How To Display Antiques In A Modern Home

 This article is published in collaboration with Media Buzzer

Image Source: Unsplash

Many people assume that displaying antiques in a modern home requires a lot of space and money, but this couldn't be further from the truth. All you need is a little creativity to find ways to display your antiques tastefully, so they fit well in the modern environment within which you live. Below are some tips to help you get started, which can help turn your modern house into a home full of personality, and antiques.

Have A Plan

The first thing that you will need to do is create a plan for how you will display your antique collection. It is worth taking time to plan the display of your antiques, and the more planning you do and creative thinking, the better the result will look. You can get a lot of inspiration online and even by visiting various antique shops, giving you ideas of how you can replicate the look in your home.

Less Is More
Rather than displaying all your antiques in one room with no actual theme, you are better to show them off and create focal points in your room. You can put on display some of the best items in your home and have these on your fireplace, bookshelf or table. You will want to avoid having too much on display which can make your home seem like an antique store, and you will also want to have a theme for each room you are displaying your antiques.

Image Source: Pixabay

Give Each Room A Theme
If you have an eclectic collection of antiques, rather than displaying them all, you will want to give each room in your home a theme and try and stick with it. If you have an office or library, this can be an excellent place to display books and one of those vintage furniture for sale online. If you have kitchen-related antiques, you can consider displaying these in your kitchen. However, as there is a lot of heat and moisture in your kitchen, you will need to be careful about the antiques you have here, and it is the same with your bathroom.

Purchase An Antique Cabinet
You can also consider buying yourself an antique display cabinet which will be the perfect place to showcase your collection in your home. A search of the antique dealers in your local area will show plenty of choices when looking for a suitable cabinet. You will want to ensure that everything you display in your cabinet follows a theme to make it seem in place and at home displaying your antiques. You can select a cabinet that matches the decor of your home, and it can also be a beautiful antique in itself which makes for the ideal place to show off more antiques.

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With some creativity and careful planning, you can have the modern and the old embraced in your home and display your antique collection with pride. Take your time in planning your display, and do not be afraid to try new things, and with a bit of patience and luck, you can transform the way your home looks and feels. You can proudly display your antiques for everyone to enjoy who visits your house and make it feel like a loving home.

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How To Update Your Home For Spring and Summer*

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I never really need much of an excuse to change up the decor in my home but when a new season starts, I always find that's the perfect time for it. I go from wanting darker tones and all the cosy blankets in Autumn and Winter to wanting things like fresh flowers and brighter colours in our home as soon as Spring starts. As we're fully in the midst of Spring now, though we may not be able to go out and enjoy it, I thought this would be a good time to share a few of my tips on how to brighten up your home for the warmer months, leading us into Summer.

Photo by Sidekix Media on Unsplash

De-Clutter Each Room & Spring Clean

First of all a de-clutter of each room always helps, especially the one you spend the most time in. For us that's the living room so once Winter is out of the way I like to have a real sort through of everything ready for a fresh start for Spring. Just a few weeks ago we cleared out loads of DVD's and books that were taking up space on the shelves and now they look so much neater. I've also switched out a lot of my Autumn candles that I'd got through for some more seasonal appropriate scents and I just generally gave everything a really good clean. Whilst cleaning may not be fun, it can do so much good, not just to how your home looks but to how your mind feels afterwards too. I genuinely feel far calmer if our home is clean and tidy so that's something I always try to keep on top of.

New Windows

Changing the windows in your home is of course a very big job so not one to take on lightly but if it's something you've wanted to change anyway, now is the perfect time to get planning. With the help of Tuffx Glass, Infinity fixed roof lights can help with natural light which is ideal for this time of year when we want to let in as much light as possible for as long as we can. Tuffx Glass have over 25 years manufacturing experience, supplying places we all know and love such as M&S and Next but even places like Edinburgh Zoo! They have everything you could possibly need so definitely one to consider if you're keen on changing the windows on your home or adding in something new and unique.

Bring In Lighter Colours

A pop of colour can totally change a room and during Spring and Summer you can do so much to brighten up the space. Just re-painting the walls can make a huge difference but you can also switch the covers on your cushions to something a little lighter, take away any fluffy blankets from Autumn which we're sure not to need in the warmer months and maybe add in things that are pastel coloured for something a little different. I personally love the grey and light pink theme at the moment but yellow is of course a go to colour for Spring too.

