Collaborative postDo you have a packing list for family days out? It sounds super-organised, but in my experience it’s an absolute must!I’ve had my fair share of disasters in the past, when what should have been fun family days out have suffered from my shoddy packing. I’ve learned from experience that it’s important to avoid lugging around lots of unnecessary stuff, but at the same time you need to take a few essentials to ...
Five easy ways to encourage outdoor play
Collaborative postIf you’re a parent or carer, you’ll no doubt be well aware of the constant presence of screens and the internet in your children’s lives. And you probably spend quite a bit of time and energy trying to strike a healthy balance between screen time and other activities.One really great way to achieve that balance is to encourage outdoor play. Getting kids active outside has so many benefits: it encourages ...
Tips for handling debt
Collaborative postBeing in debt is not something anyone aims for, but a lot of us are probably in exactly that position. According to the TUC, the average UK household has £886 more non-mortgage related debt than they did the year before.If you’re in a situation where your debt is getting worse, or not going down, you need to take action to get it under control. Here are some tips for handling debt to get you started.First steps ...
Ideas for multigenerational days out
Collaborative postThe school holidays are in full swing, have you got any days out planned?I’m very late with the summer activity planning this year. I usually have lots of things planned before the schools break up, but we went camping as soon as term ended, so all my focus was on that trip. Now we’re home I need to get myself organised!Whether you’re juggling childcare, heading off on holiday, or planning a staycation, ...
Nature Craft: making a journey stick
We recently spent a lovely morning exploring nature at the Skylarks nature reserve in Nottingham, which is part of the Wildlife Trusts. One of the activities was making something called a journey stick during a nature walk.I'd never heard of journey sticks before, but apparently they've been around for a very long time. A journey stick is essentially a memento of a nature walk, featuring items collected whilst on the walk; ...
5 fun, low-cost family days out
Collaborative postThe school holidays are almost upon us - are you ready?!I really look forward to having some much-needed downtime as a family at this time of year; everyone is usually pretty frazzled by the time we get to the end of term! But that doesn’t mean we’re going to sit around getting bored this summer; we’ve got a camping trip planned, and we’ll definitely be heading off on a few family days out.You probably know ...
How to create your ideal bedroom ambience
Collaborative postThere’s no other room in the home quite like the bedroom. It’s the place where we go to relax every day, and is often the room where we let our personality influence décor the most. However, striking the balance between personality and clutter can be a fine line.Since we spend nearly 34 years of our life in bed (yes, really!), creating the right bedroom environment is crucial. Here are some of the best ways to create a ...
Boiler replacement: what to think about before you buy
Collaborative postBoilers: we tend to take them for granted, don’t we? I know I only really think about ours when it stops working, or when the energy bills arrive! But if you’ve ever suffered through a boiler replacement in the colder months of the year - which is when they tend to break - you’ll know just how vital a boiler is to the comfort and function of your home.The reason boilers tend to break down in winter is because ...
The Non-Parent’s Guide to Birthday Gifts for Kids
Collaborative postIf you’re a parent and your child’s birthday is coming up, the chances are you’re already quite organised and clued-up when it comes to presents. Whether they’ve left you one too many hints to ignore, or you’ve seen something you’d know they’d love, you’ve probably got it sorted.But what about all the uncles, aunties, friends-of-friends, godparents, and network of wider family members? Obviously you can ask the ...
Grow Your Own for kids: how to grow salad
Over the last few years my kids have got involved with lots of different aspects of gardening; they've sown seeds, harvested crops, dug, planted, watered, weeded and simply played in the mud. They love all of it, but if you asked them what their favourite gardening job was, they'd say growing plants from seeds every time.I can understand why. There's just something so magical about planting a seed, watering it, and watching ...