New Year’s period is the busiest for the restaurant industry with families dining out. It can also be demanding for managers to manage all the stock and sort out the decorations. To help you, we’ve come up with 3 tips for preparing your restaurant for New Year’s Eve.
1. Keep The Menu Simple
We all love food, especially food during the holiday season. Your customers will no doubt be coming to indulge in the delicious festive menu.
It’s important that you keep the menu simple – from the starters, main course, desserts, and drinks. If you want to go a step further, promote your restaurant online. Show off your delicious New Year’s Eve menu and post it on your social media pages.
When is it too early to remove Christmas decorations? Certainly not before New Year’s Day! Keep the Christmas spirit alive by keeping the decorations and trees up!
Don’t forget the music too! Everybody loves Christmas songs! They will no doubt make your customers burst with joy and hang on to the Christmas season just a little bit longer!
At the end of the day, the ambience and overall vibe of your restaurant make a big difference to the overall experience.
3. Partner Up With Laundryheap
Our last tip for preparing your restaurant for New Year’s Eve is to partner up with a laundry service. With services like Laundryheap, you won’t worry about doing the laundry ever again. Laundryheap will tackle any stains on your staff’s aprons, table linen and towels.
All of your items will be cleaned to perfection and returned to your restaurant within 24 hours!
By partnering up with a laundry service, you will plan better for New Year’s Eve and it will also keep your staff happy as they don’t need to take their uniforms home to clean.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas brings us the luxury of presents and togetherness. Amongst all that, it is a time when you need plenty of preparation with all the hosting, decorating, shopping, and eating (our favourite part!). Leaving all these to the last week will set off panic stations. To get you in the festive spirit, here are 4 ways to prepare for Christmas!
1. Make a List and a Budget
Christmas is associated with love, joy, and togetherness (don’t let the Grinch tell you otherwise!). To help you prepare for Christmas and stay organised, make a list of people you want to send gifts and Christmas cards to; Friends, family and even your children’s teachers!
It’s also worth creating a budget so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank by the time Christmas day comes around.
2. Get The Kids Involved
The magical part of Christmas is spending time with family. It’s also an opportunity to get the kids involved with decorations. Kids no doubt love presents (thank you Santa Claus!) but encouraging them to get involved in the planning helps you to prepare for Christmas!
Kids are creative and will no doubt have a lot of inspiration on how they want the Christmas tree to look like.
In addition, get the kids in the kitchen and bake cookies together! Homemade chocolate cookies and eggnog lattes are crowd-pleasers!
We can’t begin to imagine how full the laundry basket is at this time of the year. All those events and hosting get-togethers make your laundry heavier than Santa’s bag of presents!
It’s always tempting to say ‘I’ll do it later’ but Laundryheap can help you prepare for Christmas. Having laundry done has never been easier.
By booking with Laundryheap, your laundry will be collected on the day and returned to you within 24 hours! No waiting, no Christmas stress and no laundry ruining the most wonderful time of the year!
4. Keep an Eye Out For The Mail Delivery Times
People love cards and presents as much as we love doing laundry but be on the lookout for the mail delivery times. If you have friends and family that live far away, you will likely be relying on the mail to deliver your Christmas cards and presents.
As you are aware, the post office becomes very busy during the holiday season, so we highly recommend buying your stamps early and sending out everything a little early to beat the rush.
December is a busy month for everyone but now we’ve told you 4 ways to prepare for Christmas, preparation should be easier!
T’is the season to be jolly and for your wardrobes to be packed with Christmas sweaters! After all, it wouldn’t feel the same without them – they set the tone and are great for those family pictures. However, not looking after your sweaters can ruin the most wonderful time of the year. To spread the festive cheer, we’ll guide you on how to care for your Christmas sweaters!
Read The Care Label
To avoid any laundry mistakes, shrinkage or material being ruined, it’s best to read the label for the best care for your Christmas sweaters. The label should say what type of cycle/settings to use on your washing machine.
If you don’t come across a label, we do recommend washing it depending on the material it is made from.
