Considering some of the mistakes I’ve made when renovating my own home, I can now see how appealing it would be to get some professional advice before I started! Whether you are looking to re-do one room or the entire house, there are times when hiring an interior designer makes
Renovating my bathroom was a steep learning curve & I made a few mistakes along the way! Today I’m sharing my experience & hopefully you can avoid my newbie errors, as well as saving money on your own bathroom makeover…
My thrifty ’50s kitchen makeover is nearly complete – with the exception of the flooring. So, I’ve researched a few options to revamp the space would love to know what you think…
Did you know that in Norfolk and Suffolk alone 113,000 tonnes of food is wasted each year? It’s such a shame that we are wasting so much food – both financially & environmentally. The aim of the #FoodSavvy challenge is to reduce our food waste by 20% & decrease single-use
Whether you’re renting or buying, space comes at a premium in any property. The more spacious your interior, the greater the cost of your rent or mortgage. So if you opt for a smaller home & here’s how to use the space you have to best effect…
There just aren’t enough hours in the day, are there? Your to-do list of cleaning, shopping and adulting tasks takes up so much time! Here are some ways to minimise the chores you have to do and free up some relaxation time for yourself..
I was getting close to completing my DIY kitchen renovation but it all went spectacularly wrong last week. If you’ve read my blog, you’ll know that my kitchen ceiling now has about 60 holes in it! So it’s back to the drawing board for more kitchen inspo…
Well, my year has got off to a cracking start..! If you detected a hint of sarcasm in that first sentence, you’d be right. A mysterious water problem quickly turned into a day of emergency repairs, with floorboards taken up, holes drilled and plumbing problems. Here’s what happened…
Happy new year! How was your Christmas and new year? What plans do you have for 2020? And the coming decade, for that matter?! If you’re anything like me, you’ll be raring to get started on your goals for the year and will be excited about what the year brings.
When midnight comes on New Year’s Eve it feels like a new start & we’re fired with enthusiasm for the year to come. Often, our new year’s resolutions are financial so here are some tips from an expert for setting achievable money resolutions for 2020…
I don’t know about you but, almost as soon as Christmas is over, I start thinking about the big clean-up I’m going to do when the tree comes down and the decorations are put away. Even if you don’t usually like household chores (yes, that’s me!), if you own one
When looking for ways to be frugal, it’s a good idea to look through all the categories in your budget as there are always some places you can save money or some bills that could be a little lower. While it’s essential to get the optimum care and products for
Thrifty living is a great way to make your money go further but it’s only a part of the story. You need to ensure that the cash you save works as hard as possible for you. That means saving and investing that cash wisely – starting in January! Below is
If you want to get into the festive spirit but don’t want to splash the cash on a new Christmas jumper, I’ve come up with an easy DIY version that you can make at home. I’ve used a T-shirt that I picked up from the charity shop for just £2
If you need to turn your daytime makeup into a glamorous night time look for festive parties, here are 5 makeup products that you’ll need in your kit so that you can party all night long…
Based on my previous posts, you might think I have a ‘thing’ for bedding (& you would be right) but my excitement about today’s review is more specific than just adding new sheets to my heaving linen cupboard….
If you have a quite few people to buy for this Christmas, the thrifty way to give your friends & family a treat is by creating a gift hamper. My friend Alina loves to make her own things so she decided to make a Christmas hamper with homemade jam &
If you’re as excited about Christmas as I am this year, you’ll be feeling ‘fizzy’ today – which is exactly how I felt when I turned on my laptop and realised that it’s the 1st December! My days just run together at times and I often lose track of the
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday sneaking up on us, this seems to be the weekend that people really throw themselves into their Christmas shopping. And sometimes, when there’s a big discount on offer, it can be so tempting to splash the cash – and really difficult to stick your
If you’re wondering what to get your youngsters for Christmas this year, or are planning to donate to a charity Christmas gift appeal, I’ve put together a wonderful collection of fun and educational gifts for all ages – from toddlers to teens. Plus, you can win a kids’ microscope kit
If you want to add some festive touches to your walls but don’t want to go all-out with tinsel and garlands, today’s DIY star wreathes could be the solution. They’re a minimalistic, Scandi-style and look great in both contemporary or rustic homes so here’s how to recreate this simple Nordic
