The Dyson Cool fan’s minimalist appearance doesn’t really give the impression it can huff and puff until you’ve cooled down.

It’s almost too pretty – all style and no substance?

Hell no.

It’s a powerful gadget, this one. The technology used inside is also used in turbochargers and jet engines.

We’ve been giving the Dyson Cool 300mm desk fan a whirl, and I’m a (ahem) big fan.

Millie is a fan of the Dyson Cool

So, we know it looks good. It’s funky for a fan.

It’s powerful, yet quiet. Lightweight, yet sturdy. Did I mention it’s bladeless?

Most nights I’ve switched it on in Millie’s room – using the nifty little remote that magnetises to the top when not in use – and haven’t panicked if she lunges for it or waves her tiny hands in front while trying to work out where the airstream comes from.

No spinning blades means it’s one less thing I have to worry about ‘toddler proofing’.

Safe appliances get a big tick from me.

Dyson’s innovative bladeless fan in action

Our place can get very stuffy but being able to have the air circulate in Millie’s room while she sleeps has been super. I’d tilt it to the angle I’d want, set it to oscillate and program the fan to turn off once she’d been off to the land of nod for an hour or so.

It’s not silent, but it’s quiet. Millie has not had any trouble drifting off to sleep with it operating, even at higher settings.

With an RRP of $449, it’s expensive and realistically, would be out of the price range for a lot of people. But it’s a high quality product and the safest, most efficient cooling option if you have a young family.

Click here for the Dyson official site
Where to buy a Dyson Cool

*MillieMummyMelbourne was gifted a Dyson Cool desk fan to try out at home for the purposes of a review

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Packing the car for a little escape down the coast this summer reminded me that packing for the family is painful. I’ve learnt some lessons along the way so here I’ll make the task of what to bring along for the kids a lot easier for you next time you travel.

Top it off

Hats are top of the list because no child spending time in the sunshine should be without one. Our favourites are from Acorn Kids because they have adjustable cords through the hat for fit, wide brims, rated UPF 50+ and sport original designs which are often reversible. Two hats in one! Sizes range from cute-as-a-button infant sunhats and bonnets to big kid sizes. Ties under the chin keep the hat where it should be and the sun off delicate little faces.

Millie wearing an Acorn Kids sunhat

Busy feet

Tried and tested by Millie and Finn, we can vouch that Bobux shoes are the best for little feet. If you’re savvy you can pack only one or two pairs of shoes and they should take the kids through every possible holiday adventure. You’ll often find Millie rocking her Bobux Pop sandals. Leather with adjustable fastening for wide or narrow feet and podiatrist endorsed, they are the perfect holiday shoe – ideal for wandering around by day but dressy enough to wear out to dinner too. The unisex style comes in a variety of colours and adds a playful pop of colour to any summer outfit. Use the expert fitting tool online to find the perfect fit.

Bobux sandals. PIC: Dog and Pony Shoes/Instagram

Finn’s tiny tootsies look so cute and are protected in the navy sandals for newborns/prewalkers, which are so soft it’s like they don’t have shoes on at all. The cut-out detail looks great while allowing feet to breathe. You could squish many different pairs of these into corners of your suitcase to have little shoes to match every one of bub’s outfits (I can imagine my husband rolling his eyes at this point. They just don’t understand).

Finn (with his second cousin Leo) wearing his super soft Bobux baby sandals

Sleepy time

Keeping children to routines when away from home can be tricky. But seasoned travellers swear by the Gro Anywhere Blind, a portable blackout blind that attaches easily to any window with suction cups and adjustable Velcro. Genius.

Then there’s the super-handy travel Grobags. The summer sleeping bags are TOG rated and fit a five point travel harness so bub can go from car to pram to bed (and back again) without having to be woken or disturbed by zipping them out of the coziness of the Grobag. There’s two-way front zips and the bags are machine washable and can even be tumble dried on low heat. Best part is the Grobags remove the need for bulky quilts and blankets, which take up valuable luggage space.

A Grobag is Finn’s best travel companion

Slip, slop, slap

Surf Life Saving sunscreen is kind to skin and marine life

A new SPF 50+ Surf Life Saving Sunscreen has been developed without the ingredients often found in sunscreen that is toxic to coral and marine life. The range includes a ‘Zero’ sunscreen spray for kids that has been dermatologist tested and produced for sensitive and delicate skin. It has no fragrance, parabens, nano particles, oil or alcohol. The Surf Life Saving range is made in Australia and proceeds support Surf Life Saving. All of us use this one, so one bottle for the whole fam-bam.

