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Design

High Quality Material Is The Best Way To Go

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Do you want to invest in a new kitchen or update your current kitchen that will stand the test of time and keep looking brand spanking new? In our blog today, we are going to go through why using high quality material is the best way to go – this ensures optimal, long lasting performance with style.

Have you ever stepped foot in your friends or families house and felt immediately mesmerized? Chances are that it had something to do with the detail and style of the area. Details are so very important and really tie the knot with your styles and will make any room look and feel captivating, specifically, in the kitchen it is one of the most crucial rooms in the house to really hit the nail on the head in terms of design and quality.

When creating the plans for your project, it is super important to create a truly efficient and functional outcome. The kitchen is the heart of the home – if you are second guessing whether or not to go that extra mile and spend the extra money to ensure you are receiving the best quality products, take our word and just do it! You will not regret the finished products and after all, we spend almost every day in the kitchen, so it is really a great investment and not only that – it also can add significant value to your home.

Any kitchen is going to look absolutely breath taking and just exquisite on it first days, but the tell-tale sign of a really great quality Kitchen is how it holds up, how everything ages and how it feels when you are using it on the daily basis. This is why choosing colours can come to a great, feel-good final and quick choice and happens fairly early in the planning stages, but it is what’s “behind the scenes” you could say, that is the more wandered upon stage of the project that determines the long-lasting and practicality. If or perhaps when the time comes to sell your home, the quality feeling of your kitchen cabinetry could be just the thing to push that potential buyer over the finish line.

With our wonderful suppliers and knowledge our professional Team have gathered over the years, this makes selecting only the best quality for your kitchen, easy. We have more affordable ranges which have very similar qualities and have been proven to stand the test of time also – of course the general wear and tear and how you use the area really has impact on the test of time but seeing as we care just as much as you do for your kitchen, we have provided how to best maintain your darker kitchen cabinetry but this way is also suited for your light, bright and vibrant colours too which you can check out here: Dark and Light cabinetry care blog.

Like our suppliers (Blum, Hettich, Hafele – just to name a few), we understand how important this project is to you, it really is the heart of the home. In our opinion, it should be designed and built to provide a long lasting, efficient, stylish kitchen which requires little maintenance (and by little, I mean your general cleaning and not having to replace things here and there.) This understanding lies behind all the kitchen fittings and accessories we incorporate in the kitchens we design, build and install.

The build quality is crucial, as is the smoothness of the materials which really revolves around doors and drawers and how the function whilst opening and closing them. By choosing the slightly more costly materials it really does ensure the capability these materials have to stand the test of time.

We want to spice up the kitchen or nail the new build once and have it look like a brand new kitchen every day, the key to achievement this is certainly quality material and maintenance.

Here at Next Edition Kitchens, we make sure you walk away with the knowledge on the correct way to maintain your benches and cabinetry, we stock local, great quality materials to suit each and every project at an affordable cost! how can that be? too good to be true? our answer is simple – we care about the future generation of design which we are 100% passionate about, all of our designers are constantly testing materials, researching pros and cons and also just staying up to date with product knowledge.

Being able to provide customers with the project of their dream at a great cost is such a heart warming feeling and it is the reason we do what we do (and a bit of help from our wonderful accounts department who loves to fairly negotiate as well gives us a great kick-start on unbeatable costs!)

Enquire on sales@nexteditionkitchens.com or call our office on 09-430 3074 to get an estimate now!

Kitchen

Refresh that rental

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Are you currently in a cosy rental but the idea of a new kitchen excites you? We all know with rentals we are quite limited with what we can and can’t do, this can be a bit of an itch we NEED to scratch – especially after going through all the possible ideas for design and what our dream kitchen would be when we win lotto. Good news is; I have the perfect guide to achieving the feel of a new kitchen without overstepping our limitations.

