Moving house can be an extremely stressful time, even before you pick up a paintbrush or attempt any DIY in your new pad. This is why it’s important to be organised, and do everything in your power to make the move as smooth as possible.

The following is a quick checklist of tips to remember when moving house:

• Clear out the clutter before you move. Sell unwanted items on eBay, attend a car boot sale or give things away to grateful new owners using Freecycle – it’ll make it easier if there are less things to move.

• Do all the packing and cleaning in advance. Whilst you can’t do everything until the move is completed, you could finish whole rooms and close the door on them so you know where you’re up to.

• Take an inventory of all your possessions, making sure you know exactly what’s in each box and where it should go in your new house.

• Find clever packing solutions, such as using easy-to-shift suitcases to pack clothes and shoes.

• Hire a van to move your stuff, but make sure you take out van insurance to cover your possessions. There is nothing more catastrophic on moving day than theft or accidental damage to your property.

I was looking at my car earlier today and noticed it needed cleaning. I love it when my car shines bright as the summer sun beams off the paintwork. It got me to thinking… what is the best way to save money and make your car look brand new again?
Now I’ve been getting my car cleaned for years at my local petrol station as they do a great job and the garage is literally round the corner from my home so I feel safe to leave it with them whilst I go back home, put my feet up and relax. 20 minutes later I tootle on down to my road to collect my car and as soon as I see it I think “wow, great job, but I could of done that in that time and saved a few pounds too (£10 to be precise).
So that is what I will do from now on, wait until the sun is shining, get a scruffy pair of jeans on, buy a few bits and bobs from Halfords and do it myself following these simple tips.
I learnt a few simple tips on how to save money when cleaning your car;
1) Do it yourself
2) Keep costs low when buying products (look for offers, B.O.G.O.F etc)
3) Check the weather, don’t clean your car if rain is forecast in the next day or two
4) If you need help at anytime, do not be afraid to ask
5) Make sure you do a good job – satisfaction is the name of the game

My grandpa was brilliant at fixing things using the simplest tools and common household things lying around the house. I learnt so much from seeing how his little “inventions” would solve any little problems. Now stores all over the UK sell products that he designed.
For instance, I had a problem with the plug in my bathroom last week as the chain for the plug broke. Now I made the fatal mistake of just putting the metal plug in the bath, running the water and having a nice hot bath after a hard day at work. The problems began when I tried to get the plug out!!
As the water had put pressure on top of the plug it was nigh on impossible to get the plug out, so after some deliberation I decided to get some wire from my potting shed and thread it through the hole at the top of the plug (this was not as easy as it sounds, due the fact I couldn’t see under the water).
After eventually doing this, I managed to get a tight grip on the wire and pull the plug free to much relief. Never wanting to make the same mistake I simply got some pliers and bent the hole at the top of plug and connected the chain, and simply bent the hole back round. Have not had a problem since.

I was putting up some new shelves at my granddads house this morning and it got me thinking, why is it that men like doing D.I.Y and most women (like my mum, girlfriend etc) always find a handyman to do it for them.
Now I’ve been fixing cupboards, putting up shelving, painting and decorating since I used to help my dad when I was a small boy living in our big house in South Manchester. My brothers & sister never were very hands on and if something needed fixing it was always my dad and me to get on with the job.
I learnt a few simple tips from my dad & I found these to be very effective…
1) Preparation is the key
2) Keep costs low and if it’s a bigger job get some advice from somebody with experience
3) If you are going to need a few days to do the job, make sure that everyone in the house knows. Take your time. Don’t make any mistakes
4) If you need help at anytime, do not be afraid to ask
5) Keep it as simple as possible
I have been trying to follow these simple guidelines for years and have never come a cropper. I always think to myself, if a jobs worth doing its worth doing properly. Maybe I should start getting paid for my handy work, over the years I must have saved my family a fortune.