Add In New Accessories

Aswell as adding in some colour from items like cushions and blankets, you can also add in a few new accessories to change up each room. As I've already mentioned I switched out my Autumnal scents for more fruity and floral candles instead and they just fill our whole home with a fresh and Spring-like feel. A personal favourite of mine at the moment is the Sweet Apple candle from M&S and it's a total bargain. I've also recently added in things like a gold mirrored tray to the coffee table which is ideal for candles and I'm so happy with it. You don't have to spend loads though. Just a fresh bunch of flowers makes such a difference to a room!

I hope this has given you a few ideas if you want to change up your home for the next few months of Spring and Summer. Do you like to change your decor with the seasons too?

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Make Your Home Move Easier*

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Moving home can be a stressful time. In fact, it's often cited as one of the most stressful things that we can do alongside divorce and redundancy. As we also know, moving home is also a really exciting period in our lives. It can be an upgrade in living standard, moving closer to friends - even a new job! The trick is making the home moving experience as enjoyable and stress-free as possible. To help you in doing that we're going to cover three tips to help your next home move go as smoothly as it can.

Photo by Isabelle Taylor from Pexels

Spending Under Control

According to Barclays, the average home move in the UK costs £8,855. That's expensive. The crazy part is that we all tend to overpay for products and services when we're moving home. There are lots of reasons for that, but one of the more unknown ones is because of something known as the 'primacy bias'. The primacy bias is something we all naturally have being human. It essentially means that our perception of something is influenced by what we have just seen beforehand. The classic example is if you were to walk into a high-end bridal shop and are shown dresses entirely in the £6,000 - £7,000 range. Then, they bring out a dress for a the low-low price of £3,500. In this scenario we have a tendency to see this price as much cheaper than it actually is, because it was preceded by something twice as expensive. Had you walked in and see the £3,500 dress initially you wouldn't perceive it to be as cheap. When it comes to moving home, this applies to everything. You're spending tens of thousands, so when you're asked if you would like the legal on-top for £1,200 we say, 'sure'. Because we're spending such high sums of money we don't question the price as much despite the fact we can get it much cheaper. In short, try and reduce the amount you spend and be aware of your natural biases.

Get Planning

When someone tells us to 'plan better' we tend to have the reaction of 'of course!'. In reality though, most of us don't do proper planning when we're moving home. And we need to. There are two key things to stay on top of when it comes to moving: your budget and your timeline. It is best practise to start by outlining how much money you need to spend on the move. If you're buying a home this might involve separating out the costs for things that you need when you move in and other items you could wait for - like that Jacuzzi you have your eye on. In terms of timing, find a really good online moving checklist. Understand what needs to happen and when it needs to happen by. Moving is very busy so invariably we will all forget one thing or another. Having a comprehensive list or plan to follow will make your home move much smoother.

Save Time & Cut Costs

With the growth of accessible technology the ability to save both time and money has never been so accessible. SlothMove is one such company. They actually enable you to update your address online, cut costs on setting-up your bills and get you access to free stuff - like Tastecard. Instead of having to make 20+ phone calls repeating the same information, you can just 'say it once' and update them all at once. It's also completely free - so whether you need to 'change address on driving license', update your councils or anything else, be sure to check them out. You can also cut costs by creating a thorough written budget and, more difficulty, sticking to it. This is more difficult to do when you're buying a home but also more much important.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully you are now fully prepared to make your home move easier. Some of these tips are simple, but can carry a significant impact in terms of making your home move much more enjoyable. And the final thing to bear in mind is that moving home ought to be fun. And that means making time for yourself amidst the chaos of moving. That could be an evening completely off during the week or a day trip. Whatever it is, make sure you take time for yourself.

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3 Ways To Update Your Home For The New Year*

Now it might sound a little crazy talking about new year already but this year has flown by! Anyone else agree? As always January dragged but since then the days have whizzed by and I can't quite believe we're already in the middle of November. We're not far off Christmas and before we know it we'll be welcoming 2020. I'm already sad at the thought of all things Christmas being over and it's barely even begun! That's part of the reason I'm never a huge fan of new year, my favourite few months being over in a flash, and there's just something incredibly daunting about a whole 12 months ahead of you with no idea what's to come. That being said, there are positives - it's a chance to celebrate the previous year and what you've achieved, and whether it's been a good year or not, it's a fresh start.

