‘Me time’. Self Care. Unwind. Rest & Relaxation. Filling your cup. Whatever we call it, apparently we’re not getting enough of it. According to a study* carried out by British bed manufacturer, Rest Assured, we’re getting an average of 40 minutes a day to ourselves. So, what do we do with that precious time and is it beneficial to our well-being?
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It’s been referred to as “the hole of doom” – it’s the place from which the din of Youtube rings, sofa wrestling settles remote-based disputes and a space that style (and I) forgot; it’s our lounge. Since our mammoth extensions were ‘finished’ (I use that word very loosely!), the lounge has become somewhere to assemble rowdy tweens for giant sleepovers, chuck/hide all Casper’s brightly coloured, plastic tat and very occasionally retire to once all the kids have gone to bed (that’s between 9.30pm and when I doze off 5 minutes later!). It’s been promised a plywood barn sliding door, a dramatic colour splash and layered rugs to make a Persian prince envious – but so far, I’ve failed to deliver on its style makeover.
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They’d long been the unmentioned, embarrassing and hidden away members of our family; neglected, covered up and forgotten about. But after our extension was complete and we’d all moved back in to our immaculate white walled rooms, I couldn’t take the shame under the fitted sheets any longer. Hugo and Bruno had had their knackered, Swedish super-store, grey (with various other colour markings!) mattresses for far longer than they should have, and at 9 and 10 had earned the trust to not piddle in their beds any longer – so began the hunt for quality mattresses to ensure those two monsters got the best nights sleep possible.
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We’ve now rebuilt most of the house (extension updates to come real soon, promise!), added bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen and moved a staircase; the one thing I’m still to get sorted is a desk area, not for me, as I oddly find the dining room table in the wee hours my most productive spot, but an ‘inspiration station’ for the kids. Somewhere that houses their 537 scented pens, 123 football shaped rubbers and all their other overpriced Smiggle junk, while also (perhaps) having the desired affect of being a place that once the school bell rings it will get their creative juices flowing on the off-chance they’ll get some homework done. Sure, I might be a little optimistic on the homework front, but I not only love a kid-based challenge but I love hunting for interiors goodies and planning a space more than a 9-year-old loves making slime!
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Let me start by saying, I’m incredibly grateful for all the awesome experiences and offers I get from writing about my family and home. But, if I’m completely honest, free stuff doesn’t pay the bills, put chicken fajitas on the table or clad my children in Adidas as they desire. There’s only so much stuff we can fit in our house along with the 7 of us – so, a lot of “gifts” end up being re-gifted or on Ebay. When I initially got the email from DFS asking me to “pop to Milan” for design week, then style one of their sofas for my blog, my first thought was “Eeeeeekkkkkkk YASSSS!” but my second – we really don’t need another sofa, I’m happy with the ones we bought 4 months ago (from Ebay), but I suppose I could sell it for a few hundred quid after I’ve snapped it for the blog!
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