Thanks to Pauline Jack from Hollywood Carpets for the Style Council today.  Lots of good ideas and tips.

Are you wanting to declutter for the spring?

Pauline gives use some top tips!

1. Deal with your clothes. Clean out wardrobes and drawers. Throw out anything that you no longer love or that no longer fits you. If it’s beyond repair, out of style, unflattering, or useless (like one sock only), then au revoir. 
2. Clear out your loft. Let go of those old love letters, broken chairs, old baby clothes, mouldy rugs, useless tools, old towels and sheets, extra blankets, anything you no longer need. If you haven’t used it for the past 2 years, chances are you don’t need it, and perhaps someone else could make use of it. 
3. Kitchen. Remove everything from your kitchen counters that is not essential for every day cooking (blenders, mixers, jars of dried beans, rice, flour, etc.). These items should be stored in cupboards. Clean out the cupboard and fridge to make sure nothing is expired, moldy or rotten. Make sure to also check under the kitchen sink.
4. Recycle paper. Magazines, junk mail and newspapers should be tossed out weekly. Books – especially paperbacks that you’ve read can be donated to the charity shop. Keep only books that are essential and irreplaceable. Old textbooks, paperback classics, can be given away to book car boot sales and friends. 
5. Don’t forget the garage. Broken items, scraps of wood, rusty tools, parts of appliances, electrical equipment that no longer works are all candidates for the recycle bin, refuse bin or skip. Fix it, use it or let it go.
6. What about your bathroom. Clean out medicine cabinets often. Keep a minimum of towels out. Make sure the linen cupboard is up to date and neat.
7. Stop clutter at the front door. Only buy what you need and have a place for it. Stop buying purely on impulse, throw out junk mail, it has a tendancy to grow. Accept other people’s stuff only if you really need it. If you acquire a new piece of furniture, let go of a piece of furniture that someone else can use. Recycle cans, bottles, papers, and plastic at least monthly.
8. Clean out your car. A car is an extension of your personality.  Is it tidy?  It speaks volumes about you. 
9. Ask yourself these questions:
• Do I love it?
• Do I need it?
• Is it essential?
• Does it enhance my life?

Then: Sort your things into 3 piles:

• Yes – I love it and I need it, it works and it’s useful
• No – Someone else can have it

No – Toss it out

More in a fortnight!

Listen in to Drivetime tomorrow from 4.15 for the Style Council.  Local Interior Designer Pauline Jack from Hollywood Carpets at Kingholm Quay will be in the studio every fortnight talking about how to get the most out of your home.  Want a new colour scheme? Want to make your rooms look bigger? Just moved in? Or  looking to sell and want your house to look as good as possible? Listen in to Pauline and get the “Style Council”.

If you like history you will love this! Cluaran Boat Building Project is based in Dumfries and is raising money to build a Viking Longship in Dumfries.  Their first fundraising feast is this Saturday at St Johns Church Hall in Dumfries. Check out the website and see what it is all about. www.cluaranhaven.org.uk

Dumfries and Galloway Road Safety Partnership has launched a new Road Safety Plan for the region, the first plan for the new Partnership.

The Road Safety Partnership which brings together a number of key organisations plans to collaborate and review accident trends to determine shared priorities to address current crash trends.

To coincide with the launch of the new Road Safety Plan the Partnership has launched a website at www.dgrsp.co.uk where the public can access the new plan direct.

The Road Safety Partnership is working towards 2015 and 2020 Government targets for casualty reduction and the Chair of the Partnership Assistant Chief Fire Officer Hamish McGhie is confident they will be achieved. He commented; ‘The new Partnership approach allows all of the organisations involved to share resources and intelligence which will allow us to work together more efficiently and I hope more effectively. There is still a lot of work to be done on road safety in Dumfries and Galloway and with all of the main players on board the new partnership I’m confident we will be making positive early steps towards achieving the Government targets.’

Dumfries and Galloway Road Safety Partnership comprises; Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, Dumfries and Galloway Safety Camera Partnership, Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue Service, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Transport Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Institute of Advanced Motorists and Motorcyclists, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scottish Ambulance Service and DSA.