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When all the Christmas decorations come down though, my home never quite feels the same for a while. It doesn't feel as cosy, it looks bare and I end up noticing everything I don't like about certain rooms. Please tell me I'm not alone in feeling like that! That's why I think updating your home around new year is a great way to start over. Here are a few updates I've been considering and you might find them useful too if you want to head into the new year with a fresh look on your home.

Replace Old Furniture 

With Christmas, comes the boxing day and January sales! One of the most perfect times to finally get rid of some of old furniture and replace with something brand new. You can get some real bargains around this time of year and if you're lucky you might have even received a few vouchers or some money at Christmas therefore reducing the cost even more. Many big retailers take part in these sales such as John Lewis, Marks and Spencers, Habitat, DFS and Debenhams, all of which sell some really beautiful pieces. Even if you don't want to replace any big items of furniture, items like new cushions and throws can make a big difference to a room and get you ready for a new season.

New Windows

If you've been after new windows for a while, Tuffx Glass are here to solve all of your problems. With over 25 years of manufacturing experience, they provide glass for famous attractions such as The Shard and Edinburgh Zoo but they also work on smaller residential projects meaning they can provide toughened glass throughout your home too. Upgrading your windows is something that can really make a big difference in your home, as not only will they look more appealing outside and inside, it can add significant value to your home should you choose to sell one day. Old windows can also affect how well insulated your home is too which isn't something you want to be worrying about when Winter hits.

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Add Lighting To The Garden

Whilst gardening isn't something that sets my soul on fire, I dream of the day I can sit and look out at a pretty garden in the summer and it be somewhere I genuinely enjoy spending my time. I've always liked the idea aswell of adding lighting to the garden to brighten up the space in the evenings meaning that if I wanted to, I have the option of relaxing outside whenever. As it goes dark from about 4pm in the later months of the year, lighting is essential! You can get solar powered lights now to dot around the area, some people like to twirl fairy lights around trees, lanterns are always a pretty idea and decking lights are a good one if you have a seating area.

Whilst no-one should feel pressured to make big changes like this once a new year hits, if you have been planning re-decorating and sprucing up your home, I really do think it's one of the best times to do it. I'd love to know if you feel the same as me once the Xmas decorations are down? Do you have any home updates planned?

This post is in collaboration with Tuffx Glass*

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A Christmas Homeware Haul

I'm not quite sure I've ever shared a homeware haul on my blog before or if I have, it was years ago so as I've been picking up some christmassy decor bits over the last few weeks, I thought now was the right time to finally put one together. I know I've said before but there's just something about this time of year that makes me want to shop and add all sorts of bits into the home, but I don't actually usually do it. As all the Christmas decorations are out now though and I've been working hard over the last few months, I decided to treat myself to some new bits for the festive season. I have no idea how having a Christmas tree up is going to go this year with it being Bear's first Christmas and there's definitely a few of our traditional decorations which are a definite no as they will 100% get chewed so I've been looking for more pieces that I can add around the rooms which will still give that festive feel even if we can't go all out like usual. 

The majority of the stuff I've bought is from Matalan who are absolutely killing it this year with their Christmas range but there's also a few bits from H&M and Home Bargains. Let's start with H&M though as that's where I picked up one of the non-christmassy items and that was a gold mirrored tray. I've been after one of these for so long and I'm so happy with how it looks on our coffee table. It was about £20 so not cheap but it's such high quality and I already know I'll be taking this with us to our next home. I also picked up a small copper bowl for £3.99 which I thought would be so cute with some quality street in at Christmas time. I'll just have to keep my eyes on Bear whenever he's near though!

Next up is Matalan who whilst a lot of the time might not be the cheapest, they really do some beautiful homeware. The first thing I spotted is this LED Glass Christmas Tree which at £5 I think is a bit of a bargain. Sometimes with light up bits they can be quite garish and tacky but I actually think this is really classy. As you can see from the photo above I'm going to put this on the tray with a big candle. I also picked up a little light up globe which was £3. I thought this might be nice on the tray aswell, maybe instead of the bowl of sweets in the evening. They had a few different designs but of course I had to get the one with bears.