 

This first step is a bit of a questionable one until you read the reasoning as to why I have added this in, start sprucing up the room by adding a plain, medium sized mirror in the kitchen it does in fact achieve all sorts of visual positivity. It’s an unexpected element in the kitchen so it instantly makes a statement. If you have a window, it’ll help spread the light around. If you don’t have a window, it’ll be even more vital for reflecting what light you do have in the room.

Create a temporary splashback in the kitchen, a lot of times rental kitchens don’t have any sort of splashback as they are just done to be as basic as can be whilst focusing on that practicality but whose to say you can’t spice it up a bit? You may need to run this past your landlord, but you can achieve this by using a small cut of a detailed/patterned wallpaper in which you can buy from your local paint shops (& even hardware stores if they stock wallpaper!) super easy yet super fun way of adding a dash of your style, temporally.

Do you have old, raggedy flooring that you just want to take a jack hammer to get rid of the awful eye sight? Use a rug – you can get as creative as you like with all these different sorts of rugs out there and you can use any size to cover how ever much you like (bonus with this is you can take this rug with you if you decide to move or even change it up when desired with another rug! Winning)

Boring cabinets? Colour not quite up your alley or isn’t quite linking in with your other colour scheme going on in the rest of the house? Try getting some contact paper, temp wall paper or even vinyl to give your cabinetry a new beginning – just be sure that you can remove whichever product you use without damaging the underneath and, some may need consent from the landlord.

As we all know and have seen how amazing open shelving looks in the kitchen you may not quite have that in a rental, unfortunately there is no real way to have proper floating shelves without getting consent and spending some money to achieve that BUT I can help you fake this look in a more easier, affordable way and this involves taking the doors off your cabinetry where you desire to have open shelving. Of course, this will look a bit different to open shelving, but it is a pretty close idea in comparison and it keeps the area looking more open and modern (just be sure to store those doors safely away and easy to put back on if needed.)

Add a magnetic knife block or a utensil wall holder, these are easy to install and can be taken off when you no longer need that – this looks edgy and keeps storage under control.

Add some plants to jazz up the positive vibes in your kitchen,  plants can uplift your mind set and feel more relaxed – you can even add some herbs and spices so when your cooking up a storm you have this right at your fingertips! Super cute idea and an amazing way to spruce up your kitchen.

Don’t have a ton of space do your prep work? Consider DIYing or buying a chopping board that covers your kitchen sink or stove when you’re not using them to add extra space to work. this creates more space and you can store this easily – another advanced option is to DIY your own kitchen island with wheels! look ideas up on Pinterest as there are so many we couldn’t just choose one!

 

Hopefully you feel like your in the next best thing to your dream kitchen in your rental kitchen.

A brief history about the kitchen

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Today i wanted to take everyone back to the very first kitchen and the history of how we have evolved into today’s design. Everyone knows or may have seen the bright, funky colors and basic, similar designs kitchens where a few decades ago (in my opinion, i love modern but i also love retro and original! so evolving into the styles and trends of today was and still is very exciting for me) and we’ve all seen and heard of the newer kitchen designs dated as of today, the future designs really interest me.

Get comfy, make a hot tea and be prepared to see the timeline.

  1. THE ORIGINS – Back in ancient times and I’m talking years and years ago, our ancestors cooked on open fires that were constructed outside on the flat ground, later on they had an idea to construct something that would hold pots and pans above the heat instead of holding them, themselves. they had come up with a simple, masonry design which was put in place to hold the handles of the pots and pans etc. In this era, the food was often placed in metal cauldrons that were hanging above the fire. These cooking areas naturally caused people to gather as they were the primary source of heat, light, safety and of course, food. The smoke and soot let off from the fires were a HUGE problem until the 16th century as it would go everywhere, this is when chimneys came into the mix With a chimney, smoke was drawn up and out of the great hall, making it easier to breath and easier to create large cooking fires in fireplaces. Here’s a picture to show you exactly how it was:
12th Century Kitchen

12th Century Kitchen

 

