As summer draws to a close and routines return to normal, September feels like the perfect time to reset our homes and declutter to purge the things we no longer need.

As such, it's also the perfect time to try one of the best decluttering methods. There are plenty to choose from nowadays, and having put many of them to the test myself, I know that the best methods are the ones that help us actually rethink our shopping habits going forward. These methods can create real, lasting change, and give our homes a good clear-out in the process.

So when I heard about the 'use it up' decluttering trend, I had high hopes. This sounded like something that would help shift my mindset and create a calmer home on a long-term, permanent basis. After putting it to the test, I'm pleased to say that I wasn't disappointed.

I tried the 'use it up' decluttering method to organise my home

Having had so much success with the latest decluttering trends – decision fatigue decluttering and the 80/20 rule – I was a little sceptical that the 'use it up' trend would follow suit. It's rare that every method I test becomes a favourite, after all. But now that I've tried this recommended decluttering method, it's earned its place in my organising toolkit.

What is the use it up decluttering trend?

'Use it up' decluttering does pretty much what it says on the tin: it suggests using something up completely before buying a replacement. As simple as it sounds, it's actually much harder to do in practice. How many of us genuinely wait until we've run out of something before we buy it again?

I can admit that I definitely don't. Be it cleaning products, toiletries, or food and drink items, my home is chock-a-block with duplicates, simply because I don't like the idea of running out of something and not having a replacement to hand.

Maybe there's some interesting psychology behind this, or maybe it just comes down to being a planner at heart, but it's fair to say that my home storage solutions aren't always equipped to deal with it.

Which is why the 'use it up' decluttering method was made. The idea is that we should only be storing what we need in our homes, and cramming all the cupboards and drawers full isn't necessarily the best approach.

If any of this sounds familiar, the 'use it up' method could be for you. But I'm already thinking that there might be some drawbacks to this trend. What happens, for example, when I run out of something I need and it's not practical for me to nip out and buy a replacement?

Trying the 'use it up' decluttering trend

That said, I was keen to put this trend to the test and see if it could help me rethink what I bring into my home going forward.

The first place I tried 'use it up' decluttering on was my toiletries. I admit it, I'm a bit of a skincare hoarder, and yes, I do have multiple copies of certain items that I really like. My excuse for this is that when I'm shopping online (which is most of the time), I'll add certain items to my basket so I don't have to pay for delivery, even though I don't need them yet.

I doubt I'm the only person who does this, and it has its benefits – if I'm definitely going to use what I've bought eventually. But there have been some instances where I've later changed my mind on a product, and then I'm stuck with the replacement I bought a couple of months back. And, my toiletry storage is pretty much always fit to burst.

When I started to organise my toiletries, I realised the 'use it up' decluttering method would be ideal for me. I was finding multiple items of the same skincare products in my drawers, including three SPF creams for my face. I'd bought a replacement for my replacement without even realising it.

The 'use it up' method was helpful for actually getting me to think about my shopping habits. Why did I need three bottles of the same item? It's like there was an underlying fear of the product being discontinued. This led to a lightbulb moment where I realised why certain areas of my home always feel cluttered, despite my best efforts.

So I made a promise to myself: I would use up every single toiletry I was storing before buying any replacements for my favourite beauty empties.

So far, so good; I haven't felt the need to buy anything new, even when I've started to run low on specific products (probably because I had too many in the first place).

I also wanted to test the 'use it up' decluttering trick in my kitchen. I managed to double my small kitchen storage space with some space-saving solutions, but there's still room for improvement. Certain cupboards feel pretty stuffed, especially after the weekly food shop.

After going through each cupboard, I realised I was definitely storing more than I needed to. Tinned food, like chickpeas and coconut milk, was in excess, as were other items like flour and rice. I'd bought a fresh bag of flour when mine was still half-full, and flour is something that takes me a while to get through.

Like with the toiletries, I made a mental note not to buy any replacements until I'd used up what I had. But at this point, I started to experience the main drawback of the 'use it up' method – what happens when I run out of something I genuinely need and don't have a replacement in the house?

Certain items, like washing-up liquid, shampoo, toilet roll, or even olive oil, are pretty necessary to have around. While I was testing the 'use it up' decluttering trend, I realised that running out of certain items meant a dash to the corner shop to buy a replacement, simply because I wasn't willing to wait for my next online order to arrive.

I found having to nip out for these items could make my day a tad more stressful. While I'm lucky to work from home, I also don't think it's practical for everyone to have to go to a shop for things as they run out one by one.

Verdict: should you try the 'use it up' decluttering method?

Despite this drawback, I'm still a fan of the 'use it up' decluttering trend. It's had a positive effect on how I shop, and I've started to question what I'm buying more often, particularly when it comes to toiletries. My bathroom storage baskets and dressing table drawers are looking much better as a result.

My best advice would be not to use this method as a hard-and-fast rule. If you're running low on essentials, I think it's absolutely fine to have a replacement ready and waiting, especially if you've got the storage space.

You can still keep the 'use it up' method in mind by using something as much as possible before you go out and buy another (and not buying a replacement for your replacement, like me).

All in all, I'm a fan, and I'll definitely be sticking to a slightly adapted version of the 'use it up' method going forward.

An elevated kitchen needn't be filled with patterns, colours, and unconventional designs. In fact, Penny Lancaster has just shown how you can keep the space neutral but level it up with small but significant design touches.

Whether you're looking for a way to make your kitchen look expensive or want to start adding more personality to your home, that doesn't mean you have to completely transform your space. In fact, sometimes the more subtle yet considered design elements can make all the difference and at the same time cost much less.

Posting a comedic reel with her son on her Instagram (@penny.lancaster), Penny Lancaster gave us a glimpse into her exquisite kitchen, complete with cosy layered lighting and sleek marble worktops.

With so many kitchen design rules to be broken, it's a surprisingly easy space to customise to your needs and style. With the right elements, you can completely transform your kitchen with just a few humble changes and additions.

Penny's kitchen showcases a few of them, the first being how she's used indoor layered lighting to make the otherwise luxurious space feel homely. With LED strips illuminating the cabinets, double-sided wall lamps and a chic, dimly lit glass ceiling light, there's a real mix of lighting in the kitchen, and it softens the space.

Along with the lighting, there are subtle design elements that elevate various kitchen essentials. The enamel sink has an unusual yet stylish ribbed finish on the outside, which takes it up a notch and adds interest to an otherwise classic design.

This small yet significant style can also be seen with the marble countertops that have a chic edging instead of the clean-cut style we so often see. This, much like the lighting, helps soften the stone counters and also adds another layer of luxury. Making your space your own like this is one of the biggest kitchen trends this year and it's no surprise why.

Aside from the fittings and fixtures, the accessories used in Penny's kitchen help tie everything together. With colourful houseplants, matching marble shelves and, of course, her very own memoir, the room, as luxurious as it is, feels lived in and filled with character.

So if you want to give your kitchen a refresh, it's a great idea to try to see how you can add small changes to the space and work up from there.

Where Penny has used layered lighting, there are many ways to make your kitchen cosy, especially as we enter the autumn season. From candles to washable rugs, there's lots to be done to create a more welcoming cooking environment.

Christmas, whether we want to admit it or not, is on its way and with it the charming yet chic decor we look forward to surrounding ourselves with all year. And last year these door swags won us over.

Whilst you may be excited to get your best Christmas wreath out of storage the moment December arrives, this decorative alternative might sway you to change things up this year. After watching them sell out on the M&S website last festive period, we had to hunt down some worthy replacements. But the good news is that M&S's fresh door swags are finally back in stock, and look better than ever.

So, although it is rather early to try out some new Christmas decorating ideas, there's no harm in browsing and if a swag takes your fancy? Well, what can you do!

Every year we see new and old Christmas trends rise in popularity, from the cutesy bow trend to the nostalgic festive trend; there's really something for everyone's taste. But Christmas door swags? Well, it looks like they're here to stay.

These bestselling options from M&S are made in-house at their Flowershop. The Natural door swag has 17 stems, including eucalyptus, elderberries and pussy willow amongst other plants. All of which are sourced from sustainable and trusted growers.

To ensure they last all season long, the swags, when possible, will arrive in bud form. Then, all you have to do is trim their stems, place them in a vase with water and a flower food mix, and watch them begin to bloom. To hang, you can use a wreath hook, or if you're so inclined, a command hook will do the trick too.

The red door swag is a great way to add a bit of personality to your home before your holiday guests have even got through the door. This one has ilex red berries and a deep crimson ribbon tied in a bow for that extra festive look.

We expected more swags to become available, but if you're worried about keeping the plant life happy through the season, there are plenty of artificial alternatives to choose from; Dunelm has a huge selection, in fact.

And if you're fancying a door swag before Christmas officially begins, endless designs work as autumn decor ideas and will ease you into the new season.

You might think mushrooms growing in your grass are a whimsical rarity, but fungi are quite common. When conditions are right, they can pop up quickly, but with some varieties being poisonous, it's important to know how to deal with them once they appear.

Even when you've avoided all the lawn care mistakes, grass can often surprise us with random brown patches, weed growth and, in some cases, a sudden fungi infestation. And while you may welcome the addition, especially if you're one for cottage garden ideas, there are a few reasons you might not want to keep them around.

Whether you've got pets, young kids or simply don't like the look of them, we've spoken with horticulture experts to gain professional advice on removing lawn mushrooms and how to stop them returning.

How can you stop mushrooms from growing in your lawn?

The same way you might want to get rid of moss in your lawn, mushrooms can be a bit of an eyesore and get in the way of you having a perfectly manicured lawn.

"You can't completely stop mushrooms from appearing because the fungus itself usually lives unseen in the soil, but you can make the lawn less inviting," says Dr Russell Sharp, Founder of Eutrema. "Start by removing obvious sources of decaying organic matter such as buried old roots, rotting wood or thick layers of thatch. Then improve drainage and airflow through the soil."

"A garden fork or lawn aerator can help if the ground is compacted, while scarifying will remove excess thatch that stays damp for long periods. Avoid overwatering as well. If mushrooms appear, simply pick or mow them off before they open fully. That won't kill the fungus underneath, but it stops the lawn from being covered in fruiting bodies," he adds.

As Dr Russell says, mowing your lawn won't remove the fungus completely, but it can make your grass safer for pets and children.

Why have I suddenly got mushrooms in my lawn?

If you've been sorting the garden out and suddenly come across mushrooms in your lawn, that doesn't mean anything is wrong. It simply means the conditions are ideal.

"A sudden flush usually means the weather has created the right conditions for fungi that were already there. Warm, damp soil after a period of rain is ideal, especially if there's plenty of organic material for the fungus to feed on," points out Dr Russell.

"Sometimes mushrooms appear after a tree or hedge has been removed because old roots are still rotting underground. They can also show up after new turf or compost has been added, simply because you've introduced more organic matter and moisture into the soil," he adds.

Is there a spray to kill mushrooms in the lawn?

While you might be taking a rewilding approach to gardening and want to avoid chemicals, mushrooms can still pose a threat. So your hand may be forced to try something other than sustainable garden ideas for a solution.

"There are fungicide sprays that can be used on mushrooms, but these may not always be effective," says Richard Barker, horticulture expert and Commercial Director at LBS Horticulture. "Fungicides will only target the visible part of the mushroom and will not kill the underground network of fungi."

"Mushrooms can also be temporary, usually appearing after wet weather and disappearing on their own once soil dries out," he adds.

Luckily, mushrooms aren't exactly one of the best-growing plants for drought, which is why you probably won't come across them so much during summer.

How long do mushrooms last in grass?

If you're particularly worried about mushroom sightings in your lawn, the good news is they don't tend to stick around for too long.

"Mushrooms usually last for a few days in grass before they rot or dry up by themselves. They appear soon after wet weather, but dry conditions can make them shrivel up and disappear within a day or two. If the weather stays wet and humid, outbreaks can remain for a week or more," explains Richard.

What are the dangers of mushrooms growing in a lawn?

As mentioned previously, it's no secret that mushrooms can pose a potential risk if they're a poisonous variety, so it is best to act quickly and get rid of them manually when you can.

"For the lawn itself, most mushrooms aren't a problem at all. The main concern is safety because some species are poisonous if eaten, and it's very difficult for a non-expert to identify every mushroom correctly," says Dr Russell.

"If you have young children or pets that might pick them up, I'd remove them as soon as you see them and dispose of them safely. A heavy flush can also make the lawn look untidy, but that's usually cosmetic," he continues.

So when you're out watering your garden plants or scarifying your lawn, be sure to keep an eye out for any fungi hiding in your grass.

If you're looking to try meadowscaping your garden, you may want to leave the mushrooms to grow. This won't have any negative effect on your other plants; just ensure you keep any curious hands away from the fungi.

When Bake Off returns to screens later this month, viewers might miss seeing Dame Prue Leith, who left the show after nine seasons. The good news is Prue is inviting viewers into her stunning Cotswolds kitchen with her own ITV series.

And because of this charming look at her life in her purpose-built home in her Gloucestershire barn conversion, we get to see her unique kitchen design – full of vibrant colours and, perhaps controversially, embracing curated clutter as a design choice rather than something to hide away.

