For many families, the cost of home appliances greatly outweighs that of furnishing a home. So once we have fully kitted out our home with all the appliances we need, we need to ensure they last as long as possible before being replaced.

Keeping everything in tip-top condition needn't be a chore. By working in a few minutes of appliance maintenance into your cleaning routines, you can ensure your expensive electrical items last way longer than their warranties!

More children than ever are turning their attention to digital literature than regular books. High street bookstores are on the decline, and while many of us may still be attached to our regular reading material, it makes sense to embrace our children's interests by seeking out eBooks to pique their interest in the written word.

There are many, many sites from which we can download children's eBooks, but as any parent understands certain books are just better than others. The quality of language, illustration and storytelling set some books apart from their competitors... and of course it's even better if those books can be found for free!

Here is a list of sites which provide eBooks for children of all ages which you can access for free on a tablet or PC. Many provide downloads (in PDF, ePub or MOBI format) while others must be accessed online. Wherever possible, I've tried to include links to "tablet-friendly" eBooks, though in some cases you may find it easier to download materials to your PC and transfer them to your preferred reading device.

After the holiday festivities, our home is a cluttered, disorganised haven. The feeling of "Christmas" had faded by January first, yet I didn't take down the decorations until last night. "There are twelve days of Christmas!" I reasoned, but the truth is that I always feel our house feels barren and less "homely" once the tree is taken down.

The state of our homes have a significant impact on our perceived quality of life. To dissipate those January blues, try taking on a challenge to rejuvenate and revolutionise your home at the start of this new year.

In this post, I've included four of my favourite "challenges" to help us clean, de-clutter and refresh our personal spaces. There's no need to try them all at once: instead, choose one which would have the most significant impact, or select the elements from each which appeal to your own needs. Each challenge is broken down into bite-sized chunks which can be completed in only 15-30 minutes a day.

I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying a wonderful start to 2014! Here's a brief reflection of Glamumous this past year, plus a little hint of what to expect in the months to come.