Let's Encourage Older People To Keep Learning And Get Them #BreakingBarriers

By 2050, 15.6% of the global population will be older than 65.

That's a staggering statistic which has huge implications for how we treat our elderly people, for our healthcare services, our pensions and, arguably, the structure of society.

Age shouldn't stop older people from pursuing new hobbies

We are all aware of the double edged sword that is saving for a pension at a time when, although we understand the reasoning behind providing for our old age, the performance of many pension funds is so woeful many of us are relying on the Government to fund our retirement.

And when we do retire, given that we are all living longer, what are we going to do with our time - assuming we are lucky enough to have reasonable health and mobility?

I am 52 and already I can sense that the tide has turned in terms of job opportunities for my age group.  And it's ridiculous. All that knowledge, expertise, training and honest-to-goodness street smarts often put out to grass when a bit of creative management would allow younger and older workers to buddy up, share responsibilities and learn from each other.

As a society, we really need to change our attitude to older people and the elderly themselves (even that word seems inappropriate) need to be encouraged to keep learning, developing and growing without fear of censure from younger generations.

Just because an older person may have mobility issues or require some adaptation to their living quarters such as a walk-in bath or safety rails, it does not mean that their brain is not as quick and agile as it always was.

After all, we are making huge strides in our battle against diseases such as cancer and are learning more and more about how we may better treat and prevent diseases such as dementia, strokes and heart disease.

Our chances of living to a ripe old age are increasing daily and even if we do face mobility challenges, there is a whole industry which has sprung up with innovative products to help us cope.

Of particular importance is helping our older people to remain socially active and a part of their local community.

Bathing Solutions, who specialise in mobility bathrooms are running a brilliant campaign for elderly people called #BreakingBarriers.

The campaign aims to change the perception many of us have about older people by encouraging them to break the social barriers that often face them by learning new skills.

Bathroom Solutions are encouraging older people to learn the importance of #BreakingBarriers

It's encouraging how many older people are getting online, Skyping and using Facebook.  There is a whole range of hobbies or skills they can take up and Bathing Solutions' Breaking Barriers campaign page has links to great resources for some of these such as knitting, Pilates, learning a new language, learning to speed read and cooking like Mary Berry (I need that one!).

The campaign page also allows you to search for courses on your chosen interest in your local community, perhaps in DIY & Practical Skills, Photography or Horticulture & Floristry.

My parents are 77 and they both enjoy their weekly art class.  It's not just the painting they love, but the social interaction and friendships they have made across a range of age groups.

We know that loneliness kills - literally - and it's so important for our elderly to continue to be fully participating members of our society because they still have so much to give.

We really need to ensure that our senior citizens keep #BreakingBarriers.

Find out more at www.bathingsolutions.co.uk/breakingbarriers/

*This is a collaborative post.

Read more

Win A Yankee Candle Riviera Escape Votive Gift Set & £10 Voucher From lovearoma.co.uk

I've been thinking a lot lately about ways to improve your home without spending huge amounts of cash, although it has to be said the Hobbis Towers needs quite a bit of serious renovation.

Aside from changing the soft furnishings or lighting fixtures, a great way to add some pizazz and ring  the changes is by using home fragrance.

Caitlin and I absolutely love Yankee Candles and our Christmas treat each year is the Yankee Candle Advent Wreath or, last year, the Advent House.  There is something really comforting about the variety of scents you find in these and nothing like the romantic glow of candlelight to add atmosphere and a sense of comfort.

In fact, so obsessed am I by this concept that my Amazon wishlist currently contains "The Art of Hygge - How To Bring Danish Cosiness Into Your Life" by Jonny Jackson & Elias Larsen (available to pre-order).

But it is, of course, summer and to celebrate this Yankee Candles has released it's "Riviera Escape" collection of candles and accessories which you can find at Love Aroma, specialists in Home Fragrance.

As well as their online store, Love Aroma has a number of stores across the country and they stock a wide range of home fragrance products, from candles, to diffusers, lamps and accessories. They have also helpfully categorised their fragrances to help you pick something suitable by room, by fragrance and even by occasion.

The company also has a panel of experts in scent and style who have tested every scented candle, diffuser or room spray for its ability to fill rooms with fragrance and look stylish in the home. The panel members come from a variety of backgrounds including perfumery, wine-making, floral design, events, styling, interiors and baking which gives them a wide range of experience when it comes to advising on scent and style.

The scents in the Yankee Candle Riviera Escape Collection are divine.

There is:-

* Riviera Escape - summery, floral & fresh
* Sea Salt & Sage - warm sage with the clean fresh scent of Sea Salt
* Lavender - evocative of a beautiful garden - in England or abroad
* Summer Peach - sweet, comforting
* Sicilian Lemon - fresh, zesty and crisp
* Olive & Thyme - fresh, herbal, musky

Each scent is available in jar, votive or wax melt size.  My favourites are definitely the Sicilian Lemon and the Sea Salt & Sage.

You can also find a wide range of Yankee Candle fragrances in jar size, such as the delicious Mango Peach Salsa Fragrance which we were sent to test in the Medium Jar Size.  This fragrance is sweet and zesty with the scent of juicy mangoes and peaches livened with citrus, ginger flowers and pink pepper.

This was definitely Caitlin's favourite!

If you would like to try the Yankee Riviera Escape fragrances for yourself, I have a votive gift set to give away, together with a £10 gift voucher to use on the Love Aroma website.

