Whether you’re prepared or not, Christmas is a time for kindness, family fights over board games and most importantly, food. However, the stress of having to find each friend and family member a gift that they will genuinely appreciate can often become overwhelming. ‘It shouldn’t be like this!’ we hear you shout.

Well, this year it needn’t be. Our chums over at The Present Finder have created this handy little online present finder to help you find the IDEAL gift for your friends and family and family this Christmas. It’s particularly handy for those family members who are impossible to buy for!

As the nights draw in and the mercury drops, we’re all more than likely to be spending more time indoors. But it’s a sad truth that getting as cosy and comfortable as possible in the colder months is surprisingly tough. Sometimes it all feels a little desperate; three pairs of socks, a hat indoors, curling up under your cherished childhood blanket, portable indoor heaters at full blast drying out skin and draining our electricity…..it’s a constant battle against the brrr.

It shouldn’t have to be this way. Indeed, with a few simple, proactive steps, you can make sure your house is genuinely warm and that onesie you wear every moment you’re not at work can be returned to the wardrobe. With that in mind, here are 5 IDEAL ways to get your home ready for the perils of winter weather.

INSULATE, INSULATE, INSULATE

Insulating your house needn’t mean massive investments and months of building work. Nope, you can take matters into your own mitts, DIY style. Proper insulation simply means preventing cold air from getting in through cracks and crevices, in turn preventing cherished warmer air escaping. Buy sealant strips from your local B&Q (other stores are available) and shore up any areas around doors and windows liable to be leaking air. Floor sealant can be applied around skirting boards; a common source of draughts. Pay particular attention to attic space, and see to any prone areas with fiberglass wool. By doing this, you’ll be reducing your energy bills while being good to the environment, too.

DAMP PROOF

Accumulating condensation and damp are common problems in winter months, in some cases leading to unsightly mould patches and worse, surfaces suffering rot and structural damage. Damp proofing is essential during the coldest season, then. This is one for the specialists; companies such as Sovereign Chemicals offer preventative timber treatments as well as damp proofing products. Visit their website for more information.

PROTECT YOUR PIPES

When the temperature drops, it’s easy for your pipes to freeze and break. And the last thing you want to be doing in winter is fiddling around in the cold, trying to fix something you’re not qualified to understand. To get all scientific, pipes burst due to a build-up of pressure within them caused by water molecules expanding. But we’re not worried about the cause here, more how to avoid it.  Prevention is clearly preferable to cure here, and the best way to pre-empt and protect from frozen or burst pipes is to keep your house at a consistent temperature, preferably via your thermostat. Even if you’re away on a winter holiday, it’s a good idea to have your heating on a timer, at least coming on for a couple of hours each day, to keep your pipes in good nick. Insulating your pipes is also a good move.

CLEAR OUT YOUR GUTTER

As winter winds begin to kick up, so does debris. And it seems like more often than not, it lands in our gutters. This presents a problem, as blocked gutters can lead to water build up and structural damage including those aforementioned damp problems. Look for sagging gutters as evidence of an underlying issue. The best way to tackle this before it gets serious is simple; get the latter out regularly and get your hands dirty.

MAKE IT COMFY FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Now we’ve covered some of the practical things you can do to prepare your home for the perils of winter, let’s talk about making things comfy and cosy for the whole family.

This winter, due to the current travel restrictions and social distancing measures, things are going to be a little different, and we’re all going to be spending a lot more time than usual at home. As such, creating dedicated spaces for the family to enjoy together and areas where members can enjoy some much needed me time are equally important.

Start by transforming your space, so every member of the family has a little corner of the home for themselves. Consider creating a cosy nook under the stairs for reading or studying. Breaking up a room by zoning your living space can help you create practical areas for all the family to enjoy. Consider an entertainment space for watching movies and playing games, an office space with a computer and desk, a mini library with a comfy chair for reading or a craft/play area for the kids. The possibilities are endless!

Speaking of kids, this year has been tough on them. Their school life, extra curricular activities and playtimes have all been disrupted. And with a long winter ahead of us, it’s important to create a space where they can do the things kids are meant to do. This is especially crucial if your kids are growing up and transitioning to their “big kid” room – they are bound to want their own space soon! If you are looking for inspiration to transform your kid’s current room into their next one, check out the tips at https://www.sparklesandstretchmarks.com, which we found really useful.

And let’s not forget about our gardens. Here’s 5 IDEAL ways to make the most out of your garden when the weather this cold season.

So, you’ve got a love for all things fashion, coupled with an ambition to turn that passion into a career. Then becoming a fashion retailer is probably your dream job. And the good news is that fulfilling this dream is a lot easier than you might think. That being said, it’s still important to bear in mind a few key considerations and questions before you get going, and we’re here to pose those questions, with this; our 5 IDEAL ways to start a career in fashion retail.