2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF STOVES – Moving along to the year of 1735, economic trends and politics had a massive influence on the practicality and design of the kitchen, technological advancements were constant many of which came in effect to minimize the time spent on a meal and the work involved around it, in the 18th century this is where we would find this design to come into effect (still fueled by wood at this stage.) One of the earliest wood-burning kitchen stoves was the Stew Stove (or Castrol Stove) developed in 1735 by the French designer Francois Cuvilliés. An early yet famous example of a metal stove is the Franklin stove (pictured below) which came into effect in the 18th century, invented by Benjamin Franklin (thats right, the guy you see on American $100 bills) in 1742. It had a special guide in place for hot gases to escape, allowing heat to enter the room instead of going up the chimney. However, this stove was designed only for heating, not for cooking – Strange huh?! The industrial revolution encouraged new inventions, cheaper prices, and new ways of efficiency. The most common stove for heating in the industrial world for almost a century and a half was the coal-burning one. Coal stoves came in all sizes and shapes and different operating principles. Since coal burns at a much higher temperature than wood, coal stoves needed to be constructed to withstand the high heat levels.

 

1735 - Oven

1735 – Oven

 

3. THE OBERLIN STOVE – Progressing a little up the timeline to 1834, a man named Philo Stewart took it upon himself to design a compact, wood burning cast iron stove in which was named the Oberlin Stove. this was a metal stove, small enough to use for cooking. It was much more efficient than cooking in a fireplace this is because it had increased cooking temperatures and had the option to record cooking times. It actually blew up and became a major success for Philo,  it could be cast into decorative shapes and forms and could easily withstand temperature swings from hot to cold. These iron stoves evolved into specialized cooking appliances with flue pipes connected to the chimney, oven holes, and installations for heating water.

1869 - Philo

1869 – Philo

 

4. THE MOVE TO GAS STOVES – Complaints and concerns about air pollution from the smoke excretions arose and sent a decline in coal stove purchases way down hill – Gas the became the next best thing. Because they were fueled by gas the production of the oven became lighter and even smaller! the genius British inventor James Sharp gave a big yes to the gas stove invention in 1826. By the 1920s, gas ovens were used in most domestic kitchens and was very rare to see the older ones.

1826 - James Sharp

1826 – James Sharp

 

5. THE GRAND APPEARANCE FROM THE ELECTRIC OVEN – This oven caused quite the competition between the Gas stove and itself, this occurred in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The Copeman Electric Stove Company (based in Michigan) received the first patent for an electric stove in 1912. Copeman Electric Stove, 1912 – Mostly wood, it had two ovens, top units, automatic timer and heat control.

Copeman Electric Stove, 1912

Copeman Electric Stove, 1912

 

6. MODERN KITCHEN DEVELOPMENT (Post world war #2 onwards…) – The housing and manufacturing development of post World War 2 made a huge effect on what we class as the “modern” kitchen nowadays. There was a major jump in demands for kitchen technology and equipment that inspired homeowners  to rip down the walls that once hid their efficient kitchens. The kitchen was becoming quieter, cleaner, better organized and easier to work in, a sense of pride, and slowly a place to entertain family and friends. In the 1960’s and 1970’s other social changes were taking place that upgraded the style and trend of the kitchen, a renewed interest in home baking/cooking, having a dedicated space for utensils and even entertaining was suitable for having the kitchen be the heart of the home. The kitchen became a place for improving baking skills, displaying fancy (expensive) cookware and becoming the heart for social gatherings. By the 1980’s, the idea of a completely open kitchen with appliances in the open, came into the new idea of design.

1960's - Kitchen

1960’s – Kitchen

 

7. CONTEMPORARY KITCHENS – Today’s ovens have evolved into more time, health and energy efficient, our appliances are finally catching up with our fast moving lifestyles, speed ovens for instance, cuts the cooking time in half which actually saves energy used during meal preparation The kitchen doesn’t look like the kitchen, in the traditional sense. It’s now a clean space, with a full range of sleek appliances looking towards a sustainable future. Only up from here and we’re excited to see what the future brings.

