Top 10 Household Items I Use Daily

18th Apr 201930th Mar 2019 | Suzi Tench

Kettle
Shower/Bath
Oven
Lamps
Anti Bac Surface Spray
Cloths, towels and sponges
Bin
Coffee mug
Fridge
Dust pan and brush

Top 10 Things I Can’t Live Without

11th Apr 201930th Mar 2019 | Suzi Tench

Top 10 Things I Can’t Live Without

Roxy – my dog is with me pretty much all the time, except for when I go to work (and I would take her if I could!) She is by my side all the time and is a great source of comfort and companionship.
Coffee – I can’t function in the morning without a good, hot, strong black coffee to wake me up.
Filofax – I would forget everything if I didn’t write it down! This reminds me of all those dates I need to remember as well as being a note keeper and helps me to schedule my time effectively.
Phone – I’m not sure that many people would be able to live without some form of communication device….
Laptop – the way I pay my bills and write blog posts, it’s definitely a must on this list!
Hair Dye – having hair that is a dirty blonde that is now leaning heavily to grey I find this an essential!
A good pen – if you have ever written with a cheap, scratchy pen then you will understand this!
Kindle – I love reading and being able to have so many books to read and carry around is amazing!
Car – I don’t really live far from town but public transport can be a bit hit and miss and a car saves me so much time and stops me having to lug heavy shopping bags home on the bus!
Bed – I love my bed, its comfy and lovely, warm and cozy and there really is nothing better than climbing in to it after a long day!

Top 10 Purchases

4th Apr 201928th Mar 2023 | Suzi Tench

Today, for my Top 10 series (you can find other posts here) I am sharing my Top 10 Purchases. These items are things that I have purchased over time that I have found to be really useful day-to-day!

My Bag. You can read about what I carry around in my bag here! I am still super impressed with this bag since I purchased it back in February. I can’t believe how much it holds and how easy it is to find all my things. And it is still looking brand new despite using it daily to and from work!
Cafetière. I can’t seem to survive without coffee and my cafetière is a constant in my life, whether it is beside me when I’m blogging, or snuggled on the sofa reading, it is never too far away.
Desk. My desk is so important as it gives me a workspace that is away from the rest of the house. It is my space to write and craft and suits me much better than working from my living room table or my coffee table in my living room. When I sit down at my desk to work I become focused on that task and I get less distracted, which was a huge problem before I set up my desk area. It gives me a sense of purpose.
Salt Lamp. I never thought a lamp could make that much difference to mood and how I feel. I use this lamp of an evening, it is set up beside my bed on my bedside table and it really calms and relaxes me and gets me in the mood for sleeping.
Kindle. I’ve had my kindle for so many years and now it’s pretty ancient! I read quite a lot, mostly at lunch times in work and at bed times and purchasing this was a good idea as I didn’t like to cart around a book with me, that and I like to have options when it comes to what I want to read and often I have 2 or 3 books on the go at once. It has been everywhere with me too, accompanying me on holidays, to festivals and to and from work.
Zebra Mildliners. I love highlighters and these are really lovely to use. I originally purchased them when I was really into bullet journalling and wanted a grey highlighter. I love that these are not super bright, as the name suggests, these are mild toned. They are also dual tipped, one end is the traditional highlighter tip and the other end is more like a marker pen which makes them perfect for highlighting and also for colouring in.
Fountain Pens. I love fountain pens, and the neon green one is my current go-to favorite. I love how they make your handwriting look loads better and how they feel to write with.
Filofax Malden. The keeper of my brain and the organiser of my life. I love that you can add different things depending on what you need, from task sheets, to do lists, note paper, drawing paper, diary inserts in loads of different formats. My Filofax has been used in so many different ways and for different parts of my life and I can’t ever imagine being without it.
Desk Planner Pad. I keep this on my desk at home and write down anything that needs doing in the week. It is a great reminder of what needs to be done, whether it is something to do with my blog, house work or phone calls to make. I jot these things down when I think of them and then transfer to my Filofax if I need to.
Organiser Sticky Notes. I like that these sticky notes come in a cute little fold out book which makes them easy to keep with you and the mix of different styles is really useful for different things. I use the lined notes for blog ideas, the grid for any figures I may need, and the other notes for smaller ideas or to mark pages in my Filofax.

Top 10 Quick Cleaning Ideas

28th Mar 201912th Feb 2019 | Suzi Tench

Another Thursday and another Top 10 list! Today I’m sharing my Top 10 Quick Cleaning Ideas! If you are anything like me, you may get a call from a friend or relative at short notice to say they are popping by and the house is less than tidy, this list of things really helps me to make my home more presentable in a really short space of time!