I also have a discount code for Mother Distracted readers which entitles you to 20% off your first purchase at Love Aroma valid until the end of July.  Just enter "MotherDistracted" at the checkout page.  There's also free delivery on purchases over £30.

Entry to the giveaway is via the Rafflecopter widget below.  UK entrants only and the usual terms and conditions apply.  The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 8th July 2016.

Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read more

Win A Beautiful Papilion Lightshade from KaiGami.Com Worth £67

Sometimes you want to freshen up a room without the bother of redecorating.  This is particularly true when you have kids. Just the thought of the mess, the dust, the upheaval is enough to make you think twice.

The beautiful Papilion Lightshade from KaiGami.com

A brilliant way to quickly change the look of a room is to play around with your use of lighting and perhaps invest in a new lightshade and I have discovered some beautiful, ornamental shades produced by KaiGami.com which are unique and would definitely be a talking point.

KaiGami is a British company which designs and manufactures functional, aesthetically pleasing, innovative and affordable products for the design-conscious luxury market, whilst exploring premium materials.

One of the things that makes the company different is that 90% of its designs are made using Laser Cutting technology.

Their motto is "The world around you creates you: fill it with beauty” and KaiGami, devised by Guillaume Lyons, draws inspiration from an ancient art form - Origami, invented in the Far East in China in AD 100.

KaiGami follows the principle of origami in the idea that one can create an object from a flat piece of malleable material. KaiGami pieces go beyond the ornamental as each is designed for a specific function and it is important to the company that they support the UK economy by having everything made in Britain.

To create a piece of KaiGami sculptural design a profile, either symmetrical or asymmetrical is cut from a piece of flat malleable material before the final process of creation begins. Once cut the profile is usually bent into shape rather than folded and it is this process that gives each design its curves and volume - quite unlike origami's angular ornaments.

KaiGami lightshades are so unique that they would make an ideal house-warming gift or a present for a design-conscious friend or relative.

KaiGami has kindly given me a Papilion Shade worth £67 to give away.

Inspired by the contours of a butterfly's wings, the shapes created are soft and easy on the eye and evoke the freedom of a butterfly in flight.

The shade is made from Polypropylene, a highly durable material, as are the rivets which hold this light shade together, so it can be easily recycled. The shade is designed to be used with a 60 watt equivalent energy saving lightbulb.

It comes in two sizes:  Large Papillion measures: L 50cm x W 50cm x H 30cm Small Papillion measures: L 35cm x W 35cm x H 25cm.  The shades come either flat packed or assembled for a small additional charge.

The shade I have to give away comes fully assembled. Entry is via the Rafflecopter below and the usual terms and conditions apply.  UK entrants only.  The giveaway ends on Friday 1st July at 11:59 pm.

Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read more

Are You In The Greatest British Family? - Show Your Family Selfie & Win £300 With Prestige!

Prestige, makers of some of the nation's best loved kitchenware, are running a fabulous competition to find the Greatest British Family and to reward them with £300 to spend at Prestige.co.uk.

Now all I have to do is get us all in ONE picture!

Prestige has been at the heart of the British home for more than 75 years and I can certainly remember my mum making casseroles in her Prestige dishes and mixing up a Victoria Sandwich or two.  There was also the unfortunate "bran muffin" phase where she created a cake dense enough to create a partition wall but nobody is allowed to talk about that.

This year Prestige have created a new range of kitchenware in patriotic blue or red with their Vintage Kitchen range - just in time for the Queen's Birthday.

Enamel Mixing Bowls & Ramekins From The Prestige Vintage Kitchen Range

Families have changed over the years but one thing remains the same - the importance of spending time together and making memories and Prestige want to celebrate families everywhere.

How To Enter

Simply submit a family selfie or video that shows what makes your family the greatest in Britain and tell Prestige what sets your family apart from the rest.

It could be family baking together, a trip to the zoo or playing footie on a Saturday morning for example.

All you need to do is upload your family selfie via the submission box on the right hand side of the competition page HERE

You must explain why you're the Greatest British Family in the description and if you wish to submit a video, there's a separate link you'll need to follow.

You can join in the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #greatestbritishfamily after you have entered!

The Prizes

One lucky winner will receive £300 to spend at Prestige.co.uk and there are two £100 prizes for a family member of your choice.

All entrants will automatically receive a Prestige discount code to spend on any Prestige products on the Prestige website.

Closing Date

The competition will close on Sunday 31st July. So what are you waiting for?

Get ending those videos and family selfies.

Good luck and here's that link again.

Read more

Win A Good Clean Summer With Astonish Cleaners

I have to confess that I am new to the Astonish range of cleaning products but came across a forum thread on Mumsnet the other day where I found that at least one of their products is a best kept secret with a myriad of uses.

Given that you can be guaranteed eye-watering levels of honesty on any Mumsnet discussion board, I read on to discover that mums were using Astonish Oven & Cookware Cleaning Paste on grimy light switches, furniture scrapes, burned pans and patio furniture.

I was intrigued and wanted to try some Astonish Products for myself and I was kindly sent a selection to test.

I have to report that the Mumsnet ladies are correct.  The Oven & Cookware Cleaning Paste cuts quickly through grease whilst the Window & Glass Cleaner brings glass up to a lovely shine. The Daily Shower Cleaner can be just sprayed on and left and has a nice fresh fragrance.  (You rinse it off before getting in the shower).

I will be giving the other products a thorough road test .  I don't like to do too much cleaning in one go because it gives the Husband ideas - although sunlight is a real nuisance for showing up dust, isn't it?

