MOTHER'S DAY GIVEAWAY AND GIFT GUIDE

 Spring is almost here and Mothers Day this year in the UK falls on Sunday 10th March 2024.  You still have time to find your Mum/ Mother figure the perfect gift, You can find some great gift inspiration from me on my other blog here.  I've also collaborated with some bloggers to bring you this gift guide and giveaway with some wonderful prizes.



Welcome to the ultimate Mother's Day Giveaway and Gift Guide. This is brought to you by a collaboration of some of the UK's leading bloggers. We understand that finding the perfect gift to express gratitude and love for the special women in our lives can be a daunting task. That's why we've come together to curate an exceptional selection of prizes that are sure to delight any mother. This guide not only aims to make your gift shopping easier but also adds an exciting twist with a giveaway that could win you these wonderful items. Join us in celebrating motherhood this year by taking part in this fantastic opportunity to spoil your mum - or yourself! Show her just how much she means to you.

Meet the Bloggers

In order to be able to bring you this incredible giveaway, some of the UK’s top bloggers got together. A massive thank you to our bloggers! The bloggers taking part are:

My Balancing Act | Pounds and Sense | Boxnip | Jenny in Neverland | Crazy Little Thing Called Love | Best Things To Do In Cambridge | Two Plus Dogs | Afshanesque | My Frugal Wife | Crafted With Perfection | Mrs Pinch | Make Money Without A Job | Hannah and the Twiglets | Paternal Damnation | Accidental Hipster Mum | Birds and Lilies | The Happy Budget | Notes from a kitchen | Cats Kids Chaos | Everything Enchanting | Life with Jupiter & Dann | Effervescent Kelly | You Have To Laugh | My Tunbridge Wells | Edinburgers | Discover Kent | Mummy and me x2 | Catch Up With Claire | Synderella Slims | Beauty & Flowers | We Made This Life | My Life Your Way | We Made This Vegan | Real Girls Wobble | Lifestyle Original | Dog Friendly Things | Joanna Victoria | At Home With The Bayfords | Cosy Cottage Chronicles | Diary of the Evans-Crittens | A Suffolk Mum | Sustainable Business | Anything and Everything Else | Cyprus Property Blog | The Money Making Mum | The Property Investor Blog

The prizes

Our Home Plans For 2024

 It's almost five years since we got the keys to our house and it's flown by. We've done quite a bit to our house over the past almost five years. Such as getting a new front door, giving our front and back yards a make over, installing an outside tap, getting a new roof etc.


The main things we want to get done this year aren't going to be too expensive hopefully. There are of course snagging things that need doing such as paint touch ups and replacing a broken tile around our bath but I'm not including these in this post.



Declutter 
Decluttering is one of the major things that we want to do this year, especially in our attic. We definitely need to be getting rid of stuff that we don't use or need anymore.

REFLECTING ON OUR HOME UPDATES IN 2023

Now that 2023 is coming to a close I wanted to reflect on the updates we've made on our home this year. In 2024 it will be five years since we became homeowners and I've no idea where the time has gone. 

I'm looking forward to compling a list of things to do next year for our home. I don't think we will be doing lots as we've still got to pay off for the new roof. We won't be doing anything major that's for sure.

We've got a snagging list of little things we wanted to get done such as paint touch ups, filling in any little holes from where we no longer have photo frames etc. Not everything is done and I'm sure there will be more little things we want to sort next year to add to the list too. Anyway here are some of the more major jobs we've got round to doing/ have had done.

WINTER HOME MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

With the days shorter and temperatures plummeting before you cosy up there are some home maintenance projects to do. Honestly it's so important to do so as it will benefit you in the long run. In my winter home maintenance checklist you will find tasks that I recommend you really shouldn't put off doing.

Check your roof and attic

We are extremely grateful that we checked ours when we did as we had a leak which has resulted having to have the whole roof replaced along with the facias and guttering. It's definitely been a costly job which could've been alot worse if we hadn't checked. If you are lucky you may find that your roof is in great condition or that a simple fix is needed such as damaged or missing shingles that need replacing. If that is the case definitely get them sorted before further damage is made.


Clean out your gutters

Over the year your gutters will fill with leaves,  twigs, dirt and debris. This can cause them to clog and if left can cause water to overflow and damage to your walls if not dealt with. Other than getting to them your gutters are easy to clean. You just need a ladder, rubber gloves and some elbow grease. If you aren't confident with being up a ladder then it's probably a job worth getting a professional in to do it.

GETTING YOUR GARDEN READY FOR WINTER

 Winter is often seen as a gloomy and dull time of year for your garden. There isn't as much wildlife about and its most likely cold and frosty, however you still need to prepare and care for it. There are only a few things you'll really need to do but it's definitely worthwhile and you'll appreciate it once more when it begins to warm up again.

Tidying up and clearing away

Winter is a great time to give your garden a tidy. Tasks such as raking up dead leaves and debris from your lawn and give pathways a clean with warm soapy water or with a  pressure washer will quickly clear away dried-on dirt from stone or wood. Don't forget to clean out any ponds and waterfeatures you have and prune back trees and shrubs.


GUIDE TO OUTDOOR HEATING

 I love spending time outside especially in the summer months, however it's possible to still enjoy your garden all year round with outdoor heating options that are available. From firepits to patio heaters there are many options to consider. Below I'm sharing a guide about those options to help you choose what is right for you.



Firepits

Firepits usually are a bowl raised from the ground.Firepits replicate an open campfire that uses kindling and wooden logs as fuel, distributing the heat from the fire around the entirety of the firepit. They are a great sociable option as everyone can sit round the firepit in a circle. Firepits are usually made from stainless steel and should be covered if being left out all year long. Many come with a grill plate too, allowing them to double up as a traditional charcoal BBQ. This is the option we personally gave gone for as its a more affordable option compared to chimenias or patio heaters.