Wool Christmas Sweaters
Many Christmas sweaters are made of wool so they should be washed on the wool cycle in your washing machine with low-temperature settings. The great thing about wool, as a material, is that it’s an antibacterial material so you won’t need to wash it regularly.
We strongly advise against putting your wool garment in the tumble dryer because it doesn’t react well to heat.
Cashmere Christmas Sweaters
Cashmere is no different to wool when it comes to caring instructions. It should be washed on low-temperature settings on the washing machine. To maintain their softness, it’s best to turn the cashmere sweaters inside out before putting them in the washing machine. Much like wool, it should never be tumble dried.
Washing your cashmere sweaters by hand, in warm water, is also another option you can take when caring for your cashmere sweaters.
Furthermore, we do recommend using steam iron for the best results as opposed to ironing. This is because ironing can ruin the texture of the sweaters and your sweater may look slightly out of shape.
We hope this guide has given you great insights on how to properly care for your Christmas sweaters!
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, especially with a well-cleaned and stain-free Christmas sweater!
If the festive season is keeping you too busy to do your laundry, don’t worry – Laundryheap is available to help!
Just book a service so we can collect your laundry, clean them to perfection and bring them back to you within 24 hours!
Christmas is officially over. It may not be time to take down the tree and decorations, but it’s time to reset your home and get ready for the New Year. Here are just a few things that might be on your post-Christmas clean-up list.
Tackle the dishes
Empty the bin
Hoover
Mop
Clean the oven
Tackle stains
Dust
Change bedding
Tackle the dishes
Christmas is not the time for doing dishes. This, although a lovely break at the time, does mean that there will be a build-up to get through post-Christmas. If you don’t have a dishwasher, this could take some time, so take it step by step. Consider dividing your dishes up by category, for example, washing all of the plates and cutlery together, followed by the cooking dishes, and finishing with the glasses. Enlist the help of loved ones to help make the task quicker, dividing the responsibility of washing, drying, and putting away between the 3 of you. With the help of loved ones, your dishes will be sparkling clean in no time.
The dishes aren’t the only thing that will be piling up throughout the Christmas festivities, the rubbish will be as well. Wrapping paper, empty food containers, and bottles are just some of the things that will be thrown away during the holiday season. Before emptying the bin, sift through the rubbish, dividing it up into recyclable and non-recyclable. You can then get rid of all of your non-recyclable rubbish, and take the recyclable materials to your closest recycling centre.
The excitement of Christmas gets to us all, so there will probably be at least a few crumbs to hoover up. Give your home a thorough hoovering, kitchen included, to quickly pick up any dust, dirt, or crumbs that may be lying around. It’s surprising how much fresher a room can feel once it’s been given a good hoover.
Once you have hoovered, it’s time to mop. Make your hard floors sparkle by using a mop to remove any tough, worn-in, stains- this will probably be mostly in the kitchen area. Make sure that you let everyone in your home aware that you are mopping or risk an accident on the slippery floor.
Your oven will be working hard throughout Christmas day to cook the perfect Christmas dinner for you and your loved ones, so it deserves a thorough post-Christmas clean. Remove all of the trays and shelves from your oven and soak them in a basin of hot, soapy water. Whilst they soak, sweep away any debris from the bottom of your oven and give the inside and door of your oven a clean. You can use a branded cleaning solution specifically designed for ovens, or baking soda and white vinegar. Once your oven is sparkling clean you can remove your trays and shelves from the soapy water, give them a thorough rinse, and put them back in your oven, ready to use.
Stains are a common occurrence at Christmas. Food and drink are dripped down clothing, mopped up by tablecloths and tea towels that will be permanently stained if not treated appropriately. Tackle all stains, both clothing and kitchen textiles, whilst doing your post-Christmas clean-up. Separate items by stain, material, and colour to make it quicker to treat each stain, and then launder each item as appropriate. Similarly to washing the dishes, you can enlist the help of loved ones, so whilst you are tackling stains, someone else is loading and unloading the washing machine.