If you would like to win a fabulous selection of Astonish cleaners to try for yourself, just read on.

This year, Astonish are encouraging us to have a "good, clean summer" because, as they point out, whilst we all love the taste, sights and sounds of summer – we don’t love the stains and grime that comes from enjoying the sunshine and making the most of the great outdoors!

They have given me a fabulous Good Clean Summer Pack to give away to one lucky winner which will leave their home and clothes as bright as the sunshine.

You can have good clean fun with Astonish’s Oxy Plus Stain Remover, a stain remover that will tackle soiled laundry and get rid of any nasty reminders from your fun filled days.

To get your garden furniture all white and as good as new with the Astonish Oven & Cookware Paste and also blitz that barbecue with Grease Lifter tablets.

There’s also the Stain Remover Target Spray, Fabric Refresher and Clean and Protect Hand wash included in the pack.

What’s more, Astonish will also restock your everyday cleaning essentials – helping you to give your home a quick, daily clean. The essentials include the Daily Shower Cleaner, 4 in 1 Disinfectant Spray, Window and Glass Cleaner, All in 1 Dishwasher Tablets and Fresh Sea Mist Floor Cleaner.

Your good clean summer pack, which will be packaged in a convenient cleaning caddy, contains products that are Vegetarian Society Approved and registered with Cruelty Free International and the Vegan Society.

For more details about Astonish and its range of British manufactured cleaning products please visit www.astonishcleaners.co.uk or www.facebook.com/astonishcleaners

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below. UK entrants only. The usual terms and conditions apply and the giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 3rd June.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck.

Read more

How to Make your Move to a New Home Easy

If you can do anything to help reduce the amount of stress you are under when moving home, then it could be a wise decision to do so. One of the best ways to reduce stress and aggravation when moving home is to use the professional services of a removal company. A removals company can take care of all of the packing up, loading the truck, and unpacking at your new home, which will save you a lot of time and energy.

Image by Kansas Sebastian via Flickr

Getting a Quote

A search on the internet will show that there are many professional companies such as Reads Removals Company in Peterborough that offer a high quality service at a competitive rate. Always make sure that you get as many quotes as you can. You may be able to get a rough quote over the telephone or the internet, but to give you an accurate quote, the company will need to send someone to survey your house. The company representative will visit each room of your home and gauge how much space of a container or truck will be needed to transport your belongings. The quote is generally based on the square footage required to transport your things, and when the company representative is there, it is a good time to ask all of your questions directly, such as:

1. What is included in the quote?

2. What level of insurance do you offer?

3. How long have you been in business?

4. What level of training do your employees undertake?

5. Are there any extras on top of what you quote?

Judging a Company by their Representative

As well as the contact you have with any company in the initial stages, the best way that you can judge a company is by the representative that they send to your home. When we trust someone with all of our worldly possessions, we want to be safe in the knowledge that they are going to be well looked after, and look for such reassurance. The way a company can do this is by sending a personable employee that has excellent communication skills and is easily approachable. Knowledge is also important so that they have the ability to answer any of the hundreds of questions that you may have, and trust me they have heard them all before.

Whether you are looking for companies offering removals in Cambridge, or any other county, you will want the representative to be able to answer any question in an assuring manner, and be able to explain the process that they use.

Making a Decision

You should take into account all factors before choosing which company you are going to use to move your belongings to your new home. The price is important, and so is your impression of the company, along with the quality of their vehicles and also the level of insurance coverage you receive.

All of these factors are very important to consider, with no single one outweighing any of the others. You will need to choose a company that ticks as many of your boxes as possible, even if they might be a little bit more expensive. It is also a good idea to look online for reviews of people’s experiences with your potential moving company. It is good to get an insight into how they operate, and the level of service that they offer.

When you are putting all of your possessions in the hands of someone else, it is reassuring to know that they are being well looked after. Before you know it, you will be settled in your new home, having experienced a stress-free move. 

Read more

Make Your Bay Windows More Beautiful with Curved Radiators

Bay windows are a delightful feature in any home but until now they have also tended to limit the number of heating options available, especially when it comes to fitting the right type of radiator.

Image by Thomas Heyman via Flickr

With the advent of the curved radiator such concerns are truly a thing of the past. Curved radiators are well-designed and efficient and they also come with a dazzling array of colours, finishes and features that can really help lift a tired room to new heights.

Heating Problems Solved With Curved Radiators 

As many home owners with bay or curved windows have realised, it can be very difficult to find a radiator that strikes a balance between functionality, aesthetic form and a minimal footprint.

Large traditional radiators look obtrusive and clunky and due to the unusual angles inherent with bay windows, they tend to be installed too far into the room, stealing precious space.

The ideal radiator placement is below the windowsill or as close to a wall as possible. Bay windows and straight lined radiators have tended to make this difficult to achieve.

Curved radiators easily solve this dilemma because they have been designed to fit into spaces that are also curved. This non-linear solution is ideal because annoying dead space is no longer an issue and the room can also be properly heated and enjoyed as it should be.

A Look For Every Taste 

Curved radiators come in an incredible array of colours and finishes, meaning that there is certain to be something to suit every design situation. Whether your taste is classic and ornate, minimalist, sleek and streamlined or loud, bold and contemporary, the range of looks and materials on offer at Radiator Curving Ltd. makes it easy to find a perfect match.

Just a few of the finishes include subdued ivory, gold, copper and bronze metallic sheens, summery fresh yellows or stark blacks and charcoal greys.

