Maintenance

If you’ve already got a tree or are planning on getting one soon, here’s how to keep your Christmas tree fresh for longer, from the team at Misa Christmas Tree Farms

Clear the clutter at your place with these simple and practical daily tasks Day 1 Hire a skip if you need to, or at least have a trailer (if you know there are items destined for the tip), some good-sized boxes and rubbish bags. Take everything out that is restricting your car getting in there. […]

Take extra care of your garden as plants hit their peak growth period in mid-summer It’s high energy time for plants in mid-summer as they’re in their peak growth period. To make sure they don’t run out of steam before the end of the season it’s important to keep plants well watered and fed at […]

Get your outside areas in tip top shape with step-by-step tips for tidying up your decking, pavers, brickwork and guttering Now is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and take on those irksome jobs around the home and garden that you’ve been ignoring for months. REVIVE TIMBER DECKING IN 6 STEPS 1. Sweep away dust, […]

Get to work on your home office with these simple and practical daily tasks Day 1 Throw away old documents you don’t need – tax-related documents and supporting financial statements need to be kept for seven tax years; general bank documents for one year. Day 2 Change to the ‘receive by email’ option many utility companies […]

Life coach Sarah Laurie shares her ideas for calm and clutter-free bedroom Day 1 Establish a current and easily accessible wardrobe. Unorganised spaces have a de-energising effect, which is the opposite of what you need at the beginning and end of each day. Sort through your clothing, keeping what you love and what fits you […]

As the days heat up, don’t forget to water your plants regularly and you will be well rewarded. Read on for more of gardens editor Carol Bucknell’s top tips Stop the snail trail Another good reason to water in the morning is that snails and slugs love damp soil when they move about in the […]

Life coach Sarah Laurie shares her ideas for calm and clutter-free living spaces and bedrooms. sarahlaurielifestyles.com Day 1 Find objects a home. The living room is often one of the largest spaces in the house, however for this reason it can easily turn into a dumping ground for items you’ll ‘put away later’. Much of […]

Life coach Sarah Laurie shares her ideas for calm and clutter-free bathroom in just four days Day 1 Take everything out of drawers and wipe clean. Throw away expired products. Put products in similar groups, and allocate a space for them. Use drawer dividers and bins that can slide away to keep products organised and […]

Clear the clutter at your place with these simple and practical daily tasks How to organise your home and clear the clutter Set a goal for how you want your home to look and feel, and make decisions with that goal in mind. Don’t bring anything into the house that doesn’t fit with that goal. It’s […]

Professional organiser Steph Knight of Less Mess tells how to tackle the kitchen and garage. lessmess.co.nz Day 1 Take everything out of cupboards and drawers – not all at once or you won’t be able to move. Assess each item, and have a rubbish bag handy, plus a bag or box for items to donate. […]

Professional organiser Natalie Jane from Be Organised shares her top five tips for creating practical living spaces for little ones. beorganised.co.nz Day 1 Declutter. Be honest with your decisions – have they grown out of that dress, toy, game or book? Whatever the item may be, if they have outgrown it or no longer use it either give […]