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Celebrating St Patrick’s Day at home

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For the second year in a row, we will be celebrating St Patrick’s Day at home. That doesn’t mean that we can’t still have fun.

  • Dress in green
  • Watch the RTE virtual parade
  • Set a St Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt
  • Take an Irish cooking class
  • Learn Irish dancing
  • Tell Irish fables
  • Have a drink at the virtual pub
  • Take part in a St Patrick’s Day quiz
  • Host an Irish film night
  • Test your luck

Dress in green 

The best way to get into the St Patrick’s Day spirit is to wear as much green as possible. Ransack your wardrobe for every green item you can find, and wear it for the whole day. You could even turn this into a contest between your friends and family- who can wear the most green? 

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

Watch the RTE virtual parade 

Following the success of last year, RTE is taking their parade virtual for 2021. Usually, RTE would host a 4-day event, complete with performances from comedians, musicians, and, the crown jewel of the event, the St Patrick’s Day parade. This year, the festival will be hosted online, with all performances being done virtually. You can enjoy the RTE St Patrick’s Day parade, and all of the other performances, by heading to the RTE website. 

Image by Michael Miller

Set a St Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt 

A St Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt is fun for all ages. Simply hide a few St Patrick’s Day-themed items, such as potatoes, gold coins, an Irish flash, etc., and set your players off on the hunt. You could even award prizes for the fastest players to find all the objects. 

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Take an Irish cooking class 

St Patrick’s Day is the ample time to expand your culinary expertise and learn how to cook a traditional Irish dish. You could try making Irish stew, soda bread, or shepherd’s pie. Just get your ingredients together, and see how it turns out. 

Photo by Naim Benjelloun from Pexels

Learn Irish dancing 

Irish dancing began in the 17th century and was taught by “traveling dance masters” who journeyed across Ireland to teach the art form.  The characteristics of Irish dancing are a stiff upper body, rapid leg movements, and precise foot movements. It is an incredibly hard dance form to master, however, is very fun to try, so dust off your dancing shoes and annoy your neighbours by attempting a wee Irish jig. 

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Tell Irish fables 

The people of Ireland are naturally sociable, and storytelling is an integral part of their culture. Before society was literate, storytelling was how important life lessons were passed down to children. As a result, there are some interesting, and entertaining, Irish fables that make for great reading. 

Have a drink at the virtual pub

There are many Irish tipples that can be enjoyed on St Patrick’s Day. Despite not being able to go to the pub physically, there is nothing stopping you from setting up a virtual pub with your friends and family. Whether your preferred drink is Guinness, whisky, or Bailey’s, enjoy a special St Patrick’s Day drink with your friends and family, from the comfort of your home. 

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Take part in a St Patrick’s Day quiz

Quizzes are a great way to test your knowledge, whilst having competitive fun. You can design one yourself, or get one online, and then virtually gather your friends and family to test your St Patrick’s Day knowledge. To make it more interesting, you can give out special points for the best team name and funniest answers.

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Host an Irish film night 

There is an abundance of fantastic Irish films, so St Patrick’s Day presents the prime opportunity to enjoy some of them. Pick a selection of Irish films, perhaps some that you have seen before and others that you have not, and settle down for a night of Irish cinema. Don’t forget your popcorn. 

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Test your luck 

St Patrick’s Day is supposed to be a lucky day, so why not test your luck. You could buy a scratch card, a lottery ticket, or put a bet on, and see what the outcome is. I hope luck is on your side. 

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Whilst you enjoy some St Patrick’s Day fun, we will take care of your laundry. To book your Laundryheap order, simply head to the Laundryheap website, or download the free Laundryheap app. 


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school uniform hygiene tips

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With children now back at school, it’s important to take every precaution possible to ensure that their school uniform remains hygienic and COVID 19 free.

  • Wash daily
  • Make sure you are disnifecting 
  • Wear gloves
  • Wash inside out
  • Always use a hot wash 
  • Check the care label
  • Avoid shaking clothes
  • Don’t leave clothing in the washing machine
  • Let clothing dry completely
  • Don’t forget about school bags

Wash daily 

Your child’s school uniform needs to be washed every day to ensure that no COVID 19 germs linger on their clothing or transfer to their surroundings. 

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Make sure you are disinfecting 

When washing your child’s school uniform, you must make sure that you are disinfecting, not just cleaning. Cleaning your child’s uniform will remove dirt and germs from the surface of their clothing, whereas disinfecting involves using chemicals to kill germs and bacteria to stop them from reproducing and spreading. 