Sticking with lights because you can't have enough twinkly lights around Christmas, next are these gorgeous Glitter Acorns. They were £6 and are battery operated which is always useful and I'm thinking of scattering them on the tv stand as there isn't much light over there in the evening. They're something I think can come out each Autumn but last throughout the whole festive season so they'll be getting plenty of use. An ornament I couldn't leave behind and I already can't wait to get out is this Swirl Christmas Tree, also £6. It goes with our theme quite well of reds and golds and it's nothing like we already have. I think this will be lovely on top of one of the bookshelves and again, it's something we can bring out each year. Finally from Matalan, I couldn't resist their festive reed diffusers. I always have a few of these on the go throughout the flat but christmassy scents are always my fave and anything apple scented especially is a winner. I've already picked up some of the frosted apple pot pourri for the dining table so I've got the reed diffuser to match now. This was £4 but they also have a bigger one for £6 and a few different scents and colours to choose from.

Now, let's get onto Home Bargains who are so affordable! You could deck out your whole house with their decorations and it would cost a fraction of the price compared to many other retailers. The main thing I've been picking up though is their candles. Of course, because I'm addicted to candles, I just can't help myself. I originally only picked up a pack of their Vanilla Sugar Cookies tealights for about 79p but then I ended up going back for more pretty quickly, and couldn't resist the bigger version of that scent for £2.99. £2.99 for a candle that size is insane! It would be over £20 for one like that from Yankee Candle so get yourself down to Home Bargains, they had multiple scents to choose from too. Sticking with candles, I also picked up two red tealight holders which were about 99p each. I think these will look lovely on the TV stand with the acorn lights from Matalan.

I'm so pleased with everything I've picked up recently and now I just can't wait to decorate! I've already started sneaking a few bits into the living room, and yes I know it's early but some people already have their full trees up so I'm tame in comparison! It's just my favourite time of year and I really want to make the most of it. I hope if you're in need of some new xmas decorations or if you just feel like treating yourself, this has given you some inspiration. I can't get over how stunning the decorations are in most shops this year.

When do you like to start decorating for Christmas?

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4 Things To Consider Before Buying A House*

For a long time buying a house didn't seem like something that was going to be achievable for us. No major reasons really, just that we had other priorities like getting a car, finally having a dog of our own, and travelling more, but earlier this year we were at the point where we started to think about how much longer we were going to live in our current flat. We'll have lived here 5 years in November and to be honest, I never expected to stay more than two. Had some circumstances been different, this wouldn't have been our first choice so I was always one foot out of the door! The years have just flown by though and we've accumulated a lot of stuff so we needed to make a decision - look into renting a bigger place, or stick with our current home a bit longer and save as much as possible to buy a house of our own. Money-wise it finally seemed do-able so that's where we've been at since the start of 2019 and now hopefully within the next year or two we'll be buying our forever home. Obviously owning a place of your own is a massive deal and requires so much thought, research and money so it's important to be as clued up as possible. Here are 4 things I think are vital to consider before putting down an offer, and I'd love to know if you have any other advice!

Photo by Thgusstavo Santana from Pexels

Research Different Areas

Choosing to settle in one place possibly for the rest of your life isn't something to take lightly so it's really important you research different areas and are happy with your decision before putting in any offers. One major thing I'll be looking at is the crime rate of a few areas we're considering. Nowhere is going to be perfect and unfortunately things can happen out of the blue but I want to ensure our new area is as crime free as possible and would be a safe place to maybe raise children one day. Something else to consider is how close-by you are to work and family. Maybe you want to move further afield so don't mind the commute but it's definitely worth doing a trial run to a few places to see how long the journey could be.

Have A Clear Idea Of What You Want/Need In A House

When planning to buy a house, and all the saving it requires, it's likely you'll have already had a think about what you want your next home to be like but when it comes down to actually viewing properties, really be clear on what you're looking for. How many bedrooms do you want? Do you want a project or something that's going to require minimal work? How big of a garden would you like? You don't want to fall in love with somewhere and then realise you've actually underestimated how much work and expense the house will need. It could be whilst looking that you change your mind completely and re-think everything you wanted but it's still good to make note of certain things beforehand.