Certainly a bold choice that might not be for everyone, Prue revealed on her blog that her decision to go big and bold with her yellow kitchen design "makes [her] smile every morning."

Prue's purpose-built kitchen cabinetry comes from Omega, a British kitchen designer based in Doncaster. Prue chose daffodil yellow units against white walls, adding extra pops of colour via green and yellow blinds.

Prue’s use of such a bright colour in an unconventional way is a form of colour drenching. Rather than saving bright colours for an accent wall or one specific feature, colour drenching creates a cohesive, immersive colour experience by using a single shade throughout the space.

With such a bright colour chosen, Prue is also sure to spotlight them. Lighting appears built into the yellow cabinets, creating added vibrancy and really exaggerating the happy hue.

Overhead lighting here might have cast shadows or prevented the colour from really shining through, so it’s a lesson in staging your lighting properly.

If you’d consider going bold like Prue, an interior designer previously spoke to woman&home about embracing the trend.

“Colour drenching isn’t only easy; it’s transformative. It allows a completely new take on a room without the additional budget required for a range of colours,” says Michael Rolland, managing director at The Paint Shed.

By extending the same colour to accessories like kitchen cabinets, you maximise impact without costly renovations. Simply painting cabinets to match walls or, in Prue’s case, contrasting a bold yellow against an easy-to-blend white instantly updates your space, giving it a new lease of life on a budget.

What we really love about Prue’s daring kitchen is how she added personality with the kitchen chairs. Keeping with the theme but managing to avoid it feeling too much, Prue’s mixed-and-matched green and yellow chairs continue the joyful theme.

If the colours weren’t already bold enough, Prue decided to make her smart storage solutions out in the open. Creating a usable utensil wall that doubles as an installation, Prue’s cutlery wall is a distinguished feature within the space.

While some might see the utensil wall as cluttered, it certainly makes a statement and offers a touch of industrial design to her sunny kitchen.

This isn't the only example of Prue going against the conventional rules of kitchen storage. On one of her tabletops, rather than opting for a clear and clutter-free look, Prue has created a stylish centrepiece with an oversized spice rack, complete with spices, ingredients, knives and wooden utensils stacked together almost like a floral bouquet.

Not one for the minimalists or those who need things hidden away, but it does give the room character, similar to how antique books on display in a reading room fill the space with character.

Jennifer Lopez has given fans a rare peek inside her Hidden Hills, LA home, where the star has fully embraced classic English heritage style to give her living room an air of elegance.

Eschewing the sort of airy minimalism more often seen in celebrity homes in Los Angeles, Jennifer has favoured an aesthetic heavily inspired by the classic English country house. Her fondness for the Regencycore interiors trend is perhaps not surprising given her well-known love for Bridgerton (Jennifer even had a lavish Bridgerton-themed 55th birthday party in 2024).

She's made clever use of layers, textures and a consistent earthy colour palette for warmth while adding timeless luxury with accessories including marble and plush velvets – and of course a grand piano.

Starting with the living area, it draws us in to get cosy through the intentional use of textiles and colour. With a pale mauve-pink sofa, olive-green fringed pillows, and burnt orange curtains, everything is grounded in calming earthy tones and blends to create cohesive harmony.

A large woven rattan tray holding amber glass and candles, resting on a heavily patterned textile footstool acting as a coffee table, adds immediate depth and texture.

Illuminated by a warm, antique-looking lamp and a flickering candle, layered lighting once again proves hugely valuable because it can truly make or break the desired effect of any space.

Inspired by JLo's home?

Framed art, sketches, and vintage pieces hang against a soft sage green backdrop. It exudes a sense that these have been collected over time, telling not just the story of the current resident, but the families who have lived in the home for generations before.

It’s quintessential English heritage, and JLo has masterfully shown how you can recreate that feeling but make it more modern.

What’s important to note is not only what she’s hung up or even how she’s hung them (avoiding a polished, neat look), but what she’s framed them in. Against the earthy, soft sage green walls, Jennifer has relied on dark wooden frames, creating a seamless sense of timelessness that still connects to the overall palette of the room.

Forgoing the idea of ‘perfection’ again, JLo has opted for a wilder, more natural aesthetic in her choice of floral displays. Rather than preened floral arrangements, this feel of the English countryside is evoked by the ‘just foraged from outside’ slightly wild and free-looking sprawling bouquet of moody burgundy florals.

Adding touches of whimsy, Jennifer showcases a flair for the grandiose. A marble fireplace or archway houses antique-looking books, bookended by two lion figurines.

A proud Leo star sign who often posts about it, JLo has instantly added a touch of personality while channelling one of the most timeless aesthetics there is.

And then there’s the grand piano. Again, a timeless nod to a time gone by for many, JLo has masterfully modernised this touch, choosing a plum or dark-red-looking glossy piano over the traditional black.

It’s a subtle change, but it’s one that ties every accessory and accent in the room together, creating the feeling that nothing is there by mistake.

Continuing to evoke a proper old-school country home, Jennifer’s walls are also aesthetically cluttered and full of charm. Rather than showcasing one or two key pieces, Jennifer has embraced that feeling of heritage and ancestry, with a hodgepodge, dense collection of mismatched prints and images.

Summer blooms may be fading, but there's still plenty of beauty to be found in our gardens throughout autumn. To make your plot feel instantly more appealing, follow this expert advice to help revive your heat-stricken container plants.

Patio container plants are a great way to add flowers and flora to your garden no matter how much space you have – whether you can build flower beds or not. They're also brilliant for all-year-round colour and interest as you can easily replace the plants seasonally, and move them indoors to your greenhouse when the frosts arrive.

BBC Gardeners' World presenter Adam Frost has shared his tips to give container plants a simple autumnal refresh to keep them looking their best before winter weather arrives.

Whether you've got some plants that provide autumn colour or have invested in some of the best trees for pots. Summer heat and hosepipe bans have taken a toll on our container plants; it's therefore no surprise the pots aren't looking their best.

"After a hot summer, containers can start to look a little tired, but a quick tidy-up now can keep them looking their best right into Autumn," says Adam.

"Remove any dead or dying leaves and keep deadheading to encourage more flowers. Clear away any spent flower heads and get rid of any straggly growth," he instructs.

"Just a few minutes can make all the difference," Adam points out.

And while you will need to protect your container plants from frost once it arrives, the wet weather also affects the plants. It's recommended that you lift your pots and add feet to them; this will help improve drainage when the rain comes and provide a constant water supply to your plants, whether they like it or not. These terracotta feet from B&Q are only £4 and are perfect for the job.

As long as you keep an eye on your autumn potted plants and avoid any container gardening mistakes, they should stay happy and thriving through the season.

Don't make an autumn gardening mistake and neglect your garden once the nice weather leaves. You can do plenty to keep your space looking its best and growing to its full potential.

While Christmas might still feel like a far-off thought, there's no denying the shops are starting to welcome their festive offerings. And of course, when we heard M&S has already opened the Christmas shop, we just had to take a peruse.

"Because while it’s definitely too early for the tree, it’s *never* too early for a browse," Marks and Spencer announced via an Instagram post (@marksandspencer). And we couldn't agree more. Although you certainly don't need anything right now, there's no harm in browsing some potential new additions to your favourite Christmas tree decorations.

As always, M&S has been way ahead of the curve by releasing their now-viral, bestselling novelty Christmas decorations early. However, their official festive creations have also started to roll out, and we've found ourselves wanting pretty much all of it.

If you're looking for fun, new Christmas decorating ideas, then Marks and Spencer is the place to look. Not only is the brand way ahead of the trends when it comes to its seasonal decor, but this year they're all about the nostalgic Christmas trend, and we love the way it adds personality to the season.

And although their tree ornaments are certainly showstoppers in their own right, we're huge fans of M&S's wreaths, lights and home decorations. Each piece doesn't just deliver on a trending aesthetic, but it's of high quality too, which is why they're such great items to invest in for festive seasons to come. They make some of the best Christmas wreaths we've seen on the market, and they don't come close to breaking the bank.

So even if you're not ready to welcome in Christmas just yet, we seriously recommend you take a browse. Every year we see these pieces sell out ridiculously fast, and it's no surprise why.

If you're avoiding Christmas for the next few months, then why not enjoy some autumn decor ideas instead? There are so many ways to make your home cosy for the new season, and it'll keep you happy until you're ready for the festivities.

The KitchenAid stand mixer is already iconic, but the new Design Series Luminaire takes that silhouette and turns it into a style centrepiece with an elegantly lit glass bowl, showcased on a brand-new French Blue body.

Every year, KitchenAid adds to their collection of stand mixers with a stand-out, limited-edition model. We've seen hammered copper bowls and ones made out of walnut wood, but fluted glass is a first.

They've also showcased the brand new features of the Artisan Plus stand mixer beautifully. So, whether you're getting Bake Off ready or looking for new ways to fall in love with your kitchen, this has all the ingredients for a luxury look.

The first thing you'll notice about KitchenAid's Design Series Mixer is the namesake feature, the lights in the bowl. This is a new element that KitchenAid launched on the Artisan Plus and they've used the fluted glass bowl to give your stand mixer an almost chandelier effect in the kitchen.

Whilst this KitchenAid isn't the first stand mixer to have a glass bowl, it's the most beautiful version of it that I've seen. They've also hardened the glass for better durability, fluted the edges so that it casts elegant patterns of light across your room, and kept a smooth finish so you get a sculptural look, but still the functional visibility in the bowl.

The new colourway is also an exciting move for the brand. Their Colour of the Year, a cheerful Spearmint blue set the tone for bright colours in the kitchen, but the new Blue Peppercorn works in the opposite way. The calming blue with a colour-matched trim band and a tactile crinkle finish as well as polished metallic accents.

More iconic KitchenAid Stand Mixers

KitchenAid’s Design Series has become something of an annual event for kitchen obsessives, and the Luminaire is shaping up to be another seriously covetable addition. With its standout design and the performance we’ve come to expect from KitchenAid, this is a mixer that’s as much a statement piece as it is a hardworking kitchen appliance. If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to upgrade your stand mixer, this could be it.

While many of our favourite flowers are withering away, now is the time to start thinking about next year's blooms. Alliums are one of the flowers which need planting now, so we asked the experts how to get it right.

With so many bulbs to plant now for a colourful spring display, it's all too easy to rush the planting process and forget what you need to ensure the plants get the best chance of success. So although you may have lots to tick off your September gardening jobs, when planting your allium bulbs, there are a few key details to consider.

One of these is how deep you plant the allium bulbs. Just as tulip bulbs have to be planted at a certain depth, these tall purple flowers also require a little more consideration when planting bulbs.

How deep should you plant allium bulbs?

As one of the best drought-tolerant plants, alliums are a great addition to your garden as summers get hotter and drier each year. To ensure the flowers establish properly, though, you've got to get the bulb planting right.

"For most ornamental alliums, aim for a planting hole around three to four times the bulb’s size, checking the packet for the particular variety," explains Dr Russell Sharp, Founder of Eutrema. Measure from the soil surface to the base of the bulb, rather than putting that much soil above its tip."

"Many border alliums need a hole about 10–15cm deep, while larger bulbs may need 15–20cm. Adequate depth helps protect bulbs from temperature changes and gives developing plants a secure position. Don’t plant every bulb at the same depth regardless of its size," he adds.

If you plant your bulbs right, you won't need to worry about protecting them from frosts when winter arrives.

Can you plant alliums too deep?

If you're worried about making an autumn garden mistake when planting your bulbs, it's good to know that you can plant your bulbs incorrectly.

"Yes, particularly if you bury small bulbs much further down than their planting instructions suggest. The shoots have further to travel before reaching daylight, which can delay emergence and use more of the bulb’s stored energy," says Dr Russell.

"In heavy soil, a deeper hole may also leave the bulb sitting in wetter conditions, increasing the risk of rot. A few extra centimetres in freely draining soil usually aren’t a disaster, so don’t dig everything up over a small measuring error. Correct bulbs you’ve buried substantially below their recommended depth," he continues.

Alliums are not best suited to wet gardens, so you should avoid putting them in an environment where they could be sat in water.

How many allium bulbs should you plant together?

While you may want to make your cottage garden ideas come to life, you can only plant so many bulbs together.

"I’d start with five or seven bulbs of one variety for a group in a border. That gives a more noticeable display than isolated flowers dotted around the garden, while still allowing each flowerhead to stand out. Treat this as a design choice, rather than a rule the plants need you to follow," recommends Dr Russell.

"Keep smaller alliums roughly 8–10cm apart and allow at least 20cm between taller types, checking the variety’s instructions. Planting together means creating a group across an area, not squeezing several bulbs into one hole," he points out.

What month is best to plant allium bulbs?

Wondering when you should plant these spring bulbs? To ensure you enjoy the blooms come next spring, you can plant the bulbs earlier than you may think.

"Allium bulbs are best planted between early and mid-autumn, or between September and November. They can still be planted in December if you miss this window, but check that the bulbs feel firm and show no signs of mould. Bulbs planted later may flower later than usual in their first year, but should flower at their normal time after this," suggests Richard Barker, horticulture expert and Commercial Director at LBS Horticulture.

