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?

Another luxury item that collects dust in my kitchen cupboards for most of the year: glassware. The nicest glasses tend to be the ones we reach for when friends come over, while everyday drinks get poured into whatever is easiest to grab (and cheapest to replace).

But using something a little more special with dinner was another small change that made an ordinary meal feel more elevated. After doing it a few times, it stopped feeling like I was 'wasting' the good glasses and started feeling normal. It feels like a real treat to have a regular soft drink in a fancy wine glass or gin goblet, and I'd recommend giving it a go if you're trying to avoid opening a bottle of wine.

This experiment started to have a bit of a snowball effect, and I began to realise just how many little luxuries were going unused around my home. I received a NEOM candle for Christmas last year, and it still hadn't been lit (luxury candles have always been a tricky one for me, as I know that once I've lit the wick, there's no going back to its pristine, brand-new state).

When I finally lit mine, I initially felt like I should make an occasion of it. But instead, I left it burning while I pottered around the flat one evening, and quickly realised that was exactly how I wanted to enjoy it. A gorgeous scent burning away in the background while I got on with my night.

I also realised that while luxury homeware is a real treat, some of my favourite things around the home, which I'd unknowingly been trying to keep in pristine condition, weren't necessarily the most expensive.

My favourite coasters, for example, come from an independent seller on Etsy and cost under £10. Because of how much I loved their rustic charm, I was avoiding using these as actual coasters and having them as more decorative pieces round my home. But once I started putting my hot drinks on them - i.e., using them for their intended purpose - I was able to enjoy them so much more. They even made my cup of tea feel like more of a treat, simply because they made me smile every time I reached for one.

The takeaway

Once I'd decided to stop saving things for special occasions, I was surprised at how quickly the novelty wore off – in a good way. Within a few days, sleeping in the nice bedding, eating from my favourite plates and actually using my coasters no longer felt extravagant. They simply became part of my home.

That's where the main attitude shift happened. In the past, I'd created a strange hierarchy where guests, celebrations and hypothetical future occasions were worthy of my favourite things, while my normal day-to-day life wasn't.

I'm definitely not suggesting we should stop looking after the things we love. But I've realised there's a difference between taking care of something and being so protective of it that you don't actually get to enjoy it.

I'll definitely be getting more from my favourite homeware pieces in the future.

It's all too easy to give up on your garden during the winter months, but there are so many ways to keep it alive and thriving. Creating a stunning winter hanging basket is just one of them.

Whilst you may already know how to plant a summer hanging basket like a professional, filling baskets through the colder months is often overlooked or abandoned completely. However, when you choose the right plants and set up your basket properly, autumn and winter hanging baskets can bring that much-needed lushness to an otherwise dormant garden.

Not only can you make some stunning plant arrangements for autumn hanging baskets, but if you choose hardy varieties, these baskets can thrive right up until next spring. It's just a matter of getting it right!

Whether you're looking for plants to add some autumn colour to your garden or need to fill your sad-looking hanging baskets, garden design expert Ish Kamran (@gardening.with.ish on Instagram) has just the thing.

"Today in the garden, I'm going to show you how to make my super hardy hanging basket that will last throughout the winter," says Ish.

"Now, my summer basket was starting to look a little bit ropey, so I've decided to clear that out and make way for my winter hanging baskets. And you can start this from about September; it will last all the way through to around February or March next year. Which is the ideal time to start your next summer basket," he explains.

"And I've got some pretty cool classics here; I'm gonna go with some perennials like my ivy. I'm gonna go for some winter classics like cyclamen and even some heather too, and spice it up with a little bit of annuals as well, with some violas," Ish shows.

Although you don't need to worry about your garden's soil type when making a hanging basket, there are some things to keep in mind to ensure it flourishes.

"When starting a hanging basket, you wanna go for the biggest hanging basket you can get and fill it with a really good multi-purpose compost. And the reason is that hanging baskets dry out so quickly; even in the winter, they're prone to doing it," Ish explains.

"So, you can go with a good multi-purpose compost, but most peat-free is absolutely naff at retaining any moisture, so I like to add just a little bit of moisture retention crystals just to keep that going. And by having a bigger one, that should help it from drying out too quickly too," he adds.

Ish also adds a multipurpose feed to his basket's soil; this will keep it fed throughout the winter so you don't have to do much. Whilst there are many feeds for different uses, multi-purpose is a great all-rounder.

"When my hanging basket is half full, what I like to do is just, within the pot, put your plants in and see if you can come up with a layout. And remember, lean these out slightly sideways, as you never see the top of a hanging basket, so you want to make sure you get that drama spilling out," points out Ish.

Once you've filled your hanging basket right to the top with soil, you can start adding your plants in with the layout you've decided. Ish reminds us to give the roots of the plants a good rub before planting them in the basket, as it encourages them to find the new nutrients in the new soil.

"Once you've hung your hanging basket, make sure you give it a really, really good watering to allow it to absolutely flourish. This should keep it happy all through winter," Ish finishes.

Now you can enjoy life and colour in your garden all year long.

The last thing anyone wants in their home is slimy slugs, but unfortunately they do sometimes come in from the garden, and it's not always because you have a damp home.

A garden full of slugs is frustrating, but nothing compared to the horror of finding trails of slug mucus on your floors or furniture indoors. And although it's not something that happens too often, thankfully, it's not completely out of the ordinary, and there are ways to stop them from entering your home at all.

While you can attract birds to help with a slug problem in outdoor spaces, our team of pest control experts have shared their effective yet harmless tips and tricks to stop the unwanted intruders from coming anywhere near your house.

How to stop slugs from coming into the house: expert advice

It's no shock to find slugs in your garden when you're sorting it out, but it's quite something else when you spot one in your home. Luckily, there are many ways to keep them away, and understanding why they're there in the first place can also stop them from returning.

1. Keep entryways clear of plant life

Knowing how to get rid of weeds is more than aesthetically pleasing for your garden; it's an important task to deter slugs, especially around your home's entryways.

"The key to keeping slugs out is to prevent them from reaching your home in the first place. Start by clearing weeds, leaves and garden debris away from doors, windows and other access points, as these provide food, moisture and shelter," says Daniel Steward, Managing Director at Shield Pest Control.

2. Seal any entry points

Similar to keeping mice out of your home, ensuring even the smallest gaps are sealed can make all the difference. "Inspect the exterior of your property for potential entry points. Slugs can squeeze through surprisingly small gaps, so seal cracks and openings around windows, doors and vents with a suitable silicone sealant," suggests Daniel.

