Fancy treating yourself to the very best advent calendar this year? Why not! This way you’ll be counting down to Christmas in style – and in some cases, whilst enjoying a glass of prosecco, munching on vegan sweets, sipping delicious coffee or even giving to charity. Yes, we’ve found this year’s top advent calendars and they’re pretty brilliant if we do say so. Because your average chocolate advent calendar is sooooo 2012.

Our Christmas advent calendar roundup features everything from a Fortnum & Mason advent calendar to the best wine advent calendar, an option for coffee lovers and even the sought-after Yankee advent calendar. We’d suggest starting shopping for yours now, as the best ones always sell out first – and way ahead of Christmas. Just whatever you do, don’t leave it until the last week of November.

Ideal Home Christmas gift guide: Christmas gifts under £20 to give in 2021

Start scrolling to wow your guests, show off on your Instagram stories or treat someone you love to a little pre-Christmas surprise. Here’s how you can make December a little less stressful, and a little more festive.

The best advent calendars

The best chocolate advent calendar

Fortnum’s Piccadilly Chocolate Advent Calendar

Image credit: Fortnum & Mason

It’s official: the best chocolate advent calendar for 2021 goes to Fortnum & Mason. Their Piccadilly Chocolate Advent Calendar doesn’t just taste great, but it looks the part, too. Shaped and designed so as to look similar to their Picadilly store, inside this calendar you will find 24 small doors. Reach inside these doors and enjoy sumptuous chocolate for each day of December. These chocolates are made with a minimum of 35% cocoa solids and expertly crafted to tantalise your taste buds. Plus, there’s the bonus that this advent calendar will bring the wow factor to your kitchen – it also makes a lovely gift.

Buy now: Fortnum’s Piccadilly Chocolate Advent Calendar, £22, Fortnum & Mason

The best prosecco advent calendar

Freixenet 12-Day Sparkling Wine Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar

Image credit: Freixenet

We’ve seen plenty of prosecco advent calendars in our time, but this one from Freixenet tops them all. Even if it does only have 12 boxes. Inside each drawer sits a 70cl bottle of Freixenet, ranging from their Negro Cavada to their Rosado Cava and their sparkling rose. For a bubbly treat in the lead up to Christmas, this advent calendar is here to keep you calm when there are approximately 1,000 things on your to-do list. Enjoy your glass and a half of bubbly in front of the TV, along with your dinner or with friends. This one’s going straight in our basket before it sells out.

Buy now: Freixenet 12-Day Sparkling Wine Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar, £60, QVC

The best luxury advent calendar

The White Company Beauty Advent Calendar

Image credit: The White Company

Yes, The White Company’s 2021 advent calendar is finally here. And it’s as gorgeous as we expected it to be. Think everything from shampoos to bath shots, sleep oils and even four candles – two of which are full-size with a 33-hour burn time – all inside. These beauty and home bits come in a range of scents from signature favourites to winter must-haves, from Seychelles to Lime & Bay and the to-die-for festive scent that is Fir Tree. Enveloped inside a white box that opens like a book with numbered drawers, The White Company’s advent calendar is as pretty as it is packed with goodies. This makes them understandably hard to get your hands on – more stock is expected at the end of October.

Buy now: Beauty Advent Calendar, £120, The White Company

The best candle advent calendar

Yankee Advent Book

Image credit: Yankee

If you are searching for a candle advent calendar for 2021, then you have landed in just the right place. This one from Yankee not only looks great as it’s designed to look like a book, but it is filled with a range of Yankee favourites. From their Snow in Love fragrance to Letters to Santa, Christmas Cookie and even Cinnamon Stick, all of their top festive fragrances come inside this advent calendar. There’s a mix of tea lights and votives, plus a votive holder included.

