I love to be organised and find lots of inspiration from instagram and books. This blog shares with you my top 5 books for home organisation.
During the Pandemic, sales online in garden centres, DIY stores, supermarkets ( including wine!) have soared as many of us have used the Lockdown Year to redecorate and use the space in our homes more effectively. Dining rooms have turned into classrooms, kitchen tables have turned into offices, gardens (and parks when we were allowed) turned into mini holiday venues if only for an hour or two!
Lockdown 1.0
One of the first things I did during Lockdown 1.0 was declutter every cupboard in my kitchen – rock and roll I know!! It sounds crazy but actually having a little head space and time to think “that really doesn’t work there and I have a solution” as opposed to “that doesn’t work there but I don’t have the time or the inclination now to figure it out” I hope I’m not alone!
If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen the progress I made – a year on and thanks to a busy household, a new declutter and reorganisation was required as we evolved as a family. More on that next week!
Remove the packaging and using jars to store your products. These jars are from The White Company
Clear the clutter so you have room to see the potential in front of you.
Syd and Shea McGee
The Pandemic increased our need for Netflix and neat homes!
I wonder what you’ll remember most about the Covid years as we look back in 3 or maybe even in 10 years time?
During the summer months, my decluttering turned to makeover projects and we also discovered Netflix – please don’t judge, hehe! Pre-covid, I spent every evening driving to and from Swim training with my children – if you are a swimmer or swim parent, you’ll totally understand that watching any television is an absolute luxury! Netflix pre-covid was something that sounded great but again, no head space to think about organising or when we would watch it – oh how times have changed – for now!
Lots of DIY projects, general faffing and giving the rooms a little refresh each season certainly helped over the summer during Lockdown!
With Netflix and more time on our hands, came the discovery of programmes that were just up my street – organisation and decluttering your home. Wow has this craze really taken off! I’m always having a little faff at home with my husband asking “OK, I give up, where have you hidden….?”
Or, “that’s nice, is it new?” No, I’ve simply moved said item from another room!
My top 5 books you’ll need for creating a beautifully organised home.
Instagram and Pinterest have been invaluable for inspiration and clever storage ideas as have the following 5 books, that have inspired me to make our space more effective and as Marie Kondo would say “Spark Joy!”
“To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. To throw away what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful.”
Spark Joy was the first book about tidying I’d ever bought, years ago. It seemed a little odd, we all know how to tidy, yet the cover first drew my attention, then flicking through the pages. I knew it would be useful.
Marie has introduced us to her now world renown KonMari tidying method, which is to focus on what you want to keep, not what you want to get rid of.
This book covers every room in the house as well as a wide range of items including photographs, cutlery and valuables. The book is one of a kind. It inspired a family game we lovingly call “yes, no, go!” when I was helping the children declutter their rooms when they were much younger.
Ask yourself if something ‘sparks joy’ and suddenly it becomes so much easier to understand if you really need it in your home and your life. When you surround yourself with things you love you will find that your whole life begins to change.
I bought this book literally two weeks before we went into Lockdown last March, not only does it look beautiful on the coffee table but Nikki has shares her wealth of experience and best advice for how to create an organised, beautiful and welcoming home. Nikki developed and honed her five essential steps to an organised home through her experience working as a professional organiser. In her book, Nikki teaches you to: assess your home to transform the spaces within to enhance your lifestyle; declutter and curate your possessions to keep what is useful and meaningful; clean with efficiency, adding an element of pleasure to everyday tasks; organise so you can find what you need, when you need it; and beautify and decorate to create a welcoming atmosphere for family and friends. (Imagine when we can finally welcome family and friends to our homes again!)
If there is anyone that I would love to come and spend a few days at my home to help me style and yes, OK adopt as a friend, it would be Shea. Her style and flair for knowing what looks amazing where and how to turn an interior vision into a reality, is second to none. Having watched the Dream Home Makeover series on Netflix, practically back to back whilst decluttering my home office, I can honestly say that I loved every single makeover and home Shea and her team created for their clients.
Make Life Beautiful is a real behind the scenes account of how this powerhouse of a couple first met and turned their dreams into a reality.
Sharing golden nuggets of how they prioritised their values, defined their goals and put their dreams into action, going from not having a penny to their name to becoming interior design superstars, all while following their motto to “make life beautiful.”
I love this book, the back story of how the McGees met and how they built such a successful company but also be inspired to build an authentic life by applying design principles such as embracing the process and finding the balance.
If you have a love of Interior Design and loved the Dream Makeover, I think you’ll love this too!
