Tag Archives: home

4 Best Ways to Modernize Your Old House

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home, houseWhen purchasing an older home, there are various ways by which you can work to renovate it to your liking. Whether you plan on living there, or perhaps are trying to flip the house for more money, making a house look more modern and accessible doesn’t have to be that hard. In this article, we’ll cover some of the ways you can go about making your house modern for a great and comfortable living experience. 

Furniture

When purchasing new furniture, the new style is all about open space. Whenever you visit an old house, you may see a lot of clutter as well as big and bulky furniture. When designing your new interior for your house, you’ll want to find furniture that keeps your house spacious. Oftentimes, clutter can make a nice house otherwise look unattractive to others.

Painting

Having a nice color coat on your wall and ceiling can make a big difference. When purchasing a new paint color, try to take into consideration what you want to include in your room. Many times drape colors can clash with the color of the walls. Other times, dark colors can make a room feel like a basement. 

You’ll want to find light colors that can light up the room while sunny outside. Another idea would be to find a room theme of your liking and match it with an appropriate color. For example, a light green or blue may go well with a room filled with plants as well as certain types of furniture.

Interior Decor

Decorating your new home doesn’t have to be a hassle. Have fun with it. When adding decorations like pictures to the wall, plants, paintings, or even vases and other antiques, keep in mind your ideal room design. 

Sometimes over cluttering a room with too many decorations or trinkets can prove to be bad in the end. If you’re in the process of decorating your house, keep things spaced out and in safe locations where things are not easily broken. For example, rather than putting an antique in the middle of the coffee table, putting it on the side near a lampstand away from possible danger may be the best idea.

Remodeling

Sometimes old houses can be stuffy and cluttered as is. You may want to combine two rooms for more space. Another aspect most modern houses offer is large windows. Allowing natural light into your house is usually favored by most people. 

Summing it Up

If you’re like most people, you’ll want to learn more about the best way to remodel your house. You can learn more online at various websites. For those looking for some info on finding great houses for sale and rent and home insurance, click here now.

Sponsored Post.

RUSSELL HOBBS UNVEILS STYLISH NEW HONEYCOMB COLLECTION FOR 2020

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Honeycomb range, Russell Hobbs, home, homeware, kettle, eco Russell Hobbs, one of the UK’s most recognisable and leading household brands, has launched a brand-new breakfast range that’s sure to delight interior lovers and create a stunning aesthetic, without having to makeover the entire kitchen. Available now, the must-have “Honeycomb” collection features a textured geometric surface to add a touch of modern homeliness, to kitchen countertops across the UK.

The Honeycomb range – which will be available in major retailers nationwide – responds to nature’s reflection in modernistic design, taking inspiration from textural hive structures found in the natural world. The collection combines style excellence with the premium quality that is synonymous with Russell Hobbs, whilst embracing a natural and homely appeal, to simply transform any kitchen.

Launching in four stylish monochromatic colours: black, cream, white and grey, and finished with premium stainless steel accents, the complete range comprises of a 1.7L kettle as well as a two-slice and a four-slice toaster.

The Honeycomb kettle comes with a sleek 360-degree base for ease of use, features boil dry protection, a push button lid and convenient illuminated water window. It is also engineered with Russell Hobbs’ perfect pour spout and eco-efficient quick boil technology meaning the ultra-modern kettle can boil one cup in just 43 seconds*, ideal for functional, everyday use.

We love the kettle, It has a removable filter – something that should be standard in kettles to make them last longer- , it is eco-efficient and we love its perfect pour spout. The design is fantastic, we have the grey one, and the illuminating water window is super cool. A stylish kettle with great design. 

Both toasters feature variable browning control, allowing you to toast to perfection. Illuminated frozen, cancel and reheat functions make toasting simple, with an added removable crumb tray to ensure kitchen tops remain spotless.

Russell Hobbs UK Marketing Manager, Dominic Lewis, comments “Following the release of our hugely successful Inspire range, we wanted to create a directional yet timeless collection to instantly restyle the kitchen and add a fresh touch to home interiors.

“Intertwining texture inspired by nature and contemporary features, the Honeycomb range makes you feel at home, by combining design leadership with pioneering technology, appealing to style-conscious households.”

