6 tips to keep your house tidy every day

To continue with the spring-cleaning spirit, here are some useful tips how to keep your house in order throughout the day.

Always make the bed: crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more tidy, which makes it less likely that you'll let other things (ie. clothes and papers!) pile up around it.

De-clutter: before you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn't where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Make it a habit for everyone in the household to do the same.

Sort the mail: take 5 minutes each day to open, read, and sort mail as soon as it lands on your doormat! Bin the junk mail. Arrange other mail into one of three in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, and filing.

Clean as you cook: instead of filling the sink with saucepans, plates and cups, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.

Wipe up spills as soon as they happen: whether it's tomato sauce on the kitchen floor or makeup on your dressing table, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you do it straight away.

Sweep the kitchen floor: every evening once you've finished washing up after dinner, sweep or hoover the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly cleaning much faster!

Tips how to organize a coat wardrobe

Spring has arrived! Now it is great time to take your storage to new levels. If you install shelves near the base of your closet, you'll no longer have to rifle through items strewn across the floor!

If it is a shared wardrobe, each family member can have his or her own basket for hats and scarves. You can line the lower shelf with shoes. For dog toys, tennis balls, etc you can tuck boxes underneath.If you leave a foot of space between shelves and the door frame, you'll have room for boots and a metal basket for umbrellas. Long hooks fixed on the inside of the doors will keep handbags neat. When you hang an acrylic organizer on the door it will ensure essentials, such as a wallet and sunglasses, are easily accessible. A mirror allows for a final once-over check on the way out.

Simple. Try it with your wardrobe and you will see how much easier it gets.

Win Hassle 3 Wedding Planning worth £2,500!

We are very excited to be running a wedding planning competition in Your Kent Wedding and Your Sussex Wedding magazine. The competition closes on 23 April 2010.

If you have friends getting married and living in Kent or Sussex, please encourage them to enter the competition here.

Easy Expiration Date and Warranty reminder

When you buy new appliances, you probably never think of the warranty expiration dates. You happily throw the boxes away and then when something goes wrong, there is a problem. No box, no return. Here is a simple tip how to avoid this hassle.

If you put warranty expiration dates on appliance boxes, you will know when it's safe to throw them away.

Place the receipt and warranty slips in a cellophane bag. Use a marker to write the expiration date on a self-adhesive label, and stick it to the bag. Attach the bag to the box with double-sided tape. Done.

Say it with Biscuit

I was recently looking for a unique Valentine's gift and came across this super cute collection from Biscuiteers.

Sometimes you need more than three little words to say 'I love you'. With beautifully iced I LOVE YOU letters and some sweet lovehearts, this could be the start of something big. Home made and iced on 100% super chocolatey biscuits they surely will be a hit with your loved one.

Biscuiteers create these beauties for virtually any occasion; new baby, birthdays and parties, get well soon, weddings, new home and more. Make sure to order your on time.

Valentine's Day is coming! Tips on how to make it special.

WHAT ARE WE MOST BUSY WITH IN THE RUN UP TO VALENTINE'S DAY?

Classically flowers and chocolates. We can recommend florists both in the UK and internationally, and help make sure what you order is perfect for the one you love. For that sweet-toothed special someone, I can recommend some superb artisan chocolatiers who have come up with new ideas for Valentine's Day: such as a collection of jewel-shaped chocolates, with hand-painted hearts. Award-winning chocolatier Marc Demarquette personally hand-seals these bespoke chocolates by customer request, which can range from embedding an engagement ring to simply including a handwritten love note.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE THE DAY ITSELF?

Going out for dinner is a traditional choice, and we've got a great restaurant team who recommend and book restaurants anywhere in the country, particularly if you are looking for something special or a little unusual. But restaurants on Valentine's Day are full of other couples, so for something more intimate I'd suggest staying at home and making the most of the luxury hampers. You can the relax and let your love blossom.

A LOT OF PEOPLE USE VALENTINE'S DAY AS AN IDEAL CHANCE TO PROPOSE.

I love jewellery. Knowing the budget and a style of my clients I am always able to go back to them with some brilliant options. I keep a little black book of all my favourite suppliers and have great knowledge on unusual jewellery brands - it's a job I love doing. We can also help with ideas for creative ways to propose.

What to SUGGEST FOR THOSE IN LONGER RELATIONSHIPS?

