This week in thoughts: health, home and a little cannibalism...
Hello! I’m back to Substack after a week off. I’m still *technically* on my social media break but thought I’d dip my toe back in with a quick bit of writing, and share some of the things that have been going on behind the scenes.
We’re in week 2 of the Easter holidays here, and; it’s at times like this where I feel eternally grateful that I work for myself (and more importantly, in a position where I can be more relaxed about work if needed.) I’ve been juggling childcare with decorating our bedroom (which is a pretty intense project) and wouldn’t have time to create any content for instagram etc even if I wanted too (which to be honest, right now- I don’t) so I’ve unofficially taken a couple of weeks off…
Changes to my socials
…Speaking of which, I’ve been developing some new content ideas which will hopefully provide more value for my audience- and am excited about getting it out there. It’s always a little nerve wracking when you try something different on Instagram as you’re essentially at the mercy of the algorithm. However, recently I’ve felt a sense of disconnect from my followers, and at a bit of a loss at to what I can offer. I realised just before we went away, that I need more structure, but also that I want to feel there is merit in what I’m delivering to people so they truly get something out of it.
I’ve always felt a bit loathed to share ‘educational’ stuff as I never want to sound like a ‘know-it-all’ but on reflection, I feel that I have accrued a lot of experience in interiors and would like to make that knowledge more accessible. My account desperately needs a shake up, and whilst I’m fully anticipating my engagement to dip whilst trying things out, the alternative is that I continue to coast and fall out of love with what I enjoy.
Health
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that a couple of more ‘personal’ things have happened recently in terms of my health.
I have spoken openly about being perimenopausal, and how this journey has impacted my overall sense of self and of the physical repercussions of it. I was really struggling at the beginning of the year but thankfully, lately, I have been feeling better. The thing is, it’s hard to assess exactly what is making me feel better because there have been several factors that have run concurrently.
As well as the HRT I was prescribed back in January, I also learned that I have very low iron stores via some blood tests taken in March. As a result of this, I have been given a course of medication to get my iron levels back up to where they should be and although it might be psychosomatic, I actually think they’re working. I also decided to try an ADHD medication called Elvanse- which has been life changing in terms of productivity and energy so far. So yes, all in all things are feeling brighter on the health front, and life is definitely easier because of it. WIN!
House Plans
Dressing room on a budget
Once our bedroom is finished (I have a iminiment deadline so will be able to share soon) I think I’m going to turn my attention to the spare room-which is technically a third bedroom but typically, like many three bedroom homes in the UK, is pretty small. As we only have the one child, and aren’t planning on anymore (not that I know of anyway) it’s not a space that we would ever use as it’s intended purpose and therefore can function as anything.
Due to the lack of space in our primary bedroom, I currently use it as a sort of dressing room (although don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s some sort of luxurious walk -in wardrobe because it absolutely isn’t) where I store my clothes and have a makeshift dressing table. Terry keeps his clothes in the little cupboard in our bedroom so it’s essentially my space but I also plan on incorporating things like the ironing board and laundry baskets in there too.
I’ll share more about the plans for the space closer to the time, but essentially I want to try and make it over for less than £500. Thankfully, the walls are pretty smooth so there’s no plastering required (a big cost.) I have some tins of unopened paint in the shed which I’m going to use to reduce outlay. The room is heavily beamed but they are super dark. They’re not original but I actually really like them, plus, they add a bit of character so I think I’ll lighten them using the Frenchic Beam Hack (I used this trick on our living room beams and it turned out brilliantly). I’ll also rip up the old carpet and possibly restore the floorboards and then furnish it with pre-loved pieces from Facebook Marketplace and Ebay etc.
Living room update
Technically the next spaces to tackle once the dressing room is finished are the hall, stairs and landing. This is a pretty mammoth project however and one we need to save for, and therefore to make my life easier and because I like a quick fix, I’m going to give the living room a little makeover. I’ve talked in depth about the living room, over on my Instagram and on here- and why it isn’t quite working for us (you can read about my ideal living room in this post) but essentially I’d like to repaint it, reposition the TV, do something different behind the sofa to add depth and change some of the furniture. Again, this will be a low cost project and I’m looking forward to sharing how you can give a room a new lease of life on a smaller budget.
I’ll continue to share home updates on here and over on my instagram so make sure to subscribe and follow so you don’t miss anything!
Things I am obsessed with
One word. Yellow Jackets.
I am perpetually late to the party when it comes to TV shows and this one is no exception but OH MY WORD I love it. Teenage angst, a great soundtrack, and a whole lotta horror. What’s not to like? It is so GOOD. I binged the first two series in a fortnight, and am currently on series 3 and truthfully; I don’t know what I’m going to do to once I’ve completed it. I’m actually worried. It is so funny, so dark and so surreal and has slowly taken over my life (well, my evenings anyway) and is exactly what I needed. Who knew a story of girls surviving in the woods, with only each other to eat would captivate me like this? And yet here we are. Seriously though if you were a teenager in the 90s you MUST watch it- if only for the music. 10/10.
See you next week!
Nina x