Planning Your Next Family Holiday: Here’s 4 Quick Tips

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Planning a family holiday can be both exciting and challenging. Ensuring everyone has a great time requires careful thought and preparation. Here are four quick tips to help you plan a memorable and enjoyable family vacation.

 

Choose a Family-Friendly Destination

Selecting the right destination is crucial for a successful family holiday. Look for places that offer a variety of activities and attractions suitable for all ages. Consider destinations with parks, museums, and outdoor adventures that cater to both kids and adults. If you’re looking for a mix of history, nature, and relaxation, consider staying in Northumberland hotels. These hotels provide a comfortable base with easy access to family-friendly attractions and beautiful scenery.

 

Plan Activities for Everyone

To keep everyone happy and engaged, plan a range of activities that cater to different interests and age groups. Include a mix of educational, adventurous, and relaxing activities. For instance, you can visit local museums, go hiking, or spend a day at the beach. It’s also a good idea to involve your kids in the planning process. Ask them what they’d like to do and try to incorporate their suggestions. This will make them feel included and more excited about the trip.

 

Pack Smart and Light

Packing can be one of the most stressful parts of preparing for a family holiday. To make it easier, create a checklist of essential items for each family member. Pack versatile clothing that can be layered and easily mixed and matched. Don’t forget to bring any necessary medications, snacks, and entertainment for the journey. It’s also wise to pack a small first-aid kit for minor injuries or illnesses. Remember, you don’t need to pack everything—many destinations have stores where you can buy any forgotten items.

 

Keep Flexibility in Your Schedule

While having a plan is important, it’s equally crucial to remain flexible. Kids can get tired or lose interest quickly, and unforeseen circumstances can arise. Build some downtime into your itinerary to allow for rest and relaxation. Be prepared to adjust your plans if needed. A flexible approach will help reduce stress and ensure that everyone enjoys the holiday. Additionally, keeping some unstructured time allows for spontaneous fun and exploration.

 

Conclusion

Planning a family holiday doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By choosing a family-friendly destination, planning diverse activities, packing smartly, and maintaining a flexible schedule, you can ensure a memorable and enjoyable trip for everyone. Enjoy the adventure and make the most of your time together!

4 Ways to Create an Extra Room in your Home

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If you are anything like me, you always need more space. As the kids get bigger, the house starts to feel smaller and it almost feels essential to find another room... from nowhere!

But fear not, there are ways to get an extra room in your existing house without it costing you a fortune and without bringing on board Phil and Kirsty to help you renovate.

Build a Lean To Conservatory

This option is pretty low stress, you shouldn't need planning permission (but always best to check before you start) and you may even find that you already have a footprint, and thus foundations from an old conservatory that was removed. If not, at least all the work is done outside of your existing home and thus mess in the house should be kept to a minimum. When you are building a lean to conservatory it is good to consult an expert and get it done right from the start.

If you enjoy some DIY work you may choose to undertake this yourself with the help of a friend or relative, but do make sure your foundation is sound or you'll find that in no time your glass walls start to crack or drop. And if you are building it yourself you'll want to make sure that you feel fully competent to put the roof on, as a glass or tile roof can be quite heavy and cumbersome to build if you are not experienced. 

One big factor to think about before deciding this is the right route for you is to consider what the access is like to your garden. Is there a gate for easy access? Or do the supplies have to go through the house? Could a crane pull up alongside your back wall and pass the items over? It doesn't matter which is the situation for your house, but you just need to be aware and make the appropriate plans to ensure ease of deliveries and access for any trades you employ to help you.

Convert your Garage

A garage conversation can be a really economical way to get an extra room, or even two, in your house. In our last house we converted our garage and were able to gain a large extra bedroom/ playroom for the kids and a utility/ store room. 

There were no foundations to consider, the brickwork was already there and we just had to get in a company to brick up the front and put in a window, insulate all the walls and dryline them, lay a raised concrete floor, bring the electrics through and put a door through to our front hallway. 

I had not realised quite how much mess putting a door through would make, so if you go down this route, make sure you have a plastic-covered containment area to try to keep your house dust free, as it got everywhere and I was clearing dust up for weeks to come, and all the curtains and soft furnishings had to be deep cleaned. 

However, we were so pleased with the space, as it blended perfectly with our home and was an economical option. Were were lucky we had side access to our back garden, as we may have had to think harder about doing it if the garage was our only storage space or route to the back garden.