Want to do something a little different with your garden? Why not try some expert tips for planting spring bulbs in your lawn this autumn? It gives your space a whimsical, meadow-like appearance and breaks up a uniform lawn.

TV presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse is proudly showing fans her recent kitchen renovation, after opening the doors to her beautiful Grade II Listed farmhouse in Berkshire.

While preparing for a new baby and managing busy family life, Oti felt like now was the perfect time for a kitchen transformation. Tired of navigating an awkward layout, where the fridge opened into the hallway, Oti had a clear vision for how she wanted to improve the space – making the most of every inch available while embracing the latest Kitchen design trends.

From practical pocket doors to prevent open cupboards from encroaching on high-traffic areas or, worse still, creating a hazardous layout for little ones, to bespoke spice racks and spinning storage concealed neatly within contemporary cupboards, the finished design is a masterclass in small kitchen storage essentials

Inside Oti Mabuse's kitchen impressive transformation

Teaming up with the experts at Howden's to bring her vision to life, Oti wanted to create a stylish space that served her better – making it a safe space for children, freeing up as much floor space as possible and maximising storage.

It's safe to say her brief has been fulfilled, as she now proudly stands in her new streamlined, stylish kitchen design which remains open and airy while providing plentiful storage for a busy family kitchen.

Beginning the revamp by swapping a kitchen island for wall-mounted storage was the perfect space-saving solution, opting for floor-to-ceiling storage instead.

"As a passionate cook, dedicated storage was a priority, so we created a practical spice storage shelf that keeps ingredients organised, visible and within easy reach when preparing meals," says Howdens’ kitchen designer, Emma Dolman. "Combined with the spacious larder and other clever storage solutions, the kitchen is perfectly tailored to Oti’s love of cooking."

To give the space a sleek new look, Oti chose Ilfracombe Beaded in-frame shaker cabinetry in Truffle and Sandstone with pops of antique brass in the sink and handles that align with the property's heritage style.

"The design beautifully complements the home’s farmhouse character, creating a space that is both stylish and highly functional," says Emma.

Utilising every inch of available space, Gavin designed the components vertically by installing a tall fridge, freezer, and drawer storage to the full height of the ceiling.

To achieve the streamlined look, the ovens are seamlessly integrated into the tall wall of cabinetry, and Gavin suggested a Lamona venting induction hob to transform the space normally reserved for an extractor fan into convenient spice jar storage.

For me, it's these finer details that stand out as simple yet effective ways to maximise functional space, from the drying racks over the sink to keep counters clear to the slimline storage racks above the hob to elevate everyday kitchen essentials.

To bring her ideas to life, Oti enlisted carpenter and joiner Gavin Tutton, and Howdens’ kitchen designer, Emma Dolman, to help create a timeless kitchen she'll love for years to come.

Speaking about her kitchen renovation Oti said: “We loved working with Gavin, he has brought our dream kitchen to life. He suggested solutions we hadn’t even thought of to guide us to the best design decision for Marius, me, and our growing family.

I love the pocket doors and the InSinkErator. The brilliant space works for all our cooking appliances. It’s such a good system that finally makes sense for us.”

Another impressive Howden's transformation worth checking out is Emma Willis' stunning pink kitchen renovation.

If you're feeling inspired to take on a kitchen makeover, be sure to read our expert advice on the kitchen design mistakes to avoid – because from forgetting to include bins to ignoring the working triangle design rule, there are plenty of easy ways to go wrong.

The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in any home, and because of that, it can get pretty grimy fast. And while cleaning the counters is self-explanatory, there are some hidden spots we often miss that, over time, build up with dirt.

Surprisingly, there are more common kitchen cleaning mistakes than you may think; from overusing bleach to ignoring hard water damage, it's easy to get it wrong when cleaning your kitchen. However, aside from these, there are certain spots in the space that you might've forgotten to tackle as they're out of sight and out of mind.

One of these spots is the edge of induction hobs; the seal around your hob can quickly collect food scraps, spills and grease. Luckily, Queen of Clean, Lynsey Crombie, is here to show you how to tackle it.

Revealing the commonly forgotten grime hotspot on her Instagram @lynsey_queenofclean, she points out that while you may think your hob is clean, you need to make sure you're checking around the rim of the cooking appliance.

"It’s one of those sneaky little spots where dirt, grime and all sorts like to hide," warns Lynsey.

Knowing how to clean an induction hob properly can be a challenge in itself, with burn marks and streaks to battle against. However, taking that extra step to also remove build-up from around the appliance will ensure your cooking space remains hygienic and odour-free.

To ensure you don't leave a crumb behind, Lynsey recommends using a scraping tool to manually remove the build-up from around the seal of the induction hob. If you have one of the best steam cleaners, then this is a good time to use it too.

After scraping around the stovetop, it's time to crack out your usual cleaners for the actual glass surface of the induction hob. Whilst you can use your beloved luxury cleaning products here, Lynsey uses a classic Cif cream cleaner and finishes with a white vinegar spray.

While we would definitely add your hob to the list of things you should clean more regularly in your home, it won't need adding to your daily cleaning habits. Just keep an eye on the spot and tackle it when needed.

If you want to get your space reset quickly, then you can clean your kitchen in under an hour with some expert tips and tricks.

Smeg's first air fryer exceeds the brief. It's sleek and stylish, designed with a steam jet so that your food isn't just crispy, it's juicy too.

Lots of brands have been vying to make the best air fryer, but with thousands on the market, very few cut-through the boxy designs and chunky baskets that make up the most practical designs.

Just a few days ago, I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview and a little taste of Smeg's stylish air fryer launch and it's everything that you'd expect and more. Packed with clever details that give style and substance in equal measure, their air fryer is one that I'm going to clear some counter space for. Could it be better than even Ninja's air fryers?

Smeg's 7L Air Fryer is a first from the brand and it has been worth the wait. Available in Black, White, Emerald Green and Storm Blue, all four styles have a matte finish that's practical for marks, but also attractive in any kitchen. When I first saw these, I was struck by how genuinely beautiful they look on the counter, more so than anything else I've tested. And, importantly, the drawers are lined with a ceramic non-stick, so they're classed as non-toxic air fryers too.

But this air fryer boasts more than beauty, let's talk about the basics. A sensitive touch screen on the top lets you toggle between presets and manual modes. I thought it might get greasy or difficult to interact with as more foods were cooked, but it remained quick to respond and easy to navigate. I watched chefs whip up mini brioche, sausage rolls, crisps, and cheese bites in the drawer.

When quizzing them on what the air fryer has been like to use over the last few months, they had nothing but good things to say. One did mention, "This errs on the side of caution when you're cooking, so if you like your chips a little softer, you might want to tweak the pre-sets, but I'd rather have a more powerful, faster air fryer than anything else."

Most of the features that Smeg has included in its menu of pre-sets are classics, a meat setting, a roast chicken setting, and shrimp setting for seafood lovers. But Smeg starts to flex some culinary muscles when you look closer at the pre-sets and the design. You'll notice a Crispy mode, which gives you the classic air fryer results, but there's also a Juicy + Crispy mode. One of the things that annoys people about air fryers is how much they dry out food. So, Smeg dedicated a neat water insert and steam-diffusing tap to send moisture straight into the basket, so you can get a crisp finish on your food, but still enjoy moist, juicy chicken thighs.

The whole air fryer opens and closes with a soft, satisfying motion, operated by a neat button on the front. When you press it, the lid lifts fully up, giving you access to the full basket. Inside, the 7.2L basket is roomy enough for a whole roast chicken.

The basket lifts out using two heat-safe silicone handles that sit on either side, making the whole basket really manageable. Whether you have stiff wrists or a particularly heavy dish, being able to hold this like a dish or a tray, rather than from a front handle gives you a really good grip. This is a rare feature on an air fryer which makes a big difference to the recipes you'll want to tackle. And the best part is that the drawer can go in the dishwasher afterwards too.

There's also a handy clear panel that gives you full visibility across the drawer, so you can watch your food cook without an unsightly big glass box or a good guestimate of what it is like in terms of power. You get functionality, features, and still Smeg-quality design.

Alternative Air Fryers

A price point of £199.95 is actually very reasonable, especially for a premium brand such as Smeg. It's comparable to the Ninja, Cosori and Breville air fryers which I have included below, for context.

It's tough to cut through in the air fryer market and with more brands launching developed designs and microwave alternatives, I was beginning to think air fryers might have had their time. However, Smeg's new stylish design and thoughtful features tackle lots of issues that people have with their air fryers (dry food, utilitarian design) and brings back my hope that air fryers aren't going anywhere any time soon.

It's no secret or shock that our plants have experienced some rather unusually intense weather this summer. Aside from premature withering and drought, the heat has made dahlias particularly susceptible to mildew.

Learning how to grow dahlias is such a rewarding task in the garden; they flower well into autumn and provide a unique petal formation that comes in so many bold shades of colour. So when they fall victim to a plant disease like mildew, it's all too easy to panic and assume the worst for your beloved florals.

However, whilst mildew isn't the easiest disease to get rid of or even prevent when the weather is so intense, there are ways you can help your dahlias and stop it from spreading any further.

As some of the most beautiful late summer flowers, dahlias are a popular choice for many plots. With the weather being so hot and dry this summer, though, the plant has become vulnerable to mildew more than ever.

"So this summer has been very stressful for our plants, and we've had a lot more mildew on our dahlias than we normally do. We often get a bit of mildew, but this year it's much more severe," explains Josie, Head Gardener at Perch Hill (@sarahravensgarden on Instagram).

"It's not great for the plant; it does spread. So what we do is strip off the lower leaves just to help the plant out a bit because in September you're going to have at least six weeks of flowers," she adds.

Luckily, the solution is rather simple and will only require your essential gardening tools, such as a pair of secateurs, to be clean and sharp.

"So, on a plant like this, we'd take off the bottom third of the leaves, just taking the worst ones off. There's still some mildew on the higher leaves. We've got to leave some leaves on the plant for it to photosynthesise," Josie points out.

"We want it building up its tubers and still flowering, but as the new ones come through, we can take the worst of the mildew leaves off again," she continues.

Whilst you continue to tick off your September gardening jobs, just make sure you keep an eye on your dahlias as they produce new leaves. Then you can make sure any mildew-affected ones are removed as soon as possible.

Once your dahlias have survived their last blooming period, make sure you overwinter them properly so you can enjoy the mesmerising flowers next summer too.

Gardening, while a sustainable practice, can quickly become expensive, especially during planting season. So finding ways to cut costs and reduce waste can help a lot.

Whether you're looking for different ways to keep costs down with your gardening or want to start trying out some sustainable garden ideas, DIYs are a great place to start. You can make your very own shade solutions and water propagation techniques; the garden is the perfect place to cut down on waste and get creative.

This particular DIY not only will stop you from needing to spend any more money, but it'll also stop unnecessary plastic waste in your garden. And it uses cardboard, which has more than one benefit for your plants.

You might not know, but using cardboard in your garden has several benefits, and it's a great way to keep clutter out of your home if you get a lot of packages. This particular DIY from gardening expert Ish Kamran, @gardening.with.ish on Instagram, shows how you can make your own plant pots out of the recyclable material.

"Forget plastic pots, I'm going to show you how to make your very own cardboard pot using an old delivery box," starts Ish.

"Making your very own cardboard pot is incredibly simple. First of all, get yourself some regular old cardboard. Now, I've got one from an old Amazon parcel here, and you want to make sure it's plain brown cardboard, not the printed stuff," he continues.

"The next thing you want to do is really soak those layers in a tonne of water. Leave it there for a couple of minutes, and you should end up with some nice and soggy cardboard," shows Ish.

Whilst you can use toilet paper tubes to make pots, this method allows for large seedlings and allows you to customise what size pot you'd like to make.

"Get yourself a little paint can or tin can, whatever works for you, and just roll it around. As you can see, it's all soaked up, and you can squeeze it quite hard, and it'll stick to itself. Leave about a couple of inches at the top here and just push it around, being quite harsh with it, and that will form the bottom of your pot," he demonstrates.

"You wanna place that somewhere where it's going to dry over the next day or so, and then you can eventually demould it from the can, and there you go," says Ish.

"The benefits of this are that, first of all, it's decomposable, so you can put this straight in the ground when putting your plants down so you don't have to take it out and disturb the roots. You can bury it; it'll break down and help retain moisture too," he adds.

It's also a great way to recycle and use household waste in your garden, which won't just help keep your home uncluttered, but it'll save you some pennies with your gardening too.

With so many vegetables to plant in September, now is a great time to try this DIY and start sowing seeds ready for a spring harvest next year.

TOAST is famous for their cosy, earthy collections, but I bet you didn't know that they're mostly made up of independent creatives. From hand-thrown pottery to organic beeswax candles, it's a treasure trove for bringing meaningful pieces into your home.