Dust
It’s truly amazing how quickly dust forms. Avoiding dusting for even just the Christmas season will result in a build-up of the stuff. Whilst doing your post-Christmas clean up, grab a feather duster and run it across the surfaces in your home. You might not necessarily have to polish each area, but dusting will at least leave all of your surfaces clean and much more tidy looking. Dusting is an easy task, so you may want to hand the responsibility to a younger loved one to give them something to do.
If you had loved ones staying with you over the festive season you will need to change the beds. Strip the bedding from all the beds in the house, and launder as appropriate. Whilst your bedding is being laundered, you can make each bed with a fresh, clean, set of bedding. There is no better feeling than getting into a freshly made bed with freshly made sheets, especially after a day of post-Christmas cleaning.
You have enough on your post-Christmas cleaning list to deal with without adding laundry. Luckily, we’re here to tick that chore off of your list. Book your Laundryheap order today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
Once you have filled yourself with Christmas dinner, almost to the point of explosion, there is only one thing left to do- eat dessert. If you get a dollop of dessert on your Christmas outfit, don’t worry, because this handy guide will help you to remove the stain.
Brandy butter
Mincemeat
Double cream
Jelly
Toffee sauce
Brandy butter
Brandy butter is the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dessert, especially if you’re having a Christmas pudding. Its combination of butter and alcohol though makes it a tricky stain to lift.
To lift your brandy butter stain you will need…
Dull knife or spoon
Talcum powder, baking soda, or cornstarch
Soft-bristled brush
Heavy-duty liquid detergent
To begin lifting your brandy butter stain use a dull knife or spoon to remove as much solid butter as possible. Be careful when doing this as pushing too hard could result in pushing the stain further into your garment.
Once you have removed as much solid butter as possible, cover the stain with talcum powder, baking soda, or corn-starch. Brandy butter stains are oil-based, and fine powders, such as talcum powder, can absorb oil quickly. Make sure that your full stain is covered by the powder, and leave it for 15-30 minutes. After 15-30 minutes, shake off as much of the powder as you can.
Next, use your fingers or a soft-bristled brush to work a small amount of heavy-duty liquid detergent into the remaining stain. Make sure that you are covering the whole of your stain with the detergent, and using a gentle scrubbing motion to ensure that your stain is being penetrated.
Finally, after working the detergent into your stain, launder your garment as you usually would. Check that your stain has been completely lifted before drying your item. If it hasn’t then repeat the process.
Mince pies are a Christmas staple. Sticky mincemeat filling, encased in a beautiful buttery pastry makes for the perfect after-dinner treat. If you drop mincemeat filling down yourself, follow these simple steps.
To lift your mincemeat stain you will need…
A spoon or blunt knife
White vinegar
Clean cloth
Washing powder
Warm water
Sponge
To begin lifting your mincemeat stain use a blunt knife or spoon to remove as much of the mincemeat as possible. Be careful when doing this as mincemeat is incredibly sticky and can easily spread to other parts of your garment.
Once you have lifted as much mincemeat as possible, pour a small amount of white vinegar on to a clean cloth and gently dab at the remaining stain. White vinegar contains a mild amount of acetic acid which is strong enough to lift stains without causing damage to your clothing. Continue dabbing at your stain until it has lightened in colour.
Next, mix 1 teaspoon of powder detergent to a mug of warm water and mix thoroughly until the powder has dissolved. Use a sponge to gently dab the detergent mixture on to your remaining stain.
After you have dabbed your stain, wash your garment as your usually would. Before drying, check that your stain has been completely lifted. If not, repeat the process.
If you are not a fan of brandy cream, double cream is the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas dessert. Be careful though, because it is very easily dripped.
To lift your double cream stain you will need…
Clean cloth
Cold water
Heavy duty liquid laundry detergent
Soft bristled brush
To begin removing your double cream stain use a clean cloth to soak up as much of the cream as possible. Carefully blot at the cream using your cloth, making sure that you are blotting and not rubbing as this will set the stain further into your garment.
Next, flush out the remaining stain by holding it under a cold running tap with the underside of your fabric facing up. The constant stream of cold water will push the protein molecules from the fibres of your clothing, ultimately lifting the stain.
