Resolved To Change?

It’s that time of year again when many of us resolve to change and make those small differences to in our lives that will – allegedly – make us better people.  Many of us vow to give up drinking too often, smoking, spending too much on what my grandmother would have called “fripperies”, eating cake and/or chocolate.  Even spending less time at work is something of us many of us vow to achieve.

And then there are the things that we say we will do more often – go to the gym, spend  time with the family, eat more fresh fruit and veg, drink more water ……….

Most of us want to “undo” some things from the previous year and make a fresh start when the clock starts midnight on December 31st  Although the giving up of ciggies, wine or beer tends to start somewhere around 3am or 4am on January 1st, depending on how good a night you’ve had!

For the start of 2013, a survey by MyVouchers.co.uk, indicated that the bite of the recession was affecting many people’s desire for change and the vow to save more money and get out of debt was driving many promises.

However, as many of us feel more optimistic for 2014, things have changed and once again achieving a better sense of health and well-being tops the lists according to a study carried out by eCigarette.co.uk.  Even self-improvement in the form of learning a new language or how to play a musical instrument are above vowing to spend less money, which came in as the number 8 most popular resolution this year.

Speaking of self-improvement, I was interested to see that breaking a world record made the Top 50 too – aim high guys!

Some of us want to make big changes in our lives such as find new partners, get married have babies and get that dream job.  Generally speaking, New Year is a time for reflection on the previous year and many of us take a good look at our bad habits and promises to make changes.

See the Top 50 in full:

1. Exercise more
2. Eat better
3. Cut down on alcohol
4. Stop smoking
5. Spend less time on Facebook / Twitter
6. Learn a new language
7. Learn a musical instrument
8. Spend less money
9. Secure dream job
10. Average eight hours of sleep a night
11. Improve qualifications
12. Spend more time with kids
13. Get a toned body
14. Have cosmetic surgery
15. Get a pet
16. More bike rides
17. Watch more news & documentaries
18. Dump partner (and find better one)
19. Improve cooking skills
20. Do more for charity
21. Get a promotion at work
22. Stop watching trashy reality TV
23. Have more sex
24. See more of friends
25. Sponsor a child in Africa
26. Eat less chocolate
27. Drink less coffee
28. Improve personal hygiene
29. Drink more water
30. More live music / entertainment
31. Learn to bake a cake
32. More outdoor activities
33. Take up a new sport
34. Learn to knit
35. Swear less
36. Introduce a regular date night
37. Have a baby
38. Take up a new sport
39. Go to church more often
40. Take the stairs rather than a lift
41. Read more books
42. Try to not get a parking fine/speeding ticket
43. Pass driving test
44. Eat less biscuits
45. Get married
46. Break a world record
47. Travel more
48. Learn how to use the technology properly (iPad, social media etc)
49. Eat less red meat
50. Spend less time at work

Personally, my top three resolutions have come in at 29 (drink more water), 1 (exercise more) and 24 (see more of friends) but feeling a little left out, perhaps I will go for number 46 too and see if I can break a world record!  Perhaps for biscuit eating?!  It certainly won’t be for ironing as I don’t think I could beat the current record, an ironing marathon lasing 80 hours in which Janette Hastings of New South Wales, Australia who ironed a massive 1157 items including jeans, shirts and shorts during this time.

And remember, if one of your resolutions is to have more me time, spend more time with your family or generally just do less of the things you don’t enjoy, then give us a call.  We will happily help with your ironing and let you concentrate more on keeping your resolutions.

Happy New Year everyone!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas………

Spirits are high in IM Towers this week and that’s all because we’re all excited about the fact the Big Fella’s due in just a few days’ time.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have both been and gone and most of us have even had our office parties now.  All that’s left to do is the last minute present buying  (thank you Amazon for your super speedy delivery!) and wrapping and then the fun can really start!

There’ll always be a few Scrooges out there who are quick to shout Bah Humbug!  But generally speaking, I think it’s fair to say that we all enjoy Christmas.  Having a chat over a tin of Celebrations (other tins of fattening cocoa based confectionery are also available) at tea break, the Maids’ top reasons for loving the festive season were:

Food and drink – even the most abstemious amongst us let go a little at Christmas; so whether its gallons of Baileys that makes you smile or the largest pile of roasties known to man, go on, fill your boots.  Eat, drink and be Merry!

Presents – we’re all brought up with the ‘it’s good to give’ message and it does make you feel all warm and cosy inside when someone you love gives you a big hug and tells you your present is perfect.   I can even laugh at the family sourpuss who grumbles every year about “more bl**dy socks”.  He doesn’t know that the joke’s on him, as we now all buy him socks just to wind him up, as he’s been so ungracious in receipt in previous years.  Don’t worry, we all spoil him on his birthday, he’s just an ol’ curmudgeon at Christmas!

No work for a few days – probably the only time of year that most of us get to switch off from the office/workplace.  OK, so we are still busy, as roast turkey and all the trimmings doesn’t exactly prepare itself and dealing with over excited kiddies can be exhausting but at least it’s a break from the usual daily churn.  Of course this doesn’t apply to all of us -  folk in the emergency services  and medical professions have to work and even poor retail staff often only get one day.  Spare them a thought.

Spending time with friends and family – perhaps the best bit for most of us.  Big children return to the nest, perhaps with their own little ones in tow; smaller children get super excited and even the most insouciant of teenagers can usually raise a smile for you at Christmas.  Older family members are just as important and aunties, uncles, grannies and granddads all get spoilt and do some spoiling too.  Catching up with friends is always special and everyone has the incentive to do so this time of year.

