Making Your Home More Peaceful*

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Who doesn’t want a peaceful home? If you are able to create a space which is peaceful as a home, you will find that it is hugely beneficial to your daily life. Not only will you feel considerably more relaxed most of the time, you will also find that your relationships with the other people in the home are much better too, and that everyone generally gets on much better. What’s more, a peaceful home has a way of being easier to keep clean and tidy, for it is almost always a minimalist home too. But what can you do to make sure that your home is as peaceful as possible? In this article we are going to take a look at just a few of the simple ways in which you can hope for your home to be a little more peaceful. As long as you have considered these you should find it is easier than you had even hoped.

Scents

One thing which has a surprisingly powerful impact on how peaceful a home feels is the scent. If you don’t normally do anything to control the scent in your home, you will be amazed at the kind of a difference it can make if you do suddenly start to do so. So what are some of the best ways to do this, and how can you ensure that the scent is going to be a peaceful and calming one? There are a few essential ways you can do this. For a start, you might be able to use some good quality incense like Nag Champa, which can really make a huge difference to not just the smell of the home but the overall ambience too. Or you could think about burning some essential oils, which has the advantage of meaning that you can try out a range of different smells and see what effect they have.

Minimalism

The less stuff that you have in your home, the easier it is to really feel at peace within it. However, most of us find that we develop and collect far too much stuff in general, and that over time we end up with more than we can manage. This is no way to live, and certainly not a way to live peacefully. If you want to live more peacefully at home, you need to make sure that you are adopting a much more minimalist approach, which is a lot harder than you might think, and certainly harder than it sounds. Reducing your belongings down again and again takes time and patience, but it is worth it for the increased peace you will have in your home.

Colours

One of the most direct ways to bring about peace in the home is to ensure that you have soft colours throughout. If you don’t have this currently, it’s a simple case of deciding on some new colours and then getting painting. The more that you do that, the more likely it is that you will feel at home and peaceful in your home.


What’s on my Wish List Right Now

I’ve been such a hopeless blogger lately, I’ve felt so uninspired when it comes to creating posts…the blog world has changed beyond all recognition from when I first started, and that coupled with being incredibly busy over the last few weeks has meant I just haven’t made time to post.

I really want to get back to it though, and create some content that reflects who I am and what I’m loving at the moment. What better place to start than a wish list right? There is so much that I am lusting after at the minute, and I’ve been browsing non-stop for inspiration for up coming weddings to attend and the holiday of a life-time that is rather rapidly approaching. Here is just a sample of what I’m coveting at present…

AngelEye Fashion dress, £145 – I have just discovered this brand and I am OBSESSED!
Lindy Bop striped cotton dress, £38 – the perfect dress for sunny days
Chi Chi London dress, £65 – just one of many occasion-wear pieces I have my eye on from this shop.
Dreamy Rose Gold flats from Moda in Pelle
£79.95
Neon Rose Button Front Dress, £32- this would be so perfect for our Californian road trip!
New Look have some great bikinis right now, I love this one which comes in at just under £25
Another dress perfect for our holiday, I love this Oasis striped midi dress, £49
It’s been a while since Yull shoes featured on the blog but I couldn’t not share these dreamy Margate Mermaid sandals, £115

So there you have my current cravings. Sadly none of these will be joining me just yet as my focus had to be replacing clothes I have grown out of (yay recovery!) and every spare penny is heading straight to the holiday spending fund.

What’s caught your eye lately? And what kind of content would you like to see more or less of on the blog?

The April Degustabox

Confession: I’ve actually lost the leaflet that came with the April Degustabox (gifted) with all of the product info and prices, and this is probably the most hurried post I will ever write for them as somehow there just aren’t enough hours in the day this week, but if I leave it any longer then the next box will be here and I’ll still have written nothing! I really need to get myself better organised, I seem to be constantly chasing my tail at the moment and getting nowhere fast.

These Pacha Mama bars were right up my street, especially as I’m trying to snack healthier at the moment. I love how transportable bars like this are, perfect for keeping in your handbag, providing a much needed, delicious burst of energy on the go. The cocao and cashew flavour especially was a hit and I’ll be keeping my eye on this brand for sure.

Bob and I are very particular when it comes to tea and for the most part stick to one brand. Typhoo is a British institution though, and we were won over by the charming packaging and refreshing taste. We made short work of this box.
I’m going through a real cereal kick at the moment and Cheerios are a long-time favourite of mine. I’m currently addicted to the peanut butter and chocolate variety fresh from the USA by way of B&M (guess what I’ll be bringing back from my holiday?) but for something a bit more nutritious these oat cheerios are delicious. Did anyone else get a look in on this box? Err, nope!