Buy now: Advent Book, £34.99, Yankee Candle

See our best candles guide for our top scents for this time of year

The best beauty advent calendar

Amazon Beauty Advent Calendar 2021

Image credit: Amazon

Amazon has truly upped their game this year with their 2021 beauty advent calendar. It’s packed with products from top brands including Neal’s Yard, L’Occitaine, Foreo, This Works, Real Techniques and more. Open this advent calendar each day in December to be greeted with a brilliant surprise, some of which are full-size, others sample size. We don’t want to ruin too much for you, but you’ll even find a Foreo Luna Play Mini behind one of the doors! Get yours whilst they’re still available.

Buy now: Amazon Beauty Advent Calendar 2021, £70, Amazon

The best wine advent calendar

Virgin Wines Mixed Wine Advent Calendar

Image credit: Virgin Wines

Searching for a wine advent calendar? Whether it’s for yourself, to gift or perhaps it’s a treat for parents? Either way, this one from Virgin Wines is the best wine advent calendar you can buy for 2021. Why? It’s filled with bestselling wines from around the world – including limited edition bottles. It’s also mixed so that one day you’ll open a 20cl bottle of red, another day it could be white wine and the next rosé. There is, of course, sparkling included, too, and on the big day, you’ll open a full-size bottle of prosecco. What are you waiting for? Pre-order now for just £10.

Buy now: Mixed Wine Advent Calendar, £89.99, Virgin Wines

The best vegan advent calendar

Candy Kittens Christmas Advent Calendar 

Image credit: Candy Kittens

Buying an advent calendar for a vegan? It’s not all dairy-free chocolate, you know. Candy Kittens’ tree-shaped calendar is packed with vegan gourmet gummy sweets that are palm-oil free, too. The best part? You’ll get two sweets a day – minimum! – plus for every one of these advent trees you buy, they will plant an actual tree. Give something back to the environment with this vegan advent calendar. You won’t regret it!

Buy now: Candy Kittens Christmas Advent Calendar , £12, Amazon

The best advent calendar for DIYers

Draper 02431 Advent Calendar

Image credit:Draper

Buy this advent calendar for the tool enthusiast in your life who loves DIY a tad too much. There’s a total of 54 pieces to collect, from 24 different doors. Think everything from drill bits to screwdrivers and even a storage case for everything to sit neatly inside.

Buy now: Draper 02431 Advent Calendar, £30.99, Amazon

The best coffee advent calendar

Pact Advent Calendar

Image credit: Pact

Open each door of this Pact Advent Calendar to reveal a sachet of fresh coffee to start your day, the right way (caffeine-fuelled, obviously). This coffee advent calendar is filled with pre-ground coffee that’s perfect for brewing in your cafetière or Aeropress, plus each sachet is fully recyclable – and ethically sourced. A great way to spice up your morning brew in the run-up to Christmas, and to keep yourself awake after buying Christmas presents online at 2am. There’s everything from fruity coffees to dark coffees, bestsellers and more included.

Buy now: Pact Advent Calendar, £29.95, Pact Coffee

Don’t miss our guide to the best coffee machines – written by the experts 

The best charity advent calendar

Love Cocoa Luxury Chocolate Truffle Charity Advent Calendar

Image credit: Love Cocoa

If you are searching for an advent calendar that gives back, then Love Cocoa’s Charity Advent Calendar should be your first pick. Every penny of profits go straight to NHS Charities Together, whilst it’s filled with decadent chocolate truffles to count down to Christmas in tasty style. Every bite will make a difference, whilst this calendar is also plastic-free – just when you thought it couldn’t get any better.

Buy now: Love Cocoa Luxury Chocolate Truffle Charity Advent Calendar, £25, Love Cocoa

Which advent calendar will you be treating yourself to this year? There’s more to come on our list…

The post 2021’s best Christmas advent calendars for adults – from coffee to wine appeared first on Ideal Home.

Portable kitchen islands are a more versatile option for extra prep space and storage, as opposed to fixed island units. While both offer extra worktop space and supplementary storage underneath, portable kitchen islands are less-limiting when it comes to kitchen layout as they are easy to move around.

Getting the size and positioning right is key when installing a static kitchen island as it will stay fixed in this position, so these factors will need to be worked out in the initial planning stages. A portable kitchen island however, is smaller, lighter and with no electrics or plumbing to consider, offers a more flexible option. A moveable unit can be moved around as and when required.

