If you have a property and you are just not happy with the price then you don’t have to put up with this. In fact, there are so many things that you can do to try and boost the value of your property without having to break the bank or your back. Try and Convert the Loft The easiest way for you to get an extra bathroom and even an extra bedroom is for you to try and convert the loft. The main thing that you have to remember here is to make sure that the feel and look of the loft matches in with the rest of the house. If you don’t then it will look like a poor addition and this is the ... read more
Life begins at … whatever age you want it to!
If there's one thing that being a member of the WI has taught me, it's that there's no such thing as being too old for anything at all! I've met women of all different ages and backgrounds through my time in the WI and it has totally smashed any subconscious views I may have had about what is a respectable age to do things at. It used to be that people, and women in particular, were expected to follow a certain path through life. We'd go to school, leave with some exams, get a "nice little job", find a boyfriend, be courted for a while, get married, give up work, have children and then be a ... read more
My dress wishlist – my virtual shopping frenzy revealed
The hot weather just keeps on coming wasn't it. There we all were complaining about snow and ice going on for ever, yet now the complete opposite seems to be true. Comparisons are being made with the heatwave of 1976 and you can see why. Yes, we're blessed with things like air conditioned cars and shops, as well as being able to inexpensively buy fans to help keep us cool at home, but trying to dress for the weather can still be a tricky one. It's a few years ago now when I suddenly took the plunge into dress wearing after years of just being a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. Inspired by a ... read more
Focus In On A Focal Point In Your Living Room
Photo - Pexels If you are planning on decorating your living room anytime soon, you might want to consider adding a focal point. This will be the part of the room that first catches people’s attention when they enter. Their eyes will be drawn to it, and your interior design skills will be shown off in all their glory. Not only that, though, but the focal point can also be the centre of attention when it comes to all the other decor in the room. It gives you a centre to focus all your attention on and to point all your furniture to. Don’t worry if you have never made a focal point ... read more
Drought Resistant Trees and Shrubs That Look Great
Increasingly, across the world, water shortages are becoming an issue. So, it makes sense to think about this before buying trees and shrubs for your garden. Fortunately, there are plenty to choose from. Firms like The Tree Center are very much aware of the need to provide high-quality drought-resistant plants to their customers. There are dozens of different varieties to choose from, but here are some of our favourites. Lemon trees Most citrus trees do very well without much water, even in near desert conditions. In parts of Spain, oranges are still grown commercially in zones that ... read more
My Australian Dream
Australia. The other side of the world. A land of sunshine, kangaroos and Neighbours. A huge country that British Backpackers go in their droves to have an adventure. Yet a place that Australian backpackers leave in their droves to come to London and work in a bar instead. Australia has always fascinated me, but until the wonderful Ruth from DorkyMum came into my life I thought it was a place that I was happy to miss out on. I'd been to New Zealand, which seemed much more my kind of place. How the last few years have changed that. When Ruth and her family moved to Tasmania it opened ... read more
Why Get On A Plane When You Can Enjoy The UK?!
If you’re thinking about going on holiday, then we know you’re going to be thinking of jumping on a plane, and going to one of the jet set sunny destinations that people love to go to. But if you’ve been on a holiday before, you know that it’s going to cost you an absolute fortune just to go away for a week. So, why don’t you think about staying in the UK for your next holiday. It can be just as much fun, and with weather like we’re having now, it can feel just like you’ve stepped off a plane in sunny Spain. It’s going to be so much cheaper for you, and there’s a wide range of destinations ... read more
To Move Or To Improve? That Is The Question
File The age-old debate is back and it isn’t going anywhere soon. Homeowners have struggled with this decision for years. On the one hand, moving is a fresh start and it’s incredibly exciting. On the other, staying is easier, simpler, and less hassle. Oh, and it’s cheaper which is always worth pointing out. #Thrifty. If you’re in the grips of a dilemma, then it can seem as if there are no answers to your prayers. Why hath you forsaken me, God?! He hasn’t. Instead, he’s used this post to guide you through the darkness and into the light. Hallelujah and praise the Lord. Does Size ... read more
Feeding your wedding guests – the do’s and don’ts
With your wedding day fast approaching and there being so much to plan, discuss, budget for and with everyone from your future mother-in-law to your great aunt twice removed wanting to make their opinions known, you may have to find time to remind yourself that it’s your wedding and (for once) it’s all about you. However, when it comes to your wedding guests and their dining experience, there are a few things you can do to make sure that they feel welcome, content and happy to keep celebrating with you and your new husband/wife all night long. Get their mouths watering! Waiting ... read more
Thrifty home technology tips
Where would we be without our gadgets? A few years ago, it seemed bad enough – TVs in most rooms, a computer in the study, a games console and handhelds for the kids. Today, the tech has completely taken over, with smartphones, tablets, a TV with so many boxes under it, you’ve no idea what half of them do, laptops all over the house and, as if that wasn’t bad enough, Alexa, the Queen of All She Surveys, lording it over everything and everyone. OK, so it’s not actually so bad, and 90 percent of us who moan about the technology taking over would probably complain even more loudly if it ... read more