2018 - Kitchen (Next Edition Kitchens)

2018 – Kitchen (Next Edition Kitchens)

Oven

How to clean your oven naturally

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Today I am inspired to write this blog as my oven is in dire need of some TLC – I did some research on how important this is and the results where mind blowing, I had no idea how regularly you theoretically should be “maintaining” your oven. It seems to be one of those things that “you’ll get around to that tomorrow” and tomorrow turns into the next day, and the day after that and so on but let me remind you how important this is!

My first question I had when I opened my oven last night was “when did I even last clean this?” my answer was struggling to come to mind, it must have been a good 4 months ago (not so bad, right?!) well – WRONG! Here my next question came, how often are you supposed to clean your oven?

Once. Every. Month. HOW BIZARRE! Of all the years I have been in charge of that sort of thing, I never even realized there was actually a time period on how often you should be doing it.

Why is there a time on this? I get the hygiene side of it but what’s the actual history behind this? Simple, your oven can become less efficient at reaching temperatures and eventually may just stop working all together if burnt food/build-up is left unattended.

Crusty build up can also impact the taste of your food and, while high temperatures can kill some bacteria, it’s not a good place to be cooking food (like I said, hygiene)

So, now that I’ve got you itching to go have a look at your ovens – I also have a natural guide on how to clean your oven without even turning it on, this method is super easy and really cost efficient.

 

What you will need:

  • Baking Soda (1/2 cup)
  • Water (to make a paste)
  • Rubber Gloves (Preferably durable, non-disposable ones)
  • Damp dishcloth
  • Spray Bottle
  • Vinegar (White)

 

Instructions:

  1. Clear out the oven

Take out all dish-racks (clean those as well) make sure everything is removed so you have access to get deep in the back of the oven to clear that build-up.

  1. Mix the paste

In a small bowl, mix a 1/2 cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water. Adjust the ratio of both as needed until you have a spreadable paste.

  1. Coat the oven

Spread the paste all over the interior surfaces of your oven, steering clear of the heating elements. Use gloves for this portion, as the oven may be pretty gunky. The baking soda will turn a brownish colour as you rub it in; it also might be chunkier in some places than others, which is fine. Just try to coat the whole oven to the best of your abilities, paying extra attention to any particularly greasy areas.

  1. Let it sit overnight

Allow the baking soda mixture to rest for at least 12 hours, or overnight.

  1. Wipe the oven out

After 12 hours or overnight, take a damp dish cloth and wipe out as much of the dried baking soda paste as you can. Use a plastic spatula to help scrape off the paste as needed.

  1. Spray a little bit of vinegar

Put a little vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz everywhere you still see baking soda residue in your oven. The vinegar will react with the baking soda and gently foam.

  1. Do a final wipe down

Take your damp cloth and wipe out the remaining foamy vinegar-baking soda mixture. Repeat until all the baking soda residue is gone. Add more water or vinegar as needed while wiping to really get the oven clean and shiny.

  1. Replace your clean oven racks

Replace the oven racks and anything else you keep in your oven, and you’re done!

 

 

Go give that oven some TLC – You’ll thank yourself later.

Spring

Make Your Kitchen Spring Ready!

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What pops to mind when you hear or see the word spring? For me it’s a feeling of freshness, a window of new beginnings and a great chance for ideas to bloom. This is a great chance to spice up your kitchen and give it that “Spring” feeling, don’t run away in fear this will cost an arm and a leg because it certainly doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket.

 

Get that feeling of freshness:

Starting small at a very low cost (or if any cost at all) Firstly, gather some flowers and a pretty vase that draws you in – this will give that feeling of a crisp, fresh feel. No need for a large, over-the-top floral arrangement… just a few stems will do the trick! Change it up with colours to compliment the season, here’s a few:

  • Lavender/Purple
  • Rapture Rose (Intense pink)
  • Sky Blue
  • Peach
  • Yellow

Just to name a few, feel free to incorporate any coloured flowers you like!