RRP:

Honeycomb Kettle £24.99,

Honeycomb Two Slice Toaster £24.99,

Honeycomb Four Slice Toaster £39.99.

The Honeycomb range will be available to buy from Amazon. For more information, visit https://uk.russellhobbs.com/

 

*one cup is equal to 235ml of water.

Interior Design Ideas For When You Have Children

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home , improvement, decor
Cleaning, decluttering, interior design. We have become obsessed with our homes. In an uncertain world the one thing it seems we have control of is our own environment. From Marie Kondo to Mrs Hinch, interior design and home improvements have become trendy. This is all well and good but if you have children it can be hard to have your home the way you want it and keep it that way.  So here are some things I try to do to keep my home a beautiful place to live.
Rotate their toys.
My children have an insane amount of toys. Toys from grandparents, their cousins old toys, toys mummy gets sent because she is an editor of a magazine. I find having boxes around and then rotating which boxes are out helps. This way they can get variety and do not use the same toys all of the time, and their other toys are tidied away where they are supposed to go. If they want the other toys, they tidy the ones they are playing with away.
Get them involved. 
Our son will tidy if asked and already helps with some chores. Children tend to love helping out with chores. Even when they are young. It has novelty factor and makes them feel grown up.
Implement some rules. 
Children learn habits and rules early on. If you install rules early it will be easier to make children keep them. Make sure they learn how to tidy up after themselves. Tell them off if they try to colour in the walls. Show them where to put their shoes and coat. Even little things make a difference.
Make sure they are safe. 
Children have a habit of getting into trouble. Have child locks on cupboard doors and drawers. Have cushioned door stoppers on all of the doors to protect little fingers. It is also important to have toughened glass in any areas that need it. Tuffx Glass is one of the leading manufacturers of toughened glass in the UK, and provide commercial and non-commercial products. One of their biggest recent works includes providing toughened glass for The Shard in London. It will look amazing while keeping your little one safe.
Don’t compromise on style. 
While some things should not be around children: anything spiky or any chocking hazards, there are a lot of stylish things you can have despite having children. You can even buy them little stools and their own furniture. A great thing to have a lot of is cushions. Make them bold and beautiful and when they are placed around the floor to stop banged heads the room will still look great.
Sponsored Post in Collaboration with Tuffx Glass.  

Homeowners Can Only Afford 66% of Their Annual Home Repairs

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Homeowners are expected to save on average £2,158.47 per year for home repairs
58% of first time buyers would prefer to buy a new build over an older building

Over a quarter of Brits said that fixing a roof was their most concerning home repair
Infographic map included showing the average maintenance shortfall (per year) across the UK
Unexpected disasters are the worst – they catch us by surprise, and mean we have to search frantically for a solution. If an unexpected disaster happens in our home, that usually means the solution will involve money – and probably lots of it – to fix what’s gone wrong. In an ideal world, we’d have a little pot of cash stored away for exactly these kinds of problems. Housing experts agree that sensible homeowners should budget 1% of the value of their property every year to maintenance and property repair. And with the average house price in the UK being £215,847, that means we should have a home improvement and repair account to the tune of £2,158.47 per year. But how many of us do that? Not enough, apparently. Rubber roofing specialists Rubber4Roofs surveyed 3,000 UK homeowners to find out what their home-fixing slush fund was worth. Taken on average, they found that Brits only budget £1,438.98; that’s a national shortfall of £719 (or 33% less than what they should be budgeting). Not ideal if your boiler suddenly breaks down over the winter, or your washing machine suddenly springs a leak.
But while that’s the UK average, some regions are doing even worse, as the infographic below illustrates:

As you would expect with such high property prices, Greater London comes out on top (well, bottom) with an average budget shortfall of £3,288. That’s a big gap, particularly if something major goes wrong with your house. That could also be because the cost of living is substantially higher here, so that people don’t manage to save that much (plus all those metropolitan cappuccinos and avocados on toast don’t come cheap…). Close on their heels is the South East of England, with a gap of £1,947.

