1. Clean up! Patio slabs can get really mucky, more than you’d realise. Give the patio a blast with a pressure washer and you’ll realise how clean it can be! It will also shift most of the debris that gets stuck between the slabs, so it can be easily swept away. Pressure washers can be inexpensive, or alternatively they are available to hire, or you could borrow a friend’s. Check out this one from B&Q: https://www.diy.com/departments/pressure-washer-1400-w/1581255_BQ.prd

2. Put on a fresh coat! Old faded wooden seats, benches and swing seats can make the whole area look tired too, so get a tin of varnish or even some nice bright outdoor wood paint, and paint your old seats to give them a new lease of life.

3. Keep it green! Pot some evergreen plants to pop on your patio. This will keep it looking full of life all year round, and also evergreen plants are often easy to look after. Junipers, boxwoods and Bosnian pine trees thrive in containers and are really hardy so will last all winter.

4. Turn up the heat! A chimenea or firepit is a wonderful addition to a patio. You can then make use of the patio on cool summer nights and the cold winter months – and you could even toast some marshmallows! Check out this traditional clay chimenea: https://www.diy.com/departments/blooma-diogo-cast-iron-steel-chiminea/1829825_BQ.prd

5. Cover up! Invest in garden covers for your outdoor furniture. This will protect them from getting battered by the weather, and prevent them getting covered in dirt and bird poo, so you won’t have to clean them every time you want to sit outside. Argos has a good selection here at very reasonable prices:https://www.argos.co.uk/browse/home-and-garden/garden-furniture/garden-furniture-covers-and-cushions/c:29395/type:furniture-covers/

1. Ask them! It’s often nice to have surprise gift, but sometimes there might be something the new homeowners actually want for their new place. You could also ask what colours they’re going for in their new house – for example, they might say they’re going for neutral in the bedroom but a blue theme in the kitchen, so you can bear this in mind when choosing a gift. You could even ask them to send you their Amazon wish list!

2. Pass the smell test! Room and pillow mists are a lovely gift idea, and this will help a new homeowner settle into their new home by spritzing it around to make it smell divine, and add a relaxing scent to the bedding. This one from Sanctuary Spa will have them relaxed into sleep in no time after their busy moving in day!https://www.superdrug.com/Sanctuary-Spa/Sanctuary-Spa-Sleep-Dream-Easy-Pillow-Mist-100ml/p/768748

3. Turn over a new leaf! A houseplant is always a good idea – it will improve the air quality as well as looking lovely. Easy to maintain plants are a good idea, especially if the new homeowners aren’t green fingered! An aloe vera plant is a great choice as they only need watering once a month at most, and thrives in a sunny window. Also you can remove parts of the leaf easily and use the cooling gel inside for a number of things. It heals dry, irritated or inflamed skin, soothes sunburn, lessens the visibility of stretch marks and can be used as a non-greasy moisturiser, perfect for those with oily skin without leaving a greasy feel. Find out more here:https://www.joyusgarden.com/aloe-vera/

4. Cook up a storm! Cookbooks are often difficult to choose for other people, but this is one that should be on everyone’s kitchen shelf. ‘The Dairy Book of Home Cookery’ is the perfect choice for both novices and experienced cooks, and is cited by millions as one of the most trusted recipe books of all time. It tells you how to make all the much-loved essentials, has all the basic cookery information you could need along with easy to follow advice and tips, and has more complex recipes to experiment and branch off once you’ve mastered the basics. This 50^th Anniversary edition has over 950 recipes including soups, roasts, gravy, fish, desserts, cakes, pastries and confectionery, as well as new classics such as pesto and paella: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dairy-Book-Home-Cookery-Anniversary/dp/1911388231

5. Crack open the bubbly! This personalised bottle of prosecco is a perfect house warming gift – it comes in a lovely gold gift box with gold tissue paper and can have any name, message and date on the front. The new homeowners can even put it on display to remember moving-in day even after it has been drunk. Have a look at it here https://www.findmeagift.co.uk/gifts/personalised-prosecco.html or check out a great non-alcoholic alternative: https://www.champagneandgifts.co.uk/personalised-non-alcoholic-fizz.html

Penrith Farmers and Kidd’s PLC are pleased to announce the appointment of a new PA to Head of Land Agency and Office Manager. Jessica Knight joined the company in April 2019.

Jessica is 23 and lives in Crackenthrope near Appleby. She has lived in the area her whole life and studied at Appleby Grammar School. Since then, she has had experience in the event management industry, and more recently kicked off her career as a Lettings Manager at one of the estate agencies in Penrith, which she really enjoyed. Jessica brings with her a wealth of experience in the lettings industry, and hopes to bring both organisation and creativity to the role as well. She is excited to be a part of PFK, and is looking forward to building on our Land Agency department’s continuing success.

1. Make some space! Root through your drawers and wardrobes, fish out all those clothes you don’t wear anymore and donate them to your local charity shop. Not only will you free up loads of space in your bedroom and make what you do wear easier to find, you’ll also be helping to raise money for a good cause.

