Jobs for the Home

CLEAN-UP OPERATION

The decorations are down, the tree has gone leaving only a trail of pine needles as a reminder of what was there before. But while you’re on your hands and knees trying to extricate the fiddly remnants embedded in the carpet, have a quick look at the skirting boards: were they really that dusty when you put the tree up?

And where did that cobweb come from?

Obviously decking the hall and garlanding the fireplace have prevented you from doing the housework for a while, so as the house is looking a bit bare, with some items of furniture out of position, now could be a good time to have an early spring clean and freshen up, making your home clean, comfortable and clutter-free as you prepare to face the new year.

So, if you’re feeling brave there’s no better place to start than clearing out the loft because, after all, you’re already there putting the decorations away. how on Earth you are going to get your new cardi in there? Be ruthless: yes, we’re all guilty of hoarding but if you don’t wear that top you bought five years ago, let it go to the charity shop. It’s not going to come back into fashion, regardless of what you think.

If there’s a bright day, make it brighter by cleaning the windows. Not just the glass, but the sills and, in particular, the frames, checking for mould around seals which could ultimately hamper the effectiveness of double glazing. And don’t forget the blinds. Or the radiators, where dust can congregate on the pipework and all those hard to reach places.

And so to the kitchen, to clean shelves, rid the cupboards of all those tins and packets that are past their ‘use by’ dates … and to tackle the oven, which has probably seen a lot of action in the last month and could use a deep clean and refresh.

Outside, there is not much that can be done. Continually check gutters for blockages caused by trapped leaves – any build-up of water in a freezing spell could prove costly – and make sure paths are kept clean and moss-free: they can become extra slippery with a frost on them.

But, if you can’t face that just yet, start at ground level wiping down the skirting boards and laying masking tape to clean the edges of the carpet that are starting to look a little bit grimy. And as you’ve got the vacuum out, get under the sofa and chairs as well as all those neglected areas such as underneath the bed and the mattresses.

While in the bedroom, dare to open the wardrobe and consider

3.6 billion people in the world are now connected to social media

NEW SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY TRENDS TO ANTICIPATE IN 2021

Last year we saw the rise of Zoom and the importance of Facetime to families and friends, but what should we expect this year in tech?

Whether it’s much-needed so important. It’s a valuable tool businesses socialising time with one’s all around the world will be using more to family and friends or simply promote themselves and engage with playing video games, the nation has been their customers, not to mention firms spending an unprecedented amount of which will be looking to resurrect, or time online recently. Social media has start-up from scratch entirely. experienced another massive boom this year, as have Facetime and Zoom Therefore it’s vitally important one video chats. understands how things will likely be changing on social media in the New Year 3.6 billion people in the world are now – whether it’s different marketing connected to social media in some way. techniques or new and innovative ways of That’s just shy of half of the entire world’s reaching out to audiences across the population. So social media has never been globe, the climate is definitely changing.

TOP CHANGES AND NEW TRENDS TO EXPECT IN SOCIAL MEDIA.

The rise of video on social media. Previously social media was great for pictures and words, however, now, as expected, video is taking a stronger position in the market, especially with YouTube and for estate agents, virtual video tours and valuations.

SEO-driven organic Instagram visibility. Instagrammers are here to stay, and in November it was announced that Insta would be more search-friendly for its millions of users. This will make hashtags even more important for your marketing as well as keywords in your posts.

Reels on Instagram. In 2016 when Stories on Insta were first released there was a massive drop-off in feed engagement and similarly, when Reels were first introduced, the engagement with Stories dropped off. Now is the time to embrace short-form video going into 2021.

Humanize brands. Smart businesses will understand the importance of being transparent and authentic moving forward. People connect with people, so expect more faces to personify brands as opposed to just a logo without a human face to accompany it.

Similar to the point above, on YouTube expect personality over content. For those of us who watch YouTube videos, having a trustworthy face as the front of your brand will reap the benefits this year.

ZOOM Amongst all the great technology we've been able to rely on throughout the past year, Zoom is by far the one that has had the most positive effect. With working from home becoming compulsory for many nations around the world, the globe zoomed in on one particular video communications software, which has proven to be a fundamental aid to our lives. April saw Zoom peak at over 300 million daily meeting participants, which was a staggering increase from the ten million in December 2019.

Its "annualised meeting minutes" jumped 20-fold, from 100 billion at the end of January to over two trillion in April. For the quarter ending 30th April 2020, Zoom reported total revenue of $328.2 million, a 169 per cent increase from the same period last year. More and more companies are reportedly going to make working from home a more normal concept, with Zoom expected to play an intrinsic part in many of our working lives going forward.

Whether you are quizzing with family and friends or working from home, Zoom will surely be the first name on everyone's lips again this year…

THE ONLINE PROPERTY WORLD

This year, the property market has experienced record-breaking months and a considerable boom. Estate agents have taken advantage of social media with the most successful agents utilising Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for not just marketing properties, but for being a hub of local support for the community. With technology such as 3D virtual video tours, Zoom and smartphones, agents have been able to conduct virtual valuations and viewings which have led to more sales.

Expect virtual video tours, valuations and even viewings to be at the forefront again in 2021, as with people busier than ever, it is a great way to showcase the properties on offer and build a relationship with the local community. Zoom is by far the one that has had the most positive effect. With working from home becoming compulsory for many nations around the world,