I’ll admit to having Wimbledon fever. It happens every year. I get giddy for two weeks.

So if you ask me to leave my prime viewing position on the sofa, you had better make sure the match has finished. Otherwise I’m going to be very late indeed (those five set matches are always an issue).

This time of year, everyone will be swarming the area to watch Andy Murray as he battles to win the title. But Wimbledon is actually a very lovely place to live all year round.

It’s in the quieter part of London and, frankly, is all the better for it.  Plus, you’re close to Richmond, and that, in my eyes, can only be a good thing.

Let’s have a look at some homes in the area.

Ace – £7,750,000

I love this property. There’s something so old-fashioned about it. It’s an Edwardian building and I can imagine there being wonderful Brideshead Revisited style parties here.

There would be nothing but fun in this home. Garden parties, champagne cocktails before dinner and all sorts of entertainment (yes, I think it would be fun to live in aristocratic England. Is that weird?)

But what do you get for your millions? Well aside from the stunning gardens, you’ll get nine bedrooms and seven bathrooms (and those bathrooms are amazing).

You’ll also get five reception rooms for all of your swanky soirees. I’ll expect my invite in the post.

Advantage – £1,150,000

If you’re looking for somewhere right by the All England Tennis Club, this home will be perfect.

Very handy after playing a couple of sets before dinner. You get the benefit of an indoor pool and some lovely looking gardens as well.

There’s a games room and five bedrooms too. Not bad for just over a million. If you happen to have that lying around, of course.

Maybe Andy Murray could buy this with his potential winnings?

Deuce – £309,950

This flat has many things going for it, not least off-street parking, which is pretty important in London.

The flat has one bedroom with en-suite and really spacious rooms. You get a balcony as well.

It’s a great option for a professional couple looking for a home to settle in, but still within easy reach of central London.

Love-Fifteen – £145,000

If you’re looking for a small flat in the area, you could do a lot worse than this property. It’s near both mainline stations and the underground, and it has everything you need.

Best of all, there’s no stamp duty. This is an expensive area of London so it’s nice to know that you can still find somewhere that’s good value, but has all the perks of living in this much sought after area.

After watching Kirstie’s Homemade Home last week, I realised that a lot of the crafts she learns appear to be pretty inaccessible. But they’re not! The show is only meant to inspire you – you’re not meant to go out every single week and take up pottery and glass blowing.  Once you’ve spotted something on the show that you think can really get into, it can make a huge difference to your home. But let’s be honest here, you’re not going to pop down to your local community centre and start a glass blowing class. So here are a few places you should look when you’re ready to take the plunge into the crafty world!

If you’re London-based, the choice of courses is huge. The Make Lounge is a great place to start. They do day courses in everything from cushion making, to vintage soy tea cup candles. Everything is really simple, the tutors are fun and you come away with skills that you can use. You can also try The Studio London, and brand new Papered Parlour are worth a look as well.

For those of you a little further afield, The Liquid Glass Centre in South West England might well be the perfect place for you to start your own glassware collection! London Glassblowing will cover those of you who are capital-bound.

Pottery classes are much easier to cater for. You’ll actually find that most evening class centres have a pottery class. It’s surprisingly cheap to learn so it’s well worth looking at a ten week course instead of a one-off. Make your own crockery set! Take a look at Hot Courses and you’ll find all sorts of crafty classes. Try your local community centre too.

If Kirstie knitting a draught excluder got you inspired to pick up some knitting needles, your local craft shop will have details of knitting classes in your area (in fact, you’ll probably find that they hold some themselves. You’ll find that most of them are pretty informal. If they’re anything like Stitch and Bitch in London you’ll find yourself knitting and pearling with people in a pub! great fun. Check out the Stitch and Bitch website for more details on UK knitting networks. There’s nothing bitchy about them, I promise.

There are loads of different things that you can try yourself. Check out Crafty Crafty for more ideas. Being crafty isn’t meant to be difficult and once you’ve got started with something that you enjoy, you’ll soon find ways to transform your home. It might not be as grand as the one Kirstie is doing up, but it’s yours.

There’s a lot of aspects of city living that are brilliant. There’s no doubting the fun, vibrant atmosphere. And being able to get Chinese food at practically any time of the day will always be a bonus as far as I’m concerned. But if you’re living in the centre, you’re probably going to have to miss out on a garden. But there’s got to be some green-fingered options out there, hasn’t there?

