It's safe to say as 2020 draws to a close we need some festive cheer more than ever, right? But this year my Christmas wish list is slightly different, in that I'm only including products from small independent businesses. I'm very lucky that my job hasn't been affected by this crisis, but I'm acutely aware of how many people's livelihoods have been turned upside down. I'm not in the NHS or out on the front line helping people get through this, but a small way I have tried to contribute this year is by continuing to shop, and for the most part shopping small. The notes in my orders from real ..read more

I'm not really one for huge renovations, especially since I live alone and I'm not the best with DIY, so I love that when I moved into my house it was only 3 years old and needed nothing more than a lick of white paint and new floors (check out my home tour post if you want to see the inside). The garden, however, was definitely in need of some love. When I moved in, it was a very basic plot of lawn with a postage stamp-sized flowerbed and cheap yellow patio tiles which I hated as soon as I saw them. Below you can see what it looked like when I moved in (that's my amazing mum mowing the lawn ..read more

You don't need me to tell you that January is a pretty depressing time of year. For me, it's nothing to do with the usual complaints about cold weather and nobody wanting to go out: I relish a grey, drizzly day spent indoors with a hot drink, and I don't want to go out at the best of times... Personally, it's more about the fact that Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year, and I adore the autumnal months beforehand. Nothing makes me happier than baking a pumpkin pie in October, watching fireworks on a crisp November night, or cradling a mulled wine by the fire in December. So in Janua ..read more

I don't know about you, but over the years I have found myself both buying and receiving fewer and fewer Christmas presents. And to be totally honest with you, this is a huge relief. Not only does buying things for the sake of it feel pretty out-of-place in a world where we are ever more aware of the environmental impact of consumerism, but as I get older I am continually downsizing rather than increasing the amount of possessions I have. Just today I did yet another wardrobe clear out and I feel so much lighter as a result. (If you are looking for decluttering inspiration by the way, head ove ..read more

Self-care may be an overused expression these days (it seems to have become a blanket term for everything from having a glass of wine to therapy), but the principle of taking time for yourself is an important one, and something that I've never felt any guilt about. I read a lot about people struggling to carve out time from their daily routines, or feeling like they are unable to switch off. Happily I don't have this problem: I've always believed that time taken to look after myself is time truly well spent, in whatever format I choose that to take. September feels like the perfect time of ..read more

Packing used to be a stressful exercise for me, involving multiple lists, days beforehand spent panicking, sitting on my suitcase to shut it and stressing about how much it would weigh at airport security. But practice makes perfect as they say, and given that I go on quite frequent business trips at the moment, I've had to hone my craft. These days I've pretty much got stress-free packing down pat, so as I pack for a road trip across Ireland today, I thought I would share with you a few tips that I've learned. Make a list and re-use it I have a standard packing list of all the basics ..read more

I've been thinking a lot lately about priorities, expectations and what I really want to get out of life. Sounds deep, I know, but bear with me... I started following a few really inspiring Instagram accounts run by like-minded women who have a focus on slow, minimalist living. From there I discovered the inspiring podcast The Little Chapters, hosted by two of said women, Jessica Rose Williams and Kayte Ferris. Sadly they ended the podcast just as I discovered it (genuinely distraught) but it means it's a very digestible set of 20 episodes, which I wholeheartedly entreat you to go and listen ..read more

Since I moved into my house last May I've spent almost all my free time on making it look how I want it to (which when working 11 hours a day lately hasn't left much time for blog posts, apologies...) It will never be "done", because my interior style is always evolving, but it's at a point where I feel really happy with it and thought I would share what I have done. I'm lucky in that it was only 3 years old when I bought it so it's in great condition and didn't need any work (just how I like it because I am not at one with DIY). That said, the first thing I did, just as when I moved into ..read more

Thought I would share with you some of the things I am currently loving. As my friends will know, I'm perennially drawn to home comforts over extravagant outings, so it won't be surprising to hear that this January (and in my birthday week no less) I am all about cosy knitwear, luxurious scents, excellent podcasts and a decadent tipple or two (no dry January here). An Organised Life stationery If you follow me on Instagram you will no doubt have noticed my obsession with this Antipodean stationery brand, and its impeccably stylish founder Beck Wadworth (100% worth a follow). This 2019 diary ..read more

Part last-minute Christmas shopping ideas, part items I'm hoping will go into the sales, it's safe to say I wouldn't mind finding any of the goodies on this December wish list under my tree. If you do still have gifts left to buy (um, definitely not me), you can't go wrong with a classic coffee liqueur (delivered next day with Amazon Prime), a chic pair of earrings (these beauts from Whistles are already reduced!) or a decadent lingerie set. As for the sales, do what I do every year and head straight to your local Space NK on Boxing Day; their in-store sales far surpass online and if you're lu ..read more