Save As Much Money As Possible - There's More Than Just The Deposit To Pay

This is probably quite an obvious one but SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. We are ploughing any money we can into our help to buy account and extra savings accounts because every little really does help. Our first aim is to save a certain amount which will cover the deposit we think we'll need but before viewing houses and putting offers down, we want to save extra on top of that. There's more than just the deposit to think about, and whilst that itself is a hefty amount, there's also legal fees, estate agent fees and more which can end up being hundreds of pounds. There's then also the cost of any work you'll need doing immediately. Will you need to buy new sofas? Is there a chance you need a new kitchen? All can be big expenses so it's worth saving as much as you can whilst in your current home so when you do move, you don't need to worry about how you're going to afford everything other than the deposit once you're in.

How Much Work Is Going To Need Doing To The House?

So, this kind of goes with some of my previous points but it's so important. Make sure you have an idea on how much work is going to need doing before you move in. When viewing properties, take a notebook with you or make a list on your phone of what you would change and visualise how you would turn it into your home. Once you know the house is yours, make another list of what the priorities are before and after moving in. Make sure you know which room you want to decorate first and as I said just before, check which furniture you need to buy etc. It's also worth checking if any big electrical appliances need replacing before moving in. Things like ovens and washing machines are obviously vital and will need transporting from one place to the other so make note of companies who can help and get in touch! There are also things like oil boilers to consider in some homes, and if in need of repair, it's good to know who to turn to. A quick Google of Boiler Repair Leeds or similar depending on your location, will list people that are available to assist.

So those are 4 things (out of many) that I'll be considering before buying a house, which hopefully won't be too far in the future. It's such a huge thing in anybody's life so it's really important to be as prepared as possible. I hope these tips have helped you if you're currently looking to get on the property ladder, and I'd love to know if you have any other tips or advice if you've been through the process yourself!

*This post is in collaboration with Woolfoot Heating

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My Dream Bathroom - Things I'm Hoping For In Our Next Home*

I've spoken a few times about how long it took George and I to make each room in our current flat, to our taste. With renting you're kind of limited to what you can change, unless you have a really relaxed landlord, and whilst ours is pretty laidback and has let us put our own stamp on the place, there have still been limitations. When you're a bit of a perfectionist like me though, and someone who when they get an idea into their head, can't stop until it's realised, that can make things a bit tricky. It was only last year after already 4 years in this flat, that we got rid of the horrendous colour that was in our bathroom and redecorated. I much prefer our bathroom now and at times it really does feel like a little sanctuary when I need an hour to myself but it's not exactly the dream. 

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

No, my dream of fancy tiles/light walls/pretty accessories hasn't really come to light because there just isn't the room to make those changes and it's not just our home. Someday someone else will live here so we have to be mindful that we can't make all these massive changes. Because of that though, the bathroom is one of the first rooms I'm keen to get started on once we buy our own home. I already have a Pinterest board going that I keep lusting over and I just can't wait to hopefully see all of my ideas come to life one day. So, with all that being said, here are 4 things I'm hoping for in our next home.

Big Windows

At the moment we have a tiny window in our bathroom and not only is that rubbish for when it's like a sauna in there after a shower (HELL in summer) I also feel like it makes the space feel even smaller. The amount of light getting in isn't great so that means in the Autumn and Winter months especially, the whole room feels dark and cramped. A big window would be brilliant for letting in natural light throughout the day, less time with the actual light switched on and it would mean more air getting in, in the warmer months.

A Roll Top Freestanding Bath

Victorian Vibes are a big trend and make for something really unique, and Roll Top Freestanding Baths are a big part of that. With their luxurious look and placement of taps on the side rather than the end of the bath, not only do they look stunning, but they also allow for more room to lie back and relax. Freestanding baths like this seem to be much more popular now in UK bathrooms and I am here for it. I think they look incredibly classy and are a timeless feature that you could keep for years and years.

Storage Solutions

We are in desperate need of better storage solutions in our next bathroom. One thing that is at the top of my list is a towel radiator so we always have clean towels at hand and I think that's something that though is quite modern, would fit well with more vintage pieces like the bath above. I'd also love to get a piece of furniture like a ladder shelving unit where I could have storage baskets with my fave products in and my stash of bath bombs.

Beautiful Tiling

Another big trend at the moment seems to be tiled flooring like the photo above, and the more photos I see, the more I want it. I love the variety of patterns, shapes and colours available, the possibilities are literally endless. Part of me wants the bathroom to be quite neutral, maybe grey patterned tiles and light pink walls, but then another part of me wants something quite bold on the floor with white walls so they stand out even more.

