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

      

christmas around the home

Another Christmas inspired post today (we hope you are enjoying them so far). By now most of us have decorated the tree (or trees) in our homes and hung our stockings by the fireplace. But what about adding that festive touch elsewhere in the home. Christmas is about indulgence and celebration so we think it's worth going all out and adding the christmas cheer around the whole house. Why limit Christmas to just one room or just have a tree? What about using a seasonal scent, a diffuser, air freshener or soap, so the house not only looks Christmassy but smells like it too. If you enjoy the festive season as much as we do then these ideas could really make this Christmas extra special in your home. 

We love finding something special each year to add to our collection of Christmas decor. Year on year when you open the boxes full of Christmas treasures and unpack those exciting items it adds something special to the whole occasion. From mugs to cushions to bedding or prints there is a massive range of products available. Disgard the boring tea towels and pick out something fun and festive, it is Christmas after all. 

Here are a few of our favourites.

Tea towel Not on the hightstreet £8.15 / Hand towel BHS £8.00 / Santa tea pot Next £12 / Oven gloves Asda £4.00 / Mug Emma Bridgewater £19.95 / Cinnamon diffuser Matalan£3.00 / Santa bedding M&S £13.65-£34.65

Sarah and Holly

                 

                                                              

it's a wrap!

Once the christmas shopping list is ticked off and complete its time to start thinking about how to thoughtfully wrap those important gifts. Just as much thought is needed in wrapping a gift as well as buying it, thats part of the fun of giving. Lets face it, buying the presents is the easy part but starting the mammoth task of wrapping all those presents is not one we look forward to. So why not get creative and enjoy it! There is a huge choice of paper, tapes, bows, tissue paper, string and tags, so you can get as creative as you like. You could stick to traditional colours and imagery or pick on trend designs that use hints of luxurious coppers and metallics. Character based designs, typography, there really is a massive range out there. 

If you are feeling really ambitious what about creating your own paper designs or crafting home made gift tags. If you are not as ambitious as that Sarah & Bendrix did a blog post about their printable designs, check the post out by clicking on the link. You could even incorporate small gifts into your wrapping. Tying a christmas decoration to a bow adds a thoughtful and sentimental touch to a gift. 

We have picked out some of our gift wrapping favourites below. 

Washi Tape Hobbycraft £5.00 / 2M Wrap pack Next £6.00  / 

Large gift bag Paperchase £4.00 / Red film bow John Lewis £2.00 / Personalised gift stamp Not on the high street £17.50 / Sticker Roll Wilkos £1.00

Sarah and Holly

                                                             

the christmas jumper

In recent years Christmas jumpers have become extremely popular and we really do mean popular! Before the new craze began a few years ago Christmas jumpers for us conjured up visions of cheesy 80's Christmas music videos, crazy patterned prints, itchy fabrics and families in matching jumpers on Christmas cards. These stereotypes are long gone with the jumpers back in force in the shops with new, edgy, modern and interesting designs to choose from. 

Now you can pick up a jumper during your weekly food shop at the supermarket. Jumper designs range from the simple and the understated to the kitsch and the bright with all the trimmings, sequins and sparkles you could dream of! We have spotted a few with witty quotes and text too! It seems the Christmas jumper is now a festive staple and makes the perfect and easy outfit choice for office jumper days, parties and of course Christmas Day! (or why not all of December!) 

If you can't find a jumper you like (and you have a spare afternoon) then why not DIY one yourself! Pick up a plain, cheap jumper and head down to your local craft shop. Pop on a Christmas film and go wild with hot glue and decorate to your hearts content! But if you don't have the time or the patience to make one, check out the below items we have picked to help you with this years jumper decision. We have selected a few different styles and designs on the market this year!

Let's 'jump' in! 

Deer jumper Next £32 / Baahumbug Next £32 / Let it snow Asda £16 / 

Mornings New Look £19.99 / Candy cane Topshop £35 / Reindeer Sainsburys £18 

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

                 

      

by the fireside

Living in a new build or modern home can sometimes be tricky when it comes to furnishing and decorating. Often the rooms can lack features and focal points. Older buildings offer beautiful original and historical features, which add character and charm. Don't get us wrong we love our houses, they are modern, fresh and bright! However, it can be hard to decorate or arrange a room when there is nothing to act as a centre piece! If this is the case then why not treat this as a blank canvas and an opportunity to make your mark and create a space that's right for you. 

A fireplace can be an easy and simple way to add focus within a room as well as creating a much more cosy atmosphere. There are many free standing electric fires to choose from in varying sizes (compact ones are available if you have a small room) as well as various different styles. These are easy to assemble and install as they don't require a chimney and many come already assembled! Just unpack, plug it in and wait for the room to get toasty!

As Christmas approaches we have spotted various images on Pinterest and in magazines of magical, dreamy rooms with roaring fireplaces adorned with stockings and beautiful garlands! (you always want what you don't have) But whatever shape or style room you have, a fire place can be included to create the perfect homely living room. And yes we know these may not be the traditional roaring open fires with logs that we all wish we had but this a good compromise, that is quick and easy to do yourself!

Smeg fire John Lewis £444 / White compact fire Argos £149.99 / 

Black traditional style fire Homebase £399 / Walnut shelf fire Fireplace world £499 /

Stove and surround Very £499 / Cube shelf fire Next £399

Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

put the kettle on

Now we are heading towards the colder months and the winter season, hot drinks for us become a must and necessity. The perfect way to warm up! Cups of hot tea, coffee, cappuccinos... well you get the idea! (we don't need to list them all!) Now we know kettles may not seem like the most exciting or interesting item to talk about but without these appliances we wouldn't be able to snuggle up and enjoy a nice hot beverage on these now darker, cooler days!