Stomp in rompers

I’m mad for rompers. They are the cutest, most practical kids clothing invention and are staple outfit on my children. Colourful, lightweight and cool, easy to layer and the perfect, no-fuss cover-up.

Millie and Finn, playing nicely in their Acorn summer rompers

We love the cotton rompers from Acorn Kids, which have been designed in collaboration with Two Little Ducklings. They are the perfect holiday outfit that won’t look out of place on the beach or sightseeing. Poppers at the crotch and adjustable straps make dressing super-easy – let’s face it, you want the least amount of fuss when it comes to making sure your little jetsetters look cute at home or away.

Other brands to try, with styles for boys and girls, include Printebebe, Fabrik, Coco & Ginger, Purebaby and the stretch rompers with original prints by Melbourne’s Minti.

Towel off

The quick-dry travel towels from Hammamas are fantastic. They can double as a lightweight sarong, wrap or picnic rug and come in a range of colours so you know whose towel belongs to who. Try the kids size, 60cm x 90cm, that is small enough for your toddler to carry yet is still very absorbent. Made from cotton, they get softer with each wash.

Co-ordinated snoozing under a Bondi Beach Baby organic cotton wrap

I also pack a good old muslin wrap for bub – these can be for swaddling, a pram cover, a playmat, a towel, a light blanket or even a breastfeeding cover or sarong for mum. We like the big, bright organic cotton wraps by Bondi Beach Baby or the printed beauties from Weeegoamigo.

Layer up

Need something to pop on for those brisk morning walks, to wear while dining outdoors or something to keep the kids cosy after a swim? Check out the shrugs from Aussie label Oishi-m. They add just the right amount of warmth on summer evenings but are much funkier than vests. They look great layered over long or short sleeved tops or dresses and the attached hood ups the cuteness factor to 10 while shielding little ears from the wind. I buy one of these for Millie every year and will be getting Finn one, too.

Millie has always had an Oishi-m shrug, seen here in a favourite from 2014

Thirst quencher

Kids will build up a thirst very quickly, especially after air travel or over summer. It’s a good idea to have a drink bottle handy. After trying numerous brands and styles, I’ve found the Camelbak water bottles the best. They have fun prints on them making them easy to identify, they’re a cinch to clean, have a leak-proof valve and are easy for kids to use.

Suitable suitcases

Fun and functional. PIC: Trunki

Next big trip and I’ll be sure to buy a couple of these. How clever are Trunki wheely suitcases? Keeping separate luggage for you and the squids will prevent headaches upon arrival and these ones do the double duty of providing a ride-on suitcase to entertain and save weary little legs at airports and during check-in. They can be ridden on or towed by mum and dad and are small enough to be classed as hand luggage.

A little stumped about what to pack for yourself? Don’t despair. Carnival Cruise Line has an extensive blog where there’s many helpful tips for planning a cruising holiday, including preparing your cruise wardrobe. Go and check it out.

*MIllieMummyMelbourne is a proud ambassador for Bobux and Acorn Kids.

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All of this and more was sucked out of my car and shot into the clear chamber of a Dyson V6 Absolute.

I hadn’t given my car a proper vacuum since Millie was born and I shuddered when I looked at the crud that came out of my vehicle. But at the same time I’ve never felt more satisfied.

My new Dyson cordless vacuum comes with a mini motorised head just made for whizzing over your car seats. Never will I again struggle with one of those insipid vacuum hoses at the car wash, trying unsuccessfully to get the car looking presentable before my $2 worth of suction runs out.

The cordless Dyson V6 Absolute at work on my car seats The dust and dirt that came out of my car was clear to see

When I finally did some vacuuming of the floors inside the house, I was, well, floored.

After about 20 seconds of running the lightweight handstick over the carpet, the body of the vacuum was CHOCK-A-BLOCK with dirt and dust. I’m a clean and tidy housekeeper. I maintain a neat household and vacuum regularly. But looking at the dust and dirt my old vacuum had ‘missed’ made me feel ill. These are the same floors my baby girl has been rolling around on since day dot. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Now I don’t need to have a clean-freak panic attack when Millie upturns her box of Duplo all over the lounge room floor.

It must be the direct drive cleaner head that ‘drives bristles deeper into the carpet’ to remove more filth. Whatever it is, I’m in love.