Textured surfaces are also available that can help complement fabrics, furnishings and featured décor and there is even a pressed metal scrolled look that just oozes class and style.

Create A Cosy Reading Nook 

These beautiful curved radiators are so well-made that it would be a pity to hide them away but some people choose to do exactly that. With a bit of creative carpentry many home owners have built enclosures around their radiators which still allow their heat to be dispersed throughout the room, but also add an extra level of utility and flexibility to how the room can be used.

Reading nooks and window seats are a perennial favourite and coupling the right kind of radiator with the appropriate clearance and suitable timber, one can make a cosy seat over the top of the radiator right beside the bay window.

With adequate ventilation, such a set up can actually force the heat to be directed outwards instead of upwards and definitely makes for a toasty seat that takes the chill out of a cold winter’s day.

When seeking decorative heating solutions for bay windows, curved radiators are an innovation whose time has definitely arrived. These elegant and sturdy appliances will bring comfort, warmth and visual delight to any home in which they are installed.

Read more

How Do You Tackle The School Run?

For some reason the media seems a little bit obsessed with the morning school run at the moment. If they’re not reporting on parents being banned from wearing pyjamas at the school gates, they’re now musing about the time we spend getting the kids ready before the bell goes.

Are you organised for the school run?

Hitting the headlines recently has been a debate about the ultra organised, which appears to have first stemmed from this Australian blogger’s post about her personal approach to school organisation, which involves setting up a special headquarters in her home that’s exclusively dedicated to school prep.

It’s a rather nifty idea that many other mums and dads across the globe also seem to have put into action into varying degrees and as articles about the post gained momentum, parents started sharing their own hints and tips for tackling the school run more smoothly.

Feeling inspired? This post will explore the age-old problems that cause parents stress on weekday mornings and offer simple solutions to help you triumph.

Setting up a school station

Setting up a special zone where you keep kids school bags, coats and shoes along with other items such as letters from school, reading books and brollies might at first seem a little extreme. But be honest, how many times have you been late out the door because someone’s shoe had gone missing?

It is of course possible to get everything ready without having a special area of the house dedicated to it, but designating a space to that particular purpose will hopefully stop the chaos spreading and encourage responsibility among children to keep their kit in order!

If you don’t have a dedicated porch or utility room to convert you consider sectioning off a segment of your hallway. You could do this simply with a curtain or install some internal bi-fold doors then if things do start becoming a little bit messy, at least you can close things off.

Ultra-organised mums recommend dividing kids school kit into separate shelves or lockers or using hooks at different levels to create special spots for each child to get ready to leave the house. These IKEA shelves have little cupboards already built in.

Labelling each child’s shelf or hooks and putting up a simple schedule that shows their activities for each day of the week will remind them what they need to back on what day, which should mean less time spent chasing children with PE kits.

Along with their regular weekly routine, you could also include a place where they can record ad hoc weekly activities such as school trips or non-uniform days.

The school run rules

Do you have particular rules that you follow as a family each morning or evening? Perhaps each child is responsible for their own packed lunch? Does homework have to be checked and transferred to schoolbags before bedtime? Do smartphones stay off until everyone is packed up and ready to go?

Maybe you have a quick chat with your little ones before bed to make sure everyone is on track for a fuss free exit? Or perhaps you all have set bathroom times?

We all have little rules that we try and stick to, sometimes they work and others they go out the window but how do you make sure they’re drilled into everyone? Would you go as far as having them printed and put on display?

How much help is too much?

While ultra organisation undoubtedly saves precious time in the mornings and might prevent a row or two also, there has been some debate over just how much of a head start you should give kids with getting ready.

By putting together rules and regulations and specialist school stations, are we taking responsibility away from children and stopping them from developing their own solutions and strategies?

There’s definitely an argument that time saved getting ready means more quality time as a family elsewhere and there’s got to be something said for having parents that are less stressed too.

Technically, a lot of the responsibility for getting things ready could still fall with the kids, leaving you to check things over before departure, but does ultra organisation stop kids from thinking for themselves?

Oh to be organised!

What do you think? Does it pay to be super organised in the morning? Do you already have your own school station in place in your home or perhaps a set of published rules or a timetable for getting ready? What works for you and your kids?

*collaborative post

Read more

Getting Your Garden Ready for Summer

The days are getting that little bit longer as we slowly edge towards summer. Just the small matter of spring in between and once it’s over you can bring out the barbecue and deckchairs.

But put them on hold for now and give your garden a little TLC to make your summer lounging more enjoyable.

A good root to go

Before you start perfecting your outdoor space, remove any weeds and deadhead any of the early flowering shrubs that have flowered and gone already.

It’s also beneficial to thin any older wood while pruning, which will help to improve future growth of plants. Although this stage may seem annoying, it gives you a clean canvas to create your horticultural haven.

All creatures great and small

Make your garden a space for all the family to enjoy, and even get the kids involved in the process. Opt for easy bedding plants, like Sweet Peas, Busy Lizzies, or Lobelia, that are easy to plant — meaning they’re great for mini gardeners.

Or how about placing these in hanging baskets, adding a splash of colour to all angles of your garden?

Pop out bird or squirrel feeders and your garden may just become a little more exciting, with small visitors other than your own children!

Additional characters 

‘Garden ornaments’ doesn’t necessarily have to mean covering your garden in gnomes, cute as they may sometimes be.

How about beautiful butterfly mosaic ornaments, or ladybugs and toadstools? Be creative. There’s plenty to choose from.

