Monthly Archives: December 2015

Time to Rebuild

Posted by & filed under Latest, Parenting.

So we start the countdown to Christmas, and for our family this year it is tinged with sadness.  There is an empty chair in the room.  My mum has been with us for Christmas for all but one of my daughter’s 13 years, and facing the time without her is going to be extremely difficult this year.

We’ve discussed all the implications as a family, and we have come to the conclusion that we have to make it even more festive than usual.  Some of my usual traditions have been cast aside in order to make the children as happy as possible.  The Christmas tree has gone up early this year, and there are going to be paper chains, lots of home cooked food and a general two week long party atmosphere. Read more

New Year, New Home, New You

Posted by & filed under At Home, Home Working Hints, Latest.

With January just around the corner, plenty of homeowners out there will be thinking of ways to spice up your living spaces in the New Year. But rather than tearing down walls, extending out into your garden and converting lofts, there are a number of smaller, less terrifying changes that you can make – but they will all give you more space and provide you with a more comfortable 2016.

The first thing you should do is remove all of your clutter; treat January as a fresh start and take a new, invigorated and impartial look at all the stuff you’ve been hanging onto “just in case”. In terms of clothing, if you haven’t worn it in the last twelve months, you’re unlikely to wear it in the next twelve months either – so be ruthless and get rid. Read more