It sounds simple enough, but usually there is pressure to act quickly when there is furniture to move on from your home.

June is the start of the summer wedding season, and while you couldn’t be happier for the couple in question, there is the important matter of choosing a gift which resonates for them personally, and reflects your good wishes for them.

Wedding gifts were originally intended to help couples furnish their first home — a practical tradition dating back centuries when most were starting from scratch.

Today, with many couples already established, gifting has evolved into something more nuanced: a way to celebrate their shared values, mark future milestones, and offer lasting meaning beyond the material.

But without the time available to search, trying to source the perfect present can add to the pressure.

So we’ve curated an ecclectic and considered wedding gift list, ensuring your offering stands out with grace and sentiment.

Hiring a Virtual Executive Assistant doesn’t mean losing control.

It means choosing not to carry it all alone.

This isn’t about boardrooms and spreadsheets.

It’s about the hidden architecture of home life — the real scaffolding behind every high achiever’s success story.

Here’s what our clients delegate to us — and never look back…

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.

Moths are hard to eradicate and infestations can keep recurring, so once you've got them, expect this to be an ongoing exercise. Here's ten top tips to help put you back in control.

Everyone sees you as capable, organised, and self-sufficient. So the idea of hiring personal help? Feels… a bit much. Maybe even lazy. Definitely indulgent. But let’s reframe that. Because hiring a online personal assistant isn’t about what you can’t do. It’s about what you no longer need to.

The guests are gone. You drain your wine glass. The garden’s calm again.

But before the barbecue is zipped back under its cover, there’s one job left — and if it’s done well, it’ll make everything easier next time.

Cleaning your BBQ might not be the most glamorous part of outdoor entertaining, but it’s the one that keeps everything working well.

A clean grill cooks better, smells better and lasts longer. Done properly, it doesn’t take long — and it’s far less trouble than hurriedly trying to tackle a crusty, forgotten one before your next gathering.

We put together some chefs’ advice on the smart way to clean your BBQ — thoroughly, efficiently, and without damaging anything.

Plus a few pro secrets to make the job a whole lot easier.

There’s something delightfully British — and charmingly optimistic — about planning a May Bank Holiday BBQ.

Especially in London, where the forecast is more roulette wheel than reliable. Still, we carry on. Because nothing ushers in the social season quite like the the unmistakable sound and aroma of something sizzling and a gathering of people you haven’t seen since December.

The capital’s back gardens — whatever their size — come to life over a long weekend. From bijou patios in Chelsea to leafy squares in Hampstead, Londoners lean into the long weekend with iced rosé, al fresco dining, and a shared appreciation for being in the open-air at last. And while the vibe may be laid-back, the planning rarely is.

Here’s how to host a barbecue which feels polished and relaxed in equal measure, puts your guests at ease and gives you the freedom to be a great host. And best of all, make it look effortless.

Supporting someone who’s unwell often calls for a thoughtful gesture — something modest, meaningful and considered. The challenge is knowing where to start when your own time is under pressure and inspired ideas hard to come by.

This list was created with you in mind. You care deeply but may not have the headspace to trawl through endless options. Each suggestion here is thoughtfully chosen, readily available for UK delivery, and has your recipient in mind. No clichés, no complications.

For so many C-suite families in London, home life is just as high-octane as the working day. Between school runs, extra-curriculars, playdates, holiday planning and the odd emergency thrown in, home life can feel like a full-time role in itself.

The key to keep the plates spinning isn’t more effort though. It’s intelligent planning and the right support. Here’s how high-performing parents across London are finding balance and a sense of control—with far less stress.

London is a vibrant city of opportunity, though its pace can be relentless and the demands on venues and services often outstrip availability. Even the most seasoned professionals find themselves stretched—navigating bookings and unpredictable logistics, alongside the pressure of keeping everything running seamlessly behind the scenes at home, alongside their own demanding work schedules.

The difference between surviving and thriving in the capital? It’s not about more effort—it’s about intelligent planning and insider contacts.

Here’s how our clients live and work in London with confidence, clarity and far less stress.

Laundry Overload: 10 Reasons Your Laundry Is Always Out of Control (And how to finally take charge of it)

If your family laundry pile seems to multiply while your back is turned, you’re not imagining it.

Laundry is the one household task that never really ends — it just keeps recreating itself. But it takes thought to prevent it from quietly taking over. Here's what might be going wrong — and how to fix it.

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

Spring has finally arrived in London—and with it, the first proper sunshine in months. As the light streams in, so too does the realisation your windows have spent the winter quietly collecting dust, pollution, and streaks which are hard to ignore.

If you’re wondering how to clean windows in London effectively—whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring help—you’re in the right place.

If there’s one phrase guaranteed to echo through the house over the Easter holidays, it’s “Mum, I’m hungry!”

And while it’s tempting to reach for something sugary or ultra-processed to keep the peace, there is a way to stock the kitchen with snacks that are both healthy and likely to pass the child-approval test.

No complicated recipes. No niche ingredients. Just simple, ultra-fast, and genuinely nutritious options.

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.

Discover how a London virtual assistant can transform your home life into a five-star experience. Here is our step-by-step guide to enjoying luxury living without lifting a finger.

For frequent travellers in London and beyond, British Airways’ Executive Club promises the dream—fly often, collect Avios points, and one day, redeem them for luxury flights or upgrades.

But as anyone who’s ever tried to book an Avios reward seat will tell you, reality doesn’t always match the promise. Why is it so hard to find Avios flights? Why do the “free” tickets come with such high taxes and fees? And most importantly—how do you make Avios work for you?

Let’s take a look.

Going out for a celebration family lunch on Mother’s Day where noone has to cook or clean up afterwards seems an obvious choice.

But finding somewhere to eat out in London where all ages are catered for and Mum can still be the centre of attention, can be a challenge.

True to form, Consider it Done’s Dining Concierge has served up some brilliant suggestions.