Brought to you by B&Q
If you’re looking for some home improvement inspiration, you’ve come to the right place…
With Christmas festivities right around the corner, many of us are turning to DIY to make sure our homes provide the picture perfect setting for evenings of celebrations.
Since we could all do with a helping hand, we’ve teamed up with
B&Q and
DIY expert Shauna O’Connor to answer all your questions on getting your home spruced up in time for Christmas.
A finalist on RTÉ’s Big DIY Challenge, Shauna is sharing her insider knowledge with us on everything from mounting a TV to your wall like a pro to a laundry basket system that works.
Here’s some advice from a DIY expert…
How to mount a TV to the wall? (easily)
While it may seem like a daunting task, our DIY expert assures us that it’s not quite as intimidating in practice. Just pick up a mounting kit with all the instructions from B&Q and then all you’ll need is a drill, measuring tape and a spirit level. Bear in mind that if you’re mounting it to a block wall make sure to avoid electronics and if you’re mounting it to a stud wall, make sure you’re mounting the TV into the stud.
What’s the best type of vacuum cleaner at the moment?
Shauna’s favourite is the old reliable Henry hoover. It’s a lot quieter, which is great with kids and it’s got great suction, so it can get those bigger things like food or whatever else the kids have dropped on the floor! The lead is quite long and the dust bag is big, so it ticks all this DIY expert’s boxes! She also has a cordless vacuum, which is great but it can’t get up those bigger bits and pieces.
Are fairy lights dangerous in a kids room? Are there any very safe brands?
Generally speaking, they’re safe - but as a mom, our expert prefers to use battery operated LED lights in her kids’ rooms. LED lights emit a low amount of heat and the fact that they’re battery operated mean that they’re low voltage. Even at that Shauna would still recommend turning them off at night for some peace of mind.
What is the best place to keep the laundry baskets?
It’s taken Shauna years to perfect a rotating system that works for her, so it’s a very individual process. At the moment, she’s got a laundry basket in the main bathroom and another basket at the end of the hallway where the bedrooms meet. When those two baskets get full, they’re brought down to the utility room and the laundry is swapped out into another basket and the empties are returned to be filled up again (all too quickly!).
If you’re feeling inspired and want to get started on a DIY project of your own, B&Q have everything you need to create the living space you’ve always dreamed of. Visit in store or shop online today.
Brought to you by B&Q 