Al fresco dining

No British summer is complete without a barbecue or two (no matter how damp they might be), so invest in a barbecue that you don’t need to dispose of this year.

It doesn’t need to break the budget, opt for a small ‘bucket barbecue’ which is low-cost and ideal for smaller spaces, or, splash out and go for a larger, gas barbecue. Either way, the burgers will go down a treat!

A midsummer night’s dream 

Transform your child friendly garden into a relaxed space in which to unwind on a cool summer evening.

Coil cute, low-budget-friendly outdoor fairy lights around garden walls, fences, benches, or any object that would benefit from a little bit of twinkle.

Or, how about some mosaic tea light holders, perfect for citronella tea lights to keep the midges at bay?

Add a patio heater and those nights won’t seem quite so chilly. All that’s left to do is put your feet up and enjoy your beautiful garden under the starry, silver sky.

Gardening is fun for the whole family and those little green fingertips might just make this job a whole lot easier. Roll out the picnic blanket, and roll on summer!

Images by and likeaduck and Accretion Disc, used under Creative Commons licence

*collaborative post

Read more

How To Perfect Your Indoor Lighting

How you choose to light up the inside of your property can either make or break your entire home decor style.

If you get it right, your lighting can make your rooms appear spacious and fresh, while failing to get your illuminations spot on can leave your spaces looking drab and dreary.

So, if you’re keen to up your brightness levels at home, here are some tips on how you can achieve indoor lighting perfection.

Update your fixtures 

Simply updating your current fixtures could help to enhance your indoor lighting and make a huge difference to the general look and feel of your home.

Worn-out looking fixtures and fittings can cause your decor to look outdated, so you could upgrade to give your abode an instant facelift.

For example, instead of relying on a hanging ceiling light in your hallway, you could open up the space by ditching this in favour of a couple of wall-mounted fittings instead.

Meanwhile, you could fix wall up-lighter models onto your dining room walls to eliminate the need for corner lamps that take up unnecessary floor space.

Browsing the products available from your local interior design store or from an online retailer such as The Lighting Superstore should give you plenty of inspiration before you consider making an upgrade.

Take control with dimmer switches 

Installing dimmer switches in your home is a great way to take control of your interior lighting.

Having this feature available on your more prominent fixtures allows you to decide on the level of brightness emitted and, in turn, enables you to create the perfect atmosphere in each room.

Whether you want to illuminate your living space of an evening or create a subtle yet romantic glow in your bedroom, dimmer switches allow you to dictate the intensity of your indoor lights.

Pay attention to corners

To ensure your home is perfectly lit, you’ll need to pay some attention to the smaller spaces within your rooms too.

While you may not think twice about the corners of your study or the alcove in your guest bedroom, leaving these areas in darkness could be putting a dampener on your overall interior look.

After all, if you made the effort to illuminate these crooks and crevices, you might find that the functionality of your rooms improves, creating a much more homely and attractive-looking space.

Creating a perfectly lit home could be easier than you think, especially if you take suggestions like these into consideration.

Read more

Interior styling mistakes you need to avoid

Styling your home isn’t always easy, and if you’re lacking in knowledge when it comes to interior design, you could be making some mistakes.

A room is a blank canvas just waiting for you to unlease your creativity

Let’s take a look at three decor blunders that you need to avoid in order to create your ideal home.

1. Skimping on the finer details 

While it’s vital to ensure that your home is filled with essential pieces of furniture, it’s just as important to pay close attention to the finer details too.

For example, soft furnishings can help tie just about any room together, so you may want to focus on these home accessories first.

You could keep the room neutral and add a splash of colour using cushions and curtains as accents

Whether you decide to swap your shabby looking window dressings for some stunning eyelet curtains or ditch your drab duvet cover for a luxuriously soft and stylish bed linen set, you should find that there are a whole host of high-quality accessories available that can help improve the look and feel of each room.

With so much choice available, there is no reason why you should skimp when it comes to these finishing touches.

2. Failing to think about arrangement 

Regardless of whether it’s your bedroom or kitchen, failing to think about how the room is arranged could be seriously letting your home down.

Every room in your property has a different use, so it’s important to make sure that the way in which you organize each space is fit for its individual purpose.

For example, it’s likely that your living area is where you like to relax and occasionally entertain guests.

Add your personality with some quirky accessories

With that in mind, you could position your sofas to create a communal seating area, and perhaps place a coffee table in the center and add a couple of side tables for extra convenience.

No matter which room you are arranging, it pays to give careful thought to how you can make the space as comfortable and practical as possible.

3. Having too much on display 

From vases and photo frames to ornaments and candle holders, the chances are there are a whole array of home accessories that you want to show off.

However, having too much on display could be making your home appear cluttered and chaotic, creating a disorderly and distracting vibe.

Too much clutter creates a discordant atmosphere

It’s important to remember that less is more when it comes to trinkets and knick-knacks. To solve this issue, you could simply remove a few items, keeping your favourite pieces in prominent and visible places.

If you’re guilty of making any of these interior design mistakes, taking this advice on board should enable you to create the stylish home you’ve always wanted.

*collaborative post

Read more

Will Doing Up Your Kitchen Help To Sell Your House?

The old saying is very true. The kitchen really is the heart of the home - even if, in our case, it looks like we've been hosting one very long party.  

But, does renovating your kitchen pay dividends when it's time to sell? Will it really add value to your home? Will it help to sell your home quicker?

