Getting your first home in shape

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Congratulations, you are a home owner.

There is something special about taking possession of the keys to your first home and it is certainly a huge achievement.

Turning a house into a home however, can be a costly exercise, but fret not, we are here with some simple steps that will allow you to make your abode your own without doubling the mortgage.

Clean out the dirt
Even if you have bought a brand-new property, we would suggest you go in and give your new place a thorough clean before you do anything else. Dusting, hoovering, polishing and disinfecting will rid your home of any dirt and bugs and give you a totally blank canvas for the next step of your life.

Don’t blow the budget on day one
Heading straight to the High Street the moment the last box is unpacked, isn’t the best plan. It might be boring but making a list of exactly what you already have, costs nothing and could save you a small fortune. Ask yourself whether you need everything you have already got, what can be moved into other rooms and anything you don’t need can be sold, given away or donated to the charity shop.

Paint the walls
A quick lick of paint is a super easy, pretty inexpensive way to give your home an instant lift and to give it your own stamp. We would suggest going for a soft white or pale grey that can run through the entire property. If you want to make a splash in one or two rooms, go for a striking statement wall in a strong blue, mustard or pink which will offer not only a pop of colour but a glamorous edge too.

Add light with mirrors
If you want to add bursts of light to your rooms and shimmer to your walls, mirrors are the perfect solution. Strategically placing mirrors on walls will add depth and light and also give an air of sophistication if you choose ones with a gold or wooden frame.

Call in favours
If this is the first home of your own, call in the favours when it comes to essential furniture, decorations and even pots and pans. Make a list of what you need and while it might not be perfect, you will be amazed at what family and friends have in their garages and shed gathering dust and cobwebs. Start asking around, put posts on social media and go to garage sales and boot fairs and you’ll have all you need in no time and can replace with new when the time is right.

Take it one room at a time
When you are ready to do some work, take it one room at a time. As you will have seen from the TV property shows, renovation projects can be costly, stressful and often take far longer than expected. Whether you need a new kitchen, the bathroom need replacing as the current one is a ‘70s shade of avocado or the conservatory needs taking down, start at the beginning and don’t take on more than you can achieve – this is a marathon not a sprint.

Relax
Last but by no means least, please relax. You only buy your first home once, so make sure you enjoy it and realise what a massive milestone this is. One of the best parts of buying a new house is the freedom to do what you like with it, when you want, so embrace it and have fun.

Team Pure Beauty

Good Health for the New Term

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The uniforms have been bought and labels have been stuck on, the shoes have been shined and the new pencil cases are the cleanest they will ever be. While we know it is important to get their kit ready when it comes to the new school term, it is also worth looking at your children’s health too.

While you can’t stop them catching colds and picking up bugs, you can give them the best start to good health and we have got some top tips so you can help them feel their best.

Immune System Boost
School children are constantly picking up colds and viruses, so it is really important to keep their immune systems strong. As well as a healthy diet, packed with fruit and vegetables, it might be worth giving them a kid’s multi-vitamin supplement to plug the gaps and keep them healthy. Do speak to your GP or pharmacist about which product is best for your child and remember that as well as those key vitamins we all know about, as the nights draw in and there is less sunlight, added Vitamin D could be a smart move too.

Treat Head Lice
Head lice are quickly spread by head-to-head contact and with children playing close together, it is no wonder they can become rife, fast when the new term starts. Clean hair, dirty hair, long or short – it really doesn’t matter, these little bugs simply want to get onto your child’s scalp so the best thing you can do is check hair on a regular basis and if there is a lot of itching going on, it might be a clear sign something is up. If you find your child does have head lice, you can start to combat the problem by combing conditioner through their wet hair using a special fine-toothed comb. This method can help to remove the head lice and nits (empty shells) but if this doesn’t work you can use a natural (often tea tree based) or chemical lotion instead to blast the bugs away.

Keep Backs Healthy
It isn’t just adults who suffer from back pain, thanks to heavy bags and poor posture, children are increasingly being plagued too. Yes, they need to take in books, laptops and sports kits, but using a rucksack and carrying their load on both shoulders is a back healthy way to go. Sitting up in class and stretching at the end of the day can also help even things out and keep spines happy.

