Let's Catch Up

Above is a picture of the happiness I felt when I took my first sip of a Madagascan Vanilla Latte at the new Starbucks Reserve in Seven Dials. Yes it was as magical as it sounds.

I figured it was about time we had a good chat and catch up, so prepare yourself for word vomit. It's coming.

It's been a manic two weeks being back in London, catching up with friends, having meetings & trying to get back on top of the mammoth work pile that built up whilst I had time off over December. I feel like I've barely had five minutes to breath, never mind update my blog.

It looks like this isn't going to be the happiest year in the Rockett household. My granddad's not doing so well, and his prognosis isn't great. He starts Chemo today, so any tips any of you can offer on supporting someone through chemo and making them more comfortable would be very much appreciated. Because of that I'm going to be spending a lot more time in Bournemouth over the next few months, so I can be there for my family and spend as much time with my granddad as possible.

It's funny how when crappy things happen it puts the rest of your life in perspective. I've been considering a big career change, and I've been on a total decluttering mission. I think everything that's happened over the last two months has really changed my perspective. Hopefully for the better, but right now it's kinda hard to be happy about much, everything comes with a grey cloud above. 

I've been spending a lot more time appreciating the simple little things in life - enjoying half an hour sat in a coffee shop without phones, just catching up with Con, a home cooked meal enjoyed curled up on the sofa watching reruns of The Office, and a beautiful sunrise on a cold, clear day. I've also been sorting out a lot of my stuff, to keep, donate and sell, so you can expect a big blog sale on my Beauty blog any day now. 

I decided to treat myself and Connor to a box of Krispy Kreme donuts last night to celebrate having a night off together, which was the best treat ever. I certainly had a moment stood at the till in Tesco though where I felt like I needed to reevaluate my life choices. When the woman saw my bottle of wine and box of donuts she exclaimed 'Oh off to a party are we?' instead of admitting 'no I'm going home to eat these in my pyjamas and reluctantly share them with my boyfriend' I just nodded shamefully. I adult so good. 

As far as my blogs go, well I've been having a bit of a think. I'm finding it hard to maintain both blogs to the standard I'd like right now, especially Bed In The Kitchen. I still love beauty, and I still want to write about it, but I'm thinking about combining my two blogs into a little hub of beauty, fashion and life stuff. I'll be sad to say bye to Bed In The Kitchen, but I feel like I've moved on from the place in my life where I started it, and where I am now, I just can't do it justice. I still love makeup and you won't find me giving it up anytime soon, but it's just not as big a part of my life anymore. What are your guy's thoughts?

So that's what's going on with me, what's going on with you? 

A More Mindful Home

One of my goals for 2016 is to embrace the concept of mindfulness more at home. Mindfulness is always something I try to embrace throughout my daily life, but I'm definitely guilty of neglecting to simplify my home. I'm taking part in Sas Petherick's My Mindful Year, so I figured it was the perfect time to rectify this!

Minimise Bedroom Clutter 

Living in London means every square inch of space is precious, so our little bedroom is home to a lot of furniture and possessions. It's not the most conducive space to sleep and relaxation, so I decided to have a big sort out. I boxed up things I didn't really need to have here to send back to my parents, moved my cluttered dressing table to the far side of the room (it was next to my bedside table), and streamlined what was left. I replaced our patterned sheets with plain white bedding (with a super high thread count cause I'm worth it), and tried to clear all the surfaces. The result? Our bedroom is a much calmer space and both Connor and I much prefer it!

Make the Bedroom a Tech-Free Zone 

Whilst I'm not  quite ready to sacrifice the TV (I love my Sunday mornings snuggling in bed watching Parks & Rec), I'm totally ready to ban laptops & have a phone curfew. Connor and I are both guilty of turning our desktop computers off, and then getting into bed with our laptops for another hour. No more! Instead I've designated a specific place for laptops to stay overnight & charge that's out of the bedroom! As for phones, I've instigated a 'no phones in bed' rule that should stop me from obsessively checking Instagram at midnight.

Have a Journalling Routine

Now that I'm no longer doing my 10 Happy Things weekly round up posts here, I wanted to make sure I was still documenting the happy things. This gratitude journal from Kikki K sits on my bedside table with a pen, and I've made it part of my bedtime routine to fill it in each evening with three happy things from the day. It means I'm always ending the day on a positive.

Replace Desk Clutter with Inspiration

I've taken down everything adorning the wall above my desk (fairy lights, postcards and assorted junk), and gotten rid of the jars of washi tape, stacks of notebooks and assorted cables that were cluttering up my desk. Instead, I took inspiration from Caroline's workspace DIY memoboard and turned it into an inspiration station, and added a photo frame from Cheerz with photos of my favourite people.

Life On Sundays // The Unwind

This week in our home has been pretty fraught, Con had a big deadline yesterday that had both of us on edge, him working through the night to get the work done, me trying to keep similar hours to make sure he was eating and occasionally drinking something other than coffee. Once the 4pm deadline yesterday passed it was like a giant weight disappeared from our shoulders, and it was great to spend the evening just doing nothing. We ate dinner, watched The Office and played card games until we fell asleep, and it was the first time in months that neither of us had a pressing deadlines.

So today the plan is more of the same, a slow morning where we turned off our alarms, delicious coffees made with our new Nespresso machine, and a little walk without any destination in mind, just to get out of the house. We need a pretty restorative day, it's exactly what we needed after a hectic week.

I want to spend some time today really thinking about the next few weeks from a goal oriented view point, but also reflecting on the week past from a more mindful perspective. I'm currently using my Kikki K Gratitude and Goals journals and they're the perfect tools for that.

