Everything about autumn is perfect, and nothing says autumn more than brisk walks in the park where the rays of sunshine meet with the cool breeze, wholesome family dining and cosy nights wrapped up in your favourite blanket.
However, the blaze of autumn glory also brings with it the arrival of colder weather, shutting of windows and more time spent indoors. It's also a prelude to the back to school rush, return to the office and a preparation in welcoming the winter season. Preparing your home for the colder days to come couldn't be more important.
Here are our top 10 tips to get your home autumn ready on the quiet :
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The beginning of autumn is a great time to get things sorted around your home. And, as the colder days get closer, it's good to start ticking those cleaning chores off your list, which makes perfect sense, with the festive season following not too shortly after. Some might even go as far as saying, autumn cleaning is the new spring cleaning!
Just as with your usual spring clean, autumn cleaning is an opportunity to go back to basics and doing those tasks you don't get to do as frequently. Things such as dusting, removing cobwebs, cleaning your windows, washing your curtains and deep cleaning your carpets are all great things to add to your list.
For a quiet vacuum with continuous runtime, take a look at the Bosch BCS8224GB Series 8 Unlimited Gen2 Vacuum Cleaner. You can clean your entire house thanks to exchangeable battery packs in combination with a quick charger.
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PREPARE YOUR GARDEN FOR AUTUMN
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As we enter the autumn season, we'll get cooler weather, more rainfall and days are noticeably shorter. If you have a fruit or vegetable patch, September is a good time to start reaping the rewards of your harvest. You can also start planting spring flowering bulbs in borders or containers. However, Tulip bulbs should not be planted until November, when the soil temperature has cooled down.
The autumn is also the perfect time of the year to prepare your lawn for the colder months ahead. According to Stihl, you should plan to mow your lawn before the first frost - ideally on a dry day some time between end-October and mid-November. Grass should be cut short (around 5cm-9cm) and any leaves should be removed in order to reduce the risk of fungus taking hold.
The Stihl RMA 235 is ideal for gardens up to an area of 200 m². It has a folding, height-adjustable handlebar for easy storage, an integrated carrying handle and a deck made of high impact, heat and UV resistant polymer. It also features their innovative grass catcher box – with vents that face downward, grass or dust cannot escape upwards and air flow is maximised to collect as much grass as possible.
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“Having natural wood furniture in your home partnered with green accessories or wall paint can bring that outdoor feeling inside”, says interior designer Rebecca West. Quiet Mark certified WoodUpp Akupanel is an acoustic wooden slat wall panel which invites the beauty and calming essence of nature into homes and workplaces. Creating a new era of design, WoodUpp use sustainable materials to produce their products.
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Studies have shown houseplants to be good for our health and our psyche, so bringing nature into your home can help boost your happiness, creativity and focus. According to world-renowned tidying expert, Marie Kondo, plants don't only brighten up spaces, but they also improve our mood and productivity.
Quiet Mark certified BuzziSpace BuzziPlanter adds an extra feature to that list. The upholstered colourful pot, made from high-density foam, has the acoustic superpower to absorb excessive noise in open spaces, creating healthier environments for people to thrive.
If you want a low-maintenance option, you can opt for biophilic wall murals or fun wallpaper prints. BuzziSpace BuzziMood Biophilic Acoustic Panels for example, has a lush, botanical appearance, which promotes a more relaxed and calm atmosphere, whilst BuzziSkin Printed Felt Acoustic Wallpaper brightens up corners and nooks with a pinch of creativity.
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With the days getting darker and the nights colder, we're now turning the heating back on. According to Statistica, most UK residents have a boiler system with radiators as their main heating system. However, the steep rise in energy bills will have notable consequences across the nation with millions of people in the UK not likely to turn their heating on this winter.
Quiet Mark certified boilers by ATAG, Glow-worm, Ideal Boilers, Vaillant and Worcester Bosch include energy efficient options that could help bring down those costs.
Quiet Mark certified ATAG iC Economiser Plus Boilers for example, can help you save money on your gas bills and are, according to the manufacturer, the most efficient boilers in Europe. The boiler wastes minimal energy which saves you money and is kinder to the planet. Not only that, ATAG are so confident in the reliability of their boilers, they offer the longest warranty option on the market of up to 14 years!
And, as autumn arrives, it's also a good time to get your boiler checked to ensure it's in working order before the winter months ahead.
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CHOOSE WARM & COSY LIGHTING
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According to The Simplicity Habit, "the way you illuminate your space can have a huge impact on how it feels". Warm white light for example, contains more orange, red and yellow tones, which creates a more cosy setting.
BuzziSpace have developed a wide range of pendant lights, floor lamps and chandeliers, where light, acoustics and aesthetics work in harmony. The BuzziSpace BuzziJet Acoustic Pendant Lighting for example, with its geometric design, creates a sense of serenity. Its aerodynamic design offers sound-absorbing capabilities, delivering acoustic comfort paired with a powerful light source that emits warm, pleasant light.