The Dyson V6 Absolute contains a washable filter and weighs only 2.3kg. Pic: Dyson

Bonus feature: There’s a patented fine dust and dirt filter inside with a sealed system so that the air leaving the vac is cleaner than what you’re breathing in. For a sneezy, watery-eye hayfever sufferer with a young child, this is brilliant. Kind of feels like I’m cleaning our entire house, not just the floor.

I love that I don’t have to unplug as I go from room to room – when fully charged the battery provides 20 minutes of suction – or even change the head when going from the carpeted areas to the tiles. So clever.

Millie is not at all bothered by the vacuuming going on around her

It takes me half as much time to vacuum now because the suction is so strong. I only ever have to go over something once. There’s a max power button too, but I haven’t really needed the extra oomph.

It’s not as noisy and cumbersome as my old vac either, which used to frighten Millie and send her bolting to her room. When this one is on and she doesn’t bat an eyelid.

Cleaning is simple. A button releases a hatch and the dirt falls straight into the rubbish bin. I’ve had to help pull out some of the hair wound around the inside of the chamber on a couple of occasions though.

I’m really impressed with this appliance. I’m actually excited to vacuum – the chamber full of dirt when I finish is incredibly pleasing (I know, it sounds weird, but it’s got me hooked). This busy mumma is glad she no longer has to waste precious time going over and over the floors with dud vacuum for little result. A quick scoot around the house and it’s spic and span – and I can get right back to spending quality time with my little girl.

Would a normal domestic vacuum be capable of picking up as much dust and dirt as the Dyson V6 Absolute? I don’t know (but unlikely). Would it be cheaper? Probably. But it certainly wouldn’t be as efficient, powerful or convenient. This vacuum is well worth its $899 price tag, and then some.

Find out more about the Dyson V6 Absolute here 
Click here for stockists

*MillieMummyMelbourne was gifted a Dyson V6 Absolute cordless vacuum to try out at home for the purposes of a review

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Fantastic Services must have known this when they offered to do a one-off clean of my house. Christmas had come a few months early.

I could tell my dream clean team what parts of the house I wanted them to focus on and once they arrived they got straight into it. A previous job had delayed them, meaning they were unable to arrive at the time we arranged, however I was sent a message to let me know their revised arrival. I left the house so we weren’t in the way, but seeing the age of Finn (3) they told me they were happy to stay out of our way if we wanted to stay home. We had things to do so it was much easier for everyone that we left them to it.

The bathroom, kitchen, windows and mirrors were the areas I wanted clean and when we returned home I was so excited to see them sparkling. We have mirrored wardrobes and these haven’t been completely free of grubby fingerprints since Millie started crawling. The windows were left so clear that the kids ran over and stared outside like they’d never seen the garden from inside before. I’ll admit everything looks brighter and greener out there now. Our kitchen isn’t filthy, far from it, but I ask you this: how many times do you wash the outside of all your kitchen cupboards? Well mine were spray and wiped to look like new and the biggest cleaning pest – the rangehood filter – is now ready to get greasy all over again but for now I’m very much enjoying looking up and smiling because it’s another thankless task I don’t have to tackle for a while.

The bathroom, particularly the shower, is a soapy, foggy, streaky cube that ironically gets dirtier as we get clean. Well the Fantastic Services team blitzed it. I don’t know their secret, but despite multiple products, tools and hours of scrubbing I’ve never been able to get my shower screen as clean as it looks right now. You wouldn’t believe what a diffrerence a clear shower screen makes to your mood in the morning.

Not only has this cleaning spree completely saved me hours of scrub-a-dub for the next couple of weeks, it’s given me more time to do what I want to do and has changed my attitude when I’m at home. I’m not as grumpy because I have a million housekeeping jobs hovering like a cloud over my head and I’m not telling the kids to go and do something without me because I have the floor to mop or bathroom tiles to scrub. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

The three cleaners that visited were courteous, friendly and efficient. I received a phone call to let me know the job was done and I could return home. I have had a skip in my step ever since the clean because I don’t have to do it for a little while. Only wishing this “one-off” clean could occur every few weeks instead. Not too much to ask is it?

I’m realising that having a cleaner come to the house is an exceptionally smart move for tired, overworked and under-appreciated mums who would rather spend their precious time enjoying their families than elbow-deep in a bucket of soap suds.

*MillieMummyMelbourne was provided with domestic cleaning worth six labour hours as part of a collaboration.

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