Life Hacks

lifestyle Life Hacks

How to ‘Marie Kondo’ your diet

Meal planning is one of the easiest ways to maintain a healthy diet. It plays a key role in staying consistent, which is the foundation of any lifestyle change. Not only will a meal planning help you achieve your health goals, but it can also help you save money and time in the long-term. So how can we organise our diet? Registered Nutritionist Sophie Thurner shares her tips which include…

Start by tidying up your kitchen, get rid of items you don’t need and store items by size in little containers by frequency of use.

2. Take 15 minutes on a Sunday to think about what meals you want to prepare for the week and write down everything you need for it. This will result in a more organised, targeted grocery shop that will have you spend less time browsing around, trying to decide what to get, and going for offers that don’t really have you save money in the end (3 for 2 – you never really need 3 of anything).

3. Take a couple of hours on your free day to batchcook the meals. Batch-cooking and freezing is extremely time-efficient. The washing up only has to be done once and you can have perfectly portioned meals, nicely labelled in freezer-proof containers. That way, when we don’t have the energy to cook, we can look forward to a lovely homecooked nutritious meal.

UNDERSTAND YOUR BILLS! According to a YouGov poll conducted for see if these readings are estimated (E), or actual Uswitch, 60% of us find energy bills difficult to (A). Estimated figures are based either on your understand. So here are some common terms previous consumption or the national averages. and what they mean… kWh: A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is simply a unit of Actual readings are based on the most recent meter readings you’ve submitted. measurement. It’s equivalent to the amount of energy used when you run a 1,000-watt appliance for one hour. IGT charges: IGT stands for Independent Gas Transporter, which is a type of network separate to the National Grid. Some small suppliers charge extra for supplying this type of home. Cubic feet: This is another unit of measurement, used to record the volume of gas you’ve used in MPAN: The meter point administration number cubic feet or cubic metres. One cubic metre is (MPAN) is also sometimes called your "S" or supply equivalent to 35 cubic feet. number. You’ll find it on your electric meter at home. Calorific Value: The calorific value (CV) is used to describe the amount of heat generated when MPRN: The meter point reference number (MPRN) a volume of gas is burned away. This can vary by region and will be displayed on your gas bill. This is the number assigned to your property’s gas meter. measures how efficiently your gas is used. Standing charges: When you look at a breakdown Economy 7/Economy 10: These refer to a type of electricity tariff that uses different energy of your bills, you’ll see standing charges referenced. All plans must include a standing prices for day and night consumption. Electricity charge according to Ofgem regulations. This is used during the night period will cost less than a fixed amount covering the costs of network electricity used in the daytime. For an Economy 7 plan, this will cover a 7-hour period, while the connection and distribution. Some suppliers charge £0.00 to get around this requirement. Economy 10 structure will cover 10 hours. VAT: The standard VAT rate is currently capped at Estimated readings: Your energy bill is based on the amount of gas and electricity your household 5%. All energy bills will show unit prices before VAT, so it’s important to include this in your final uses. Next to the meter reading section, you’ll price if it’s not already factored in.

Aside from looking nice in your home, did you know that plants bring with them many health benefits too? Here’s Wilko’s guide to helpful houseplants – and how to take care of them.

Cactus plants: Cacti help to remove carbon dioxide in the air by absorbing it and then supplying us with fresh oxygen to breathe. They are easy to care for as they require very little watering. Miniature cacti look great on a home office desk – perfect for those who like clean, contemporary living spaces.

Snake plants: Snake plants have a lot of character and resemble the skin of a reptile with long, dark green leaves with colourful yellow edges. They survive with little moisture – perfect for those who forget to give it a water!

Succulent plants: The ideal companion for your home office and are very on-trend with lots of stylish options to choose from. As a rough guideline, water them every 7-14 days in the warmer months and every 3-4 weeks in winter. Make sure to let the soil dry thoroughly between watering and put them near the window for some time to get extra light.

Peace lily: This plant purifies the air and doesn’t need a lot of light. It does however need adequate watering when the soil is dry so does require some attention but remember, too damp and it won’t flourish!

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