After flushing your stain, wash your garment as you usually would. Before drying check that the stain has been completely lifted. If it has not, fill a sink with cold water and add a teaspoon of heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent. Place your stained item in the water, making sure that it is completely submerged, and leave it to soak for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove your garment from the water and wash it again. If your double cream stain still has not been lifted, repeat the process.
Sometimes after a big Christmas dinner you just want something light for dessert, like jelly. Eat with caution though as this wibbly wobbly dessert can easily fall from your spoon and straight on to your lap.
To lift your jelly stain you will need…
Dull knife or spoon
Cold water
Clean sponge
Rubbing alcohol
Oxygen based bleach
Tepid water
To begin lifting your jelly stain, use a dull knife or spoon to scoop up as much of the jelly as possible. Be extra careful when doing this as you don’t want your jelly to fall off of your utensil and back on to your clothing.
Once you have removed as much jelly as possible, flush the remaining stain by holding it under a cold running tap. Make sure that your water is nothing warmer than cold as jelly stains are protein based and any warmer water will cook the protein, making the stain harder to lift.
After flushing your stain, use a clean sponge to gently dab rubbing alcohol onto the area. The rubbing alcohol will help lift the remaining stain. Continue dabbing your stain with the alcohol until it has completely lifted. Once it has been lifted, wash your item as you usually would.
If, after a while of dabbing, you notice that your stain is not getting any lighter, mix a solution of oxygen-based bleach and tepid water. Completely submerge your garment in the water for a minimum of 4 hours. The oxygen-based bleach will penetrate your stain, removing the artificial colouring and leaving your garment stain-free. After 4 hours, remove your clothing from the water and wash as you usually would.
A sticky toffee pudding would not be complete without it’s deliciously sweet toffee sauce. Unfortunately, a toffee sauce stain is quick to dry, so to remove it you have to act fast.
To lift your toffee sauce stain you will need…
Dull knife or spoon
Borax
Cold water
Heavy duty liquid laundry detergent
Hot water
Hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar
To begin lifting your toffee sauce stain, first use a dull knife or spoon to lift as much of the sauce as possible. Be careful when doing this as pushing too hard will cause the stain to set further into your garment.
Next, mix a paste of 1 tablespoon of water with 3 tablespoons of borax. Spread this paste over your stain, making sure that the whole area is covered. Leave your garment to sit for 15-20 minutes, giving the borax adequate time to penetrate your stain and lift the sticky toffee sauce from the fibres of your clothing. After 15-20 minutes, rinse your garment thoroughly, making sure that all of the borax paste has been removed.
Once you have removed all of the borax paste, rub a small amount of heavy duty liquid laundry detergent directly onto your stain. Use your fingers to work the detergent in to your stain, saturating the area with detergent. Leave your garment for a minimum of 5 minutes, before flushing your stain, and detergent, with hot water. Make sure that the water is as hot as possible as this will help push the stain from your clothing.
If your stain has been removed, or is significantly lighter, wash your garment as you usually would. If it has not been removed, use a sponge to gently dab a small amount of hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar on to the stained area. This should only be done on white or colour-fast clothing to avoid bleaching and ruining your garment. Continue to blot until your stain has lifted, and then wash your item as you usually would.
Christmas is for spending time with loved ones, not doing your laundry. Give yourself a well deserved Christmas break and book your Laundryheap service today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
Copenhagen turns into a wonderland during the festive season. Twinkling lights hang above the streets, shops are filled with people completing their Christmas shopping, and the true spirit of hygge is embraced. It is a truly magical experience, and these are just 5 things to do at Christmas in Copenhagen.
Frederiksberg Runddel ice rink
Tivoli Gardens
Højbro Plads Christmas Market
Drink Juleøl
Hotel d’Angleterre
Frederiksberg Runddel ice rink
Every winter Frederiksberg Runddel, by the entrance of the iconic Frederiksberg Garden, is transformed into a glorious ice rink. Despite not being the biggest ice rink in Copenhagen, it is one of the prettiest. As you skate around the rink you can see the tops of the parks beautiful trees and a peek into the grounds. Admission to the ice rink is free, and you can hire a pair of skates for DKK 50, or have yours sharpened for DKK 70. Skating at Frederiksberg Garden is the perfect way to begin your Christmas in Copenhagen, so get your skates on and start, well, skating.