Writing this has only made me want to properly decorate our own place even more! I've never been someone that is that creative and in the past I've struggled to figure out how I'd like each room to be but there's something really exciting about having a blank canvas and starting all over somewhere new.

Are you a fan of any of the current bathroom trends?

*This post is in collaboration with Bathrooms Direct Yorkshire

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My Packing Tips For Moving House*

We all know moving house can be seriously stressful. The last time George and I moved, which was in 2014, we had a bit of help when it came to packing and unloading everything but the next time, which hopefully won't be too far in the distant future, it's likely to be 10x more work. We've accumulated a LOT of stuff in this flat and I'm already dreading having to pack it all up and start again. I'm hoping to get sorted as early as possible though, making the process far simpler for everyone involved. Aswell as that I have a few other ideas in mind for packing and moving so keep reading if you want to know more!

Check Which Packing Materials You Need

Before even getting started on actually packing, you need to make sure you've actually got all the materials you need. Last time we collected so many random boxes from corners shops but they all came in handy and I'm sure we'll end up doing the same next time too. These are great to store in one room and take out as and when you need them. You'll also need to try and estimate how many boxes you're likely to need for each room and make sure you're clear which boxes have fragile items in as you don't want to be unwrapping broken items on your first day in your new home! It's also good to stock up on tape, newspaper and bubble wrap, just to take extra care when it comes to packaging everything up.

Pack Early

So, let me just expand on what I mentioned at the start of this post. I'm not going to go crazy and get packing our whole life up into boxes months and months in advance but once we've secured a new home, I'll definitely be making a start on the rooms we don't use as often. For us the living room and kitchen are our main areas, whereas the office isn't something that's used every single day. I'd likely start packing up little unimportant bits that I know I won't miss for a while, really as soon as I could. With the amount of stuff we have, each room is going to take days to sort through so any room we can pack up early and get stored away will help us massively.

Consider The Larger Items & Electricals

Whilst all the home decor bits and smaller items from around the home can be packed away into boxes and shipped from your current home to your next place pretty easily, the larger items like the fridge, washing machines, beds etc are all going to require more time set aside. With us currently renting we won't have loads of major appliances to take with us, as they're not ours to take, but for those that do it's important you get prepared before moving day. Furniture will need to be disassembled - make sure all parts are stored together and screws and smaller fittings are in one bag. Fridge & freezers will need time to defrost beforehand, and disconnecting a gas oven will need to be sorted weeks in advance as it requires a gas engineer to visit. A tip would be to make a list of all the larger appliances in your home and gradually go through them all, making sure you know exactly what needs doing and when, and are clear on what is staying or going.

Make Sure You've Hired A Removal Van

If you're going to need help getting from one place to the other on moving day, make sure you book a removal van in advance. There are endless options available in each city but depending on where you're based, The Man Van London are a great company to reach out to. They provide a reliable and professional service meaning they can get all your precious items safely to your new home. We're definitely going to be needing a man and a van next time we move as I'm not sure our small car alone will hold much at all!

So that's 4 of my packing tips for moving house. It's never something that's guaranteed to go perfectly and all sorts of things can crop up on the actual day but making sure you've got started early and have done as much prep as possible, will help things go far smoother than they might have otherwise!

*This post is in collaboration with The Man Van

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Weekend Summary #28 - A Trip To York, Autumnal Homesense Haul & Movie Night

I mentioned in last week's weekend summary which was all about Bear, Baking and a trip to Bakewell, that I really wanted to try and make these posts more of a regular thing again so here I am with another! I doubt they'll end up becoming a weekly thing permanently because most weekends I don't get out of my pj's and I'm pretty boring but last weekend was another fun one so I wanted to document it.

Our weekend started with a trip to York which has become one of George and I's favourite places. We first went last year for a little minimoon, the time has flown by since then, and we went earlier on this year for a day trip but this time was our first visit with Bear. I love getting out to dog-friendly places when we can, it makes for a nice date day for us which is so important nowadays when work has been taking over, and I just think it's fun for Bear to see these new places and meet lots of other dogs. I took loads of photos but I'll just share a few of my faves including Clifford's Tower which looked even better in the sunshine, the pretty umbrellas at Coppergate Walk and York Minster which just never gets old no matter how many times I see it.