Regardless of where you are in your journey, it’s not about having all the answers – it’s about seeing the potential.
Clea and Joanna are literally girls after my own heart! I only found out about The Home Edit within the last 6 months care of Netflix and I’m kind of obsessed! Yes I’m the one who when I’ve completed a project, even if it’s a cupboard and no-one can actually see it, I feel the need to share with the family oh and maybe Instagram!! The Home Edit certainly Sparks Joy!
Again like all the books I’m sharing with you, it’s a beautifully photographed book. The Home Edit divided into three simple sections:
The Edit, The Assembly and the The Upkeep.
They are quoted as saying “if we can do it, so can you” and with this very handy guide – it’s certainly true. No you don’t need to go and buy zillions of jars, labels etc (and yes of course they have their own products, which are stunning!) but they key is having a system in place, bringing everything together, keeping things simply that can help you “conquer the clutter with style.” This book actually has a starter set of labels to help you create the look below in your fridge. Fabulous!
This book is basically part two to The Home Edit. Now you have the basic systems in place, Clea and Joanna talk you through how to harness these systems to all aspects of your life, not just your fridge and pantry!
Having used these systems for a number of months now (and I thought I was organised!) I can safely say that The Home Edit has made life simpler, less cluttered and it’s a joy to open any cupboard now. well, mostly, I still have a few to go, but I’m certainly in a more systemised place than this time last year.. it’s the little things that make the big things come together!
Scandi Rustic – creating a cosy and happy home – Rebecca Lawson and Reena Simon
I first discovered Becca and Reena who you may know as Malmo and Moss and Hygge for Home through Instagram and their beautifully curated feed of images of their cosy, Scandinavian style homes. Scandi Rustic is their first book and they reveal how to create a home that takes elements of Scandinavian design and introduces rustic natural materials and textures to create a Scandi-inspired interior that is cosy, relaxed and inviting.
Becca and Reena showcase the very best in Scandi Rustic homes, so whether you live in an urban apartment, a country cottage or a blank canvas new-build, this relaxed, sustainable, modern rustic style will work perfectly for your home. if you love this style, you’ll love this book!
Scandi Rustic – creating a cosy and happy home – Rebecca Lawson and Reena Simon
“Now imagine yourself living in a space that contains only things that spark joy. Isn’t this the lifestyle you dream of?”
I really hope you enjoy these books as much as I have. It really does make a huge difference having an organised home, whether it be your linen cupboard, kitchen, or the drawer in your console table in your hallway, not just because everything is in it’s place and easily found but I find having a clear decluttered space, I can work more effectively too, my brain is a little less muddled too! I have loved reading all the tips from each book and have adapted them to fit my home and lifestyle. Each book would make a fantastic present, without breaking the bank, for you or someone you know who loves feeling organised and having a practical yet stylish home.
Let me know which of these books is your favourite or perhaps you can recommend a book I haven’t yet discovered?
What’s next on the blog?
Over the next couple of weeks on the Blog, I’ll be sharing with you my kitchen pantry makeover, together with ideas to spring clean your home and garden ready to welcome your special guests back into your home post lockdown (fingers crossed!) I also have a couple of exciting giveaways to help you and am so excited to share with you on my instagram so do head over and join in the conversation! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a Blog post – it’ll arrive straight to your inbox and I promise, no spam!
Today, I am going ask you to set a reminder to yourself to take one positive action a day and give yourself permission to check in on yourself each day – take just a few moments maybe whilst the kettle is boiling or whilst you clean your teeth…
There’s no doubt these last few months have been very strange, stressful, heartbreaking, unsettling and so much more.. I was delighted to have been asked by Nicky at InsideOut recently to share some thoughts about bringing a little positivity your way as part of her blog series, and so I thought I would share them with you too.
Firstly, how are you? Really?
We ask this question all the time but do we listen, truly and wholeheartedly to the answer? Both when we ask ourselves and when we ask others?
Do you ask yourself how you are and have regular checkins with yourself?
Charlie Mackesy has captured the nations hearts during the Pandemic, putting into words and images what many of us have felt..
I can almost hear you say, “I barely have time to catch my breath, let alone ask myself how I am and act on it!” It’s only natural to feel overwhelm, anxiety and utter distress, when we are faced with difficult situations; illness, job loss, financial difficulties – it’s exhausting, becomes your every thought and it’s possible to feel like you’re going to be stuck feeling like this forever..
What you are feeling, it WILL get better.
