Category Archives: journal

My hygge life – let there be light

I’m a big believer in hygge, which was something that I thought only I knew about, hah, until it went viral in 2016. Since I am a winter snuggler, hygge is key to helping me get through the dark days that are now upon us, both literally and figuratively. There’s no real translation for hygge – it’s kind of welcoming… Read more »

Tip of the day – cleaning caddies

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If your house, like most houses, has more than one floor, consider making yourself cleaning caddies that have a permanent home on each floor. Our house has a converted attic, so it’s three stories high – one of my huge extravagances is having a vacuum cleaner on each floor: no more lugging this heavy appliance up and down the stairs. I… Read more »

Brand of the day – Briochin

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Briochin is a French household ‘natural’ products brand – they make all manner of cleaning products with a retro, olde-worlde look and feel. The packaging is generally retro, usually navy-blue cardboard with white lettering and most of the products are certified by Ecocert as not harmful to the environment. I value them too for their pleasant, natural smells, often based… Read more »

Recipe of the day – home-made air freshener

Personally, I dislike using commercial air-fresheners, which often contain some nasty chemicals such as benzenes and phthalates. Products with antibacterial powers, such as Febreze, are useful for items such as the dog’s bed, but simply making the air smell sweeter doesn’t really require bactericides. Obviously, your main treatment for stale smells is to open the windows and, if you can,… Read more »