The things that I've been doing instead of blogging

It's been ages since I wrote a proper blog post, so here's a quick look at what has been keeping me busy:

Gardening

I love this time of year, when the garden starts to take off. We had our garden landscaped last year and it was still looking bare at the start of the year. We've added a few new plants, and I'm really enjoying seeing the things that we planted last year come back to life. One area of the garden that we had neglected was at the front where we had removed a large, overgrown hedge. We intended to replant it last year, and then decided that actually we preferred the more open plan look. But the long border that we had left for the hedge was filled with knee high weeds, and it looked terrible.

So I spent a long day giving it a thorough weed, and I cut the grass on the council owned patch at the front. Then I took a trip to the garden centre and stocked up on trays of bedding plants which I've planted all the way along, as well as uncovering some gorgeous poppies which had self-seeded. It looks so much better now, and I'm sure that our neighbours will appreciate having something prettier to look at as it all fills out!

Enjoying being outside

I always try to make the most of good weather, and it was so lovely that this year we were treated to hot sunshine over the Bank Holiday weekend. I stocked up on ice creams for the freezer, then every morning I got the garden ready with our garden furniture. I moved chairs around during the day, starting off in the sun and then moving to the shade mid-morning and afternoon. We had a barbecue every day, and spent the evening around the fire pit with marshmallows.

Following the Everest climbing season

I've written several times about my niche interest in Everest, and this was the first year that I followed along in real time. I found Everest Live on YouTube which produced daily video dispatches throughout the climbing season from around the beginning of May. I sat down every evening to watch the latest dispatch and make notes in my Everest journal. I also enjoyed reading the less frequent but detailed articles from the Alan Arnette Blog like this Everest 2026 Season Summary. 

It was really exciting, the season started later than usual with a few problems but it was a record year for summits, with 274 on a single day! I even found a live Everest webcam, and on one clear evening at the height of the season I was watching rivers of torches make their way up the mountain in the early hours in Nepal. Now the climbing is over for another year, but I have a playlist of long Everest documentaries to work through which always give me something new to research.

Photo credit Rajan Dahal via Unsplash

Hosting tradesmen

For the last couple of months we have been having our ancient bathrooms replaced, and the work is nearly finished. They look amazing! But it's been quite disruptive, and I don't cope well when there are people in the house. Having to park the car down the road, worrying about the neighbours being annoyed, wondering whether I'm offering enough drinks and being constantly available in the house in case I'm needed to check something. I find it difficult to focus on anything too complicated.

Reading

However I have been doing very well lately at working through my to be read list, even the hidden one on my Kindle! I've been going through some of the 'filler' books, which are the ones that I download for free on to my Kindle. They are usually quick reads and not that memorable, although I've found a few that stood out - I recently really enjoyed Follow Her by Anna Stothard. 

I have a long Everest book which I'm finding a bit of a slog - Into the Silence by Wade Davis. It's always named as being one of the best on the subject, but I'm finding it hard going. I bought it as a cheap second hand copy so I think I'm going to do some annotating and sticky labelling to make it more like a reference book that I can dip in and out of.

How I decide what to read next

I keep all my unread books in a 'to be read' pile on my bedside table. I have a mixture of brand new books that I've purchased or received as gifts, second hand books from charity shops and online, books that I've borrowed from friends or family, and occasionally library books. I also have a slightly hidden 'to be read' collection on my Kindle - books that I've downloaded free from Amazon at various times.

Although I enjoy reading down through the pile, I don't want to actually get to the end because I enjoy having a selection of books to choose from. I read a variety of books, from light fiction to longer reads, recent releases and classics, and also plenty of non-fiction. So I want to have at least one or two books from each category to choose from!

I generally only read one book at a time, and as I approach the end I'm always eyeing up my next read. I try to mix it up, so if I've read an easy book I'll look for one with a bit more depth or I'll swap to one from a different genre.  

If I know that I've got a busy time coming up then I'll look for easy to read books, planning to pick them up and down for short bursts of reading. If I know that I've got some reading time coming up, like a long flight or a relaxing holiday, then I'll reach for a nice chunky book or a classic novel.

Photo credit John Michael Thomason via Unsplash

But how do I choose the books that I'm adding to my 'to be read' pile?

I find book recommendations in lots of places. I learn about new non-fiction books from the podcasts that I listen to, which tend to be in the wellbeing or technology niches. If I've listened to an interesting podcast I'll often have a look at the book they are plugging, read a few reviews, and see if it looks like a worthwhile read. I've found some great books this way, most recently Enshittification by Cory Doctorow and I've got my eye on The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. 

I have a friend who lends me lots of brilliant books that she's found, and I usually have one or two on loan. She is very similar to me in terms of reading taste, and I'm very grateful!

I'm always listening for people talking about books. Sometimes I'll catch a reference to an old classic book and think 'I really should read that'. The classics are usually available for free on Kindle because they are out of copyright - I've just downloaded David Copperfield after really enjoying the modern retelling Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. 

If I hear about a book that appeals but I can't justify paying full price then I'll look over on World of Books. I have a running list of books that I want to buy saved in a Notes file, and I try to buy in batches of four as they usually have a 'buy 3 get one free' promotion that covers many of their titles. World of Books is great for books that are a bit niche or out of print as the prices are very reasonable - I've been stocking up on biographical books about Everest which are expensive to buy new.

I don't really listen to any podcasts or shows about new releases, because I would find everything too tempting! But if I find out that one of my favourite authors has released a new book then I'll add it to my wish list in anticipation of a birthday or Christmas gift. I'm also often swayed by the Booker Prize shortlists, I rarely actually buy the books but I make a note of any that sound good for future reading.