Seeing the children’s faces – from big wide eyes at the sight of all the presents to sleepy faces at the end of the day, children have the best time of all.  Presents, films, sweets, chocolates and non-grumpy parents and grand-parents, what’s not to love?!

Christmas Eve carols – for many of us this is the only time we go to church, other than weddings, christening and funerals.  We all love a rousing verse of O Come All Ye Faithful.  It’s important not to forget that Christmas is also a spiritual time for many and the celebration of the birth of Christ is at the centre of the holiday for them.

Leaving out mince pies and sherry for Santa and carrots for Rudolph – such fun!  I have even seen parents create tiny elven boot prints in talc on the hearth!  Also pretending Santa’s been and nibbling the mince pies and knocking back the sherry (“why has Santa left the mince pie but drunk all the sherry?!” was a regular question in this Maid’s home!) The person with the biggest teeth in the house always has to pretend to be the reindeer, regardless of whether or not raw carrot is a no-no!

TV and Movies – my mother’s favourite pre-Christmas ritual is buying the Christmas television guides and planning her viewing, not forgetting reading ahead in what’s happening in the soaps!  I think many of us become at least part couch-potato after stuffing ourselves silly and quaffing too much sherry.  It’s almost the law now to become sofa bound and semi-snooze (or downright snore in the ol’ curmudgeon’s case!) in front of the TV for a least a small portion of Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Yes it’s expensive, yes it can be stressful, yes it’s exhausting and yes it’s overly commercial but hey -  It’s Christmas!!  And for the most part we all love it!

So Happy Christmas All.  Have a wonderful time and make the most of every precious second with those you love.

And then there’s New Year to look forward to……!!

Christmas: it’s Woman’s Work?

Hubby and I were having a “discussion” yesterday about everything that needs to be done over the next couple of weeks as Christmas is really just around the corner and, as ever, I have been slow off the mark.

Note I said “I” and not “we” because I seem to end up doing almost everything.  I don’t believe I’m alone either, as friends’ comments have varied from “he thinks being ‘Chief-Battery-Monitor’ is enough whilst I run myself ragged” to “I cook the meal and he takes all the glory just because he carves the bird!”  Does that sound familiar ladies?

Certainly in our house I decorate the house and tree, write and post the cards, arrange visits to and from family over the festive period, do all the food shopping and cooking; although I must admit that Hubby is very good at helping buy pressies and he’ll even help with wrapping them, for which I am very grateful.  He would probably even do some of the clearing and washing up post Crimbo Dinner if I asked but I must admit to being something of a control freak in my teeny kitchen and prefer to do it all myself…….being helped along by a glass of cava or three in the process of course!  (In reality, anything to avoid the sport on TV that step-sons have an unerring ability to find, despite the squillions of available channels and my hiding the TV guide!)

And it turns out that my friends and I are not alone in feeling that we take on most of the Christmas toil.  A recent survey by Battery Station found that mums take on almost five times more Christmas “jobs” than dads.  The ‘mum list’ covers buying, cooking, wrapping, cleaning, writing, delivering pressies etc.  – all too numerous to mention but we all know what goes into the lead up to Christmas and if you have small children, factor in presents for teacher and the dreaded nativity costume.

The ‘dad list’? Carving the turkey, topping up drinks, taking the toys out of boxes and putting batteries in, playing with the kids and putting out the rubbish.  10% of men admitted to doing nothing at all and leaving absolutely everything up to their partners.  The same survey concluded that 45% of couples row about this, with 60% of women wishing their menfolk would do more and  55% of men admitting that they should!

The truth is that I actually quite enjoy the chaos and the hard work, as it all seems worth it on the Day when we all sit down together without a mobile phone or a tablet in sight, all wearing daft paper hats and reading out stupid cracker jokes.  We do Eat, Drink and be Merry – and that’s just as it should be!  After lunch, I do take on all the tidying and cleaning but it’s my choice and it’s “me time” as I sing along to Bing and Frank and know that I have a really good excuse for not watching anything I don’t want to on TV and afterwards I can join my family and pull the “I’ve been working sooooo hard” card, so that they have to let me watch what I want on TV.  Genius! Downtown Abbey here we come!

Is it like this in your home too? Let us know by commenting below.

The clean sweep - women need 28 minutes to 'tidy' the house for surprise guests

Is your house so messy that you have CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)?

When someone is due to visit how long does it take for you to whiz around and tidy up? And do you bung things in cupboards (or even the washing machine) to clear the mess out of sight?

Recent research indicates that the average British woman needs 28 minutes’ notice to get the house tidied up before guests arrive, according to research.

It also emerged many women adopt some more sneaky tactics, such as the use of impromptu 'hidey-holes' such as washing machines, tumble dryers and laundry baskets in which to chuck mess.

The study was carried out among 2,000 women by Swinton as part of its No Place Like Home Facebook campaign.  The report also found nearly half of those questioned have a special drawer or cupboard used for emergency storage of junk in the crucial seconds before visitors arrived (the 'crap' drawer!).  Another popular place to secrete things is the oven - with 15% admitting they've hidden dirty plates in their cookers.  It also emerged three quarters of women confess to manically cleaning right up to the moment their guests arrive.

