I had dinner the other day with a friend who is still undecided about how she’ll vote in the EU referendum, and she asked me why I was so dead-set on voting Remain. At the time, probably on account of the pre-dinner cocktails, I couldn’t convey my conviction in convincing words, but her question has really made me think about why this vote is so important to me.

More than anything, for me, the EU vote is an ideological one. Much like some people will vote Labour or Tory regardless of those parties’ policies or previous actions, I have never even contemplated a vote for Brexit because of a gut feeling that Britain has a moral duty to consider itself a European country in more than just a geographical sense, and to opt for inclusion and cohesion over isolation and jingoism. The fact that former enemies now have the other country’s interests at heart is something we shouldn’t take for granted, especially in an era of increased support for far-right politics across Europe, anti-semitic outbursts here and abroad, and the prospect of rulers like Trump and his Mexican wall being taken seriously by the general public. History can repeat itself.

Secondly, I hate the idea of pulling up the drawbridge on migration. I’ve lived and worked abroad and loved it, and have made some great friends in Europe. My husband is Spanish and building a career here in the UK required such hard work and tenacity on his part – and that’s without the added bureaucracy that leaving the EU would create for others wanting to do the same. Everyone I know who lives and works here as a European foreigner is an exemplary guest. I think we should celebrate the fact that a mixture of cultures can enrich our society, and celebrate people who have the courage to move countries to change their lives. Continue Reading…

I constantly have several to-do lists swimming around in my head – for work, the blog, life admin, capsule wardrobe ideas, etc. I’ve tried various ways to organise them – a brief flirtation with Evernote, various Google docs or just random bits of paper. Most recently I bought a planner from Kikki K, which is beautiful, but wasn’t quite enough either.

About a month ago I discovered bullet journalling and decided to give it a go as all I needed to get started was any old notebook I could find lying around at home. If you’re wondering what it is, the Bullet Journal website describes it as ‘a customisable and forgiving organisation system. It can be your to-do list, sketchbook, notebook, and diary, but most likely, it will be all of the above.’ For me it’s been a place to keep track of all those to-do lists in my head, freeing up headspace and meaning I actually get stuff done!

If you’re interested, watch this quick video by the Bullet Journal creator, which explains how it works.

At first, bullet journalling can seem a bit overwhelming, especially if you start by searching for inspiration on Pinterest. My advice is to find a notebook at home that you’re not using and just start! Allow for some trial and error before you find a system that works for you – that’s the beauty of the Bullet Journal, you can just start again on the next page. Once you know you’re definitely in love with bullet journalling, then you can invest in the notebook – the LEUCHTTURM 1917. The pleasing feel of quality to it and the index and numbered pages all make bullet journalling in it a dream.

I keep mine really simple. It’s mostly a way to organise my life at the moment, but the sky really is the limit – bullet journalling is a great way to keep track of goals, plan bucket lists or remember films you want to watch and books you want to read, etc. I’ve created a Pinterest board with some of my favourite ideas below.

What do you think? Are you intrigued? Or have you already started a bullet journal? I’d love to know how you’re getting on.
P.S. How to read more books, make time for friends and learn to meditate.

Juan had, until recently, been sniffing continually for about two years. No matter how deeply we cleaned the flat (not very, tbh…), or how many times we washed his clothes, or how often he swallowed anti-histamines, he appeared to constantly have a cold on its way in or out. I was convinced, however, that it wasn’t a cold, and finally managed to persuade him to see a doctor, who diagnosed him with chronic rhinitis and suggested he try an anti-allergy pillow. A few weeks ago, I got around to ordering some – and while I was at it, I treated us to our first new duvet in our 10-year relationship (and my first new duvet – I think – ever).

All I can say is that the nights I spent huddling down under a stodgy, lumpen, cheapo duvet now seem like a lifetime ago – my impulse duvet purchase created a watershed moment in our lives. It is a joy to go to bed these days – if I close my eyes I can imagine I am in a boutique hotel. Sure, it was a £160 outlay that we could have done without – but if we keep it for as long as we soldiered on with the last sorry specimen, that breaks down to just £16 a year. In other words, a complete bargain – and that’s disregarding the positive impact the anti-allergy stuffing is already having on Juan’s well-being.

It got me thinking about all the other home comforts that I make do with or without. Continue Reading…