Spark Joy Your Summer?

I’m one of the people for whom surroundings & environment are key to my mood, overall happiness and productivity. I often read the quite hackneyed self-complaint by freelancers that they have to prevent themselves from doing the washing up and tidying before sitting down to work…

Well yes, exactly, that is a must. If I’m properly tight on time, facing a deadline (much fewer of those non self-imposed ones these days phew) then I can overlook a messy worktop but I don’t like it.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not your excessively tidy minimal type. I just have a certain level and prescribed order to the ways things are in the house and I will mindlessly go through the motions of putting things straight until I feel a certain level has been achieved. By no means neat as a pin to the outside eye, but to mine just right.

I accept that for those living with me certain requirements may not be that obvious – mindreaders need only apply 😉 – and the stacking of tea boxes in the cupboard is carefully arranged in order of my preferences and regularity of use. And me being a bit weird one on hot beverages – coffee and herbal tea drinker but no normal tea, what? – my system isn’t really suited to anyone else.

Anyway, a week in London slowing down on work to hang with Gus pre our trip to Portugal is letting me finesse a few satisfactory details plus a little decor details, like covering up ugly plugs and wires with a freestanding frame. Genius, right?

And finally time to tackle the bulk of my bathroom products and reorganise in the vein of pretty, ok maybe next month. In terms of self, I’ve been creating photography I’m happy with but also returning to other projects if Gus is on a play date and I have a spare hour… Did I mention I can’t stay away from GarageBand and love bringing to life power ballads composed at the piano into 80s electro homage? I can’t quite explain how superlatively absorbing making music (even crap music is) soul soothing and pure escapism, give it a go 😉

Tomorrow we fly to Portugal for crazy heat, Ikea trips and a fun shoot with my lovely Bianca… House is ready for the house sitter, and I am ready for the holiday to truly begin.