Two thirds polled said they love the feeling after having a 'big tidy-up' or deep clean, and 28% regularly make a vow to maintain this level of cleanliness.  However half also admit that they will probably be unable to keep this promise and 20% admit it's a totally unrealistic target.

Another extreme tactic employed by house-proud hosts caught off-guard is the 'bouncer' routine.  This involves physically preventing guests from entering the home with 23% of respondents admitting to using the technique because they were embarrassed by their untidiness.

A further 57% said that even when they were given notice of an impending visit they would only tidy downstairs and try to put off guests venturing upstairs.  However such 'stairway stalling' would often come undone if a visitor needed to visit an upstairs toilet.

MOST COMMON MESS

1. Washing up on the draining board
2. Crumbs on the kitchen floor
3. Fluff on the carpet
4. Wet washing drying on the radiators
5. Recycling ready to go outside
6. Bills, letters, correspondence lying around
7. Washing on the line
8. Shoes gathered at the front door
9. Odds and ends on the stairs ready to be taken upstairs
10. Piles of clean washing waiting to be ironed
11. Dirty windows
12. Chargers for phones, laptops and tablets lying around
13. Dishevelled sofa
14. Toys strewn all over the floor
15. Last night's crockery yet to be washed
16. Coats draped over the bannisters
17. Old newspapers lying around
18. Dirty work tops
19. Piles of ironed clothes waiting to be put away
20. Paw prints on the kitchen floor
21. Pet hair on the furniture
22. Overflowing laundry bin
23. Overflowing kitchen bin
24. Gadgets everywhere
25. None of the above
26. Coffee rings on the coffee table
27. Dirty shower screen
28. DVD's out of their cases
29. Pet hair on the window sills
30. Wet towels on the bathroom floor

How often is your house tidy and clean enough for unexpected guests to drop by? Do you rush about before guests around frantically tidying (or hidy-ing) away?  

At least if use the Iron Maids services, points 10 and 22 wouldn’t apply to you!

This blog originally appeared on mumsnet

Is your Home Ready for Winter? DIY jobs that could save £000s

After the St. Jude storm last week and already lots of wet and windy weather setting in this week – Brrr! – it really is beginning to feel like winter out there and it’s often the time when your home needs the most DIY and maintenance work as it takes a bettering from the elements and we all call for more heat and hot water indoors.  During autumn, before winter sets in is the best time to do this.

Luckily there are lots of property maintenance checks that you can do before the bad weather really takes hold that can help to avoid expensive emergency call outs.  Here are the top tips from the experts to help protect your home.

Turn off pipes to outside water taps

Garden tap piping is usually linked to an indoor feed (often located under your kitchen sink). If the water inside the pipes freezes the problem can cause a leak inside your home when the weather warms up again. The average water claims costs £1,347, but can run into tens of thousands of pounds, according to figures from Saga.  You should also confirm the location of your stopcock, so you can turn off the water in an emergency.

Insulation

Check the lagging on all pipes and cisterns in unheated areas like your loft. Pre-formed tubular insulating material is the best and readily available from most DIY stores. Repair any dripping taps.  Ensure your loft has adequate insulation - the Energy Saving Trust recommends using 270mm of insulation, a loft installed with insulation of this thickness could save you about £150 per year on your energy bill.

Leave the central heating on low

Even when you are away from home, keep central heating ticking over at a low temperature on normal timer hours to avoid frozen pipes. Ensure that the temperature in your home doesn’t drop below five degrees and leave the loft hatch slightly open so warm air can enter the loft and prevent your pipes freezing

Check chimneys before having a fire

A fireplace can get blocked and lighting a new fire can be smoky and dangerous. If you have a gas ‘coal effect’ fire, see the manual for DIY checks, or contact the National Grid who give free help and advice. It is vital that you also get your chimney swept every year as not having a certificate from your sweep to say that this has been done can invalidate your

home insurance.

Draught proofing

Save money with simple insulation and keep the winter bills down. Heating your home to compensate for chilly draughts can put up to 30% on your energy bills! For doors make sausage-shaped draught excluders, reduce heat loss through windows by covering with cling film or sheets of window plastic from a DIY shop, and stick weather stripping tape on door frames.

‘Bleed’ radiators
Getting rid of air bubbles in radiators can help you save money as it ensures your home is heated more cost-effectively.

Check guttering

If you can safely reach it, clear guttering of leaves so they don’t block up and cause water to leak onto walls and windows.

Tidy your garden
Cut back any branches from trees and bushes that might break windows or bring down fences in bad weather.

Get your boiler checked
An annual check by a qualified engineer does cost money but it’ll avoid costly emergency call-outs in the middle of winter and keep bills down because your system runs more efficiently.

Don’t stress your heating system

In winter, it’s tempting to dry clothes quickly by putting them on radiators but this stops the heating system warming your home effectively. Avoid cranking up the thermostat higher than necessary. Keep costs down by washing on cooler temperatures – many modern washing detergents are just as effective at just 30°C –  and then rather than using the radiators, drying clothes on a clothes airer near but not ON the radiators.

You might also consider taking out a home emergency cover, which offers 24 hour home support for boiler breakdowns, 365 days a year. British Gas, Homeserve, EDF energy, Scottish Power and even your home insurance provider can offer plans costing just a few pounds a month but the peace of mind you have it covered is worth every penny.

Taking note of all the tips above should help ensure that your home is ready for winter and that you stay all warm and cosy and are hopefully never left without heating or hot water because there’s nothing worse than a cold wash in a cold house on a cold morning.  Like I said earlier – BRRRRR!!