Finally if I really have reached the end of my 'to be read' pile then I can always find something that I want to read in the library. Sometimes it's another book by an author that I've enjoyed, or a book that I've seen mentioned online. When I'm browsing I definitely judge a book by its cover, so at least with a library book I don't have to worry about wasting money if I've misjudged it!

I love hearing from other readers about how they choose their next book!

Tips for keeping on top of clutter in the home

Sometimes I feel as though I'm constantly decluttering, and that's because I am! Decluttering isn't something that you can do once and never again. Like housework and gardening you need to keep on top of it, and I thought I'd share some tips that work for me when I'm trying to maintain an organised and calm home.

Have a donation bag or box ready to go

I actually have two. I keep a bag in my wardrobe for clothes, ready for a charity recycling bag to come through the door. If my bag is full before one arrives then I drop it off at a local textile recycling bank. I have a second bag in my spare room for charity shop donations. I usually wait until I've got a decent amount before making a trip to drop them off just to save time and effort, but it is ready to go at any time in case of sudden guests!

Make an effort to pass on difficult items

I think we all have a number of things in our home that we would like to get rid of but don't know the best way to do it. Maybe it's not good enough to give to charity, it's too big to fit in the household bin, or it was an unwanted gift that you feel bad getting rid of. But if you can find a way to remove things these awkward items then it will also remove the pang of guilt that you feel every time you see it, which will make you and your home feel much calmer. 

Declutter clothing while packing for a holiday

When packing, think about the things that you aren't choosing to put in the suitcase. Is it because you no longer wear them, they are uncomfortable or they just don't suit you? I've always sorted out the children's wardrobes when packing because it's a really good opportunity to empty out the drawers completely and see the things that have been outgrown or aren't being worn.

Photo credit Sarah Brown via Unsplash

Match what comes in with what goes out

Some people like a strict 'one in, one out' rule but this doesn't work for me. But if I've brought home a few of a particular item, like books or jigsaws from a charity shop haul or a seasonal Primark shop, then I'll think about where I'm going to store the new items and what I can clear out to make room for them. 

Clear hotspots daily

I have several clutter hotspots in my home. The main one is our kitchen island, but I also have the kitchen worktop nearest to the door and the coffee table in the living room. Every evening I make sure that the kitchen island and coffee table are completely clear. The worktop is a place to store things which may be needed in the next few days, but I sort this through once a week when I do my full kitchen clean. The key thing is to look at the items that build up in these places and make sure that they all have a home that they can be tidied away to. Clutter attracts more clutter, so making an effort to keep surfaces clear stops it all piling up and becoming unmanageable.

Deal completely with laundry as you go along

I do laundry regularly so I am usually on top of it and each load is sorted, folded and put away as soon as it comes off the line or out the dryer. Well, I put mine away at least and I leave piles for other family members to put away at their leisure - but it is in their rooms and not all over the house! Have a routine for the washing, whether that's putting a load on first thing or later in the day when you have time to deal with it.

Photo credit Daniele Bissoli via Unsplash

Sort paperwork as it arrives 

This also includes digital paperwork like e-mails. A lot of our post is junk and it goes straight from the doormat to the recycling. I deal with as much as I can straight away and then the physical papers can be filed or recycled.

Model good habits to younger family members

If you involve children in keeping the home clean and clear then they will hopefully use these systems in their own areas. We've developed habits for having regular clear outs of clothes and shoes, school books, toys and trinkets, as it's much easier to pass on things as you go along rather than letting everything build up. I wrote a detailed post about using the Marie Kondo method with an older child or teenager, and this is something that we return to once a year or so to keep things under control. It's especially important with children because they grow so quickly and their interests change as they get older. I hope that I'm instilling good habits for their future homes!

I hope that this article was helpful, if you have any more tips please do share them in the comments!

What I've been up to lately - September 2025

It's time for another catch up! Here are some of the things that I've been up to lately:

Reading

I've read some great books recently! You can see all of my reading over on Goodreads, where I track what I've read and give it a star rating. Some of my recent five star reads - Four Seasons in Japan by Nick Bradley, Abroad in Japan by Chris Broad and One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Planning

Two of these books have been very helpful, because I've been busy planning a holiday which we have booked for next summer. We are going to Japan which is very exciting, it's somewhere that I've always wanted to visit and I like to think that I'm reasonably knowledgeable about the country thanks to the fact that I've read a lot of books set in Japan and by Japanese authors. 

I'm using ChatGPT a lot in my planning and I'm finding it really helpful, in fact I'm intending to write up a blog post with some tips for using ChatGPT to plan a holiday. It's great for a quick but more obscure question that might take a long time to Google the answer, for example opening times for a less popular attraction or one that doesn't have much information available about it in English. ChatGPT will tell me the answer, but also give me a link to an official website where I can check the information. 

This step is crucial as you do need to check everything. It can make things up, and also does things like skip a day if you are asking it to plan an itinerary, but it's a really good starting point and definitely speeds up the searching. It is especially helpful for grouping together close by attractions that can be visited in the same day, and for suggesting day trips that I might not have thought of. I'm getting a really good plan together!

Puzzling

A few months ago I became a little obsessed with jigsaw puzzles. Working on a puzzle was very helpful to me at a time when lots of things were out of my control. I slowed down a bit over the summer but I've taken it up again recently, I'm back to touring the charity shops looking for bargains and I've been redoing a few of my favourites. 

Recently I've worked on some older puzzles including a vintage wooden puzzle that my Mum had been given. The box didn't come with a picture so I had to work it out as I went along, maybe not the kind of image that I would have chosen for myself but I enjoyed the challenge and loved the different shaped pieces. It's called 'A Tiresome Sitter' from Victory.