A window for new beginnings:

When was the last time you fully renovated your cooking utensils range? Swap out the cutting board that has seen better days and the plain plastic cooking utensils and replace them with ones that have a little more energy, Spring is also a great excuse to biff all your tea towels that have seen better days and replace them with new, fresh ones.

New ideas to bloom? I think yes!

Forget about making a huge investment – a small painting or framed quote is an affordable way to own a piece of original art. Get creative and visit your local opshop or even get one of the kids to paint you a picture!  You can frame it and then rest it on your benchtop, or even hang it up on an empty piece of your kitchen wall.

Bring the texture in

Wood and natural wovens are such a golden addition to any space, they add a bit of texture to the area and interest as well as warmth. Find a large bowl and fill it with fruit and your kitchen will be screaming its spring ready.

This is a few ways to get your kitchen in the spring season and will be easy to change when the next season is on the way! Some of these ideas can be incorporated with other seasons anyway

Color scheme

Most Included Trends In 2018 Designs

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Most included trends in 2018 designs.

If you have just recently renovated or are looking into doing so, you’ll probably already know about these common trends everyone’s diving for in 2018 and we don’t blame these choices – read on to see what everyone’s hyping over!

Banquette Seating:

Believe it or not, this is an older trend which has rocketed into today’s trends and we aren’t complaining! This simple, yet practical idea has an edgy yet comfortable look and has more room for family/friends for that Sunday night roast or even a nice hot cuppa’ tea on that rainy day with your favorite book. With its space-saving design of bench seating made more sense than including a full set of table and chairs in the space of the kitchen.

Furniture historians trace the banquette, derived from the Germanic word for bench, back to 15th century France. Having seating is the kitchen was to have a concealed entry to secret passages that may have been located underneath banquettes in palaces and castles and was typically made from wood whereas nowadays they are made with cushioning and material to match your style.

Flat front Cabinetry:

We all want the simple yet elegant look but also still want to be able to open and close our cabinets and drawers, so this is where our push touch system comes into the trends of 2018 – no more catching your clothes on the edge of your handles, no more bumps and bruises on the children’s foreheads from running into the edge. Unfortunately, this design has no history behind it but take it from us that if you’re wanting a clean, seamless edge then for sure go for this!

Tile splashbacks:

While the kitchen splashback is a common aspect in many houses now, it wasn’t always this way. In fact, the modern idea of a kitchen splashback is a relatively recent invention, but where did this fantastic, practical idea originate from?

Like many common household features, the splashback can’t be traced to one single source. What we can confirm about the original splashbacks is that they came into use shortly after running water became widespread around the 1930s due to the advent of running water, kitchen innovations emerged swiftly, and the backsplash became a common kitchen sight.

Originally, backsplashes were about 4 inches high and were made of fragile materials like glass or tiles. Many were simply attached to the then-popular butler sink. When under-mount sinks rose to popularity in the 40s, splashbacks were no longer directly attached to the sink, so the only solution was mounting the backsplash directly to the wall. Over the following decade, the splashback became a popular place to demonstrate decor tastes. Around this time, the bright colors and creative patterns of the cement tile backsplash became the stylistic standard.

Even though the cement tile splashback rose to fame in the 1950s, it’s held up to the many home decor style changes over the years with ease whether it adds liveliness to a simple kitchen or accompanies a lively, colorful kitchen, the cement tile backsplash shines in just about every setting. In addition to its persistence’s, cement tile has proven to be one of the best materials for a splashback, why? Because of Its natural durability and easy clean-up is perfect for facing the splatters, stains of cooking. Over the years, production quality has only increased, so modern cement tile is likely to last even longer and hold to even more sauce stains, oil spatters, and splashes of water than its prototypes.

Mixed Metals:

This is such an elegant touch to incorporate into your designs to give the kitchen an edgy yet modern touch, there are different sorts of colors and finishes to choose from to suit your style like Matte black/white, polished chrome, brushed nickel just to name a few. There isn’t much history behind this one as it’s more so a design compliment for the finishing touches.

