Top Gifting Tips from The Family Diaries star, Billie Shepherd

Top Gifting Tips from The Family Diaries star, Billie Shepherd

Be prepared this Christmas with Billie Shepherd’s top gifting tips from how to gift the person who’s tricky to buy for, or what to do when you’ve forgotten someone on your list!

Billie was recently announced as Christmas Gifting Ambassador for Baylis & Harding, the first ever, and has launched her own Edit of beautiful Christmas gifts. Now Billie has released her best advice for gifting this festive season, including how to refill and reuse the Light Up Crème Bath Bubbles Decanter to last beyond Christmas.

Make a list and check it twice….
“As with most people, my list of who I need to buy for seems to get longer every year whether it’s the kids’ teachers, friends, family – it can get overwhelming. The easiest thing to do is write up a list in advance and plan who’s getting what, alongside a budget of what you are happy to spend. Having it all in one place will help you feel more organised, and you can tick each one off the list when they’ve been purchased!”

Shop as much as you can online…
“I am normally more of a dasher, running around the shops last minute, but this year with a new house move and a new baby on the way, I’m definitely going to be a planner. A great way to get a head start is online shopping – it’s more convenient, you can shop around, and you will find more deals online than you will in store. You can get a lot of gifts sorted all in one go and you can avoid busy stores. My biggest tip would just be to check delivery dates, so you know they’ll arrive in time!”

Make it personal and think about fragrance
“I always think about what scents a person likes when it comes to choosing their present so you’re not just buying them any old gift set. You can usually judge this by the perfume or aftershave someone wears, or the products they have in their home.

“Take my mum for example, she’s always on the go, while always managing to remain glamourous. So, I like to think of a gift that allows her to unwind and relax yet still has a decadent touch. The Baylis & Harding Boudoire Rose fragrance in my Edit has the perfect floral scent in a range of relaxing bath soaks which I know mum will love.”

Save time and consider buying pre-wrapped gifts
“I love wrapping gifts for my loved ones, but a little hack I’ve learnt as a busy mum is choose something that is already packaged beautifully! That way, the hard work is already done for you and all you need to do is pop it straight under the tree. It honestly makes it so much easier and saves so much time. That’s what I love about Baylis & Harding, their gifts are so beautifully wrapped, that you can just pop them in a gift bag or box, and you’re sorted.”

Remember, a gift is not just for Christmas
“Giving people gifts is one of my favourite parts of Christmas, and I always like to try and gift something that I know someone can keep and cherish, something that will be useful, or something that can be used time and time again. It’s also nice to give gifts that you know could be put on display.

“I just love Baylis & Harding’s Light Up Crème Bath Bubbles Decanter, in my edit which comes in this gorgeous glass bottle which can be refilled with your favourite bubble bath and looks gorgeous on the side of any bath. I’m so much more conscious of giving gifts that I know will last beyond Christmas day and I know this is something that many others are mindful of too.”.

Have extra gifts on hand (just in case you forget someone!)
“No matter how much you plan, there’s always an unexpected guest or visitor over Christmas that you haven’t bought for. A great tip to avoid last minute panic buying is to get hold of a few extra stocking filler gifts in advance, that way no-one is left out.”

If in doubt about what to gift, go for something practical
“Greg is definitely the hardest to buy for in my family and he often gets left with gifts he’ll never use. If you’re unsure what to buy someone or what they will like, I always think it’s best to get them something you know they’ll use again and again, rather than a token gift that may not get touched after Christmas.

“Practical gifts like slippers or a quality washbag always go down well in my family, or sometimes it’s as simple as choosing a gift set with a fresh scent that they can use daily.”

Consider stocking fillers!
“The kids are usually the ones that get the most gifts at Christmas of course, as it’s such a magical time for them. While it’s amazing seeing them open any present, cute stocking fillers can be really special and they don’t cost the earth. Anything a bit fun and silly like dinosaurs and unicorns will go down well with the kids – especially Nelly and Arthur who love opening the smaller, more fun gifts on the day.”

Don’t forget about yourself!
“Obviously giving gifts at Christmas is what it’s all about, but I do think it’s nice to get yourself a little something too, or something for the home that makes you feel good about having guests round.

“I really love the build-up to Christmas, getting the house decorated and making sure everything is festive, so I do like to get myself a few special handwashes and hand lotions to put around the house. It’s just that extra finishing touch that makes the house feel really Christmassy.”

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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