Why Hallowe'en is more than Pumpkins and Haribo

Hallowe’en is here again……….you either love or loathe this time of year, relishing in the dressing up and looking forward to the kids knocking on your door all dressed up whilst you hand out handfuls of Haribo and candies; or maybe you prefer not to answer the door and run the risk of being on the receiving end of a trick as you wouldn’t hand out a treat…….that’s trick or treating for you!

The origins of Hallowe’en celebrations as we know them came about when the Roman Catholic Church made the 1st November a church holiday to honour all the Saints.  During the period between Norman times and the late 15^th Century, there is no evidence that 31st October was anything other than the eve of All Saints Day – or All Hallows Eve, from the archaic English 'Hallow' which was the word for Saint.  In time, the 31^st October became a customary day to pray for the souls of the dead and it became a joyous day.

The end of October is the time for the long nights to really draw in and Summer seems a long way away.  It was the long hours of winter darkness that the Celts believed brought the evil spirits into the world and that on the last day of October the boundaries between our world and the spirit world were at their weakest and spirits would be seen on Earth. Many people still believe this is the best time to contact relatives who have passed away and will leave out food and drink for them. This festival was called Samhain (pronounced 'sow-in') and marked the end of the "season of the sun" (summer) and the beginning of "the season of darkness and cold" (winter).

To frighten the spirits away, the Celts built bonfires and feasted and danced around them wearing costumes  to fool the evil spirits that may try and step into the domain of the living that night.  The fires were also considered to bring comfort to the souls in purgatory.  It was only the Druids, or Celtic priests, who kept their fire burning on Samhain and the Druid fire was then used to relight all the home fires. In Ireland and Scotland, the custom of extinguishing one's home fire and relighting it from the festival bonfire has continued into modern times.

Alternatively, another tradition from which Hallowe’en customs may have come is a ninth century European custom, known as Souling.  This was a Christian festival whereby people would make house calls begging for soul cakes,  a small round cake traditionally made for All Saint’s Day  to celebrate the dead.  The cakes, often simply referred to as souls, were given out to soulers (mainly consisting of children and the poor) who would go from door to door on Hallowe'en singing and saying prayers for the dead. Each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from Purgatory. The practice of giving and eating soul cakes is often seen as the origin of modern trick or treating. In Lancashire and in the North-east of England they were also known as Harcakes.   It was believed that even strangers could help a soul's journey to heaven by saying prayers, so, in exchange for a cake they promised to pray for the donors' deceased relatives.

We still carve pumpkins and light them with candles which is a variation on the turnips the ancient Celts carved into skulls to place in their windows on Oct 31^st, representing the head which was the part of the body believed to house the spirit.

Another popular Hallowe’en tradition is to peel an apple in one long strip and throw the peel over your shoulder – the peel will land in the shape of your future spouse’s initial.  Single women curious about whom they’ll marry should sit in a darkened room, gazing into a mirror as it’s said that on that night the face of their beloved will appear in the glass. But beware – if a skull appears instead, it means that whoever looking will die young! *shudder*……….

Over the years the form of the celebrations have lost their original meanings, so many people today will happily carve a pumpkin and place it in a window without knowing that they are performing a magical ritual to honour the good spirits and keep the evil ones at bay.

I once visited America around Hallowe’en and was delighted to see the doorstep displays created by families with ornately carved pumpkins and candles and whole families taking to the  streets at night in ghoulish costumes going door to door to collect sweets and play tricks where they are given none.  The American love of Hallowe’en came about with the Irish immigrants taking their Celtic traditions to the States

Like all things Stateside, the festival has also received the Hollywood treatment and this is  popular release time for films with vampires, werewolves, shocks, horror and gore.

So there you have it – Hallowe’en is a mix of feasting, fire, fun and fear and a time to connect with those who have passed.

Whatever you are doing this Halloween, enjoy!  Keep safe and make sure the little ones don’t get too scared……oh, and that they brush their teeth really well before bed after all those sweets!..

Ironing a Shirt

The whole reason that Iron Maids exists is because there are many of you out there that just don’t like ironing………. and I can hear the cries of “that includes me” from here……..and most of you seem to hate ironing shirts more than anything else.

So, for on the weeks that you don’t use us or when you absolutely have to iron a shirt as an emergency e.g. hubby will be meeting the boss in his Stranglers T-shirt or you will be going to that networking event in your comfy jumper, I thought a few tips on how to best do this may be useful.

There is an art to correctly ironing a shirt and following these step by step details can help you achieve a crease free garment.

Prepare your shirt - Start with a freshly laundered shirt. When your shirt comes out of the washing machine or off the clothes line shake it out, smooth it with your hands and hang it up. Button the top button.  Do not screw the shirt up and throw it on your ironing pile – that will make getting the creases out more difficult.  Personally, I hang all shirts up immediately on taking them out of the washing machine and dry on hangers.

If you have committed the cardinal sin of crumpling your shirt up and leaving it after washing it, you will need to put it on a hanger and spray if all over with a fine mist of water, making it damp again.

Fill your iron – If possible, only use distilled or bottled water in your iron.   Tap water contains small amounts of minerals which build up in your iron over time and lead to the steam vents becoming blocked. If you notice that your iron occasionally spits too much water out, it is because it is becoming clogged up underneath on the plate’s vents and it won’t function effectively for you.

