Yearly Archives: 2019

Bring Some Hotel Room Luxury To Your Bedroom*

16th October 2019
Our Hotel in Las Vegas

You don’t have to stay in a hotel to experience hotel room luxury. With a few easy improvements you could turn your bedroom into five-star style suite so that every day feels like a holiday.

Upgrade your bedding

To help imitate that hotel bed sense of cosiness upgrading your bedding should be the first important step.

First, start with your mattress; the perfect mattress is often a case of personal preference – some people prefer hard mattress that offer support, while others prefer a soft mattress they can sink into. For a middle-ground option, you could always try a hybrid mattress, which usually involves firm springs with a thin layer of memory foam on top for a touch of softness. It’s worth visiting a mattress store and trying different mattresses to see which one suits you (look out for sales being held throughout the year in order to save a few quid).

Next, consider the sheets. Cotton sheets tend to be the choice of many hotels as they are soft and breathable – especially those with a thread count of around 300. Get yourself some matching pillowcases and duvets made of the same material. You could also consider some wholesale bed runners from Richard Haworth as a decorative piece on top. Bamboo linen could be perfect for those that sweat a lot in the night.

Finally, consider your pillows and duvet. Like mattresses these are often a case of personal preference – some people like lots of thick pillows and a thick duvet, while others like a single slim pillow and a light blanket. Down pillow fillings tend to be the best filling option for all kinds of sleepers.

Control the temperature

To help create that sense of hotel cosiness cosiness you’ll want to also regulate the temperature.

Smart HVAC could be the perfect option. Using your phone, you’ll be able to control the temperature from your bed – whether it’s turning the heating up or providing some cooling. You can buy smart HVAC for your entire home, but this could be quite expensive to install. This Link Labs guide to smart HVAC offers more information on this technology for those that are interested.

Buy some blackout curtains

A pair of blackout curtains or blackout blinds could also be worth investing in to help you get a good night’s sleep. This will stop your getting woken up early by the morning sun, as well as stopping light from street lamps and cars interrupting your sleep.

For a particularly luxurious option, you could even opt for some remote control blackout blinds such as these Powered Blinds. This could allow you to open the curtains without even leaving your bed.

Alternatively, there are traditional options instead of blackout blinds such as plantation shutters that could be ideal for a bedroom in an old home. You’ll need to get these made to measure so that they cover the whole window.

Set up your own bedside coffee station

Why not wake up and enjoy some coffee in bed? With your own bedside coffee station you can do just this. A small kettle such as this Russell Hobbs travel kettle could do the trick – place this on a tray with some mugs, coffee, teabags, sugar and milk, and you’ve got your own coffee station. Milk may need to be UHT, unless you’ve got space for a mini-fridge in your bedroom (this will truly make your bedroom feel like a hotel).

 Consider adding a TV

If you haven’t already got a TV in your room, this could be another worthy improvement to give you that sense of hotel luxury. You’ll be able to cuddle and watch movies in bed. You can also watch some morning TV with your cup of coffee or tea, all without having to leave your bed.

A TV could be positioned on a cabinet or it could be mounted onto a wall. The Black Friday weekend could be the perfect time to shop for a new TV.


Posted in home, inspiration, interiors

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Beauty from Within with ION8*

14th October 2019
Water Bottle [gifted]

If you’ve read any of my more recent posts you’ll know I’m determined to overhaul my woeful skincare routine and get myself in to good habits. Of course, it’s not just what you put on to the outside that matters…one of the key components to glowing skin is staying hydrated, and this is where I fall down big time.

I drink plenty throughout the day, but it’s all caffeine and never water. I’m trying to change this as much as I am trying to change my laziness at removing makeup and finding a small, portable and environmentally friendly water bottle I can carry with me everywhere was a good starting point.

This 350ml leakproof water bottle from ION8 (£10.99) fits the bill nicely. It also comes in a 500ml size for £11.99 but I find the smaller bottle more practical; it fits in my handbag and therefore I’m more likely to include it in my daily essentials. The bottles come in several gorgeous pastel shades, and would make great gifts come the festive season.

It’s a pretty little bottle too, with it’s frosted finish and smooth opening mechanism that then locks tight when you’re done drinking. I’ve been using this for the last couple of weeks and I’d say I’ve remembered to fill it/drink from it 75% of the time- from someone that is usually found necking a can of pepsi max every couple of hours this is quite big progress; luckily we have a water cooler at work too so I can get easy re-fills throughout the day.

Does anyone have any tips for drinking more water? Leave them in the comments below.

Posted in accessories, healthy living

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Managing Your Debt: The Good and Bad*

11th October 2019
Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay

Debt is the kind of word that induces unease and worry, but that doesn’t have to be the case all the time, nor a reason to avoid thinking about it. Debt can be good as well as bad, and it is how you manage your debt that is important; the key is knowing how.

There are 3 questions you need to ask before you even consider taking on any debt:

What’s the Difference Between Good and Bad Debt?

Good debt can be summed up as necessary, good value and easily within your financial limits. This kind of debt gets you what you need but can’t afford right now without pushing you beyond your capabilities. The best example is a student loan, but you might also consider a mortgage or car financing if you need a vehicle to get to work. Take a look at https://www.bordercityautos.co.uk/finance.php for more information. 

