advice
Suited and booted
There’s nothing more impressive than a
well-turned-out chap in a suit. If Dad’s
a frequent flyer, here’s what he needs
to know about packing to leave him
boardroom-ready straight off the plane –
travel iron not required.
• If you’re unable to hang your jacket on
the plane, pack by turning the jacket
inside out, leaving sleeves the correct
way around, so that the sleeves are
now inside the body of the jacket.
• Fold the jacket in half along the back
seam, hiding the front and arms.
• Smooth any creases before folding your
suit trousers into thirds and lying on top
of your jacket.
• Finally, fold the top part of your jacket
back over the trousers, making a neat
square.
• Seal everything in a large freezer bag
to repel creases (this also works well
for silk ties) then lay – carefully – in your
luggage.
• Keep shoes from losing their shape by
stuffing with socks and underwear –
this also has the added advantage of
freeing up extra case space.
Tooled up
In days gone by, dads would have a
toolbox stashed, ready and waiting
to tinker with something. These days,
Googling a local handyman is the norm,
but there are times when a basic set of
tools comes in handy. Here’s what every
practical parent should keep to hand at
home.
• A set of watchmakers’ screwdrivers.
Toys requiring batteries almost always
have tiny screws that need removing.
Bonus points for magnetic tips that
prevent these from rolling away, never
to be seen again.
• Allen keys. Almost everything from
Ikea starts with these, so you’ll be glad
Dad hacks:
Essential life hacks for the man of the house
Leave this page of handy hacks lying around and get Daddio
reconnecting with his practical side this Father’s Day, says
Kate Farr
.
you have a set next time you move
apartment.
• A tape measure. Confirm that you
really do have space for your kid’s new
princess castle bed – ideally before it
arrives at your door.
• Essential toy maintenance starts with
superglue. Just keep well out of reach
of small fingers.
• A torch. Keep this in an easily
accessible drawer in case of power
cuts. Also useful for Halloween spooky
faces.
Best face forward
There’s nothing like a wet shave to make
the man of the hour feel like the James
Bond of the auditing department. Here’s
a step-by-step guide to getting the
closest shave possible outside of the
barber’s chair.
• Ensure pores are open by shaving after
a hot shower, or by resting a face cloth
soaked in as-hot-as-you-can-bear
water over the face for a couple of
minutes before you begin.
• Lather face with shaving soap and a
natural-bristle shaving brush, which will
deliver richer, thicker foam than from a
can and will help to prevent nicks and
cuts.
• Shave with – never against – the grain
of your beard to avoid skin irritation.
• After your shave, rinse with cold water
to close the pores.
• Apply an alcohol-free aftershave
balm or moisturiser to calm the skin.
Ignore the adverts and NEVER splash
aftershave directly onto your face
as this dries out the skin and will sting
horribly!
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