Couples that have been together for some time might view Valentine's as an opportunity to get away for a few days. I would recommend going to a spa for a really romantic weekend away where you can embark on a couple's massage among many other pampering treatments. We can help you find a spa in your area to match your budget. We can also help with hotel stays, or perhaps even a short break abroad, so let us know if you fancy treating yourselves to something special.

how about SOMEONE LOOKING FOR A REALLY SPECIAL GIFT?

Unusual gifts always go down really well and I love discussing ideas with clients for how best to surprise their partner. Recently I came across a company called Fun Hearts, which has people dressed as giant love hearts available to hand out roses, chocolates and messages to that special someone. Another idea might be having flowers planted in your garden to say the words ‘I love you', or for something dramatic we could even look into having doves released from a place that's special for you both. Get in touch with Hassle 3 to discuss how to make your Valentine's Day a unique experience.

SOME COUPLES LIKE TO GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING TOGETHER ON VALENTINE'S DAY.

Valentine's can be a good time to do something you've always wanted to. This might be hiring an Aston Martin for the weekend, going on a hot air balloon ride or treating your partner to a personal shopper experience. These sorts of gifts are really popular and will give you a Valentine's Day experience you won't forget.

Hassle 3 Christmas at home

Hassle 3 Christmas at home

Christmas is a magical time of year, full of peace and goodwill. By contrast, preparing to celebrate the festivities at home can be a stressful experience. But with a little careful planning and delegation this needn't be the case. So how do you get Christmas at home with minimum stress and maximum sparkle?

What goes into organising the perfect Christmas at home?

• Start with the little things – Christmas cards, advent calendars – and go from there.
• Decide on the gifts, purchase them well in advance to avoid unkindly fellow Christmas shoppers and wrap them ready for delivery
• Put your lights up, if you are using ones and decorate the Christmas tree
• Plan your Christmas party– some thought will need to go into this if it's to stand out from the mulled wine and mince pie get-togethers
• If it sounds like a horrendous amount of planning, delegate to Hassle 3. Simply hand over your to do list and we'll do the hard work. We have got great relationships with professional chefs, catering companies, cleaners and interior decorators, all of whom can come to your home to make your dreams a reality without you lifting a finger.

How far in advance do you usually start planning?

• To have everything ready for the big day, start mid-November.
• If you are planning to cook a traditional Christmas lunch you will need to pre-order the turkey or goose mid November, whether this is from one of the supermarkets, your local butcher or directly from a free-range farm.
• The last posting date for UK first-class mail is 21 December, but with the ever-present threat of postal strikes it would be best to get Christmas cards in the post well in advance of this date. That means beginning to write cards or ordering pre-printed cards first week of December to leave enough time for addressing envelopes and getting them to the post office.
• Corporate Christmas gifts are a headache for many a businessman. Hampers and cases of wine or champagne can be the perfect treat for work colleagues, but some of the top suppliers – such as Harrods and Fortnum and Mason - have their delivery dates booked up weeks in advance.

Is there anything that clients need to be reminded about in particular?

• No offence, but men often need reminding of what gifts they are supposed to be buying!
• I have put together a list of gift suggestions for all the various people in your life. So please feel free to ask for an inspiration before you get started.
• If you are buying gifts for elderly people, please refrain from buying another pair of socks or a tie – they probably receive them every Christmas and Birthday! Instead, give them something unique, like Internet lessons or tickets for West End shows.
• If you are planning to treat your little ones to some festive activities, these should be booked in advance. For example, visiting Santa's grotto is a magical treat for children, but at Harrods it was fully booked by mid-September. However at Hassle 3 we can suggest plenty of other places and next year you will receive a reminder from us early in the autumn so you can visit the place of your choice.

How to make Christmas really enjoyable?

• Most people have Christmas Day organised but forget to make plans for the time between then and New Year
• It's a good idea to have some activities up your sleeve to keep everyone entertained. A pantomime or musical is a classic treat, and open-air ice skating is always a hoot. Even if it's a good, brisk walk to work off the turkey and build up an appetite for the next big meal, when you've got guests it's always advisable to plan ahead. At Hassle 3 we can send you recommendations for pantos, open-air ice rinks and scenic walks in your area. We can also send you suggestions for family games.

How can clients best cope with the stress associated with planning Christmas?

• Simply hand it all over to us, Hassle 3. Give yourself enough time – start talking to your lifestyle expert now, and come December you'll be worry-free.
• Having said that, Christmas-related stress can be a great excuse for a bit of pampering. Talk to Hassle 3 and we can book you in for a mind-calming massage or a soothing spa session.