This will also help stop spiders coming into your home, which is also an increasing issue once the colder weather arrives.

3. Try copper tape

If you've been on top of your summer gardening jobs this year, you've probably heard of copper tape, as it's a great addition to your pots to deter slugs and snails from eating your plants.

"Copper tape applied along door thresholds and window sills works well as a deterrent, as the copper creates a mild reaction with the slug's mucus that they actively avoid," recommends Mosh Latifi, Co-Owner, EcoCare Pest Management.

You can pick up some copper foil tape from Amazon for around £7.99.

4. Set up a harmless sugar trap

Homemade traps are a great way to stop pests in your home, and many are harmless, allowing you to release pests away from your home without damaging the ecosystem.

"If slugs are already getting indoors, look for them in secluded areas such as underneath sinks and behind furniture. A simple sugary liquid trap can help draw them out so they can be caught and released outside, away from the property," explains Daniel.

In the garden, you can use horticultural wool as another natural deterrent for slugs so they don't chomp away at your veggies and favourite leafy additions.

Why am I getting slugs in my house?

Before you start panic-deep cleaning your home and wonder if you've not been keeping up with your daily cleaning habits, there are many reasons slugs may be entering your home.

"There are several reasons you might suddenly start noticing slugs indoors. Your home may simply be providing an easy route from the garden, particularly if there is debris close to the building," says Daniel.

"Slugs are nocturnal and tend to seek out cool, sheltered places during the day. This means they can enter unnoticed and hide away before appearing indoors later on," he adds.

"Weather can also play a part. Wet conditions create the moist environment slugs need to move around, which can increase their activity around homes and make it more likely that they find their way inside," continues Daniel.

Keeping your best dehumidifier running can help battle the damp conditions your home might have during winter. This won't just keep unwanted pests away but also that dreaded mould growth too.

Do slugs lay eggs in the house?

The last thing you want to think of when making your home feel cosy for the colder months is the chance that slug eggs are being laid in your space. Unfortunately, that is a possibility, but one you can definitely put a stop to.

"Slugs can lay eggs indoors, but they need a suitably moist and sheltered environment to do so. A consistently dry, exposed area is unlikely to be attractive to them," starts Daniel.

"If you are concerned about eggs, look in secluded, damp locations such as underneath sinks, behind appliances or in other undisturbed areas. However, finding an individual slug indoors does not automatically mean that you have an established infestation or that eggs have been laid," he adds.

"The most effective approach is to identify how the slugs are getting inside and remove the conditions that could allow them to remain there," points out Daniel.

Prevention is always the best solution, and it means you never have to come across a pretty gross sighting of slug eggs in your beloved home.

Do slugs in a house mean damp?

Reducing humidity in your home during winter is important; however, spotting slugs does not automatically mean your home is damp.

"Not necessarily, but it is worth investigating. Slugs are attracted to moisture, so a persistent slug problem indoors can sometimes be an indicator of a damp issue, particularly if they are congregating in one area of the property," explains Mosh.

"Check for condensation, water ingress around window frames and pipes, and any areas of soft or discoloured plaster. If slugs are appearing in the same spot repeatedly, follow that thread. However, many slug ingress issues are simply down to accessible entry points rather than a damp problem in the fabric of the building," he adds.

It's helpful to check any particularly damp spots regularly; that way, you can catch any issues early and hopefully prevent slugs from ever becoming a problem.

If you're worried about these small pests entering your home throughout autumn and winter, then trying some of the best decluttering methods to keep your space clear and tidy is highly recommended.

Jennifer Garner’s Pretend Cooking Show series is more than just a bit of fun - it's packed everyday ways to elevate your bakes - and my favourite is her £35 KitchenAid accessory. It's one that I swear by for buttery shortbread and melt-in-the-mouth pastry.

In the latest instalment, a lesson on making "bisquettes", which Garner celebrates as “something new for back to school breakfasts” she reveals a treasure trove of KitchenAid insights.

From her slightly unconventional choice of KitchenAid Stand Mixer (more on that later) as well as the KitchenAid accessory that will elevate your banking to Paul Hollywood handshake territory - and it's only £35.

Jennifer Garner's Pretend Cooking Show is a joy to follow. She's self-deprecating about tea towels with holes in and bakes that don't come out picture perfect, but underneath the humour, she shares tips that hold up.

Her latest instalment on bisquettes - a hybrid of biscuit and muffin - makes for a handy grab-and-go bake which she says is perfect for back-to-school breakfasts. I'll be trying these myself this weekend, but, as ever, it wasn't just the food that caught my eye.

Garner fixed her KitchenAid stand mixer with a pastry cutter attachment, describing it as "a bit of a flex." The tool works by cutting cold butter into flour and sugar without the warmth of your hands softening it, which is what gives pastry and shortbread their signature crumbly, flaky texture rather than a dense or leathery one.

The KitchenAid pastry cutter attachment has had its moment in the spotlight since KitchenAid bundled it with their 2025 colour of the year mixer in butter yellow and I've noticed more bakers reaching for it since. It should be £49, but Currys has it reduced to £35 at the moment, which is a steal.

I've been using mine for years and my aunty, who's baked every wedding and birthday cake in our family (with some almost unbelievable showstoppers among them) wouldn't be without hers.

We also can't overlook that Garner bakes with the bowl-lift KitchenAid rather than the tilt-head version more commonly seen in celebrity kitchens - Nigella Lawson and Kate Middleton's to name just two.

Both designs work well, but the bowl-lift model (Jennifer's) offers more stability for heavier doughs, especially breads, as well as a family-friendly 5.6L capacity. It's the one that professional bakers often opt for, making Garner's choice a very telling one - especially when paired with her dough scraper, which is a tool that only earns cupboard space if you're regularly elbow-deep in dough. Garner's clearly a serious home baker rather than someone playing it up for the camera.

Alternative pastry cutters

I love investing in KitchenAid accessories and attachments, because they can give your stand mixer a whole new function. In this instance, the pastry cutter is simple and affordable, but with a delicious pay off. Whether you're buying this as a gift, or stocking up before cosy baking season, this is a small accessory that earns compliments well above its price point. Thank you, Jen.

Le Creuset officially kicked off pumpkin season with this year's release of its much-loved pumpkin-shaped casserole dishes. Available in creamy white, rich green, and their signature orange, they're the very essence of Autumn.

