The best way to ensure your home stays tidy

The best way to ensure your home stays tidy

If you’re someone who loves a tidy home then you need to be doing everything in your power to keep it that way. We know that if you’re the only person in the house who seems to be cleaning and tidying up, it can become a little overwhelming and you may even end up not wanting to do it at all. In this post, we’ll be taking a look at some of the things that you can do to ensure that your home stays tidy, so keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.

Everyone helps

The first thing that you should be doing is making sure that everyone is helping. If you think that people will stick to a chore list or chore wheel, make one of these for your household. It’s not fair for all of the responsibility to fall to one person when it comes to cleaning or tidying up; you should all be pulling your weight. Each person’s room is their own responsibility, and the family areas of the home such as the living room, kitchen and bathroom should be a joint effort. Everyone should be clearing up their own stuff, but if a mess does occur, it should just be cleaned when it’s noticed to avoid any kind of build-up.

If everyone helps, and if you manage to keep on top of it, then there is no reason for your home to be messy, fulfilling your tidiness goals.

Storage options

We also want to mention that you should look into storage options to put things away. If you’re someone who prefers minimal design rather than something that looks cluttered, you need to look into different options such as drawers and cabinets. These can go in every room in the house to keep things tidy such as the living room and the dining room.

If you already have a black dining table, then you might want to go for something that matches this, and the same with the other rooms you’re going to add these units too.

Make use of space

The final thing we’re going to advise is that you should be making use of space that’s available to you. If you want to ensure that your home stays tidy, make sure that things that can be put away or not left out. We’re not saying that you have to fill all of the available space that you have as this would be counter-productive, but what we are advising is that if you’re struggling for places to put things to keep it tidy, check if there’s any available space.

We hope that you’ve found this post helpful, and now see some of the things that you can do to ensure that your home stays tidy. It takes the entire house to make this possible, so it’s essential that you make this known to the people that you live with, ensuring that they all contribute to keeping the home in the best possible order.

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Designer Desire: Mark Rickard

Large mural painting of tug-of-war by Mark Rickard

Each Sunday, local antique dealer, Alistair Dryburgh of West Wales Antiques runs a (nearly always) weekly fair over on his Instagram feed. A couple of weeks ago, he had up for sale a trio of HUGE paintings by Mark Rickard.

Large mural painting of sheep, cows and farmers by Mark Rickard

They’d originally been commissioned in 1976 for a local club in Aberystwyth and represent Welsh rural life.

Large mural painting of rural life by Mark Rickard

I instantly fell in love and proceeded to Google him to see if I could find any other artworks that he’d done. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a single artwork or any information about the artist himself… absolutely nothing at all!

Detail of large mural painting of tug-of-war by Mark Rickard

His style reminds me of Joseph Herman and Stanley Spencer, especially the latter’s Clyde shipbuilding series.

Detail of large mural painting of tug-of-war by Mark Rickard

I’ve messaged Alistair in the past few minutes and he’s said that the top two paintings – the tug-of-war and the sheep and cows – are still available, if you’re interested.

Detail of large mural painting of sheep, cows and farmers by Mark Rickard

Tragically, we don’t have a wall big enough in our old cottage to hang one – not to mention multiple – paintings of this size… otherwise I’d have to own them.

Detail of Mark Rickard signature on a painting

If anyone out there can shed any light on Mark Rickard we’d love to learn more about him. An artist this talented must have produced more masterpieces… and hopefully smaller examples that could fit on our walls!

Price Points: Argentine asado grills

Argentine asado grills

One of the lots that we featured on a recent Auction Alert post was an Argentine barbecue. Someone got themselves a great deal; it sold for £200.00… a lot less than the estimate.

Barbecues, known as asados in Argentina and other South American countries, are cooked on grills called parrillas. Over here, we refer to them as asado grills.

We had a look at the range of asado grills available online, and like any other type of cooking kit, they’re available in a wide range of prices. The ‘basic’ model, to me, doesn’t really come across as an asado – it’s a barbecue. The ‘better’ example, with its oil drum design, is known as a chulengo. This would be my choice, as it keeps the meat and the vegetables well apart during cooking… always my worry at a BBQ. The ‘luxury’ option is a crazy price; aimed at lottery winners, Premiership footballers and professional asado restaurants and caterers. It’s beautiful though!

  1. Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag: £169.99, Lakeland

    The stainless steel dual grill plate has air holes on one half, as well as a solid half for frying, so you can cook and fry multiple items at the same time without needing a separate pan. There’s also a powerful rotisserie motor, which is easily hooked onto one end of the barbecue, and drives either the spit forks for cooking larger pieces of meat, or the kebab accessory, which can cook up to six kebabs at a time. And with a choice between loose charcoal or an instant barbecue cartridge, there are a number of ways to fuel it too.
    • Portable and versatile barbecue
    • Stainless steel dual cooking pan
    • Two rotisserie functions
    • Folds flat to fit into a handy carry bag
    • Takes loose coals or instant BBQ cartridge
    • 55 x 35 x 45cm H.
    • Lakeland 3 year guarantee included

  2. Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill: £650.00, eBay

    The Double Barrel Grill has 2 separate grilling racks which can be raised & lowered over the fire by two separate round wheeled hand cranks. This means a variety of different food items can be cooked at different temperatures, but all at the same time. It also means that veggie food can be cooked on a completely different grill. Whether it’s cooking at home or for a large gathering, the double barrel won’t disappoint. All components are removable and the stand is collapsible making it easy to clean and transport.
    The racks and the stand are manufactured from 3mm steel and will last a lifetime. The barrel is a classic 45 gallon drum which over time is cheap and easy to replace. The grill also comes with 2 separate coal grates.

