Stop beating yourself up about these nonsense rules and trends.
Story time:
By chance, trial or error, it turns out that I have some very green thumbs when it comes to house plants! I have 94 thriving plants at last count, and yes, my home sometimes does resemble a Jungalow…and my six year old has taken to hiding his plastic animals in these plants. (There is a miniature plastic gorilla looking at me from the roots of my office philodendron as I write this.)
However – My green thumbs do not extend to all plants. I can let orchids re-bloom and have stunning 10- and 15-year-old plants that feel like old friends. But Fiddle Leaf Fig trees…That most prized of millennial house plants. Those babies start dying the moment I carry them through my front door. I have had no less than 5. I have killed all 5. According to the FBI definition I am a serial killer, and my victims are beautiful but temperamental Ficus variants.
In August of this year, after unceremoniously disposing of the remains of my fifth victim I made a promise to myself. No more plant murder. I will not fight against the natural order and try to keep a Fiddle Leaf Fig alive. My home will be complete without one, even if that makes me lose my Millennial credentials. I decided to unpack my home-owner baggage and only enter the new year with a little carry on bag – like the most stylish celebrity travellers.
Stop forcing things.
Whether it’s a must have plant or piece of décor, or the lofty ideals of crisp white bedding and towels…if you have to force it, let it go. If you love lying on your bed with your shoes on, invest in dark duvet covers and stop hating yourself. If you ditch makeup remover in exchange for scrubbing off your mascara with your towel, get a dark one! Be kind to yourself.
Stop crowding yourself (Ditch the useless furniture.)
We all know the aspirational influencer homes all white and beige and gold with bar carts, towel ladders, colour coded bookshelves, open kitchen shelves packed with matching crockery, tea collections, photo walls…Yes, these trends are, well – trending. But you know what, none of those influencer life in your house. If you want to keep your towels in the linen cupboard, and your books are arranged according to author or topic, then you do you.
Rant incoming: (Ignore us if you think we are being melodramatic.)
Ottomans are great ways to stub your toes, make horrible coffee- and end-tables and terrible seating. People will choose the floor before they balance on an ottoman and try to hold a conversation as well as a drink. The same goes for impractical corner sofas. Great when you and one loved one wants to cuddle and watch a movie, but terrible when three guests try to sit down and have a conversation…I mean, who gets the corner? And who’s legs are long enough to sit in the corner and maintain some semblance of dignity? Nope. Two separate couches or sofas makes much more sense!
A kitchen trend we are leaving in the old year:
Open kitchen shelves (everything just gets dusty) and aesthetically pleasing but confusing dry goods storage.
You can stick a “rice” label on a clear glass bottle, and it looks lovely next to “oats” and “pasta”, but which rice is it, is the oats instant, when does it expire and how many cups of water does it take to cook again? Keep it in the box or bag, store it in a larger plastic container to keep it fresh, and hide all this practical ugliness behind a cupboard door.
Stop overdoing it
Yes, it’s the festive season, yes everyone might be decorating and putting up lights, but before you break out the tinsel ask yourself if it’s bringing you joy or stressing you out. If you love the whole process of taking out your heirloom decorations and wrapping everything upright in lights, then by all means – keep on doing that. But don’t let guilt, shame or neighbourhood pressure force you into it. The most important part of festive decorating, whether it’s to celebrate a holiday, a religious festival or even just a change in season, is that it should bring joy.
We are choosing to leave a lot of the unnecessary home baggage behind in 2023.
Let’s unclutter our expectations, and focus on liveable lives. Join us in this brave adventure – you’ll feel lighter without having to skip the Christmas pudding.