Multi-purpose islands:

2018 has just gone a step higher with trends and practicality has seemed to really boost up there alongside all the trends – this is a great example.

Shortly after World War II, popular home design shifted from closed floor plans to open concept spaces (sound familiar?) designed to make the work within the home more efficient and less labor-intensive. An expansive, wide-open kitchen meant that dinner could be prepared while children in the family room were in clear view. Once dinner was ready, everyone could eat in the kitchen itself rather than the dining room, making it easier for the cook to serve and manage the meal but with all the benefits an open concept floor plan presented, it came with challenges, namely a shortage of storage and counter space. Therefore, the kitchen island was born.

The kitchen island became a solution to space challenges, providing more surface area, storage potential, and a place for everyone to come together while others were cooking (plus, as we well know now, it also serves the purpose of separating the kitchen from living areas in absence of walls).

It is very popular to add in a cook top or a sink into your island now, but the options of design are endless! Come and talk to us down at Next Edition Kitchens to see what we can do for you!

 

 

Style trends come and go, so don’t invest in the latest look unless you love it. That said, highly-personalized or outdated style choices can limit the appeal of your property for resale.

For major renovation projects, it’s always a good idea to stick to the more neutral colors and classic styles. It will give your remodel durability and appeal to the greatest number of buyers when it comes time to sell. It will also give you flexibility to update your look in a few years without a total overhaul. Use non-permanent fixtures – like paint, furniture and accent pieces – to personalize the space and incorporate trendier choices.

 

Dark panels in kitchen - Grey

How to maintain those dark colored panels/benchtops

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As gorgeous and elegant as dark colored panels and bench-tops are they can definitely become a challenge when it comes to finger marks, food splatters etc, a lot of people are hesitant to go with these colors as they want to avoid that nightmare as some would call it – but I’m here to tell you that it is not as bad as you think.

Whether it’s a matt, satin, semi-gloss or gloss finish, finger marks and water spills always stand out and can be hard to remove sometimes.

Because of the way the light reflects off a dark surface, the marks are often more obvious than on a lighter colour surface. If the mark is from an oily product, (for example oily fingers from cooking) removing this with a standard household cleaning spray can sometimes be ineffective as it doesn’t break down the oil. The other consideration is the streak marks that can be left behind by the cleaning product itself.

There is so many products out there people will try to upsell to you saying “it works wonders, cleaning will be a breeze” BUT this is not always the case – you’d be amazed to find how easy it is to clean up marks using warm, soapy water (you can even add in a dash of disinfectant to keep it hygienic but don’t use too much!) with a microfibre cloth – most times this will clean the cabinets leaving them nice and shiny with no marks whatsoever but sometimes, it can leave a water marks, the trick to this is actually window cleaner (it’s safe and leaves the clean look you’re going for.) On a laminate door, a mixture of eucalyptus oil and water in a spray works well to break down the grease and won’t leave streak marks.

*Always use a microfiber cloth when wiping your doors as this will avoid fine scratches from appearing (especially important if the door is a gloss finish). The best brand we have come across for this is Norwex as their ultra-fine fibers are incredible gentle yet extremely absorbent. You can find these down at our showroom or even online!

Regardless of the finish you choose, dark cabinets will generally be more work to maintain the cleanliness, however – by sticking to this cleaning guide, I promise you will be at peace with your lovely, clean outcome.

Utensils - Organised kitchen

How-To Organize Your Kitchen EASILY

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Is your kitchen well overdue for some re-organizing? No matter how much room you may have (or may not have) in the kitchen – it is do-able to have a lovely, organised kitchen that won’t give you nightmares.

We are always on the hunt for a magic answer or even a cleaning fairy that would come around each day and have everything clean and organised with the flick of the wand before we get home, if you are sick of searching and dreaming of the day this will come – read ahead and get all the exclusive ideas from the professionals (and tricks and tips that ACTUALLY make life 100% easier when keeping the kitchen in pristine condition!)

