy money saving hacks plus win a washing machine
We’d all like to save money on our energy bills, right? And aside from the cost benefits, there’s also the positive environmental impact that reducing our energy consumption delivers. You may not be aware that the UK has committed to achieving an 80 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, which means we all need to think about our home energy consumption, and aim for more sustainable and lower carbon lifestyles. The Energy Saving Trust ...