With some self nurturing and support from others, we can gradually change our thought patterns and in turn, slowly but surely, start to feel a little better..
“Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest.”
Beatrix Potter
How can we start to shift that mindset? Lockdown, working from home, home schooling (or emergency schooling as I heard someone call it last week!) isn’t easy – we all know that – it’s busy! So I’m going to suggest focusing on achieving just ONE positive action a day.. just one.
Why?
By doing this, in turn, you’ll feel brighter, have more energy, sleep better and more importantly, feel better about yourself and the situation we are all in.. I’m not promising that by tomorrow morning, you’ll feel on top of the world, but day by day, step by step, small but intentional, positive actions will shift those patterns of thinking and overwhelm.
When you’re thinking about which positive actions to do, break it down into little areas and ask;
What one positive action can I take for my health today?
What one positive action can I take for my family, partner, children, work colleague or neighbour today?
What one positive action can I do for my garden today?
What one positive action can I do for my home today?
What one positive action can do I for ME today?
Mark Twain that said, “Dance like nobody’s watching; love like you’ve never been hurt. Sing like nobody’s listening; live like it’s heaven on earth.
Mark Twain
Some ideas:
Put on your favourite track and turn it up loud! Sounds crazy I know, but music, can lift the mood and make us feel uplifted.
Plant some bulbs in a pot and enjoy watching them grow on your window sill. My snowdrops started peaking through a week or so ago and it really does make me feel that spring and lighter, warmer days are on the horizon.
Find a new walk where you live that you haven’t done before and commit to doing it at least once a week, rain or shine.
Do you have a room in your house that needs attention and despite Lockdown, you close the door and put off doing anything about it? (or is that just me!) Why not try a #powerofanhour or half an hour and get started? It’s not always fun to start, but often getting started is the hardest right? Read more about how beneficial the #powerofanhour is here.
When our bodies are stressed, the last thing it needs sometimes is additional stress, yet exercise can really help those feel good endorphins rise and that “YES! I did it!” factor of a workout (afterwards!) is great.. However, it’s not all about getting a “sweat on”, yoga, pilates or simply stretching for 10 minutes can also have great benefits too.
Journal – there are days that are fabulous and there are days that aren’t so, but try documenting down three things each day that you are grateful for. No matter how bad things are, there will always be something within your day that you can be grateful for (I don’t mean that patronisingly at all) Trust me I’ve had some pretty low days in my time and sometimes it’s only too easy to get stuck in a rut of negativity. Try this for a week, you’ll shift your state of mind and refocus your purpose.
There are hundreds of apps out there that can help you too including Headspace, Mind Detox and Gaia are all favourites of mine.
“Your now is not your forever”
I love this quote, its a reminder that the rubbish times and also the good times won’t last forever and that the way you are feeling right now shall also pass too.
I really hope these tips for bringing a little positivity to the situation we find ourselves in help you.
I’ve created some planners which I find really useful in keeping me focused and organised which you can find right here.
I hope they will give you a little inspiration so that you can create a feeling of being more in control and less overwhelmed so that you can concentrate on the things that are most important to you. I’d love to know which one is your favourite and which ones you’ll be trying out.
Feel free to share in the comments your thoughts and also what has helped you during the last 12 months.
2020 has been crazy as we know.. Lockdown saw many videos all over social media about how we spent our time, from making TikTok videos to DIY projects and how to cut each others hair. Sales of hair clippers went through the roof!
Lockdown has also reminded us that we love our hairdressers more than we ever knew! Hairdressers, stylists, and barbers are invaluable aren’t they? They help us feel good about ourselves.
Despite the stress and chaos of this year, we have had wonderful weather during Spring and Summer meaning we’ve been able to spend much more time outside. Heaven! However, as we officially move into Autumn and Winter, with the clocks going back, the darker evenings and ongoing restrictions in place; we will be spending a lot more time inside at home and away from essential trips out and yes, that includes the hair salon.
I always feel SO much better for a trip to see my hairdresser, there’s a real truth in the mantra “look good, feel good” For me, it’s always such a treat, a bit of time out, a pamper, a good old natter and leaving with the perfect blow dry; you can’t put a price on that!
There’s no doubt that the combination of cooler weather and central heating can have a negative effect on our hair and skin, so how to we keep our locks looking luscious for longer, especially when we aren’t able to visit the hair salon? I’ve teamed up with my gorgeous hairdresser Dawn Atiba to bring you some top tips to help.
“Hairdressers are a wonderful breed. You work one on one with another human being, and the object is to make them feel so much better, and to look at themselves with a twinkle in their eye.”