This year, there's also an extra treat for fans. Le Creuset's collection isn't just their iconic cast iron, it includes designs previously only available in the US, including the irresistibly cute pumpkin mug with its own lid and matching butter dish.

With Le Creuset's casserole dishes starting from £50, I've rounded up my favourite pieces. And, while the brand may be leading the charge, I've also been looking beyond Le Creuset for cast iron alternatives, as well as cookware and bakeware that brings the same seasonal charm to the kitchen without quite such a hefty price tag.

Autumnal tableware and Le Creuset Alternatives

As soon as Le Creuset announced their Autumn collection, we spotted lookalike pumpkin casserole dishes starting at just £15. Whilst we're still waiting for Aldi's famous pumpkin casserole dish Le Creuset twin, we've been browsing charming extras, including pumpkin oven gloves and spoon rests. There are plenty of ways to give your kitchen and table an autumnal update.

It feels like autumn is in the air for everyone. The White Company's collection is brilliant for bringing the outdoors in, whilst there are other cosy throws and earthy hues aplenty in different shops. And, of course, the kitchen is no exception. From beautiful casserole dishes in rich, autumnal shades to practical cookware and bakeware, all that's left is for us to dig out our heartiest, cosiest recipes for warming nights in.

Mamma Mia! star Amanda Seyfried’s gorgeous home hits all the right notes as she puts it on sale and offers fans a peek at the surprisingly traditional, laid-back decor.

The Oscar nominee might be celebrated for her red carpet looks and daring film roles, but we’re loving the timelessness and vintage-style country feel of her Hollywood home. The chic decor proves that while maximalist interior trends are worth considering, simplicity is elegant and creates a space to feel truly lived in.

Offering a masterclass in less is more – a nod to the quiet luxury trend that continues to inspire more evergreen stylistic choices – the Mean Girls actress has chosen a pared-back aesthetic, down to the hardwood flooring and antique light fixtures throughout.

Throughout each of Amanda’s rooms, there’s a recurrent theme of biophilic design, or a sense of bringing the outside in, and there’s clear inspiration to glean from the use of natural textures, centring natural light and allowing the feeling of one space blending seamlessly into the next.

With at least five windows in many of the rooms, each of the seating areas – including a round, wooden dining table to allow the best light at any angle – offers a prime viewing spot directly outdoors. The reading nook is the cherry on top, offering a prime view of the landscaping outside while being bathed in direct sunlight.

As well as staging the room so that every seat has views of the outdoors, Amanda has decorated the walls with a vintage floral print, extending that feeling of the outside being brought in, almost playing with the idea that no walls are separating the inside from the outdoors.

She repeats this in the primary bedroom, with a direct line of sight from the bed to a set of windows that offer the sense that nature is always just a reach away - a perfect lesson in bringing a touch of wellness and calmness to any room.

Amanda also echoes some of Kelly Hoppen’s tips on creating a home gym with her converted garage. Turning it into a place you’d actually want to use for home workouts, rather than a dark, shadowy space that will make exercise feel like, well, exercise. The converted garage is an airy, light space with direct access to the garden.

The repeated use of natural looking materials, including the darker stained hardwood floors, antique-looking chairs and the lighter coffee tables in other rooms, also promotes more warmth from the natural and soft lighting.

In each room, whether it's the comfy seating areas or the finishing touches, it's all anchored in warm, soft and natural textures and tones that complement the vibe of extending the outdoors in.

It’s not just the focus on making nature a central motif that gives Amanda’s home a timeless quality. The colour scheme is evergreen and lays a foundation that can be easily tweaked.

Instead of traditional white trim paired with a darker wall, this space uses crisp off-white on the walls and a slightly deeper, on-trend greige tone on the skirting boards and trimmings. Instead of colour drenching, this use of subtle gradient layering brings attention to structural details - like the wide archways and built-in windows – creating depth and opening the space up.

Where colour is used, it’s still chosen to continue this idea of calmness and celebrating nature. The use of blue and white in the kitchen – again flooded with natural light - conjures up images of the sky and being in the open air.

After a summer of unprecedented heat, our typical 'essential' September gardening jobs will look a little different from previous years. After a prolonged drought, gardens most certainly need some extra care and attention this season – something professionals are acutely aware of.

Leigh Hunt, RHS principal horticultural advisor, recalls being 'inundated' with gardening questions on what to do now about the damage caused by persistent hot weather and a lack of rainfall.

He begins by saying, "The reality is, gardens will have to adapt to these conditions," and therefore changing how we garden to acclimatise our plants and consider planting in autumn rather than waiting until spring.

Reasons to plant in autumn rather than spring

"One good tip for future droughts is to plant in autumn," Leigh explains, suggesting an alternative to spring planting. "Things like hardy, drought-tolerant trees and shrubs and perennials can all be planted at this time of year, once the rains return. They'll have time then to get their roots down and establish and survive future droughts much better."

"If you're looking for plants that perform really well in these conditions, here at Wisley we've been pleased with sea hollies and wisteria. Things like the Salvia 'Blue Spire', strawberry trees and ice plants have all been fantastic.

Where you have got some dead or dying plants, Leigh suggests using this as an opportunity to try new drought-tolerant plants that will fare better in years to come when the 'new normal' of hot summers returns.

Spring is historically the most popular time of year for planting, despite the autumn offering many benefits, such as those highlighted by the RHS advice...

• Heat retention: This year more than ever, autumn gardens benefit from the heat after months of warm weather. "Soil holds summer warmth, helping roots grow and settle before winter."
• Climates are more forgiving: "Cooler conditions help plants establish with less stress from heat and drought."
• Additional time means the plants are more established: "Plants build stronger root systems before spring growth begins."
• Watering routines are easier: "Autumn and winter rainfall supports establishment and reduces the need for watering before drier summers."

To save suffering plants now, Leigh recommends moving pots into the shade and using greywater – that's recycled water from the kitchen or bathroom. Of course, these things will have already eased now that the rains have returned, thankfully, so it's time to think about getting some mulch on the ground to help preserve stored water in the soil.

So while it's challenging times for gardeners to know what to do for the best, "by working out what's working and what's not, it's possible to make sure we can carry on gardening and enjoy beautiful thriving gardens."

A kitchen gadget doesn’t have to be flashy to earn its place on your worktop. But the real test comes when everyone’s hungry, the worktop is covered in ingredients, and the dishwasher is already full.