The money-savviest region, in contrast, is the North East – they’re only short by £800, not that much more than the national average. They know the value of a penny or two up there! But regardless of how much you do or don’t have saved, many of us are likely to put the cost of any repairs straight onto a credit card, thus delaying the pain of parting with actual cash – nearly a fifth of us do this.

Rubber4Roofs also asked first time buyers whether they preferred new builds, or older buildings; over half of them (58%) said new builds, presumably because fewer things were likely to go wrong – well, not in the first few years at any rate! But when asked which type of repair worried homeowners the most, due to the cost, the majority of them said roof repairs. Over a quarter of us (27.5%) know that this is usually a substantial cost, due to the nature of the work needing to be done, from the risk of sending workers onto the roof, to the heavy graft needed to fix any holes or leaks. Though you might want to avoid any future issues by installing rubber roofing instead: it’s a single-ply synthetic membrane you can use on low-sloping or flat roofs because it’s durable, pliable and waterproof; the benefit is that, although the cost difference to traditional flat roofing materials is negligible, rubber roofing has a life expectancy of 50 years which is up to 5 times as long.

This was closely followed by plumbing issues (26.5%); again, when something goes wrong and you’re left with indoor flooding, caused by anything from a blocked loo to overflowing drains, it’s not going to come cheap. Fixing foundations (18.5%) and removing mould (17.5%) were also concerns, due to the amount of work and associated costs involved. Few of us worry about electrical issues (7%) as that usually seems pretty straightforward, usually involving a change of wiring or a fuse, and the least problematic repair is repairing the drain pipe (3%).
‘It looks like Brits might have to start putting a little bit more away each month to ensure they’re covered for unforeseen repairs,’ says Tom Cullingford, owner at Rubber4Roofs. ‘There’s nothing worse than the headache of a major housing issue, coupled with the headache of trying to find the money to pay for it. But putting precautions in place, such as installing rubber roofing, can save time and money in the long run.’

2017 Rental Affordability Index

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  • To rent the recommended space for one person, Londoners must pay an average of £963.76 per month.

  • On average, Londoners must earn a gross salary of at least £3,323.07 per month to afford to live alone and meet additional living costs. That equates to a gross salary of £39,876.84 per year.

  • A family living in London must earn an average of £6,305.31 per month to cover rent plus living costs. That equates to a gross salary of £75,663.72 per year.

affordabilityrenting

Nested.com, the London based online estate agent, produced the Rental Affordability Index. The study illustrates the price of renting per square metre in 33 London boroughs, 15 UK cities and 72 cities worldwide. Based on this, the research could further convey the minimum gross salary required to support an individual and a family of four in rented property, based on the minimum space recommended for one person, and for a family.

The comprehensive study was undertaken in order to understand the costs associated with renting as an individual and as a family, and to determine whether cities are becoming increasingly unaffordable. The inclusion of specific results for each of the 33 London boroughs allows easy comparison between regional and global cities to the UK capital, with its much-publicised unaffordability. 

The price per square metre of property was calculated based upon current market listings for all locations researched, whilst the minimum space recommended for one person and four people is laid out in guidelines from the Greater London Authority.1 The gross salary guideline was included to help illustrate relative affordability.2 

London

  • To rent a property of the minimum space recommended for one person, Londoners must on average pay £963.76 per month.

  • Taking into account the recommended maximum 29% of income which should be spent on rent,2 on average a Londoner needs to earn a gross salary of £3,323.07 per month to live alone. This equates to £39,876.84 per year.

  • In London, the minimum space recommended for a  family of four requires a monthly income of £6,305.31. This equates to an annual salary of £75,663.72.

  • The least affordable borough to rent in London is Kensington and Chelsea, where rent per square metre is £72.40 per month. 

  • To afford to rent alone and cover additional living costs in Kensington and Chelsea, an individual needs an income of £9,736.55 per month, or £116,838.60 per year.

  • To afford the rent for the minimum space recommended for a family of four in Kensington and Chelsea, a monthly income of £18,474.48 is needed. This is equal to an annual income of £221,693.76.

  • The most affordable borough to rent in London is Bexley, where rent per square metre is £13.30 per month. 

  • To afford to rent alone and cover additional living costs in Bexley, an individual must earn an income of £1,788.62 per month, or £21,463.44 per year.