Whilst it would be easy to spend a small fortune on TOAST homeware, in this year's Autumnal collection, I've noticed lots of beautiful kitchen décor that's (mostly) under £50 - and I just couldn't resist them.

So, while you're making small tweaks to bring Autumnal textures and palettes to your home, make a showcase of TOAST - as well as the independent creatives in Cornwall, Norfolk, Leeds that they support.

Whether you're looking at transitional bedding for the Autumn or patterns to bring some texture to your home as the season changes, I love these little TOAST pieces too. Not many people know that they work so closely with independent creatives, which is why I'm thrilled their collection continues to champion that spirit of craftsmanship and considered design. It's a reminder to bring some layers to your home and some little pieces with a real story behind them.

When decorating a kitchen, it often feels tricky to put a personal stamp on the space. When functionality takes priority, character can fall by the wayside, but actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore just proved you can have it all.

There's no denying that we're starting to see more colour and personality present in the latest kitchen trends, but with a space that prioritises functionality and order, it can feel like a room that limits how much personality you can add to it.

However, thanks to the beloved Charlie's Angels actress, a unique way to add colour and character to a kitchen has just been brought to our attention – and it's certainly making a statement

While there are non-negotiable kitchen essentials every cooking space needs, finding creative ways to add a little magic to the room ensures it feels more welcoming.

Sharing a sneak peek of her kitchen on her Instagram @drewbarrymore, Drew inadvertently showed her striped yellow-and-white countertop. Firstly, we're wondering why we've never thought of tiling our countertops, a sleek yet fun alternative to more expensive marble and granite countertop options.

Secondly, these striped tiles are a great way to play around with some interior colour trends and bring depth to your kitchen decor. The butter yellow colour continues to be popular in interior spaces, and looking at Drew's countertops, we understand why.

As with other dopamine decor ideas, it's important to balance out colours and patterns with more muted design elements. In Drew's kitchen, that's been done with white cabinets and lots of wooden kitchen accessories. A subtle coordination with the tiles can be found in the light yellow-painted door, though.

If you don't quite have the budget or plans to change your kitchen countertops anytime soon, then there are other ways to incorporate these characterful style notes. Whether that's tiling your backsplash instead or simply adding a feature wall with some decorative paper.

It needn't cost the earth for you to inject a little bit of yourself into your home, and finding ways to do it within your budget will ensure you enjoy it all that much more.

Looking to make your kitchen cosy ahead of the new season? Adding warm colours, a rug and making the place smell good with your favourite candles can all help keep you happy while you cook, bake and dine this autumn.

Heart-warming, whimsical designs come so naturally to Cath Kidston. If you love the look of their patterns and prints, but don't know where to start, or need a little inspiration, you're in luck.

Holly Marler, Cath Kidston's Head of Creative, gave us all of her expert tips and tricks on how to showcase prints and patterns to make you fall back in love with your home.

Whether you're working from a neutral palette or already on the dopamine decor trend, we've got plenty of inspiration - including Holly's "family of cushions" advice.

Meet the Cath Houses - prints, textures, and styles for the season

Cath Kidston's new autumn range, available exclusively on the Next website, showcases prints, patterns, and textures for your home. Before we get into Holly's advice on showcasing prints and patterns in your home, here are some of our favourites for bringing colour and character to your home:

How to use little pieces in the collection

Seeing the Cath Kidston collection might make you want to do a whole room redesign, but Holly celebrates the little tweaks that you can make at home. Whether it's Cath Kidston tableware. a cushion, a lamp, or a ceramic vase, she calls these "little pieces of art." Holly says, "I love the idea of pieces that tell a story or evoke conversation," because you've collected them very consciously.

What is the "family of cushions" rule?

Holly also recommends designing with her "family of cushions" philosophy. She explains that a room's soft furnishings shouldn't match, but should feel like they belong together. "The thought is comforting," she explains, "for example, a check piece, perfectly placed with a print and a bold colour can all live harmoniously together but look wildly different."

And now is the perfect time to be thinking about your cushions, because they're one of the easy autumn resets that make your home feel cosier. And it's even nicer to have expert permission to make your cushions all siblings, not twins.

How to use lighting in your room

It doesn't just have to be about soft furnishings. "If you prefer an instant transformation, our lighting collection introduces immediate warmth, colour, and personality." She points out the Dipped Pink Lamp as a "standout favourite."

We've always celebrated Cath Kidston's lighting and one of Holly's top tips for using lamps is to make them your single, special printed object. She explains that you can surround checks, stripes and florals with different fabrics or plain colours to emphasise the "pop of colour" that the lamp can bring. Plus, as the mornings and evenings get darker, a soft glowing lamp is an easy way to bring some ambiance to your rooms too.

How to introduce colour if you're drawn to neutrals

As someone who loves neutrals and soft colours (including Sage Green - the colour trend for 2027 ) I was keen to find out how to add some of the Cath Kidston colour and joy to my own home, an area on which Holly has lots of advice.

"I always talk about balance in a room and creating focal points within a harmonious colour scheme," she explains "I use my paint palette in much the same way: keep the main area calm, and let the strong colours come through in details like lighting. A petite bistro lamp in red gingham, for instance - small, but with a bold personality.

For rugs, look for printed borders, like a delicate butterfly motif, so the pattern doesn't become overpowering. It zones a room effortlessly while bringing in those joyful brights."

Finally, we asked Holly what she wished more people knew when perusing the collections she was quick to tell us more about all the work that goes on behind the scenes. "Each piece has been created with such love and care, and treated like a canvas - each print hand painted and placed on the object."

These pieces of home decoration will help to bring character, charm, and colour to your home. Not just because you chose them, but because the people who designed them put so much into them too. And if you're still seeking some home inspiration for autumn, we have collected all the cosiest pieces that are inspiring us this season.

With autumn on the horizon, many of us are taking the opportunity to declutter our homes so we can enjoy all that cosy season has to offer. September feels like the perfect time to reset, tackle our to-do lists, and get rid of anything we no longer need.

The best professional decluttering methods can help. In a bid to organise my home and make it the sanctuary I want it to be, I've tested many decluttering methods over the past few years, including the 1-3-5 decluttering technique, 'decision fatigue decluttering', the move-out method and many more.

So it's fair to say that I know when a new decluttering method is actually helpful versus when it complicates things unnecessarily. So when I heard about the 80/20 decluttering rule, I was keen to put it to the test. Would it genuinely help me curb the clutter in my home and get things ready for autumn?

I tried the 80/20 decluttering rule to organise my home: it's a game-changer

After trying the 80/20 decluttering rule firsthand, I can confidently say this method is worth a try. It's seriously made me rethink whether or not I actually need to bring something into my home. I also consulted with a decluttering expert to gain her thoughts on this technique (spoiler: she's also a fan).

What is the 80/20 decluttering rule?

The 80/20 decluttering rule is designed to stop us from filling up empty cupboard space. The idea is that you only fill up 80% of the space available, and leave the remaining 20% free. Of course, you don't need to get the measuring tape out and work out how much space 20% is exactly. The rule is there to act as more of a guide.

Decluttering expert Rebecca Crayford is a fan. "I always say to clients that there's nothing better than opening a cupboard or drawer and actually seeing some space, rather than feeling you need to fill every available inch just because it's there," she says.

I also like the idea of having space in my cupboard and drawers. Even though we can keep the contents hidden, it's pretty stressful when we open a cupboard door to find everything stuffed in there, jumbled on top of each other with some items spilling onto the floor.

'It's stressful, time-consuming and makes it much harder to stay organised,' Rebecca agrees. 'When you purposely leave some space, you can see what you have, find what you need quickly and know exactly where things go when you put them back.'

The 80/20 decluttering rule is also designed to help us rethink our shopping habits going forward. Do we really need to buy something just because we have the space to store it at home? Pausing to ask ourselves this question can actually be pretty powerful; I've since discovered.

Trying the 80/20 decluttering rule

The first place I was desperate to try the 80/20 decluttering rule on was my cleaning cupboard. I've been putting off sorting this cupboard for months, despite feeling frustrated every time I opened it. I was greeted by clutter, visual overwhelm, and a sense of guilt that I wasn't using all the products in there – not the feelings I want to have in any area of my home.

It's a spacious cupboard, so I'd filled it to the max. But with the 80/20 rule actively encouraging us not to do this, I had high hopes it would help me sort my cleaning cupboard out once and for all.

And I'm pleased to say, it did. I pulled everything out of the cupboard and onto the kitchen floor, which was helpful for getting a visual overview of what exactly I was storing. There were items in there I'd completely forgotten about, plus items I knew were past their best.

It was easy enough for me to figure out how many items I needed to get rid of to lose 20% of the cupboard's contents. I decided what could go, and then started putting the rest back into the cupboard (after giving the shelves a long-overdue wipe-down first). I was pretty amazed at just how much space getting rid of a few items had created. 20% doesn't sound like a lot, but it makes a big difference to cluttered and chaotic places.

The cleaning cupboard looks so much better now. I quite like seeing the empty space in there – it instantly imbues a sense of calm, which is the opposite of how it was before.

Armed with this success, I decided to tackle my toiletry storage next. This area is usually my downfall when it comes to decluttering, as I always manage to convince myself that certain toiletries will get used one day. And nine times out of ten, that day never comes.

Determined to free up 20% of the space in each storage basket, I again decided to pull everything out. It was a similar story to the cleaning cupboard; I was finding things I'd completely forgotten about, and some items, I'm ashamed to say, had an expiry date of 2022.

I quite liked combining the 80/20 rule with the 'didn't know' declutter method, where you get rid of anything you didn't know you had. It forced me to be a little bit more brutal, and I liked the flexibility that the 80/20 provided here – there's room to try it alongside one of your other favourite methods, if you have one.

Lastly, I tried the 80/20 rule on my socks and underwear drawers. Again, an area I've been wanting to get on top of for a while, and struggling to. I didn't think a person could have an emotional attachment to their socks, but there we are – I somehow always make an excuse to keep them even when they're past their best.

Again, the 80/20 method worked a charm. I had to get rid of a fair few bits to be able to see space in the drawers, but I felt great afterwards.

Verdict: should you try the 80/20 decluttering rule?

I can confidently recommend the 80/20 decluttering method, and I think it's perfect for those of us who are guilty of stuffing our cupboards full unnecessarily. It might not work in every area of the home – some drawers and cupboards simply will be more full than others – but seeing space where possible really does work wonders (for the mind as much as the home).

September feels like the perfect time to give the 80/20 rule a go. I know I'm looking forward to a calmer and more organised home in the cosy months ahead.

Earlier this month Stacey Solomon made the surprising announcement that she was leaving her beloved Pickle Cottage, swapping the Grade II-listed Essex home she had so lovingly restored and redecorated for a new mansion.

It is, perhaps, not surprising that the efficient Sort Your Life Out star has wasted no time in getting crafty to put her own stamp on the new place – focusing on small-but-impactful additions that bring a lot of life to a space while leaving the bigger projects for later. And as huge fans of autumn decor ideas, we've been captivated by Stacey's creative autumnal display.

Using garlands of golden leaves, fairy lights, lanterns and pumpkins, Stacey has been inspired by the season to create a show-stopping autumnal showcase at the entrance to her stairs.

While she's still unsure how to redecorate the space to add personality to the home, Stacey has temporarily got to work by adding light to the dark, wooden staircase without having to change its DNA.

Proving that a little can go a long way, the autumnal flowers wrapped around the bannister add colour that enhances the dark wood, evoking a sense of biophilic design and conjuring up feelings of a walk in the woods during the crisp autumnal months.

The pumpkin lights add a bit of whimsy, while staggering the lanterns on different steps creates a soft ambient glow that adds depth and character to the staircase. Much like when her fellow Loose Women co-star Ruth Langsford created her autumn sideboard, Stacey's efforts have left us feeling inspired to tap into some autumn decorating ideas too.

There’s a lesson to take away from Stacey’s impulse to focus on such a small area - you can make any home feel more personal and cosy without worrying about tackling everything all at once.

Sure, Stacey will have to think about bedrooms and bathrooms and bigger projects eventually, but why should all of that be in place before she can start creating new memories for her and her family?

This way, there’s a little corner of her new home that feels lived in and full of whimsy - perfect for the upcoming autumn and Halloween season and offering a place where you can think about what the whole house will feel like when it’s finished.

As for what to do with her classic, dark staircase, Stacey isn’t sure what direction to go. Writing in the caption of her post, she shared, "They’re old and worn, but they’re beautiful. The question is… Paint them? Sand them back & lighten them? Or keep them dark? Every little detail is just so special I want to honour them, but also they need some TLC!"

Comments seem just as divided over what she should do as Stacey appears to be. While many are in favour of Stacey honouring the dark, original character of the staircase, some are urging her to sand them back to a lighter hue.

Others suggest keeping the wood dark but lightening the area around it, bringing in a softening wall colour and a light runner for the stairs. Whichever way she decides to go, we’re excited to see the progress.

After a hot summer filled with fun, holidays and quality time in the garden, it's only natural that our homes reflect that now. This can mean lots of things lying around and taking up much-needed space. That's why now, as the seasons change, is a great time to declutter.