Watching

I've not been watching a lot lately, but my husband and I have been enjoying re-watching Extras on iPlayer, I've watched it a few times now but it's still very funny! I also watch content on YouTube. Even though I don't have TikTok I love videos by creators that discuss trends on TikTok, like #teachertok or #coloringtok and include the viral clips which are really over the top and just filmed in order to generate interaction and promote their products (these videos also make me glad that I'm not on TikTok, I couldn't keep up!)

Sorting

I've been having a good sort out in the house recently. We had new carpets in a lot of rooms, which meant we had to empty them completely, and that was a really good way to have a think about what would go back. We have also reorganised our rooms a bit, moving Mia's bedroom upstairs and creating a communal room for exercising, playing games and watching television. That room had been a bit of a dumping ground before, and it's really nice that now each room in the house has a purpose and all the random things have either been put away properly or passed on. 

Crafting

I've been doing a lot of miniature crafting recently. I've shared my reviews of two miniature kits - the Cutebee Mrs Hunt Bakery and the Rolife Silent Corner Study which I loved assembling. I have another kit from Rolife to work on which I'm looking forward to getting started with, I know that it's quite a long and complicated set so I'm a little daunted, but once I get it out of the box I'll be fine!

Looking forward to

I've loved working on our garden this year, and I'm still enjoying the masses of flowers which I've managed to grow and keep alive. I'm looking forward to having a good tidy up this autumn and thinking about what worked well and what I want to try for next year. I've already been buying bulbs and making lists of the seeds I want to buy for the spring!

We also have a holiday coming up in October which I'm very much looking forward to, it will be an opportunity for a last bit of summer sun before we head into winter.

What have you been up to lately?

Reflections on the start of a new school term

September is well underway and there are some big changes for our family as the children start this new school year. The routine that we've been following for a good few years has been completely shaken up, mainly because Harry has started at a new sixth form which is a fair distance from our home. He's having to deal with a long commute by train, and I need to add regular trips to the station in addition to the school run that I'm already doing. 

He's already been given plenty of work to do, and Mia starts her GCSE options this year, so she's also feeling the pressure. They have both been exhausted at the end of the day. It's going to take us all a couple of weeks to get used to the new timings and to get settled!

It's difficult having to take a step back from them as they become more independent, even though I am also glad that I don't need to be so involved with their day to day anymore. One thing that I'm really grateful for is being able to drop them off and pick them up without needing to leave the car - especially on a rainy day like today. We can just keep in touch by phone and they can come and find me where I'm parked!

I'm trying to get the balance right between them knowing that I'm there for them to try and sort out any issues, but also giving them the opportunity to work out problems by themselves. They relish their independence, but I am also very much needed!

Photo credit Deleece Cook via Unsplash

Things that I want to do by the end of the year

It has been a long time since I was at school, but September always feels like the chance for a reset. Even though it has still been really warm today I can sense the approach of Autumn, and a few months to countdown before a fresh start in January.

Here are some of the things on my current to do list:

Sort out our digital photos

I try to keep up with our digital photos, but sometimes I get a bit behind. Last week I finally finished off the 2024 photos - removing the blurry ones, random screenshots and duplicates - making sure that I keep only the very best photos. Now I need to work through the 2025 photos, and I'll aim to keep on top of them as we go along.

Make a plan for displaying my favourite photos

Whenever I sort through photos it makes me realise that I want to see them more often. We haven't printed out any photos out for years, and I'd love to put some more recent ones on display. We have a photo frame in my study which holds 15 photos that were printed around the time that Harry started school in 2013 - that definitely needs updating!

A longer term project is to think about putting together some photo books. I'd love to make one for each year, with the best photos in chronological order along with some text and other memories. Actually making the books will be a job for next year, but I'd like to make a plan for what I want to do and maybe start setting aside some photographs.

Sort out our family history archives

My Dad died earlier this year and left behind his life's work on researching our family history. Many large boxes have been piled up in my Mum's dining room for months, and it's finally time to go through it all. I've volunteered to be the custodian and store the majority of it, but having gone through it with him a little bit last year I know that there is quite a lot there that I feel we don't need to keep. I want to curate everything so that the most interesting and important things are easily accessible to myself and my siblings. It's a big job and also an emotional one that the family will be working on together, but I'm now ready to make a start on sorting it all out.

My Nutcracker cross stitch

This has been a work in progress for far too long! It's not a particularly difficult piece as there aren't very many colours, but it can be tricky working on the dark fabric if the lighting isn't good. It's stitched in two layers, a basic cross stitch layer underneath and then a top layer containing some more elaborate embroidery stitches. I've completed over half of the first cross stitch layer, so I'd really like to finish the rest of the cross stitch base before Christmas as a minimum.

Pick up my journalling again

My journalling has sadly fallen by the wayside. It's been a busy year with lots going on, and some of that would definitely have benefitted from being worked through in my journal. I need to get in the habit of writing again, even if it's just a small paragraph every day.

Finish my current decluttering round

I've been having a major declutter this year, and I'm loving how the house is looking clearer and tidier. Decluttering is a job that is never really finished as more things are always appearing, but I'm determined to just get a few last things out of the way and the remaining spaces sorted out ready to go into the new year.

What would you like to achieve by the end of the year?

Looking at my current to be read pile

A few months ago I shared a photo of my to be read pile, and with my summer reading to plan I thought I'd give an update. 

Here's what the to be read shelf on my bedside table looked like in March:

And here is how it is looking now:

I think the first thing to notice is that two large books are still very much present and correct - Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. They are among six books on the shelf that have a bookmark in but are not finished. I think that it may be time to be realistic and admit defeat on these two, or at least transfer them to a different location. They take up a lot of space and are not likely to be read in the near future. 

But I do definitely want to read the others! There are a couple of Haruki Murakami books which won't take long to read and then there is some non-fiction which I've picked up in charity shops and a couple of older local history books which were my Dad's. 