So, which kitchen buys actually make life easier?

For the second category of our brand new Reader Approved Awards, we’ve turned our attention to the kitchen and, once again, handed the testing over to the women who know exactly what a busy kitchen looks like. Because while glossy studio testing has its place, nothing beats seeing how a product performs day in, day out, in a real home.

Once again, our brilliant woman&home Tester Network put some of the UK’s biggest kitchen tools, gadgets and appliances through their paces. They cooked with them, cleaned them, lived with them and, crucially, judged whether they were genuinely worth the money.

From clever kitchen buys at wallet-friendly prices to premium appliances promising to transform your daily routine, our testers put them all to the ultimate test. These aren’t just products we think you’ll love. They’re the kitchen heroes our readers have tried, tested and approved.

Ready to discover the winners? Here are the products our testers didn't want to hand back...

Best everyday blender

Best high-performance blender

Best cookware

Best kitchen scale

Best kitchen utensils

How we tested

A Reader Approved seal has to be earned. Every winning product has been put through its paces in real kitchens, by real women, to find out which products genuinely deliver when they become part of everyday life.

Over two weeks, our independent testers lived with the shortlisted products, incorporating them into their daily routines and judging them on what really matters. Were they easy to use? Did they perform consistently? Did they solve a genuine problem or make everyday cooking that little bit easier? And, most importantly, would our testers continue to use them once the testing period was over?

We brought together all of those experiences, crunched the scores and compared the results to uncover the products that truly stood out. The result is our definitive list of kitchen essentials that have been tried, tested and approved by our readers – and earned their place among the 2026 Reader Approved winners.

But there’s still one more category to come...

Following our sleep and kitchen awards, we’re heading into the final chapter of our 2026 Reader Approved Awards: cleaning. From clever kitchen companions to products designed to make everyday chores easier, we’ll soon reveal the household heroes that have impressed our testers most.

Watch this space for the final round of Reader Approved winners...

If you're anything like me, you've been counting down the days until Practical Magic 2 is finally in cinemas. And while I'm excited to see what happens with the beloved Owens family, I'm admittedly just as giddy to see those iconic whimsical interiors.

If maximalist interior design is up your street too, you'll have been just as enamoured with the set design in the original 1998 Practical Magic film. With warm woods, charming floral patterns, potion bottles and classic Victorian-style architecture, the set in the first film was a feast for the eyes. More importantly, it was a valuable lesson in making your home feel cosier, witchcraft included or not.

With that in mind, let's throw some salt over our shoulders, grab a fresh brew and take a closer look at the standout interior style elements we've noticed on set of the new Owens home in Practical Magic 2.

What's immediately clear from the snippets we see of the set in the official trailer is that the Owens family are masters of curated clutter. While the home is filled with things, from decorative china to spiritually charged houseplants, it all feels purposeful and cohesive.

One of the first things that caught our attention throughout the entire home is the use of layered lighting. Not only does this add to the charming yet spooky feel of the film, but it retains that original cosy atmosphere – which is what bewitched audiences back in the 90s.

Lamps are, of course, a great way to do this, but also adding your favourite scented candles for an ambient warm glow makes all the difference. Alternatively, try some incense for an autumnal, witchy twist.

The soft furnishings also add to the cosy appearance of the house, specifically the detailed patchwork throws. Those heavy, heritage patchwork blankets are a perfect way to bring a familial look to the Owens family home and help audiences reminisce not only about the first film but also about their own nostalgic upbringing.

The furniture, decorative cushions and even bedding also follow this style; it's as if the Nancy Meyers interior trend has been stirred together with a touch of gothic.

Which brings us perfectly to the last design touch we'll be immediately adding to our own homes: the decorative china and dinnerware. Not only can we spot some rather decadent blue and white china on display in a glass cabinet, but the plates are also used to add more interest in the kitchen too.

Crockery like this needn't be ridiculously expensive; it's something you can find secondhand, or collect over time to make it more affordable. It is, however, a great way to add personality to your home, whether that's at the dinner table every night or in your hallway being displayed to view every time you pass it.

The Owens family certainly know a thing or two about timeless decor and the film set has mastered the art of an intergenerational family home filled with hand-me-downs, heirlooms and of course, essential potion ingredients.

So whether you're looking for timeless autumn decor ideas or want to make your space cosier, there's no better inspiration than this home of a stylish family of witches.

Ninja's first ever microwave is finally here - and it solves the one thing that microwaves have always been bad at: making your food crispy and crunchy.

Ninja's microwave is the hybrid that we've all been begging for. They've taken the brand's famous air fryer functions, combined them with modern microwave technology, and created a kitchen appliance that's free from toxic coatings and packed full of clever features.

This is the moment that modern microwaves stopped being an afterthought and started being the most useful tool in your kitchen. They might be the biggest threat your air fryer has ever seen.

The Ninja Crispi Microwave is available to buy today from Ninja and trusted retailers including John Lewis.

The Crispi name is a clue for the biggest and best feature on this microwave. Ninja has carried the signature technology from its Crispi air fryers across into a microwave for the first time. Rather than soggy microwave meals, it will give your food some proper crunch.

The idea, says James Kitto, SVP Managing Director of EMEA at SharkNinja, grew out of Ninja's ongoing mission "to solve everyday consumer frustrations." As he puts it, the microwave has "historically forced a trade-off between fast and good," while standard air fryers "didn't offer the transparency or clean-cooking reassurance of glassware." The Crispi is built to close that gap, giving consumers speed, capacity, and "perfect crispy textures they actually want without compromise."

It's a workhorse, too, with dedicated functions for popcorn, potatoes, defrosting, beverages, soup, frozen dinners, frozen vegetables, and even softening butter. And as someone who loves a sparkling clean home, it's even easy to clean thanks to the design and shape.

The all-new flatbed design swaps out the traditional turntable for 20% more usable surface area, which is perfect for feeding the family. And if you're in a hurry, the "superheated cyclonic air" technology takes food from frozen to crispy in as little as 10 minutes, which a 60% cut in cooking time compared to a conventional oven.

Ninja has also been a pioneer of the non-toxic air fryer, so have made sure that the interior of the Crispi Microwave non-toxic, PFAS-free CleanCrisp Glassware has enough capacity to cook a 3kg roast chicken.

Alternative modern microwaves that we love

With microwaves firmly back on the menu, there's room to experiment beyond the basics, too. MasterChef winner Brithi Parathan recently shared his tips for toasting nuts and making spices more aromatic using a microwave - and the Ninja opens up even more possibilities. So the question isn't when you'll use yours. It's what you'll make in it first.