Wash up the crockery, dry and put away.
Clean the sink, draining board and kitchen worktops.
Wizz the Hoover around high traffic areas like the hallway and living area.
Plump up the cushions and fold the sofa blankets nicely.
Tidy the coffee table and wipe over.
Open the window and let some fresh air in.
Tidy the dining table or other places piles seem to accumulate.
Wipe around the sink and toilet.
Put cleaner down the toilet.
Make sure the hallway is clear and smells nice (I turn my plug-in air freshener on for 15 mins but a blast of air freshner will work just as well!)

Top 10 Cleaning Products

14th Mar 201928th Mar 2023 | Suzi Tench

Today, for my Top 10 series (you can find other posts here) I am sharing my top 10 cleaning products. These are products that I have tried and tested, work well for me and ones I will keep buying.

Method Anti-bac – Wild Rhubarb I love the scent of this and that you can use it all around the home – bathroom, kitchen, living area, it is perfect for any job.
Method Toilet Cleaner – This stuff is amazing and guaranteed to make your loo sparkle and smell fresh at the same time.
Zoflora – Twilight Garden This stuff is amazing. It is marketed as a disinfectant but it has so many uses. I use it to wipe down my radiators, mop the floors and occasionally, when the dog towels are really grubby I will stick a cupful into the machine with them. A little really does go a long way and the scent will fill the house and last for so long too!
Soda Crystals Soda crystals are brilliant for fixing stinky drains and washing machines as well as sorting out slow drainage in sinks and baths! They should be a cleaning cupboard staple in everyone’s house!
Ecover All Purpose Cleaner This stuff is brilliant on floors, especially my kitchen floor which needs mopping at least once a day where Roxy is in and out all the time! And it’s another product that a little goes a long way. I like that this product is multi-functional as well, I like to mix a bit with water in a spray bottle and use it to wipe down shelving and windowsills.
Method Glass Cleaner This is one product I will, probably, never walk away from. It is the only product I have found that cleans glass and mirrors effectively without too much hard work and doesn’t leave an annoying film or smears everywhere.
Method Shower Spray This product works a dream for shifting soapy residue and dried hair conditioner splodges from glass shower surrounds and tiles. I use it every time I have had a shower on the tiles and it makes them really clean and shiny.
Tesco Washing Up Liquid – Cherry Its cheap, smells nice and does the job, there’s really not much more to say about it really!
Vanish Pre-Treat Stain Remover Bar This is a staple in my cleaning cupboard. Not only can you use it on clothes but you can spot treat carpets and upholstery with it too!
Bleach. I’m not going to link to a product because this is one thing I will buy from anywhere, I always buy a big container of the thin bleach and will use it where and when necessary. I love the smell of bleach, especially in the bathroom but its handy to use all around the house!

10 Things That Have Happened Since Leaving Facebook

7th Mar 201912th Feb 2019 | Suzi Tench

Today’s Top 10 is a bit different to normal, I’m not going to be sharing a Top 10 today but I’m going to tell you about the 10 things that I have noticed have happened to me since I left Facebook over a month ago.