Step one – start from scratch by pulling everything out of cupboards and drawers, one-by-one otherwise you’ll get lost in amoungst all the food & cooking utensils (this is the part where you can get the kids involved or if you prefer it by yourself, go for gold.)

After everything is pulled out, wipe down the shelves and drawers – you’ll be surprised how much dust builds up over time.

Start by putting the least used utensils in the bottom drawers and things like canned foods at the top of the cabinet as these seem to last longer and aren’t everyday things we may tend to grab for when we open the pantry make sure you remove things that may not belong in the kitchen (we all have the fruit bowl that’s filled with everything BUT fruit) – then as you go down, try placing all the everyday necessities in the middle shelves as you will find it easier going into the cupboard, grabbing what you need and placing it back especially if its right in front of you (we are all human and find this the fastest and least time-taking method) right at the bottom should be a shelf for things like your potato box or even bigger appliances.

***Be sure to check expiry dates on all food before you place it back in cupboards as you may have something dated from 2001 that you never knew was hiding away in there.***

Step two – Put things in the exact same spot after use, this will help keep the organisation in place and will get you familiar where everything is along with your family catching on as well (there will be no excuse for them to not dry and put away dishes anymore!)

Step three – Keep your purchases (unless its food, of course) to a minimum, if you already have all the needed appliances then really think about future purchases, ask yourself “How many times will this actually get used? Is it going to replace any appliance I already have that may do the similar thing? Where will I store this? Etc.” try avoiding purchases that are only going to be used very rarely – ask  your friends and family as they are usually bound to have one you can use.

Step four – Pinterest organisation DIY ideas, this has been my saviour and has some wonderful ideas for storing many different things in your kitchen which makes it look tidy while keeping it all out of the way.

Step five – Always keep up to date with kitchen renovation ideas, kitchen renovations can be costly but they can also be great for a budget, when you slowly renovate the kitchen bit-by-bit you’ll be saving money and time with making the most of what you have with possible DIY ideas to temporarily add on to your kitchen and these ideas can simply be buying a couple of stick on hooks to place inside your cabinet door to hold numerous kitchen utensils – the benefit of exploring these cheap (yet fantastic, budget friendly ideas) is that you will slowly make these more of a permanent add-on and find what works for you as you could then go to Next Edition Kitchen’s or your local cabinetry place and get a hook rack custom made if the stick on hooks are working well for you.

It’s all trial and error but it’s a very good idea to get into.

With doing DIY ideas, you can get the family involved as well and have some fun while also teaching them important skills and encouraging organisation to be up-kept in the kitchen which will pan into all areas of the house.

So, what are you waiting for? be your own cleaning fairy and be the envy of all your friends and family with the cleanest kitchen ever laid eyes on!

Bath

5-Star Spa Treatment in your own home!

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It’s almost the end of February and let’s be real, we could all use some pamper time… Imagine having a 5-star spa experience in the comfort of your own home, good news! No need to imagine with our simple guide on how to transform your bathroom into a spa treatment room with no fuss and your wallets will thank you and us on this one.

 

Begin with clearing the clutter lingering around taking up unnecessary space, nothing invades relaxation like a cluttered-up mess with all sorts of bits and bobs you didn’t even know how it made it’s way into the bathroom in the first place.

Spend a reasonable time making sure all the surfaces are wiped down and the cluttered items put in the correct places.

Fold 3x towels and have a nice light-weight dressing gown (or fluffy, depending on mother nature’s decision on the weather that day!) awaiting you on a clear space in your bathroom.

 

Now that your bathroom is spick and span – lets move on to setting the scene of your very own 5-star spa setting, get some tealight candles (or even scented candles.) scatter them safely around the bathroom where they won’t cause a hazard and light them when ready.

Leave the lighting on low if you can and if you have some incense or room fragrance, give your room a spritz to help set the spa-like scene.

 

Make a playlist of soft, contemporary music – or whichever music relaxes you best or even have a nice book handy.