Oh, how we love a dramatic home makeover, as does Chef Clodagh McKenna, clearly, as she proudly invites fans in for a peek at her incredible bedroom transformation in time for the cosy season.

As part of the transformation of Broadspear, the 100-acre Hampshire estate she’s been renovating – Clodagh initially painted the bedroom a dark green, creating a brooding, atmospheric sleep space. But now she’s ready for the room to feel "lighter, brighter and incredibly calming," but just as cocooning.

While the makeover looks dramatic, she’s revealed how simple it can be with the right paint, lighting and refined finishing touches – as well as offering tips on why a neutral base makes the most "restful backdrop" that is easy to "change with the seasons."

For Clodagh’s room to capture the lightness and warmth she craved, it was all about finding the right colour to anchor every decision that followed. She settled on a creamy, warm white that reminds her of something very specific.

Sharing a video to her social media, she explains, "I colour-drenched [the room] in Dulux Heritage Linen. It's a shade of white that I really love. It reminds me of when I'm making a panna cotta and the egg yolk has popped into the milk, and you get that perfect, creamy, warm white."

By colour-drenching the room – that's painting every surface in the same colour, including the ceilings and the skirting boards the space feels opened up but not in a cold, empty way thanks to the warm, earthy tones. The before-and-after in her video makes the difference immediately clear.

A bedroom being a bedroom, Clodagh wanted sleep to be the most important part, inspiring the choice of warm, layered lighting.

Showcasing her choices of lights at different heights and positions, she shared, “I love these little twin lights, wall lights. They're really beautiful. I put them on either side of the bed. I put on some lights for reading. So I got these on so when I'm sleeping, [her husband] can have a little read.”

Using the smaller lights at varying levels plays with shadows and depth, creating a relaxing feel around the bed. The repeated use of natural wood, from the flooring, shelves and bedside table, adds a further element of warmth to the lighting by creating a soft reflective glow.

Outside-in decor is a reliable design trick to mimic the calming effects of nature in any room, and Clodagh shows us how to do this in a way that doesn't overwhelm the decor.

To do this, Clodagh pressed flowers from her garden and framed them. The result is perfect little pops of colour that stand out without feeling too jarring against the creamy colour scheme. This is also evident in how else she uses colour sparingly but effectively.

Her velvet pink chair, for example, is bright enough to add a noticeable accent tone that breaks up the creamy colour scheme without overpowering and throwing off the soft, warm tones. On her bed, she uses mustard cushions to add just the right pop of colour, but one that fits in with the overall scheme and feels grounding.

An added benefit of choosing a neutral coloured room is that it allows quick and easy updates in the future, for when you might fancy a change of accent colour.

It’s easy to imagine how something as simple as adding a colourful bedspread and framing a few brighter or pastel-coloured flowers would create a more spring-like feel. Similarly, if you wanted to play with contrast, adding darker touches would prove striking and dramatic.

It’s something Clodagh had in mind when choosing the colour, she revealed, saying, “I'm excited for all the seasons, the changing of the seasons where I can add different colours in because this colour is so evergreen, but it's so calming."

Spring might seem like a lifetime away, but the window for planting spring bulbs is here, and if you want to enjoy those daffodil blooms come April, then you may want to start planting your bulbs.

Luckily, growing daffodils is a simple task in the garden, and once the flowers are established, they really don't take much maintenance. Half the battle with these flowers is knowing when to plant spring bulbs and ensuring they have enough time to root in the soil so they are ready to produce impressive blooms when the time comes.

So you're not left asking if it's too late to plant daffodil bulbs come January, we asked a garden expert for advice on when the best time to plant is and why.

When should you plant daffodil bulbs?

If you're starting your September gardening jobs this month, you might be wondering whether now is a good time to consider planting your daffodil bulbs. The answer is yes.

"Daffodil bulbs can be added into your garden at any time during autumn, although the earlier you plant them, the better, as this allows them to take advantage of the warmth the soil has absorbed throughout the summer months, helping them to establish strong, healthy roots before winter," explains Lucie Bradley, garden expert at Easy Garden Irrigation.

"So ideally September through October are your peak planting months; however, even up to early December is acceptable, although this later planting is likely to delay and reduce the number of blooms which will be produced in their first year," she continues.

While they are a bulb you need to plant now for a colourful spring display, there is some leeway for the next couple of months.

Can you leave daffodil bulbs in the ground all year?

Once winter months arrive, you'll need to start protecting your plants from frost and heavy rain; however, planted daffodil bulbs are just fine where they are.

"Daffodil bulbs are hardy perennials that will perform to their best when they are left in the ground all year round so that they get the cold winter weather they need to trigger them to bloom in spring," Lucie explains. "At the same time, daffodils will naturally multiply to create larger clumps of bright yellow blooms year after year."

"If kept in their ideal conditions of well draining soil, average garden soil (neither too poor or too rich) and in a sunny spot in spring then you can expect daffodil bulbs to reliably bloom for decades in your garden - all you need to do to divide your daffodil clumps every three to five years to prevent overcrowding, which can lead to the bulbs being too closely packed to get all the nutrients they need resulting in more foliage and less blooms," she adds.

You might need to take precautions to keep squirrels out of your garden, as they tend to enjoy digging up bulbs before they've even had a chance to root.

How many daffodil bulbs should I plant together?

Whether you're planting a bulb lasagne with your daffodils or adding spring bulbs to your lawn this autumn, there are certain conditions in terms of spacing and how many bulbs can go in one spot.

"Although daffodils can be planted individually, it’s often recommended to plant them in drifts or clusters so that they provide the most impact," Lucie suggests.

"This means you are best to plant at least ten bulbs or more together, spacing individual bulbs 10 to 15cm apart so that they have the space to naturally split and multiply," she says.

"At the same time, your bulbs will have sufficient soil to provide for their nutrient requirements without too much competition and allow their roots to spread to gather in moisture without becoming too tangled with their neighbours."

Lucie explains that this type of spacing allows better air circulation as well, which helps to make your daffodils less susceptible to fungal diseases and rotting.

What is the best month to plant daffodils?

If you've stored your spring bulbs through summer, you may be wondering when the best month is to finally get them planted in your garden.

