Category: Lifestyle

1. 20 Great Tips to Home Stage Your Property for a Fast Sale

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 20th Nov 2018

   As the nights get darker we all want the luxury of a warm cozy home and with the new year looming many of us start thinking about moving home. We’re all aware that a nicely presented, clean property with extra desirable features won’t stay on the market long.

   But, if you need to sell your property fast, you probably won’t have the time to re-decorate or invest in major building works.
   
   Don’t worry; this doesn’t mean you’ll scupper your chances of securing a buyer for a price you want. There are lots of tricks of the trade you can use to make your home look fantastic and appeal to potential buyers.
   
   Home staging doesn’t have to take up too much time, and the best bit is you can do it yourself. Don’t worry if you’re DIY shy or feel like you don’t have an eye for interiors—you just need to follow these simple tips.
   
   #1 Make a good first impression
   Make sure your home looks picture ready from the minute the listings photographer arrives. Getting the best pictures is essential to securing viewings.

   #2 Clean
   Before you do anything, give your property a deep clean. Areas to focus on include removing mould from bathrooms, grease from kitchens and any signs of dirt or staining.

   

   
   
   #3 Declutter
   A golden rule in property selling is get rid of all your clutter. This includes everything from unwanted junk, bulky furniture, pictures, ornaments, kitchenware and clothes. A good rule of thumb is to remove at least thirty per cent of your stuff.
   
   #4 Depersonalise
   Prospective buyers want to imagine themselves living in your property. This means personal objects all need to go. This includes family photos, holiday trinkets, pictures on the walls and kids’ toys.
   
   #5 Room Purpose
   If you’ve turned your living room into a gym or the bedroom into an office, prospective buyers won’t like this. Return each room to its original purpose.
   
   #6 Furniture placement
   Remove extra chairs, tables or couches that take up too much space. Shift furniture away from the walls and put in locations that will better show off the space and any period features such as fireplaces and wooden floors.
   
   #7 Enhance the lighting
   Create as much extra light as possible. Dark properties are a major put-off. For instance, removing curtains and clean windows inside and out. Also, leave ceiling lights on during viewings, even in the day.
   
   #8 Put up mirrors
   Mirrors are great as they can make any space feel both bigger and brighter. So, they’re perfect in corridors, darker rooms and even the garden.
   
   #9 Paint tired walls
   If you haven’t got time to redecorate an entire room, focus on areas in greatest need only. For instance, paint over walls with stains, or brighten up a drab room with a colourful feature wall.
   
   #10 Visit other homes
   Get inspired. Visit other properties for sale in your area and look at what they have done.

   
   
   #11 Mow the lawn
   Gardens are a massive selling point. So, if you have one, make the most of it. Make sure the lawn is mowed before viewings, flower beds tidied up and any eye-sore clutter is removed.
   
   #12 Accessorize small spaces
   Add lights, neutral decorations or candles to freshen up small spaces.

   
   #13 Add character
   It’s a fine line between neutral and boring. Avoid the latter by adding a splash of colour e.g. a coloured rug in the kitchen or a tasteful picture on the wall.
   
   #14 Highlight storage options
   Everyone wants more space. If you have storage, clear it out and make sure prospective buyers can easily access it during viewings.
   
   #15 Go green
   Don’t attempt to turn your home into Kew Gardens, but a few extra plants will make it look more attractive and feel fresh and clean.

   

   
   #16 Final touches
   It’s not just how your home looks—it’s how it feels. Add soft furnishings like cushions, rugs and blankets.
   
   #17 Dress up the entrance
   Don’t focus so much time on the inside that you forget about the outside. After all, the first thing every buyer will see is the front of your property. Make sure it looks immaculate—no rubbish bags in sight and there's a tidy driveway.
   
   #18 Be inviting
   Leave doors open to each room so prospective buyers feel welcome to look around your property comfortably and freely.

   #19 Make it smell nice
   Bad smells will leave your property languishing on the market. Pet smells, smoke, mould or drains—get rid of it before any buyers visit. Add potpourri to each room and buy essential oil diffusers.

    

   #20 Final touches on the day
   To really impress on viewing days buy fresh flowers, bake bread and put a fresh brew of coffee on the stove. Your prospective buyers will really appreciate the effort.  

   
   By investing a little time into home staging your property, you can secure more viewings. And, this will help sell your home fast by finding you the best buyer.

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2. It’s the Party Dress Season

   Posted on 10:00am Monday 19th Nov 2018

   It’s that time of the year again. The holidays are once again upon us, which means it’s time to bring out your favorite party dresses, get them dry cleaned and head out for a night of fun and enjoyment. Or, (as I love to do) you can go shopping for a new one. There are many great places to shop for a party dress and it never hurts to have an additional one in your closet should the need arise.

   

   Whether you’re getting dressed up for your office Christmas party or letting it all hang out for New Year’s, there’s something to be said about having a party dress (or party dresses) that makes you look and feel fantastic.

   Of course, on of the best things about heading out to parties for the holidays includes making the decision about what you’re going to wear. It doesn’t hurt that you get to treat yourself to a new dress in the process. Holiday parties are the ideal excuse for spending a little extra on a few special outfits that will make your family, friends, and co-workers sit up and take notice.

    

   Our top tips for finding the perfect party dress:

   1. Try it on, things ALWAYS look different on a hanger
   2. Know your body and what suits you.
   3. Make sure you know the dress code
   4. Accessorise .... where necessary.
   5. Be bold .... it is Christmas after all.