It wouldn't be a trip to York without popping into Betty's Tea Rooms. They do the best cakes and the selection they have is huge. I always go for my fave though, the fondant fancy, which you have to try if you spot a Betty's at any point!

I also took advantage of Homesense whilst we were there as we don't have one close-by and this is always the best time of year to visit as it's when all of the autumn stock has just started arriving. It's the best season in my opinion and I'm literally counting down the days til it's here so I couldn't resist picking up a few bits. I stocked up on candles, including a gorgeous Woodfire Apple scented one. It's huge aswell and looks beautiful on my bookshelf. I also got a few mini ones which are such a bargain at £2.99 each in the scents - Fireside Embers which smells like men's aftershave, genuinely one of my favourite scents, and Beech & Apple which is the perfect mix of fresh and sweet. I'd say it's a great scent for transitioning from Summer to Autumn. I also got myself a glass pumpkin too as I've always seen these on Instagram and just never got round to picking one up myself, and a few beauty bits including a Wetbrush which I've been after for ages! It is the best hairbrush I've ever used.

As always Bear had the time of his life just exploring in York, getting loads of fuss from people and then having a big snooze on the way home. I love just walking with him and seeing what we find, I hope he enjoys it as much as I do.

After a day in York, we actually had a pretty chilled weekend which just involved lots of cooking, baking and films. We watched Bridget Jones's Baby which was just as good as I remember, the perfect romcom. We also watched Us which is on the complete other end of the scale in terms of genre but it was so good! More creepy than anything and it had a decent twist at the end, which kind of changed the whole story. George made an amazing madras on Saturday night which I'm still thinking about and I made some Tiffin just in time for the new series of Great British Bake Off. Anyone else happy it's back? I can't wait to have even more of an excuse to bake every week now.

I know these posts might not be the most fun to read so I totally understand if you've struggled through to the end but I just love writing them and they're always a favourite of mine to look back on, which I think is important to do every so often.

Have you got much planned for this weekend?

Similar - My York Travel Guide

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Refreshing Our Home For Summer - 3 Changes I'd Like To Make*

I've said before that whenever a new season starts, I get this urge to change pretty much everything. Whether it's my clothes, makeup or even my home, I just always feel like a new season is the perfect time for a fresh start. With Summer officially starting today I thought now was the perfect time to talk about some of the things I'm hoping to refresh in our home for the warmer months.

Add In Some Colour

I am all about yellow at the moment. It's just the ultimate Summer colour isn't it? Whether it's more of a pastel shade for Spring, brighter than the sun for Summer or a deeper mustard shade for Autumn, it can work well all year round. Our living room has been the same for quite a while now but its always a room I'm never quite finished with and I don't think I ever really will be. To be honest that applies to the whole flat, when you're renting there's always going to be limitations. There's nothing I love more in the colder months than getting snuggled up with a blanket so our living room is always full of them but I want to inject a pop of colour this Summer and I think a simple change could be just swapping those for some brighter throws. I've seen some gorgeous pastel yellow and orange home accessories in places like Matalan, Tesco & New Look so I think I just need to go for it and pick some up. I think brighter colours like this will go so well with our sofas and the copper and gold accessories we already have dotted around. I've also recently added a new print to the wall from Desenio which is a stunning photo of Paris and it has pastel tones throughout, next up is a large mirror which I think will make the space feel so much bigger!

Finally Decorate The Bedroom

I want nothing more than our bedroom to be like a little haven that's actually really enjoyable to spend time in but at the moment I find myself sighing literally everytime I walk in there. It's just not what I imagined it being and going back to the renting issue, we're kind of stuck with it as it is. I'm probably making it sound worse than it is, it's just very basic and I honestly wouldn't know where to start with it. All I know is, we need some new furniture, a new bed would be nice and I feel like I need to completely re-think the colour scheme. It's kind of easy to ignore when I'm not in there but when I am, it's just all OMG. I long for the day I can walk into the room and think yeah this is what I wanted, maybe this Summer that day will come. Or maybe I'll have to wait until we move and then just start from scratch!