Tivoli Gardens is transformed into a mesmerising winter wonderland during the festive season. The park is decorated with fake snow, glittering Christmas lights, and finished with over 1,000 Christmas trees, decorated with more than 70,000 baubles. The feeling of stepping into the North Pole would not be complete without a visit from Santa and his reindeer’s, as well as Christmas performances and parades. In addition to this magical fun, Tivoli also hosts a Christmas market with more than 60 stalls of traditional food, drink, and perfect stocking-filler gifts. Tivoli Gardens is truly a magical Christmas experience for all ages.
There are many Christmas markets to wander around in Copenhagen, but Højbro Plads Christmas Market is the best. Located between Strøget, one of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in Europe, and the Christiansborg Palace, it is the perfect market to get your Christmas shopping done. The market area exudes the Christmas spirit with its Christmas trees, 280,000 sparkling lights, and festive decorations. Vendors sit inside log cabins, which are imported each year from Tyrol, selling Christmas gifts, sweet treats, and traditional Gløgg. Whilst you’re busy shopping and taking in the festive atmosphere, look out for Santa and his reindeer who circulate the market, greeting children and making sure that you stay on the nice list. If you don’t find all of the gifts that you are searching for at Højbro Plads Christmas Market, head to Strøget to finish the task.
Image by Orf3us
Drink Juleøl
Juleøl is Danish for Christmas beer, one of the most beloved drinks in Copenhagen during the festive season. Traditionally, Juleøl is strong and spiced with cinnamon, orange peel, cloves, and vanilla. Today, more than 220 Danish breweries produce a record number of Christmas beers of roughly 350 varieties. From bodegas to trendy craft beer pubs, you will see Copenhagers across the city toasting the festive season with a Christmas beer. It would be remiss to be in Copenhagen during the festive period and not join in on the tradition. Cheers!
Each year the Christmas lights on the Hotel d’Angleterre are a wondrous spectacle for all to marvel at. They tend to be extravagant displays, based on characters from the iconic fairy tales of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, who had spent Christmas in the hotel. Once you have marvelled at the beautiful lights adorning the Hotel d’Angleterre, head inside to warm yourself up with a glass of gløgg. The Hotel d’Angleterre is known across Copenhagen as the best place to enjoy a traditional glass of gløgg or their bespoke Snow Queen’s gløgg. The perfect way to get you in the Christmas spirit.
After spending your day enjoying the festive spirit, you don’t want laundry to pull you out of your festive haze. Instead, let Laundryheap do your laundry for you. Book your Laundryheap order today by heading to the Laundryheap website, or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
Christmas is a magical time of the year regardless of where you are. That being said, there is something extra special about enjoying the festive period in London. If you are spending time in London this Christmas these are just some of the things that you can do.
Winter Wonderland
Christmas lights
Ice skating
Christmas at Kew
Christmas shopping
Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland is one of the biggest festive attractions in London. Hosted in Hyde Park from November to January, it is the best way to get yourself into the Christmas spirit. Whether you want to skate on the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink, create an ice sculpture, wander around the Christmas markets, or take in the view from the iconic observation wheel, there is something for everyone at Winter Wonderland.
London is home to some of the most iconic streets and landmarks in the world, and there is no better way to see them than under twinkling Christmas lights. From Covent Garden to Oxford Street, Carnaby Street to South Bank, the city of London becomes even more magical under the glittering lights of the festive season. Don’t miss out on seeing the world-famous Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, which has been gifted by Norway every year since 1947 as a thank you for Britain’s help in World War 2.
