HOW many of us have got our first energy bill post-Christmas? Wow! I’m still not the better of it. Let’s just say that next year, we’ll be scaling down to one tree, and I won’t mind if the visitors are offended by the clothes horse joining us in the kitchen. What with one thing or another of late (mainly ‘The Ankle’ saga… let’s park that for a week as I’m even boring myself at this stage) I had sort of forgotten about the ‘cost of living crisis.’ Not any more, let me tell you. I’m not quite at the stage where I’m hanging the teabags on the clothes line, but I have invested in a second clothes horse and courtesy of Dermot Bannon I’m researching that Scandi-inspired clothes drying shed he featured in a recent episode. Although, would a clothes line in the garage be more or less the same thing? Probably.
• I’m also looking to see if I can conjure up a side hustle … maybe launch my own ath-leisure range? That seems to be something lots of people are giving a whirl … and god knows I do love the leggings. Or start my own podcast? I mean you’re no one without a podcast these days. Seems like everyone has somehow found their ‘unique’ voice and has a podcast to pedal. I quite like the idea of sinking my meagre life savings into fancy mics and earphones and getting people to sit around my kitchen table for the chats, or maybe a cathartic cry. Maybe the first episode could be on best ways to dry clothes? Just leave it with me.
• There is one particular podcaster whose charms I have fallen for in a big way and it’s US lawyer and motivational speaker Mel Robbins. She’s known for her best-selling book called The 5 Second Rule which promises to change your life, and help you get past pesky procrastination, all in five seconds. More or less. I’ve got quite the collection of books that have already promised to help me with that, so I’m holding off on making that purchase (what with saving for the airing shed), but I’m loving her podcasts, and also the little bit-sized nuggets of advice she shares on Instagram. Maybe it’s my current state of mind (basically bewildered) but I’m totally resonating with things like: ‘Stay close to people who want more for you, not from you,’ or ‘Sometimes happiness looks like staying home, minding your own business, telling people NO and doing you.’ I feel so heard! And given that it’s Valentine’s week (nothing is just a single day any more!), she has a tonne of solid relationship advice too. She’s married for 26 years, and honestly admits it takes a lot of consistent work and attention. One tip she shares is: ‘It’s not enough to just say you love someone, but you have to make them feel loved.’ So you know if you’re in a ratty mood of an evening, and take the head off your partner (why did you do that? That’s not where that goes; why are you breathing so heavily? Why are you sitting so close to me? etc etc) and then you throw out a basic ‘love you’ at bedtime? Well that’s not going to work she says. You have to try harder. Oops. Some of what she says is a little cheesy, but sometimes cheesy is just what you need. Check her out. I also discovered another inspired Instagram account this week (outside of working hours obviously) which is called noodlesthepooch. Look it up. No need to repay me … well maybe just something small. If you really must.
• And what did we all make of world famous decluttering guru Marie Kondo’s admission that her house was messy? She ‘fessed up that after having her third child she’s given up on keeping her home tidy at all times and is embracing the mess. Personally, I’m going to need photographic evidence of this, especially as she shared this little ‘insight’ as part of the publicity for her new book Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home: How to Organise Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life.
I thought that was what all her other books were meant to have taught us, no? ‘Kurashi’ is translated as the ideal way to spend one’s time and in an interview Marie said: ‘So, recently, what I’ve been doing is just leaving the mess during the day, turning a blind eye to that, and just doing a big tidy once the children go to bed.’ Hah! See she hasn’t given up, she’s just folding socks at midnight instead of during the day. I knew it. I’m possibly being a bit harsh – in 2019 I took her advice and gave away lots of stuff that I thought didn’t spark me joy any more. I made some hasty decisions and I still haven’t forgiven her for it.
• Sort of on the same topic the new series of Home of the Year is returning to our screens and I can’t wait. I often wonder where the contestants hide all their ‘stuff’ when the judges come in with their ‘wows’ and all the rest. Their cars? Under the bed? Who knows. Anyway, the first episode airs on Tuesday February 14th which is as nice a way as any to spend Valentine’s Day in my book! And the new series of Succession is out at the end of March … now that’s something that sparks real joy!