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Wear gloves

When handling your child’s school uniform, or any clothing that may have been exposed to COVID 19, it is advised that you wear gloves. They will prevent germs and bacteria from transferring on to your hands and being spread to other surfaces. If you do not have a pair of gloves, make sure that you thoroughly wash your hands after handling clothing. 

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels

Wash inside out

Washing your child’s school uniform inside out will prevent piling and bobbling. You will be washing your child’s uniform frequently, so there is an increased risk of tears and rips in the fabric. Washing your child’s uniform inside out will help lessen this damage. 

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Always use a hot wash

Hot washes are the best way to kill germs and bacteria from clothing. For the best result of eliminated germs and bacteria, wash your child’s uniform at 60 degrees Celsius. 

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Check the care label 

Despite the fact that hot washes are the best way to eliminate germs and bacteria from clothing, always check the care label before washing your child’s uniform. Some items of your child’s uniform may not be suitable for hot washing, and doing so may leave the item damaged and unwearable.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Avoid shaking clothes 

Before and after you take your clothing out of the washing machine, avoid shaking it out. If you shake your child’s uniform, there is the potential of spreading COVID 19 germs and bacteria to the surrounding areas, even after you have washed your clothing. Wait until your item is completely dry before shaking. 

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Don’t leave clothing in the washing machine

Regardless of COIVD 19, it is never a good idea to leave your washed clothing sitting in the washing machine as it can cause damp and mould. If left wet in the washing machine, any of the remaining germs on your child’s uniform, which would be removed in the drying process, could rapidly multiply. For the best result, take your child’s school uniform out of the washing machine to dry as soon as possible. 

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Let clothing dry completely 

For the best result of removing COVID 19 bacteria, tumble dry your child’s school uniform. However, if you do not have a tumble dryer, air drying will work effectively. Viruses and bacteria thrive in damp environments, so it’s important that you wait until your child’s school uniform is completely dry before allowing them to re-wear it. 

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Don’t forget about school bags  

It’s important to not only disinfect your child’s school uniform, but also their school bag. Similarly to their school uniform, bags need to be washed every day. If your child’s bag is made from a cloth-like material, you can wash it with your child’s school uniform. Alternatively, if your child’s bag is made of leather, or a leather-like material, you can use disinfectant spray or wipes to wipe down the surface of the bag. If you are using this method, make sure that you reach every corner of your child’s bag. 

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At Laundryheap, our top priority is our customers safety. That is why we offer a hot wash service, completely free of charge, whenever you book a Laundryheap service. 

To book your Laundryheap service, simply head to the Laundryheap website, or download the free Laudndryheap app. 


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Quarantine entertainment

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At first glance, hotel quarantine may not sound like a lot of fun. Confined to a small space for 10 days, with only a TV, WIFI, and whatever you travelled with, for entertainment. That being said, there are some fun, useful, and productive ways to stay entertained during your hotel quarantine. 

  • Exercise
  • Yoga
  • Learn something new
  • Read
  • Listen to podcasts
  • Catch up with family and friends
  • Do something creative 
  • Catch up on life admin
  • Do some cleaning 
  • Allow yourself to relax

Exercise 

Despite not having a lot of space in your hotel room, it is still essential to do at least a little bit of exercise. You will be moving very little during your 10-day quarantine, so it’s important to do a small amount of activity every day to stimulate your body and mind. This can be in the form of walking from one side of your hotel room to the other 10 times every hour, completing an exercise video, or even doing a home workout. Doing a small amount of exercise will keep your body energised and release endorphins to help keep you feeling optimistic during this tough time. 

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Yoga 

As well as doing physical exercise, try doing yoga. Yoga is a great way to stretch your body, improve your flexibility, and focus your mind. In addition to this, yoga doesn’t require much space, so it’s easy to achieve in a small hotel room. 

Photo by Tim Samuel from Pexels

Learn something new 

Quarantining for 10 days, completely away from distractions, provides the perfect opportunity to learn something new. You could learn a new language, take an online course, or try something creative, such as art. As long as you can find the supplies, and your new activity doesn’t require too much space, the sky is your limit. Push yourself, and you will be surprised at what you can achieve. 

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Read

In our normal lives, we are surrounded by so many distractions, that it’s hard to find a quiet moment to relax and escape in a book. Your hotel quarantine experience provides the ample opportunity to do just that. Turn off your phone, get comfortable, and lose yourself in an alternate universe where you aren’t quarantining in a hotel for 10 days. 

Photo by Dina Nasyrova from Pexels

Listen to podcasts

Whatever your interests are, there is a podcast for you. From true crime to comedy, DIY to baking, you will definitely be able to find an interesting podcast on your chosen subject. Simply choose a podcast, get comfortable, and listen. Be warned though- they are extremely addictive, and before you know it you will have spent a whole day intensely listening to the same one. 