"While you can plant daffodil bulbs into your garden anytime from September through to the end of November, the ideal month is September as it not only means they can benefit from the residual heat in the soil from summer to help them produce strong roots before the arrival of winter, it also gives them the necessary 12 to 16 weeks of cold temperatures so that they break out of their dormancy and produce their buds in spring," Lucie explains.

"Planting later in the year often delays blooming and can reduce the height of their stems. It also increases the chances of fungal disease and rotting as they have to start producing roots and establishing themselves in soil which is likely to be wetter and colder," she continues.

Don't worry if you're too busy sorting your garden out to plant bulbs or pick some up later than expected; there's still a chance for blooms after December.

"However, if you are gifted with bulbs later in the year or have no chance but to plant later, then to increase your chances of the best blooms in their first year, improve the drainage of the soil by adding horticultural grit before planting and make sure you only plant healthy, firm bulbs," adds Lucie.

"Even if you have to plant them in December, you are still likely to get growth, but it may be all foliage with no flowers, as there is insufficient time for them to set their buds; however, they will naturally recover and in year two will produce the blooms which you would expect," she finishes.

Once you've enjoyed your daffodils, it's important to know what to do with them after flowering, as this will help ensure you can grow blooms again the following year.

Sure, they might cause us to shed a tear, but who doesn’t love an onion? Crunchy, flavourful and the perfect starting ingredient for many classic dishes.

Garden writer Simon Akeroyd, who has shown us how to grow thyme for free, has now revealed we can do the very same thing with onions. And while they are fairly inexpensive, it saves you adding them to the food shop each week, plus it's a great way to reduce waste and practise sustainable gardening ideas.

So next time you’ve sliced your onions and were planning to toss the remainders in your homemade compost pile – don’t. This incredibly simple method is all you need to begin growing vegetables from scratch, producing new shoots in less than 2 weeks. This genius plan will start you on your journey to sow all the onions you’ll ever need.

It really is so simple, too. Once you’ve chopped your onions (and dried your tears as a result), keep the thicker, coarser base that you wouldn’t normally add to your recipes. This is the bit which will have some stringy roots coming out of it – and this is what you want.

You then take this base cutting and place it in a small dish of shallow water. Simon initially leaves his cutting in something as cheap and easy as the lid of a jar just filled with water.

Leave this for a few days and when it starts to grow new roots and shoots, plant it in some compost. In just one week’s time, you’ll see the onion starting to grow new stems.

You can use these stems as they are – red onion shoots can be used similarly to chives, a little culinary sprinkling that elevates stir-fries, soups, salads or even sandwiches. If you are going to do this, make sure you leave some of the shoots alone if you want to regrow actual onion bulbs.

Once you’ve left the shoots to flower and set seed, you can collect the seed and sow it.

According to the RHS, sowing onion seeds can be done indoors or outside, from mid-winter to mid-spring. However, it’s not the right time to sow onions outdoors, as these need to be done when the soil starts to warm up.

To make the most of this trick as we head into the colder months, you can use Nancy Birtwhistle’s trick and use a homemade, upcycled propagator as you do this. With this, sow your seeds about half an inch deep into your trays filled with peat-free seed compost.

The RHS advises one seed per module is effective, but it's also possible to sow three or four seeds per module, although the resulting bulbs are likely to be smaller.

Place the tray in a heated propagator or on a warm sunny windowsill. Seedlings should appear within a couple of weeks. Remove from the propagator, place in bright light and keep the compost slightly moist. Harden off indoor-sown plants before planting into prepared ground.

Le Creuset's new paper fibre chopping boards are already my favourite launch of this year. Not only are they a brilliant non-toxic alternative to plastic, they're lightweight, dishwasher safe, and an easy way to bring Le Creuset's luxury into your kitchen.

Everyone has coveted Le Creuset at some point over the years. Whether you've been eyeing up their cast iron casserole dishes for hearty stews, or you've invested in their whimsical collaborations, the brand is hailed for its heritage style and eye for design.

Le Creuset brings all those famously beautiful and practical touches to this chopping board trio. The refined design is non-toxic, of course, but there are plenty of genius features that make them essential for every kitchen too.

The standout feature of Le Creuset's Paper Fibre Chopping Boards is, of course, the composition. Paper fibre works hard to cover a whole host of different needs. Unlike plastic, paper fibre is naturally anti-bacterial. That softer surface is more gentle on your knives, helping them to stay sharper for longer, but it also holds steady for professional chopping (helped by some silicone feet)

Le Creuset's chopping boards can also go straight in the dishwasher, which is unusual for organic materials like this. And, unlike your butchers block or solid wood chopping board, you don't need to oil them and can lift them easily with one hand.

These chopping boards a brilliant addition to any kitchen that's already been editing plastics and chemicals out of your cupboards. Lots of people have swapped food containers for glass or stainless steel, PTFE air fryers for non-toxic air fryers, and water bottles to steel.

If you're sold on the paper-composite material but not set on Le Creuset, there are other brands that offer paper fibre chopping boards too. Here are three of my favourites:

I love this Le Creuset launch more than almost anything else I've seen this year, because they've paid attention to a part of the kitchen that's often overlooked. The eco credentials that the brand already has at their heart really get to shine with paper fibre put front-and-centre in the chopping board collaboration. So, for anyone swapping their plastics out for stainless steel and glass, this is the perfect next step.

We've all watched a Purdy & Figg advert, coveted those beautifully scented bottles, and then popped the supermarket own-brand in the trolley instead. This autumn, though, the natural cleaning brand is giving us good reason to finally invest in some luxury cleaning products: their collaboration with breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!

For a limited time, Purdy & Figg is selling a "pink" range with different cleaning products for your home, from their classic trio of Counter Clean scents to their Marjoram & Geranium Oh! De Loo drops

50p from every sale goes directly to CoppaFeel! meaning your little home treat doubles up as support for the charity. It's reason enough to swap the supermarket alternative for the real thing this time round

The Purdy & Figg collaboration is a revival of last year's campaign, which raised over £10,000 for CoppaFeel! - proof small purchases add up to a meaningful sum.

The partnership speaks directly to why both companies were founded. Jack Rubin, Founder and CEO at Purdy & Figg explains that the brand is based "around the power of small, positive daily rituals" whether that's chest checking or giving the house a good clean. He champions the collaboration because it "helps to turn a routine household chore into a regular, life-saving reminder" and to spark conversations that save lives.

