I know, I know, I’m a bit late with this as we’re already more than a third of the way through January. I do apologise, but I have rather a good excuse for my erratic posting schedule of late. Two months ago, our little family expanded when baby Milly arrived so things have been a little more hectic than usual as we were thrown back into the thick of it with endless dirty nappies and sleepless nights. Things seem to be settling down a little now so hopefully I’ll be able to get back to regular posting. I have so many great design finds I need to share with you, I just need to find the time to write them up!
Anyway, I thought I’d better do the obligatory New Year post as there are a few things I feel I’d like to document here. I don’t generally do new year’s resolutions as I feel it puts far too much pressure on us and I don’t think that is a good way to start the year. I’ve given up vowing to diet or go to the gym. I have so little free time now I have two children and that means trying to throw new activities into the mix (such as working out) just isn’t plausible. What little ‘me time’ I do have will be spent right here on my blog…hurrah!
Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to make changes in 2016. Of course I do, I just don’t want to set myself up for failure so early in the year. Also I figure that if I publicly announce my ambitions here I will be more likely to achieve them. So here are the things I’m prioritisng this year:
- Declutter
This is an absolute must. We live in a really teeny two bedroom flat and as lovely as it is, we’re really lacking in space. I feel so blessed to have a loft but somehow our home still feels cluttered. I never really had this problem before the kids came along but they have so much stuff. It’s really quite unbelievable. And since Christmas things have gotten a whole lot worse. I feel like I live in an exploded toy factory. Matylda’s toys have really overtaken our livingroom to the point where they have cascaded out of the toy box all over the floor and the coffee table and are even lining the walls. It’s unbearable. I could have a good toy clear out but the toys I’d get rid of are the ones she is now too old for and before long Milly will be using them so no point chucking them out.The only solution, as far as I can see, is to get rid of all our stuff that idly sits in our cupboards and coffee table so we can fill these spaces with the toys. It’s no real hardship as a lot of the stuff is things we have carried with us for the past eight years, moving between five different houses but have never actually used in that time…so it has to go!! I can’t wait to get started, but I also feel a bit overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. So I’m going to break it down into super manageable tasks by doing one drawer or cupboard a day for example. No matter how long it takes me, I’m determined to get it done. If you need some more info or some tips on decluttering you can read my interview with professional declutterer Jasmine Sleigh. - Finish my bedroom makeover
This has been dragging on for so long now. I think we started decorating when Matylda was about six months old (she’s now two!!) and it’s been in progress ever since. I am so desperate to finish it but it’s difficult when you share your room with babies and need to fit the cot into an already rather small room. It’s in a constant state of upheaval as the furniture is temporarily re-positioned to make the space work. I’m not sure how long Milly will be sleeping in with us but there are lots of things I can do in our room to get us closer to being finished.We need new curtains for a start and I would love to get a new carpet. I also need to get rid of my dressing table and replace it with some extra storage drawers for our clothes.WeI also want to relocate my husband’s computer (yes I know, a computer in the bedroom, sooooo hiddeous, but we really have nowhere else to put it) into the built-in cupboard in the bedroom soweI can get it out of sight. I’d love to be able to shut the door on it and close it away when it’s not in use. Oh and there is still a bit of painting that needs finishing. If I manage to finish this project this year I’ll definitely share it with you here. - Make a few changes in the livingroom
I love our livingroom, especially since we added some Graham & Brown wallpaper last year but there are still a few things I’d like to change. Firstly, I need a new window dressing. I’m not sure exactly what I want to replace my vertical blinds with but they need to go. Also, following some advice from fellow interior bloggers Kimberly Duran of Swoonworthy and Karen Knox of Making Spaces, I may need to do a bit more painting. I’d love to get a new carpet and I’m dying to change our sofa. And finally, I want to rip out our fireplace and electric fire and replace it with something a bit more me. - Give myself a break
This one is more personal. Since becoming a mum, I’ve found that a lot of guilt is involved and I mean A LOT. I had no idea it was possible to feel so guilty about so many things. You see I’m a perfectionist and I don’t like doing things if I can’t do them well. I know it’s impossible to be a perfect mother, but I at least want to do it to the best of my abilities and I don’t want to compromise when it comes to my girls and their upbringing. I’m not talking material things here, I’m talking about our relationship and the things I can teach them.The problem is though, that whilst I’m striving to be the perfect mother I also feel like I’m failing in most other areas of my life. I don’t feel like I have the time or energy to put into my appearance right now (I so wanted to be a yummy mummy!), my blog isn’t getting the attention it deserves, and my career is practically on hold for the time being. I know this is only temporary and it’s my choice that I’m not prioritising these areas of my life. But the way I look at it is that my girls will only be little for so long and once these precious years have passed I will never be able to get that time back. Whereas my blog, and my career will still be there waiting for me. All I need now is to stop beating myself up about not being able to juggle all these things at once. I’m focusing on what is most important to me and my family and I shouldn’t feel bad about it….right?So those are the things I’m determined to achieve in 2016, but there are also a few more ambitious projects I would love to get done this year. This really does depend on our finances though as they will be a lot more expensive so may need to wait a little while longer. - Start a kitchen makeover
I hate my kitchen! There I said it! As an interiors blogger people always expect my home to be amazing, but that is so not the case. It needs a lot of work to bring it up to my exacting standards but this will cost a lot of money that we just don’t have at the moment (especially not when I’m on maternity leave). But the kitchen makeover is constantly on my mind and I’m hoping we can make a start this year. I want to paint the beech cabinets white, re-tile, get a new worktop, a new sink, a new tap, a new oven and a new hob. Plus we really need some extra storage so I need to work out the best way to incorporate it into an already cramped space. - Start a bathroom makeover
I also hate my bathroom! The guy who owned our flat before us fancied himself as a bit of a property developer, but almost everything he did here sucks!! The tiles in the bathroom are so badly applied, it makes me cringe every time I look at them. So that’s the first job on the list but I’d also like a new bathroom suite, preferably a space saving one as my bathroom is super small and there is currently no room for storage of any kind.
So that’s it! I feel so much better now I’ve got all that out in the open. Somehow writing it down makes me feel more determined to get the ball rolling! What about you guys? What will you be focusing on in 2016?