All Your Need to Know Questions Answered

Updating your bathroom for Christmas

After house prices dropped when the recession hit in 2008 spending on DIY has increased with resilient homeowners trying to beat off negative equity they have found themselves turning to home improvements to give their home a much needed face lift and especially at this time of year, if you have family visiting for the Christmas holidays. Normally you think of a lick of paint here and there and a new sofa or two can easily update a room, but what do you do if your bathroom is looking a bit dated? If you don’t need to or want to start refitting your whole bathroom before Christmas why not try just updating parts of it to give it a fresh look. Like re painting the walls, retiling around the bath and putting down new flooring, or maybe updating old worn out bathroom cabinets with new stylish ones, replace an old towel rail with a new type funky modern radiator, these measures can easily update your bathroom without costing too much or taking too long.

Christmas given a boost

A recent survey suggests that 38% of people are intending doing their Christmas shopping online, there are many reasons to do your Christmas shopping online:

·    If you are shopping on a budget this year thanks to the credit crunch there are great comparison websites that allow you to search for the best deal, meaning you can still have the Christmas you usually enjoy.
·     If you don’t have a lot of spare time to trail around shops the internet is a easier convenient outlet to do all your shopping, from presents for family and friends to the food for your Christmas dinner can be all done from the comfort of your own home and save you hours.
·    Reduce your carbon footprint as you do not need to travel around to get everything you need.
Even the recent Royal Mail Strikes wont effect online retailers as many now use private couriers to ensure items get to people on time.

VAT Rise

Retailers will be starting their sales early this year before the rise in VAT which is due to be on the 1st January, so it will be an ideal time to get a great deal as many sales will starting on Christmas day for online retailers to make the most of the time left. The discounts given won’t be as much as last year but it’s hoped that starting early and with more incentives sales will increase especially with people wanting to get larger more expensive items before VAT rates are increased.

Picture courtesy of brockvicky

Getting a Cat or Dog

If going to get a cat or a dog then there’s a few things that you might need to get that are essential pet products.

1: You need to have time to spend on a dog or a cat as well as extra money for food and vets bills.

2: A bed will be needed for your new pet to sleep on, if your getting a cat it might be less fussy and sleep anywhere.

4: If you re getting a dog you might want to go to obedience classes so that your puppy is well trained.

Protect against frozen pipes

As winter in now upon us it’s time to start thinking about protecting our homes against the weather, one of the main things people forget about is their piping system which if not properly maintained and protected can freeze and burst causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and lots of misery. Below are some tips to help prevent that from happening:

Checks

You firstly will need to locate your main stop taps for the supply into your home. These are usually on the ground floor of your home or even garages where the ‘mains’ enters your home,  make sure everyone in the household knows where they are in case the worst happens, also check to make sure they are in good working order.

Check all taps around your home and repair any that are dripping or replace with new more economical taps, because according to experts even a gentle trickle of water can freeze and block a pipe. Also outside taps need to be protected during winter when they are not use by turning off the stop tap for them, that’s located in the inside wall adjacent to where the supply pipe exits the wall, and insulating the tap.

Check all pipes, if any are bare these need be securely insulated with pipe lagging (available from most DIY stores) and should be at least 50mm in diameter.

Protect

Starting at the top of your house, most tanks are often here, make sure they are fully insulated in preformed plastic tank jackets filled with glass fibre matting  however be aware not to insulate the bottom of your tank as the warm air from the rooms below won’t be able to keep it warm.

In very cold weather it is recommended that you keep you heating on low when you are either out or asleep but especially if you go away for a couple of days.

If you are still unsure you can always contact a qualified plumber who can either do the work for you or advise you.

How to Care for Your Doc Martens

The German Orthopaedist Dr. Klaus Martens could never have imagined that his humble Dr Martens shoes would one day be a such an icon of modern fashion, particularly as he invented them for use by the military, the police and those in the postal service to be durable and long lasting. These days, the Dr. Martens brand carries several lines and with their superior construction they should last for years and years but spending some time looking after them every few months will ensure that they stay in tip top condition until you are ready for another style (or another pair). So, here are some tips about the best way to look after your Doc Martens:

• Remove the laces (now would be a good take to order some replacements should you ever need them) and clean your Docs thoroughly with a clean rag, old sock or soft shoe brush. If you use anything damp when cleaning, let your boots dry out thoroughly before applying any type of wax or oil to them.
• If they’re a bit smelly, invest in some Comfort Insoles – these also have a gel based cushioned heel, to assist shock absorption.
• With winter on its way, invest in some good leather care cleaner (Dr Martens do one on their site). This will protect the boots from rainwater, snow and winter salt and works on oiled or smooth leather. Remember to allow boots to dry before wearing.
• Always place your Doc Martens on a sheet of newspaper when applying shoe care treatments and let them stand on the newspaper overnight before wearing. Reapply shoe treatments every three to four months.
• To keep your boots in absolutely the best condition, avoid using petroleum-based products as these tend to darken light-coloured leather.