Start the process by running a nice, warm bath while adding in your favorite bath salts, bubble bath etc. Exfoliate your body with a salt scrub or loofah. Use circular motions towards your heart all over your body to increase circulation and reduce cellulite.

Once you’re all scrubbed make sure to apply a nourishing lotion. Use a towel to pat your skin dry, then seal in the moisture by applying a lotion or body cream, a lavender scented one would be very relaxing! Pour yourself a glass of fresh, ice cold lemon water (or whatever taste of drink you love) and let your troubles melt away.

 

Now that your body is relaxed – the pampering can begin. Start by washing your face with luke warm water and your desired face wash, gently exfoliate your skin with some exfoliator (this step is optional, but it will really treat your skin to a 5-star spa experience.) rinse off with COLD water and now’s the fun part… FACE MASK! Being a previous qualified Beauty Therapist I have undergone studies to suit different skin types but there is one face mask you can make from home to refresh, soothe and smooth and suit ALL SKIN TYPES and as follows:

 

  • Combine 1/2 cup hot—not boiling—water and 1/3 cup oatmeal.
  • After the water and oatmeal have settled for two or three minutes, mix in 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1 small egg white.
  • Apply a thin layer of the mask to your face, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes gently wash off and moisturise.

 

Feel free to treat yourself to other treatments like a manicure, eye mask or hair mask, whatever you need to do to feel pampered. Relax for as long as you wish and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Cupboards

Cleaning out those Cluttered Cupboards

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Almost that time to do that dreaded spring clean? Don’t worry, de-cluttering can be a sad yet oddly satisfying time, getting rid of all the Tupperware containers you don’t use but still keep because it will defs get used (but let’s be honest, the only use it’s had is collecting spiderwebs and dust…)

I am always on the ‘procrastinating’ train for cleaning out my cupboards, every time I open them I’m pretty sure I could get lost in there! It’s pretty scary.

I have decided to share my knowledge after finally getting lost in my Tupperware & pots/pans cupboards (I found my way out after 2 days) on how to keep your cupboards up to date and spiderweb free – whether it’s the organization or some handy little DIY projects.

  • Going through my Tupperware cupboards I had to really ask myself whether or not I really needed 57 containers in a small corner cupboard just stacking up on top of each other, some with lost lids and some with cracks in them, now – I’m that person who will literally find any excuse to keep things (call me Whangarei’s #1 Tupperware hoarder if you will…) I pulled every single container out and decided what use is a container without a lid or one that’s about to split in half on me? I threw those ones away and there was already light beaming from the start of my cupboard, I organized biggest to smallest leaving the bigger ones at the back – I had matched them all up with there lids and you would not believe how much room I had – not to mention how clean and tidy it was!
  • If you are wanting to get a little more sorted on a new level of organized, I would highly recommend investing in a shelf called a “Lazy Susan” you can pull this handy little shelf out to avoid bending down all the time to get whatever you have put at the back of the cupboard and it avoids giving you that extra room to have things you don’t use hiding at the back awaiting that slim chance that it may get used. Another benefit of this is that it’s so easy to keep clean, who doesn’t like the sound of that?
  • If you are stuck on what you think you may use in the future – think back to when you last used that container/pot/pan, if you haven’t pulled it out of the cupboard and its looking like a spiders playground with all the cobwebs on it then definitely throw that away, or better yet – take it out give it a good clean and go donate it to the salvation army, this is very rewarding and it gets rid of those containers you don’t need!
  • Search ideas on Pinterest and Google on how to create special, dedicated little pockets to hang on the inside on the door to hold things like utensils/dish-washing brushes etc.
  • Have a garage sale, having a garage sale can encourage you to not only de-clutter your kitchen cupboards but a lot of the other areas in your house while also getting a little something back – fun idea to team up with friends and family!

 

Check out these ideas:

https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/255579347577140286/

https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/135882113733755469/

https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/417005246723758378/

https://www.pinterest.nz/pin/323414816964781794/