Refresh and Impress

19/10/2026

Why I do what I do!

Last week I spent the morning with a lovely lady who is getting ready to put her house up for sale.

When she opened the door to me, she looked tired and completely overwhelmed by what lay ahead and was dreading the thought of preparing her home.

We initially spent some time just chatting about her family, her plans for the future and how difficult it can be to leave a home you've loved for many years.

We then slowly went through the house, room by room, looking at what was already working well, what could be improved and how she could make the most of what she already had without spending a fortune.

We discussed how simple changes, such as rearranging furniture, swapping pictures around and making a few adjustments to certain areas, could make such a difference without having to spend lots of money.

By the time I left, it was lovely to see her looking more relaxed and feeling much more positive about what lay ahead.

It was wonderful to then receive a lovely email saying:
"Thank you so much for yesterday. It was an eye opener and very helpful."
"I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday and hopefully have learnt a bit about how to present this house better."

This is why I love what I do!

Not everyone wants or needs someone to come in and do everything for them. Sometimes all you need is someone to look at your home with fresh eyes, give you some honest advice and help you work out what's worth doing and what isn't.
A few hours of advice can make such a difference.

Photos- examples - not her actual home

15/10/2026

Let's talk about property photos!
Can you tell what this is?
I've noticed recently that the quality of photos on property websites seems to be very mixed.
Too few photos, too many photos, poor-quality photos, bad lighting and sometimes photos that really don't need to be there!
When you're putting your house up for sale, your photographs are one of the most important parts of your marketing. After all, they're often the first thing potential buyers see.
It's not just about having lovely photos either. The order they're shown in, the angles they're taken from and even how many are included can all make a difference.
So if you're thinking of selling your house, this is something I'd definitely recommend looking into before choosing your estate agent.
In my latest blog I've explained what I think you should be looking out for and why it matters.
Have a read and see what you think...link in comments

15/10/2026

Let's talk about property photos!
I've noticed recently that the quality of photos on property websites seems to be very mixed.
Too few photos, too many photos, poor-quality photos, bad lighting and sometimes photos that really don't need to be there!
When you're putting your house up for sale, your photographs are one of the most important parts of your marketing. After all, they're often the first thing potential buyers see.
It's not just about having lovely photos either. The order they're shown in, the angles they're taken from and even how many are included can all make a difference.
So if you're thinking of selling your house, this is something I'd definitely recommend looking into before choosing your estate agent.
In my latest blog I've explained what I think you should be looking out for and why it matters.
Have a read and see what you think.

Property photos when selling your home: Why They Matter. Let’s talk about property photos when selling a house. Photos are crucial to get right before you instruct your estate agent, because they’re one of the first things potential buyers will see when they find your property online. When you.....

14/10/2026

Why do people so that? What's the point?

13/10/2026

I've only just found this lovely review on Google my business.

It made my day - Thank you x

12/10/2026

What people really notice when they enter your home!

11/10/2026

Do you agree?

09/10/2026

What's the most common thing people notice when entering a home? You might not even be aware of it?

08/10/2026

I hate seeing this!!

When you put your home on the market, the asking price should always reflect its condition.

If the kitchen is a little dated, or the bathroom could do with an update, buyers can see that. It’s in the photos, it’s in the details… so surely the price has already taken that into account?

That’s why those really low offers can be so frustrating, especially when the buyer says they’re reducing their offer because of things that were already obvious.

You’ve already been fair with the price.

Then, often just a couple of weeks later, you get a call from the estate agent saying…

“Perhaps we should reduce the price by £10,000… or £20,000.”

Although only two weeks earlier they told you your house was worth that!

This is one of the reasons I like to get involved before a house goes up for sale.

I help my clients:

Make the most of what they already have, so the house shows at its best
Choose an estate agent who understands the current market and prices realistically
Understand what their home is likely to achieve from the start
Know what needs doing now and what really isn’t worth spending money on

The aim isn’t to put your house on the market at an inflated price and then keep reducing it until someone bites.

It’s about getting it right from the beginning.

Hopefully, that also means avoiding that horrible feeling that you’re suddenly haggling over your house like it’s something you’ve listed on Marketplace!

If you’re thinking about putting your house up for sale, it’s worth having a chat before you call the estate agent.

Send me a message – I’d love to see if I can help.

07/10/2026

This week our dishwasher has been leaving a residue on everything which drives us mad!
I bet I'm not the only one who hates having to rewash and soak bits by hand after they've already been through the dishwasher!

It reminded me of a post I put up a couple of years age.

So if you are having the same issues try this -

🧡 First checking the salt and rinse aid levels.
🧡 Then take out and clean the filters. Flush them under running water and give them a good scrub. Then clean with undiluted white vinegar.
🧡 Add a generous cupful of white vinegar in the machine....in my case I just squirted it everywhere 🤣 being careful to to spray the rubber parts.
🧡 Put the empty machine on as hot wash cycle and ...
Voila, you should now have a lovely sparkly, clean machine!

It worked for me. Hope it does for you too!