Portable kitchen island ideas

‘Surface space is high on everyone’s wish lists at the moment, says Claire Birkbeck, kitchen designer at Neptune Bath. ‘More customers are asking for islands to be incorporated into their kitchen design – somewhere they can cook, eat, work and gather.’

‘A freestanding island is perfect for a kitchen when you have less room to play with. And also for creating a more practical and versatile space, as they can be moved into your desired position,’ Claire adds.

1. Add colour with a painted kitchen island

Image credit: La Redoute

Rather than trying to match your island unit to your kitchen cabinets, opt for a contrasting colour to give a more relaxed look. A wood-block worktop will complement timber cabinets – just add a couple of wooden bar stools to give a rustic, country look.

Don’t go too wide when choosing a square-shaped kitchen island idea like this. You need to be able to reach the middle, so make it no deeper than 1400mm front to back.

Buy now: Carlos pine kitchen island, £625, La Redoute

2. Make it a moveable feast

Image credit: Not on the High Street

For small or medium-sized kitchens, a portable kitchen island on wheels or castors offers a more compact option and is super-easy to move around. It can be pulled out into action for extra worktop prep space when cooking or baking and can be tucked away against a wall or counter when not in use.

Use a portable kitchen island as a serving buffet and fill with tableware, serving kit and condiments so everything is close to hand at mealtimes. This industrial-style trolley has handy drawers and baskets for cutlery and linens, with open shelves for bulky items.

Buy now: Black metal kitchen storage trolley/island, £1650, Notonthehighstreet.com

3. Combine storage with seating space

Image credit: Maison Du Monde

Semi-portable kitchen island units have legs rather than castors and tend to be heavier than mobile islands, so aren’t designed for frequent moving. However, if you do decide on a change of layout, a semi-portable island can easily be shifted into a new position.

Combine seating and storage space with this rustic, recycled pine kitchen island. It has a closed cupboard on one side and a glazed cupboard for displaying crockery on the other. There’s also space for stools at one end, so you can sit and enjoy breakfast.

Buy now: Greta grey recycled pine kitchen island, £1482, Maisons du Monde

4. Use an island as a room divider

In a large kitchen or open-plan space, a freestanding island can be used as a room divider, helping to break up the space. It can be positioned centrally or set to one side, similar to a peninsular island.

‘A freestanding kitchen island is a lovely way to add character to a kitchen, whilst also expanding valuable surface space,’ says Paul Deckland, Buying Director at The Cotswold Company. ‘You can move it too, so that the kitchen can be opened up, with the island easily configurable against a wall to act as a buffet table. When entertaining and catering to a host of family and friends, additional surface space is invaluable.’

Buy now: Chester dove grey kitchen island, £945, Cotswold Company

5. Go mobile with a wheel-out island

Image credit: Dunelm

If space is super-tight, choose a compact kitchen island unit on castors. Keep it stationary or move it where you need it. Having an extra prep area will stretch the available work surface space – ideal if you’re short on worktops or there’s more than one person working in the kitchen at the same time.

This neat black metal unit has legs one side and castors on the other, plus a grab handle so it’s easy to manoeuvre. With one shelf underneath and a deeper stowing tray at the bottom, it’s perfect for a small kitchen or would make a great mobile cocktail trolley too.

Buy now: Fulton kitchen trolley, £99, Dunelm

6. Go for a multi-tasking island

Image credit: Neptune

A work-bench style island unit gives lots of extra space for kitchen prep, but with a couple of high stools tucked in on one side there’s plenty of landing space for a laptop on days when you’re WFH. Hanging a dedicated kitchen island lighting idea over the unit to provide more directional task lighting.

Consider the worktop material when you’re choosing a kitchen island. Wood is hardwearing and a good option if you’re on a budget. Stainless steel is hygienic and easy to keep clean, while marble stays cool, so is great for pastry-making.

