At Christmastime, there is a special, "magical feeling" created when illuminating our homes with lanterns, fairy lights and candles. So, why not do this yourself, using materials that you most likely already have laying around at home, such as empty glass jars? As you'll see below, turning a glass jar into a cute lantern - whatever its size or shape - can be done quite easily.

Let's check out some great, easy projects you can tackle:

Most of us want to decorate our homes during the Christmas holidays and the "centerpiece" of these decorations is usually a festive Christmas tree. But what about decorations for the walls? Garlands, wreaths and strings of fairy lights are common Christmas wall decorations, of course - but how about adding some homemade, Christmas-themed pictures?

You can create these pictures with all sorts of materials and techniques - just take a look at some of the ideas listed below:

The tumble dryer - along with the washing machine - is undoubtedly one of the most useful appliances when it comes to efficient laundry management in the home.

That said, it's not a good idea for you to get rid of your drying rack/clothes horse after purchasing a dryer: some laundered items should always only be air-dried, as they can be damaged by the heat generated inside a dryer.

Below, we provide a list of items that you should never put in a dryer:

Baking soda (aka, bicarbonate of soda, sodium bicarbonate, bicarb) is used for many household cleaning chores. That said, there are some surfaces/materials which can be damaged by baking soda and here's a list of items you should NOT clean using this product.

Miniature Christmas villages are charming, cute decorations/dioramas that are much beloved by young and old at this time of the year. Most often set up in shops, you may think you don't have enough space to lay out your own Christmas village at home. Well, not so fast!

Actually, there's a number of creative ways you can set up a Christmas village in your home - keep reading for some great ideas:

An old-fashioned, brick fireplace has an undeniable charm, and there are models these days that also have modern elements tastefully integrated into them. Brick, however, is a very porous material and picks up and retains dirt easily, quickly becoming covered in soot and other combustible residue given off by a fire.

Given this, it's a good idea to periodically give a fireplace a good clean to keep it in top condition. But how can this cleaning be done properly? Well, keep reading to find out:

There is something magical about the so-called Scandinavian style/decor, especially during the Christmas season. With its minimalist but welcoming aesthetic, this style can transform any room into a haven of calm and warmth. If you want of create an elegant and relaxing Christmas atmosphere, the secret lies in the use of all-natural materials, neutral colors and details designed to evoke the sense of "hygge" ("hygge" can be defined as being a sense of coziness, comfort, and contentment, often associated with enjoying the simple pleasures of life).

In this article, you will find some simple suggestions on how to decorate your home in a Scandinavian style, which will bring a touch of Nordic magic to your Christmas.

The dishwasher is an appliance that has revolutionized how we wash our cutlery and crockery after mealtimes, significantly easing the burden of clean-up chores in the kitchen. That said, when was the last time you washed and cleaned the dishwasher itself?

Over time and with frequent use, a dishwasher can start to give off an unpleasant smell that can seem challenging to  neutralize.

In reality, however, the causes of this odor can be identified relatively easily and effectively dealt with.

Keep reading to find out what these causes are and how to resolve the problem of a "smelly" dishwasher:

When it comes to deep-cleaning of our homes, spring cleaning is, as they say, "the big one", preparing our abodes in anticipation of the start of more "comfortable climes".

That said, some thorough cleaning needs to be carried out in the wintertime to ensure our homes remain sanitized, hygienic and free of any health risks.

So, what things should we pay more attention to when we carry out cleaning chores during the winter? Well, keep reading to find out:

A tropical plant with a flowering period between November and January, the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) is perfect for decorating homes during the festive holidays with its pink, purple and red flowers.

Raising a Christmas cactus is fairly simple and to ensure it survives from one year to the next, repotting it properly is a necessary step.

In this step-by-step guide, we explain how repot a Christmas cactus correctly.