Homeowner Advice

General tips and advice for homeowners covering maintenance, seasonal tips and everyday property care.

Christmas Stress? Here's How To Beat It!

20th December 2019

Practical tips to reduce Christmas stress, like planning ahead, delegating tasks, wrapping early, preparing for home emergencies and keeping an emergency contacts list.

Christmas IS the most wonderful time of the year, but for some it can also be the most stressful – or the loneliest. If you are going to be alone for Christmas, reach out to others. There are plenty of people who may not have others to spend Christmas with and who would be happy of the company. If you find Christmas stressful, there are some things that you can do to help reduce those stress levels.

You may have tried and tested some of them, but some might just be gamechangers. Here are our top five.

Be Prepared

We don’t just mean peeling your spuds and sprouts before Christmas Day (although that is a great idea). Be prepared for any eventuality. The last thing you need is your boiler packing up, electricity blowing, or oven giving up on Christmas day. Make sure your boiler is serviced, you are stocked up on fuses and light bulbs, and your oven is in good working order.

Don’t Be Afraid To Delegate

It can be hard to let go of some jobs at Christmas, especially when you are determined to get everything absolutely perfect. However, delegation really is the key to a stress-free, merry Christmas. If someone asks what they can bring, don’t reply with the standard of “just you” or “just a bottle”, why not ask them to bring a starter, dessert or cheese board? They are all things that can be mostly prepared in advance, and which will take a big weight off your mind.

A Clean Sweep

There are some things that should be done at least once a year, and sweeping your chimney is one of them. If you haven’t yet had your chimney swept, try to get it done ASAP – you want to make sure that you leave a free path for Santa and his little helpers, and you also want to reduce the risk of fire.

It’s A Wrap

Do your festive fantasies involve a Christmas Eve sipping festive drinks and beautifully wrapping gifts? Is the reality a night of frantically searching through the attic for last year’s leftover paper while wondering how you possibly managed to use 300 metres of sticky tape in the last week? Last minute wrapping to Christmas carols may seem idyllic, but the reality can often be far removed from the dream. Get most of your wrapping done beforehand. If Christmas Eve just isn’t the same without a bit of wrapping, save one or things to wrap, beautifully – Love Actually style – while you watch, well, Love Actually.

Write A List – And Check It Twice

Nobody wants to get caught out by their boiler, oven, or electrics on Christmas Day. But it could happen. Just in case, it’s a good idea to get together an emergency list containing the contact details of two: local boiler repair specialists, local plumbers and electricians. Play it safe with two of each just in case one isn’t available, but bear in mind that emergency call-out fees will most probably apply.

Merry Christmas from Trust A Trader – for more advice, follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

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Find clear, practical answers to common homeowner advice questions, helping homeowners understand everyday issues, know what checks they can carry out safely, and when it is best to contact a qualified professional.

What home repairs should I never attempt myself?

Gas work - full stop. Any work on gas appliances must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer by law. Structural changes like removing walls, altering roof timbers, or touching anything load-bearing need professional assessment and often Building Regulations sign-off. Electrical work involving the consumer unit or new circuits must meet Part P. And if your property was built before 2000, be aware asbestos may be present - it can only be handled by a licensed specialist.
Which home improvements add the most value to a property?

Improvements that add usable space or modernise the rooms buyers scrutinise most tend to deliver the strongest returns. Loft conversions consistently top the list - adding a bedroom and bathroom can add more value than the work costs in many areas. Kitchen and bathroom updates are next. Open-plan ground-floor extensions connecting to a kitchen-diner have become one of the most sought-after layouts in UK family homes. And energy improvements - insulation, a new boiler, solar panels - are increasingly influencing buyer decisions as running costs become a bigger part of the conversation.
Should I renovate my home or move house?

There's no universal right answer - it depends on your situation. Moving gets you what you want without living through a building site, but stamp duty, estate agent fees, and moving costs can easily add up to tens of thousands of pounds. Renovating lets you stay put and invest in your own property, but comes with disruption and unexpected costs. The most useful comparison: get a clear view of what your home could realistically be worth after the work, and what a move would actually cost end to end. A local estate agent and a builder's quote can give you those two numbers.
What does a home survey actually cover and do I need one when buying?

A survey is an independent assessment of a property's condition carried out by a qualified surveyor - separate from the mortgage valuation, which only tells the lender what the property is worth, not what's wrong with it. A HomeBuyer Report flags visible defects and anything that needs further investigation. A Full Building Survey goes deeper and is worth the extra cost on older, larger, or unusual properties. Given that a house is likely the biggest purchase you'll ever make, skipping the survey to save a few hundred pounds is a false economy - a single missed issue can cost far more to put right.
What should I do before starting any major home improvement project?

Get your paperwork in order before anyone picks up a tool. Check whether you need planning permission or Building Regulations approval. Find out whether a Party Wall Agreement applies. Confirm your home insurance covers you during the works. Get at least three written quotes and make sure the scope of work is clearly agreed in writing with whoever you hire. And have a contingency budget - on almost any renovation, something unexpected comes up. The projects that go smoothly are usually the ones that were properly planned before they started.
What is the difference between freehold and leasehold and why does it matter for home improvements?

If you own the freehold, you own the property and the land it sits on outright - you can generally do what you like subject to planning rules. If you own a leasehold property (common with flats), you own the right to live there for the remaining lease term, but the freeholder owns the building. This matters for home improvements because many leases require you to get the freeholder's written permission before making alterations - sometimes even internal ones. Always check your lease before starting any work, as doing alterations without the required consent can cause problems when you come to sell.

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