Buy now: Suffolk kitchen, from £8000, Neptune 

7. Double-up to create a longline island

Image credit: IKEA

Position two smaller island units side-by-side to create one large central island. These units have space for stools on one side plus built-in shelves for storing cookery books and decorative kitchenware on the other.

In an open-plan space, position an island with the shelf side outward-facing so it looks neater when viewed from the living area. Keep any dishes, pans and clutter out of sight on the kitchen-facing side.

Buy now: Tornviken kitchen island, £250, IKEA

8. Roll a kitchen trolley into action

Image credit: IKEA

‘A robust trolley in the kitchen or a mobile server in the dining area can be super helpful,’ say the design team at Ikea. ‘A kitchen trolley gives you extra storage for fresh herbs, serving bowls and platters, or with a server-style trolley in the dining area, you’ll have everything, from bottles to napkins, within easy reach, so you won’t have to run to and from the kitchen.’

Buy now: Rashult trolley, £28, IKEA

9. Layer storage with a two-tier island

Image credit: Neptune

In smaller kitchens, large islands can be too hefty and tend to dominate the space. Opting for an open-sided island will help create a feeling of spaciousness, with no doors or drawers to interrupt the flow of the kitchen.

This steel-framed and oak island works brilliantly as a baking station in an open-plan kitchen. With two layers of shelving, there’s space for supplies, cookware or kitchen mixer underneath with a spacious prep area on top.

Buy now: Carter kitchen island, £2635, Neptune

10. Set up an island in a larder

Image credit: IKEA

Use a portable island to create extra surface space and storage in a larder area or pantry idea. Open shelves underneath are great for storing jars and bottles or crates and baskets filled with food stuffs and loose items. Add a row of hooks above to hang dried herbs or utensils, with extra shelves above to store additonal supplies.

Buy now: Vadholma kitchen island, £229, IKEA

11. Make a statement with a quirky piece

Image credit: Graham & Green

Choose a vintage style piece to add character to a kitchen-diner. Positioned against one wall, a portable kitchen console can double-up as extra storage or a buffet-style serving bench. And when extra worktop space is called for, castors mean it can be wheeled out into action.

This industrial-style portable island is made of iron and brass with four mesh pull-out cubbies, one deep storage tray underneath and four sturdy castors.

Buy now: Industrial storage console, £895, Graham & Green

12. Make space for the family dog

Image credit: Cox & Cox

Pet beds can be a trip hazard if they’re not tucked out of the way, so if your dog (or cat) likes to stay close, why not create a dedicated spot for them. This multi-tasking island breakfast bar features a pet bed area underneath with plump cushion for sleeping on and a cupboard to the side for storing pet essentials.

Buy now: Pet bed kitchen island, £1375, Cox & Cox

Can you have a moveable kitchen island?

Fixed kitchen island units are usually anchored to the floor with screws and brackets, so once in position they can’t be moved. A kitchen island with a sink, hob or integrated sockets will also have plumbing and electrics installed, which means it will have to stay in a set position.

Portable or movable kitchen islands are a better option for smaller kitchens as they tend to be smaller, narrower and lighter than standard kitchen islands, so can be shifted into a different position if needed. An island on castors gives even greater flexibility as it can be wheeled into place as needed – and then tucked away when it’s not.

What can I use for a kitchen island?

While off-the-peg kitchen islands are a good option and less costly than a fully-fitted kitchen island, it’s possible to re-purpose all manner of items to create a bespoke kitchen island.

A farmhouse style kitchen table, butcher’s block or sturdy bench unit can all double up as a kitchen island. These too can all be shifted out of the way when not in use. For an island with extra storage, consider re-purposing a set of shelves, sideboard or a couple of kitchen base units.

The post Portable kitchen island ideas – moveable trolleys and freestanding islands for flexible storage appeared first on Ideal Home.

The Amazon store Bluewater has opened today as the first Amazon non-food store in the UK. Located in Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent, the shop is called Amazon 4-star.

As the name suggests, the store is special because it only stocks products given a 4-star rating – or higher – by customers. Although, you’ll also find products that are currently trending on the Amazon website, and best-sellers.