Image credit:  By Mocolocco

It's very easy to get 'kitchen' envy.  I love reading homes and gardens magazines and planning my dream kitchen which would include a new oven, beautiful granite worktops, one of the floating islands for us all to sit at in the morning and drink our freshly blended juices whilst sprinkling chia seed on yoghurt and sharing our family goals.

Yes I jest.  A bit.

We put a new kitchen in the home I inhabited as a singleton with my overweight and sadly deceased cat Samson and we paid around £7,000 at the time.  There were no new white goods, just cupboards and worktops.  That was in 2008.

So, when we came across a showroom for one of the top kitchen manufacturing brands, I was intrigued to know how much a brand new kitchen would cost.

We wandered in whilst praying Ieuan didn't fall off the precariously high breakfast bar chairs and Caitlin didn't place an order with the staff for us (it's been known).

We need to rip out the suspended ceiling and rethink storage

I admired a white, Shaker-style set of units together with gleaming double-oven, wine rack and those clever corner units which allow you to reach all your pots and pans without dislocating a shoulder. The sales lady helpfully calculated the cost for me just so I could have an 'idea of what to budget for'. I nearly fell of the nicely padded stool  £25,000 with fitting on top.

Much as we love our current home, we are hoping to move up one more time in the next few years to a house which has a bigger room for Ieuan so I can't see the point in a whacking great investment like that when we are likely to leave it behind in the relatively near future anyway.

I used to think that adding a decent kitchen to a property might increase its value, but whilst it's certainly one of the most popular home improvements, I'm not sure that's true these day.  Basements, loft conversations and extensions seem to be more popular improvements, together with adding extra light.

Either way, to install a brand new top of the range kitchen with a view to recouping the cost on the sale of the property seems to be risky. A better approach would be to make some minor upgrades such as replacing unit doors and tiles.

Stuff everywhere - it might need more than just a few minor adjustments to the design

Luckily there are some great sources of information online to help you with your kitchen design such as Homify which cleverly combines design ideas with products, professionals and even a community forum where you can discuss your renovation plans.  You can even search by style and popularity and create your own look book so that you can really keep up with the Jones'!

The most important thing, I think, is to create an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable and which caters to the need of the activities you undertake the most frequently.

The Dormy—Kitchen/Breakfast Room by Jigsaw Interior Architecture

I love the light, airy spaciousness of this kitchen, but the rustic cosiness of the one above.  Light, neutral colours really open out the space.

by Studio Maggiore Architettura

The space should really be set up to encourage the family to spend time together.  Even though this space seems quite narrow, it is still welcoming.  That table would be a great place for the kids to do their homework after school.

Bent Kitchen by Diane Berry Kitchens

I love how the splash of lime green makes the space come alive.

Sentosa Beach House by Design Intervention

I love the detail in the worktop and the light shades.

The great thing about sites like Homify is that they help you to crystalise in your mind what really works for you in terms of design.

You can then carry on your research and carry out your project management according to the budget you have set aside - even though if the TVprogramme Grand Designs is anything to go buy, building in a safety net of an extra 20% or so would seem to be a good idea.

Our starting point is to get rid of the suspended ceiling and then we will start our redesign.

Just one of our many DIY projects this year.

*collaborative post

Read more

Snuggle Up With Taylor or Johnny Tonight - ChattyPillow Pillow Case Giveaway

If the love of your life is unlikely to be with you on Valentine's Day this year, then why not snuggle up to Johnny Slept or Taylor Sleep?

Johnny Slept - £12.00

These quirky ChattyPillow pillowcases are made by fun sock company ChattyFeet from 100% cotton and are sure to brighten up the most lacklustre of winter evenings.

Do they remind you of anyone?

They would make an ideal gift for the hopeless romantic or the positively love-lorn. Each pillow case costs £12.00 or £22.00 for a pair and I have a pair to giveaway (one Johnny Slept and one Taylor Sleep).  Details of the giveaway are below.

Taylor Sleep - £12.00

Chatty Feet also make a great range of socks featuring characters such as Prof. Brian Sox and Kate Middle-Toe Socks!

Prof Brian Socks - £7.50

Kate Middle-Toe Socks - £7.50

The socks also come in children's sizes from 12 months up to 10 years.  Adult sizes are from UK4 up to UK12.

Much more interesting than plain black socks and a definite ice-breaker.  Plus, they'd make really good sock puppets to amuse the kids.  Bonus!

Now to the giveaway and I'm asking - which is your favourite sock character from the ChattyFeet range?  Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below.  The usual terms and conditions apply. UK entrants only. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Monday 8th February.  Good luck!

The Giveaway Prize

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Like this giveaway?  Please share with your friends by clicking the social icon buttons below this post. Thank you!

Read more

How To Make Your Child's Bedroom More Fun

I’ve heard a lot of parents say that kids bedrooms should be neutral spaces so that they’re easy to redecorate as they grow up. However, I am a big believer in making children’s bedrooms places that are as fun and enjoyable as possible. It is their bedroom after all, so it should be somewhere that they love spending time in. Plus, if your child likes their room, they’re more likely to sleep in their own bed, instead of yours.

Your child’s room should not only be a fun space but also, somewhere that is creative. That’s why, when it comes to the decor and design, you need to think like a child. Ask yourself what is your child’s favourite colour? Who is his or her hero? What games does he or she love to play? When it comes to designing a space your child will like, it’s all about thinking like them.

To help you design a bedroom that your child will love spending time in, here are a few tips and ideas.

