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6 genius buys I’m snapping up to autumn-proof my tiny hallway

6 genius buys I’m snapping up to autumn-proof my tiny hallway

by | Oct 6, 2026 | Design Inspiration

While it may be the smallest area of a home, a hallway often has to do double duty in autumn. And if you’re already annoyed by piles of muddy boots, soggy umbrellas, and wet coats cluttering your entryway, you’re not alone. Luckily, you can do something about it.

Yes, we all know how important it is to organise a hallway and keep it clean and tidy year-round. But the difference between your quick whip-around and people with consistently clutter-free hallways is that the latter tidy less because they use smart storage solutions that solve their problems… rather than add to them.

These clutter busters are non-negotiables when you’re working with a small footprint and a lot of extra autumnal essentials. So, these are my top picks to keep the mess under control and stop muddy shoes in their tracks.

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Don’t let your hallway become a cluttered, soggy mess this autumn! And once you’ve snapped up these genius buys, I’d suggest investing in one of the best mops to help you out, too.

Lidl’s £16 heated cushion could help you stay cosy without turning on the heating

Lidl’s £16 heated cushion could help you stay cosy without turning on the heating

by | Oct 5, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Heated cushions aren’t exactly a new idea, but if you’re trying to stay cosy without immediately reaching for the central heating, then now may be the time to run to Lidl’s middle aisle.

The Sensiplast Heated Electric Cushion costs £16, making it a much more affordable option than some of the pricier heated cushions on the market, like the Stoov our Renovations Editor Sarah swears by when working from home.

Rather than warming the whole room, you can use it to add a little extra heat exactly where you need it – whether that’s behind your back, across your lap or under a blanket. After all, it won’t be long before Martin Lewis is reminding us to heat the person, not the room.

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The Lidl heated cushion

The cushion has six heat settings, so you can adjust the temperature to suit you, while an automatic switch-off kicks in after 90 minutes. The detachable control unit also makes it easier to remove the electrical components when it’s time to wash the cover.

And speaking of the cover, it’s made from a soft, fluffy 100% polyester and can be popped in the washing machine at 30°C. Measuring 40cm x 30cm, it’s compact enough to sit comfortably on a sofa or armchair without taking over.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t a cordless heated cushion, so you’ll need to have it plugged in while you’re using it. The 2.8m cable should give you plenty of flexibility, even if your nearest socket isn’t right next to the sofa.

We also haven’t tested this product so can’t speak to how effective it is in practice. That said, there’s a three-year warranty included, for a little extra peace of mind. Plus, if you’re a Lidl Plus member, there’s also 10% off the £16 price in store while stocks last.

Teal painted living room with a black fireplace and a grey sofa with cushions and a blanket on it

(Image credit: Future PLC/Siobhan Doran)

Just imagine: it’s a cold winter’s evening, your dinner is cooking, and your curtains are drawn. Every lamp you own is switched on, and your current TV fix is paused, waiting for you to sit. Your electric cushion is switched on to warm. You sit down and feel the warmth oozing up your back. Your feet are snuggly thanks to slippers, and the rest of your body is warmed under your throw. You’re feeling smug because your heating isn’t even on and you’re even spending £££s.

This find won’t be in store for long, so buy yours now before the cold snap hits and you regret it later.

This £10 Argos shoe rack is perfect for keeping muddy boots and wet jackets tidy this autumn

This £10 Argos shoe rack is perfect for keeping muddy boots and wet jackets tidy this autumn

by | Oct 5, 2026 | Design Inspiration

It may only be the start of October, but my hallway is already working overtime. The damp mornings and drop in temperatures mean my soggy shoes and my (many) coats are cluttering up my entryway, and the narrow space desperately needs some organisation. And as I’m on a tight budget, the Living and Home 4 Tier Shoe Rack with Coat Hanger (£10 at Argos) naturally caught my eye.

