TIS’ the season to treat yourself.
The last 18 months have been tough on everyone. With chiller weather and the nights drawing in again, it’s time to add a little luxury to your life.
But going upmarket doesn’t need to mean upping your budget. Here are my nine simple posh tips and tricks, all for under £21.
1) DRESS THE PART: Overhaul your wardrobe. Sell on items you no longer love or need and recycle damaged clothes. Hang your garments by colour and stack your shoes and bags so you can see what you own.
TRY: Habitat Boutique 2 Tier Wire Shoe Rack in Rose Gold, £15 at Argos
2) ADD A COSY THROW: Tactile fabrics like faux fur and sheepskin look expensive and add instant glamour. Drape over the sofa and your bed.
TRY: Morrisons Faux Fur Throw, £21 at Morrisons
3) FAKE YOUR FLOWERS: Fake and dried plants are having a moment and last far longer than real cut blooms.
TRY: Chic Floral Centrepiece, £12 at Next
4) DON’T BUY BUT RENT: Got an Xmas do or event to go to? Rent a designer outfit from just £4 a day
TRY: mywardrobehq.com
5) TRY SOME POSH NOSH: Enjoy richer flavours the finest ingredients.
TRY: Morrisons The Best range, with products from 70p. See https://groceries.morrisons.com/browse/the-best-178974
6) GET ORGANISED: Clutter isn’t lux. Stylishly hide away toys, paperwork and other items until you need them.
TRY: Matilda Eco Velvet Foldable Storage Cube, £15 at Dunelm
7) BOOST YOUR BEDDING: Invest in hotel-grade Egyptian Cotton bedding for a sumptuous feel.
TRY: Linens World 200 Thread Count 100% Egyptian Cotton Duvet Quilt Cover, £19.99 at Amazon.co.uk
8) UPGRADE YOUR TOWELS: Wrap yourself in luxury after every bath.
TRY: Morrisons Supersoft White Towel Bundle, £18 at Morrisons.com
9) MAKE EVERY DAY EXTRA SPECIAL: Swap an evening glass of wine for a cool cocktail hour
TRY: Morrisons Rose Gold 4Pc Cocktail Making Set, £17.50 at Morrisons
Prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Website of the week
FANCY a ‘free Christmas’? New research from eBay reveals the average UK family could sleigh their spending and rake in £500 by selling unwanted toys, gifts and clothes before Xmas.
Among the most sought-after second hand buys are Hot Wheels selling for an average of @11 each, Pokemon cards for £10 and scooters which typically go for £66. Beanie Babies are also in demand, with searches up by 118 per cent this month while old festive party dresses typically net £14.
eBay’s Head of Pre-loved, Emma Grant has said: “Sell the toys that your kids have left lying around and the Christmas party outfits from years’ past – find them a new home and fund new presents with the money you make”.
Visit ebay.co.uk for more info
Emma’s Top Selling Tips
1. Look at past sold items- eBay.co.uk has a function that allows you to search for the item you want to sell and then filter the results by sold items. Here, you can view the price the item has sold for and get insight into how others have listed it.
2. Use keywords – When buyers search, eBay.co.uk automatically filters the listing titles, so it’s crucial to write your listing in your fellow users’ language and use the words they search for – especially brand and product names.
3. Get into the Sunday spirit – eBay’s busiest time for buyers is Sunday evenings so schedule your listings to end around that time and choose 10-day auctions to ensure the maximum number of bids.
The longer your item is listed, the more chance of people seeing it, so unless it’s time-sensitive, pick 10 days.