THE RIGHT PRODUCTS, THE RIGHT WAY

To begin with, you need to make sure that the products you are selling are good quality and have a unique, longed for place in the market. When starting an online fashion shop, a good tip is to begin by selling one versatile item in a variety of styles that will catch customer’s interest and give you the option to expand in the future. Although it may sound counterintuitive, starting small and manageable is a wise move in the fashion retail sector. Leggings manufacturers, for instance, are an astute example of a great pilot product to begin your business with.

BUT WHERE DO I GET MY HANDS ON THESE PRODUCTS?

One of the most efficient, effective ways to run an online fashion shop is to use a method called dropshipping. This is when you, as the merchant, don’t handle the products yourself, but instead are the middle-man (or woman) handling orders between your customers and the wholesaler. This is a great way to make money as it means all you need to get started is a laptop and self-motivation. And since you’re here, it’s safe to assume you possess both of those.

ARE YOU SELLING AN ITEM OR AN IDEA?

Alongside having versatile, quality items on offer in your online store, you also need to pay attention to the importance of branding in the fashion industry. As much as you are selling a product, you also need to be selling an idea – a vision – in order to stand out from the crowd.

WHAT’S YOUR UNIQUE SELLING POINT?

Ask what your brand helps people to do. Does it make feel more confident, express themselves, be sporty or look professional? If it’s all four, there’s a danger you’re spreading yourself too thinly, so get focused.

It’s equally important to consider what ethos and stance your brand supports. Are you all about public body confidence or comfort in a domestic setting? Would lounge or formalwear more astutely describe your items?

REACH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER

Perhaps most importantly is how you can engage your target audience. Of course, part of this will be in how you brand your shop – whether in its physical form, online or both – but there are other things to consider, too.

Don’t always assume the people you want on your website will come to you organically. That would be complacent. Instead, opt for a more targeted marketing approach. Placing adverts on social media websites, for instance, that hone in on the age range and demographics of your desired audience is a great way of bringing your products into their lives.

Home is where the heart is. Or maybe not, according to a recent survey by home experts Hoppy, which revealed that the stress of the day doesn’t indeed end when we leave the office. Nope, over 40% of workers dread arriving home as more stress awaits in the shape of daily chores and household tasks. 

It was revealed by the Happy Home study, conducted by Hoppy and You Gov, that 75% of workers are unhappy with their current home environment, with top of the list of concerns is the ‘house being untidy’ (36%), followed by a lack of storage space (30%) and affording the bills (22%). Best then, to confront this head-on, with our list of 4 IDEAL ways to reduce the stress of running a home.

BE REALISTIC

There are only 24 hours in the day and well over half of those are spent sleeping and at work. If we dedicated our surplus time to tidying and straightening all the wonky lines, we’d have none left to have fun or spend quality time with the family. So, keep expectations realistic, accept the clutter to an extent and focus on spending quality time with those that matter instead. Set aside just an hour or two for chores and remember, nobody’s perfect.

Read: 6 of the ultimate domestic decluttering tips for the year ahead

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

As the below infographic highlights, the unequal split of household demands among couples is often cited as a key trigger for arguments within relationships. Indeed, couples have fights and bust-ups (or should that be dust-ups) over cleaning, cooking and washing up more than anything else. It’s not fair for one member of the team to take on the whole, heavy load. Not only will this be inefficient in keeping the house in order, but it will also cause simmering resentment which may boil over into something altogether more unsavoury. Instead, divide up the domestic demands between everyone in the house, and in turn, create a clean, stress-free home where everyone has a role and sense of responsibility.

LET TECH REDUCE THE LOAD

Gone are the days when robots running the house were the preserve of science fiction. Now, tech really can lighten the load at home. Not high tech, we know, but you can go some way to freeing your mind of stress by jotting down tasks on an online tool, websites or app that can alert you when a chore needs doing, granting your mind more space for the fun stuff. Indeed, automating tasks is now more possible than ever with hoovering, lawn mowing and doing the dishes all under the jurisdiction of technology if you’re willing to invest enough money.

DON’T BE ASHAMED OF HAVING DIFFERENT PRIORITIES

The assumption that ‘running a home’ is a dream to be fulfilled, along with a white picket fence and 2.4 children, is one which is fortunately on the wane. Instead, people are choosing different ways of life; dedicating themselves to charity work, helping others and the environment, and other noble pursuits more fulfilling friends praising you on your tidy home once in a while. If having a spotless domestic space is going to prevent you from doing good for this world, then don’t be ashamed of having different priorities. Simple.