Communicate
It isn’t just physical well-being that is important for children, but emotional health too. With almost a quarter of 14-year-old girls found to have used self-harm as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression, it is really important to try to keep an open line of communication with your children. We know this isn’t always easy and that when there are problems opening up can be hard, but try to have those conversations and see where help is needed. Keep an eye on much time is being spent on screens, whether there is withdrawal from family life and if you are worried, speak to a teacher or your GP about getting more support and advice.

Bedtime
Every family has different rules when it comes to bedtime and screens. The reality is that mobile devices are often found in the bedroom late at night and these can impact sleep and overall health. Find a plan that works for you and your children, decide on a bedtime, ensure homework is done so there are no last-minute panics that impact stress and sleep, and ensure mobiles are turned off and there is no under the duvet texting which means getting up the next day is tough.

Good luck!

Team Pure Beauty

Get a clean home, faster

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Let’s face it, there are better things to do with our time than clean our homes, but it is a necessary evil unless you want to live in a mess, or have the cash to pay someone to do it for you.

One of the biggest mistake people make when they are cleaning is to do it room by room (aka ‘zone cleaning’) which is slow and you can do it much faster, and better, if you take a different approach.

Focussing on just one area, may mean doing a great job on your counters which will sparkle and shine, but the cooker will still be dirty and as for the bathroom, well you won’t get time to go there if you are too busy folding the ironing for the next morning.

The reality is, if you put a system in place that is quick and efficient, you will have more time to do the things you really love.

Pick a Day
It can be any day, but pick a day when you can really get on top of your cleaning and this will automatically take some of the pressure off. We know this sounds daft, but doing this will make the rest of your week so much easier and you can get your partner, flatmate or kids doing jobs too! Maybe go for Sunday morning and then you can reward yourself with a roast dinner (wiping up gravy of course), or a Friday afternoon before you go out and then you can really let your hair down knowing it is done.

Start by Dusting
Dust each room, including the tops of all your furniture, the undersides of shelves and the books, as well as picture frames, TV screens and the bits and pieces we all collect that don’t really have a home. The best way to do this is to dust dry, when things are wet is so much harder. If you want to get rid of smudges and finger prints then use a clean microfibre cloth and good quality polish.

Clean Fabrics
Putting on the washing as you clean will make the most of your time and it will feel like everything is clean in your home, for a little while at least. Strip and remake the bed beds, tidy cushions and put throws back onto sofas neatly, vacuum your curtains and clean animal beds out too.

Clean Mirrors and Glass
Wipe down all the mirrors and windows in your home as they pick up a lot of dust and when the sun shines, it will show up and look like you haven’t cleaned for ages. One handy tip is to use one wet and one dry microfiber cloth as this will clean away dust and dirt but won’t leave behind lines and streaks.

Clean your Surfaces
Wipe down all the surfaces and counters in your home in one go. Move from room to room, disinfecting if necessary, and make sure you clean door handles, light switches, TV remotes, mobile devices and phones as these are full of nasty germs. If you have any illness or bugs in the home, make sure you do this at least once a day to stop anything spreading! Also leave cleaning items in bathrooms so you can wash during the week and prevent a massive build up of dirt to tackle on cleaning day. If you can, use environmentally sound protects, wear gloves to protect your hands, and always apply cream when you are done.

Get to Grips with the Bathroom and Kitchen
Walk through your bathroom and kitchen, spraying cleaner on your baths, sinks and toilets as you go – not on the carpets or floors of course. Then return and clean the bathroom and wash shower curtains and towels once the bedding is done. When it comes to the kitchen, wipe down the inside of the microwave, as well as cabinet and appliance doors before getting to work on the sink and table tops. Empty and bleach the bins so they are really clean and make sure everything sparkles, including the draining board.

Next to the Floors
Sweep, then mop or scrub the bathroom and kitchen floors, making sure you really get to those hard to clean areas as this is where nasties can hide and bacteria can hide.

Get the Vacuum Out
Last of all, vacuum the carpers in your bedrooms, down the stairs, through the living room and into the hallway, moving furniture so you get rid of the dust that can make you cough.

Now, put the kettle on and admire your hard work as you enjoy a cup of tea.

Team Pure-Beauty