Days Out | Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo is one of my favourite places to visit with the boys and we are so lucky that it's just a short half an hour drive away from us. Set across 120 acres and with over 20,000 animals to explore it makes for a boss day out and is a great way to burn off the energy of two feral kids like mine. 

We are members of Chester Zoo and this is something I highly recommend if you're local because a yearly membership gains you access to the zoo as many times as you want. This absolutely takes the stress out of your visit because if you're like me and want to cram as much into your day as possible; but are unable to because of little legs then you know you can do it all again next time. This means the inevitable playground stops are met less begrudgingly and you can rest your legs with a coffee and twenty minutes peace! 

We visited the zoo last Monday and there are current restrictions in place due Covid (as standard these days) so visitor numbers are restricted and there are sanitising stations situated round the park. The bat enclosure is closed at the moment, due the boys' dismay, and will not be reopening until the restrictions are completely lifted. We felt really safe throughout the day, the only issue was the toilets. They're currently staffed due to restrictions so make sure you plan for any toilet breaks with little ones as queues can be quite big! 

Some indoor attractions require you to wear a mask which wasn't as bad as I expected it to be considering the heat but if you want to go through the lemur enclosure, all members of your party must wear a mask so keep that in mind to avoid disappointment! 

We always have a fab day whenever we visit the zoo and I already can't wait to go back and do it all over again and hopefully see some of the animals we missed last time. Although after spending a full day here I'm surprised that we missed anything at all, which should give you an idea of how much there is to do! I'm mostly looking forward to seeing the sloths and hoping to catch a glimpse of the jaguars next time. There was a time when I would dread big days out in my own with them but now I look forward to them and there will be plenty more zoo days to come this summer! 

Rachael xo

Home | Transforming Our Hallway

I used to scroll through Insta growing more and more envious of people with these gorgeous, big hallways that they could have big units in to hide the things my kids throw on the floor. My narrow hallway could never! But who says you can't make a feature out of a small hallway? So if you have a smallway like mine, here are my tips to transform it into something Insta worthy

Console Table or Radiator Cover

A radiator cover or console table can instantly make your hallway look more chic, especially when decorated with a few candles and prints. I knew I wanted a console table for the hall the second I saw one on my explore page - less bulky than a radiator cover and perfect if you're lacking in space like I am. These can be quite expensive to buy and I'm a girl with a budget so my grandad made mine out of an old shelf and some hair pin legs (mine are from Etsy).

Get a Runner

Rugs and runners can instantly change the feel of a room - I have laminate floor in my hallway  so getting a statement runner has made a massive difference to how it feels. It's simple but effective! Mine was from eBay but Aldi have had them in their special buys recently - so keep your eye out.

Mirrors

It's no secret that mirrors instantly make a room look bigger and brighter so having one in a small space such as a hallway is a given - plus you can check your makeup right before you leave the house. Win win. This big one is from Jysk and it was £35 in the sale and I love it! 

Keep it Light

Bright colours are better for smaller spaces so try keep your hallway as light as possible. I kept my walls white and added some black accessories with some fake plants to add a pop of colour to make sure it still looks fun without compromising on any space. 

Add Texture

I moved this ottoman out of the backroom out of the way with the intention of using it in George's room as a toy box but it looked so good next to the height of the console table and it's perfect for storing all our shoes. So it made a permanent residency in the hallway and paired with this blanket from B&M I think it looks super cute! 

And that's how I transformed my small hallway into a feature
 hallway without compromising on space and I am obsessed with it! 

Rachael xo