Select the right temperature for your shirt – if your shirt is “minimum iron”, as a number of modern shirts are, then it will need a much cooler setting  than a cotton shirt; a linen shirt will need an iron set to its maximum heat setting.  If you hung your shirt straight after removing it from the machine, it should also need a cooler iron.  If the iron is too hot for the fabric, you may even burn your shirt.  Pay attention to the laundry label on the garment.

And this is optional……..spray on some starch. Lightly spray the hanging shirt with spray starch and then remove the shirt from hanger. Unbutton the top button.

Collar - lay the collar out flat on the ironing board and press. Iron from the points of the collar inward to back of neck.  This avoids the material bunching up towards the points of the collar.  Do the underside of the collar as well.

Shoulders  - Position the shirt so the yoke is across the end of the board and press the yoke and move the shirt round to press the shoulder. Reposition for the opposite shoulder. Then turn the shirt, and do the rear side of the yoke and shoulders

Sleeves - If you have a sleeve board, now is the time to use it as you can position it inside the sleeves and gently move the shirt around to iron the sleeves without creases.  If you don’t have a sleeve board, lay one sleeve out flat on the ironing board.  Align the sleeve following the bottom seam as guide. Press carefully, moving both layers of fabric flat as the iron glides across front surface of sleeve. Repeat for the other sleeve. Turn the shirt to do the other side of sleeve.

For a long-sleeved shirt, press the cuffs next, similar to the collar instructions. Turn the shirt to press the other side.

Body  - Position the body of the shirt on the end of your ironing board, buttonhole panel first. Press from the bottom tail progressing upward to the collar. Do not allow puckers or folds to press into fabric. Turn the shirt to iron the inside of the body of shirt also.

Move the shirt position to the next body panel, half of the back. Press from the tail progressing upward to the collar.

Move the shirt position to next body panel, the other half of the back. Press as before. Be aware of any pleats or vents in the back of the shirt where the yoke joins the back panel – you will have to iron these in to ensure the shirt hangs properly.

Move shirt position to the last body panel, other half of the front, the button panel. Press as before.

Et voila!  Return the pressed shirt to its hanger, buttoning the top two or three buttons to help keep it straight and stop it slipping off the hanger

Hopefully you will never be in this situation because you’ll always send all your ironing to the Maids.  After all, that’s what we’re all about……. Iron Maids: Ironing Maid Easy!

Quick and Easy Housework for Time Pressed Parents

Like many working parents, I work hard all week and the last thing I often want to do on my precious time off is housework - think of the job of an Iron Maid and you'll understand why!

I try to make the whole process of keeping my home clean and tidy as simple as possible and thought I’d share some tips with you, especially around cleaning and storage.

Hallway

The vast majority of dust and dirt is brought into your home by your footwear, so it makes sense to ask everyone to remove their shoes when coming home or visiting.  Think how much time you will save on vacuuming and cleaning floors.  Having everyone’s slippers ready on a shoe rack in the hall encourages this.

Another tip is to have a really good doormat and ask everyone to use is.  In houses with narrow hallways and a small lobby/entrance area, coir matting is ideal for this.  My tiny entrance lobby of just 3 ft x 2ft is one big coir mat – it looks good and is extremely practical.  It’s also very easy to vacuum.

My mother used to go to extreme lengths here and would pounce on the dog whenever she let him in from a wet garden and wipe his paws with an old towel.  Poor mutt soon got used to it and would wait patiently!  Just spending two minutes doing this saved ages of time removing muddy footprints.

Another tip for tidying as you go along is to invest in a stair basket – anything that needs to go up stairs goes into the basket to be taken up once or twice a day.  An easy habit to develop and it saves lots of running up and down.  Not to mention looking much nicer than an article on every step being ignored by you and the rest of the family because it’s all too much to carry.

If you have pets, invest in a vacuum cleaner that had been designed especially to tackle animal hair and has lots of tools for getting into all those nooks and crannies where the hair seems to gather.

Kitchen

If you have put some time into think about the best way to lay out your kitchen and where to keep things it will reduce the time you spend preparing meals.  Set up three main workspaces: preparation area, cooking area and clean-up area. This is the so called “kitchen triangle” and connects refrigerator, sink and cooker.

Organising your most used kitchen utensils and ingredients around these key zones will help ensure you have everything to hand when it comes to food preparation and cooking.

Keep a bottle of anti-bacterial spray to hand and you can readily clean up as you go along and micro-fibre cloths are super efficient, easy to wash and dry and much kinder to the environment than paper towels.  There are even multi purpose cleaners on the market now that can be used on both kitchen surfaces and floors – saving time and money.  A fresh scent will leave your entire kitchen smelling clean and fresh

Bathroom

The only way to keep on top of your bathroom is with a quick daily wipe round of clutter free surfaces.  Wherever possible, keep things in cupboards, drawers or baskets in the bathroom and only have out the daily essentials.  A friend of mine, colour codes everything for her children i.e.  a tooth brush, flannel and towel etc. for her children and each child is responsible for keeping their own “colour” tidy.  It has certainly worked and everyone puts their own things away and there’s often a competition to see who finished first!  Great idea!

Just like in the kitchen, a single all-purpose cleaner and micro fibre cloths make short work of any mess and spills and you don’t need a whole array of cleaning products taking up space and costing more money

One thing I do buy separately is bleach for the loo and a swish of bleach and a quick scrub keeps the toilet clean too – keeping on top of it every day saves so much time in the long run.

