For so many people, the nights drawing in and the temperature dropping is met with a feeling of dread. From as early as the end of August, I hear people talking about how they're not looking forward to the darker nights and shorter days. Honestly, I get it - the world just feels more alive in summer. There are festivals, weddings and social events every weekend, not to mention just feeling the sun on your skin is good for our mental health.
I think for a lot of people, the colder days and darker nights bring a feeling of loneliness, isolation, and maybe even a touch of cabin fever. I try to make the most of everyday, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't felt the same.
7 DIY Jobs to Tackle Before You Go Travelling (So You Can Switch Off Completely)
There’s nothing quite like the excitement of counting down to your next adventure. It's easy to get excited thinking about all of the adventures that lie ahead, but before you zip up your suitcase and head for the airport, it’s worth giving your home a little TLC. Tackling a few simple DIY jobs now can give you peace of mind while you’re away, knowing that you won't be returning home to any nasty surprises!
If you’re preparing for a long trip, here are a few household tasks to tick off your to do list before departure.
1. Check Your Fencing (and Repair Anything Wobbly)
Securing and maintaining indoor space is regularly at the top of the to do list, but when it comes to outdoors it's a case of out of sight, out of mind. Tackling garden maintenance jobs is just as important as, if not more than, completing the indoor DIY projects. Living in the UK, I've experienced more than my fare share of being welcomed home from a trip by a fence panel hanging on to the post for dear life.
If any panels are looking a little worse for wear, before you leave is the best time to replace them. Sturdy close board fence panels are a great durable option that will happily stay put while you’re off exploring the world. Fixing your fencing now means you won’t come home to storm damage, an unexpectedly open-plan garden or the local wildlife making themselves comfortable in your outdoor space.
2. Clear Out Gutters and Drains
Nobody wants to come back from a relaxing break to find overflow damage from blocked gutters. It's not something that I'd ever considered before we owned a house, but I've heard horror stories from people who didn't maintain their gutters. A quick clean-out will help rainwater flow freely and prevent leaks which can damage your home - especially vital if you’re going travelling to escape UK winter!
3. Check Window and Door Seals
Wherever you're headed, one of the biggest worries is always wanting to know that your house is safe and secure. Everyone talks about ensuring that you've locked the doors and windows, and have lights randomly switching on and off, but no one talks about the seals. Ensuring that your window and door seals are in good working order and correctly seated not only makes for a less draughty home, but it can help to ensure the security of your home by not hindering the lock sitting in the correct place.
4. Freshen Up the Garden
Give your garden a quick tidy before leaving so you have less to deal with when you come home. Trim hedges, sweep patios and remove anything that might blow around in bad weather. Coming home to an inviting space really eases the travel blues, but more importantly, tackling these jobs means you'll have less to do when you get home. Cutting slightly long grass is a whole lot easier than tackling what looks like a wheat field in your back garden (trust me, I've been there).
5. Test Smoke, Carbon Monoxide and Burglar Alarms
It’s a tiny job but an important one. Replace batteries if necessary and give each alarm a quick test to ensure they’re working properly. Even though you won't be around to hear it, the hope is that a friend, family member or neighbour will hear the alarm and ring someone to check on your property.
6. Give Key Rooms a Quick Declutter and Clean
I'm not saying that you need to do a full deep clean before you go, but tidying away any clutter and running the hoover around will make a big difference to your mindset when you return home. There's nothing worse than finishing a long travel day by opening your front door to find an absolute trainwreck on the other side. Even though packing can get chaotic (at least it does in my house), I try to put away anything that I've decided not to bring, wipe down any large surfaces in the house like the top of the sideboard, and run the hoover around so I have a nice home to return to.
7. Secure Anything That Might Leak
Take a moment to check taps, under-sink pipes and appliances like washing machines. If something looks like it might leak, tighten it or arrange a quick fix before you go. Small drips being left unchecked can become big problems while you’re away if left unchecked. I have heard some that some people turn off the water supply when they go away, but I worry about it doing damage to the boiler, so I leave it. Even if you're someone who normally turns off the water when you go away, if you're travelling in winter you should consider leaving it on. If the weather dips below freezing and the boiler can't turn on to warm the house, you could find you return home to burst pipes and a flood.
I know I'm biased as a proud Bristolian, but there's something extra special about Bristol in autumn. The busy streets get a little quieter, local pubs start bringing entertainment inside, the city lights up with different firework displays and the autumn markets get a new buzz about them as people start planning for Christmas. Having lived in Bristol my whole life, Autumn is one of my favourite times of year to explore the city. After a busy summer where the city is full of tourists and locals alike lining the harbourside and packing out the pubs, Autumn is my time to appreciate the peace and quiet and really enjoy the beauty of the city as the tree-lined streets start to turn orange.
Autumn isn't typical tourist season in Bristol, but in my opinion it's one of the best time to visit - here are a few of my absolute highlights.
Every so often you happen to visit a city at exactly the right moment - the streets seem to be a hive of activity, everyone is in a good mood and the lights seem to sparkle a bit brighter. Every two years, that exact magic arrives in Hamburg, and I was lucky enough to spend a weekend soaking it all in. Hamburg is a city so obsessed with cruise ships that they host a festival every two years to celebrate.
The city’s harbour bursts into life with the riverside full of stalls during the day, teaming with cruise lines offering special discounts for booking during the festival; Germans come from across the country to book their cruise at the show, and cruises that take part in the festivities on the river sell out years in advance. At night the harbour is bathed in blue light from the iconic art installation on the cranes, music plays, and people gather at the riverside to watch cruise ships illuminated by fireworks as they parade down the river Elbe.
Hamburg Cruise Days is a truly surreal experience and something that any cruise enthusiast has to experience at least once, but you'd be missing half of the magic if you didn't spend a few days exploring Hamburg while you're here.
Hamburg is a city like no other. Set between two rivers, the Elbe and the Alster, the city hugs the banks of the rivers and places maritime culture at the heart of everything it does. Fresh seafood can be found in almost every restaurant, you'll be spoilt for choice when looking for a viewing platform, and there are more unique vessels offering boat trips than you could possibly experience in one weekend.
If you love travel, photography, or simply want to enjoy the buzz of a city that has yet to become a household name for tourism, Hamburg deserves a top spot on your 2025 travel bucket list.
Working from Home? Focus-Boost Your Office Space Ready For 2026
As the evenings draw in and our pre-christmas to-do lists grow longer, many of us are spending more time inside - working, studying, unwinding - and trying to keep our heads above the end-of-year rush. In terms of handling both the positive and negative mental gymnastics that come with the “hibernation” period of the winter months, the “vibes” of the spaces we live in become increasingly more responsible for shaping how we feel.
There’s growing evidence that aside from looking good, natural materials around the home can help us feel calmer, more grounded, and more focused. The connection between nature and wellbeing isn’t going anywhere, and features like wall panelling, stone surfaces and an array of luscious house plants may well be set to define how we shape our interiors in 2026.
