Nightmare Setbacks When Moving Home*

Moving home should be an enjoyable experience, but for all of you reading this who have moved home before, you know that not always to be true. Whilst it is enjoyable in the sense that you’re finally getting a place to call your own, it’s not enjoyable in that there are just so many things that can go wrong. It seems to be far more complicated to move from one home to the other than it used to be, and it has now become a rather daunting process. It becomes even harder if you’re moving from one home to the other. First time home buyers are lucky in the sense that they only have to buy a home; when you add in selling your own home into the mix, there are far more things that can go wrong. So, I want to run through some of the nightmares that you might be dealing with, and how you can ensure you’re avoiding them where possible.

Photo by Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash

Your Home Not Selling

If your home isn’t selling the stress really begins to kick in. This is particularly true if you have already put down a deposit on another house on the basis that yours was soon to sell. If your home is not selling then there are a few things you can do to try and boost the chances. You can advertise it through different estate agents for one. We know it costs a fee to do so, but some people prefer to buy through specific estate agents, so only advertising through one is going to seriously limit your choices of buyers. The other obvious alternative is to lower the price of your house. Arguably, it’s going to affect the move of your home in terms of your budget, but it will allow you to get a quicker sale.

The Legal Side Of Things 

The legal side of things is going to be one of the most expensive, especially if the process is carried out far longer than it needs to be. So to avoid the nightmare, you need to find a solicitor that’s going to speed the process up, giving you a professional service. Bannister Preston is just one of the law firms that will do that for you. You need people who know the ins and outs of the processes, as well as how to handle setbacks from the solicitors working with the sellers or buyers on the other side. It’s always good to try and go with solicitors who offer a one time fee, rather than paying for time. You never know how long as sale is going to take, and how much help you’re going to need from them. 

Buyers Pulling Out 

Buyers pulling out is definitely something you need to contend with. When selling your home to move into another, it’s one of the most common things to happen. There’s really nothing you can do about this one, so avoid the nightmare of putting everything into play because you think your home has sold. Hold off until the contracts have been signed, because up until that moment anything at all can happen!


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Bring Some Hotel Room Luxury To Your Bedroom*

Our Hotel in Las Vegas

You don’t have to stay in a hotel to experience hotel room luxury. With a few easy improvements you could turn your bedroom into five-star style suite so that every day feels like a holiday.

Upgrade your bedding

To help imitate that hotel bed sense of cosiness upgrading your bedding should be the first important step.

First, start with your mattress; the perfect mattress is often a case of personal preference – some people prefer hard mattress that offer support, while others prefer a soft mattress they can sink into. For a middle-ground option, you could always try a hybrid mattress, which usually involves firm springs with a thin layer of memory foam on top for a touch of softness. It’s worth visiting a mattress store and trying different mattresses to see which one suits you (look out for sales being held throughout the year in order to save a few quid).

Next, consider the sheets. Cotton sheets tend to be the choice of many hotels as they are soft and breathable – especially those with a thread count of around 300. Get yourself some matching pillowcases and duvets made of the same material. You could also consider some wholesale bed runners from Richard Haworth as a decorative piece on top. Bamboo linen could be perfect for those that sweat a lot in the night.

Finally, consider your pillows and duvet. Like mattresses these are often a case of personal preference – some people like lots of thick pillows and a thick duvet, while others like a single slim pillow and a light blanket. Down pillow fillings tend to be the best filling option for all kinds of sleepers.

Control the temperature

To help create that sense of hotel cosiness cosiness you’ll want to also regulate the temperature.

Smart HVAC could be the perfect option. Using your phone, you’ll be able to control the temperature from your bed – whether it’s turning the heating up or providing some cooling. You can buy smart HVAC for your entire home, but this could be quite expensive to install. This Link Labs guide to smart HVAC offers more information on this technology for those that are interested.

Buy some blackout curtains

A pair of blackout curtains or blackout blinds could also be worth investing in to help you get a good night’s sleep. This will stop your getting woken up early by the morning sun, as well as stopping light from street lamps and cars interrupting your sleep.