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We spend around 90% of our time indoors, yet indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than outside. That's because indoor air is made up of a concoction of particles including dust, mould, smoke, bacteria, viruses, VOCs and pet dander.
Other indoor activities, such as cooking and cleaning with chemicals, contribute to poor indoor air quality along with outdoor pollution from transport that makes its way inside. This causes a build-up of pollutants indoors, taking much longer to disperse than outdoor air pollution due to poor ventilation.
Using electrons to trigger chemical reactions with air borne particles, Daikin's MC30YB Air Purifier Flash Streamer breaks down allergens such as pollen and fungal allergens and removes bothersome odours providing a better, cleaner air.
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Now that you've cleaned up, warmed up and breathing easy, it's time to put your feet up, get cosy and relax.
A great thing about the autumn season is the comfort you get from a warm beverage as you curl up on the sofa, chat with friends or simply relax whilst watching the world go by.
Quiet Mark certified coffee machines by Bosch, JURA, Melitta, Sage Appliances and Siemens do not only make great cuppas, they also do so on the quiet.
If you want to step it up a notch, take a look at coffee machines with smart features, such as the Melitta Barista TS Smart Coffee Machine, the JURA Z10 Coffee Machine or the Siemens Bean to Cup Coffee Machine, where smart connectivity is a standard feature, allowing you to brew from anywhere in the house.
But, if you are more the 'kettle and tea bag' type, take a look at Quiet Mark certified kettles that operate quietly, so you can have uninterrupted quiet time whilst you wait.
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PREPARE FOR WHOLESOME DINING
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Autumn is synonymous with delicious food - harvest veggies, roast dinners, warming soups and stews.
Transform your dining area by collecting gold and orange leaves on your autumn walks and placing them in frames, whilst putting bare twigs, branches and fairy lights in a vase.
And when it comes to preparing some hearty dishes, take a look at the Quiet Mark certified Magimix Cook Expert - the multifunctional cooking food processor. With 12 dedicated programmes and a 30 year motor guarantee, this state of the art new machine will make everyday family meals with ease, as well as more elaborate dishes to impress your friends.
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There's nothing better than soaking in a hot bath on a cold and rainy autumn day. Turn your bathroom into a space that leaves you feeling both pampered and relaxed. Re-create a spa-like environment with soothing sounds, minimal clutter and calming elements such as candles and your favourite book.
According to Spa Executive, sound has a profound effect on your spa and wellness experience. Nature sounds such as birdsong for example, can help improve health, lower stress and boost your mood.
Upgrading some fixtures can help minimise noise. Look for products that are Quiet Mark certified, such as the GROHE Rapid SLX installation system for wall-hung toilets, Mira Elite SE Dual Outlet Pumped Electric Shower and S&P Silent Dual Extractor Fans.
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TURN YOUR BEDROOM INTO A RESTFUL HAVEN
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According to the Sleep Foundation, light is "the most important external factor affecting sleep". Dark light naturally gives our body the cue that it's time to go to sleep and directly affects our circadian rhythm.
Darkness prompts the production of melatonin, an essential sleep-promoting hormone, so the ability to completely black-out your bedroom would be ideal.
Quiet Mark certified Silent Gliss motorised roller blinds, allow you to shade your room from translucent to blackout by choosing from their wide fabric selection. The blinds systems feature virtually silent operation, programmable intermediate stops and a built-in safety stop if the movement is interrupted.
The Sleep Charity suggests most people generally need a quiet bedroom to sleep well, with noise tending to be most disruptive in the lighter stages of sleep but most damaging when it wakes us up from our deepest sleep.
According to Sound Sleep Medical, "light in the morning, even artificial light from a sunrise alarm, can help reset your circadian rhythm, and help your natural sleeping and waking cycle function optimally".
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The Quiet Mark certified Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB is the brand's premium Bodyclock sleep/wake-up light. At bedtime, the sunset feature helps promote your body's natural sleep response allowing you to drift off naturally. As your room gets dark, the light-sensitive display switches off to help you switch off fully. Then in the morning, the light mimics a real sunrise for a gentle and natural wake-up.
Sunlight is a natural mood-booster, so the lack of daylight in the autumn and winter can leave many of us feeling slightly low, tired and wanting to stay in bed that little bit longer. However, some people experience severe symptoms of fatigue, low moods and depression, which could be signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This, according to the NHS, affects around 3% of the UK population.
Light therapy specialist Lumie has been researching and designing bright lights to treat SAD and other conditions for over 25 years. If you are indoors, light therapy is proven to put you in a better mood, boost your energy and help you feel more alert. According to Lumie, it can also be an effective treatment for SAD.
The Quiet Mark certified Lumie Zest SAD & Wake-Up Light for example can be used for bright light therapy in the winter months or when you're stuck indoors. Using Zest every day will make a big difference to symptoms of SAD such as tiredness, over-eating and a lack of energy and motivation.
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