For the tougher cleaning jobs in the house, I have one main ally and it’s a throw back from my grandfather’s days as a painter and decorator –sugar soap.  It really is the best at getting off greasy residue and really tough ground in dirt and even better, it’s now available in a ready made up spray form.  No more messing around measuring and diluting.

Finally, research shows that if your home smells nice, it will “feel” cleaner to everyone who enters it.  Keep your home fresh smelling with scented candles and discreet air fresheners – only you know if you’ve cleaned behind the fridge and chances are if you have a fragrant home everyone will think you’re a regular Queen of Clean!

I’m sure we all have lots of tips and tricks at making things easier at home – why not let me know about them below.

Happy Housework!

Look after your Laptop

I have a new toy at home. A lovely shiny, super-fast, ultra-thin new laptop that has cost me a considerable amount of pennies. I think it’s fair to say that I heart it very much.....

When you think about it, a new laptop is one of the most expensive things that you are likely to buy and looking after it really is important and will even help prolong the life of your machine.

If anything else had cost you hundreds of pounds would you lean over it whilst eating, cradle cups of tea near it or even, as I have seen Tallest Daughter do for a moment (before she was severely reprimanded), balance a cup of water on it? Nope – thought not!

For those of you like me who do eat near your laptop – and who can resist a Hob Nob whilst tweeting or looking at old school friends’ photos on Facebook? Then you’re a better (wo)man than I am! – you may have noticed that crumbs do get lodged in your keyboard. I once had a sticky K key for days that had fallen victim to a teeny, weeny crumb of lemon curd tart. I also know that for those of you working in offices, lunch at your desk is a daily occurrence. It’s even harder to keep work keyboards clean.

IF I am eating near my laptop I do tend to have a napkin to hand and will wipe my hands before going anywhere near the keyboard again and that’s because there is nothing worse known to man than a sticky patch on your mouse pad – that renders work impossible!
I have invested in a spray of specialist laptop cleaner that comes with a small microfibre cloth and that’s perfect for a wipe down of the screen and keyboard area every few days and helps keep things a little cleaner. The same cleaner does a great job on my touchscreen phone too – well, it’s more effective than rubbing it on my jeans which is what I normally do. Or even worse, pulling up the bottom hem of whatever top I’m wearing to clean my mobile. Reminiscent of my grandmother cleaning her glasses but with less huffing!
All this is great for weekly cleaning but we all should really give our laptops a deep clean on a regular basis. 
Here’s the best way to do this:

• Step One – turn your laptop off! 
• Step Two - use a small canister of compressed air to get rid of dust/food particles in the keyboard. These can be bought online, from any good stationers or electrical goods shop
• Step Three - wipe down the screen with a microfibre cloth.
• Step Four - use a cotton wool bud and either a squirt of your PC cleaner or rubbing alcohol to clean between the keys.
• Step Five - with a slightly damp cloth wipe down the keys and mouse pad.
• Step Six - close the lid and wipe it down. You’ll be amazed how many finger prints are here that grabbing your cuff and giving the lid a cursory wipe down with your forearm hasn’t moved!
• Step Seven - all to avoid a dusty bottom, gently turn your laptop over and use the compressed air to clean the fan. Every few months, you should even remove the bottom cover and use the compressed air to blow away any fluff that may be lurking inside on the fan.

The final step can be really useful in stopping your laptop overheating. If you hear your fan working hard and your laptop feels hot underneath, turn it off immediately, let it cool down and then try cleaning the van. This is like emergency first aid for your beloved machine.

So, short of wrapping my lovely new toy in cling film and only using it inside a plastic bubble, I know that the tips above are going to become part of my regular cleaning routine.

Look after your laptop, as life really isn’t the same without it! 

Back to School & the Dreaded Homework

Come on – admit it, isn’t a small part of you quite pleased that the children are going back to school next week?  There’s a little bit of me that is, as I long for things to get “back to normal” and once again my day will be moving along nicely to a pre-set routine involving the hurried brekkies, misplaced packed lunches or dinner money and the school run.  The school day book ended nicely between these frenzied moments and my screaming to get changed out of uniforms and the habitual cry of “have you done your homework!?”

Ah yes, the dreaded H word.  Is ‘homework’ a feared word in your house?  To me the worst word I can hear at homework time is “maths”!  Not because I’m a number thickie, I’m not - studying Maths and Economics at A level meant that numbers didn’t scare me but “modern maths” does faze me and I cannot fathom Tallest Daughter’s maths homework at all.  Plus ça change …………  Luckily, she doesn’t need me to help her once she’s underway BUT she does need my regular nagging to make her start it in the first place

And I’m not alone.  Lots of parents secretly admit to having the same feelings of dread and resistance towards their children’s homework as their kids do. There are so many distractions – gaming, constant TV, social media and mates to facetime…….in fact, ANYTHING other than homework, to be honest.  So what canny tactics can we find to combat resistance – our own as well as our children’s?