This is echoed by Lucy Barnes, Corporate Partnerships Manager at CoppaFeel! She explains that partnerships are important "not only to raise vital funds, but also to reach a wider audience than we could alone. CoppaFeel! exists to educate, encourage and empower young people to know their bodies and to end the late detection of breast cancer."

Purdy & Figg's collaboration doesn't just promise to work hard for charity, it promises to make your home smell incredible, whether you're using geranium and ylang ylang in the kitchen, pink grapefruit and pepper in the bathroom, and rose and clove in the bedroom. It'll make you want to clean, not just because you have to.

Although hedges are usually low-maintenance additions to our gardens, except for their regular haircut, there's a huge threat to their health right now that you may be misreading as something else.

As one of the best plants for privacy, box hedges are a hugely popular choice for most people's gardens, but they are unfortunately susceptible to common invasive pests. You may have noticed whilst getting ahead on your September gardening jobs that your hedges are covered in spider's webs; however, chances are spiders have nothing to do with the covering.

Garden design expert and influencer Ish Kamran (@gardening.with.ish on Instagram) has warned homeowners that they need to act now to stop box hedges from falling victim to this overlooked pest.

When sorting your garden out this month, you may have spotted that your box hedge isn't looking exactly right; it might even be covered in some sort of webbing.

"If your box hedge is starting to look like this and is covered in some kind of a spider's web, it needs to be acted on fast. Let me tell you what's actually going on," says Ish.

"First of all, that's not a spider's web; that is caterpillar silk, and more specifically, it's box caterpillar. They accidentally got introduced into the UK about six or seven years ago now, and they are running rife. So they need to be taken care of; it is invasive," he adds.

Similarly to how invasive plants that can grow in your garden can quickly take over, the box caterpillar can breed out of control rapidly.

"The way that it works is once one is in there, you'll end up with thousands in a few weeks; they really do breed quite fast. How do we deal with this?" asks Ish.

"The first thing you want to do is order yourself some nematodes. You can find them online, you can find them on Amazon, you can find them even in garden centres as well. Now, they come in a little sachet; you pop it in some slightly warm water, give it a shake, and you spray it directly over this," he explains.

"What it does is, effectively, it's harmless to children, to us, to our pets, but these tiny little microorganisms make their way inside of the caterpillar, and as a result eat them from within," Ish says.

Should you be participating in the rewilding trend, you may want to find other ways to remove these pests, but unfortunately, due to their invasive nature, there's not much that will help aside from nematodes.

"Now, if you've missed the boat on box caterpillar and you're getting box moth, you can get box moth traps as well. But if I don't deal with it now, this hedge, well, it won't be a hedge in two weeks," Ish warns.

"If you've got the little topiary balls, that's probably about a week, so you need to act fast; otherwise, these guys are gonna win," he finishes.

It's a good idea to keep checking on your hedges; spotting these pests early can make all the difference and will stop you from having to lose your hedges entirely.

Box hedges are a great way of boosting your home's value as they add that all-important layer of privacy to a property without it being an eyesore.

It's a busy time in our gardens, and that means I find it all too easy to forget what a wonderful privilege it is to grow plants and enjoy seeing the flowers bloom. Luckily, I had a timely reminder of this thanks to none other than Pamela Anderson.

Whether you're sorting out the garden this weekend or are cracking on with your September gardening jobs next week, it's all too easy to focus on the negatives. Too much weeding, the heatwave consequences or even a nasty case of black spot on your roses. I'm guilty of it all.

However, when I came across actress and model Pamela Anderson's Instagram reel (@pamelaanderson) on harvesting roses, I remembered that gardening should be celebrated and romanticised. Especially when you're picking beautiful florals from your very own garden, why shouldn't you be doing it in a flowing white linen dress?

It's not the first time I've been completely enamoured with Pamela's gardening set-up; the large overflowing raised beds her garden is made of are a true inspiration. In fact, her entire farmhouse property is something you don't usually expect from a celebrity home, but it's a welcome, refreshing change indeed.

Roses are some of the best cutting flowers you can grow in your garden, and luckily, once you've figured out their care needs, they aren't that difficult to grow and enjoy. Pamela has certainly mastered the art, as her roses are not only ginormous but incredibly bright too.

If you're growing your own roses, the latest peek into the star's gardening routine is going to be just as inspiring for you as it was for me. Pamela, looking as naturally glamorous as ever, starts with a bunch of fluffy pink roses in her hands.

And of course her essential garden tools: a pair of secateurs and thick gardening gloves with which she trims the stems and removes leaves.

Aside from the essentials, Pamela has injected whimsy into her flower harvesting with her charming wicker trug basket. Something as simple as this not only makes the job that much easier but is quite a special accessory to enjoy in your gardening.

Whether you're pruning your lavender or collecting tomatoes from your fruit-heavy plants, trugs are a really useful tool that will hang easily and rather chicly from your elbow. I'll be picking one up to help with autumn harvests and more.

Now inside, Pamela takes the impressive haul to her basin, which, in true farmhouse fashion, is a deep enamel sink. Trimming each stem with secateurs, she fills multiple mismatched vases with the flowers, placing them around her home to enjoy.

If this hasn't inspired you to get out in the garden and enjoy every moment, then I don't know what will; I'm going to get my secateurs out right now.

Before the change in season comes, you may want to brush up on some essential autumn care tips to keep your roses alive through winter, no matter the weather.

It's an almost impossible treat to see new prints from William Morris himself. In fact, it's been over 150 years since the brand showed us any pattern for the very first time. But in an historic collaboration with Ruggable, the brand has taken 26 of the designer's unfinished, private sketches (never intended for public eyes, let alone footsteps) and turned them into something to be walked on and lived alongside.

The Unfinished Works rug collection does more than revive Morris' legacy. It's reframing heritage design, giving you artwork for your floor that's as practical as it is beautiful. We've seen Morris & Co on our sofas, our cushions, and our wallpaper, and now we have brand new prints that will make you fall back in love with your home.

Painstakingly revived through hand repainting, the rugs showcase Morris' artistic genius with honeysuckles, daises, and tulips as well as oak leaves, acorns, and vines. It's a palette straight out of 1860s London and perfect for modern homes that want a reset this season.

Ruggable x Morris & Co The Unfinished Works Collection

With prices ranging from £109 to £1,049 depending on size, we've picked a few of our favourite patterns to inspire you:

You can see Morris' distinctive botanical design in the aesthetics of these rugs, but they've been reworked to suit modern homes. The medievalism and folklore that inspired Morris are still there, but translated into rich colours, on practical designs that make them easy to style into modern homes.