For a particularly luxurious option, you could even opt for some remote control blackout blinds such as these Powered Blinds. This could allow you to open the curtains without even leaving your bed.

Alternatively, there are traditional options instead of blackout blinds such as plantation shutters that could be ideal for a bedroom in an old home. You’ll need to get these made to measure so that they cover the whole window.

Set up your own bedside coffee station

Why not wake up and enjoy some coffee in bed? With your own bedside coffee station you can do just this. A small kettle such as this Russell Hobbs travel kettle could do the trick – place this on a tray with some mugs, coffee, teabags, sugar and milk, and you’ve got your own coffee station. Milk may need to be UHT, unless you’ve got space for a mini-fridge in your bedroom (this will truly make your bedroom feel like a hotel).

 Consider adding a TV

If you haven’t already got a TV in your room, this could be another worthy improvement to give you that sense of hotel luxury. You’ll be able to cuddle and watch movies in bed. You can also watch some morning TV with your cup of coffee or tea, all without having to leave your bed.

A TV could be positioned on a cabinet or it could be mounted onto a wall. The Black Friday weekend could be the perfect time to shop for a new TV.


Currently Coveting

My life seems to be one big wish list at the moment, shopping is at an all time low as any spare money was either spent on our holiday, or is now being saved for Bob’s 30th Birthday and of course, our wedding.
I’m totally ok with this though, I’m lucky enough that I get treated to things every now and again (thanks Mum and Bob!) and I certainly don’t have an empty wardrobe, so I’m quite content with a lot of browsing and sharing my favourite finds on this little piece of the internet.

I’m not sure I can pull of yellow, but this AngelEye midi dress is stunning. I’m obsessed with browsing this site, so much gorgeousness at pretty reasonable prices, this dress is £48 and would be perfect for the new season.
Palava is a brand I found purely through social media and they have some of the most gorgeous dresses around. I instantly fell for the Beatrice walking zoo dress– I mean, how could you not?

Joy has featured on the blog many, many times before and I still absolutely love this shop, they have some of the best dresses around and most of my favourites come from there. Red is another colour I’m not sure I could pull off, but this Louche midi dress jumped out at me regardless.
I think I can probably justify the purchase of this Happy Planet Planter* from New Look as it’s only £6.99. Fake plants are essential in our house due to Pablo’s tendency to eat everything he shouldn’t and this is just adorable!
Another New Look find is this Pink Playsuit* . It might feel like Summer is almost over, but I think a pair of nude tights could see this last through September and I love this girly take on the utility trend.
I really wanted this Oasis midi dress to wear to a wedding we went to a few weeks ago. I couldn’t justify buying anything new, but I’m still obsessing over these pink polkadots!

So there we have this week’s lust-list, I always say I want to make this a regular feature again and maybe now I’m feeling a bit less jaded about my blog I actually will stick to my word. Most of my browsing this last few days has been wedding related- would anyone be interested in some wedding themed wish lists? And what’s caught your eye lately?

Loft Conversions: Here’s How To Undergo The Smoothest Possible Transformation *

Photo by Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash

We all like the place we call home – well, most of us do! We also agree that our homes could be improved upon quite significantly, right? Even if we think we have something of a palace, there are always things that can be done to improve it. Perfection doesn’t exist, and the times are always moving along, so work is never really finished.

A huge way people like to improve their home is by taking that dusty, old, redundant attic, and making good, productive use of it. Whenever we walk past a home that has had the loft converted, we tend to look at it and think ‘it would be nice to have one of those, huh?’ Not only are they a super convenient thing to have, but they also give you the opportunity to show off to the rest of the street!  

Adding that third layer to the house is something I think we’d all like to be able to do. If you already have a loft conversion, or you live in a large house already, then you know just how awesome it is – those stuck with a traditional suburban home deserve to join the club, right?

Let’s say you’ve been thinking about it for a while. The loft has been out of use for ages – it just kinda sits there collecting cobwebs and creepy crawlies. You have things to do, and you could do with an area to get them done in. It makes sense to go through with something like this. What should you do, though? How do you even begin to go about something as significant as this? 