  • To afford the rent for the minimum space recommended for a family of four in Bexley, a monthly income of £3,393.79 would be required, equal to an annual income of £40,725.48.

 

The results for London, ranked by the cost of rental per square per metre, are as follows:

Borough

Cost Per Sq. Metre

Monthly Rental for a Single Person 

Yearly Income Needed to Afford Single Person Rental 

Monthly Rental for a Family 

Yearly Income Needed for to Afford Family Rental

1

Kensington & Chelsea

£72.40

£2,823.60

£116,838.60

£5,357.60

£221,693.76

2

City of Westminster

£54.82

£2,137.98

£88,468.08

£4,056.68

£167,862.60

3

City of London

£44.42

£1,732.38

£71,684.64

£3,287.08

£136,017.12

4

Camden

£39.50

£1,540.50

£63,744.84

£2,923.00

£120,951.72

5

Hammersmith & Fulham

£32.86

£1,281.54

£53,029.20

£2,431.64

£100,619.64

6

Islington

£32.34

£1,261.26

£52,190.04

£2,393.16

£99,027.36

7

Wandsworth

£31.69

£1,235.91

£51,141.12

£2,345.06

£97,036.92

8

Southwark

£31.29

£1,220.31

£50,495.64

£2,315.46

£95,812.08

9

Lambeth

£30.53

£1,190.67

£49,269.12

£2,259.22

£93,484.92

10

Haringey

£26.65

£1,039.35

£43,007.64

£1,972.10

£81,604.08

11

Hackney

£25.72

£1,003.08

£41,506.80

£1,903.28

£78,756.36

12

Richmond upon Thames

£23.49

£916.11

£37,908.00

£1,738.26

£71,928.00

13

Merton

£22.42

£874.38

£36,181.20

£1,659.08

£68,651.64

14

Tower Hamlets

£21.70

£846.30

£35,019.36

£1,605.80

£66,446.88

15

Barnet

£21.67

£845.13

£34,970.88

£1,603.58

£66,355.08

16

Brent

£20.89

£814.71

£33,712.08

£1,545.86

£63,966.60

17

Kingston upon Thames

£20.50

£799.50

£33,082.80

£1,517.00

£62,772.36

18

Ealing

£20.47

£798.33

£33,034.32

£1,514.78

£62,680.56

19

Enfield

£19.00

£741.00

£30,662.04

£1,406.00

£58,179.36

20

Waltham Forest

£17.70

£690.30

£28,564.08

£1,309.80

£54,198.60

21

Hounslow

£17.47

£681.33

£28,192.92

£1,292.78

£53,494.32

22

Harrow

£17.17

£669.63

£27,708.84

£1,270.58

£52,575.72

23

Lewisham

£16.82

£655.98

£27,144.00

£1,244.68

£51,504.00

24

Greenwich

£16.52

£644.28

£26,659.92

£1,222.48

£50,585.40

25

Newham

£16.50

£643.50

£26,627.64

£1,221.00

£50,524.08

26

Sutton

£16.08

£627.12

£25,949.76

£1,189.92

£49,238.04

27

Redbridge

£15.92

£620.88

£25,691.64

£1,178.08

£48,748.08

28

Hillingdon

£15.83

£617.37

£25,546.32

£1,171.42

£48,472.56

29

Bromley

£15.70

£612.30

£25,336.56

£1,161.80

£48,074.52

30

Croydon

£15.30

£596.70

£24,691.08

£1,132.20

£46,849.68

31

Barking & Dagenham

£14.94

£582.66

£24,110.04

£1,105.56

£45,747.36

32

Havering

£13.88

£541.32

£22,399.44

£1,027.12

£42,501.48

33

Bexley

£13.30

£518.70

£21,463.44

£984.20

£40,725.48

Average across 33 boroughs

£24.71

£963.69

£39,876.84

£1,828.54

£75,663.72

 

UK cities: 

  • The second most expensive UK city for rent prices is Edinburgh at a cost of £12.85 per square metre. 

  • The most affordable city to rent property is Belfast at £6.29 per square metre.  