    The Double Barrel Grill consists of:
    • 2 x racks
    • 2 x coal grates
    • 1 x 45 gallon drum
    • 1 x collapsible stand

    Overall dimensions: W 1020mm x D 720mm x H 1420mm

  3. BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill: £6,980.00 (ex VAT)

    It consists of two independent barbecues with V-shaped cooking grates and above fitted warming/resting shelves which height level are controlled by two large independent crank wheels(made in stainless steel) allow the chef to adjust the height of the cooking surface with the rise and fall of the flames. Stainless Steel V-Channels slanted at 4 degrees capture juices for basting and sauce preparation. The fuel drawers(baskets) for charcoal or wood fitted under the cooking grates, can pull out the drawer when the firebox door open for easy to fill up more coals. etc. Underneath of the fuel drawer mounted removable ash catchers (ash trays) for easy cleaning. Firebox door equipped with adjustable air dampers(vents) to increase or decrease heat in the barbecue.
    The BMS-5 PLUS also equipped with the brasero (wood burner, amber maker), where the embers can be distributed into one or the other fuel drawer (right or left) via embers catching tray which leans against the fuel drawers. Asado style cooking (large pieces of meat) also available at the front of brasero (wood burner) on the spits (provided) with adjustable height and distance positions against the fire.
    The Grill mounted on the heavy duty stand made of 50mm square tubing, two removable stainless steel shelves at the bottom and heavy duty braked casters wheels.
    There are many other features included such as the front shelves, side bars for hanging tools and sauce pans, etc., gastronorm pan with the lid in between two cooking areas to keep food warm or use as a fat catcher while cooking something on the spits above, also included BBQ tools (grate scrappers and ash pokers), fat catching trays at the front of the cooking grates, etc.
    Argentine Grills are designed to allow close temperature control during grilling, also channel fat away from the fire to a drip pan preventing flareups which damage the flavour of meat. Low and slow cooking, or a quick burning sear, is all up to you, because you’re in complete control with the ability to raise and lower the grilling surface with a simple rotation of the grill crank wheel. Argentine Grills can be used with charcoal or wood. Wood offers the best flavour to grilled meats. It also provides optimal heat that lasts longer than charcoal.
    Overall dimensions: 214cm wide, 190cm height and 96cm depth.
    The unit weight is 700kg

shop Argentine asado grills

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
£6,980.00 (ex VAT)
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
£650.00
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
£169.99
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
£6,980.00 (ex VAT)
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
£650.00
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
£169.99
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
£6,980.00 (ex VAT)
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
£650.00
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
£169.99
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
£6,980.00 (ex VAT)
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
£650.00
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
£169.99
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
BM G-5 Plus dual Argentine grill
£6,980.00 (ex VAT)
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
Asado Argentine style Santa Maria double barrel charcoal grill
£650.00
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
Asado uBer-Q barbecue, rotisserie, grill plate and carry bag
£169.99

3 stress-free ways to update your patio

3 stress-free ways to update your patio

Home renovations can often be a stressful experience, especially when you’re updating a large area. Your patio is one of the more notable parts of this, simply because there’s quite a lot to look after. You’ll not only worry about how it looks and what you furnish it with, but how it’ll hold up to the weather.

Once you know how to update your patio without the stress, things become much easier. When you’re doing so, it’s worth focusing on a few particular areas to make things as comfortable and visually appealing as possible.

How to update your patio without the stress: 3 top options

1. Use textiles

Most patios are typically made out of wood, stone or concrete. While these can be visually appealing, you’ll want to add some softness and texture to the patio to counter the hard edges and make it more comfortable. Your seating area is the most notable way of doing so, although it’s far from the only one.

By using textiles, you can create an inviting and appealing colour palette that helps you relax and complements your garden plants and flowers. Even your patio door blinds can be worked into this. Having a specific palette in mind when you’re doing so is vital, as it’ll ensure everything comes together well.

It’ll update your patio’s appearance while giving you comfortable cushions, throws and similar on which to recline.

2. Consider a fire pit

Fire pits are becoming increasingly popular as home-owners come to realise how safe they are – alongside how appealing they can be on a patio. While you’ll probably need to have these professionally installed, they can be more than worth the cost.

Arranging your seating area around this is recommended, as it’s most practical and you’ll get the largest return on investment from it. Not only will it look great on your patio and keep you warm on chilly evenings, you can also cook on the fire. There’s no reason not to consider installing a fire pit, especially given the numerous styles in which they’re available.

3. Think about rope lighting

Everyone’s heard about how they should use string lights in their patio, but these are far from your only option. Rope lights can also be recommended; they’re similar to string lights, but are encased in a clear, flexible tube. You can hang these almost anywhere on your property to make it look more attractive.

The plastic casing means you shouldn’t need to worry about wet weather once they’re up. Some of the more usual places to put rope lighting are under the steps leading up to your patio, along the balcony and on the edge of the ceiling.

They can illuminate your patio and make it look moreinviting without you needing to put much effort into it.

How to update your patio without the stress: wrapping up

Once you know how to update your patio without the stress, the process will be much more straightforward. There’s a decent chance that you’re making it out to be more stressful than it actually is. While you’ll still need to put the effort into getting everything done, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

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