The reason that I need to make some space is that I have been kindly lent another lovely pile of books from a friend that I am very much looking forward to reading. I would much rather have these ones stacked up by the bed! They all look so good that I can't even decide which one to start with.

Then there is my Kindle which is filled with unread books, at least twenty, that I've downloaded as free Amazon First Reads, from the Amazon Prime library or just as free Kindle books that I spotted. They are easy to forget about because they aren't as visible, but I know that there are some good ones there that I want to get to. There are even a few books on my Amazon wish list which perhaps don't really count because I haven't actually bought them yet, but they are still lurking in the background calling 'read me! read me!'

Hopefully I can make some time over the summer and get caught up a bit!

Things that I'm looking forward to this summer

When I say summer I'm thinking of the school summer holidays, but honestly it feels as though it has been summer for months. We've been so lucky with the weather, even a few weeks ago we were sitting eating out in the garden, and so I really hope that it continues!

For Harry his summer holiday has already started now that his exams are finished, and Mia has also finished her end of year exams with only few more days at school to go. It will be such a relief to have all the exams out of the way. In the past I have often found the end of the school year quite a stressful time, but as the children have got older there have been fewer end of year events (no more sports day!) and the final term always seems very short. 

It's been a busy few months so I'm looking forward to being able to relax a bit over the summer. I always appreciate not having to do the school run, which has increased recently with extra trips around the exams. It makes my day feel so much longer! We don't have much planned yet - I know that the calendar will fill up, but hopefully there will be lots of time left to chill as well as getting out and about.

Although we still have some decorating to get on with over the summer we have almost reached the end of our big home projects which is a relief. I do need to have a big sort out in Harry's room once his exams are finished, which I'm looking forward to because it's a bit of a post-exams mess at the moment! Then I need to have another sort out of old toys and start listing things on eBay again. It always feels good to have a clear out.

Our garden is mostly planted now so it's just about maintenance, and I'm looking forward to making the most of our new garden furniture. In particular we have bought a fire pit table which we've already used a few times, it's so nice to sit out in the garden in the evening and enjoy the beautiful space. I love pottering around the garden deadheading, picking up weeds, and planning what I want to do with the empty spaces.

Finally we have a big holiday coming up over the summer which is very exciting. Unusually for us we haven't been away yet this year so it feels a long time coming. 

What are you looking forward to this summer?

Things I need to do by the end of the month

We have a lot on at the moment. Harry is in the middle of his GCSE exams which he's coping with marvellously, Mia also has end of year exams, and we have a lot of house projects which we are slowly working through. In late July we are going on an amazing holiday which has crept up rather quickly, and so I have lots to do before we go away. 

The most important thing is of course planning for the holiday! We are going to some countries which are new to us, and although we know for certain some of the things that we want to see and do there is plenty to research. We are visiting one country in particular which is quite different culturally and requires some organisation when it comes to planning which apps we will be able to use to translate and find our way around. I'll be writing all about it when we get back!

Photo credit Toa Heftiba via Unsplash

I definitely need to put some thought into which books to take away on holiday with me. I've become a little behind with my reading lately so I have a few books on my pile and I've also stacked up a lot of Kindle books from the Amazon First Reads and Prime Library selections. 

Harry has his prom coming up and then the next day a taster day at his new college, both big events for him. Luckily boys aren't too difficult to sort out for prom. He recently needed a black suit so he will be wearing that, brightening it up with a coloured waistcoat, a maths themed tie and some dress shoes.

Mia still needs to get to the end of term which is always a slog, but she's looking forward to saying goodbye to the subjects that she won't be taking for GCSE. 

As soon as we get back we are going to be having some decorating done in the house. Harry's room will be carpeted and painted, so we need to clear the room before we go. I usually do a big sort out in the kids rooms over the summer anyway so it's not too bad, but there are lots of things that can be decluttered and tidied up a bit so that he has a clean slate ready for college.

Photo credit Callum Hill via Unsplash

Over the last few weeks we've taken on the job of moving Mia into one of our larger rooms upstairs, so her old room will become the guest room. That will also be carpeted and painted over the summer, and while it's mostly empty of her personal things now, we do have a rather large Ikea loft bed which will have to go. It's a shame because it has served her brilliantly over the years, but we can't really expect our mothers to sleep up there when they come to stay! Hopefully we can find someone to disassemble and remove it because it's a big job.

Finally, I really want to get back into blogging properly again. I've taken a bit of a break because things have been full on since the start of the year and I've just not had the headspace for it. But I have lots of things coming up that I want to write about, so I just need to get back in the zone and back on track!

Photo credit Nic Rosenau via Unsplash

Things that I'm looking forward to this summer

It wasn't an easy start to the year for me. I have found that I've been struggling to get back into my old routines, especially when it comes to taking care of myself with healthy eating and exercise. But I have plenty to be grateful for, I've been enjoying the sunshine and I'm really looking forward to the coming months. 

We have some exciting things coming up, and these are just some of them.

A beautiful new garden - work is well underway and I can't wait until we are able to use our new outdoor space. Fingers crossed for a lovely warm summer!

Seeing my plants grow - my tomato seeds have become seedlings, I have some new houseplants from my Mum which are flourishing, and our new lemon tree is flowering beautifully.

It's a year of concerts - we've cut down on the holidays this year to save some money, but we have managed to secure tickets for some amazing live music. Having started off the year with the fantastic Jason Donovan, over the next few months we are lucky enough to be seeing Supergrass, Kylie, Pulp, Oasis, Blackpink and Coldplay. Buying the tickets for all of these was pretty stressful at the time, but of course it's forgotten quickly in the excitement!