Skating around an ice rink whilst warming your hands on a delectable hot chocolate, is the picture perfect festive activity. In London, there are an array of places to enjoy ice skating. As mentioned, Winter Wonderland is home to the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink, however, arguably the most iconic London ice rink is at Somerset House. On a normal day, the 18th Century courtyard of Somerset House is a wonder to explore. At Christmas, when the courtyard is transformed into a picturesque ice rink, Somerset House becomes truly magical. Complete with a 40ft Christmas tree, it really is the ice rink of dreams, and the perfect place to enjoy some festive skating.
Kew Gardens, otherwise known as the Royal Botanical Gardens, is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. It is home to 500 acres of woodland and over 50,000 living plants. At Christmas, this biodiverse haven turns into a festive wonderland. Opened after-dark, you can walk down the magical winter trail, illuminated by stunning lights hanging from the trees. As you venture along the path you will come across wondrous tunnels of light, waterside reflections, and delicious independent street food vendors. At the end of the trail you will be treated to a panoramic light display, after which a very special festive visitor might pop by. Christmas at Kew is the perfect opportunity to wrap up warm and enjoy some festive outdoor fun.
London has some of the best and most iconic shopping locations in the world. From Oxford Street to White City, Regents Street to Stratford, there are no end of shops ready for you to browse. That is why London is one of the best cities to do your Christmas shopping in. Whether you are looking for high-street deals or the hottest designers, you will find the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Whilst you are shopping, don’t forget to go into the iconic Liberty’s to see their famous Christmas display.
Whilst you enjoy the festive period in London, we will take care of your laundry. Book your Laundryheap order today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.
Christmas is a time for giving, sharing, and being with those you love. Unfortunately, this can lead to stained clothing. Don’t worry though, because this is your guide to removing Christmas stains.
Mulled wine
Milk
Cranberry sauce
Chocolate
Candy canes
Mulled wine
Mulled wine is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit, so don’t let a mulled wine stain stop you from having a holly jolly Christmas. As soon as you spot the stain, dampen the area with a small amount of water. Using paper towels, or a clean, dry, cloth, gently dab at the stain, making sure to not rub it. Once the stain begins to lighten and lift, put your item into the washing machine and wash as per the care label instructions.
Milk
Don’t despair if you spill milk down yourself whilst leaving it out for Santa. Begin by blotting the stain with a clean cloth or napkin. Next, mix two cups of cold water with one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and one tablespoon of baking soda. Rub this mixture into the milk stain using your fingers or a soft brush. Once your stain has been covered by the mixture, rinse it with cold water. If you can still see the milk stain, repeat the process again.
Cranberry sauce
You can’t have a Christmas dinner without turkey, accompanied by lashings of cranberry sauce. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get over excited, and end up with a large cranberry sauce stain right down the middle of your Christmas outfit. If this does happen, act quickly as it is easier to get a wet stain out than a dry one.
Start by scrapping away the excess cranberry sauce with the back of a spoon or a dry, clean, cloth. Try and avoid spreading the stain. Once all of the excess cranberry sauce has been removed, flush the stain with a constant stream of cold water, making sure that the back of the stain is facing the flow of water. You should begin to notice your stain becoming lighter in colour. Next, rub a small amount of laundry detergent directly onto the stain, and wash your garment as normal.
If you can’t indulge yourself at Christmas, then when can you? If you accidentally smear chocolate on your outfit, simply begin removing the stain by using a knife or spoon to lift the excess chocolate. Next, turn your garment inside out and run a constant stream of cold water through the stain. This will help loosen the stain from the fibres of your clothing. Once you’ve loosened your stain, lather it with laundry detergent, and leave it to soak for 30 minutes in cold water. Finally, wash your item as per the instructions on its care label.
Candy canes
On Christmas Day, you can finally eat those candy canes that have been tempting you from the Christmas tree all month. Candy canes are not necessarily the easiest candy to eat, and when you bite into one, it is easy for them to shatter into small shards. If these shads end up stuck on your clothing, begin by filling a zip lock bag with ice and applying it directly onto the stain. This will cause the shard to stiffen and become easier to remove. When it has become hard, simply pull the shard away from your clothing, being careful not to rip your item.
To treat the stain left behind, dip a clean, dry, cloth in white vinegar and blot the stain. Once it has become damp with white vinegar, leave it to sit for 15 minutes before rinsing it with water and blotting it dry.
