Tag: #manchestercommunity
How to Prevent a DIY Fail at Your Manchester
Will your next home improvement project end in success or a desperate call to the DIY SOS team? Here are five tips to avoid bungling the job. Repairing and refurbing your own home can be immensely satisfying – and save you lots of money. But not every DIY task finishes well. One in eight ends in a mishap, while half of all DIYers confess to calling in a professional to rectify a mistake.* From crooked countertops and fudged fireplaces to botched bathrooms and dodgy driveways, it’s amazing how – even with the best intentions – things can go [...]
Five Reasons to Eat Chocolate
Once you’ve read these five facts, you won’t feel quite so guilty about indulging in chocolate again. A two-minute read. Humans have enjoyed the delights of chocolate for thousands of years, starting with the Mayans, who drank it as a hot liquid (and even used it in wedding and baptism ceremonies). Fast forward to today, and chocolate is a 120 billion pound global industry. The Germans are the top chocolate consumers per capita, followed by the Swiss, Estonians and Brits.* But there’s no getting around it, chocolate gets its fair share of bad press as it is high [...]
Grow Your Own Veg in Manchester
Grow Your Own Veg in Manchester Growing your own veg might sound like a lot of work, but it’s actually a great way to save money and enjoy a healthier diet. And as this month is Organic September, there’s no better time to dig out that trowel and start sowing some seeds. Organic September is 30 days dedicated to chemical-free, totally natural, eco-friendly farming. Its aim is to raise awareness of why buying organic produce can really make a difference to the climate. So, what better place to start than your own garden/herb pots/windowsill? This quick read [...]
Back-to-School Guide for Manchester Parents
As term time approaches, those endless days of trying to entertain your bored and restless kids are almost over. No more surly teenagers sleeping until 2pm, no more grumpy children hounding you for snacks – it’s time to get ready for school. This back-to-school guide looks at some easy ways to get the September term off to a good start. Reduce screen time When there’s nothing to do, or it’s raining outside, screen time quickly becomes a way to keep the kids entertained (and out of the way). But as school looms ahead, getting them into a [...]
International Dog Day: Let’s Celebrate Our Canine Companions
It’s International Dog Day next Friday – a chance to celebrate our cute, cuddly, devoted and dribbly four-legged friends. From loyal Labradoodles and plucky Pointers to cheeky Chihuahuas and dinky Dachshunds, the UK has a long and proud history as a nation of dog lovers. There are 13 million pooches in the UK, up from 7.6 million in 2010, thanks to a massive rise in dog ownership during the pandemic*. And famous canine admirers include Henry VIII (who favoured Spaniels, Beagles and Greyhounds) and Winston Churchill, who was a Poodle man. And then there’s Queen Elizabeth II [...]
Style Your Manchester Home with Instagram
In this quick read, we’ve pulled together some of the most popular interior design profiles on Instagram to give you some inspiration. Are you fed up with bland magnolia walls, wilting pot plants and tired kitchen cupboards? Then grab your phone and click onto Instagram. It’s a hotbed of aspirational interior design, décor on a budget and tips on how to make the most of small spaces. Here are six of the best accounts to follow. @budgethomedecor_uk The name of this profile gives it away – beautiful home ideas that are affordable and easy to get hold of. [...]
The Safe Way to Let Manchester Children Play in Your Street
We all know that kids these days spend more time indoors (often on screens) and less time running around outside. If you’re a parent or carer frustrated by this trend, read on to learn how some parents are fighting back through a scheme called Playing Out. What is Playing Out? Playing Out was set up in 2009 by two mums dismayed that their kids couldn’t play out on the street like they did when they were growing up. The pair asked their local council for permission to temporarily close their road to traffic to allow the children to [...]
How Manchester Homeowners Can Take Their Garden to the Next Level
If you’re planning to entertain friends or family at home this summer, check out the latest must-have garden gadgets and accessories. A two-minute read. Spending time in your own garden, be it pottering around alone or entertaining family and friends, is one of the true joys of summer. And there’s a host of products on the market to help you make the most of the experience. Here’s a list of what is proving popular at the moment. Garden fireballs – Fire pits were a hit last summer, but this year, it’s all about the fireball. Like a [...]
Why We Can’t Get Enough of Property Shows in Manchester
Hands up if you’ve ever lost a couple of hours sitting on the sofa watching a property show? Whether it’s a 30-minute fix or a full-on binge, programmes about other people’s homes are fascinating. Entire cable channels are dedicated to home renovations, property sales, flipping houses and so on. We just can’t seem to get enough of them. In this quick read, we look at some firm favourites and why they’re so good. Homes Under the Hammer (BBC 1) Daytime TV is like a warm, snuggly blanket. It’s easy watching and seemingly endless. Homes Under the Hammer [...]