  • An income of £1,728.10 per month is needed for single habitation in Edinburgh. That equates to an annual salary of £20,737.20 per year 

  • To afford family rental in Edinburgh, a monthly income of £3,278.97 is needed. That equates to an annual income of £39,347.64.

  • An income of just £845.90 per month is needed for single habitation in Belfast. That equates to an annual salary of £10,150.80 per year.

  • To afford family rental in Belfast, a monthly income of just £1,605.03 is needed. That equates to an annual income of  £19,260.36.

  • Single rental in London is more expensive than family rental in any other UK city.  

  • Three of the UK cities made the top 50 global cities list (London, Edinburgh and Bristol)

 

The top 15 results for the UK cities list, ranked by the cost of rental per square per metre, are as follows:

City

Cost Per Sq. Metre

Monthly Rental for a Single Person 

Yearly Income Needed to Afford Single Person Rental 

Monthly Rental for a Family  

Yearly Income Needed for to Afford Family Rental

1

London3 

£24.71

£963.69

£39,876.84

£1,828.54

£75,663.72

2

Edinburgh

£12.85

£501.15

£20,737.20

£950.90

£39,347.64

3

Bristol

£11.22

£437.58

£18,106.80

£830.28

£34,356.36

4

Southampton

£10.68

£416.52

£17,235.36

£790.32

£32,702.88

5

Manchester

£9.79

£381.81

£15,799.08

£724.46

£29,977.68

6

Aberdeen

£9.61

£374.79

£15,508.56

£711.14

£29,426.52

7

Cardiff

£9.24

£360.36

£14,911.44

£683.76

£28,293.48

8

Leeds

£8.92

£347.88

£14,395.08

£660.08

£27,313.68

9

Nottingham

£8.83

£344.37

£14,249.76

£653.42

£27,038.04

10

Sheffield

£8.54

£333.06

£13,781.76

£631.96

£26,150.04

11

Birmingham

£8.51

£331.89

£13,733.40

£629.74

£26,058.24

12

Newcastle

£8.47

£330.33

£13,668.84

£626.78

£25,935.72

13

Glasgow

£8.31

£324.09

£13,410.60

£614.94

£25,445.76

14

Liverpool

£7.19

£280.41

£11,603.16

£532.06

£22,016.28

15

Belfast

£6.29

£245.31

£10,150.80

£465.46

£19,260.36

Global cities:

  • Of the 120 locations included in the ranking, San Francisco is the most expensive city to rent property outside of London, at £42.81 per square metre. 

  • To afford to rent alone and cover additional living costs in San Francisco, an individual must earn £5,757.21 per month. This equates to £69,086.52 per year.

  • To afford rent for the minimum space recommended for a family of four in San Francisco, an income of £10,923.93 per month is needed. This equates to £131,087.16 per year.

  • Of the 120 locations included, Cairo is the cheapest city to rent property, at just £3.05 per square metre. 

  • To afford to rent alone and cover additional living costs in Cairo, an individual must earn £410.17 per month. This equates to £4,922.04 per year.

  • To afford the rent for the minimum space recommended for a family of four in Cairo, a monthly income of £778.28 is needed. This equates to £9,339.36 per year. 

 

The top 50 results for the global cities list, ranked by the cost of rental per square per metre, are as follows:

City

Cost Per Sq. Metre

Monthly Rental for a Single Person 

Yearly Income Needed to Afford Single Person Rental

Monthly Rental for a Family 

Yearly Income Needed for to Afford Family Rental

1

San Francisco, USA

£42.81

£1,669.59

£69,086.52

£3,167.94

£131,087.16

2

New York City, USA

£41.03

£1,600.17

£66,213.96

£3,036.22

£125,636.64

3

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

£33.14

£1,292.46

£53,481.12

£2,452.36

£101,476.92

4

Dubai, UAE

£30.49

£1,189.11

£49,204.56

£2,256.26

£93,362.52

5

Singapore, Singapore

£28.84

£1,124.76

£46,541.76

£2,134.16

£88,310.04

6

Washington D.C., USA

£28.73

£1,120.47

£46,364.28

£2,126.02

£87,973.20

7

Geneva, Switzerland

£26.66

£1,039.74

£43,023.72

£1,972.84

£81,634.80

8

Sydney, Australia

£25.30

£986.70

£40,828.92

£1,872.20

£77,470.32

9

Zurich, Switzerland

£25.19

£982.41

£40,651.44

£1,864.06

£77,133.48

10

Los Angeles, USA

£24.75

£965.25

£39,941.40

£1,831.50

£75,786.24

11

London, UK3 

£24.71

£963.69

£39,876.84

£1,828.54

£75,663.72

12

Miami, USA

£24.53

£956.67

£39,586.32

£1,815.22

£75,112.56

13

Chicago, USA

£21.52

£839.28

£34,728.84

£1,592.48

£65,895.72

14

Copenhagen, Denmark

£20.40

£795.60

£32,921.40

£1,509.60

£62,466.24

15

Tokyo, Japan

£20.20

£787.80

£32,598.60

£1,494.80

£61,853.76

16

Vancouver, Canada

£20.00

£780.00

£32,275.92

£1,480.00

£61,241.40

17

Amsterdam, Netherlands

£19.54

£762.06

£31,533.48

£1,445.96

£59,832.84

18

Paris, France

£18.93

£738.27

£30,549.12

£1,400.82

£57,964.92

19

Melbourne, Australia

£18.18

£709.02

£29,338.80

£1,345.32

£55,668.36

20

Oslo, Norway

£17.39

£678.21

£28,063.92

£1,286.86

£53,249.40

21

Reykjavik, Iceland

£17.34

£676.26

£27,983.16

£1,283.16

£53,096.28

22

Stockholm, Sweden

£17.28

£673.92

£27,886.32

£1,278.72

£52,912.56

23

Dublin, Ireland

£16.81

£655.59

£27,127.92

£1,243.94

£51,473.40

24

Seoul, South Korea

£16.36

£638.04

£26,401.68

£1,210.64

£50,095.44

25

Toronto, Canada

£16.32

£636.48

£26,337.12

£1,207.68

£49,972.92

26

Auckland, New Zealand

£16.24

£633.36

£26,208.00

£1,201.76

£49,728.00

27

Brisbane, Australia

£16.12

£628.68

£26,014.32

£1,192.88

£49,360.56

28

Helsinki, Finland

£15.92

£620.88

£25,691.64

£1,178.08

£48,748.08

29

Beijing, China

£15.80

£616.20

£25,497.96

£1,169.20

£48,380.64

30

Perth, Australia

£15.48

£603.72

£24,981.48

£1,145.52

£47,400.84

31

Munich, Germany

£15.26

£595.14

£24,626.52

£1,129.24

£46,727.16

32

Shanghai, China

£15.17

£591.63

£24,481.20

£1,122.58

£46,451.64

33

Milan, Italy

£15.00

£585.00

£24,206.88

£1,110.00

£45,931.08

34

Rome, Italy

£14.54

£567.06

£23,464.56

£1,075.96

£44,522.52

35

Tel Aviv, Israel

£14.51

£565.89

£23,416.08

£1,073.74

£44,430.60

36

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

£13.71

£534.69

£22,125.12

£1,014.54

£41,980.92

37

Edinburgh, UK

£12.85

£501.15

£20,737.20

£950.90

£39,347.64

38

Dusseldorf, Germany

£12.68

£494.52

£20,462.88

£938.32

£38,827.08

39

Madrid, Spain

£12.04

£469.56

£19,430.04

£890.96

£36,867.36

40

Hamburg, Germany

£11.99

£467.61

£19,349.40

£887.26

£36,714.24

41

Vienna, Austria

£11.88

£463.32

£19,171.92

£879.12

£36,377.40

42

Taipei, Taiwan

£11.88

£463.32

£19,171.92

£879.12

£36,377.40

43

Brussels, Belgium

£11.85

£462.15

£19,123.44

£876.90

£36,285.48

44

Moscow, Russia

£11.60

£452.40

£18,720.00

£858.40

£35,520.00

45

Bristol, UK

£11.22

£437.58

£18,106.80

£830.28

£34,356.36

46

Berlin, Germany

£10.81

£421.59

£17,445.12

£799.94

£33,100.92

47

Southampton, UK

£10.68

£416.52

£17,235.36

£790.32

£32,702.88

48

Osaka, Japan

£10.29

£401.31

£16,605.96

£761.46

£31,508.64

49

Jakarta, Indonesia

£10.28

£400.92

£16,589.76

£760.72

£31,478.04

50

Barcelona, Spain

£10.27

£400.53

£16,573.68

£759.98

£31,447.44

Over 19 Million Homes at Risk of Fire This Christmas

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CHRISTMAS PAST & PRESENT by Jenny Falconchristmastree1Regulatory body for Electricians advises on how Brits can avoid leaving their homes at risk of electrical fault and potential fire at Christmas