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Catch up with family and friends 

The COVID 19 pandemic has made all of us focus on cherishing our loved one. That being said, in between working, looking after families, and finding time to focus on ourselves, sometimes it’s hard to reach out to the ones we love. Take your time in quarantine to ring, video call, or voice note your loved ones. Check in with them and make sure that they are okay. It can get lonely in quarantine, especially if you are on your own, so it will feel good to see or hear a loved one, even if it is through a phone. 

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Do something creative 

Sometimes we become so invested with the everyday, that we don’t find the space to be creative. Take your quarantine as an opportunity to explore your creative side. Express your emotions through art, try creative writing, or even film your quarantine experience. Try and find a creative outlet to express your emotions. 

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Catch up on life admin 

We all have life admin that we either never have the time to tackle, or are constantly finding excuses to avoid doing. Now is your time to tackle that life admin. Set an hour aside everyday for the 10 days that you are in quarantine and get your life admin out of the way. You may not even need 10 days to complete it.

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Do some cleaning 

Despite the fact that you will be staying in a hotel room, it is your responsibility to keep your room clean for the 10 days that you are staying. Pass some time by making the bed and making sure that your room and bathroom is clean and tidy. A tidy room may help tidy your mind and lead to an increase in productivity. 

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Allow yourself time to relax 

Life is hectic, and this pandemic has been, and still is, incredibly hard to navigate. Whilst you are quarantining, allow yourself time to fully relax. Take some time to practice mindfulness. Spend a day watching mindless TV. Take a nap. Whatever it is that you do to relax, allow yourself time to do it. This will help you re-set your mind, and prepare you for life post hotel quarantine. 

If you are concerned about running out of clean clothing whilst you are in quarantine, worry no more. We’re here to help. At Laundryheap, we will pick up your clothing from your hotel, dry clean your garments, and re-deliver them to you, within 24 hours. 

To book your Laundryheap service, simply head to the Laundryheap website, or download the free Laundryheap app from the App Store or Google Play Store. 


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How to get laundry done in a quarantine hotel

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You’ve arrived back in the UK, lugging your suitcase, and you’re immediately told that you must isolate for 10 days in a quarantine hotel. You will be provided with 3 meals a day, WIFI, and regular COVID tests. What won’t be provided, is a way for you to wash your clothes. How are you going to get your laundry done? 

  • In the sink 
  • Through the hotel 
  • Laundryheap

In the sink 

To wash your smaller items of clothing, such as t-shirts and underwear, you can use your quarantine hotel room bathroom sink. Before doing so, check with your hotel that you can have access to some form of laundry detergent. 

To hand-wash your clothes, fill your bathroom sink with warm water, and add the laundry detergent.

Place your items in the water, you may have to do this one item at a time depending on how big your sink is, and use a plunging motion to wash them. 

Once you are satisfied with the cleanliness of your items, rinse them with warm water. Make sure that you thoroughly rinse your clothing or you could be left with laundry detergent lingering in your garments. 

After rinsing your clothing, hang it over the shower and leave it to air dry. This could take some time depending on the warmth of your room and how many items you are trying to dry at once. 

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Through the hotel 

Some quarantine hotels may offer an in-house laundry service, at an additional cost. It is likely that a laundry service will only be available at certain times, so you will have to adjust your schedule accordingly. There is no guarantee that your quarantine hotel will offer a laundry service, so it is best to check before hand. 

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Laundryheap

Laundryheap is an on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning service. We will pick-up your laundry from your quarantine hotel, launder it, and have it re-delivered to you within 24 hours. We are fast, flexible, and efficient.

Our number one priority throughout the COVID 19 pandemic continues to be keeping our customers and partner drivers safe. That is why we offer a hot wash service, at no additional cost, and all of our deliveries are contactless. 

At Laundryheap, we understand that this is a scary time, and that having to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days is not easy. That is why we are here to help you get through it, with fresh clothes. 

Booking your Laundryheap order could not be simpler. You can head to our website, or download the free Laundryheap app from the App Store or Google Play Store. 


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How to host a festival at home

Image by Henry Burrows

With festival season being, close to, completely cancelled because of COVID19, it’s time to bring the festival fun to you. Grab your tents, glitter, and music, because this is how you can host a festival at home. 

  • Give your festival a name
  • Make access passes
  • Create a map
  • Pick your line-up
  • Get your house festival-ready
  • Set activities 
  • Get yourself festival-ready
  • Dine al-fresco
  • Stick with camping 
  • Document the journey

Give your festival a name

Begin planning your stay-at-home festival by naming it. Don’t stress yourself out too much about creating a funny or witty name, something simple will do just fine. Naming your festival will simply put a name to the event and make it more official.