An exciting holiday - we do have one holiday booked this summer which is mainly funded with Avios points and my husband's hotel reward points. We are spending a few days in both Seoul and Shanghai which are both new and exciting destinations for us. 

The end of the school year - I know that we have a way to go yet, but once the summer term starts it always seems to finish quickly. Even quicker for my son, who only has one week back after Easter before he leaves school to begin his study leave for his GCSEs! It will mean a change in routine for all of us with only one to take over to school and back, and things will change even more when he starts Sixth Form in September and makes his way under his own steam - it will be a really exciting new start for him.

What are you looking forward to in the next few months?

Ways to calm an overactive mind

I know I'n not the only one with an inner voice that is constantly narrating what's going on around me -  practising anecdotes, imagining difficult conversations and arguments, worrying about different scenarios, or worst of all repeating the same catchy lines from a song over and over again! Sometimes it's helpful, but most of the time it's just constant chatter that makes me feel more anxious and overwhelmed.

So here are some of the ways that I try to keep that inner voice at bay as much as I can:

Keeping away from social media and news websites - This is probably the biggest one for me. I often find myself scrolling, particularly Reddit or Mumsnet, to try and soothe anxiety. It can help in the moment, but over time it definitely makes it worse. If I make a commitment first thing to avoid it for the day then I find that I can keep to it quite easily, and I really do feel much better for it. I have enough going on my head already without needing to fill it with a multitude of voices and opinions from other people!

Writing it all down - I like to write in my journal, but I also find that writing a blog post can have a similar affect, although I end up going back and heavily editing it. Just getting all those thoughts out of my head and down on paper. If I'm worrying about lots of things that I need to get done or that I need to remember then I write them all down in a long list in my planner. 

Making a hot drink - I don't drink a lot of tea or coffee, but I do like a nice hot chocolate. I'm working through a stash built up from Christmas as well as some fancy varieties that my husband brought me back from a work trip. I like the process of making the drink - find a coaster and mug, heating up the milk, stirring. Then sipping it, and really focussing on the taste and the experience as well as they physical warmth. 

Photo credit Prophsee Journals via Unsplash

Going outside for a walk or a run - Although sometimes the inner monologue does follow me while I'm running, it doesn't bother me so much and I do sometimes find that it helps me to get my thoughts in order.

Reading - In particular reading something light with an interesting story that I can really get into. Concentrating on what I'm reading really helps me to focus my mind and feel calmer. 

Doing a stretch or yoga workout - I have a few exercise videos saved in my playlist that always make me feel more relaxed and calm. They aren't long, only 8-10 minutes, and feature peaceful music in a scenic setting - I find that I always switch off when I'm doing them. I've linked one of my favourites below. Although it's titled as a stretch for splits it's just a really good way to stretch out the leg muscles.

Doing a jigsaw - I'm currently a bit obsessed with completing jigsaw puzzles, I have a large one out on the dining table that I'm working on every day. The initial sort through of the pieces is really relaxing, and then building the edge so that you can see the area you are working with. My favourite moment comes about two thirds of the way through, when I'm familiar with the picture and I can easily start slotting the pieces in place. It's really satisfying every time you put a piece in place, and I can get lost in a jigsaw for ages. Even if I get interrupted, when I come back to it I always find a piece that I'd been looking for straightaway!

Lighting a candle - I don't know why but having a lit candle nearby always makes me feel relaxed. Maybe it goes back to caveman days, gazing into the campfire at the end of a long day.

Mindfulness - I've put this at the end, because it's something that I'm still working on. It's something that you really need to practice, and I need to try and work on it a little more. I've tried various apps for inspiration but I prefer to just work on it by myself. I like to imagine the inside of my mind as an empty stage, and every time a thought comes I send it off the stage and back into the wings! It's also a really good way to learn to focus on steady breathing rather than the inner voice.

A look at my current To Be Read pile...

I've been reading quite a lot recently, but I've also developed a slight shopping addiction when it comes to buying books. I rarely buy a new book, but I do find it difficult to pass a charity shop without adding some bargains to my stash and I seem to have had a few shopping opportunities recently.

I thought I'd share a little look at my current To Be Read pile, to try and motivate myself to carry on working my way through it! The pile is stored next to my bed as that is where I do a lot of my reading. Most of the books are from charity shops, although a couple are new ones that I've received as gifts.

Three of them are books which I have previously borrowed, read and enjoyed, and I wanted to own my own copy to read before I add them to my shelf. They are All The Light We Cannon See by Anthony Doerr, The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller and Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler. These will be easy to get through because I know that I really like them!

Two of them are books which I have started and have become stuck on as they were just not grabbing me. They are Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, which I would like to finish, and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy which I decided I wanted to read just to say that I had and am not regretting. They do take up a lot of space and make me feel guilty when I see them, so maybe I just need to admit defeat and pass them on.

There are also two other books that are in progress - Showstopper by Peter Lovesey isn't my usual sort of book but I've borrowed it and want to read it. The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon I've been reading for ages, I just dip in and out of it.

The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy is an old edition which was my Grandma's. There are two by Haruki Murakami - What I Talk About When I Talk About Running and Men Without Women which I'm looking forward to reading. My Father's House by Joseph O'Conner I picked up because I really enjoyed Star of The Sea. 

There are a few non-fiction - How to Speak Whale by Tom Mustill which I bought for my son, then The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks and The Magic of Reality by Richard Dawkins. All of these require a little more concentration to get through!

Finally, hidden in plain sight at the very top of the pile you will spot my Kindle in it's flowery case. I try not to think about all the unread books that are in there. Every month I get at least one book from the Kindle First Reads selection and I also have a selection from Amazon Prime Reading as well as the free ones that I download occasionally. There are currently 25 books in my unread books collection...I wouldn't have the room for all of them as physical books! 