I write about storage and organisation enough to know that people with consistently tidy hallways always have some shoe and coat storage. However, I’ve just moved house and am pretty strapped for money and space in my new, narrow hallway, so buying two separate items, a shoe rack and a coat rack, doesn’t really make sense to me.

That’s why I’ve been looking for a small-space-friendly shoe storage solution that offers the best of both worlds and keeps my coats tidy, dry, and within reach when I need them, too. And I think Argos has nailed it.

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Of course, the elephant in the room is that this shoe-and-coat-rack combo isn’t a thing of beauty like the many aesthetic shoe racks on the market. But in a hallway, I always think it’s better to favour practicality over prettiness.

Functional pieces like the Living and Home 4 Tier Shoe Rack with Coat Hanger are typically designed to solve the problems we all face in small, cluttered hallways, and they’re often much cheaper because they don’t have extra bells and whistles.

Autumnal hallway with sage green wall panelling and an autumnal wreath, and the white front door open next to an olive tree

(Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole)

After all, for just £10, this clever Argos storage solution has four tiers for your shoes – or even your handbag and storage baskets – and then eight double hooks for you to hang coats, hats, bags, and keys.

In my home, the hooks are also perfect for hanging my dog’s harness and leads, so I can just grab them on the way out the door.

If you have a few more people in your home and want to add an extra tier, you can also buy the slightly larger Living and Home 5 Tier Shoe Rack with Coat Hanger (£11 at Argos) for an extra pound.

hallway with a storage bench covered in cushions and throws, next to boots on the floor and on a boot rack

(Image credit: Future PLC)

Or if the black colourway is the issue, you can buy the exact same four-tier setup in white for £11, too. And, in my eyes, this is a bargain price for a storage solution that’ll disappear into the background – especially as you should be able to wipe clean the metal frame if your muddy shoes or wet coat dirty it up.

The beauty of simple-but-effective storage racks like this is that they’re also incredibly versatile and can be used in so many different areas of your home. You could use it to tidy up your under-the-stairs cupboard, or even pop it in a spare room to organise those excess coats, accessories and shoes that don’t quite fit in your main wardrobe.

But it’s worth noting that this shoe-and-coat-rack combo is new to Argos, so I can’t comment on its sturdiness or ease of assembly. So, if you’d rather buy an alternative with impressive reviews, I’ve popped some below.

Shop budget shoe-and-coat rack storage

Who says small hallways can’t be organised?

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1 surprising place spiders hide in your home – and the 5-minute task that gets rid of them for good

1 surprising place spiders hide in your home – and the 5-minute task that gets rid of them for good

by | Oct 3, 2026 | Design Inspiration

When was the last time you dusted the back of your picture frames? If it wasn’t recently, I have some bad news to break – the backs of your frames are, in fact, the perfect hiding spot for spiders.

Most people will agree that they want to get rid of spiders from their homes, whether that’s via spider scent deterrents or removing the things that attract spiders in the first place. While these creepy crawlies won’t cause any harm in the UK, they’re not exactly the most welcome house guest.

Spiders like dark, narrow places where they can hide, making the backs of your photo frames a prime place to lurk. So I asked experts what we can do to stop this from happening.

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Why do spiders hide behind photo frames?

‘Spiders are thigmotactic, meaning they are instinctively drawn to tight, enclosed spaces where they have physical contact on multiple sides. The narrow gap between a photo frame and a wall is ideal,’ explains Mosh Latifi, co-owner of EcoCare Pest Management.

‘It is dark, undisturbed, protected from vibration and positioned at a height where spiders feel safer from ground-level disturbance. Add in the fact that picture frames on warm walls attract small insects and dust mites, which are part of a spider’s food chain, and you have a very appealing habitat from a spider’s perspective.’