Don’t let stains ruin your Christmas. If there are any stains on your clothing that you can’t remove, give them to us. We will pick-up, dry clean, and re-deliver your clothing back to you, stain free, within 24 hours.
To book your Laundryheap service, head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
With the new year fast approaching, many people start to look to January as a time for a change, for a fresh start, and for ways to improve there life. Change can mean different things to different people, depending on how you currently live your life. Whether you require a new work out regime or want to spend more time with the people closest to you this year. Rest assured these pointers will help you get a hold of those dreaded January blues.
Let go of last year
Be specific about what you want
Start getting organised
Be nicer to people
Get that blood flowing
Sleep more
No more unnecessary distractions
Strengthen relationships that matter to you
Let go of last year
Often people who want to start fresh are held back by the knot of previous failures, involvements, feelings, obstacles. We cannot go for that job because of the last job rejection we got, or we cannot find time to visit our parents because we have too many other commitments.
If you are looking to start fresh this new year, you must get rid of all of this old baggage. A fresh start demands a clean slate. Let go of last year, and start anew in your mind.
Be specific about what you want
The main reason resolutions fail is because they are non-specific. So many people go into the new year claiming “new year, new me”, with no specific direction as to how they plan to change. Why not try “new year, new strict meditation schedule to abide by”?
Aim to have a quantifiable goal, a date, and a series of checkpoints to complete to get yourself there. If you are serious about achieving your goal in the new year, you need to have a clear plan for how you are going to do it.
Start getting organised
As well as being specific about the main change you want to achieve this year, you must make sure all the other elements of your life are in good order. If you want to increase work productivity or cut down of junk food, then make sure you have the housework schedule organised!
Having unwanted stresses and disturbances from other areas in your life can be a trigger for abandoning your new routine. Try to make sure you have a handle on other parts of your life to allow you to focus on changing the parts you don’t like.
Be nicer to people
It is no secret that giving to others is one of the best ways a person can feel truly fulfilled. Whether that comes in the form of giving to charity or simply smiling at someone on your morning commute. It will make them feel better, and as a result, you will feel better. No matter where we are, there are no shortages of people, causes or organisations that could benefit from our help and kindness.
Get your blood flowing
This tip applies to people whose main focus is related to their physical health and those who aren’t particularly looking to improve this. Doing regular exercise helps you in all walks of life. Staying active increases the production of endorphins, which help produce positive feelings. These positive feelings will serve you well on your journey to change.
If physical fitness is top of your new year improvement agenda, then make sure you find a routine that works for you. Once you’ve found that perfect formula, make sure you stick to it!
Sleep more
It is hard to be productive when you are exhausted. That’s because a good nights sleep is just as important to our health as regular exercise or a healthy diet. The best way to stick to your goals this new year is by getting a good rest at night.
There are a few ways you can ensure you can sleep better, try replacing your pillow, or reducing your blue light exposure in the evenings. We know what your thinking, I have to get off my phone in the evenings, no way! Fear not, if you can’t live without your phone, there are ways to stop blue light without having to go cold turkey. Download apps that block blue light on your smartphone. These are available for both iPhone’s and Android models.
No more unnecessary distractions
If social media is distracting you, get rid of it. If it’s the television, get rid of it. Even if its the sound of the clock ticking in your study room, get rid of it.
You will find more time to focus once you have gotten rid of unnecessary distractions. Focus on the thing that matters most. In this case, concentrate on how you are going to improve this year. Feel free to take breaks and indulge in your guilty distractions, but always return to focusing on what’s important.
Strengthen relationships that matter to you
Sometimes we get lost in the chaos of our own lives and forget to spend time with our loved ones. Having people to connect with helps lower stress levels and gives you someone to confide when you are unsure about your choices.
We know life can get in the way sometimes with stuff like work, kids, and chores to be taken care off. Why not use Laundryheap to help free up some time? We can take care of all your laundry troubles and have your clothes returned to you within 24 hours of us collecting them.