Take the hard work out of homework

• Make it clear that TV time is limited and homework still has to be done.  A friend of mine put the TV on a timer switch. After one hour it switches off – then it’s homework time.  After initial groans, her brood soon became used to this.
• Another ploy which works well with younger children is to combine after school snack time with homework to lure then to the table.  Yes, it’s bribery but show me a parent who hasn’t used a petit filous or a cereal bar with sneaky intentions and I’ll show you a big fat fibber!
• Thinking of younger children, let them have fun with homework as they are usually only expected to go over work they have already done at school as a refresher.  Reading and spelling is much more fun if you can use a silly voice and coloured pens make a page come alive far more than pencil!
• For older children who have more work, show them that you sympathise with their workload – make sure that they aren’t worried about any chores they may have to do.  Especially around exam time, you may have to cut Junior some slack if his bedroom’s a tip.
• Establish a regular time in the evening or weekend for homework and make sure the rest of the household knows that this is quiet time as your older child get on with studies
• Finally, if things get really desperate and the lure of Dick and Dom is too much for your younger ones or Hollyoaks is too tempting for the teenagers – hide the remote and turn off the set top box.  They’ll soon get the message.  The same works for a computer mouse or keyboard if it’s gaming on the PC that’s your youngster’s downfall.

Like many of us, some kids will strive to do the bare minimum they can get away with and others will stress and fret until they’ve finished, driving themselves into a panic and possibly making themselves ill in the process.  Know your child and help them find a balance.

Finally, technology is there to help with homework too – have a look at www.homeworkelephant.co.uk  There’s help for us all out there!

Good Fridge Hygiene

I’ve been feeling a little off colour this week and several people suggested that it may be something that I had eaten.  We haven’t eaten out all week and my family are all ok  - well as “ok” as my lot ever are! – so I guess not. However, so many people proffered this up along with their own horror stories of how poorly they had felt in the past, all of which made me think that it must be something that happens a lot.  It is: 10% of us will suffer from food poisoning in any year and most of this is down to poor food hygiene and could be avoided.

The main culprit is our fridges and the way in which we store the food inside them.  Do you know your fridge has differing temperature zones, even though it is likely to have just one temperature setting………or in my case, there is a very cold spot that freezes everything at the back of the third shelf down!  No idea why and cannot seem to remedy it but fret not dear Reader, I have learnt NOT to put the lettuce there and do remember that it is also cold enough to freeze the contents of jars too.

So, how do you keep differing foods at the best temperature when your fridge has just one temperature setting? Easy – use the different shelves, racks, drawers and the areas in the fridge door. And always keep your fridge at a temperature of less than 5°C.

The coldest area of the fridge is on the bottom shelf and this is where you should keep your meat, poultry and fish.  Interestingly enough, my fridge has a section marked “meat” on the very top shelf.  I shall ignore that from now on………  Also, as raw meat may leak juices, it is best these foods are at the bottom, so that they cannot leak onto anything placed belo and ruin that food. Keeping the raw meats etc. well wrapped and in sealed containers will also help stop other food being contaminated.

The top and middle shelves are the warmest areas of the fridge and are best for pre-prepared foods such as dairy products and cooked meats; if you keep dairy on the top shelf, you can store cooked meats and left overs in sealed containers on the shelf – or even shelves – below.

Your fruit and vegetables should always be kept in the salad crisper drawer.  In modern fridges, many salad drawers are able to control the humidity and reduce the moisture so that your veggies last longer.

Everything kept in the fridge door is subject to changes in temperature as the door is left open but the racks in the door are useful for jars, juices and eggs, although I must admit that I’m with Delia on the matter of eggs and always keep mine at room temperature.  Butter and spreads may be kept in the door too but are best in one of the door’s lidded compartments.

Some further food hygiene tips are:

• Refrigerate leftovers within 90 minutes of cooking and eat within two days – they won’t keep forever!
• Keep the time spent out of the fridge for any foods down to a minimum
• Never put opened tins of food in the fridge as the metal can contaminate the can’s contents.  If you haven’t eaten all your baked beans, decant the remainder into another container for storage
• Use-by dates should not be ignored.  These are used on foods with a short shelf life and eating anything past its use-by date may be dangerous
• Best-before dates are for foods that have a much longer shelf life and the date is an indication of when the food will be at its best quality; eating after a best-before date isn’t dangerous but it may mean that flavour is impaired
• Keep the fridge door closed tightly, as the temperature will rise if the door is left open.
• Don’t overpack the fridge, as this can stop cool air from circulating freely and the fridge may not keep the foods properly chilled.
• Don’t put hot food in the fridge as this can raise the fridge temperature
• Clean the fridge regularly, especially the fridge handle, shelves and storage compartments.
• Wash all surfaces thoroughly with warm, soapy water, then rinse them clean.
• Dry surfaces thoroughly with a clean towel or kitchen roll.
• Wipe up spills straightaway.
• Never use cleaning products that may leave a taste in food or damage the fridge.
• At least once a week, check for foods that have passed the ‘use by’ date, and throw them out

I think that just about covers everything on the subject of fridge hygiene, although one major topic has been overlooked in all areas of my research – where’s the best place to keep the wine?!

WE'VE MOVED!

IM Towers has relocated – we have moved in to the Parkwood area of Maidstone and are now settling into our new “home”……..takes times doesn’t it?  

All that planning where to put the furniture (for us read washing machines, shirt presses and ironing boards) and who has what bedroom (for us, who has what desk in the office, or which board on the floor plan)   Common to both work and home is where to put the kettle, keep the teabags and hide the biscuits.  All big decisions.  Once you’re in your new place, it can take weeks to settle in, so I’ve been thinking about a few tips to make the entire moving process easier.

