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Five Top Tips for a Summer Declutter
Summer is as good a time as any to get rid of any unwanted items in and around your house; you haven’t got the excuse of it being too dark or wet, and it’s a productive way of using at least part of your summer holiday. Hamiltons Removals, personal storage specialists in the heart of East Anglia, provide some top tips on how to declutter your home over the next couple of months.
Sort Out Summer and Winter Clothing
If you aren’t wearing summer items now, or don’t plan to, then you really should be asking yourself if you really need them. The chances are, you can probably give them to family or friends, sell them over the internet or donate them to a local charity shop.
Look at your winter clothing too – there may be some items you can get rid of even though you won’t be wearing them for another few months. Alternatively, you could put winter items into self-storage if you are really pushed for space and just transfer them with warmer weather attire as the seasons change.
Don’t Forget Your Outdoor Gear
Again, if there are items in your garden shed or garage which you haven’t been using over the summer, ask yourself if you need them. Some tools, garden furniture and children’s play equipment could be sold off; you probably won’t be using them over winter when it will be too dark, cold and wet to do much outside. Again, the long-term solution may be to put them into storage if you really can’t make your mind up about whether to keep them or part with them.
Involve the Children
They will be around too – most pupils have around six weeks of summer holiday. So, make them feel part of the process by encouraging them to join in with your decluttering; after all, there may be some items which they can get rid of themselves. This applies to toys which they no longer play with, old books, and school uniforms which they have also outgrown. Give them an incentive by helping to sell them on eBay or other auction sites – and let them keep some of the proceeds.
Don’t Spend Too Long on Your Declutter
You (and your children) will probably want to enjoy the sunshine and not be cooped up indoors all the time; remember you should get some fresh air every day (provided it’s not too hot).
So, either give yourself a time limit on how long you spend on decluttering every day- around half an hour should be enough, as this will concentrate your mind and encourage you to be ruthless. Alternatively, do it on a room-by-room basis, or just concentrate on one wardrobe or chest of drawers at a time.
Don’t Forget the Kitchen
Summer is a time when wasps and flies tend to hover around, ruining any food that’s left out; you will need the maximum amount of space you can get to ensure everything is out of sight (and taste) for any airborne insects. Give everything a good declutter; start by removing all the out-of-date items at the backs of cupboards and fridges that you may have forgotten about.
It’s also a question of reorganising and priorities – for example, a juice maker should be more accessible than a deep fat fryer. Given that you are more likely to use the former than the latter in the warmer weather, make sure it’s at the front of a cupboard rather than the back. And don’t forget to clean the backs and tops of cupboards while you are removing everything – dirt, grime, dust and pollen can easily build up there. Any hay fever sufferers in your household will certainly appreciate your efforts.
The fridge shouldn’t escape your attentions either – you’ll need plenty of space for cold drinks, ice cubes and ice cream. Ideally, given the number of items you will be storing, it should be defrosted to make sure it’s working at maximum efficiency.
Personal Storage in East Anglia with Hamiltons Removals
If there are items you can’t make up your mind about, or want to swap out between summer and winter, then we also have self-storage facilities on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. Our Safe N Stored sites are at Harleston and Aldeby; the former has rooms of various sizes from as little as £65 a month while the latter has containers which are ideal for lawn mowers, bikes and other larger items. Both sites are highly secure and are covered by CCTV cameras. For more information, follow this link.
And, if you need a helping hand when it comes to packing stuff away, then we can supply high-quality packing materials for all our customers, whether you are from Norfolk, Suffolk or further afield. These include small, medium and large decluttering kits which are available through our online shop.
Moving House to Cyprus – Top Cypriot Customs
Cyprus is one of the most popular countries to move to in the European Union, with more than 70,000 Britons having chosen to make this island nation their home. To help give you a picture of what life in the country is like, Hamiltons Removals – who can help you if you’re interested in moving house to Cyprus – have identified five customs which are common in the country, particularly among the Greek Cypriot community.
Weddings
These are large-scale and often lavish affairs, with preparations going on months beforehand; the celebrations can last for several days and thousands of guests are often invited. The groom is usually shaved by his best man, as a symbol of trust between the two of them; and the bride-to-be’s mother ties a red scarf around her daughter, as this is meant to symbolise good luck.
The couple hold a pair of white candles at the start of the service to show their faith in God; and, after exchanging rings, the couple’s heads are covered in wreaths, and they are walked around the altar by the priest.
Birthdays
Among the older generation, birthdays are not as widely celebrated as they are in most western European cultures – it’s just an occasion for close family and friends. Instead, more store is set on Name Days, where children are typically named after the patron saint of their particular region.
The tradition is for a party to be thrown on the Name Day in honour of the person who shares a name with the saint (some saints have more than one ‘day’ per year). A barbecue and buffet at the house are usually prepared, and there is lots of singing, dancing, and drinking.
Increasingly, among the younger generation, conventional birthdays are now given at least as much importance as Name Days (and are celebrated accordingly).
Religious Festivals…
Christmas – this has a fair amount in common with other European countries’ celebrations, but there are some different carols, and some traditional food (shortbread and cookies are usually baked for the festive period). Some people observe a period of fasting in advance of the holiday period; usually this starts on the Feast of St Nicholas on December 6.
Epiphany – this is also held in January as in other western European countries; however, it’s also known as the Festival of Light and the local priest sprinkles holy water in people’s homes to drive out evil spirits and goblins (Kallikantzaroi) which are believed to have arrived over Christmas.
Easter – Cypriots who are members of the Greek Orthodox Church celebrate this for a full week. with masses, parades and beautifully painted Easter eggs; effigies of Judas are thrown into bonfires.
…And Festivals City by City
If you are considering removals to Limassol, then the pre-Lent carnival (pictured above) there is the most spectacular in the country, with parades, masquerades and feasts over a full two weeks. Limassol is also the place to visit if you like your wine; there’s a festival there in the first week in September which attracts vine-growers from all over the country (and is accompanied by street theatre, dances and concerts).
The Kataklysomos (Festival of the Flood, which coincides with Pentecost and honours Aphrodite and Adonis) is also celebrated all over the country, but Larnaca is the place to go to see this; there’s with a grand procession that winds down to the seashore and ends with a communal water-splashing. The city of Paphos hosts its own Ancient Greek drama festival; it runs from June to August in the amphitheatre.
Moving House to Cyprus with Hamiltons Removals
Hamiltons Removals can help with removals to Limassol, Larnaca, the country’s capital Nicosia, Famagusta, Kyrenia, Paphos and all major towns and cities in Cyprus. We aren’t restricted to domestic moves either – we sort out commercial moves too, and we can combine the two in one competitively-priced package if you want to move employees as well as your office. For more information about our removal services to Cyprus, follow this link or call us on 01379 855203