Christmas is once again upon us! The trees are up, decorations at the ready and you are presumably thinking about going home for Christmas. Before you pack your bags or start fantasising about your mothers Christmas pudding, there are some crucial things to remember.
Make sure you have everything on this list covered so you can unwind, stuff your face and saviour this magical time of year.
Make sure you are up to date on work
No need to over pack
Don’t forget to pack all your presents
Turn everything off
Empty your fridge
Be cyber-safe when leaving
Forget about work for a few days
Try not to become a complete slob
One last check before going home for Christmas
Make sure you are up to date on work
As exciting as it can seem to be finishing work for the Christmas period, you should still try to stay ahead of your responsibilities. No one wants to spend Christmas stressing out about reports when we should only be worrying about eating our body-weight in turkey.
We can’t think of anything worse than returning to work with a week-long hangover, and finding yourself buried under a pile of work. Getting ahead will allow you to go home for Christmas and have a truly relaxing time.
No need to over pack
How much to pack before going home for Christmas ultimately depends on how much time off you get. Whether you get a few days or a few weeks off, be sure to bear in mind that there will be a washing machine where you are going. With this in mind, do you need to take your whole wardrobe home for Christmas?
You will be especially thankful for this tip when you are watching an army of poor souls dragging their suitcases through busy stations. By packing less, you will be the envy of everyone on your carriage.
Don’t forget to pack all your presents
In stark contrast to the previous tip, we are now encouraging you to load up your luggage. Although, rather than filling up your baggage with clothes you don’t require, why not load it full of presents you’ve bought friends and family.
Make sure you make a note of everything you buy with a gift list. If not, you could end up forgetting grannies gift, and what a disaster that would be. Travelling back to collect it might not be an option, and posting it later may be expensive. So, if you take one thing from this list, remember your gifts!
Turn everything off
With so much spinning around in your mind before going home for Christmas, be sure to remember to switch everything off! Central heating? Off. Lights? Off. Wifi? Off.
The last thing you want when you return home is a mountain of scary bills on the floor when no one has even been home over Christmas. Worse yet, imagine getting to your family home and having a sudden panic that you have left the gas on the cooker and you are 150 miles away.
Empty your fridge
No one wants to return home after a pleasant, relaxing Christmas to find a carton of milk that’s spoilt and looks more like a carton of cheddar. Make sure you completely empty your fridge before returning home for Christmas. If not, the smell that will greet you on your return will be revolting. You may find yourself spending all of next year trying to get rid of it.
Be cyber-safe when leaving
One common mistake people make when returning home for Christmas is they post about their trip on social media. We can’t stress this enough: DO NOT announce online that your house will be empty for days, maybe weeks.
Christmas time is one of the busiest years for burglaries because the criminals know people go home. Try not to make it easier for them by letting the world know you won’t be there.
Forget about work for a few days
Christmas is a magical time of year, so relax and enjoy being back home. Try to wash any impending deadline or reports that need to be in for the new year.
Set aside a few days between Christmas and New Year to go over anything bothering you, if it makes you feel better. Still, make sure you are not distracted and enjoy your quality time with family. After all, you may not get a chance to see them again for a while, and don’t want waste your Christmas fretting about work.
Try not to become a complete slob
We all know how easy it to return home for Christmas and turn into a clone of our teenage self. Just because your adoring parents are happy to have you back, it does not mean you have free licence to do nothing at all.
Try to make every effort to fall back in line with how your parents want you to behave at home. You have no doubt both changed slightly in your time away. In this case, just wash your dishes, clean your dirty pants and don’t expect your parents to wait on you hand and foot.
One last check before going home for Christmas
Just before you go home for Christmas, double-check you have all your essential bits and pieces. These include your purse or wallet, train tickets, laptops, presents and your mobile phone.
It seems obvious, but with so much on your mind before returning home, it can be easy to forget trivial things. You do not want to get on the train only to find out you left your laptop with all your work saved on it. This stuff does happen, so don’t let it be you.
Thinking about travelling home for Christmas and want a load of fresh laundry waiting for you when you return? Laundryheap can solve all your laundry pressures over the festive period.