You won’t believe it but, after months (okay, years) of complaining to you about my horrible hallway, the space has finally been decorated! We really knuckled-down this month and pulled-on our paint-spattered overalls for one last push to finish the renovating. You might have already got wind of the fact
In today’s post, I’m taking a look at some budget skincare options that you can use to look after your skin and some handy recipes to DIY your skincare…
Have you ever had a room where you just don’t know how to lay out the furniture? One with an unusual L-shape, or alcoves, or windows on two or more walls? In most rooms you can just ‘feel’ where the furniture should go and, in many modern homes, you can
Moving to a new house can be an expensive and stressful time. If you have just bought a property, you will be tied up in actually paying for it, not to mention stamp duty and all the other fees you might have to pay. Even if you are renting, you’ll
Do you find that your skin is dryer or more irritated in the winter? The seasons are changing and as we move from warmer weather into colder temperatures it’s a good idea to take a look at your usual skincare routine and make some easy changes for the winter months…
When planning a kitchen makeover, it’s surprisingly easy to make aesthetic decisions that might actually be less cost-effective in the long run. So, if you’re researching a renovation project and need to make decisions about your appliances, here are three things to consider to help you save money going forward…
If your teen has gone away to uni this year, what can you do to help them prepare for their life at University? Sure they might already be settling in, but they’ll be home for their first mid-semester ‘reading week’ soon and with many first year students having second thoughts
As you might be able to tell from my previous blog post, I’ve been DIYing this week. With that in mind, I thought I would share some nuggets of DIY wisdom (or words of warning, perhaps..?!) that I’ve come across during my decorating…
Do you enjoy making things? Do you love to save money? Do you want unique decorations that no-one else has? Then it’s time to make your own! I’m getting a head start on my Christmas preparations this month and have made three scandi-style decor projects that you can easily replicate
How did you sleep last night? Do you feel rested? Are you enjoying your day today? Getting a good night’s sleep is so important for your mood, productivity and health, but it’s not just an issue to consider alone; it is a family issue. Here are 6 sleep hacks to
Did you know that in 2017-18 the outgoings of households in the UK was greater than their income for the first time in nearly 30 years? I was reading a report by the Office of National Statistics and it got me thinking about those financial commitments many people have that
If you’ve never bought from an auction house before it’s a fun, action-packed second-hand shopping experience that could save you ££s so here’s how to start buying at auctions without – & here’s the best bit – leaving the comfort of your own home…!
It’s been a busy couple of months and I’ve been lucky enough to write a couple of interiors feature for issue 42 and issue 43 of Reclaim magazine. Plus, I’ve also written some blog post elsewhere around the internet so here are the links if you want to check them
Have you ever wondered what you can do to improve your retirement income? It may feel far away for some of us and for others it might be fast approaching. Either way, you’ll want to feel secure in your retirement and make sure you have enough money to live on,
Old and stained double-glazed doors can make your entire home look tired, and no amount of cleaning can get them back to their box-fresh whiteness. PVC doors can be costly to replace so why not spruce them up with a coat of paint? Not possible? Here’s how I revamped my
For this month’s Reclaim magazine I wrote about Ercol for the mid-century modern Design Icon column. And my research led me to some surprising results…
All photos of Ju’s home by Alexandra Joseph If you’ve been hooked on the new BBC TV show Interior Design Masters since it started in August, you won’t have been able to miss designer Ju de Paula. Her colourful designs and pattern clashing style are taking the show by storm.
Timeless decor items will be different for every person, but once you find them it can give a sense of comfort and permanence to your house. Plus, I’m a firm believer in ‘buy well, buy once’ so it’s a good idea not to follow interiors trends with your bigger investment
Have you heard about the Etsy Design Awards? If not, I would urge you to check it out today. The list of finalists has been announced and the winners will be chosen in September. It’s a great way to discover new sellers, and here’s what I found when I browsed
To be honest with you, the kitchen was one of the most disgusting rooms in our fixer-upper home. So it was kind-of the room we tackled first. It got a coat of fresh white paint (to cover up the oil-and-nicotine stained walls eww) on the day we got the keys.