I’m a big fan of the Candy Kittens brand when it comes to sweets. They really deliver on flavour, and these wild strawberry are so good. They are also vegan friendly (not that you could tell from the texture, win!) and are shaped like little kitties- what’s not to love?

His ‘n hers savoury snacking – Bob loved these sticky ribs flavoured crisps from London Flavours, and I very much enjoyed the smoked bbq corn snack from Love Corn- I have been wanting to try this brand for ages and it didn’t let me down- they are dangerously addictive.

These were my product of the month! White and milk chocolate crispies from the Skinny Food Co. I’ve been eyeing this brand up on Instagram, and whilst I’d probably give their calorie free syrups a miss (because I have worked so hard to move away from that) these protein bites are a perfect little snack coming in at 99 calories per bag. The white chocolate are particularly good and I am going to be stocking myself up ASAP.
Bob’s eyes lit up when he saw this steak house sauce in the box. We haven’t had time to try it yet but we will report back in due course. Bring on the beef!

Elderflower is one of my favourite flavours, and this drink is beautifully light and refreshing. It’s a great grown up alternative to squash- Vimto is fab but not very sophisticated! A real hit from cult brand Robinsons.

As I mentioned earlier, I try and avoid products like this as I’ve moved so far away from relying on them that I’d really rather not go back. A great idea though, for anyone who is looking for a low cal filling lunch idea.
A true British classic- Heinz tomato soup, in a handy pot that goes straight in the microwave. Sadly mine arrived damaged (leaking!) so I haven’t tested how good this is, but it’s a good idea and ideal for work day lunches when I’m feeling lazy.

I’ve always loved Cracker Drinks Co and Bob might have fallen a bit in love having tried this mango and passionfruit juice drink. I love the cute little carton and jazzy packaging too.

Finally another classic from Heinz, with an organic twist. The same great taste but all natural- perfect for a comforting tea of beans on toast with lots of cheese!

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 6HZJ8 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.

I’ll try and be a bit more on-it with next month’s post, although I have a feeling that timing wise I’m going to be even more pushed as we prepare for our USA road trip holiday!

The Caviar Collection from skinCHEMISTS

Items gifted by skinCHEMISTS for blog consideration

So, I turned 32 on Sunday and I still don’t have a decent skin care routine under my belt. Sure I cleanse and moisturise, but that’s as far as it goes!

I’ve noticed a fair few sneaky extra wrinkles creeping in lately, so when skinCHEMISTS sent me some products from their super luxe sounding Caviar Collection it was like someone had be spying on my lazy-girl routine.

The Caviar Collection is one of the brands best sellers and I was both intrigued by it’s name, and slightly scared as my associations of caviar tend to err on the lumpy and fishy side of things. Still, I got stuck in and you can read my thoughts below.

Anti-Ageing facial serum £49.99

So it turns out that the Caviar element of these products is a super nutritious marine extract that aims to improve how firm your skin looks as well as reduce the appearance of fine lines.

My first impression was how light this felt when I applied it. I’ve actually been using it under my makeup in the mornings and it just glides on and sinks in well. I did initially wonder if it was worth an almost £50 price tag, and after ten days of solid use I can say yes, yes it is. You only need the smallest amount at a time so it will last for ages, and my skin looks instantly better when I apply it.

Anti-Ageing caviar eye serum £39

Eye products are the one thing I never think to buy, and the one area that really needs all of the help it can get when it comes to my face.

My first impression of this product was how chic it looked (shallow I know!) . It has a real luxe feel that makes me want to keep it on display, which in turn reminds me to use it! Almost two weeks in and I reckon the fine lines around my eyes look less pronounced than they did; I would ask Bob for his opinion but I’m not sure I’m quite ready for his brutal honesty (I’m still smarting from his remark on my grey hairs!)

Anti-Ageing caviar day moisturiser £39

This is another fancy looking product from the brand, and whilst I was a little aback by the price tag (compared to my usual under a fiver moisturiser) I have to say that after a few days of using this I began to understand why people invest in their skincare.

This is another incredibly light product that sinks in like a dream. I actually tend to use this after I’ve taken my makeup off at night; such a rebel! As I find it soothes my skin after a day in the office and I often find night creams a bit too heavy and sticky feeling.

I’m suitably impressed by all three of these products and would recommend anyone who’s looking to pick up some anti-ageing products to give these a whirl. I’m curious as to what else skinCHEMISTS can offer, and as budgets allow I will definitely be seeking out more products from the brand, both in this range and some of their others.

Does anyone have any tips for sticking to a skincare regime? Now I’ve started (again) I really could do with not stopping!