Here’s the Countdown……

8 weeks to go

• If you've accepted an offer on your home, so it’s time to start getting your affairs in order and compiling a list of folk to work with in the weeks to come.
• Start to gather quotes from removal firms - use a member of  the British Association of Removers for peace of mind. Chase up references and check their insurance, they should be liable for your property while it's in their possession, but they may not cover boxes you have packed yourself so check the fine print. Your removal men will be your best friends on the day.  If you know me ask me the story about the cream sofa, the narrow back gate and the olive tree.  Those chaps earned their beers at the of the day!
• If you have any exceptionally valuable belongings, take them to an expert to assess the exact figure to be sure you have adequate insurance.
• Declutter. Go through every room, clearing out what you don't need and don't want to take with you. It's a pain but will save so much time when you arrive.
• Start collecting packing materials - boxes, newspaper, bags etc.
• Run down your food stores, gradually emptying the freezer and larder.

 

6 Weeks To Go

·         If you are in rented accommodation, give notice to your landlord.

·         Now the decluttering is complete, do you still need to book storage space for any of your belongings?

·         If you need any essential furniture in the new house, order it now to be delivered to your new address.

·         Book time off work. If you can arrange it, a Friday is a good day to give you the weekend to get straight, but a few extra days on top may be advisable especially if you're moving from a large property.

·         Recruit help. Approach friends and family to help on the day, and see if you can leave young children and pets in safe hands, out of the way, on the move day itself.

 

4 Weeks To Go

·         The exchange of contracts means you've passed the point of no return, and the move is definitely on.

·         Start the process of contacting pretty much everyone in your address book, both personal and your utility providers – gas, electric and phone/broadband and TV services (see below). First on the list should be organisations who send you bills connected to the house you are leaving.

·         Confirm the date of the move so you have a fixed point of reference. Make a floor plan of your new home, colour code each room, and stick co-ordinating stickers on each box so the removers know where to deposit it.

Notification Checklist

·         Insurance -  notify your contents insurer and arrange to move the cover to the new address from the day you move in. Building insurance needs to start on your new home from the day you exchange contracts.  

·         Also remember other policies including: life; motor; medical; pets.

·         Gas and Electricity - let your supplier know your move is imminent, and remember you'll need to take final readings just before you leave.

·         Phone - inform both landline and mobile services of the date of the move and your new address.

·         Council Tax - Most councils have websites, so visit yours to submit details of when you leave your old house and move into your new.

·         Water - Let them know the date you are moving out and take a reading before you leave.

·         Employer - Let your HR department know your new details, and inform the tax office if you are self employed.

·         Schools - Don't forget to update your kid's contacts too.

·         Locksmith - Book a slot to change the locks in your new home as soon as you arrive.

·         Solicitor - If your conveyancer is not your usual solicitor, be sure to let them know your new information.

·         Internet Service Provider and cable/satellite TV - Arrange for the service to be transferred or shop around for a better deal.

·         Benefits - Update your records for any social security payments you may receive.

 

2 Weeks To Go

It's time to start dismantling your carefully arranged home, room by room, plus there are now a few more people that you need to notify

·         If you've decided to pack for yourself, the marathon begins! Work through non-essential items - books, ornaments, out-of-season clothes, toys - and mark the boxes with what's inside and what room it needs to end up in.

·         Send change of address cards or use an online service to notify friends and family of your new details and the date.

·         Confirm the details with your removal firm.

·         Arrange a time to collect the keys from the estate agent.

 

Notification Checklist

·         Financial companies - these include your bank, credit card, investments, savings accounts, loans, life assurances, pensions, and shares.

·         Doctor, dentist, optician - deregister if you're moving out of the area or notify your existing suppliers of your change of contact details.

·         Post - it takes five days to set up the instruction to redirect your post, so to be on the safe side visit the post office or complete the online forms now.

·         Deliveries - notify deliveries such as milk and newspapers that you are moving and the date on which you'd like the service to stop.

·         Electoral register - don't lose your right to vote - go online to update your details.

·         TV licence - if you don't notify TV Licensing of your new address, you could end up being unlicensed in your new home, risking prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 – best to be avoided.  This can be done online very easily

·         Friends and relatives - Sending cards by post can be expensive- go through your email address book and send a message with your new details.

·         Non-essential organisations - don't overlook connections you may have to charities, loyalty cards, subscriptions, gym membership, and mail order and internet companies.

 

The Night Before the Big Day

 

Aside from the last-minute packing, there are a few more things to do to help the moving day itself run smoothly.

·         Pack a bag for each member of the family containing their essentials: change of clothes, nightwear, toiletries, and not forgetting bed linen and towels.

·         Organise a box for the kitchen containing tea, coffee, milk, mugs, cutlery, and the kettle. If you are staying in the same area, include a couple of takeaway menus, as you won't feel like cooking - and may not have the means to - by the end of the day. You may also want to pop in a bottle of bubbly - ideal as there's no need for a corkscrew which is always one of the first things to be lost and one of the last things to be found when you move house!

·         As you will probably arrive in advance of the van, keep cleaning materials and the vacuum cleaner with you - you may have the chance to give the house a quick once-over before every room is filled with boxes.

·         You may want to put together a mini-toolkit with a screwdriver and allen key, knife, tape, light bulbs, candles.

·         Keep important numbers with you, such as the solicitor and estate agent, and a pen and paper.  

·         Charge mobile phones.

·         Defrost the freezer.

·         Put valuables and documents in a safe place.

I’m not saying for a minute that if you do all these things you will move without incident but it does at least pay to be prepared.  Happy moving!  And remember to give us a call to pick up your washing and ironing for that first week or so.  Life’s too short not to……..