Well, it’s not too difficult. Sure, it’s a big change to your home and, thus, to your life, but it shouldn’t cause you to stress and suffer too much. If you’d like a basic outline as to how you should be planning out this kind of transformation, then read on, and we’ll go through a bunch of stuff. 

Consider Whether You’re Ready

Is this an impulsive move because you’ve seen others do it and want to join the crowd? If so, then perhaps it’s not the right time. It’s a great thing to have, of course, but you need to be a grown-up. Do you have the time, money, and even the permission for something like this? If the answer is a big yes, then fair enough. Anything other than complete certainty should mean a rethink.

Think What’s It’s Going To Be Used For

This is less stressful and more of a fun thing to do, really. The idea of having a converted loft is so that you can have an extra bedroom, an office, an art studio, or whatever you want. Figure out the point of it all. Again, like the last point, if you’re not ready, then back away for a little while.

Plan Out The Design Yourself First

You might not be an architect or a building surveyor, but you can still grab and pen and draw away to your heart’s content. The simple idea here is just to follow on from the last point. Once you figure out what you want from this conversion, then you can begin to draw up ideas. This may act as a catalyst for further changes around the house.

Calculate The Cost

Your bank account is going to take one heck of a hit with this move. It’s smart to figure out how much the entire operation is going to cost before you commit to anything. Obviously, planning things is the best way to get absolutely anything right, and your money shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Get The Funds

Once you’ve figured out how much it’s going to cost, it’s time to raise the money for it all. Now, if you’re smart, then you’ve probably saved up anyway. If you haven’t, then stop spending money! If you’re pretty much good to go, but still need a little more in a short space of time, then you can hit up places like Fast Loan UK and secure a short loan. Obviously, things like this should only be an option if you know you can get back to them.

Be Prepare For A Lot Of Work Afterwards!

When all is said and done, and those guys and girls have completed the job for you, they will probably be on their way to the next job they have lined up. It then up to you to pick up the pieces that they’ve left behind. It’s not their responsibility to clear up and then get on with the customizing! All they’ve done is lay the foundations for you; now it’s time for you to really turn this new room into something.


Posted in home, interiors

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How to find the best Broadband Deal*

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

When we first moved in together Bob and I invested some time in to finding the best broadband deals for us, and ended up with a pretty sweet introductory one year offer. In the next couple of months this special rate is due to end, and with a wedding to save up for and a deep-seated desire to never pay more than I have to for anything, I’ve started the search once more.

It might sound like a lot of hassle, but it is worth shopping around as there are big savings to be had on high speed internet with places such as infinitydish.com

Price comparison websites should be your first port of call, you can enter your requirements and your area and you’ll instantly see the best offers that are tailored to your needs. This is how we ended up with such a great package the first time round and it’s the main step I’ll be taking this time should we decide to switch. Things change all the time in the world of broadband providers so  I think an annual check of what’s on offer is also a good way to check you’re still getting the best speeds, download allowances and any other offers (i.e. discounts on entertainment packages or a combined internet/phone TV package).

Cashback sites are also worth checking out too, as many of the main broadband providers will be linked with the market leaders here and you could end up netting £50, or more cashback when you sign up as a new customer with a provider as well as getting a good deal on your package- who doesn’t love free money? I’m a big fan of cashback sites and use anything I make to top up the wedding fund!

If you’re happy with your current provider and don’t actually want to switch you could try haggling with them. It’s a competitive market and companies will do their best to keep you on their books. If you’re facing a price hike, or have found a better deal elsewhere but don’t really want to leave then give customer services a call and see what new deals they can offer. The best time to do this is just around when your current contract is due to expire as the threat of you leaving is real (trying to leave mid-contract will end up costing you). Be polite but persistent with this one and you’ll be surprised at what savings there are to be had.

I can’t believe we’re only two months away from being in our little house for a year, the time has flown by at an alarming speed!

Do you have any top tips for getting the best broadband deal? I’d love to see hear them…