I was mowing my mum’s lawn yesterday and it got me thinking, why is it that as soon as the sun comes out for a sustained period of time, that my mum’s lawn (and I’m sure many other garden lawns) always turn a shade of brown & never look like the grass at a place like Old Trafford.
Is this simply burnt grass or is it something else? Now as soon as I had finished I gave my mum’s lawn a few little tricks (that my grandfather taught me) to keep the grass healthy and shiny.
These tips were quite simple but very effective…
1) Always sprinkle water on before & after you mow the lawn
2) Sprinkle birdseeds over the lawn 1st thing in the morning & last thing at night
3) If you have an animal (cat, dog, rabbit etc etc) let them play out on your freshly cut grass
4) Water the plants, seeds, and garden every night during the hot summer days
5) Don’t cut your lawn more than once every 2 weeks
I have been trying to follow these simple guidelines for years but have found it difficult to stick to as I don’t live at my mum’s house and don’t have my own garden where I live.

Why do all men think that they are naturally good at DIY?
Well to answer this question, there is a formula that everyone can use to find out if they are good at DIY…
Intelligence + Ability to read instructions - Making it up as you go along = Good at D.I.Y
My dad has been looking around for a new shelving unit & wardrobe on the internet.
I have been helping him find the best value for money shelving unit & he says he will do the rest.
Now, if you’re like me & thinking ohh Jee Wizz, 90% of dads are rubbish at D.I.Y then you would be thinking exactly the same thing as me.
My dad uses brown tape on EVERYTHING and it something needs holding together he will use BLUE rope – the kind that is used for outdoor festivals and holding bundles of hay together.
My dad is like Homer Simpson when it comes to anything D.I.Y – makes it up as he goes along.
It’s very funny to watch his brain working away and getting himself more and more away from the instructions that are clearly laid out in front of him.
I might just have to pop round when he has his “thinking cap” on and starts to assemble the kitchen unit and the wardrobe. That should give me hours of hilarity if nothing else.

When considering redecorating your house, you think of the massive task ahead, the time it will take, the expense of doing it and the inconvenience of being stuck in a messy house on your own working! Why not get together with a few friends who are thinking of doing a project themselves and all agree to help each other out? It is definitely an idea that should make the disruption in each house less and should ensure you all have fun while doing each other’s houses up. Obviously you will want to pick people who you can work with. If you’re like Monica from Friends you’ll probably not want a Phoebe being wishy washy about the task in hand however as long as you all agree on tasks you should be fine!

I have some tips for you on making your make-up easier to do. I am very blonde (yes, in behaviour and in looks) and my brows and lashes are very pale. Seriously, without make-up I have no definition on my face and look like i’m about 10 years old. Instead of spending loads on fancy mascaras and eyebrow pencils, why not have your eyelashes and eyebrows dyed? This is what I do and it saves time and effort when getting ready and also means that if I don’t wear any make-up, I still have defined features. Some people have eyeliner, brows and lip liner tattooed on which I think is a bit severe but for about eight quid from Boots you can get a DIY eyelash and eyebrow kit. Just paint it on, leave it for 10 minutes and you have glossy dark lashes. Just don’t dye your brows black if your hair is not black!

So i’m on a health kick at the moment and currently in the mission of trying to get fit for my next holiday! Be advised that it is not sensible to try and do the advanced session on a workout DVD when you’ve not exercised for about three years. My muscles are completely aching and I am now very aware that you should definitely do the warm up and the warm down that is advised! The DVD was Mel B’s Totally Fit and I swear the woman is a machine! The day that I can do that many sit ups and then go straight into a lunge for three minutes will be the day I am proud of my abs. I have never been made cry by a Spice Girl before, but on Saturday I was laying on the floor in agony after trying to keep up with Mel B. Think I may get Geri Yoga next!

The beautiful weather at the weekend made it a perfect opportunity to get out in the garden and have a barbecue. This was the choice for many of my friends this weekend who were raving about their amazing garden parties. They all did say that they had to tidy up the garden before they had people round. It seems the advice that if flying around at the moment is all about tidying up your flower borders, the best kind of lawn mowers, special clippers for the hedge and getting new stones for your garden walls or rock pools! It is true though, we are due a fabulous summer so now is the time to get outside and sort your gardens out. It’ll be worth it.