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog post full of tips on working through the pile of unread books - How to conquer your To Be Read pile - which I think has some really helpful advice which I'm definitely going to be re-visiting!

What I've been up to lately - February 2025

It's been a difficult start to the new year and my mind has very much been elsewhere - I've not been feeling like blogging or in fact like doing many things. But now I'm trying to pick up some of the things that I've let go, and so here are some of the things that I've been up to lately.

Organising

There's something about sorting through someone's possessions that makes you re-evaluate the things that you have lying around, and I've definitely been feeling in the mood for some decluttering.

Since the beginning of the year I have been working through the clutter in our spare bedroom, mainly old toys. I spent hours sorting out all the old Lego sets, checking them, finding all the missing pieces and then listing on eBay. I've been very successful! Now that I've got the hang of eBay I'm having a good look around the house to see what else I can get rid of. It's not even all about the money (although that's certainly a big motivation!), I also like the satisfaction of knowing that something has gone to a good home. 

This weekend I've been working on organising our new space now that our extension is finally finished. My new bookcase had remained empty for weeks, and I've finally had a big sort through and re-homed books which were lying about all over the place. Now I have fiction books in the living room and non fiction in the orangery and I still have plenty of space to fill!

Reading

I have been doing lots of reading! Here are just some of the books that I've particularly enjoyed over the last couple of months:

Fourteen Days (Various authors)

All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine by Laura Pearson

Eating

I've been trying to eat healthily as we all do in the new year, but I'm afraid that I have given up a little bit. I've been eating far too many biscuits and Maltesers, and drinking far too much tea. I'm being kind to myself at the moment but I'll definitely be making more of an effort to eat better food in a few weeks time.

Shopping

When visiting my Mum she introduced me to a lovely new shop which has just opened in her town - Søstrene Grene. She described it as Flying Tiger for grown ups and that's exactly what it is - a shop filled with beautiful things that you didn't know you needed, laid out so that you don't miss anything. I rarely impulse buy, but on my first visit I came home with three rolls of washi tape, a bowl and a jigsaw. The next visit added more washi tape, a bag of loose tea leaves and hot chocolate. I wonder what I'll pick up next time?!

Watching

I've really been enjoying the television adaptation of Earth Abides which is based on one of my favourite books. Although they've changed the time period from the 1940s to the modern day it has a nostalgic feeling to it, and I think that the casting is excellent. It's quite a slow watch which appeals to me, and because I know the story really well I don't need to concentrate too much!

I'm also watching the latest series of Sort Your Life Out which I watch on iPlayer. Every episode is essentially the same but it definitely gives me inspiration to have a sort through my cupboards!

Crafting 

My crafting has fallen by the wayside a little lately, I've just not been feeling like picking anything up. I haven't journalled in ages and I really wanted to get back on with my cross stitch this year. I'll be picking it up again soon but in the meantime I've been working on some jigsaws. I have some that I received for Christmas and some that I bought on holiday so I have a few to keep me busy. The one below is called The City That Never Sleeps by Galison. I like that I can work on them when I have a few spare minutes and it's really satisfying to watch the picture build up.

Listening to

I've been doing a lot of driving recently so I've been making full use of the Spotify subscription. I've been enjoying singing along to the Wicked soundtrack and also listening to podcasts. At the moment I'm liking the Feel Better Live More podcast with Dr Rangan Chaterjee - he has such an easy voice to listen to!

Looking forward to

I'm looking forward to feeling a bit more like myself again and picking up my neglected projects. We are lucky enough to have tickets to lots of concerts this year (including Jason Donovan next week - I can't wait) and we have also booked a very adventurous holiday for the summer. So there are plenty of exciting things to think about!

Going through my Ebay phase

A few years ago I remember loving this post from Mum of Three World - My son, gaming and the eBay phase. She wrote about how her two sons had both gone through an 'eBay phase', busily selling both their own and other people's things on eBay. Apparently many teenage boys go through this, so I've been eagerly awaiting the day when one of my teenagers shows an interest. Sadly it hasn't happened yet!

Now that our extension work is complete, I've been working on moving everything back in to our new space, and also casting my eyes over the other rooms. In particular our top floor guest bedroom has become a dumping ground for toys which the children have outgrown. Most of the room was filled with huge boxes and drawers of Lego, both sorted and unsorted.

The Lego has been bothering me for some time. The children have many sets that they love and want to keep, even some on display in their rooms, but there are also lots of sets that were only built once and never played with. My husband is a sucker for a bargain! There were a couple of unopened Star Wars Lego sets, some Minecraft Lego, and lots of those tiny sets which at one point they used to give away free with the newspaper.

I've been collecting boxes for ages, and so a month or so ago I gathered all the Lego in one place and began the painstaking task of sorting it all out. I've always been pretty good with the Lego and many sets were together and complete, but I had a huge box of random Lego which I had to hunt through again and again to find a missing piece. In the end I just sorted the odd bits of Lego out into categories - it took a whole weekend but it made the whole job much easier!

I decided that the best place to sell was eBay. We've been using eBay since 2002 and have bought and sold a reasonable amount over the years so our account is in good standing. Things have changed a lot over the years, and the process is so much easier. There are also no fees at the moment and the money can go straight to your bank account so there are no PayPal fees like there used to be.

I found a corresponding box for each of my sets to sell, and made notes about the condition of the set and weight. Then last week I began listing them on eBay. To my delight, in only the first week I made 11 sales and enough money to make the whole process worth it. 

I've made it as easy as I can on myself. Everything is set to a Buy it Now price. I offer free postage, so I set my price very slightly above the average selling price with postage and it means I can combine several orders from the same person. I don't allow offers from buyers, so there's no unnecessary correspondence to worry about. I send my parcels using InPost as there is a locker just around the corner. It's so easy - you print the label at home using your eBay balance, you can track it through the app and most importantly you can send a parcel without having to queue up at the post office and talk to someone!