I’ve been watching a lot of inspirational & motivational YouTube videos recently so I thought I’d share my my top 5 channels on the topics of minimalism, money-saving tips and living an unconventional life…
When I found a few brick pallets in a building site skip (and asked if it would be okay to re-use them!) my mind starting whirring at the possible projects they could be used for. The result is this kids’ mud kitchen and I thought I’d share the step-by-step project
So you’ve already got a successful side hustle. SO successful in fact, that it’s now your main hustle. You’ve given up your 9-to-5 job and are working on your business full time. Congratulations! But having an extra income stream on the side is always a good idea, so you might
It’s been a really exciting couple of months at Cassiefairy HQ and I’ve been lucky enough to be featured in a few new publications woo! It’s been a while since I updated you with my latest news (in fact, I haven’t shared anything since May!) so I thought I’d gather
Do you know what cryprocurrency is? Are you completely baffled by it, like me? If so, today’s blog post is for you because I’m sharing my research into cryptocurrency so that we can all get to know more about this new way of earning and spending money online…
The bugs in my garden have already stopped me from enjoying the space on a couple of occasions so in today’s blog post I’m sharing what attracts mosquitoes to your garden and some inexpensive steps can you take to eradicate this pest problem…
Although the kitchen is seen as the heart of the home, the bathroom is one of the most used rooms and in my opinion one of the most important. Even though your bathroom is a functional room, it doesn’t mean it can’t be stylish. In this post, I’m looking at
Everyday stress and pollution can cause a lot of damage to your skin. There are skincare products you can use to help you combat these negative effects, but they can also be very expensive, so here are five natural alternatives—some of which you may find in your very own kitchen:
I know it seems crazy to be talking about heating when the weather is like this – but it won’t always quite as delightful as it is right now! That’s why I wanted to help you plan ahead for the autumn and get most of your heating maintenance out of
If you’re planning a summer makeover – or to completely reinvent your look for the new school year – today’s blog post will give you some inspiration to change up your style while sticking to your budget…
If you’ve just moved into a new home and are struggling to find space for all the possessions you’re unpacking, today’s blog post is for you. I’ve done my research and found 5 clever storage hacks that’ll help you to make the most of the space in your new apartment…
If you want to create an outdoor kitchen in your garden, it’s easy to DIY it with just a few pallets, a scaffold board & a ceramic sink. Here’s how I made a handy kitchen cabinet & worktop for my deck from scrap wood…
Living on a budget doesn’t mean that you can’t still tick a few things off of your bucket list. I mean, saving your extra cash for travel should be one of the benefits of a thrifty life, shouldn’t it?! Even so, there are savings to be made every time you
Today is the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing – can you believe that fifty years have passed since that momentous occasion?? To celebrate I’m sharing some photos of my vintage Rand McNally lunar globe that featured in this month’s Reclaim Magazine…
When it comes to home improvements, you’ll probably want to prioritise projects that will add more value to your home—especially if you are planning to sell your property and move on in the future. Today I’m sharing some ideas for getting your home ship-shape so that you can enjoy living
If you too are excited about the 50th Anniversary of the lunar landing, today’s space-themed decor might give you inspiration to add a few space-esque touches to your own home. Here’s how I’ve added a few decor details to turn my neutral bedroom into a lunar-themed room…
Good windows are essential in keeping a home cosy, which is why it’s important to care for your windows and occasionally carry out some maintenance. But how do you know if your windows need repairing? Natural causes such as the weather can have an effect on your home, but windows
Interior design is an ever-changing industry with new trends emerging each year. I’ve summarised muchneeded.com’s recent analysis of interiors publications & online data, which outlines the top interiors trends 2019…
If you’ve always wanted to grow your own veggies and pick fresh herbs from your back garden, I’m here to show you that it can be done in just a small space. Here’s how to grow your own herbs (and stop the weeds from making a comeback!) in a raised
If you’re planning a party for adults (or for teens too, I guess!) why not make it a Bob Ross themed event? Think curly hair, canvases and happy little trees and you’ve got the beginnings of an epic painting party that’ll stretch your creative skills and have you giggling for
If you’re looking for an affordable kitchen update, you don’t need to completely rip everything out and start again. Today I’m sharing some easy ways that you can refresh your kitchen and follow the 2019 kitchen trends for less…
If you are planning to move you’ll want to get the best possible price for your current home. To stand any chance of doing that you need to make sure your property looks its best as first impressions really DO matter! Here are some hacks to help you get a
Why is it that the vast majority of the time we neglect our bedrooms the most out of all of the rooms in the house? Sure, we are probably the only ones to actually see our bedrooms, and we’re mostly asleep when we’re in there – but that doesn’t mean
Father’s Day is just around the corner on the 16th June so I thought I’d put together a gift guide of slightly different presents for dad that you might not have though of before, including sweet treats, personalised goodies and on trend tech…
Do you feel like suddenly everything is in bloom? Finally, my garden is looking better than it ever has before and I can actually go outside and enjoy the space a little. Here’s what I’ve been up to over the past month…
We love our smartphones; they keep us constantly connected to friends, let us snap gorgeous pictures of the family, and feature some really cool apps. But as much as I love my phone, I loathe how much they can cost each month – especially if you’ve got multiples devices in
Whether it’s a post-exams treat, a birthday present or a celebratory GCSE-passing gift, you’ll probably need to think outside the box the next time you’re buying a gift for a teen. The usual toys and games just aren’t going to cut it anymore, are they? Here are some ideas that
If you’re a keen crocheter (is that the right word?) or even if you’re just starting out, this fun crocheted cactus project is for you. It’s a cute project that’ll impress friends when they spot your crocheted cactus on display on your mantelpiece. How cool would it be to be
If you’ve been getting into a pickle with your spending in recent years, it’s not your fault. I’ve looked back at the ways we used to shop pre-internet to discover some lessons that we can use today to take control of our modern shopping habits …
