fake it

When it comes to plants and flowers, there are those of us who manage to keep them alive and there are those of us who forget to water them, overwater them and well just kill them off. Fresh flowers in the home are always a lovely idea but can often be expensive and the pounds soon add up when bought weekly. Plus if you can't keep plants alive then this becomes an extra cost and also such a waste to keep replacing them! We think fake or artificial flowers and plants are an easy option to place around the home to help add some greenery and we say this loosely a 'natural' element to any room. Although we do think this topic is probably like marmite, you will either love the idea of the fake ones or you will hate it and prefer the real, living options. 

If you are willing to try artificial then are lots of fake options available to choose from. These can be easily added to any room without any mess, no need to water or maintain, they are perfect for anyone with allergies and are also pet friendly (although we have seen with our own eyes that cats will try to eat fake plants though!) We would also advise to be quite careful when selecting artificial pieces, as some can often look a little too green or a little too shiny. Try to find some really good quality ones that look as realistic and convincing as a 'fake' plant can look! Most often already come in pots and include gravel and stones for extra decoration. Why not opt for something quirky, like succulents arranged inside a vintage book or a cute hanging glass terrarium. 

So why not try adding some greenery or some brightly coloured flowers to match your room decor, around the house but without the hassle of the real deal!

Peach flowers Not on the highstreet £9.95 / Terrarium globe Fred Aldous £3.96 / 

Succulent mix Blooming artificial £38.39 / Cactus with gravel in glass pot John Lewis £8 / 

Succulents in book Not on the highstreet £29.50 / Succulent in grey pot Farthing £21.50 / 

Grass Ikea £20 

Sarah and Holly

      

let's get organised... in the kitchen

We hope you are enjoying the 'let's get organised' series and today we have some more ideas and hacks for the kitchen! The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home and with this in mind we believe the kitchen is an important room, which should be well organised, clean and tidy. Here are a few ideas to help create an organised space. Clever over the door storage creates more cupboard space and attaching pieces to the wall frees up valuable worktop space, if a kitchen is on the smaller size. Why not try freestanding shelf units or trolleys with wheels, which can be moved around the kitchen and are a great versatile item. If baked goods (home made or shop bought) are consumed and created frequently in your home then opt for a dome cake stand or cake tins, which can display and store tasty treats and once again frees up cupboard space. 

Organised drawers ensure it is easy to find utensils and tools. No one wants to open up a messy drawer with knives and forks mixed up together. There are expandable options to fit different drawer sizes as well as wooden, metal or plastic options. Planing the weeks meals always seems such a chore but a meal planner or a chalkboard hung in the kitchen helps to plan the week ahead and let's everyone know the weeks menu (without the need to ask you!) We have picked out some items we think will help with an organised kitchen and a more organised life as well as a quote to help inspire you! 

"A place for everything, and everything in its place" - Mrs Beeton (The book of household management) 

 Cake tins Lakeland £36.99 / Trolley Ikea £49 / Steel container Ikea £15 / 

Cutlery tray Habitat £10 / Utensil pot Lakeland £15 / Storage jar Habitat £15 / 

Steel rail Ikea £3.50 / Wall basket storage Ikea £22.50 / Chalkboard Ikea £17

Sarah and Holly

      

let's get organised... storage solutions

Today's lets get organised post is about storage solutions. We all start January off with the idea that we want to get the house back into an organised and tidy state. Those cupboards and drawers that have been stuffed to capacity and barely closing for the last year are in desperate need of our attention! There's nothing worse than tipping the whole house upside down in an attempt to find something that we have plonked in the most unlikely of places months ago. So the beginning of the new year is a perfect time to get our homes back on track.

There are lots of ideas for every room, cupboard or drawer. There are practical and simplistic solutions for those items that we just want to be hidden from sight. Or stylish and beautiful ideas that make a nice addition to a room or decor, whilst also serving some functionality at the same time. We usually favour talking about the prettier items for homes, but sometimes we have to accept that looking after our home's is not just about pretty accessories, trends and colours but keeping on top of the basic and everyday tasks.

We have already started to have a January sort out in our own homes. Here are a few ideas that we have picked out that may help. Don't forget to follow our blog (just click the follow button on the right side just scroll down you can't miss it!) so you can keep up to date with all the exciting posts we have planned for this year!

Wall Organiser Dunelm £59.99 / Set of 2 Wire baskets Habitat £45 / Chest Ikea £65 / Set of 3 Wire House Shelves Next £14 / Flower Scarf Organiser Homebase £1.99 / Storage basket Wilkos £1.99 / 4 Drawer Stripe Unit George £18.00

Sarah and Holly

      

magic and sparkle

Soon the boxes of Christmas decorations will be brought down from the loft, the dust will be blown away and the boxes opened to reveal the decorations and accessories of Christmas pasts. But as we search for the boxes in the dark and battle with the spiders, there is no doubt that we will start to worry. Will the tree lights work when we plug them in? What if the baubles are broken or were squashed in storage? So each year we like to add or update our existing decorations and incorporate some new pieces to keep Christmas fun and exciting as well as replacing any old or broken items. This will not be difficult as we have spotted so many amazing pieces on the highstreet. 

A new pack of baubles is an inexpensive way to change the colour scheme of the tree and are available in some many different shapes and colours. You could also check out our John Lewis post if you fancy something a little more special and individual! Twinkly wreaths, festive copper star lamps as well as plaques and signs with wonderful festive quotes, work well hung over door handles or swapped with a canvas or picture (no need to put any extra nails in the walls!) Snow globes look great added to shelves or fireplaces alongside current decor. Battery powdered fairy lights (available everywhere!) or garlands draped over mirrors can be easily added for some extra sparkle to a room. Lets not forget tea light holders and candles. These always add some extra Christmas spirit as they flicker away and be sure to pick up some seasonal and festive scented ones too!

Christmas decorating is our favourite so why not go wild, be creative and use Christmas as an excuse to add some magic and sparkle to your home! We have picked out a few examples below to help inspire you! (colour scheme was genuinely unintentional!) 

Noel sign Wilkos £1.50 / Metal star garland Next £10 / Snow globe Next £14 / 
Reindeer tea light holder Habitat £35 / Star lamp Ikea £8 / Candle holder Ikea £2.50

Sarah and Holly