It's an addictive thing - I'm constantly checking the app to see if I've made a sale and I'm looking around the house to see what I can list next. I have a massive stash of boxes ready to be filled! If the teenagers do end up getting on board we will end up with an empty house!

Surviving our building works and kitchen renovation

Update June 2025 - The orangery extension project is finally complete! You can watch a time lapse of the full build and garden below.

We are very close to the end of our orangery extension project, and we are really pleased with it. The building work is finished, we have a beautiful tiled floor, the walls are nearly all painted, and all that is left is the installation of the kitchen which is progressing really well.

I'm so grateful that we've been able to have this work done, and I'm really looking forward to enjoying it properly once all the work is done. The other night it was pouring with rain, and it felt so cosy to stand under the lantern roof and listen to it, even if we were surrounded by cardboard boxes and dust!

I must admit that I've not found the works easy. It will have taken nearly four months by the time it's finished, and that is with someone working every single day. We used a company to design and build the orangery, and worked mainly with their contacts for the different trades. So our project manager made sure that as soon as one part was finished the next person could start which has been brilliant, and people have also been popping in and out constantly to work on different things as the need arose.

We left them to work on the house while we were on holiday over half term which did work very well as they were able to get the floor laid without us bothering them. I think we would have had to move out otherwise, as we wouldn't have been able to use most of the ground floor.

Otherwise I've had to make sure that someone is around during the day in case they need anything, and as my husband works away quite a lot that's usually me. It has been a bit of a disruption to my usual routine - I've hardly been going out running which I miss, so that's something to get back into in the New Year!

I also feel on edge all the time when there are people in the house and I struggle to relax. It's not so much the noise or the dust, it's just knowing that there is always someone there. Should I be offering a drink? Do they need me for anything?

I'm also completely worn out with decision fatigue - from big decisions like which kitchen cabinets or floor tiles to choose down to the tiny ones like which saucepans to buy for the new induction hob. We've had lists to work through of things which need to be decided and chosen, and although it's exciting I find it all really tiring to think about!

I never like to give Christmas as a deadline for anything. But fingers crossed, this Christmas I will have a lovely clean and shiny space, and I can cook some delicious Christmas treats in an oven that isn't on its last legs!

The things that I always bring back from a trip to Ikea

Last week we took a trip to Ikea. This is quite exciting for me, as we don't have one close by and so we need to make a specific trip. We usually only go when there is something in particular that we are after, but I can't stop myself picking up a few extras as I go round. 

Here are some of the things that always seem to make their way to the checkout:

Baskets and trays

I have a gorgeous basket in the living room which I use to store blankets, and square baskets which fit perfectly onto my Billy bookcases. I always spot some pretty storage item that I know will be both useful and decorative around the home.

Plants

Recently I've been buying fake plants as I'm not very green fingered when it comes to houseplants. Some of them are better than others but I like how they look, and they are often conveniently situated next to a pretty plant pot that suits the plant perfectly!

Ikea also sell a great range of real plants. In my final year at university I bought myself a small yucca plant, and over twenty years later it is still alive and well!

Candles

I think most people struggle to resist buying scented candles at Ikea. Every visit there is a new scent that I want to try, and because I don't burn candles very often I now have quite a stash which I need to make an effort to work through! I'm also partial to the little glass candle holders.

Kitchen utensils

I always seem to need a new wooden spatula or wooden spoon, and I find that the Ikea ones are really sturdy and comfortable to use. I usually spot some kind of kitchen gadget or storage solution that is new to me and I know would be really useful - on our most recent visit it was a set of reusable silicon food covers. I'm a huge fan of their cheese grater with a handy container underneath, I'm always grating cheese and it makes it so easy.

Rechargeable batteries

We get through a lot of batteries. We have many smart devices and sensors around the house, and my daughter has a room filled with battery powered fairy lights. We use the Ikea Ladda rechargeable batteries and we always seem to need another pack or two.

Sandwich bags

I really love the resealable Istad bags which come in a range of sizes. I don't actually use them for food, I use them for storage around the house. They are really thick and sturdy and so they are great for bundling sets of cables or other accessories that all belong together. I use them for storing stationery supplies, to keep jigsaw pieces together inside the boxes, to store my in progress craft projects, all sorts of things.

Photo frames and prints

Ikea has a huge selection of photo frames, often in unusual sizes that you can't find elsewhere. The frames are really reasonably priced too and are well made, we have them all over the house and they have lasted for years. They have some gorgeous prints too which are different each time we visit and so I always like to look through them even if I don't have any wall space to hang more!

What do you always return with after a trip to Ikea?

Photo credit Adam Kolmacka via Unsplash

Things that I miss in a digital world

I've been having a bit of a sort out recently, and going through some of my stashes of mementoes. It's made me feel a little sad at how much has been replaced now that there are digital alternatives. Maybe the options are more sustainable, and easier to use for the customer, but I think that we are missing out! Here are some things that either no longer exist, or that I feel won't be around for much longer.

Catalogues

The other week I received a Lakeland catalogue in the post and I was unashamedly thrilled. So many gorgeous pictures of Christmassy things to pore over. We took a trip to Ikea and I felt bereft that you can no longer pick up a catalogue to keep on the coffee table at home (I just looked it up, the last physical Ikea catalogue was printed in 2020). Yes, webpages and apps are more up to date with current prices, special offers and detailed information, but nothing beats flicking through colourful shiny pages filled with inspirational images. 