Here's wishing you a happy Sunday, let me know in the comments what you're up to! 

Currently Consuming #1

Instead of separately posting book reviews, music playlists and 'what I'm binge watching on Netflix' posts, I figured why not bundle the whole lot up into one round up post on the regular, so you can pick and choose your medium of choice.

Currently Reading: 'An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth' by Chris Hadfield.

Not just for the Astrophysics nerds like me, this book is full of really interesting insights to life as an astronaut, told by Chris Hadfield, who has made my fantasy dinner party list for sure. He's got a way of sharing stories that just makes me want to sit down and have a beer with him, you know? Anyway, Chris talks about lessons he learnt as an astronaut, and skills you need for the job, and how you can apply them to your normal, gravity bound life on planet Earth. It's got a really interesting perspective, and it's a nice, inspiring new year read.

Currently Listening To: X Ambassadors.

I discovered X Ambassasors by accident when I fell down one of those YouTube wormholes, where you find yourself watching videos of people chasing cats with cucumbers at 5am. Anyway, I'm totally in love with their album, particularly the tracks Gorgeous, Unsteady, Free & Lonely, and Renegades. They did a really awesome set at Upstate Sessions, and it's definitely worth a listen if you're into acoustic alternative tunes.

Currently Clicking On: Minimalist Blogs.

I'm feeling super inspired to declutter and minimise in all areas of my life, so I've been reading 101 different minimalist blogs. I've been searching the archives of Caroline's blog, watching all the capsule wardrobe videos I can get my hands on, and I'm going to use this printable to try and declutter a little this month! 

Currently Flicking Through: The Simple Things and Om Yoga.

I'm a total magazine junkie (so sue me, I'm a journalist after all), and I'm constantly discovering new favourites. I started reading The Simple Things back in September and fell in love with it's cosy and comforting content. As for Om Yoga, I pick this up whenever I feel like I need a boost of motivation to keep my practice going, and it does just the trick! 

Currently Watching: The US Office (again).

I haven't been able to concentrate on any heavy going TV stuff recently, what with everything going on with my Grandad, my brain hasn't been able to focus, so I've settled for rewatching The Office. Because there's no such thing as too much Dwight Schrute. 

What are you consuming right now? 

10 Things You Should Do In January

1. Treat yourself to a fresh new candle - I've got my eye on this basil and mint one. 

2. Declutter your inbox - unsubscribe from pesky junk emails that you delete without reading anyway.

3. Catch up with a friend you haven't seen in ages - make a coffee date and indulge in a delicious pastry too. 

4. Make time for you - whether that's half an hour with a cup of tea and a book, a little yoga session or a long soak in the tub, you deserve it. 

5. Learn something new - pick up a book on a subject that's always interested you, try a new recipe, take a class on Skillshare or try a Pinterest DIY. 

6. Chuck out clothes that don't make you feel good. There's no use holding onto a dress that was expensive or a jumper you've had for years if they don't make you feel sensational. 

7. Tackle your junk drawer - get rid of empty battries, take away leaflets, 1001 pens in various states of use and useless paperwork. You don't need it in your new year. 

8. Get outside - discover a new park, walk a dog, visit the seaside, get off tune a stop early. Just get some fresh air. 

9. Buy a new notebook - and get stuff organised. 

10. Set yourself a routine - whether it's food shop on Monday, laundry on Wednesday, date nights Friday, whatever, give yourself a routine to keep you motivated and productive.

Life On Sundays // The Drive

The drive between London and Bournemouth has become almost second nature to us now, after three and a half years of driving back and forth. Today we made the post-Christmas pilgrimage back up to the flat as Con starts back at Uni tomorrow. I'm not sure how long I'll be staying, I'm going to be doing a lot of back and forth whilst my grandad is ill, so it's not as hard leaving as it usually is.

In fact, I'm quite looking forward to getting back to the smoke. I miss not having to make conversation with people, air with a hint of sweat and burgers, and being able to shop til 9 at night. I'm looking forward to getting back to my own space, and my own desk, and into a normal routine. After over a month in Bournemouth, I'm excited for the city!

Anyway, the drive has become something of a routine now, we need snacks (a yard of Jaffa Cakes), a good playlist (X Ambassadors, PVRIS, Echosmith, Mallory Knox), and a Starbucks stop halfway (Caramel Macchiato for Con, White Mocha for me). 

What are you up to today?

Living With Less: Sign Up Now!

I've never been a person who naturally embraces organisation, in fact, quite the opposite. My mother and I have a long standing war over my bedroom which, I'll be honesty, has been a travesty for most of my life. But recently I've been feeling the need for a little less in my life, my family has been going through a lot recently and I think when something awful happens, it kind of makes you re-evaluate your life priorities a lot. 

So armed with a ton of books and blog posts on minimalist living and decluttering, my goal for 2016 is to strip back the unnecessary excess from my life. I know it won't be easy because I'm definitely something of a natural born hoarder, but I seem to be charged with organisational motivation right now, so I figured I'd seize the moment!

And I thought I'd share my journey with you! I know minimalism is the hot new thing right now but if you're anything like me you'll find the idea of capsule wardrobes and only one lipstick totally horrifying, so I'm hoping to try and find some kind of balance between excess and emptiness in my home.

So if you're interested in following along, hearing my tips of what works and what doesn't, tales of my disastrous attempts at decluttering, etc, etc, then sign up below! I'll be sending out one email on a week, on a Wednesday lunchtime, no more, no spam, and I'm looking forward to sharing this with you!

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P.S. Thanks to my awesome gal Natasha Nuttall for designing a bunch of kick ass logos for this! She's so good I'm struggling to pick just one!