Incorporate bright colours 

Picture source: Flickr 

For a child’s bedroom, bright colours are a must. If you design a bedroom that’s a dull, dreary space, the chances are that your little one won’t want to spend time in there. However, if you pack the space with colour, they’re bound to love it.

The easiest way to add colour to the space is by painting the walls in a bright shade of their choice. Or using wallpaper, to add extra colour. However, if you live in rented accommodation, the chances are that you’re not able to use paint or wallpaper.

The fact that you’re not allowed to make any permanent changes doesn’t have to affect how colourful the space is. As instead, you can add colour with accessories. Bright and bold curtains, rugs, wall art, bedding, and storage space, can be all it takes to create a beautifully colourful space.

For decor, use kids toys

Instead of using ornaments for decor, like your would in an adult space, use toys. This gives the room a more fun and child-like vibe. As well as using actual toys as decor, look online for decor that is designed to look like toys. For instance, you can get storage space that is designed like a race car or a fairy castle. Or, rugs that are shaped like a football or flower.

On the walls, instead of hanging wall art, consider using board games. You’ll find plenty of sites online sell board games that come with hooks and can be used as an alternative to wall art. These can make the room feel more fun and more child-friendly.

Pick the perfect bed design 

Image credit

When it comes to choosing the bed, it’s a good idea to think carefully about the design that you opt for. While it’s true that a plain frame design will grow with your child, it’s not as fun or exciting as a bed that’s a little different. For a bed that will allow your child’s imagination to grow, check out these unique cabin beds from Cuckooland. While they might cost a little more than a regular bed frame, they are ten times more exciting.

Be creative with lighting 

For lampshades, get creative. Don’t just opt for boring ones, think outside the box. Instead of a normal lampshade, how about one shaped like the globe? To get an idea of what lampshade designs there are to choose from, have a look online. If you know where to look, there are some excellent novelty ones that kids will love.

Little kids are often scared of the dark, so it’s important to be creative with lighting in their room. On the ceiling, pop glow-in-the-dark stars, so that even when the lights are off, they can still see what’s around them. It’s also a good idea to add a nightlight beside the bed, so that if they wake up in the night, they’re not scared.

So if you want to design your child a bedroom that he or she loves, take note of the tips above.

Read more

5 Creative Christmas Entertaining Made Easy Guides To Give Away

As Christmas creeps ever closer, it’s time to start planning those festive get-togethers in earnest.

To make your holiday dinner parties all the better this year, the award winning Pudding Bridge has everything you need to host the perfect event in an inspirational collection of brand new how-to guides that is available right now for just £16.

Pudding Bridge is a wedding and event hire company owned and managed by Helen Hopkins. She has created her own range of innovative products that enable clients to transform any event into dazzling celebrations. From the fun and funky ‘Booth in a Box’ to the elegant and glamorous Sequin Collection, Pudding Bridge creates breathtakingly beautiful celebrations.

Creative Christmas Entertaining Made Easy is the perfect mix of creative projects, recipes, ideas and advice.

Featuring step-by-step craft guides, instructional videos and helpful printables, you’ll learn how to make gilded crockery, embellished napkins, floral arrangements, cocktails & mocktails, canapés and much more. It’s also full of down-to-earth advice that makes hosting easy.

Says Helen: “Christmas gives us all the perfect excuse to get friends and family together for a party but sometimes, you just need a little help bringing it all together. My Christmas tutorials give you absolutely everything you need to host a fabulous event.”

“We do put a lot of pressure on ourselves at Christmas so following my tutorials is like having an extra pair of helping hands when you’re preparing to party. For example, if you work through my two hour countdown you’ll have time for everything and the evening will be as much fun for you as is it for you guests. Plus, there are plenty of creative projects and recipes to try and nothing takes longer than an hour – perfect for maximum impact in the least amount of time!”

So, here are Helen’s top ten tips for stress-free parties this Christmas:

1. Get prepared! The most you can do in advance the better. So, try to complete all household chores a day or so before.

2. Stock up! Do an online shop that’s timed to arrive when you need it to so you’re not rushing around. Don’t forget kitchen supplies, loo rolls and bin bags!

3. Keep it simple! Complicated menus sound amazing but pile on the pressure. Keep it simple with my tried-and-tested recipes that everyone will love.

4. Cut down on washing up! Place a little stack of cocktail napkins next to each plate of nibbles so you guests can use these rather than plates. Also, my killer one pot main course means your dishwasher won’t be struggling to cope!

5. Don’t pour drinks! Pouring endless drinks for guests will keep you busy when you could be having fun. Set up a drinks station with jugs of cocktails, plenty of ice and glasses on hand so guests can help themselves.

6. Lower the lighting! Bright light is a no-no so switch on those fairy lights on and use lots of candles to create a cosy, intimate feel.

7. Prep the playlist! Pull together your playlist before the event so you’ve got your sound track sorted in advance. Don’t forget, a few cheesy tunes will make everyone smile!

8. Start clean! Starting with a clean kitchen, clear counter tops and an empty dishwasher is a great idea.

9. Lay the table early! Do this well in advance so that if guests arrive early, you look like you’re ready for them even if you’re still in the kitchen. Follow the step-by-step instructions in Creative Christmas Entertaining Made Easy to make sure everything looks amazing or download Pudding Bridge’s Perfect Christmas Table guide.

10. Timers are your friend! Using timers alongside my two-hour countdown will mean that you don’t miss anything and you can serve your dinner on time and with a smile on your face.