With autumn arriving, experts recommend a few home 'reset' rituals to get yourself and your space ready for the new season. There are so many reasons to declutter your home, whether to free up valuable loft or garage space or if you're looking to make room for extra cosy layers – the transition from summer to autumn is a perfect excuse to get organised.

Much of what we use and have around the house in summer no longer serves us once the seasons change because our plans change along with it. So, with this in mind, decluttering experts have shared a list of things they'd recommend storing, donating, or getting rid of ahead of the new season.

5 Summer items to declutter this autumn

Just as there are many things you should clean before autumn, it's a good idea to go around your home and sort out summer items you won't be using in the new season.

Not only will this free up lots of space, but it'll help you mentally prepare for the coming months too.

1. Suitcases and travel accessories

Even if you're not trying to organise a small space, suitcases take up far too much room, and it's all too easy to put off storing them away properly.

“Rather than leaving them in bedrooms, on top of wardrobes or taking up valuable cupboard space, September is a good time to pack away suitcases along with travel pillows, luggage organisers, beach bags and other holiday accessories,” explains Max Wilson, storage expert and Co-founder of Pocket Storage.

“Suitcases take up a surprising amount of space for something most households only use a few times a year. If you know you’re not travelling again soon, there’s little reason for them to be occupying prime storage space at home," he adds.

2. BBQ equipment and outdoor dining essentials

If you've been enjoying your outdoor kitchen this summer, you'll no doubt have the cooking tools to show for it. And while there might be some chances for al-fresco dining this autumn, it's a safe bet to start putting these things away.

“Large utensils, serving trays, outdoor tableware, barbecue accessories and other seasonal extras can therefore be moved out of kitchen cupboards and everyday storage areas,” says Max.

“You don’t necessarily need to put the barbecue itself away immediately, especially if you still use it, but all of the accessories around it can take up a lot of useful kitchen and utility-room space," he continues.

It's also a good idea to clean your BBQ and any tools thoroughly before storing it away. Not only will this keep the BBQ in good shape, but it'll save you hassle when you get it back out next year.

3. Fans and cooling systems

With summers getting hotter and hotter, you no doubt by now have one of the best fans in every room. And while they're a saviour during the heat, they're not only an eyesore in autumn, but they're also pretty bulky and imposing.

“As temperatures fall, however, floor fans, desk fans and portable cooling equipment are unlikely to justify the space they occupy," Max points out.

“Fans are one of the easiest wins in a September reset. They tend to be bulky, awkwardly shaped and left sitting in rooms long after people have stopped using them," he says.

4. Summer clothing

You may already be a master at wardrobe organising techniques, but the yearly clothing swap of your summer clothes to your winter ones is upon us. Whether we like it or not, it's time to bid farewell to flip-flops and cooling linens.

Max explains, “Wardrobes work much better when they reflect what you’re actually wearing now. If half the space is taken up by beachwear and holiday clothes in November, finding the things you use every day becomes unnecessarily difficult.”

It's time to welcome that autumn capsule wardrobe back for another cosy yet stylish season.

5. Summer sporting equipment

Whether you fancy yourself a sportsperson during any of the seasons or not, it's quite common to have unnecessary leisure equipment lying around. Whether that's an inflatable paddle board you take on the canal or a pair of flippers that got some use on a snorkelling holiday.

“September is a useful point to decide which items will genuinely continue to be used during autumn and which can be moved elsewhere,” Max says.

“Large leisure equipment is often responsible for a disproportionate amount of clutter. You might only have three or four items, but because of their size, they can make an entire garage or hallway feel full," he finishes.

If you need to declutter your shed to fit these things in, now's the best time to do it before the wet weather properly arrives.

Once you've taken all the summer items away from your everyday space, you'll be free to fully embrace the new season and perhaps try out some new autumn decor ideas.

Upright vacuums have always been seen as retro and cumbersome, the powerful workhorse you'd wheel our for a proper clean and then push back into the cupboard of clutter with a sore back and tired arms. But Shark has redesigned the upright vacuum into something sleeker and more versatile

The new Shark PowerDetect Transformer is a system that converts from a full upright vacuum into a stick or a handheld model in a matter of seconds. It's a clever feat of engineering that brings our nostalgia for the old, powerful upright vacuums to the convenience of stick vacuums. And, as a bonus, it folds in the functions of a handheld vacuum too.

With all that to boast about, the PowerDetect Transformer is set to be one of the best vacuums of all time. No longer will we have to choose between three styles of cleaning, compromising somewhere along the line. The Transformer tackles pet hair, everyday mess, and tricky tasks with speed and flexibility. We are entering a new era of vacuum cleaning.

The upright vacuum hasn't really changed in decades. It's the same basic design our parents used: powerful, reliable, but bulky, and not exactly built for a quick five-minute daily tidy to keep your home clean. Cordless sticks and handhelds solved that convenience problem, but often at the cost of the deep-cleaning power an upright gives you. Shark's new Transformer system is the first real attempt to close that gap.

As James Kitto, SVP Managing Director for EMEA at SharkNinja, puts it: "The upright vacuum hasn't meaningfully changed in decades. With Transformer, we've rethought what a vacuum can do by removing unnecessary complexity and creating a system that adapts to real life." They've looked at the common mistakes that people make with vacuums and worked around them to deliver "the deep-cleaning performance you'd expect from an upright, while giving consumers the flexibility to clean every part of their home, from floors and carpets to stairs, furniture and those harder-to-reach spaces."

The new Shark PowerDetect Transformer is deep and thorough when you need it, quick and convenient when you don't. Here's how it breaks down across the three modes:

As an upright, it has the deep-cleaning power of a corded vacuum, ideal for picking up pet hair, deep cleaning a carpet, and tackling a proper home clean. Shark has reimagined the traditional upright design and removed the hose, making it more streamlined with zero compromise on performance.

Switch to the stick vacuum for the runs that don't need full power: a quick pass for cobwebs on the ceiling, dust on the curtains, or a five-minute tidy before guests arrive. It's light and nimble enough that reaching for it doesn't feel like a chore.

And for the car, fiddly bits by the stairs, and upholstered chair cleaning there's the handheld. Transitioning between all three is promised to be as seamless as a click, with Shark's usual flexibility for reaching under sofas and beds.

Importantly, Shark has held on to lots of the features that we love: the reveal technology that illuminates hidden debris, a special detect floorhead that responds to dirt levels, floor types, and edges, as well as HEPA filtration and an auto-emptying bin.

Similar vacuums that we love

The Shark PowerDetect Transformer Vacuum can go from deep cleaning carpets to tackling stairs, upholders, skirting boards, and the car, you don't need multiple machines. The PowerDetect Transformer can do it in one. And I think it'll make you more motivated to clean than ever before.

If you've often been tempted to introduce a sofa or armchair in a bolder accent colour but haven't felt confident enough to commit to such an investment piece, look no further than Fearne Cotton's pink sofa for inspiration.

The dusky pink shade of her stylish sofa demonstrates how impactful accent colours can be for adding personality to your home. Set against a striking navy blue backdrop, the strong but sophisticated rose tone enhances the decor without overwhelming the space.

While we're used to seeing inside Fearne's kitchen as she shares stories about her busy home life on her Instagram @fearnecotton, this week she gave fans a glimpse behind the scenes of her characterful living room, with her relaxing on the pretty pink sofa – which we instantly fell in love with.

Not only is the shade divine and the velvet irresistible, but the shape and style are notably on-trend right now. Modular sofas, curved silhouettes and cloud-like cushioning are all hugely popular design choices in current sofa trends. Particularly the modular aspect, because it provides greater flexibility to tailor a sofa to meet your individual needs.

No doubt, with a busy family household, that played a role in Fearne's decision-making process, alongside the highly pleasing shade of pink.

I feel like Fearne must be a fan of Loaf because I once spotted that she had one of the old classics, the Betsey, and I'm almost certain her latest striking sofa choice is that of the Squishblocks Chaise, the delicious finish 'Strawberry Milkshake Pink Velvet'

After all, what's not to love about Loaf? They make comfy furniture with a colourful twist to add personality – none more so than the sofa we believe to be the one that Fearne has. "Squishblocks is exactly that," says Eleanor Davies, sofa & furniture category lead at Loaf. "A modern modular you can properly sink into. Bounce-back technology means no plumping, the seat is deep enough to disappear into, and there's absolutely no compromise on comfort."

Adding context to the growing popularity of modular sofas, Eleanor explains: "A sofa should move house with you. Fixed sofas ask you to predict your next ten years; modular lets you change your mind, and that flexibility is what people love.

Movable blocks become footrests, or extra seats for guests. People now want somewhere the whole family can be properly comfortable for an evening, rather than the formality of a three-piece suite."

And while we're saying it's about being confident with colour, it's more about whether a bold piece of furniture can prove as timeless as a 'safe' neutral option. Yes, that's the answer. Because if you choose a colour you truly love, it will serve as a treasured living room staple for years to come.

As a huge fan of sophisticated pink paint colours and striking accent furniture, I'm instantly invested in this look. I have a velvet footstool that is incredibly similar to the shade of Fearne's sofa, so naturally I'd consider a matching sofa in the same colour palette. Especially as I've recently used the 60-30-10 decorating rule, where pink is one of my highlight colours. Watch this space.

Autumn is very much in the air, inviting us to forge ahead with our September gardening jobs and prepare for the cosy season.

With the change in the seasons comes a change in what we see out and about, from the lush golden leaves that start to fall to the shiny brown seeds being dropped from the conker trees. And it’s these little chestnuts that have a surprising purpose beyond playground games of trying to break them apart.

Former Bake Off winner and queen of green cleaning, Nancy Birtwhistle has an incredible recipe for making your own all-natural cleaning detergent for free – using nothing but fallen conkers and boiling water.

How to make Nancy's all-natural laundry detergent using conkers

When you’re next out on a lovely autumnal walk, collect some fallen conkers – as many as you can carry home, pop them in a sandwich bag and then place them in the freezer. Freezing your conkers means you can keep making this detergent as long as you have a handful ready to thaw, as the finished detergent only lasts a few weeks.

When you’re ready to whip up a batch of entirely natural detergent, thaw a handful of conkers. Nancy suggests 10 should do the trick for a litre of detergent.

Slice them up, removing the outer shell, leaving you with the light coloured fleshy centres. Add all of these to a measuring jug and then pour boiling water over them – enough to completely cover them.

Once the conkers are fully submerged in water, leave them to soak overnight, or around eight hours. Use a sieve to strain the infused liquid into a bottle, and then, with the leftover conkers, add more boiling water and, after giving it time to cool, use a handheld blender or processor to whip it into a foamy liquid.

Strain all of this into your bottle, and here is where you can adjust the solution to your fancy. You can add drops of essential oil to the bottle, perfect if you want a specific fragrance.

Once you’ve added your essential oils – if you have chosen to do so – your detergent is ready to use. Just add it to the washing machine drum in a cap when you do your next load, and your washing will come out fresh and clean, all thanks to nature’s conkers.

The reason this works is that conkers, or horse chestnuts, contain natural soap-like compounds called saponins.

It should be noted that this is a gentler, all-natural detergent, better suited for freshness and light cleansing. Heavier stains might still require something a tad more substantial, but that's what the best luxury cleaning products are for.

So, what better excuse than to head out for a bit of fresh air? You can even make a fun game out of it with your children or grandchildren, tasking them with finding the shiniest, biggest conkers before turning them into a chemical-free, all-natural detergent for freshening up your laundry this autumn.

When the seasons change, there's always lots to be done in the garden, and as summer begins to fade away, deadheading and pruning are among the most important tasks.

If you've been catching up on your September gardening jobs this month, you may have been wondering if your agapanthus needs deadheading. The answer is yes. Like many other late summer flowers, once agapanthus have stopped blooming, they need deadheading to ensure their energy is stored for next year.

And who better to walk us through the process than gardening icon Monty Don? Presenting on BBC Gardeners' World, Monty explains that now is the best time to deadhead your agapanthus – showing us how you can still enjoy the plant after cutting.

As one of the best drought-tolerant plants, your agapanthus won't have been negatively affected by this year's heatwave. But that doesn't mean they won't need deadheading to ensure they thrive again next year.

"Agapanthus have had a good summer, relishing the heat and sunshine. But as soon as they finish flowering, they will develop seedheads, which will take energy away from next year's flowering," starts Monty.

"Cut them back right at the base of the flowering stem, and that will leave you with a collection of dramatically beautiful seedheads that you can put in a vase for indoors," he adds.

You'll also want to make sure your essential gardening tools, whether that's secateurs, scissors or loppers, are sharpened and cleaned before you start deadheading. The last thing you want is to stress or damage the plant, or worse, pass on a disease from another plant you've pruned or deadheaded previously.

After deadheading your agapanthus, all that's left is to protect it from nasty frosts during the winter. And with it being so drought-tolerant, it's also important that it's protected from heavy rain.

Then, next summer, you'll be able to enjoy the blooms once again.

If you want to add agapanthus to your garden, choosing drought-tolerant plants for our plots is only going to get more important, and they need to be planted in February for impressive summer growth.

