Let's be honest about something.

This isn't really about time management. It isn't about finding a better system, a smarter app, or a more efficient way of organising the household calendar. Those things have their place, but they're not the reason you're reading this.

The reason is simpler and more uncomfortable than that.

You are carrying significantly more of the management at home than your partner. If you’ve mentioned it, maybe you have been on the receiving end of a different perspective on it. And rather than cause more tension, you let it go and carried on. And now you don’t know what to do about it.

Everyone prepared you for the job.

A mentor talked you through the company politics. A coach helped you work on your presence. You read everything you could find about stepping into senior leadership, about managing up, about bringing a team with you. You thought carefully about your first ninety days - who to meet, what to listen for, where to move carefully and where to move fast. You’re ready for this.

Except: no one prepared you for what happens at home when you take a role like this.

Nobody put it in a contract.

There was no interview, no offer letter, no salary negotiation. No job description outlining the scope, the hours, or what success looks like. And yet here you are - running a second job alongside the demanding one you actually chose, trained for, and you’re very good at.

It probably started pre-children when you were more than happy to take the driving seat when it came to things-around-the-home. You could have things as you liked them. And you maybe work wasn’t quite as full-on then as it is now.

Now is a different picture entirely. You went back to work after having children as soon as you could and now your life is made up of two full-time jobs.

There used to be a version of life where this question had an obvious answer.

Your mum was twenty minutes away. Your sister popped round on a Tuesday. The neighbour knew which days you finished late and was happy to have the kids if you needed her to. The school gate wasn't just a pick up point - it was fifteen minutes of actual conversation with other parents who knew your name, your children's names, and roughly what kind of week you were having.

Most people who decide to enlist the help of a Home-Life EA know, logically, they need to hand things over. What they discover surprisingly quickly is the handing over is harder than it looks.

Not because the requests themselves are complicated. But because habits run deep.

You have been the person who managing everything for years. You know where each thing is, how it works, what needs to happen and in what order. The idea of briefing someone else to do it - properly, reliably, without it coming back to you - can feel like more work than just doing it yourself.

01 | The light is better for choosing colours

With the earth orbiting closer to the sun making it higher in the sky, June daylight is ideal for choosing paint colours. The pigment will resonate more clearly and ‘truthfully’.

Pro-tip: don’t paint samples straight onto a wall. The colour will be impacted by whatever is underneath, and the hue will be different on different walls of the room according to the direction the light comes in and the way it reflects inside the room. (Plus you just gave your decorator another job to do to remove them later.)

Instead paint onto A4 sheets of paper, and Blu-tac them on different walls at different times of day to fully understand how the colour will look in a more dynamic way. Move them around and leave them up for a day or two before making your final decision.

02 | Longer days

With June giving us the longest daylight hours of the year, it’s the ideal month to have a decorator working for you. They will be able to start early in the day, giving you time to talk to them before leaving for work. And if they choose too they can work late. Net gain: the work is finished in fewer days. Potentially something both you and the contractor will be pleased about.

Pro-tip: ask your decorator to quote for completing the job, not by the day. Make sure they have included everything in the price such as cost of paint, prep, and making good any areas that need repair, and any parking. Be a good employer: don’t add extra actions to his list at the last minute and expect the final price to stay the same.

03 | Drying time

An aspect of decorating many overlook is the drying time involved. If you are plastering walls or making good specific areas which need patching or prepping, there will be layers of wet materials to apply to walls, ceilings and woodwork. With low humidity in the summer months, drying time is accelerated – windows can be kept open longer and ventilation is easier. Reduced drying time helps your project progress rapidly.

04 | It’s more likely you’ll be away

Anyone who has had even just a single room decorated will know it can be disruptive for a period of time. Furniture has to be moved or covered, belongings put away and the space is out of action. The decorating team will be in and out with their tools and materials. The inconvenience can be a trial if your household is busy.

Much of the disruption can be avoided if you can co-ordinate the project with dates you’ll be away. And in June, there is a good chance of this. Naturally you need to be comfortable leaving your house in the hands of the contractor which means being confident you have best-in-class trades working for you. (This is where Consider it Done’s black book of contacts comes into its own.)

05 | Ventilation vs Dust

Something often overlooked is the amount of dust generated by a decorating project. The best decorators spend plenty of time prepping the walls and ceilings which is likely to involve sanding and smoothing. The dust itself is fine and pervasive, meaning it will find its way onto and into *everything*. Plus it hangs in the air for weeks afterwards, and you’ll be cleaning multiple times before its finally gone.

A good decorator will move and cover your possessions to protect them as far as possible, tape up doors and cupboards, and remove as much dust as they can.

Being able to open the windows more often and for longer in June, means some of this can be mitigated. Though be ready to bring in cleaners before you put the furniture back and be ready to re-book them again 7-10 days later after more dust has settled. If anyone in your house is sensitive to dust, the importance of this can’t be over emphasised.

Final Pro-tip: the best London decorators book up well in advance. For best outcomes plan your project early to avoid putting both yourself and your contractor under pressure.

For more advice like this and other home improvement projects, bookmark our blog page or book a call.

The weather is warmer – the evenings are longer. The car has been ignored so far this year and it’s calling you to clean it. You’ve done it a thousand times – but..:

Here are 10 things You Might Not Have Considered When Cleaning Your Car

Here’s how to more than double your time off in 2026 with the same holiday allowance (and some clever planning).

It’s a fact: to perform at your max at work, your mind, body and soul needs a proper amount of time to rejuvenate through the year. Preferably in a glorious environment, a long way from home.

Yet isn’t it always the way? Just as you start to relax and unwind on holiday, your break is coming to an end. If only there were a few more days to really relish and gain the most from your precious time off.