Image credit: Alamy

The brick-and-mortar store is open to non-Amazon account holders as well as Amazon devotees. It sells Amazon’s most-loved homeware and kitchen items.

So interiors obsessives can browse items for the home like the best Amazon storage buys to help combat clutter. The physical store also means we won’t accidentally order something much, much larger or smaller than we expected.

Aside from the homeware, there’s a range of games, tech, books and toys. All items will be updated with the seasons. Customers will also be able to shop IRL for Kindle e-Readers, Fire Tablets, and best smart speakers like the Echo Dot.

Image credit: Alamy

While many food stores have already thrown open their doors (London already has 6), the Amazon store Bluewater is the first UK non-food store from the retail giant. Amazon 4-star has already been established in the US with 32 outlets. Shoppers across the pond say they enjoy the chance to test out products in person before they buy.

As well as shopping, Amazon fans can use the store as a place to return and pick up online orders – with items ready as soon as the next day. It’s also a good place to do some homework before the Black Friday deals launch in November,

Image credit: Alamy

Customers will also be able to browse the ‘Most Wished For’ products based on online wish lists. There is also a ‘Trending in Bluewater’ category and ‘Most Gifted’ for Christmas shopping inspiration.

The Amazon store Bluewater has been described as an experiment, and Andy Jones, director of Amazon 4-star in the UK, declined to comment when asked how many of the stores will open across the country.

Amazon 4-star doesn’t have the ‘just walk out’ checkout technology of Amazon Fresh outlets, with customers paying by cash, card or the Amazon app.

The post Amazon has launched its first-ever UK high-street store with a special feature appeared first on Ideal Home.

Each week there seems to be a new cleaning hack being peddled as the ultimate cleaning holy grail. From old wives tales to the latest viral hack, we’re putting cleaning tips to the test in cleaning myths.

Up first is the washing-up liquid toilet cleaning hack. The hack first appeared on the Facebook group ‘Mums Who Clean’. A woman claimed that a squeeze of washing up liquid in the toilet tank was a genius shortcut to a clean toilet. Every time the toilet was flushed it would release the washing-up liquid and clean-smelling bubbles.

Image credit: David Parmiter

Unsurprisingly the hack swept across social media as the best new tip for how to clean a bathroom. The hack spawned even further washing up liquid toilet cleaning hacks, including swapping your trusty Domestos and using it to clean the toilet bowl too.

‘Although the recent trend seems to be getting a lot of interest, this ‘hack’ will end up doing more bad than good and will eventually ruin your toilet system,’ says Adam Leech, Owner of Showers Direct.

‘Toilet tanks aren’t built to deal with anything else apart from water, washing up liquid will damage the rubber/seals in the cistern.’

Garry Kirkbright, Senior Designer at More Bathrooms agreed saying: ‘We don’t recommend using washing up liquid within the toilet cistern as the bubbles can negatively affect the components inside. Instead, opt for a product created specifically for toilet cleaning as this is safer to use.’

While washing up liquid in the tank was off-limits, we decided to see if Fairy Liquid was a good alternative to our standard toilet cleaner when put straight into the toilet bowl. However, according to Adam, even this method could damage the ceramic or porcelain surface of your toilet.

‘Products like Fairy Liquid can cause a number of problems for your toilet, from discoloration to damage,’ he explains.

‘To avoid this from happening, read the label on your toilet cleaner carefully before using it inside of a bowl that has a ceramic or porcelain surface.’

Image credit: Polly Eltes

In the interest of fully testing the hack, I did try a squirt of washing up liquid when cleaning the toilet. All there is to say is I wish I’d listened to the experts.

Rather than a squeaky clean bowl, I was left with an odd smell and an alarming amount of bubbles, which took about three to floor flushes to finally get rid of.

While there is some evidence to suggest washing up liquid is a good option if you’re looking into how to unblock a toilet. If you’re looking to regularly clean with it, we’d recommend you give this cleaning myth a swerve.

The post Can you clean a toilet with washing up liquid? Experts weigh in on the viral cleaning hack appeared first on Ideal Home.