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a stunning city and it’s got a great whack of pretty scenery all on it’s own. But it’s an old town, so the properties in the centre are often listed building. If you’re lucky enough to find a garden property like this one, I’d snap it up, there won’t be many of them in the city centre. Offers are in excess of £395,000, so for a central flat, that’s not too bad.

 
Newcastle

Would you consider a communal garden? Newcastle isn’t very abundant with green space in the city, but if you lived here, I’m pretty sure you’d be able to cope. Stunning isn’t it? Granted you might not be able to grow your own veg, but think of the garden parties you’ll have. It’s got three bedrooms and it’s on the market for £750,000. A bargain, I think.

London

Finding secret green spaces in London isn’t as hard as you’d think. But finding one that’s actually more then two foot square is another matter. So have a look at this place. Yes, that is a hot tub you can see just in the corner. The koi pond is just out of view. Extravagant? Moi? A tad. But it’s central, and £1.15 million isn’t so bad for such a swanky pad in Baker Street. Honestly.

Manchester

It rains rather a lot in Manchester, but at least that’ll give all of your pretty flowers a chance to grow (hey, I’m looking at the upside here, OK?) I’ve been assured that not only does this central Manchester penthouse has a roof garden, it’s also got a hot tub. And, it’s also got that view, which makes it all worth while.

I’m tempted to get the gardening gloves out now.

Imagine, a stunning huge penthouse flat, brilliant original walls and great huge spaces. The idea of open plan living seems appealing to most. Huge sweeping flats, stunning decor and a rather grand feeling are all things that you can get with a well designed open plan property. But is that all you have to think about? There are some pros and cons that you really should weigh up before you get carried away with finally having somewhere to play Wii tennis.

Pros:

1. Well, it looks pretty damn swanky for a start. One good thing about open plan flats is that they always look more modern. But you also get to make the most of the structure of the property as well. Original wall features and high ceilings really come into their own and you can make the most of them.
2. Being able to chat to people as you’re in another part of the house. This is very handy for cooking for friends. You can also keep an eye on kids while you get on with housework.
3. Perfect for entertaining. Parties are much nicer if everyone is in the same room. Otherwise you’ll end up missing all of the action if you get stuck in the kitchen.
4. Very easy to tidy.
5. Cheaper to keep lit – you can swap standard lights for more appealing mood lighting. Wall sconces and spotlights suit open plan flats much more than just one bright light, meaning you’ll save money.

Cons:

1. Not that easy to hide the mess! Let’s face it, if you have unexpected guests, the easiest way to tidy is to move junk from one room to another. You can’t do that if you have no rooms! Open plan suits tidy people.
2. They can feel cold if they’re all one colour. Try and separate different areas with different coloured accents. You’ll have a sense of space as well, which can be a good thing.
3. It can get noisy. If you’re trying to read a book, you don’t want someone blaring out music in the same space. Think about how much privacy you want.
4. Don’t underestimate the need to shut a door. Sounds strange, but being able to close a door can give you a feeling of safety and calm. You need your own space sometimes. Sweeping great rooms are great, but make sure you don’t mind not having a space of your own.

Open plan living might sound great, but have a think about it. If you’re not sure about it, think about how you live now. Do you stay in the biggest room in the house, or do you prefer to stay cosy in the tiniest spaces? Something like an open plan flat can really affect your mood, so it’s not just location and decor that’s a factor here.

The historic spa city of Bath is famous for many things – stunning Georgian architecture, Roman remains, Pump Rooms, its spa, for being a city where Jane Austen lived, for its 15th century Abbey, quirky Pulteney Bridge, its annual literature festival and soon-to-be comedy festival. In addition, it’s also a great place to live. If you’re looking to buy or rent property in Bath, and fancy living in a UNESCO World Heritage site, the city has lots to offer.

Last year, the Sunday Times Travel Magazine Reader Awards voted Bath as the 6th Best European City and its Thermae Bath Spa as the Best UK Spa. It’s also been voted as 4th in the Top 25 Europe Destinations and gained 14th place in the Top 100 World Destinations in a TripAdvisor survey.