So, for the prettiest, easiest and most stress-free festive party, all you need is Creative Christmas Entertaining Made Easy which is now available from Groupon for £16.

I have 5 copies of this online guide to give away.  Entry is via the Rafflecopter.  Terms & Conditions apply.  The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 20th December.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Like what you've read?  Why not join me on the Mother Distracted Facebook page, tweet me on @lindahobbis or follow me on Instagram.

More Free Competitions At www.theprizefinder.com.

Read more

Do You Know Your Flood Risk? Free downloadable ‘Homeowners Guide to Flood Resilience’ Launched.‏

With the Government this week announcing an additional £51 million to support households and businesses affected by last weekend’s devastating floods in Cumbria and Lancashire, the Know Your Flood Risk campaign has launched a new ‘Homeowners’ Guide to Flood Resilience’.

"The Homeowners Guide To Flood Resilience"

The free guide provides advice on how to determine your flood risk, how to plan against flooding, as well as offer guidance on flood resistance measures, appropriate property level flood products and community-based measures.

Know Your Flood Risk is a campaign raising awareness of the risk of flooding from all sources - not just from the river, sea, or a visible water course. The majority of flood insurance claims are for surface water flooding where there is no obvious water to alert a homeowner to the potential risk.

The campaign provides essential practical guidance to enable homeowners and property professionals mitigate against and prepare for the risk of being flooded.

This guide, which is written especially with the homeowner in mind, hopes to reduce the worry about what property level flood products to use, and illustrates the variety of ways a home can become resilient to being flooded.

The campaign also supplies a property-specific flood report for £24 which can be used by homeowners to help identify the potential risk, as well as confirm whether they will be able to obtain insurance at standard terms.

Mary Dhonau OBE HonRICS HonDSc, Chief Executive of the Know Your Flood Risk campaign said: “This time exactly 15 years ago, I had flood water in my home – the second flood in only just a few weeks – so I know exactly how dreadful being flooded is, and to be flooded at Christmas time makes it all the more appalling.

With the announcement of grants for those newly flooded, this guide will be an excellent resource for those thinking about trying to reduce their risk. The prospect of trying to reduce flood risk to your home can be a baffling one, with many people not knowing how to go about this other than resort to the humble and extremely inefficient sandbag. This Homeowners’ Guide is here to help. In addition, for those thinking about installing flood resilient repair, we have an excellent case study, which details the types of interventions that can be made.”

Concludes Mary: “Sadly, flooding is set to get worse and it is essential that we not only know our own flood risk, but prepare in advance and take moves to make our homes more resilient to being flooded. We hope that by launching the new guide it will help inform homeowners as to what can be done to reduce the impact a flood can have and in turn reduce the misery that being flooded brings with it.”

The Know Your Flood Risk Campaign’s mission is to raise awareness of the risk of flooding from all sources. It is one of the UK’s leading online resources for helping people find out the flood risk related to their current or future homes.

To download a copy of its free guide click HERE.

A free-to-download Flood Risk mobile app is also available to quickly assess whether a postcode is considered to be at risk of flooding.

To download the app from iTunes, click on: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id941612469.

For more information, visit www.knowyourfloodrisk.co.uk or follow the Know Your Flood Risk campaign on Twitter.

Read more

Creating the Ultimate Kid's Bedroom

At the moment, Caitlin and Ieuan are lucky enough to have their own rooms but, being younger, Ieuan is in what you might call the 'box room' and he is already well aware that his sister has more terroritory than he has.

One of our projects for 2016 is going to be the revamp of his room to create a den any boy would be proud of.

A child’s bedroom should be a great place to play, study and sleep, and the design of a child’s bedroom can actually be beneficial to their development.

Decorating a kid’s bedroom offers lots of opportunities for creativity and a great way to nurture your child’s interests and passions. Is your child a fan of dinosaurs, or are princesses more of their thing? Are they more cool or cosy? No matter what your child loves, you can turn their bedroom into a space that they love and want to spend time in.

Décor

There are so many options for decorating your child’s room. You can’t go wrong with starting with their interests and going from there. For example, if your child likes water then you can paint the walls blue, decorate them with fish and make it look like the room’s underwater.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, keeping things cool and stylish can be great, especially for older children that may be growing out of their childhood interests and moving towards a more mature identity. For rooms like this, you can’t go wrong with bold and bright colours mixed with more neutral decoration will make for a cool and stylish bedroom.

Sometimes, there’s no better way to create a bedroom that your child loves than by letting the child decide for themselves. Having white boards fitted on the walls lets your child decorate their own room as little or as often as they’d like. Sometimes there’s nothing better than a blank canvas!

Furniture

Kitting out a child’s room with the right furniture, which can be used for various purposes. Sets of shelves can be used to store book, toys and trinkets, and a desk properly placed can make for a great study space. And, of course, there’s the bed. While it’s important that your child has a comfortable place to sleep it’s also important that it fits in with the theme of the room.

For example, if you have a daughter that likes to have sleepovers, then a wooden white guest bed is perfect for a girl’s room. The neutral white finish will suit almost any décor, the simple frame looks great, and the structure means that you can turn the single frame into a double or twin beds. These extra frames are stored within the bed, meaning that storage won’t be a problem. Bedstar provides a great range of beds suitable for children of all ages, offering fantastic comfort and style that would make an excellent addition to any child’s bedroom.

The most important thing is to remember that it’s your child’s room at the end of the day, and it should look the way that they want it to. Work with them to create their ultimate dream bedroom.

Read more