How to Survive Christmas When Your House is Bursting

Surviving Christmas

Christmas is so close you can almost smell the sprouts wafting through the air.  But despite the festive cheer, mulled wine and enough presents to sink a ship, Christmas can be utterly stressful if you’ve got a house full of people.  

We might not be able to offer any culinary wisdom, but we know a lot about space planning and usage. So, with a little humorous good cheer, follow these house extension tips, and you’ll be well on your way to a harmonious Christmas.

Some Space Saving Tips to Get You Through Christmas

Tip One: Bums on Seats

It’s tempting to stick your least favourite relative on a camping chair while they get stuck into the turkey, but be kind.  It’s not rocket science to work out if you’ve got enough chairs or table space for all your guests, but think about seating children first for a ‘quick lunch’ and savour all your hard work for your adult guests while the kids play.

Tip Two: Conservatory Makeover

A conservatory is worth its weight in gold at Christmas.  But, we all know that older conservatories can be less than ambient during winter, so think about how you’re going to heat the space safely.  Fan heaters or electric bar heaters aren’t ideal with children running around, so consider investing in panel style heaters with a built-in thermostat.  

Perhaps a conservatory transformation might be a good investment for 2016 in the shape of Livinroof.  Add in some super-insulated columns and hey presto you’ve got yourself an extra room you can use all year round. These super insulated columns will provide you with superb levels of thermal efficiency that will make your conservatory comfortable.

Tip Three: Open Plan Living Space

It’s the perfect layout for Christmas if you’re entertaining lots of people.  Similarly, Christmas also seems to generate lots more stuff, especially if you’ve got small children; so make this your last crowded Christmas and consider a simple, straightforward single storey extension from our Extension Plus Collection – you could have it by Easter!

Tip Four: Space to Play

Conservatories are a fantastic escape zone for adults and children alike.  Think about how you can utilise the space for children to play – set up the Scalextric, train set…or create an adult space.  Everybody loves a natter and a snooze after lunch, so create a cosy, warm space for your guests to relax and unwind in after their Christmas dinner.

Tip Five: Conservatory Health Check

We all look forward to time off at Christmas; it’s a chance to catch up on all the jobs you’ve been meaning to do all year.  If you are planning to use your conservatory space, think about giving it a health check – look for leaks, condensation, blocked gutters and so forth.  And, if that’s too much, get your local Ultrainstaller to come and do the job for you!

Tip Six: Conservatory Sleepover

A conservatory is a fantastic space to host your overnight guests.  You might need to consider the privacy element; but, with the addition of a cheap and cheerful sofa bed, a conservatory provides the perfect ‘pop up’ bedroom – especially with the addition of a Livinroof, which combines solid and glazed sections that’ll hide your room from prying eyes.

Tip Seven: A Place to Keep Things

After your guests have left, your home will most probably be a bombsite. No one wants to use their beautiful conservatory as a storeroom – but you could temporarily use yours as a silo for storing all the unwanted cardboard packing and bags of rubbish that comes (and excuse the deliberate pun) as part and parcel of the festive experience.

Tip Eight: One, Two, Three, Relax

It’s finally over. You’ve thrown away all the rubbish, and now your home is spick and span once again. After all that hard work, why not reward yourself by sitting down in your conservatory and relaxing with a glass of well-earned mulled wine. Read a book, listen to some music, or sit back and watch the sky – it’s what your conservatory was made for.

Find Your Nearest Ultra Installer

If Santa Claus has promised you a conservatory as a yuletide gift, you’ll want to let your nearest approved Ultra Installer know as soon as possible, so that they can come and visit you and start work on the design as soon as possible. Use our search tool to get started.

You can also submit an enquiry form to us directly. We can call you with more information about our extensive product range – including conservatories, lantern roof and house extensions. We can even come and see you to have a discussion about your requirements.