One of the biggest draws for many people is Bath’s abundance of gorgeous, honey-coloured Georgian buildings. The Royal Crescent, which was built between 1767 and 1775, is a famous landmark in Bath, along with The Circus, which is said to form the shape of a key when viewed above from the air. In addition to the Royal Crescent and The Circus, some of the other prime locations in Bath include Sydney Buildings, Lansdown Crescent and Sion Hill. Another iconic landmark is Pulteney Bridge, built for William Pulteney by Robert Adams, and one of only a few bridges in the world that has shops built into it.

Georgian properties are often on the market, but do come at a price. Other more affordable period homes can be found in areas such as Walcot Parade, Camden Crescent and London Road. If you don’t want to live right in the city, you’ll find lots of housing options on the outskirts. Bath hasn’t been a hotbed of new housing developments, but the Western Riverside development of 2,300 modern townhouses and apartments, which has been granted outline approval and planning consent by Bath and North East Somerset Council, may change that.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that Bath is home to two universities – The University of Bath and Bath Spa University – which means there’s generally no shortage of students looking to rent flats and houses in the area. There are also a lot of large companies in the area, so young professionals often need good quality rental properties too.

The city benefits from great transport links – it’s located about 10 miles from junction 18 of the M4 motorway, is easily accessible from Devon and Cornwall via the M5 motorway, and has regular rail services from London Paddington and Waterloo. Bristol International Airport, which has flights to many UK and international destinations, is located about 15 miles away.

There used to be a time when decking the halls and adorning your home with twinkling Christmas lights merely meant sticking up a few tired decorations and a Christmas tree inside. But for many people, those times are long gone – as decorating the outside of their homes is now just as important (if not more so!).

The obsession with so-called housebling has gone a bit crazy over the last few years, with some houses draped to the rafters with endless flashing lights and mad yuletide creations. Even this year’s economic climate doesn’t seem to have put people off, with houses dolled up to the nines for Christmas.

For the seasoned houseblinger, the bling is likely to be well and truly up and in action by December 1 – or earlier, for the true devotee – but there’s still chance to add a bit of interest to your home now, if you so desire. In fact, you could even save yourself a few pounds by buying late, both in terms of the cost of electricity and with bagging a lighting bargain.

Argos, for example, has reductions on most of its Christmas decorations, including this set of 80 blue multi-function LED lights, and at Tesco there’s up to 75% off Christmas lights.

If you need inspiration of what you could create, then Festive-Lights is brimming with product ideas, from simple sets of strings of lights, to elaborate decorations and light-up moulded figures. Or there’s even a whole website, Houseblinger, dedicated to the art of housebling, where you can see current and past housebling in action – or submit examples of your own.

Getting involved with housebling is a sure-fire way of making your house stand out from the crowd – but can easily become for the wrong reasons. If you’ve currently got your house on the market, then it may be wise to tone down your bling, just in case. In the same way that buyers can be put off by unsightly interior issues, too much housebling can have the same effect.

Your neighbours may not love you either, especially if your lights are blazing late into the evening and shining into their rooms when they’re trying to get to sleep. So have fun and be creative with your decorations, but do remember to spare a thought for those who live around you.

Christmas dinner
Dilemma: You don’t know how to stuff a turkey, or you just don’t want to. You’re not interested in making yorkies from scratch or hunting down the right wines to match each course. And yet, at an earlier, more innocent age (probably around October), you stupidly made the grand gesture of declaring that YOU would host Christmas day this year. And now you will have people at your place next week, expecting to be fed something spectacular.

Surely not since The Last Supper has any one meal ever caused this much anguish and gnashing of teeth. Good grief, why don’t we all just give it up and order in. Jamie Oliver’s doing it, so there’s no need to feel guilty.

If you’re in London, take a leaf out of Jamie’s book and order Christmas in a Box from the celebrities’ favourite deli, Melrose & Morgan, in Primrose Hill for £39.95 per head and be kitted out with turkey or goose, wine, cheese, pudding, organic sausage meat and all the trimmings.

If you’re not in London, take a look at The Christmas Dinner Company. They’ll deliver a brilliant pack with everything you need (including a roasting pan) by 23 December.