Kettles are a functional item but this doesn't mean they can't look stylish sat on the kitchen worktop. If you shop around you can find a variety of different shapes and colours to match your kitchen decor. There is a huge array of kettles out there depending on taste, ranging from copper / rose gold effect to bright and bold colours. Pretty patterns adorn some, while others use a more traditional shape and style! We even found some that change colour as they boil! The choice is yours! Just remember kettles don't have to be dull and boring and you can have a lot of fun deciding which one you want! The humble kettle is used everyday so why not pick one that is just a little bit more exciting! (the smeg one though how cute and available in lots of other colours too!)

Copper kettle Debenhams £110 / Red heart kettle Next £32 / 

Colour change kettle John Lewis £46 / Cuppa kettle Argos £29.99 / 

Smeg pink kettle Currys £99.99 / Cranberry kettle Asda £54.99 

Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

say it with words

Lets face it, our homes are one of the most personal and intimate spaces. They reflect who we and our families are. Its only right that we decorate and adorn them with things that are specific and relevant to us. So we thought for this weeks blog post that we would focus on prints, but specifically quotes. Quotes are a perfect way to incorporate that individual touch to a room and home. There are quotes that are specific to every room, and they can be taken form all different places and inspirations. You could select a favourite song, a film, a book, poetry, an artist or even use a quote that is personal to you, that may have a symbolic or sentimental memory attached. Quotes help to keep us motivated and inspired, so why not have one or two dotted around the home as a subtle reminder (we all need a little help now and then).

Typographic prints are one of our favourites and there are a huge range of fonts and styles to choose from. The right font really does help enhance and compliment a quote, bringing the message and meaning behind it to life. You can keep it graphic and minimalistic with just simple black and white or pick prints that incorporate both type and imagery. Metallic foils add a touch of luxury and add a little more style and uniqueness. 

With Christmas looming these could make a really personal and thoughtful gift.
There really is a huge range of prints available, you can even have your own prints made to order. Here are just a few that we have picked out.

Be bold Print Society Six $19 / All you need is love Wall Art Debenhams £18 / Wild at heart Print Not on the high street £30 / Tille Print Next £30 / Willy Wonka Print Etsy £8.08 / Dreams Canvas House of Fraser £30 / Sisters Print Not on the high street £14 / Life doesn't have to be perfect Print Not on the high street £16.50

Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

get set for november

November has arrived and already the shops are flooded with Christmas items and decorations and it's almost time for the influx of the magical Christmas adverts on the television! (we are most excited for the John Lewis advert at the end of the week!) The Halloween decorations have been taken down which leaves November as the "in between" month. It is not quite time to deck the halls and drag out all the Christmas decorations just yet but a whole month to wait before we can drape everything in fairy lights and glitter seems like an endless wait! 

To help the run down to December feel a little faster why not incorporate some cosy and cute winter essentials into your day to day life (bunny slippers are a must in our opinion!) November is the time to indulge, relax and treat yourself before all the Christmas present shopping needs to be done and the crazy chaos begins! So we have picked some home pieces alongside clothing and phone accessories we think will make the wait much easier and a lot more fun! We hope you like the picks! (how cosy does the jumper look!)

Hot water bottle Asda £5 / Jumper Topshop £42 / Candle M&S £6 / 
Bunny slippers Next £12 / Cushion Not on the highstreet £27 / 
Phone case Not on the highstreet £10 

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

cosy up: winter essentials

We thought for our post this week (and because of the change in weather, its getting pretty chilly out there) that we would pick out some winter essentials. Things that we think will help us to embrace the looming dark nights ahead. So here are some ideas that might help.

Adorn the fireplace or side board with some nostalgic and seasonal candles. We love lighting candles, especially in Autumn and Winter. Our favourite scents are vanilla, cinnamon, cherry, well we like lots really. 

 Add lanterns or fairy lights to a room and make it feel atmospheric and warm. Oliver Bonas have some really pretty copper ones. 

Cuddle up with some big, fluffy cushions or throws (a hot water bottle is also a must!).

Pick out a favourite mug and enjoy a hot drink (we love hot chocolates).

Here are a few of our favourite items that we have found to help us prepare for the cold nights ahead.

Copper string lights Oliver Bonas £9.50 / Large Jar Candle Primark £3.00 / Chevron Throw Next £25 / Hedgehog Mug John Lewis £10 / Cushion Not on the high street £65 / Lantern Wilkos £12

  Sarah and Holly

                                 

      

bear love

Bears are one of our favourite animals and they seem to have a huge influence in homeware recently. There are so many lovely illustrations and artworks of bears. We wanted to share some of our favourites that we have seen popping up on the high street and online.  

Illustration styles range from bold and graphic, to cute and stylised characters that seem to have charming personalities. The combination of playful and witty phrases and typography really makes us fall in love with these "unbearable" pieces. 

There's a diverse range of styles and designs and it doesn't have to be something that is incorporated into children's decor. It can be added in a mature and sophisticated manner too, adding a quirky and fun touch to a room. 

Of course, bears are not the only animals influencing home accessories. Why not check out our post about cat inspired homeware. 

We hope you like the items we have selected. 

 Bear cushion George £7 / Bear cushion Next £16 / Candle M&S £15 / Print Not on the high street £19 / Ceramic bear Wilkos £4 / Bear plate Paperchase £8.50 / Bear mugs set of 4 George £4

  Sarah and Holly