Bad debt is pretty much the opposite in that it is debt you don’t need and can’t afford. Taking out a payday loan to finance a holiday is a perfect example of getting into unnecessary debt that will quickly spiral out of control. Bad debt may also impact your credit rating, especially if you fail to make repayments on time. Getting out of debt with bad credit is tough which is why you should always make sure that you can afford your debt before you accept it.

Can You Afford Your Debt?

While it can be tempting to push right up against your financial limits, you must resist. You must be able to make every repayment on time and if you can’t do this comfortably, you may struggle in the future. 

Drawing up a budget that includes all your expenses will help you to work out how much spare cash you have each month. It might seem contradictory, but you need to have spare funds in order to be able to afford a debt – this is how you will repay it. However, you might also consider that if you are taking on a debt to avoid another monthly cost, you may have a little more flexibility. 

Can You Avoid Debt?

Naturally, the best option for most things is to try and avoid debt. If you can save up for something and wait, you absolutely should. The best ways to save are to reduce your current costs, automate your savings and find ways to earn a little extra on the side. 

If you can’t save up in time, it might be worth investigating other forms of funding. For example, crowdfunding has become an ever more popular way for people to access funds, particularly for charitable causes or business startups. 

If you absolutely need to take on debt, you should always thing carefully about the best form of debt and make sure that it is an affordable option for you. Looking into 0% credit cards is one option but you may also be able to remortgage if you are a homeowner. If you are in any doubt, you should speak to an independent financial advisor to see which options are available to you.

Posted in finance

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World Mental Health Day

10th October 2019

It’s world mental health day and I wouldn’t be where I am now without people pushing me to admit it when I wasn’t ok. Check in on those around you, let them know you care and that you have concerns. If you aren’t convinced, ask twice. Make sure everyone knows that it’s ok not to be ok.
My journey has shaped me beyond all recognition and I’m not afraid to talk about it. Too many people still are, it’s time to drop the stigma. It’s time to talk.

This blog has seen me through my best times, and my worst times. Without having this space to share my journey, and at times let of steam I don’t know where I would be.

If you’re struggling and don’t know where to turn here are some easy to access resources for anyone in the UK:

Samaritans
MIND
BEAT (eating disorders)
NHS list of helplines and websites

Posted in life stuff, lifestyle, recovery

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The September Degustabox*

07th October 2019
September’s Degustabox (gifted) bought it a selection of products with a family sharing & home cooking theme. My photos have once again fallen foul of poor lighting; all suggestions welcome, but the contents of this box combined makes it one of my favourite boxes I’ve ever received and I was eager to get stuck in.

Bob and I cook with garlic ALL of the time and rely on products like this to make the process easier. We love the very lazy range of products and this garlic paste is fantastic for adding big burst of flavour to our favourite dishes without any faff.

We haven’t tried this Zhoug Pesto from Epicure yet, but it sounds super interesting. I think we’ll try it as a marinade for some chicken rather than as a pasta sauce as the spicy flavours make me think this will work quite well- I’ll report back on the result!

It’s years since I last made a risotto and Bob isn’t a big fan so I’m still working on convincing him to let me make one. In the past I’ve made mostly vegetarian risottos so if anyone has any good recipes for meat based ones I would love to see them.

I was very happy to see these CHUM fruit bites appear in a box again as I loved these last time but I’m yet to see them in any shops local to me. These are vegan friendly and full of all natural ingredients with a delicious flavour and great texture. 15% of profits are also donated to wildaid.org to help save some of our chums in the wild.

I’ve always loved Milkybar Buttons, right from when I was a small child. I often pick up a pack of these when I’m feeling nostalgic and it’s good to see them still going strong. What was your favourite childhood treat?

I love me some snack bars! Boka bars have become a snack staple in this house after I first discovered them through Degusta box. The Chocomallow are especially delicious and all of the flavours in the range score green on the traffic light ratings.
I hadn’t tried the Alpen protein bars before, I’ve always liked the Alpen range but found they weren’t especially filling. These new protein packed bars negate that problem and these have become a work day staple.

Bob was very excited to see thee Hartley’s jelly pots in this month’s box. These were his favourite childhood treat and the three pack didn’t last long, and has now become a much requested addition to our weekly shop (along with some ice cream and sprinkles for a truly nostalgic pudding!)

I love Lucozade Zero, especially the pink lemonade flavour served icy cold. These have got me through the last two weeks of having a chest infection, when nothing else has quite appealed…talk about well timed!

Finally we have a terrible photo of a totally not terrible product! Eisberg alcohol free sparkling rosé is a fruity and refreshing treat for non-drinkers/designated drivers and boasts just 33 calories per serving. I’ll be stocking up on this for the festive season as we plan to host plenty.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you thought in the comments.


If you’re new to Degustabox, it’s a monthly food subscription box that gives you the chance to try new and exciting products on the market whilst providing amazing value for money.
On a month by month basis the box costs £12.99 (with a discount for longer subscriptions) but the contents are generally worth far more than this as you can see if you do the maths.


If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim a brilliant £5.00 off of your first box (making it just £7.99!) by entering the code XOQGC at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.

Posted in food, review

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