Change The Flooring

The final thing I've been thinking about for a long time is changing the flooring throughout the flat. Obviously it's a pretty big job and it's not like it all necessarily needs doing but the rooms that are carpeted, are just past their best! I think that kind of adds to the meh feeling I have for the bedroom and the office, it just needs a big refresh and I think flooring could honestly do that. I've never really known where to start with that though but I love the look of Engineered Wood Flooring. Leading experts Flooring 365 provide high quality engineered wood flooring to people in the UK, at competitive prices. If like me you weren't sure about anything to do with things like this, Engineered Wood is actually the most popular of all wood flooring options and it's long-lasting, moisture resistant and has the quality and design of solid wood flooring. There are lots of options available so it doesn't matter which room you're thinking of re-decorating, they'll have something suitable. I'd really love to get something a little different to what we have now, it would make each room feel so much more luxurious and it would certainly make life easier now we have a dog!

Hopefully we'll get a few things ticked off this Summer with our home, it's a constant work in progress for me. Do you ever feel like changing everything when a new season starts? What changes would you like to make to your home?

*This post is in collaboration with Flooring365

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Pairfum Pink Grapefruit Reed Diffuser Review & Giveaway*

Making sure our home smells gorgeous at all times is really important to me. Of course everyone wants a nice smelling home but honestly I'm obsessed with buying candles, room sprays, reed diffusers, you name it. I just want it to feel cosy and welcoming each day and those things really help with that, so I was thrilled to receive a beautiful reed diffuser from Pairfum recently!

Despite the amount of different brands I try out for the best smelling products, I'd surprisingly not heard of Pairfum before. Now I know though that Pairfum are a brand that offer sophisticated couture perfume for us as individuals and our home. They sell a range of natural products such as room fragrance, boutique perfume and skin care, all of which are made in the UK with pride and passion.

The product I was sent was one of their Classic Reed Diffusers and I chose the scent Pink Grapefruit. There are absolutely loads of scents to choose from including - Black Orchid, Innocent Vanilla, Pink Lavender, Pink Powder & Violet and Cedar Noir just to name a few. It took me a while to decide but I love sweet and fruity scents so I thought grapefruit would be perfect. 

The first thing I want to talk about with these reed diffusers is the packaging. I think it's so pretty and would make a lovely gift this Christmas, maybe for anyone you know who has recently moved or is really into their homeware. I think they look luxurious and chic so if you want to impress, something from Pairfum is definitely worth considering.

The reed diffuser itself is a really decent size with a 100ml of the concentrated perfume oil and 10x natural, extra-long and strong black reeds. They are supposed to last from 3-5 months which I think is absolutely brilliant! I love having reed diffusers around our home but I often find the ones I tend to buy run out so quickly and before I know it, they need replacing. Luckily this one is really long-lasting so it's not one you have to worry about re-purchasing again and again.

The bottle itself is stunning too, with a luxury glass decanter with frosted design and a decorative chrome collar. That's why I think it could make an ideal gift, it really stands out compared to more plain reed diffusers I've tried in the past and it's sure to look beautiful in any room.

So, now onto the actual scent which is the most important thing. Again, I've found with products like this in the past it can be hard to find one that's actually going to have a good scent pay-off and it's going to spread around the home. Well there's no need to worry about that with the reed diffusers from Pairfum. As soon as I took this out of the packaging I got the strong pink grapefruit scent and it really did fill our whole flat even though I'd found a home for it in our bedroom. 

Whilst grapefruit can sometimes be quite a fresh and zingy scent, this is also really sweet which is exactly the sort of fragrance I'd usually go for. Citrus cents are always my favourite and this is just perfect as it has a nice mix of lime, mandarin, jasmine, lily and patchouli too. What I like about this is whilst it is strong enough to evaporate around the whole flat, it's not too powerful meaning we're constantly taking it in if that makes sense. It's just a subtle sweet hit each time you walk in the room but it's not so strong that it becomes unpleasant which has happened with other products in the past.

I've been incredibly impressed with this natural reed diffuser from Pairfum over the last few weeks and whilst they are definitely pricey at £25 each, available from Amazon, they really are high quality and feel very high end. From the packaging, to the bottle and most importantly, the scent, overall it's a lovely product that would look gorgeous in any home.

GIVEAWAY

If you would like to win yourself one of these beautiful Pairfum reed diffusers worth £25, follow the instructions below, and GOOD LUCK!

Win Pairfum Natural Reed Diffuser #1

Have you tried any products from Pairfum before?

*Product provided for the purpose of this post

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