Make an electric check part of your routine this winter

  • 9 in 10 UK homes will be using Christmas lights this year
  • Only 1 in 4 question whether the lights they are using are safe
  • Shockingly 97% show no concern that the amount of lights they use could be a danger

The NICEIC & ELECSA are reissuing a crucial message as we approach the Christmas season; think safety first when decorating your home this Christmas.

The UK’s leading regulatory body for electricians NICEIC and ELECSA surveyed 2,000 UK tenants and homeowners. With 9 in 10 of us using lights to decorate this Christmas, some disturbing facts have been revealed about our attitude to electric safety over the festive period. In excess of 1 in 4 showed no concern about the safety of the lights they are using. This result is marginally better than the response to the 2015 study. Tony Cable, Senior Electrical Engineer for NICEIC and ELECSA said;

“Electrical safety in the home is important at any time of the year, but at Christmas we tend to forget that all the decorative lights we use around the home massively increase the dangers to our family. Just grabbing old lights from the loft and plugging them in isn’t acceptable. Everyone needs to be aware of the dangers and take into account the risks”.

Faulty electrics in the home account for 20,000 house fires each year, causing upwards of 70 fatalities. Most electrical issues in the home are easily preventable by ensuring your home is regularly checked electrically by a suitable, registered electrician.

Last year it was highlighted that people use the same Christmas lights year on year and 2016 has shown similar results.  65% of Brits are guilty of  reusing lights, which is a 5% increase on last year.

A further concern that the study unveiled is that 97% of Brits do not consider the amount of Christmas lights they have running on their tree, across the home, and in the garden; Vicente McNeill, a London based electrician is all too familiar with this issue:

“The most common problem that occurs at Christmas is over-loading due to people plugging in too many lights… In my opinion, homeowners are not aware of the strain they are putting on their home systems.”

Brits are advised to think safety first when decorating their home this Christmas. To assist NICEIC and ELECSA have identified the top five tips to ensure your home is electrically safe this Christmas;

  1. Do not overload sockets– Try to avoid extensive use of extension sockets and adapters. Do not plug multiple extensions into each other.
  2. Do not re-wire your lights– Many homeowners will be tempted, or have already rewired lights to include 2, 3 or sometimes 4 sets of lights into a single plug. This is dangerous and causes a potential fire risk.
  3. Make sure lights you use outside are certified safe for external use– Only use outdoor lights that have been specifically designed to be used outdoors. If you are unsure check the manufacturers’ instructions.
  4. Do not leave lights on for long periods– Many homes will be tempted to keep lights on for 24 hours, overnight or even more concerning, leave them on when they go out. All Christmas lights increase the risk of fire and overloading and should only be switched on whilst you are at home.
  5. Always use Christmas lights that have been certified for use– This can be identified by the European Standards Symbol (represented by CE) and the British Standards Kitemark. If in doubt, don’t use them. Always buy lights from reputable stores.

If anyone is concerned about the safety of their home electrics, or would like to obtain professional advice about their Christmas lights, they can visit www.niceic.com/safechristmas or www.elecsa.co.uk/safechristmas to find the latest advice and tips and to find a registered electrician.

 

 

Great Christmas Gifts For The Fitness Fanatic

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Go Fit Cross Extreme Ab Wheel

abwheel gofitabwheelcrossfit

The GoFit Ab Wheel is an excellent way to obtain a more defined toned set of abs. The rolling action of the Ab Wheel trains both the upper and lower abdominal walls. The Ab Wheel has dual wheels and non-slip foam grip handles.