Make access passes 

It’s always nice to have memorabilia from a festival. Despite your festival taking place in your own home, and with limited guests due to COVID rules, making access passes is a fun way to commemorate the event. Make your passes by either drawing or create a simple graphic. Print your graphic on plain paper or card and fold it into a small rectangle. If you have access to a laminator, laminate the pass to avoid it becoming damaged by spilled drinks or general wear and tear. Finally, attach your passes to some string, or a lanyard if you have one, and hand them out to your festival-goers. Don’t forget to remind them that without their passes they can’t access the festival, so they must be worn at all times. 

Image by goblinbox_(queen_of_ad_hoc_bento)

Create a map

It may seem silly to create a map for your festival when it’s being hosted in your own home, but it’s part of the festival experience. Draw a simple layout of your house and pinpoint the areas where events will take place. You could even create a breakdown of which bands you will be playing at certain points of the day, just like in a real festival program. Similarly to the access passes, creating a map will provide your festival-goers with a small token from the festival that they can keep. 

Pick your line-up

You can’t have a festival without music. Unfortunately, you can’t have any live performances, unless someone in your social bubble is a musician. Luckily, there are a few music streaming options that will provide all the tunes your festival needs.

Firstly, many festivals that have been cancelled due to COVID have been showing performances from past acts. For example, Radio 1’s Big Weekend is available to watch on IPlayer. You could create your perfect festival line-up by going through performances from festivals past and playing those for your guests.

Alternatively, you could create your own playlists using a streaming service. This way it is completely up to you which songs to include in your set. Regardless of your decision, make sure that you have a headline act that is worth sticking around for. 

Image by Karen Woodham from Pexels

Get your house festival-ready 

You can’t host a festival without getting your house adequately festival-ready. Make a stage for your virtual bands to perform on by using a chair or table to prop a laptop on. Pitch a tent in your garden and allocate camping space for those staying at the festival. Use fairy lights to illuminate your food court and stage area. Create an outdoor seating area using throw pillows and blankets. Finally, finish off creating the festival vibe by using colourful streamers and banners to decorate the area. You want to create a new experience for your festival-goers, so get creative with your decorations. 

Set activities

When visiting a festival there are usually activities that can be done between seeing performances. These can be anything from face/glitter painting to playing human-sized Jenga. Plan some activities throughout the day that can involve all of your festival-goers. Do some face-painting, play some games and, most importantly, have fun with it. Make sure that your activities are appropriate for all ages so that any children at the festival can join in. 

Get yourself festival-ready

Part of the fun of festivals is dressing up for them. Think flamboyant but comfortable. Shorts, feathers, sequins, tassels, and, of course, a pair of wellies. You want to be prepared for all weather conditions, so it’s best to wear something lightweight for the sun, but also have a waterproof coat on-hand for the rain. The most important thing to remember when getting ready for your festival is… you can NEVER wear too much glitter. 

Image by ChrisPerriman

Dine Al-Fresco

Eating at festivals is all about grabbing something easy to eat at a food truck and dining Al-Fresco. Set up a BBQ and have burgers, hot dogs and other easy-to-eat delicious BBQ foods available for your festival-goers. Create your very own food court and let your guests lounge on throw pillows and blankets whilst they enjoy some, much-needed, festival food before they get back to their raving. The bonus of attending an at-home festival is that you can skip the endless food queues. 

Stick with camping

One of the best parts of going to a festival is camping. The joy of a stay-at-home festival is that you don’t have to camp in a crowded campsite, surrounded by queues of people waiting to use the portaloos in the middle of the night. Upgrade your camping experience by creating a calming campsite that your festival guests can enjoy. Pitch some tents and make them comfortable and cosy. Leave out plenty of sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets for your guests to snuggle up in, and light your tents with a multitude of fairy lights. You want to give your festival-goers a relaxing area to wind-down after a day of partying to their favourite artists. 

Image by Matheus Bertelli from Pexels

Document the journey 

Finally, make sure that you document your festival journey. Your festival is bound to be a lot of fun for yourself and your guests, so make sure that you capture plenty of photos and videos to remind you of what you created. You could even go live on Facebook and Instagram and share parts of your festival experience with your followers. 

Image by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

The joy of a stay-at-home festival is that there is less chance of your clothes getting covered in mud from staying in a field all weekend. If you do happen to get muddy during your festival, let us take care of your clothing. Book a Laundryheap hot wash service by heading to the Laundryheap website or by downloading the free Laundryheap app.