Win a super Burns Supper kit from Mogerleys Butchers which includes their amazing haggis!

Go down to the shop on Friars Vennel, Dumfries and enter our “Guess the Name of the Haggis” competitions.  We have two haggii, a boy and a girl.   Guess the name of either correctly and you win!!!

At only £1 per guess it is a fun way to support your local Community Radio Station.

With Christmas past, we may have presents that are faulty, perhaps unwanted or are not as described.  What can you do about it and what are your rights?  Listen in between 4and 5pm on Mark Smith’s Drivetime Show as Solicitor Robin Braidwood has the answers.

Police can confirm that a male body has been found in the vicinity of Ringdoo Point, Dunragit at around 09.00hrs on Monday 9 January. Police can confirm that the man has been named as:

THOMAS LANGSHAW, aged 60 years, from Dunragit

Early police investigations suggest that there are no suspicious circumstances.

Whilst the search resulted in a tragic conclusion, all partner agencies are involved are thanked for their assistance.

The speculation is over; Debenhams have announced they are coming into Dumfries town centre, in the former TJ Hughes store. The nationwide retailer announced the news through reports from the BBC and Dumfries Courier, that they will be developing the store, which is owned by the BAE Systems Pensions Fund.

Debenhams is the second largest department store chain in the UK and operates 161 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Debenhams also has 61 international franchise stores in 24 countries and six Magasin stores in Denmark.

We’ll bring you reaction and response, throughout our programmes on Monday, but there’s an air of excitement and relief in the town that there’s some good news for our region’s capital town centre, following store closures and depressed sales. If you have something to say on the subject, please let us know.

Dumfries Retailers Association Chairman, Rab Smith endorsed the news; “Debenhams moving into the former TJ Hughes building has to be a positive for the town centre. At 24,000 sq ft, it was always going to be difficult to find a retailer large enough to fill it. We now need to encourage more independent retailers into the town centre to fill the forty smaller units that are available.”

Looking for something cool to do kick start the new year?

Drop in on free ‘Try Curling’ sessions at Dumfries Ice Bowl on Saturday 21st January.

Curling is a fantastic way to exercise, meet new people, and have fun. These free drop in sessions are open to anyone aged 8 – 80+ and cater for all levels of ability. Their qualified coaches will welcome you along, teach you the basics of the game and show you how to deliver curling stones full length.

All you need to try curling is a pair of clean, flat, rubber soled shoes (trainers are ideal) and loose fitting, warm clothing. Stones, brushes and all other equipment will be supplied for you.

You can Try Curling at Dumfries Ice Bowl on

21 January

10.00am – 12.00noon

To reserve your place or for further information email to Graham Sloan on graham@royalcaledoniancurlingclub.org or telephone Andy McLean on 01387 243568.

Thornhill Butcher and Alive 107.3fm presenter Iain Renicks was today awarded the Scotch Pie world Championship  at today’s awards luncheon at Carnegie College in Dumfermline . The trophy was presenteed by BBC Masterchef  Gerry Goldwyre.

The family firm from 117 Drumlanrig Street, Thornhill  has been a stalwart of the 13-year-old competition. And the firm have had an anxious wait following the judging in Dunfermline in mid-November before finding out that they have won the big prize.
Iain Renicks helps run the busy shop with his mother Ellen and his brother Jim. And he admitted to being shocked to have won the coveted prize after 13 years of trying.
The 44-year-old businessman picked up the wooden pie trophy in Dunfermline and baked 18 pies before selecting four for the judging in November. But he would not reveal the recipe which has brought him success for the first time after being a runner-up in the first competition.
Mr Renicks dedicated the award to his late father John who started the business 25 years ago.
The part-time local radio presenter and a former chef admitted: “I use Galloway beef in our pies and I added more seasoning this time. I’d worked out that the judges like a little extra spice to the mixture. Congratulations also to Ballards Butchers of Castle Douglas, J.B Houston of Dumfries , The Little Bakery of Dumfries and T H Carson of Dalbeattie who all collected awards in the competition.