  • Excellent to obtain more defined toned set of abs
  • Trains both upper and lower abdominal wall
  • Dual wheels
  • Non-slip foam grip handles
  • Combine with cardio program for washboard abs

I loved this. I do a lot of HIIT and this great workout tool takes your work out to a whole new level. 

From bodybuilding.com

 

ProSource Total Upper Body Conditioning Multi-Grip Pull Up Bar

pullupbar

Finally, The heavy duty Multi-Grip Pull-Up Bar is made with high grade steel for a sturdy design that’s built to last. The multiple grip positions allow you to perform wide, hammer, and close-grip pull-ups and chin-ups, and hanging abdominal exercises. You can also place on the floor to use for push-ups or triceps dips. It slips easily onto any standard doorframe and can hold up to 300 lb. Convenient for at-home workouts, it’s easy to assemble and built to last – a perfect workout accessory to strengthen your entire upper body in the comfort of your own home.

Features

  • Ideal for pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, dips and leg raises
  • 12 cushioned foam grips
  • Work muscles from a variety of angles
  • Fits onto standard door frames 24”-36” wide or can be wall-mounted
  • Portable design that is quick and easy to assemble

 

A great bar to reach your peak fitness. It brings the gym into your home.  A great tool that lets you train like a pro at home. Highly recommended. A great gift. 

From bodybuilding.com

 

Polk Boom Bit Wearable Speaker 

polkboombitwearablespeaker

Polk BOOM have launched this truly wearable ‘Ready for Anything’ Bluetooth Speaker. Combining music listening and hands-free phone convenience in a ruggedized enclosure that is sweat, dirt, sand and shockproof, BIT is the perfect accessory for anyone who lives an active lifestyle. Measuring only 7 cm x 3 cm, BIT’s robust clip can be secured to any item of clothing, backpack or cycle helmet, whilst its three-hour play time is ample for even the most ardent of commutes, rides or workouts.

 The Polk BOOM BIT is available in Black, Sport Blue, Volt Yellow, Lava Red and a two-toned Grey/Mint

Griffin Survivor Adventure 3 cases in 1

griffinsurvivoradventurephonecase

A fantastic phone case which fits the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 6 and 6s. Survives an 8ft drop on concrete. Is a thin case with 2 extra backs. A great case that protects your phone while you get fit.

Griffin Survivor Adventure Case for iPhone 7/6S/6 is available here.

 

Arnicare Bath & Massage Balm

arnicare

For those who like nothing more than to relax and unwind after a busy day, Nelsons arnicare arnica Bath & Massage Balm, is a dual purpose balm enriched with Evening Primrose and rich Sweet Almond oil to naturally hydrate the skin. Designed for massaging into tired muscles or for use in a relaxing bath following a hectic day, the natural properties of Arnica Montana extract and sweet scents of Lavender and Grapefruit essential oils help calm senses and relax the mind.

Great for a post-workout bath or massage. Helps with muscle aches. Stick it in a stocking as it is great stuff. 

From boots.com and hollandandbarrett.com

 

Arnicare Cooling Gel

arnicacoolingelarnicare

With more people than ever now interested in health and fitness, and with such a variety of exercise classes on the market, we all know someone who really works hard when it comes to training. Nelsons arnicare arnica Cooling Gel is ideal for massaging into tired and over-worked legs, to help cool and revive them. Combining the natural benefits of arnica with the refreshing sensation of grapefruit oil and menthol, it could even be the gym bag essential for those fitness resolutions in the New Year.

Really helps when muscles are aching. If you buy this for a fitness-obsessed friend they will be very grateful. 

From boots.com and hollandandbarrett.com

 

Is there a right way to sell your home?

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xfactorhouse2015homefinal

So you’ve decided to put your house on the market, and you’ve had numerous people offering advice while you manically type ‘The Mirror reckons you can save around £4,621 when using an online estate agent, which could go towards the deposit on your next home or the renovation work needed.

Bear in mind: You’ll be spending a lot of time doing most of the work yourself but if you can manage, it’s worth it for the cash saving. You could also see a lower sale price, because estate agents work to sell a property for higher than its market value, so they receive more commission, but in this case it’s just you.

 

By Patrick Vernon.