Forgot to Book a Holiday? Places to Go in the UK
And just like that, it’s the summer holidays again. Six painful weeks of keeping the kids entertained, and the house in one piece. Oh, and to add to this woeful mix, you’ve forgotten to renew your passport and got no sun-drenched holiday planned. If that sounds like your situation, keep reading, because it’s an ideal time to book a staycation. No passport needed, possibly a bit of sun, and plenty to keep the entire family amused. While we’re all familiar with the big tourist spots around the UK (yes Devon and Cornwall, everyone knows how lovely and picturesque [...]
Manchester Food Banks Need Your Help
The cost of living crisis is affecting more people than ever, and sadly, it’s set to get worse, as more and more households are turning to food banks to supplement their supplies. Research by the Trussell Trust – a support network for food banks across the UK – found that 2.1 million emergency parcels were distributed between April 2021 and March 2022, a 14% rise from the previous year. With these statistics in mind, what can you do to support your local food bank? In this quick read, we offer a few ways to help. Donate [...]
Don’t Try This at Home: Three of the Dumbest TikTok DIY Hacks
The DIY hacks you see on TikTok may be entertaining to watch, but they can also be dumb and even downright dangerous. A three-minute read. TikTok is awash with amateur handymen and women dishing out tips, but just how practical and accurate is this advice? When confused.com asked an expert handyman to rate the quality of DIY videos on TikTok, he deemed 39% of the content to be ‘rubbish’ or ‘poor’. Meanwhile, Toolstation surveyed 100 experts – professional plumbers, carpenters, painters and the like – who also raised eyebrows about the standard of the advice on offer. [...]
How to Smarten Up Your Kitchen on a Tight Budget🔨
Discover how to make your kitchen look fresh and modern without spending a fortune in this two-minute read. Smartening up your kitchen is an excellent way to wow buyers and add value. If you can’t afford a full-scale high-end refurbishment, try these cost-saving DIY tips. Before you start When we’re emotionally attached to a property, we often gloss over its flaws. But it’s important to think about the impression your home will make on buyers. Remove all clutter and analyse what your kitchen really looks like. Is it warm and welcoming, or washed out and a bit grubby? Identify [...]
Top Tips to Keep Children Safe at Home
Make child safety a priority in your home by following these useful tips. A two-minute read. Children are bundles of energy, who love to run, jump, touch and taste. Unfortunately, sometimes this curiosity can lead to accidents at home. Each year, about 450,000 children aged under five attend A&E due to an accident at home*. With Child Safety Week starting on Monday (6 June), the Child Accident Prevention Trust has some handy advice for parents and caregivers. Button batteries These small lithium batteries, found in household products like calculators, remote controls, watches and toys, are about the [...]
Why Manchester Parents Should Support Walk to School Week
Find out why it’s time to ditch your car and walk to school with your children instead. A two-minute read. Want to reduce carbon emissions, traffic congestion, and the risk of childhood obesity? Then step right up and out for Walk to School Week (16 to 20 May). Next week’s event, organised by the charity Living Streets, encourages children and their carers to leave the car at home and do the school run on foot instead. So, why all this emphasis on swapping four wheels for two feet? Here are just a few benefits associated with walking [...]
All You Need to Know about Double Glazing for Your Manchester home
Before you were a property owner, chances are windows were something you just looked out of to take in the view. You probably didn’t give them much thought and you might have cleaned them occasionally. That was it. Now, as a homeowner, your single, double, or triple glazing means so much more. And if you’re about to renovate a property or upgrade your windows, it’s worth diving into the fascinating world of double glazing to find out more. (Honestly, it’s pretty interesting.) In this quick read, we look at different types of windows and why they matter, especially [...]
Why Do We Give Chocolate Eggs at Easter?
Everything You Never Knew about Chocolate Hold on to your waistbands, Easter is here. That festival where no matter your age, clothes size, or BMI, you’re allowed to eat as much chocolate as you want. So, while the kids run around on a sugar high and you polish off yet another egg, here are some facts about the chocolatey goodness no one can resist. It’s very old The earliest evidence of chocolate dates back to 4,000 years ago. The Aztec and Mayan civilisations started by drinking chocolate. However, words for chocolate are thought to have existed several [...]
Five Stress Management Tips
Whichever way you look at it, modern life is stressful. And the 2020s? Well so far, this new decade has caused unparalleled levels of stress. Whether it’s the pressure of daily life, the juggling of responsibilities, or the state of the world right now, stress can have physical, mental, and emotional repercussions for people of all ages. And it needs to be taken seriously. April is Stress Awareness Month, an initiative that has been running since 1992, designed to highlight the causes and cures for stress. This year, the Stress Management Society is focusing on community, reducing isolation [...]
First-Time Buyers in Manchester Bank on Mum and Dad
This two-minute read looks at parents’ integral role in helping young people get on the property ladder. There’s one financial institution that never seems to go out of fashion, and that’s the dear old Bank of Mum and Dad (or BOMAD for people who like acronyms). About half of all first-time buyers (FTBs) last year relied on BOMAD, with parents dishing out a record £9.8 billion to help their offspring get on the property ladder.1 The average contribution was £58,000. And in the past ten years, BOMAD has coughed up £54 billion, assisting 1.4 million buyers.2 [...]