Physical tickets

I love keeping tickets to things - theatre, cinema, concerts, museums, travel and so on. I have a stash of cinema tickets from the 90s when I used to go every week with my friends, no matter what was showing. My books are filled with concert tickets that I've used as bookmarks. Now you enter a venue with a QR code, and once inside you never look at it again. 

Alarm clocks

I loved the battery alarm clock I had as a teenager. It was cube shaped and had a dial on the top which you could turn to see the time in different countries around the world. I loved looking at all the exotic countries and imagining what people were up to. I've tried to source myself something similar but I can't find one that I like. I have Echo Dot next to my bed which displays the time and acts as an alarm clock but it's just not the same.

Writing letters

As part of my degree I spent a year studying in Germany. I had quite a lot of free time, and I kept up a steady stream of written correspondence with my husband-to-be, my family and lots of my friends. I loved checking my little letter box and discovering a handwritten letter from home, and I've kept them all. These days communication would be more frequent via WhatsApp or social media updates, but it would be fleeting and transient. The age of bundles of love letters is gone forever, it's just not the same scrolling through short and insubstantial text messages. Of course there's nothing to stop me picking up a pen and writing to my friends, but they are busy people and I don't want to burden them with the thought that they would then have to take the time to write back to me!

Stamps

Stamps used to be so pretty! I know that Royal Mail do release special themed stamps, but I never see them because most letters that I receive just have the postage printed directly on the envelope. 

Photo credit Ali Bakhtiari via Unsplash

New album releases on cassette and CD

It used to be such an event going out to buy the CD when a new album was released, and listening to it while flipping through the little booklet that came with it containing the lyrics and photos. Now I listen to a new album release on Spotify and it's just not the same. My daughter tells me that you can still buy physical albums for bands which come with posters, photobooks etc. - but we don't even have a CD player any more!

Postcards

I've written before about how I love to collect postcards, and I remember sending and receiving postcards from all of my summer holidays. Now we just share regular photos in the family WhatsApp groups.

Paper maps

Whenever I visit somewhere new I always try to find a map to keep and remind me of my travels, I have boxes filled with maps and leaflets that I love to sort through. You can sometimes still get a map in a touristy place, but of course it's much easier to use an app that knows exactly where you are. You lose the souvenir though! I particularly enjoy looking at old maps of places like theme parks because they change so often and it's a little slice of time. But they are being slowly phased out and I know they won't be around for much longer.

Real dictionaries

I am very tempted to buy myself a physical copy of the Oxford English dictionary. I used to have several, including a huge one which was decluttered years ago. I'm sure that there's a dictionary app that I could use, but when I'm reading I don't want to be distracted by my phone to look up an unfamiliar word, it would make it harder to get back in to the book again.

Photo credit Joshua Hoehne via Unsplash

Packets of printed out photos

It used to be so exciting going to get photos developed, seeing how well your shots had come out and reliving all those holiday memories. You can of course get photos printed but it's so much more effort deciding which of the hundreds of photos to print, working out how to upload them, and trying to find the best deal when it comes to price. I also feel that the quality isn't as good as when printing from film. Most of my old photos are in boxes with some of my favourites in albums, and I love going through them. I need to make an effort to print out more of my digital pics!

What do you miss that now has a digital replacement?

Free things that I collect

As much as I aspire to minimalism, the truth is that I also want to live surrounded by things that inspire me and that bring joy to my life. I'm not a big shopper, and I've realised that most of the things that I enjoy collecting are things that I've picked up for free over the years. I love appreciating the little things in life, and saving small souvenirs that remind me of the places that I've been and the things that I've seen. 

Here are some of my collections:

Postcards

I have a huge collection of postcards that I've picked up over the years. Some of them are flyers for university events, and many of them came from trips to the cinema back in the 90s when they used to have racks of free postcards advertising all sorts of things. I used to come home with a bagful! If I ever spot one while I'm visiting somewhere I have to pick it up, I just love all the different designs and how advertising has changed over time. I currently have most of them stored in a deep plastic folder, but I do have a few favourites pinned around my desk and a large postcard display hanger in the utility room.

Business cards

In this digital age these are quite often still around, especially in pubs and restaurants. If I spot one at the till while I'm paying I surreptitiously slip it into my wallet, usually to stick into my journal later! They are a lovely reminder of the places that I've been.

Pens

I can't resist a free pen, and some of them have become my favourites to use. I have a great one which I picked up at a hotel that we stayed at in Florida last year. It's chunky, it writes smoothly, and when I use it I'm transported back to a lovely sunny beach and a relaxing pool.

Notepads

I can't resist a hotel notepad, especially if it has the name of the hotel on it. I also have a few sets of postcards, envelopes and writing paper purloined from various fancier hotels that we've stayed in. I keep the pads in my desk drawer to grab when I need to make a quick note of something.

Pretty boxes and bags

I keep any kind of attractive box or bag, especially gift bags. I've never bought a gift bag, I always seem to have the perfect one to hand when I need it! I use pretty boxes for storage, or I use the lids as trays in drawers for smaller items. I also keep a stash of plain boxes on hand for sending out eBay parcels. I quite often buy things like biscuits just for the tin that they come in, I do love a decorative tin and I always keep my eyes open in the post Christmas sales.

Beach finds

Shhh, I know that you aren't supposed to bring home shells and stones from the beach. But I think everyone that has visited the seaside has at least a few in their home, and I am very discerning with what I bring back. Also, most of the things that I collect from the beach are not natural materials, for example I love to search for colourful sea glass or marine plastic.

Tote bags

My husband often comes back with these from work events and we have quite a collection. I can't bear to throw them out! I don't tend to use them for shopping, but they are very useful for filling with charity donations and I hope they come in useful to the shop as well. Now that plastic shopping bags are harder to come by it's always useful to have a spare one or two that you don't mind not getting back.

Do you collect things that you come across in your daily life?