A white-painted living room with a grey chaise sofa, cabinet and accessories with black accents through gallery wall frames and sofa legs

(Image credit: Future PLC/Katie Lee)

If you don’t dust behind your frames regularly, they become the perfect hiding spot, where a spider can remain undisturbed. Sounds creepy, right? But the good news is that dusting disturbs spiders, making it less attractive for them.

‘Disturbing the environment behind frames removes the undisturbed conditions spiders need to feel secure enough to settle. Regular cleaning also removes the dusty, undisturbed cobweb remnants that signal to other spiders that an area is safe and established. A quick dust behind frames once a week during spider season in September and October makes a meaningful difference to how many choose to take up residence,’ confirms Mosh.

Regular cleaning will also keep your frames in top shape, too, making this weekly chore a win-win situation.

A dining nook with a vintage wooden dining table and a pink-painted dining bench with a gallery wall of framed pictures and decorative plates hanging above

(Image credit: Future PLC/Jemma Watts)

‘Clean the surface with a soft, slightly damp cloth in gentle circular motions. Clean water is usually all it needs – a scouring pad or anything too harsh can damage the canvas and strip the ink,’ says Julia Kindermann, manager at Custtom.

‘If a piece hangs somewhere naturally damp, near a bathroom or an exterior wall, it’s worth checking now and then that the wooden frame hasn’t started to warp. A warped frame can pull away from the wall slightly, and that’s exactly the kind of gap that gives a spider more room to move in.

‘Taking a print down completely is rarely needed. A quick check and a light dusting every so often is usually all it takes to keep spiders from making themselves at home.’

Deter spiders from your home:

If you don’t like spiders in your home, ensure you’re dusting the backs of your photos for prevention.

Argos Home has dropped a sleek recycling bag, and it’s perfect for small spaces

Argos Home has dropped a sleek recycling bag, and it’s perfect for small spaces

by | Oct 3, 2026 | Design Inspiration

Argos Home have just dropped a discreet new recycling bag (£8), and I’ve decided it’s one of the best waste disposal options for small kitchens.

Since the introduction of the Simpler Recycling Rules, I’ve personally been investigating for Ideal Home how we can make the recycling process more streamlined at home, especially if you have a small kitchen to contend with.

What I’ve found is that opting for space-saving recycling designs really does make a difference to the process and this is why the recycling bag caught my eye. If you’re someone who doesn’t want recycling receptacles on show 24/7, I think the Argos bag is a perfect fit for you. Here’s why.

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I can appreciate that discussing something as mundane as recycling is a little dull. But stay with me, as it is part of everyday life, and what Argos is offering is a recycling vessel that can be stashed out of sight when not in use. It’s perfect for people who don’t want their bins on show – or even, in the case of Lauren Goodger, someone who doesn’t like bins full stop.

The Argos Home Recycling Bag pops up in minutes and folds completely flat when not in use. Under the new rules, waste is separated into four categories; this bag has four handy four compartments meaning you can separate waste as you go, making trips to your outdoor recycling bins all the more easier.

I have a built-in recycling section in my bin (Habitat’s 60 Litre Twin Compartment Kitchen Pedal Bin, £70). It’s proved to be one of the best kitchen bins for my small flat, taking up little space and doing away with the need for a separate recycling bin. However, it only has one compartment for recycling, so when I take the bins out, I have to sort through it – which can feel a little gross.

Argos Home recycling bag in kitchen.

(Image credit: Argos Home)

The biggest strength of the Argos recycling bag is that you can separate your waste as you go, placing plastics in one section, cardboard in another and so on. If you hate sorting recycling, this bag is such a handy and affordable solution.

Plus, right now Argos is offering an extra 20% off the bin with the code COSY20, making it even more affordable. I also think the plain black colourway makes the bag look more discreet. It won’t stand out in your kitchen, making it a more attractive option compared to standard recycling bins.

Alternatively, Argos has a few more attractive options to shop online. Here are a few more recycling solutions we recommend.

While recycling isn’t exactly the most glamourous of jobs, it is an essential task. So why not make your life easier?

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