Plus there are destinations on your bucket list you’d love to see this year, but you know the trip is only worthwhile if there is a decent slug of time to spend there.

No matter your seniority at work, as an employee there will be a maximum number of paid days you can take. Even if your allowance is generous, there’s every chance one of your travel companions is constrained by the amount of holiday they have.

Here is a genius plan to double your time off, with the same leave allowance and a little clever planning around the weekends and UK public holidays.

There's a curator's trick to making pictures look intentional rather than haphazard—and it starts before you pick up the drill.

Plan first

• Lay frames on the floor to design your grouping; photograph it

• Mark a centre line on the wall at 145–155cm from floor (roughly eye level)

• Use painter's tape to mock up frame positions

Choose the right fixings

• Masonry: wall plugs and screws

• Plasterboard: push-in anchors or toggle bolts for anything heavy

• Lath and plaster: always use two fixings; go light on weight

Hang for stability

• Two hooks per frame stop tilting

• Add felt pads on bottom corners to protect paint

• Fine-tune with a spirit level and tiny adjustments

Gallery wall tips
Match spacing between frames, mix sizes but keep one horizon line, step back often.

We can supply the full kit, hang a gallery wall and photograph the final layout for your records.

[Fixings guide] [Layout inspiration]

A teenager's bedroom is often the only space they truly control. Respecting that—mess and all—supports their development in ways that might surprise you.

Seven reasons to ease off

1. Safe space: Teens feel judged everywhere else. A door they control lowers stress.

2. Ownership builds responsibility: Autonomy comes first; responsibility follows, not the other way round.

3. Mess can be a coping tool: Familiar sensory environments buffer against overwhelm.

4. Different priorities are normal: Social life and schoolwork outrank tidy floors at this stage—and that's developmentally appropriate.

5. No crystal ball: Many messy teens become very organised adults once they design their own systems.

6. Relationship cost is real: Constant nagging erodes trust. They hear criticism, not care.

7. Connection beats cleanliness: Strong parent-teen bonds predict long-term success better than strict room rules ever will.

So what do you ask for?

• Hygiene minimums: Dishes out daily, wet towels hung, bin emptied twice a week

• Safety basics: Clear path to the door, sockets visible, no candles or overloaded plugs

• One weekly reset they own: Agree the time, hand them a short checklist, then step out

Make it easier to succeed

• Provide simple storage: big laundry basket, open shelves, clear boxes

• Use visual systems for neurodivergent teens: labels, photo prompts, colour-coded zones

• Offer help only when asked; praise effort, not spotless results

A note on social media and teens

News cycles and online pressure can feel relentless. Sleep and real connection matter more than perfect rooms. Keep phones out of bedrooms overnight where possible—and model the same yourself.

We can set up storage that fits the room, print a laminated reset checklist and create a shared family calendar for chores.

[Family agreements template] [Teen wellbeing resources]

It may not be glamorous, but blocked or neglected gutters are one of the most common causes of water damage in London homes.

Leaf litter, construction debris and rubbish caught in the wind can all end up trapped in your gutters and downpipes, leaving nowhere for rainwater to go other than flooding back in to your home.

Establishing a routine of twice yearly maintenance, involving clearing piepwork and testing the water flow, can save headaches and potentially thousands in repairs.

There’s a number of reasons you might be worrying about what to do with an old laptop.

The environmental impact. You’d hate for it to end up in landfill.

And security. How can you be sure the digital footprint you created doesn’t find it’s way into the wrong hands? 

Meantime your old device sits languishing in your home taking up precious space (and collecting dust).

Here we bring together some expertly reassuring advice and lots of possibilities.

With spring finally here, now is the perfect time to declutter, re-arrange and streamline your wardrobe.

A well organised wardrobe makes dressing a pleasure. It removes frustration and difficult last minute choices from your already hectic morning routine. And also ensures your style reflects who you are today—not who you were a decade ago.

The Truth About: Video Doorbells in London

Video doorbells have become increasingly popular in London and across the UK, with options from Ring, Nest, Eufy, Arlo, and Blink topping the market. They promise extra security and convenience, though real-world experiences (aka thanks to CiD’s in-house Home Tech expert Mike) show they’re not without issues.

If you’re considering installing a video doorbell, or changing to another brand, this guide is designed to help you make an informed choice.

Every September, Londoners notice the same thing: more spiders indoors. You see them in the bath, scuttling across the carpet, or clinging to hallway walls just as you are about to switch off for the evening. It can feel like an invasion, but it’s simply spider season -  a pattern which repeats across the UK.

As September settles in and summer slips behind us, now is the moment to refresh your outdoor space and set the scene for the next growing season.

As the CEO or owner of your firm or someone with a senior-level positon in your company, can you really ever take time off? 

Thinking of installing a home EV charger? You're not alone. More drivers than ever are switching to electric (plug in) vehicles accounting for over 20% of new car sales in the UK.

Though the UK charging infrastructure is still catching up with demand and if you’re considering an EV purchase or you’ve already acquired one, it’s likely you’ve also been thinking about whether charging at home is an option.

Can I just use a plug socket? Do I need permission? And what happens if I live in a London terrace with no driveway?

Here’s what you need to know - before you book an EV charger survey.

For many people, dry cleaning is just something they do because the care label tells us to.

It’s easy to put off - a silk blouse in need of pressing, a winter coat still carrying the scent of last season’s commute. And yet, dry cleaning plays a more important role than many realise.

It doesn’t only make garments appear smarter, and the wearer look sharper.

It also helps them last longer, stay fresher and avoid damage - from causes you can’t always see.

Here’s everything you need to know about dry cleaning. What it really does, why it costs what it does, and how it may be looking after more than your dress sense.