Like washing up? No, me neither...

... and also Persil's new range of washing up liquids hasn't changed this BUT it has made washing the dishes a little bit nicer. We do have a dish washer (Thank God for that!) but I prefer washing sauce pans and frying pans by hand, simply because they need a good scrub in our house - you know, men in the kitchen and things like that. So having a fab range of nice smelling washing up liquids to chose from really boosts my spirits when I am on washing up duty. The new Persil range comes in four yummy fragrances: Apple Fizz, Lemon Burst, Pink Blush and Orange Crush, with vibrant colours to match their fresh and fruity aromas. 

 

 

We have been sent all four fragrances to try and although washing up isn't on top of my favourite-things-to-do list, these washing up liquids bring fun into your kitchen. I really liked that they are brightly coloured (always gets me in a happy smiley mood) and their smell is absolutely fantastic. My usual washing up liquid smells like exactly that - washing up liquid. The new Persil range, though, is really fruity and smells like you could drink it - I obviously won't do that but it's nice to be surrounded by non-synthetic smells, don't you think? My favourite is Pink Blush which reminds me of fresh pink grapefruit with lots of sugar... nom nom nom. I'm sure you would have guessed it sooner or later, but the new Persil range does not only smell nice but it is also antibacterial, which is always a plus when you've got a baby at home, and cleans your dishes really nicely. But what other would you expect from Persil. They aren't at the top of the market for nothing, are they?

Can you throw some DIY inspiration at me?

I know that nesting should normally start before a baby is born but with me it seems to be the other way round. Since Amy's birth I have watched hundreds of DIY programs, read dozens of interior design magazines and surfed the internet to find some inspiration for our living room and bedroom but it just won't come to me. It is getting really frustrating because both rooms desperately need a creative overhaul. They are perfectly livable and I am sure many people would be glad to have a home like we do. But I just don't like those rooms anymore. They're plain, boring and just don't feel like...us.

We have agreed that we need laminate flooring in our life. Of course, carpet is nice and fluffy, keeps your feet warm and gives your living room a cosy feel but it also is a real pain to clean - especially if you knock things over as much as we do and that is Amy not even included yet. However, we are unable to decide on the colour or wood effect we would like as we haven't got the slightest idea of what overall style we want to go for. Our living room is really small, oddly shaped and worst of all comes with a massive but super comfy leather 3-seater and two big armchairs that restrict how you can arrange your furniture. Also there is only one wall that we can put our telly on so that limits where we can put the 3-seater. You see, it is an interior design  nightmare if you aren't a super clever architects who designs houses for TV shows like '60 Minute Makeover' or 'DIY SOS'.

The same problem strikes in the bedroom. It's shaped like a trapeze, it's small and has one side covered in build-in wardrobes so there's literally one way to put the bed. The worst thing about it are the colour scheme and curtains, though, which are a left-over of our landlady who decided to leave quite a few pieces of furniture (yes, the sofa) behind before moving in with her boyfriend. Fortunately, we could convince her that it would benefit us AND the house if we gave it an overhaul. I don't mind getting my hands dirty, plastering walls or cover myself in dust but first of all we need to decide on what we want. 

Maybe you can help? What do you want in a living room and bed room? Do your rooms have a personal touch or did you go for clean chic? Does your home reflect your character and can you decorate a room without breaking the bank?