2. Get organised! Rather than stacking T-shirts and other clothing items one on top of the other, try ‘filing’ them horizontally so you can see exactly what is there at first glance. This will also stop the drawers getting messy as you try and extract what you want from the bottom of the pile! Check out this simple video guide to folding your shirts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNNdIeLI2rA

3. Change things up! Get two different duvet covers and pillowcase sets so you can have a change of pattern or colour every so often and keep things interesting. If you ensure the sheets and curtains are a neutral colour, the patterns won’t clash. This will also be good for wash day – you won’t have to get up early to wash the bedding so it’s dry by bedtime, as you can just put the spare covers on. Have a look at this collection of beautiful Dorma bedding: https://www.charmed-interiors.co.uk/collections/dorma

4. Look at the lights! Rather than just having the ‘big light’ on, get cosy by having a nice bedside lamp. Even some decorative string lights across the headboard will give enough light for your bedtime reading, as well as still looking nice when turned off. These simple star lights will make your bedroom feel like heaven!https://www.lights4fun.co.uk/i/q/C50-STAR-YW/50-warm-white-star-micro-fairy-lights

5. Get a breath of fresh air! A snake plant (Sansevieria) is a perfect addition to the bedroom. They are very hardy and can survive low light levels and no water for weeks at a time, so they perfect for those of us who forget to water our plants! NASA research has even shown that snake plants are able to help improve the air quality, reduce CO₂ and remove toxins. Find out more about them here:https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/snake-plant/snake-plant-care.htm

We are so happy to announce that our second sponsored dog Tilly has now also found her forever home, and we are all thrilled!

We are now sponsoring the care of this handsome boy, Gus. Gus is a friendly two-year old American Bulldog/Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross, and is an energetic lad, but is a big softy who loves people and cuddles. He can’t wait to find his forever home.

Gus came to the Eden Animal Rescue centre in 2017 because his owner didn’t have enough time for him. He loves his toys but can get a bit possessive, so we are looking for an adult only home with no other pets. Gus will need an experienced handler; he has been doing some training with the staff and has shown himself to be a very clever lad who loves to learn.

Gus needs a new home, and whether renting or buying, PFK can help you find your new home too. Call us on 01768 862135 for a friendly chat, or contact Eden Animal Rescue on 01931 716114 if Gus could be the dog for you.

1. Draw in some interest! If you have a boring shower curtain, try replacing it with something more colourful to add something interesting to the room. You can even have a couple of different curtains and swap them around to keep things fresh. A shower curtain can be like a piece of hanging art! We love this simple curtain that’s available in a few different colours: https://www.therange.co.uk/bathroom/bathroom-accessories/shower-curtains-and-hooks/waterline-shower-curtain/#156095

2. Look after your-shelves! If you have free wall space in the bathroom, why not add some shelves? Then you can have more storage space for all your products, and they won’t collect as much grime as they do when kept on the side of the bath or in the shower. Have a look at this nice freestanding set:https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3146727

3. Get a vanity project! Bathroom storage can often be hard to come by, so put a vanity cabinet under the sink. These often fit around the pedestal so are easy to install. If the sink is in reach of the toilet, this is a great place to keep spare toilet rolls, wipes and sanitary products so they’re hidden, but you’re never caught out!

4. Get comfortable! There’s nothing worse than relaxing in the bath with a good book or a glass of wine and getting a crick in your neck, so why not get a bath pillow and make bath time that bit more luxurious? This one from The Body Shop has a washable soft waffle outer and suction cups so it stays in place, as well as an inflatable inner so can be easily stored away or taken on your travels: https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/body/view-all/bath-pillow-inflatable/p/p000710

5. Relax with ease! A bath caddy is a great addition to the bathroom, because as well as storing your lotions and potions, they can also help you relax by providing somewhere to put your glass of wine, tablet or book and stop them falling accidentally into the water! This one from Dunelm is lovely, and is also extendable!https://www.dunelm.com/product/elements-bamboo-extendable-bath-rack-1000095386

1. Give it time! If you’ve just moved into your new home and don’t like the kitchen, live with it for a few months at least before you get a new kitchen. That way you can get a feel for where you want all the appliances and units to go.

2. Shop around! Get at least three quotes from well-known, reliable kitchen companies, preferably from a personal recommendation. You want to make sure you get the best price, without skimping on quality or reliability.

3. Don’t rush into it! Take your time to plan the kitchen and don’t be swayed too much by what the experts say to you, after all, it is you that will be using the kitchen, not them! Having said that, be open to their ideas and suggestions as they might have thought of something that you haven’t.

4. Be prepared! There will be lots of mess and it may, and possibly will, take longer than they estimate. Set up a small kitchen area in a different room if possible, with the kettle, toaster and microwave, as well as basic cutlery and crockery so you can still get something to eat and drink while the work is going on.

5. Go for quality! If you are doing your kitchen up to sell your house, then you don’t need to spend lots on high quality items. However, if you are doing it up to enjoy and use for many years, then pay as much as you can afford. You want good quality fittings, appliances and other electrical items that will last and be enjoyable to use.

*Featured image is from the beautiful Cairn Beck Development by Reiver Homes.