Once the early winter nights arrive, our gardens don't feel quite so appealing. But that needn't be the case, as Jennifer Aniston's garden has just shown us – you can make your outdoor space welcoming, no matter the season.

While you might embrace layered lighting inside your home, it's easy to overlook your garden lighting scheme. However, using smaller lights to make a big impact works just as well in an outdoor space. The best part is that you can incorporate your favourite trees; even if you've only got some of the best trees for pots, they'll be ideal for this lighting method.

It's no surprise that Jennifer Aniston's garden is the one showcasing the hottest exterior lighting trends and has done so on a seriously impressive scale. Her illuminated trees are magical, and we're taking full inspiration for the upcoming season.

If you've been looking for ways to make your outdoor lighting feel layered and cosy, especially as the colder seasons approach, then string lights are a great option. They're inexpensive but make a real impact with that ambient, warm glow.

As you can see in Jennifer's garden, shared by Stephen Shadley on Instagram (@stephenshadley), you can wrap your trees with LED lights around the trunks right up to the leaves. And while you can make your garden look expensive with lots and lots of lights, you don't need to splurge to cover every inch of the bark.

And if fairy lights aren't really your thing, maybe you're going for more of a quiet luxury look, then Jennifer's garden also showcases spotlights. Spotlights are another great way to add interest to your planting during the winter months, but in a more polished, sleek-looking way.

Lighting not only helps you feel more inclined to spend more time in your garden during the autumn and winter, but it's also a great way to transform your outdoor space on a budget. And if you're looking to keep costs down in the garden, opting for solar-powered lights is the way to go – because we still get sunlight during the winter months.

The additional way Jennifer elevates her outdoor space is by hanging wicker lanterns attached to the tree closer to her seating area. Lanterns, whether hung or not, are a stunning way to keep your outdoor living rooms lit up when the nights get darker.

Pair that with a warming firepit, and you'll be enjoying your best outdoor furniture right until the wet weather arrives.

If you're struggling with a garden patio space that ends up looking compact and cramped rather than cosy, try using exterior lighting to make it feel bigger. Whatever your plot offers, one thing is for sure – layered lighting is the key to transforming your outdoor space this winter.

The non-stick coatings that pans use have come under so much scrutiny that even devoted chefs have started side eyeing their saucepans. If you've been worrying about your favourite frying pan too, we have some good news. There are plenty of seriously impressive non-toxic pans out there. In fact, many of the pans in our buying guides to the best induction pans and stainless steel pans were non-toxic all along. So stay cautious, but don't despair.

We've always championed ceramic coatings as a go-to safe alternative, whilst stainless steel and cast iron sidestep the coating question altogether. They need a bit more technique (oil, patience, and high heat) but pans like these will last you decades.

Our food team has tested every pan on this list for cooking performance first, from induction to open flame use, and then vetted each one for materials. So, whether you want a full Ninja set of a single all-rounder Lakeland pan, everything here is cooking without compromise.

The best non-toxic pans, tested for safer cooking

How we test non-toxic pans

At woman&home, we test everything we recommend to you, which is why you can see a slideshow of the pans in action above, as well as links to the reviews of each collection. We work through all the different uses, temperatures, and meals that you can use in a pan, as well as looking at how they handle burns and abrasive cleans.

We've also done deep-dives into the materials to make sure that they're non-toxic and safe for you to use at home. If you have any questions about the pans, don't hesitate to email one of us. We always love to chat about pans.

FAQs

What should I look for on my non-toxic cookware?

Uncoated materials are always your best bet when it comes to shopping for non-toxic pans. I like to look for stainless steel, ceramic (make sure that it's pure) and cast iron too. Essentially, you want to avoid synthetic chemical coatings and plastic polymers.

What is the healthiest material for cookware?

Experts will always point you towards stainless steel and cast iron because they have great longevity and durability. Stainless steel often comes uncoated and it's not-reactive, so cooks acidic food really well. Cast iron, on the other hand, is made with safe minerals and becomes naturally non-stick when you oil and heat it.

What do chefs use instead of non-stick pans?

You'll see lots of professional chefs cooking on stainless steel, cast iron, and carbon steel pans. These need a bit more skill to get high heat and good sears, but they're impressive.

Are there other non-toxic kitchen essentials to know about?

Non-toxic air fryers are another great appliance to keep an eye on. Lots of these appliances use chemicals, but Ninja is great for coatings, as is Tower and Our Place.

There are plenty of natural swaps you can make in your kitchen if you want to keep nasties out of your food and off your skin, from natural cleaning products to non-toxic bakeware. We're passionate about eco-conscious and safe cooking at woman&home. And whilst most of the food team are too modest to say it, we've been ahead of the non-toxic kitchen trend for a long time.

With Soulful Sage being announced as the Dulux Colour of the Year 2027, it's official: soft green is the colour to watch in interiors for the year ahead.

We've celebrated the sage green colour trend for years, thanks to its timeless and enduring appeal. And while it's already one of the most popular interior paint colour trends of 2026, it's about to become even more present as it's just been named the Dulux Colour of the Year 2027.

“There’s something wonderfully uplifting about green," says Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director and Colour Expert at Dulux. "It’s the colour we instinctively associate with nature, new growth and the feeling of taking a deep breath outdoors."

Dulux Colour of the Year 2027 'Soulful Sage'

In its 24th year of celebrating a chosen tone, Dulux's panel of colour experts and design leaders have named Soulful Sage green as the Dulux Colour of the Year 2027. This deliciously soft, soothing shade is the perfect alternative to a neutral, because it's a gentle enough pigment to build a beautifully grounding colour scheme without feeling overwhelming.

“It’s incredibly versatile," Marianne explains. "Soulful Sage can feel warm and nurturing alongside earthy tones, peaceful and restorative with quieter shades, or fresh and energising with more joyful colours.

“Our overarching theme, ‘Live Lightly’, reflects what we feel people need from their homes right now," she continues. "With increasingly busy lives, information overload and a world that can often feel quite heavy, our homes should provide a counterbalance - somewhere we can switch off, reconnect and make room for moments of joy.

Soulful Sage captures that feeling beautifully. Its soft, silvery quality brings a sense of lightness while retaining that reassuring connection to the natural world."

"When we were looking for a shade that captured our desire to ‘Live Lightly’, green felt like a natural place to land," says Marianne. That adaptability made it the perfect shade to sit at the heart of our three colour stories, Glow, Light and Lift – giving people different ways to create a lighter home for a lighter life.”

As a nuanced alternative to a neutral, it has become an enduring presence in kitchen trends in recent years, as homeowners seek a soft colour that doesn't feel as 'safe' as white or cream. It has also secured its place as one of the best bedroom paint colours thanks to its tranquil qualities that aid a better night's sleep. Proving just how versatile it is as an interior colour.

Last year, the paint specialists broke with tradition by naming three influential tones rather than just one; the 'Rhythm of Blues' trio felt like a stark move away from the unapologetically bright yellow 'True Joy' as Dulux's Colour of the Year 2025.

Returning to a more muted tone feels more aligned with my previous favourite of mine 'Sweet Embrace', the soft pink Dulux Colour of the Year 2024. These softer choices feel more usable across the board, and less intimidating for most of us to embrace in our own homes.

Monty Don's breaking news has broken our hearts. He's hanging up his gardening tools at the end of the current series of BBC Gardeners' World, after 23 monumental years of entertaining, teaching and helping the nation with his horticultural excellence.

Taking to his Instagram @themontydon this morning to announce that he will be stepping away from the show later this year, he revealed: "I have a big piece of news to share with you, because I've decided that this is to be my last series of Gardeners' World."

"I've worked with some amazing people, and it's been a joy to share my gardening life and my dogs with you, but it's time for a change."

Monty Don, O.B.E., is one of the UK’s leading garden writers and beloved broadcasters. While he has worked on many significant projects over his thirty-year career, his most prominent posting has been as lead presenter of the BBC Gardeners’ World.

In his statement, he recalls, "I began hosting Gardeners' World 23 years ago, and for the last 16 years we've been here in the garden at Longmeadow (his impressive Herefordshire gardens), and it's been fantastic."

Looking visibly moved, he ends the short Instagram clip by saying, "So no doubt new adventures in the future, but for the moment this is the end of a chapter." It certainly is the end of a chapter, one that we were not ready for at all.

Monty has been presenting on the show since 2003, helping audiences tackle all manner of gardening dilemmas. From sharing his surprise advice for making Dahlias bloom bigger to his 'genius' planting tricks to help establish our own thriving plots, there have been so many wonderful takeaways from his time on the show – as we tuned in every Friday at 9p.m or watched the repeat on the Saturday morning.

After warmly welcoming his loyal audience into his beautiful garden at his Herefordshire home in 2011, we've followed not only his gardening endeavours but also the lives of his beloved dogs, who have accompanied him around his plot each episode. It genuinely feels like we're saying goodbye to a friend.

But he has said he'll never stop gardening altogether, thank goodness, so we live in hope that the next chapter involves a new TV series where we still get to enjoy seeing him in his natural habitat.

September is here, the school run is back, and the summer of salads seems to be over. I did love it, but I'm thrilled for the return of soups, stews, and broths, especially the 30-minute dinner that the founder of Deliciously Ella calls "a favourite in the Mills household."

The meal, which Ella points out packs "seven plant points and plenty of fibre in each serving" showcases a beautiful broth that's light enough for these September evenings but still hearty enough to hit that cosy season spot.

But the recipe isn't the only reason that I love this dinner. After launching her Deliciously Ella x John Lewis collaboration, Ella has been on my radar for her cookware and serveware. In her video, Ella uses three simple tools, showcasing easy, one-pot dinners at their finest - one in particular has been the focus of the comments section. And luckily for you, I've tracked down all three.

Shop the look

I can personally vouch for all three products above, but if you want to shop around, here are some more options.

What I particularly love about Ella's cookware is that it's affordable. I am all for investing in special, statement pieces - Em The Nutritionist's five recommendations is a good example - but sometimes we just want simple, reliable pieces that anchor our kitchen set-up. Ella's got style and she's got substance. I'm inspired.

Ella Mills has always been my reliable go-to for foodie fixes. She's full of healthy meal ideas and quick wins (fittingly, the title of her latest cookbook), and endlessly clever ways to make plants taste like a treat rather than a chore. And while I've been experimenting with Le Creuset one-pot cooking, taking a break from lengthier dishes has been a nice palette cleanser.

The broth is a perfect example of how to make a healthy meal in under half an hour. Leeks and celery simmer in a creamy coconut broth with beans, peas, and tomato tortelloni, finished with lemon, basil, and pepper. You can have it on the table, seven plant points per serving, before anyone can ask "what's for dinner?" And now that we're juggling the back-to-school September energy, this is a brilliant way to enjoy real food with minimal effort.

You'll also notice that Ella uses Allplants, her plant-based food company that I think I might be personally funding. She's using their Tortelloni (an easy pasta that I love), but I'd also recommend trying the tofu goujons. On her podcast, The Wellness Scoop, she's shared that they're a family favourite - and I love them too.

There's more than one way to get the Ella Mills look in your kitchen . Her collaboration with John Lewis showcases some beautiful, hand-painted pieces that are perfect for welcoming in the harvest season. We even sat down with Ella to hear more about the collection, which you can read about here.

As the saying goes, the devil is in the details. And it’s because of this that we’re loving Kelly Hoppen’s expert advice on how the smallest of choices can really help shape the feel of any room - and how easy it is to switch it up depending on the decor.

Sharing a look at her new Splice Centrepiece bowl for M&S, "one bowl, endless possibilities", Kelly reminds us not to underestimate the impact of a centrepiece. It can anchor the room, but it’s also incredibly versatile and can be used to enhance any interior.

Kelly recalls how versatile a centrepiece bowl is for any home, saying: "There’s so much you can use it for… great as a table centre with flowers, or to put your keys, or even in your dressing table for jewellery and more."

Sharing the video on her social media, Kelly assembles a more traditional colourful fruit centrepiece using lemons and plums, but she explains how you can do so much more. "You can really design your kitchens using nice vessels," she begins.

"It's also great to throw keys and stuff on a whole table, " Kelly continues. "It's always good to have something like that. It's really versatile because it's small, but you can use it for anything.”

While a more formal centrepiece is always a great anchor for a dining table, creating a focal point that can set the mood in any space is just as valuable. It’s these more everyday examples Kelly offers that prove a centrepiece bowl can be added to any room, without the need for a special occasion.

If you want true versatility, a smaller centrepiece bowl or tray works as stylish storage. A bronze or hammered brass shallow bowl looks visually striking while giving you somewhere to keep your keys, phone, wallet, dog lead or anything else you’d normally need to grab before heading out.

A decorative bowl like Kelly’s M&S centrepiece can also tie together the overall feel of a room if you choose the material well. A sculptural ceramic bowl will add a statement piece to any space that is going for an earthy, outdoorsy feel, or the addition of a metallic bowl in a more industrial-designed space can be both functional and practical.

