5 minute read
Help with decluttering
COVER STORY LIFESTYLE
Become a virtual tourist Trek all over the world… without leaving your armchair
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Once upon a time Time never stands still, and with this collection of stunning clocks, neither will your style
PROPERTY
Our latest instructions Take a look at a selection of our latest properties on the market About us Get to know us a little better and see why we are your agent of choice 14
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Help with decluttering Fantastic ideas to create space you didn’t think existed
Rainbow themed bakes Encouraging families to support the NHS by baking
FOOD HEALTH
How to DIY! Time to try some DIY jobs that may be bigger than you would usually take on
Football poised to return Top-flight football could make its return this month but only if stringent guidelines are met
The return of the cinema! Many highly anticipated films have changed their release dates for after lockdown
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Our first line of defence Now’s the time to start strengthening your immune system
WELCOME TO THE JUNE ISSUE! S pring is flying by! We have been blessed with warm weather throughout May and are all carrying on as best as we can in these strange times. With the property market open again, if you’re thinking about moving but haven’t started the process, we have put safety guidelines in place to ensure your safety. And with our expert local knowledge, we have all the tools you need to get you moving – including a FREE personalised website for you to share on social media. This month’s issue provides you with plenty of handy hints and tips to get your property in order. Offering step-by-step guides on DIY jobs big and small, the art of decluttering and some of the smartest-looking clocks on the market. Plus, if you are missing your days out, we have a guide to virtual attractions available online. And if you are missing football, we have all the details about ‘Project Restart.’ Looking to join in the support for key workers? We have some rainbow themed bakes. And to help you keep fit and healthy, we have some great tips to help boost your body’s immune system. Plus, we have an updated guide to when you will be able to catch some of the biggest blockbusters at the cinema. Till next time… Jonathan Wheatley Editor
AN IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER…
A tidier home means a tidier life, and if the space you’re living in is neat and tidy, it will have a positive effect on your stress and anxiety levels.
Go through everything – and I mean everything – and know confidently what you will and won’t be keeping. With a project like this, it’s good to be as organised as possible so to ensure a smooth process without needless stress or wasted time. Find some relatively out-of-the-way floor space and form three piles of all the stuff which is of issue in some way. One pile for all the stuff you want to keep, another for all the stuff you want to bin, and the other for things you want to donate or sell to others. Keeping a paper-based checklist can accompany this method nicely, making it easier to keep track of everything. PLAN YOUR ORGANISED ATTACK WELL
Remember, you don’t have to tackle it all in one day or even a week. Having a more casual approach can have its advantages. Doing just five or ten minutes each day of tidying up and decluttering will mean that your life and hobbies don’t have to stop during this process, but continue to work around the project, which can develop gradually. DON’T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW
Working slow and steady like this could mean a lot less stress too. Day by day, as
THE ART OF DECLUTTERING
There are some fantastic ways to create space you didn’t think existed – as well as gaining a tidier home
you adapt to your living space and its storage situation, you will develop a sense of what belongs and what doesn’t, so it might be better for you to judge things as you move through each day, rather than all at once.
With most charity shops closed due to lockdown, it might be worth thinking about donating some of your items to friends and/or family. Knocking on their door and leaving the items on their doorstep whilst maintaining social distancing, for instance, would be fine. Or if the items are small enough you can drop them off in their post box. Since Royal Mail are still operating, posting items to people is still totally doable, so selling things on eBay could also be a great shout. UNLEASH THE CHARITY IN YOU!
Enough charity! You might not have the time or patience to donate or sell GET BRUTAL!
everything you don’t want, so it’s time to get tough with yourself. Sentimentality can cloud one’s vision of logic at times, and if there are certain things you know no one wants and will not sell for very much, just bin it!
However, some possessions hold special sentimental value, especially if you’ve had them for a long time and they represent much-cherished memories. Perhaps store these in your home somewhere sensible, but if your home starts getting clogged up with too much sentimentality, it’s time to get brutal. A constant question to ask is: ‘Do I need it?’ If the answer is ‘no’, then ask: ‘Why do I want to keep it?’ Force yourself to be logical and reassess your priorities like this and you’ll be creating new space in no time. Storage shelving units are a fantastic way of utilising the height in your home. Put in an appropriate place, a shelving unit can transform what was a mess, into a neat and orderly assortment of your muchcherished belongings. Storage chests can be equally useful; looking neat and presentable themselves, they can store a great many things to help your rooms maintain their refurbished look. Smaller storage boxes are another great option to keep things compact and neatly arranged and, when labelled, will help you keep things in well-organised categories. STORAGE UNITS
dispose of these without having to do countless trips to the rubbish tip.