Decorating
Dilemma: It’s two days until Christmas and you still haven’t decked the halls. Don’t feel bad. You’re probably very busy and important, and understandably, tinsel and fairy lights don’t feature all that high on your life agenda.

Of course, when you finally get the chance to drop into M&S, all the good stuff is gone and you’re left with 80cm of garish multicoloured lights, a box of plastic baubles (half of which are already broken) and some semi-squashed chocolate ornaments.

Never mind. You have two options.

Option One: Embrace whatever tacky delights are left over at your local pound shop and give your Christmas an ironic theme of eye-watering garishness. You’ll need loads of poor quality tinsel in as many different colours as you can find, plus the aforementioned broken baubles and multicoloured lights, and on top of those just throw on anything you’ve ever worn to a hen’s night (feather boas, plastic tiaras, etc). You’ll also need the ability to carry this off with a laugh and a carefree hair-toss as you hand each guest a glass of cava in a plastic cup and trill, “Yes, I thought we’d go a bit ‘Katie & Peter: The Next Chapter’ this year…”

Option Two: Embrace your inner domestic god/goddess and declare this year to be a homemade affair. You’ll need a recipe for stained glass window biscuits (to hang as tree ornaments), some string, a needle, cranberries and popcorn (for a homemade tree garland), and some potted poinsettias from your local florist to dot around the place. Prepare to feel Nigella-like levels of smugness.

Shopping
Dilemma: It’s 22 December. You’ve left your Christmas shopping until the very last minute. Again. And after an office Christmas party, a disastrous ice-skating adventure, and a three-hour performance of The Nutcracker (during which you fell asleep) all in one week, the last thing you can face right now is a soul-crushing trip to the high street.

No problem. Make a list of the people you need to buy for, assign them to one of the following gift categories according to age, gender and how much you like them, and buy online at one of the listed websites (all of which offer same-day or next-day delivery, so you can have everything delivered to your door by 23 December).

• Flowers from Interflora
• Cupcakes from The Cupcake Factory
• Chocolate from Chouchoute
• Theatre tickets from Lastminute.com (print them straight from your inbox!)
• Bungee jumping, skydiving, makeovers, spa breaks, flying lessons, steam train journeys, afternoon teas and wine tasting days from BuyaGift

Christmas cards
Dilemma: All the lovely Christmas cards from your friends and family are piling up. And so are the lovely Christmas cards to your friends and family. Over there. In a corner. Still unwritten.

Avoid writer’s cramp and a trip to the post office by sending everyone free holiday e-cards. It’s the (eleventh-hour) thought that counts.

Home cleaning services, from £7.95 per hour at Belle Casa
Cleaning services: the ultimate gift for homeowners. They will probably erect a shrine in your honour.

Cath Kidston rose blue oven mitt, £9
Cute, classic, practical and inexpensive.

Fire blanket, from £16.99 at Safelincs
An inexpensive and thoughtful gift that says, ‘Congrats on your new home, try not to die in a kitchen fire’.

Yule Tree-To-Be Kit, £17.75
A green and Christmasy way to commemorate moving into a new home.

Bunny dish rack, £20 at the V&A Museum shop
So cute it’s guaranteed to make anyone forget they’re washing up. (Maybe.)

Articulate! board game, £25 at John Lewis
New mortgage = plenty of future nights in = plenty of time to play board games. Articulate! is the greatest game in the world – if you don’t wholeheartedly agree after one round, I will personally refund your £25. (Not really though.)

Personalised Swarovski-encrusted bottle of Moet & Chandon, from £50
Londoners can drop into the UK’s first pop-up Champagne store at 70 New Bond Street from December 3-28 and order bottles of Moet, hand-customised with a name or date written in Swarovski crystals. Nice touch for a housewarming celebration!

Nebula Chandelier, £381 at John Lewis
Giving a chandelier makes you better than pretty much everyone else at a housewarming party. This one is particularly good, as it looks like it belongs on an episode of Doctor Who.

KitchenAid Artisan coffeemaker, £505 at John Lewis
Attractive and practical, this baby lets you brew, froth, steam, grind and any number of coffee-making verbs. Available in cream or red.

Coffin couch, $USD3,500
Little bit morbid, little bit odd… but surprisingly nice. And made from recycled (but unused) coffins, so bonus eco-points for you.