Tag Archives: Trends

5 Do’s and Don’ts of Decluttering

Now that the cloudy skies and cold weather have passed and the warmer season is here, it’s time to brush away the cobwebs and freshen up your home with a spring clean.

But where are to start? Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to decluttering.

Do plan and prepare

So you’ve have had enough of struggling to deal with your disorganised drawers and you’ve decided that in this very moment, you’re going to clean your home immediately. But hold fire!

Consider which rooms and areas need the most attention straight away and how much time it might take to tackle them. This way, you’ll avoid disappointment and have a more realistic idea of what you can actually achieve.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew

Don’t attempt to declutter more than one area or room at a time. Maybe you’ll take care of books one day, then clothes another.

Now is not the time for a scattergun approach – you’ll just end up dissatisfied with the results and frustrated and confused as to what you have and haven’t dealt with. Work your way through one area before moving onto the next.

Don’t procrastinate

Set aside a time and day when you plan to attack your home. Treat it like you would an appointment – don’t postpone it, show up and get started. If it seems like too much work, call a friend to give you a hand.

Need some help?

Enter our competition to win one of 30 professional five-hour spring cleans. We’re giving away spring cleans every day this month until 30 September.

Don’t take a walk down memory lane

As the decluttering expert Marie Kondo herself has instructed, don’t get taken over by nostalgia when clearing your home, as tempting as it may be.

Read one letter your best mate wrote you when you were kids, and suddenly it’s two hours later, you’ve read your teenage diaries and your bedroom is even messier than before. Keep to the task at hand.

Don’t ‘fake’ declutter

Simply creating tidy piles of stuff is not decluttering. Think about what you want to do with your things and where it should go. Your items could go into four different categories: bin, keep, donate or sell.

Do take action

Once you have decided what you want to keep, sell, throw or donate, make sure those items don’t simply hang around your garage.

Throw out what you no longer want, whether it’s taking it down to the hard garbage bins, organising a council pick-up or taking it to recycling. Take the items you want to donate to your local charity or give them to a friend or loved one. Store away the items you do want to keep. And if you’re going to sell your items, think of how you plan to offload them, whether it’s online or through a garage sale or the markets.

For more ideas, sign up to our VIP Style club or visit us in centre today.

 

Image courtesy of Urban Rhythm

4 ways to embrace Autumn into your home

It can be hard to farewell summer. Endless sunshine, carefree days, sweet, ripe fruit and relaxed barbecues. Helping make the switch a little easier is the knowledge that every season has its own unique beauty and is rich in traditions to embrace.

Here are a few Autumn ideas to get you inspired.

Colour

There are classics hues which are synonymous with colder weather. From browns to oranges, experts say you should try and replicate the colours which are occurring outside.

The key is to infuse the entire house with relatable and powerful colours, such as purples and dark blues. Not only are they autumn shades, but they are dark and vivid. Plus, they are warm and add an element of cosiness. This was be easily achieve with a selection of throws, cushions or even some new wall art from PillowTalk.

Also, if you want to see items inspired by you, you can go through Decorug at Alexandria Home Centre.

Candle Lit Glow

To set the mood as the coolers month start to approach, introduce some candles around the house.

We love the collection of Ecoya candles from Bed Bath n’ Table there are so many unique scents to choose from.

Rustic Wood

We’re always talking about how the rustic warmth of wood can transform a room but the effects are even more apparent as we go into Autumn and Winter.

To achieve a truly homely look with lots of character, try mixing and matching pieces from different furniture ranges. Koala & Tree have a large range of unique pieces that are collected from all over the world. It is hard not to fall in love with all of them!

Seasonal cooking

One way to shake off the blues of a summer farewell is, naturally, with food.

Autumn brings with it a huge variety of seasonal goodness to invigorate your cooking. In March, look out for pumpkins, figs and apples, April is when we see mushrooms and chestnuts coming on board and May is a great time to enjoy Brussels sprouts and quinces.