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QI’m currently redecorating my home office and I’m not sure what to do with the lights – what are the key considerations when lighting a workspace? Caroline Williamson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

AMatthew Currington,

Technical Director of The

Lighting Superstore, says… Poor lighting can not only affect your productivity, but it can also cause headaches and eyestrain as well as neck, back and shoulder strain. It’s essential your home office space is illuminated correctly throughout the working day, especially during the dark winter months.

Where possible, angle your desk towards a window – even better if it’s east-facing – so that you can maximise the number of working hours in daylight. Scientific research suggests that morning people work better and are more productive, so optimising this already favourable time could be your ticket to success.

If window-facing isn’t possible in your workspace, make sure you include an LED natural light desk lamp along with your overhead lighting, as this will help you stay focused all year long.

When choosing which style, select a task lamp that has an adjustable stem and head, together with a dimmer switch, so that you can be in control of your lighting levels throughout the day to reduce eyestrain and keep your mood up. Q I’m using so much water now that I’m working from home. How can I try to reduce my water usage? Anna Stevens, Hampshire

AMartin Walker, CEO of Methven UK, says… With many of us unexpectedly working from home for so long, it’s no surprise that there has been an increase in our household bills, including water. However, there are a number of ways you can limit your water consumption and significantly reduce your next bill.

Firstly, look at replacing your existing shower handset as not only will this transform the look of your bathroom, it could also save you a lot of water and reduce those bills. The eye-catching Aio collection from Methven, for example, has an optimised flow rate of 9 litres a minute to help minimise water usage. Methven’s patented Aurajet technology offers a water-efficient shower handset that doesn’t compromise on your showering experience.

It’s also time to replace any dripping taps that have been driving you mad for months and wasting water unnecessarily. The Amio Mini Basin Mixer from Methven, which has a RRP of £92.60, is an ideal choice for a tap upgrade as it's suitable for all plumbing systems. The single lever flow and temperature control makes the tap easy to use by all the family while helping you to reduce water usage as you can find your optimum temperature with ease.

QHow can I remove wood chip wallpaper and is there anything I should be cautious of before tearing it off the walls? Helen Sturgess, Bath A Jason Hines, Director of Trading

for Decorating at Homebase, says…

Wood chip wallpaper hates water, so the best way to remove it is to thoroughly soak the wall and keep it moist. This will loosen the paper and paste, allowing it to come away from the wall more cleanly

Preparation is important. As it gets wet, wood chip will turn mushy and sticky so, before starting, line your floor with dust sheets that can be thrown away. To start, make plenty of cuts into the wood chip when it’s dry using the edge of a steel blade stripping knife. Once scored, use a large paintbrush or roller to generously soak the wood chip with warm water. Adding wallpaper remover or washing up liquid to the water will reduce the run-off and allow more water to be soaked up. You may want to repeat this step two or three times to make sure the wall is thoroughly moist.

Apply the steamer to the wood chip wallpaper, starting from the ceiling and working down the wall. Our top tip – work on one wall at a time, keeping the wall moist to aid the steamer. Once removed, wash the walls and fill in any chips or cracks so that they're ready for your new paint or wallpaper.

QI enjoyed growing my own vegetables last year, but only managed a few tomatoes and some potatoes as we’re restricted on space – how can I make the most of my small garden? Greg Horton, Wrexham

AMarcus Eyles, Horticultural Director

and resident gardening expert at Dobbies Garden Centres, says…

A compact space still offers many opportunities to grow your own and containers are a brilliant way to grow a variety of fruit and vegetables.

Salads, tomatoes and garden herbs can all be grown in containers and pots. Before deciding on what to grow, it is best to check how much sun your outdoor space gets as this will dictate what will thrive. You need at least five to six hours of full sun a day to grow the biggest variety of vegetable plants. Also consider how sheltered the space is from wind as plants will dry out quickly in windy conditions.

One of the quickest vegetables to grow from plant to plate is cut-and-come-again salad greens. They don’t take up much room and, as the name suggests, they give multiple pickings.

Raised beds are perfect for growing small plots of vegetables and they also require less bending and kneeling for gardeners. Soil tends to be warmer meaning a longer growing season and the walls protect the plants from being stepped on, and it’s easier to spot and remove unwanted weeds. Almost any vegetable can be grown in raised beds, from carrots and parsnips to leeks and courgettes. Allotment gardening on your very own doorstep!

QMy energy bills are high now we’re all home so much. How can I make my heating system more efficient in an attempt to reduce the cost? Andy Viner, Blackpool

ANatalie Wathan,

Product Manager

at Drayton, says… Time at home will inevitably lead to a marked increase in energy bills, especially as over 80 per cent of a home’s energy consumption is used for heating and hot water, and we use these two more than ever during the colder winter months.

To help control your bills, it’s worth investing in a smart multi-room heating system that will save you money as well as make your home feel more comfortable. The Wiser system from Drayton uses intelligent radiator thermostats to allow you to create individual time and temperature schedules for each room in the home. By only heating the rooms that are being used, a smart multi-zone system like Wiser is estimated to save up to 39 per cent on energy usage, compared to a heating system with time control and a basic room thermostat.

App-controlled smart heating systems also have the added benefit of allowing you to remotely turn your heating off or delay it from coming on when your plans change. They can also give you visibility on the amount of energy you are using every day. With the Wiser system, the Insights feature gives you up-to-date feedback on how to optimise your heating and, importantly, save energy and money.

They also offer clever energy-saving features like Wiser’s Eco Mode. This smart mode learns how well your home retains heat and how it responds to outside weather changes. It then turns your boiler off sooner while still keeping your desired room temperature, saving households up to 7 per cent on energy usage.

Wiser is suitable for use with combi and conventional heating systems, with kits available to control heating only or heating and hot water. Recommended retail prices for Wiser start from £139.99 for a Thermostat Kit 1 (room thermostat, hub and app) and £219.99 for a Multi-zone Kit 1 (room thermostat, hub, app and two radiator thermostats). Individual Wiser radiator thermostats retail at £44.99. All prices are inclusive of VAT.

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