Vidal Sassoon
What can you do right now?
You don’t have to wait until your next trip to the hair salon or spend a fortune, you can start to tend to those locks right now..
Diet and Hydration I know, it’s not rocket science, but it’s true, you really are what you eat!. Good hair comes from a good balanced diet and being well hydrated. If you wish to do something right now for your hair, makes sure you’re drinking plenty of water and eating healthy nutritious foods.
Reduce Heat damage: We know that heat causes damage to our hair but what can we do without having a wild “au natural” style? Choosing to let your hair dry naturally or using only ONE styling item; (hairdryer, straighteners, heated brush) with have an obvious benefit of damage limitation. I don’t know about you but I have significantly reduced using my straighteners over the last few months.
We all love a lovely hot shower, however reducing the temperature whilst you wash and condition your hair will also have beneficial effect. Try it over the next few weeks and see if you notice a difference.
Watch out for those elements! This time of year sees us having to deal with cooler and often quite horrid weather conditions, then we go straight into the warmth of the house or work thanks to central heating.
Being caught out in the rain whilst on the school run, dashing to the supermarket or whilst outside for a workout or run can also have a negative effect on the hair and can really dry those strands out. I remember by days with running my outdoor fitness camps, Dawn would always ask if I wore a hat..!
Protect your hair as much as possible from the cold wind and rain. I always keep a hat or two in my car. One to wear when I’m running and a good old woolly hat for those coastal walks!
“Invest in your hair, it’s the only crown you don’t take off”
Unknown
Invest in good hair products. Find the right products for you and your hair, much as you would for your skin type. They say you get what you pay for and tempting sit is to grab the cheapest hair products from the supermarket, by using the products in the right way, it’ll be worth every penny and they will last too!
“The Olaplex Shampoo no.4 and Conditioner no.5 conditioner are also favourites of mine. A little really goes a long way, you only need a drop the size of a 5 pence piece and I calculated that a bottle will last on average a year when washing your hair twice a week. Even at £28 a bottle that’s a really reasonable amount for a years worth of shampoo.”
Dawn goes on to say” “I like to use Redken “all soft” range in place of Olaplex if my hair is feeling a little dry.
They are Infused with a rich blends of rejuvenating oils, including avocado to add luminous shine and argan to prevent dryness. you can expect sleek, salon-style results with every use.”
All Change! Autumn also sees lots of us going for a colour change, adding in slightly darker, richer and warmer tones. When you spend those all important pounds on hair colour, it’s equally important that you look after your hair with a shampoo and conditioner range that’s not going to strip those beautiful tones back out.
“Redken have an amazing colour extend range specially formulated to keep coloured hair looking fresh and vibrant” says Dawn. “Both the Magnetic Shampoo and Conditioner will work to help extend the life of your colour, as well as helping to keep your hair tangle free, nourishing your colour and leaving hair feeling softer and smoother, so that you look and feel like your hair has been washed at the salon.”
Pamper Evenings. Remember that aged old excuse “sorry, I’m washing my hair..?” Well, why not do just that? Give you and your hair a good pamper! Take some time out to look after yourself and book some pamper sessions in place of those nights out (remember those!?)
Treat yourself to a long bubble bath, light some candles, play some relaxing music. Face masks are gorgeous but why not give your hair a mask too?
It’s no secret that I love Olaplex no.3, which is a pre shampoo treatment which that is scientifically designed to repair bonds in the hair, that are broken down by chemicals such as colouring and heat such as straighteners.
I apply before I shampoo (they recommend at least 20 minutes before) although I often apply it, tie my hair up and leave in whilst carrying on with every day chores before heading of to full pamper, it’s a great time saver and leaves my hair feeling lovely and feeling soft.
The Matrix Biolage Hair Masks are a firm favourite and highly recommended by Dawn, especially the Hydrasource and Repair masks. They only need to stay on for 3-5 minutes so perfect for a quick fix. They are “perfect for dry, dull hair that appears worse for wear. It’s also 100% vegan and packed with plant-based emollients. the hair mask contains Aloe, known for its ability to restore elasticity, and Spirulina, an ingredient favoured for its strengthening properties.” comments Dawn.
“Straight, wavy or curly, if it’s healthy, it’s beautiful”
Unknown
I really hope that these little top tips from my gorgeous hairdresser Dawn and I have given you a few ideas and reminders on hoe to keep your hair looking gorgeous over the next few months.
As always, do let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Spark Joy – Marie Kondo 