You can also easily dress up a coffee table or hallway table with floral arrangements or accessories that showcase natural elements and scents, such as bonsai trees or tabletop water features. This small but subtle design choice will help you foster a sense of wellness and a connection to nature throughout different pockets of your home.

As the colder months approach, using centrepieces to play with layered lighting is another option. Rechargeable lamps and smaller light features of different heights can be placed on centrepiece bowls and trays, allowing warmer, softer lighting - perfect for low-lit nights in front of the TV or for having conversations into the late hours.

Given her years of expertise and knowledge, we often turn to Kelly for advice when adding accent colours or creating simple displays to get the best out of any space.

As one of the busiest spaces in our homes, the kitchen needs to be kept organised and easy to use. However, when it's always in use, managing that can be difficult. Luckily, organising expert Dilly Carter has shared her kitchen design tips for keeping your space functional at all times

With so many cupboards, drawers and appliances, knowing how to organise your kitchen is essential to ensure every design aspect is optimised. And while you can do this at any stage, professional organiser Dilly Carter recommends prioritising it from the moment you design your kitchen space.

Sharing her recent kitchen renovation on her Instagram, @declutterdollies, Dilly walked us through the thought process behind certain aspects of the space. She also explains how she consistently prioritised functionality and flow when deciding where to place things.

"I think the most important thing when you are designing your kitchen is to think about your daily routine: what matters to you? What do you do every day? How does your family function? And we've really thought about all those things," says Dilly.

"Obviously, my kitchen was well organised before; it was well designed before. I've just taken it up another level. You know the cupboards are still blue, but now they're much better quality," she points out.

"I've got more drawers in the island; I've got drawers instead of cupboards, which also makes a huge difference to how your kitchen functions because you can get to the back of drawers rather than scrambling to get into the backs of cupboards," explains Dilly.

"So, if you can invest in drawers in your kitchen, always invest in drawers; they're more expensive, but they're worth it," she adds.

All you'll need now is to master how to organise your kitchen drawers, and thanks to their easy accessibility, they won't need reorganising every week.

Then it's simply a matter of putting your kitchen essentials right where you need them, somewhere you can easily access them once you've started cooking.

"Think about what you do, so when you are standing at your hob and you're designing your kitchen, think: what do I need? My oils, my vinegars, my spices, my pots, my pans. Make sure when you're laying your kitchen out, all of those things are around you, so when you're making and creating, everything is easy," says Dilly.

"Think of zones. Do you need a baking zone? Do you want a breakfast zone? These are the things we want to think about when we're laying out our kitchen, when we're unpacking it after a renovation," she continues.

"So everything is about layout, everything is about flow, is about zones. So when you are designing your kitchen, think about how your family functions, what makes sense and then imagine yourself in it," recommends Dilly.

While it's helpful to look at this year's kitchen trends, the top priority is creating a space that works for you day in and day out.

After the world tragically lost Gloria Steinem at the beginning of the month, the world has celebrated the iconic activist's work and life as well as mourned the devastating loss. One snapshot into the American journalist's life is her home, which is itself a celebration of her full and bold life.

It's not often we look at the homes of public figures after they've sadly passed away, but such a powerful space like Gloria Steinem's NYC apartment is one to be honoured and enjoyed. The trailblazing feminist hosted Architectural Digest in 2024, and her home is one filled with inspiration, iconic memorabilia, and of course a truckload of personality.

So whilst we continue to remember the important work Gloria did in her 92 years, we'd also like to show appreciation for the space she curated so wonderfully and the eccentric four walls she called home for over 50 years.

It's not often we see a space that's had so much personality added to it over such a long period of time. Gloria had lived in the Manhattan brownstone for more than 50 years, and the house was not only a home but a space where she did much of her advocacy work.

The feminist icon hasn't simply used picture frames as a creative way to decorate a wall without paint; instead, she's curated an apt celebration of her lifetime achievements. From newspaper clippings to historic images of herself, the collection is a powerful trip down memory lane.

Perhaps more subtly, we can see other instances where Gloria's bold and eventful life has added that same character to her space. With deep jewel tones, colourful patterns and unique decor pieces, there's not only an area in the home that doesn't show a life well lived and, more importantly, enjoyed.

Not to presume we know where everything in her home is sourced from, but it's apparent that Gloria mastered the art of combining heirlooms with contemporary style. Despite having the home for over five decades, this is a home that showcases timeless style as well, allowing for those more sentimental, vintage pieces to shine through too.

It's no surprise that one of the nationally recognised leaders of second-wave feminism was ahead of the curve in most other aspects of her life. Her home, with its decadent mural, cohesive colour palettes and layered lighting, is a tasteful cocktail of everything we've come to know and love in the interior trends of today.

So, whilst we may not all have quite the impact Gloria did on the world, we're certainly inspired to take a leaf out of her book and celebrate our lives loudly in our homes.

If you're looking for ways to fall back in love with your home, injecting a little more personality into the space can be a great help. As well as having fun with the decor of your house, what better place to celebrate your life than your own home?

What with the unusually hot weather and nationwide hosepipe bans, it's been all too easy to solely focus on keeping our garden plants alive. But houseplants are in need of a little TLC this time of year too, and who better to help us through that than Monty Don?

Whilst you may have mastered how to water your garden plants properly through the summer and multiple heatwaves, our houseplants can be similarly affected by the heat and need some more attention because of it. So although your houseplant watering routine has worked in the past years, your plants may need some more thorough watering thanks to the warmth of this summer.

With that in mind, we spotted that Monty Don had shared his brilliant houseplant watering method that ensures your leafy friends are properly hydrated, all without any water waste.

Sharing his wisdom on BBC's Gardeners' World, Monty explains that along with the daily tasks of caring for indoor plants, they will need a more thorough watering every now and again. Especially with the hot weather being so persistent this year.

"Although houseplants should be misted daily, it's a good idea now and then to give them a really good drink," starts Monty.

"Fill a container full of water, plunge the pots in below the surface and hold them down until they cease bubbling. Then drain them thoroughly, and when you've finished, you've still got water that you can use on your favourite plants outside," he adds.

Keeping in mind this year's drought, knowing how to water your plants amidst a hosepipe ban is becoming increasingly important, and that includes your houseplants too.

Collecting rainwater is a great sustainable houseplant hack as well as being a crucial backup when these rules do get put in place. In the same way Monty encourages gardeners to use the leftover water on their garden plants after watering houseplant varieties, any rainwater harvesting in the garden can be brought inside.

Again, this isn't just a way to save money and reduce waste in the garden, but your houseplants will thrive more than if you used tap water thanks to the lack of fluoride. It's a win-win!

If you are interested in rainwater harvesting, we recommend exploring clever garden solutions to help you collect rainwater. That way, your plants can still be watered when the drought arrives again next summer.

As a professional cook who spends my days developing recipes in the Test Kitchen, I want simple, professional results at home and at work too. And, if I can, I like to keep things natural and non-toxic. It's a tall order, but one that the Lakeland 10-in-1 Tri-Ply Only Pan Pro promises to fulfil.

Plenty of experts will tell you that you can avoid nasty non-stick chemicals by cooking on uncoated stainless steel pans. However, that takes a lot of extra effort and, after a full day of recipe development, I want a pan that's fuss-free, non-toxic and reliable.

So, you can see why a versatile pan like the Lakeland Only Pan Pro appeals. With ten functions in one and a competitive £85 price tag, it promises to be the only pan you need in your kitchen after a long day. So, I put it to the test and cooked exclusively with this for a few days to see whether it's up to my high standards, at home and in the kitchen.

Lakeland 10-in-1 Only Pan Pro review

Who would the Lakeland 10-in-1 Only Pan Pro suit?

• Someone cooking for up to 4 people
• Someone with limited kitchen storage space
• Someone with only stainless steel pans looking for a non-toxic induction pan

This pan is a great choice for someone looking for a space and money-saving option, wanting to cook meals for themselves and their partner, or a small family (around 2-4 people).

It will also appeal to a health-conscious cook who wants to avoid PFAS coated pans and reduce the amount of fat they use in cooking. The ceramic non-stick works like many of the non-toxic air fryers that we love, offering a chemical-free, but equally effective way to cook without your food sticking. And, as you'll see, I hardly needed to use any oil in my recipes to get delicious results.

If someone currently uses uncoated stainless steel pans and struggles to make certain dishes, such as stir frys and eggs, the non-stick coating of this will be an attractive alternative. I tend to avoid these dishes at home, because the fuss doesn't seem worth it, but a pan like this makes them easier than ever.

What is the Lakeland 10-in-1 Only Pan Pro like to use?

As someone who has built their career around food, I'm the sort of person who likes a cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It sounds like a lot of effort, but with the right kit, it's worth it. Cooking mostly for myself in a small kitchen, with limited storage, I knew this pan has some challenges to come up against, but if it could succeed, it could solve a lot of problems and save me a lot of time at home.

Breakfast: pancakes and fried egg

Breakfasts rely on frying almost exclusively, with a little stewing and baking on occasion. First up in my tests were pancakes. I wouldn't attempt to make these in a regular stainless steel pan, so was hopeful that a successful batch would earn this pan a spot in my cupboard.

I started by adding a knob of butter to the pan, but it melted and burnt faster than I expected. So, I wiped the pan out and, instead of adding more butter, decided to challenge it. I made eight, delicious pancakes with no fat at all. They were the easiest-releasing pancakes that I've ever made and tasted even better without the greasy edges.

Feeling confident, I fried an egg with no oil, which felt very wrong, but the pan delivered a perfectly fried, grease-free egg that slipped around the pan with ease. That's seriously impressive, even for a non-stick.

Lunch: shakshuka and omelettes

Shakshuka is a brilliant test for a pan that promises versatility like this, because you move from sautéing onion and peppers to simmering tomato sauce and then baking with eggs in the oven. So, I chose this for my lunchtime test, with omelettes on the next day.

The pan comfortably held enough for four. Thanks to high sides, it could hold plenty of liquid, which surprised me, because a 26cm diameter doesn't sound like it's going to be the most generous capacity.

Sautéing the onions and peppers was standard. Nothing stuck and the heat distributed evenly across the base of the pan. I could bring the tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, and water to a simmer within minutes and they held a low simmer for 10 minutes with total ease. Once the cracked eggs and feta went in, I popped the pan into the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes. It came out just like it would from any pan or oven dish, with a few tomato splashes up the sides, but an otherwise delicious meal.

I wanted to switch the grill on to get some extra colour on the feta, but something told me to check first. And it's lucky that I did, because the pan is limited to 200°C and Lakeland advises against going over that, which is a surprise given that this is one of the functions and most ovens' grill pre-set rarely drip under 200°C.

Omelettes work for any meal in the day, but while we're looking at meals with egg, I thought it would only be fitting to introduce the omelette. Stainless steel can be a nemesis for making scrambled eggs and omelettes, especially without perfect heat control. As with breakfast, I preheated my pan without any oil or butter and tipped the eggs straight in.

Most of my doubts about the pan were wrong. The non-stick quality held even without the oil, the eggs moved far more easily than in any stainless steel pan that I've used. The only hitch was when I was scraping the cooked sides into the middle, where there was some sticking and tearing, turning what should have been an omelette into scrambled eggs. With a little oil, I'm confident this would make a brilliant omelette.

Dinner: paella

After pancakes, paella is one of my go-tos when I'm cooking at home. It's a one-pan meal that feels far more rewarding than the effort involved - and it's one I'm always using on different pans as a measure of how good they are.

The diced chicken breast went in first. In a stainless steel pan that's not quite at temperature, this can get sticky almost instantly, but it browned nicely with no sticking here. Chorizo and the aromatics sautéed next with vegetables stir-fried in.

After that was perfected, the chicken went back to braise, with simmering tomatoes and stock. Thanks to the pan's temperature sensitivity, which I found easy to control, I could keep the hob on a medium heat setting, confident that the paella as cooking steadily.

While the stock boiled, I couldn't help but think that Lakeland doesn't need to split boiling and simmering into different functions. Of course, it adds to the "10 functions in 1" sell, but they're pretty much the same.

Back to my paella. Once the stock was simmering, I added in my rice. At this point, even with the high sides, space felt tight and I couldn't steam my vegetables alongside it. I made sure to do some afterwards and was, overall, very happy with the overall paella results - it was creamy, light, and rich without tasty heavy of stodgy.

I doubled back to testing steaming vegetables in the steamer basket a few days later alongside a Chinese takeaway. We don't normally steam our vegetables, but there were actual "oohs" and "ahhs" over the colour and taste of the broccoli. I felt that I could taste the extra nutrients - a win for health and for the pan too.

My takeaways (after my takeaway) for the pan were that it only just held 6 portions, so it's better to stick to feeding four. The string non-stick also means that the base of the paella never gets properly crispy, so it might not be the best paella pan. And while it's handy that this is oven safe, I still burned myself grabbing the handle afterwards, as I always do.

Cleaning and maintenance on the Lakeland 10-in-1 Only Pan Pro

A huge benefit of this pan over an uncoated stainless steel pan is how easy it is to clean. There are no annoying handle rivets for food to get stuck to, and as nothing was stuck to the base, only a simple scrub was needed. After washing, a few water marks clung to the very shiny lid, which could bother a cook who likes to display their lovely pans, but it could also be polished.