I’m less bothered about what other people think and more confident in my own opinions. Before I left Facebook I would always be checking it out to see what my “friends” had posted about all sorts of different subjects, from news items to the latest storyline in a soap, and I would let their opinions sway my own. Now I don’t have that social media channel and can not check what people think, I’ve found that I’m not bothered about what others think so much and I feel that I am getting more confident in my own beliefs and opinions. It feels like I am able to develop my own opinions better and not let what others think influence my own thoughts.
I’ve started to enjoy doing nothing. At one point in time, sitting and doing nothing would have bored me to tears and I would soon have been reaching for my phone and skimming through Facebook pointlessly. Now though, I find it is really nice to sit and not do anything, just take some time out and enjoy the moment for what it is.
I’m not checking my phone as often. While I still have Instagram and WordPress on my phone and check those 3-4 times a day, the majority of my phone checking would be down to Facebook and the ingrained fear of missing out that it cultivated in me. I thought that this would be a really hard habit to break but, because I know that the app has been deleted and my account shut down, it doesn’t even occur to me to pick up my phone. It is almost as if the habbit was broken the second I deleted my acount with Facebook.
I’m not wasting so much time. Or maybe I should say that I seem to have gained extra time? I seem to have more time in the mornings to get myself up and ready for the day, more time to enjoy my lunch, more time to spend with family and friends, more time in general. It’s crazy how much time I now seem to have and how much of it I wasted by being glued to a site that gave me next to nothing in return.
I’m not judging myself so harshly. I am being kinder to myself. When I am having a bad day or feel like I have not succeeded at something it used to be so easy to go to Facebook and see all the success stories of friends, whether it be them going out, having fun days, holidays or anything else, these little things would make me feel so much worse and I would judge myself and what I have accomplished or not. Now I feel that I am being kinder to myself and giving myself the allowances that I need.
I’m not comparing myself to others so much. This sort of ties into the above. I used to compare myself to everyone – they are prettier than me, have more friends, are having more fun, and in this social media filled age, where everyone seems to share everything except those insecure moments, it was really easy for me to forget that everyone can feel like this and somewhere, someone was probably comparing themselves to me. But comparing yourself to others is not healthy, especially when you lose sight of how different we all really are. And now, I’ve stopped comparing and I’m focused more on myself and what I have to offer and I’m a lot happier with myself.
I’m not being so easily influenced. It’s weird how coming off of Facebook has made me realise how much seeing things on there influenced me and my decisions, from what I wear, what I buy, read, eat, use, how I look, it all seemed to have some kind of influence over me. I feel like I am now becoming myself again, emerging from this social media cloud that I have worn like an armour to “fit in” with the crowd. I feel like, even though I wasn’t aware of it, that somehow lots of little things influenced me, my style and who I am and that is pretty scary.
I’m feeling more relaxed. I used to feel like I was forever rushing around, not having any time for anything, constantly being connected to everybody, constantly having this role to fulfil and an audience that couldn’t be let down, whether it be from me not sharing something, liking or commenting on someones post or wishing someone a Happy Birthday, there always seemed to be a million things that needed doing. Since unplugging myself I have felt like the pace of life has slowed and I no longer place this pressure on myself to connect with everyone. I’m feeling more relaxed and like I can breathe again.
I have more time to focus on the things I want to. It’s weird, whatever I was doing when I had Facebook, like reading or watching tv, there always seemed to be half of my brain occupied with thoughts of what was going on on-line and I never fully focused on what I was doing. My concentration was not the best, it still isn’t, but I’m not getting interrupted with thoughts of Facebook anymore. My brain used to use Facebook as a procrastination tool – if I wasn’t enjoying something then I’d have a look on Facebook, wasting time, waiting for inspiration. Now if I’m not enjoying something I tend to see it through, focusing on the end of the task and then reward myself with a cup of tea.
I’m not missing it. I never, ever, in a million years, thought I would ever say that I am not missing Facebook. But it’s true, I’m really not. At one point, when Facebook first started and all you could share were a few sentences about what you were doing, how you were feeling, how your day had been or whatever else you wanted to write, it felt like you were really getting to know your friends and it felt social. now though, because Facebook introduced sharing links to websites, memes, music, and anything else, you rarely see thoughts from your friends, just long news feeds of memes and other random shared items, it’s not really very “social” anymore. I think if Facebook was like it was when it first started I would probably miss it, but now, when you see what is on people’s news feed, and that none of it is really adding anything to your life, its not teaching you anything, giving you information, creating conversations, letting you get to know your friends any better, well, I’m not missing it.

Top 10 Places to Visit

21st Feb 201912th Feb 2019 | Suzi Tench

Another Thursday and another Top 10! This time I’m sharing my Top 10 Places to Visit.

The beach. Living where I do in South Wales I’m not too far away from some spectacular beaches and I think there is nothing better than beach walks any time of the year.
Parks. I love being outdoors and going to the park, seeing the different coloured leaves on the trees and keeping an eye out for different animals that I may spot.
St Fagans. I love visiting St Fagans, I try to go every few years and have a walk around. I love that you can go into the buildings and have a look around and get a feel for how life was in years past.
Cardiff City Centre. There is so much to do in Cardiff…Independent shops, shopping arcades, a castle, museum, fab pubs…well worth a visit!
Bath. I love Bath, again, so much to do from independent shops to Roman Baths, a spa and lovely places to eat too.
Museums. There is something about visiting a museum that I really enjoy, not only do I learn things but the atmosphere has a really calming effect on me. Always worth a visit when its cold or raining!
Tate Modern. I’ve been to the Tate twice, once to see a Damien Hirst exhibition and the other time to see the Shape of Light exhibition. I have not really ventured around any of the galleries yet but I really want to go again. Visiting art galleries can help with creative ideas and it’s always interesting to see the different types of mediums artists use.
Book Shops. Wherever I go I usually end up in a book shop somewhere. There is something really lovely about spending time browsing in bookshops and I normally come away with a few to add to my collection!
Markets. I love markets. There is such a selection of different items on show and available to purchase. And some markets hold special events, like craft markets or food market days which are really worth checking out.
Abbeys – Tintern Abbey and Llanthony Priory in particular. I love heading to an abbey with my camera and a picnic in the summer months and having a leisurely walk around, taking in the architecture and atmosphere.