The Only Girl in the House

Renovation Regrets

Renovation Regrets

This blog post and reel has been a loooong time coming! Not only because we ‘finished’ our house renovations about 6.5 years ago, but because – sadly/annoyingly – we have quite a few regrets. Some were instantly obvious, and others have taken time to reveal themselves. But with new house works on the horizon – YAY! – (as I’m sat here patiently waiting for our potential builder to confirm the start date!) there seems like no better time to cleanse myself of all the coulda/shoulda/woulda’s of our family home.

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The Only Girl Guide to Buying on Ebay | Secondhand & Pre-Loved Top Tips

The Only Girl Guide to Buying on Ebay | Secondhand & Pre-Loved Top Tips

The second in my series of sharing my secondhand buying secrets focusing on how to get the most from Ebay. All my top tips on finding heirloom treasures for your home to cosy cashmere for the chilly months.

It was a Miss Sixty Coat from Germany back in 2001 that got me hooked on the non-stop bargain merry-go-round that is Ebay. That first Ebay purchase never actually arrived, but that didn’t put me off.

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The Only Girl Guide: Buying Secondhand & Pre-Loved, Part 1 – How to Search

The Only Girl Guide: Buying Secondhand & Pre-Loved, Part 1 – How to Search

Before the sun rose on cold, often wet, Sunday mornings my mum and I would leave our seafront flat in Brighton (me in my buggy) and head to the station for the weekly car boot sale. Before I could even walk I bore witness to my market-trader mum bartering, haggling and sniffing out the treasures that furnished our home. To say second-hand treasure hunting is in my DNA would be an understatement, it’s my way of life.

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Bedroom Reveal with IKEA Sleep Hub {Sponsored}

Bedroom Reveal with IKEA Sleep Hub {Sponsored}

Hi, I’m Jess and I want more sleep! In fact, I’ve always wanted more sleep and just as I got to an age where my weekend mornings were mine, as an adult – no more teen weekend job, no more “do you know what time it is?” from mum and with hedonistic nights/ghastly hangovers behind me – I went and threw small people into the mix and out the window went all my sweet, slumbering dreams.

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What Makes Our Christmas Magical {Sponsored}

What Makes Our Christmas Magical {Sponsored}

We’ve tried no presents, presents and parred-back presents; we’ve gone away, stayed at home and invaded relatives houses en-masse. One thing I’ve learnt from our festive trials as a blended family – trying to ensure everyone feels like they belong and feels ‘at home’ – is that what we give, where we are or which parents’ house the kids are at on the actual day, has minimal impact on how festive we feel.

The magic, the sparkle and inner-belly warmth don’t come from the latest Xbox game or ‘must-have’ gizmo, they come from the Christmas traditions we’ve inherited and the ones we create as a family.

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