Does the Lakeland 10-in-1 Only Pan Pro offer good value?

This pan has clearly taken inspiration from a cult favourite Our Place pan, but this isn't the first time. The model that I tested is the "Pro", but they did make an Only Pan back in 2025. Looking at the two iterations of Lakeland’s Only Pans side by side on the website, the difference between the Pro and the base version seems to be an increase of functions - 8 versus 10. The extra functions come from the heat resistance of the Pro, oven safe up to 200°C, in comparison to the 8-in-1, at 150°C. This means grilling and baking should be possible with the Pro version. The Pro costs £25 more, but is only offered in a chrome finish, whereas the 8-in-1 version comes in 5 different colours, to suit a range of kitchen aesthetics.

The intention of this review is not to compare it to its muse, but I do have experience using the original Only Pan. My mum has one and raves about it constantly. Hers is a large size, looks great on the countertop, and successfully lets her make the recipes she wants. I use it whenever I’m at her house because it is the most versatile pan in her selection. However, we have both noticed a decline in the non-stick. Now, when she makes a stir fry or fried rice, bits get stuck to the base. They always come off in the wash, but it is annoying when the stuck bits start to burn.

Should you buy the Lakeland 10-in-1 Only Pan Pro?

Overall, the Only Pan Pro is an impressively versatile piece of cookware. Its capacity and range of functions make it particularly useful for one-pan cooking, and the incredibly effective PFAS-free non-stick coating is, without doubt, its standout feature. Being able to cook eggs and pancakes with barely any added fat was seriously impressive and may even have finally won me over from my beloved stainless steel pans.

There are, however, a few niggles. The lid and handle become very hot on the hob, the scratch-resistance claims feel slightly at odds with the care instructions around metal utensils, and the advertised grill function comes with the rather important caveat that the pan shouldn’t actually be placed under a grill.

I see the Only Pan Pro as a very good addition to a kitchen rather than a complete replacement for every other pan. A milk pan and a large pot will still have their place in my kitchen, but for someone moving out for the first time, heading to university, or simply looking for a versatile, low-fat cooking pan, this could make a particularly useful gift.

A good night’s sleep is sometimes all anyone needs to feel like new, but when your pillows are limp and lifeless, it can be easier said than done.

Even if you invest in the best pillows, over time, the filling can start to feel flat and lifeless. But there is a solution that doesn't involve constantly replacing your pillows - in fact, there's a trick that's totally free and basically effortless on your part, and now might be your last opportunity to get it done before next spring.

If it's still sunny where you are this weekend, you can revive any flat pillows by leaving them out in direct sunlight – it's a hack experts swear by for helping pillows expand and getting rid of any moisture locked in.

If you needed any more convincing that this trick is trustworthy, it comes courtesy of Martha Stewart - queen of all things home and lifestyle. As shared on her website, experts swear by the trick as it tackles moisture buildup, something which can affect both the smell and feel of a pillow, but also its shape.

Whether it’s sweat, body oils or other moisture, our pillows absorb these over time. The longer we keep them, the more moisture can seep in and weigh down the filling of your pillows, causing them to sag and flatten. Experts actually say we should clean pillows more often, so it's well worth doing now.

With the heat that’s dragged on for months, now is the perfect time to try this out too, as you're likely to have sweated more throughout the night.

To effectively fluff up a pillow with nothing more than open air and sunlight, remove the pillowcase (and protector if you use one) and place the pillow in direct sunlight for at least two to four hours, flipping it halfway through.

The warmth can help trapped moisture evaporate, while the benefit of the fresh airflow will then help the fibres separate and expand back to their full volume.

A bonus of this tip is that UV is known to help kill bacteria and mould spores - so your pillows might also smell fresher and help you sleep even more soundly.

Before you rush out and stack your pillows out in the garden, there is one warning: this should only be tried with down, feather, polyester, and down-alternative pillows. UV exposure can negatively impact memory foam and latex pillows.

Fortunately, there are other ways of fluffing up pillows, provided they pass the osteopath pillow test – including those you can’t leave outside in the sun.

Recommended ways to plump up flat pillow

• The Accordion Method: This method works the same way one might play the musical instrument, hence the name. Safe to do on any type of pillow, it works by holding opposite sides of the pillow in each hand and pushing them in and out repeatedly for 15 seconds. You have to give this some effort, because the intention is to break up compacted filling and force air back inside.
• The Tennis Ball Dryer method: For down, feather, polyester, and down-alternative pillows, you can try popping them in the dryer with a couple of tennis balls. It might sound odd, but if you place a couple of tennis balls in individual socks, knotted and securely shut, and pop them in with your pillows in a dryer, the heat and the tumbling help airflow and expansion, while the tennis balls can physically break up stubborn clumps.

Making the most of the last days of summer sunshine ensures your bedding is refreshed and ready for the cold months ahead. After your bedding is prepped it's then time to consider ways to make your bedroom feel cosy to maximise the comfort.

Whether you've got a large, bland room you want to make cosy or are looking for ways to add visual interest to a space, actress Fay Ripley has made a serious case for colour drenching with brown.

Looking at the top interior paint colour trends from the past few years, earth tones and brown hues especially have continued to be popular. We're now seeing them used more boldly with the likes of colour drenching and statement walls in any room in the home. Brown is no longer just one of the best bedroom paint colours for a restful and serene decor.

And whilst you might not think of brown as a shade you'd have in your kitchen, Cold Feet actress Fay Ripley has us ready to transform our cooking and dining spaces with a new cosy paint colour.

Although the transformation, shared on Fay's Instagram @fayripley, is from a while back, it's certainly a timeless shade and one that's surprisingly well placed in a kitchen and dining area.

And whilst brown is becoming more popular, especially as we head into the colder months, and is being used in more versatile ways it's helps to have some interior design tips for decorating with the colour in any room.

“These colours evoke feelings of comfort and are easy to live with. They are a warm palette that delivers cocooning, soothing and restful schemes," says interior designer Michelle Shakallis Johnson.

"These hues work beautifully in living spaces, paired with velvet textures, dark woods, and soft metallics for an effortlessly elegant look," she adds.

We particularly love the way that Fay used colour drenching in this partitioned segment of her kitchen diner, with the colour wrapping up from the walls and across the ceiling.

Not only is this an incredibly chic way to utilise a timeless colour like this rich, dark brown, but it's also an easy way to make your home cosier. Which we're all keen to start doing once the summer ends and those colder, early nights begin.

If you want to do something similar to what Fay has done here, it's really as simple as finding the right shade of brown for your space and decorating the room with complementary decor. Perhaps add some autumn decor ideas with the season around the corner.

If you don't have the time or budget to paint your space, then completing some seasonal rituals to reset your home for autumn is a great alternative that will get your house ready.

With the summer coming to a close, it's time to prepare for the wet weather and damp air. And although our gardens will be glad for the much-needed moisture, the rain also brings some unwanted visitors that can pose a threat to your pets.

If you've noticed your garden is suddenly full of slugs and snails, it's probably because of the rain we've been experiencing recently. And whilst that helps our gardens recover from a heatwave, it also encourages some slimy, unwelcome visitors to our outdoor spaces that can be an issue for more than just our plant life.

When the wet weather arrives, our gardens can quickly become filled with slugs and snails, and whilst that's definitely an issue for plants and vegetables we're growing, it's also a risk for our pets.

Vets warning for autumn garden pest

If you have already tried to attract birds to your garden to help with a slug or snail problem, then you may be aware of how dangerous the molluscs are if you have a dog because of the potential lungworm they can carry.

"Lungworm is a type of parasitic worm that is found in slugs and snails and can infect dogs and travel around their body through blood vessels," begins Dr Sean McCormack, Head Vet at dog food subscription brand Tails.com.

"Once they have entered the body and migrated through the tissues, they can cause serious harm to your canine’s heart and lungs, as well as damage to other areas of the body," he adds.

"This is because the larvae release a chemical that stops the blood from clotting when they enter your dog's blood vessels, leaving them at risk of internal bleeding that, if left untreated or undiagnosed, could prove to be fatal," Dr McCormack says.

In the same way, you need to be careful with certain plants that flower nonstop and grow in your garden that can be toxic to pets; these pests can easily be eaten or licked by your dogs.

"Our dogs are curious creatures, and often love to sniff and explore when it comes to wildlife, whether that be in the garden or when out on a walk, meaning that they can become infected with the lungworm parasite if they come into contact with slugs and snails when rooting around in shrubbery," explains Dr McCormack.

"Though slugs and snails are usually a lot more prominent during the spring, due to warmer temperatures and rainfall, we’ve seen a spike in searches for lungworm in dogs over the past few weeks, due to long periods of wet and humid weather that the UK has been experiencing, which has encouraged the creatures to hang around in gardens, parks and the countryside," he continues.

"While the greatest risk of lungworm comes from your dog directly eating slugs and snails, whether that's accidentally or on purpose, even your canine coming into contact with the slime trails that they leave behind can be dangerous. It is therefore important to be vigilant for slugs and snails over the coming weeks, especially if you have a puppy who is more likely to investigate the garden creatures," Dr McCormack points out.

Dr McCormack says various signs indicate your dog has lungworm, from lethargic behaviour to poor appetite. It's important to keep an eye on your pet and consider getting lungworm medication, which can completely prevent your pet from ever getting the disease.

Whenever you're sorting your garden out, be sure to keep an eye on any spots where snails or slugs could be attracted and remove them to keep your furry family member safe this autumn.

If you are participating in the rewilding trend, then your garden might be more susceptible to slugs and snails, so be extra vigilant when letting your pets outside this coming season.

The expensive candle, the fancy handwash, the nice dinner plates you normally save for guests... most of us have homeware that serves as our pride and joy, the kind of items that make us beam simply by looking at them.

And yet, most of us also aren't using our 'best' homeware often enough. Whether we're talking about the best scented candles or the best bed sheets, these are the type of items that are often tucked away in the back of a cupboard somewhere, collecting dust until we can 'justify' getting them out again.

And while it is nice to show off our favourite homeware pieces to guests, it's just as nice to use them ourselves in the ordinary day-to-day. There’s clearly some psychology behind why we save our favourite homeware for special occasions, but I wanted to know whether using mine more regularly might make those ordinary, everyday moments feel a little more special too.

I decided to stop saving my 'best' homeware for special occasions – it's been a learning curve

So, after committing to getting my fancy bedding, nice coasters, and posh dinner plates out of the cupboard, how would I feel using them on just an ordinary Tuesday, with no one but myself to enjoy them with? Safe to say that it's been a pretty interesting learning curve, and I'm now a firm believer in using our favourite homeware pieces 'just because'.

Why do we save our 'best' homeware for special occasions?

It turns out there is a reason why we save our best homeware for special occasions. In particular, items that cost more than we'd usually spend or were given to us as a gift are less likely to get used on a standard day.

It's a behaviour researchers Suzanne Shu and Marissa Sharif describe as 'occasion matching': essentially, we want the occasion on which we use something special to feel worthy of the item. Part of the reason appears to be anticipated regret – we're worried we'll use our favourite thing now, only for a more deserving opportunity to come along later. The trouble is that we can wait so long for the perfect moment that we miss plenty of perfectly good opportunities to enjoy it along the way.

Interestingly, this can become a bit of a loop, because the longer something sits unused, the more 'special' the occasion has to be for us to eventually use it. And it can be hard to find an occasion at home that matches our expectations.

What happened when I stopped saving things for special occasions

This certainly explains why the longer my 'nice' homeware stayed tucked away, the harder it became to get out. But these are ultimately things I have because I love them – and I started to wonder whether saving them was defeating the point.

The first test came from using my bedding from The White Company. Anything from this brand feels like a treat, even if you were lucky enough to get your hands on any of the must-haves in The White Company's summer sale.

Strangely, putting it on the bed for no particular reason felt almost wasteful at first. I had that familiar thought that I should save it for when the flat was looking especially tidy, or for a weekend when I had nothing planned and could properly 'appreciate' it.

But after a couple of nights, that feeling started to dissipate. Instead, I started looking forward to getting into bed more than usual, and I noticed how much nicer the room was looking as a whole. It made me wonder why I'd needed a good enough 'reason' to use it in the first place.

Next came my all-time favourite dinnerware set from Royal Worcester, a British heritage brand available at Portmeirion. I love the cute animal designs on the plates and bowls, and though they've made me smile every time I've got them out, I don't use them on a day-to-day basis. I usually get them out when we have guests over, as well as on birthdays and anniversaries.

This was probably the habit that felt strangest to break. I was so used to thinking of these plates as 'guest crockery' that serving an ordinary dinner on them felt a bit extravagant. There was also a little voice in my head telling me the more I used these plates, the greater the chances of chipping or breaking them.

Of course, after a few meals, they just became the plates I was using – but I was actually looking forward to getting them out. I just love them! Even a standard midweek meal felt more elevated, and again, I started to question what I'd been saving this set for. If they were good enough for guests, why weren't they good enough for me too?