   It’s fun to dress up for parties, but finding the perfect outfit can be a painful process. There is no shortage of options from which to choose, and you want to make sure you select the one that looks best on you. Don’t forget think about the location and theme of your holiday party. It won’t do you any good if you’re under or over dressed. The most important thing, however, is to have a good time while you're picking out party dresses. Keep a watchful out for any dresses you think will be great for your holiday parties.

   And don't forget, while shopping for everyone else this Christmas, you could also be on the lookout for your own perfect party outfit.

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3. 5 reasons why Halloween isn't just for the kids

   Posted on 10:00am Monday 29th Oct 2018

   I know that there are some parents that hear the world ‘Halloween’ and their stomach automatically fills with dread. Let’s be honest: PTFA school discos; the mad costume hunt; extreme YouTube face paint tutorials; B&M Bargain decoration battles; £30 trick or treat sweet shops… I could go on. That’s along with the doorbell going every minute on a Wednesday evening when you’re trying to enjoy a glass of vino and catch up on Tuesday’s Bake Off Final.

   That is of course, unless you did successfully complete the £30 trick or treat sweet shop. Then you’ll have no one come to the door. Because. Sod’s. Law.

   Sure, it’s a bind when it falls mid-week, but need we be such a Halloween Grinch? I say us adults milk it for all it’s worth. Sure, it’s commercialised. Sure, it’s full of tack and tat. Sure, it’s costing you a fortune in wear-once costumes and sugar. But, heck, let’s cut loose and live a little. Enjoy the sugar high. Here’s five reasons why Halloween isn’t only for kiddiwinks.

   A good reason to dress up

   Those costumes you’re complaining about? Don’t pretend you don’t like to dress up, too. Come on, get online, have a browse. Go full Morticia Addams. Channel your favourite retro horror characters from Freddy Kruger to Beetlejuice and all that’s in between.

   

   Spooky cocktails

   While the kids are getting their kicks on all the sugar-loaded 10p cartons, get creative and conjure up some spooky cocktails in the garden. Zombie Punch, Morgue-a-rita, Spooky Sunrise. Go on, let your hair down. See how things go. It could get really scary.

   

   Eat sweets without feeling guilty

   No matter how you try, if you just cannot persuade yourself to get into the spirit of things, at least take this one thing away from the evening. Get home, put your feet up and tuck into to some sweet treats minus the guilt. After all, all that leftover chocolate isn’t going to eat itself. It would be rude not to.

   

   Socialising and getting to know your neighbours

   Speak to strangers? Well, that’s sure to be the scariest thing you do this Halloween! But, seriously. In lots of places, there isn’t a sense of community on the street as there used to be once upon a time but we are fortunate to live in a secluded croft and we have a Sloane and Sloane garden bench under our kitchen window and the neighbours regularly sit and have a chat. So whether you’re new to the area or you just usually keep your head down, Halloween is an excellent opportunity to break the ice and be good neighbours. And, we all know, everybody needs good neighbours.

   Couldn’t resist. Sorry.

   Absolute film fest

   Everyone’s got a TV subscription these days, whether it’s Sky Box Office, Netflix, Prime, whatever. You may not like horror, but that doesn’t detract from greats such as Hocus Pocus, Addams Family, Ghostbusters, Rocky Horror… light an orange clove scented candle, grab a blanket, grab some Halloween treats, and go wild. Rock and roll.

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4. What's In A Smile?

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 28th Oct 2018

   It can’t just be me, can it? When the weather gets cold, the evenings are shorter, and the mornings are dark, it sure can take the spring out of your step. I definitely feel it. You likely do, too. And for some folk, autumn and winter can be absolutely awful. With reduced sunlight, hectic school timetables, and all the additional monetary and social pressures of the festive season, these upcoming months can be darn difficult.

   

   Those who have it really rough may suffer from SAD, that is, Seasonal Affective Disorder. Yeah, it’s a real thing. If you’ve been feeling gloomy, find some peace of mind in the fact that you’re not alone right now. Us humans need all the good stuff you get from sunlight and fresh air – ie. Increased serotonin levels – to boost our moods. Without it, we can feel down in the dumps, tired, lethargic, even depressed.

   Now, there’s plenty of advice out there on the Internet for anyone who’s really struggles with this. I’m no professional. That said, do we actually need to be to help? As part of various communities, including blogging, social networks, actual work, towns, and social groups, we can each do our little bit to help people feel just a tad better.

   What your Nan always said was true all along: a smile can work wonders.

   Of course, we’re not talking fixing huge mental health epidemics here. Rather, offering a glance of appreciation, friendship, warmth, that could turn someone’s day around. It may be momentary, it might last merely seconds, but by offering your smile more often to more people, you could well be the highlight that gets some people through their day. If you’re struggling, someone being kind towards you is often enough.

   

   So many people struggle with a smile, whether it is because they don't feel comfortable expressing themselves like that or feel self conscious of their teeth. You don't even have to go to a dentists anymore as you can get a free dental consultation online. My husband hadn't been to the dentist for years but after ecouraging him to go back, he genuinely now smiles with confidence. I personally had my teeth whitened for our wedding, I didn't want to feel self conscious about my teeth and having the confidence to smile can be infectious.

   It sounds simple, but it’s oh-so hard. After all, we’re all busy people! Reading school letters at swimming lessons, not looking up from your printed memo as you walk through the office, zoning out while you take the Tube across the city. It’s so easy to be wrapped up in what we have to do, meeting demanding deadlines, attending activities and appointments, that we can forget to look up and truly take in what’s going on in the world around us.

   For others, and for yourself, let’s try to be mindful as we go about our day. Make the effort to turn that frown upside down and, who knows, smiling may just becoming a mood-enhancing habit.

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