The sketches themselves were uncovered in the archives of the Huntington Library in California, where they'd sat untouched since the 1860s. Now, thanks to Ruggable's collaboration with the brand, the once-precious archival work can exist in the real world. You don't need to worry about coasters and "don't touch" signs, because Ruggable's designs are made for family life. Each rug is machine-washable, available in multiple sizes and tuft styles, so you can shape it around your room and let a little bit of Morris' artwork live on your floor.

It's not just through Ruggable that you can enjoy Morris & Co prints, we've covered bedspreads, cushions, and sofa collaborations too. Here are some of our top picks:

I've always thought that the most fitting way to honour a designer's legacy is to live alongside it. Preserving previously unfinished works is a wonderful way to keep the Moris & Co heritage alive and transform your living room without spending a fortune.

Although the heatwave has been hard on our gardens, there are some plants that have thrived in the hot weather. And some that have grown so tall and successfully that they simply cannot hold themselves up. So how can you support them?

Whilst you may know how to support your plants as they grow, sometimes our larger plants can need some special attention, especially when they have an unexpected growth spurt. And when plants carry lots of fruit on higher stems or branches, they can easily droop, causing damage and stress to the plant itself. The same goes for plants with large flowers.

Luckily, the experts on BBC's Gardeners' World have shared their wisdom to keep even your tallest, heaviest plants growing upright and happy.

Whilst you've been helping your garden recover from the numerous heatwaves we've been having, you may have spotted that some of your larger plants have started to keel over.

Whether that's from heavy growth or ill-health, finding a way to support them and get them back up straight is incredibly important.

"This is my cardoon, a prime candidate for falling over. You see, the flower heads are so heavy. I'm going to tie it up with string. Now you might just think, oh, just lash around a bit of string, and all will be well, but there's a way to make this easy, particularly if you're working on your own," explains Toby Buckland, presenter on BBC's Gardeners' World.

Have your essential garden tools at the ready before you start. If you don't have garden scissors, then secateurs are a great alternative.

"What you do is you get your string, fold it over, and then tie a knot in that to create a loop. That is going to save you so much hassle when drawing this plant back, because what I do is take that loop around the stem of my cardoon, the other end goes around the fencing pin, and then the end of the string goes through the loop," says Toby.

"I just draw it back through, taking the weight of the cardoon as the string hauls it back upright. Quick hitch in there like that and the plant's tied off," he shows.

Add this to your September gardening jobs list, but make sure to keep an eye on your taller plants as they grow next year to avoid premature flopping!

As the cold weather arrives, it's also a good idea to start protecting your plants from heavy rain, especially the taller ones. With rain comes wind, and taller plants usually take the brunt of the gusts, which can seriously damage them.

IKEA has announced a new autumn must-have, the TILLREDA multicooker. Available for just £85, it boasts 14 hands-free functions for cooking everything from fluffy rice through to soups and stews.

With the weather cooling down, we're all dusting off our soup makers and casserole dishes in anticipation of some cosy, comfort food. But let me tell you, nothing will bring you heartier, healthier, easier dishes than this IKEA gem.

With a compact design and features that rival models twice, if not three times the price, I know these will sell like hotcakes. And maybe it will be cooking some hotcakes too.

Unlike many multicookers on the market, the IKEA TILLREDA promises to "streamline meal prep without cluttering countertops." At just 30cm wide and 22cm high, it's compact enough to sit comfortably under wall cupboards on a kitchen counter, yet equally at home tucked away in a cupboard when not in use. However, that's not the main reason that this has been dubbed brand's "hidden gem" - it's the incredibly diverse functions that have broad appeal. They'll take you from morning oats right through to slow cooked dinners.

The 14 different functions cover all the essentials from soups and stews through to rice, while still supporting more adventurous home cooks who want to make yogurt or prove bread. The full line-up spans: Manual mode, Keep warm, Slow cook, Rice, Fry/Sauté, Steam, Bake, Boil, Yoghurt, Soup, Stew, Porridge, Oatmeal, Bread rise.

With the ability to throw everything in and let the cooker do the work, this is shaping up to be one of the best buys of the season. One of the standout features is that the inner pot can double as a stand-in hob for searing proteins on a high heat - a capability that's also boasted by the pricier Ninja PossibleCooker.

At this size and price, the TILLREDA is hard to fault. It's going to be a seasonal staple for small kitchens and those short on time as well as family homes. It's a versatile piece of kit that doubles up as a budget buy. Snap it up before word gets out.

As the colder months start rolling in, those long evening soaks in the bath get more and more enticing. And whilst a simple bubble bath truly does hit the spot, Jennifer Lopez's set-up has us planning a full bathtime upgrade.

With the sunny weather slowly coming to an end, many of us will be planning our autumn decor ideas and finding ways to make our homes as cosy as possible. And it's also around this time of year that we start getting excited for those candlelit, early evening, relaxing soaks in the bath. However, we might be even more excited after seeing Jennifer Lopez's bathtime set-up, and the small luxe touches she made.

The singer shared a snapshot of her bathroom, or should we say office, on her Instagram (@jlo), and she's certainly mastered the art of making her bathroom look expensive. But it's the small accessories and design touches that have us ready to completely refresh our bath setup.

Whilst we're always interested in what the latest bathroom trends are offering, sometimes it's the small touches that can really transform your space. And more importantly, your experience.

Jennifer Lopez's has adorned her bath and the space surrounding it with a gold wire bath tray, luxury bathing products from Jo Malone and some decadent dry plants.

The first bath tray is such a humble way of elevating your bath; not only does it add more storage to your space, which is perfect if you have a smaller bathroom, but it also allows you to enjoy a drink, book and more whilst you bathe. They are an on-trend accessory for a reason, but we particularly like the way JLo's tray matches her bathroom fixtures perfectly.

Another style point we'll certainly be using in our own bathrooms is the layered plants that sit on the mirrored table behind her bath. Whilst some plants help with condensation and are ideal for the bathroom, dried plants like the ones JLo used are low-maintenance yet look incredible.

And finally, if we look closer at her bath-side table, the actress has used beauty products as decor too. In the same way you wouldn't be shy about showing off your luxury cleaning products, when splurging on high-end bathing soaps and oils, their packaging is often too good not to display. JLo's collection of Jo Malone bath oils and lotions is proof of that, and of course we'll be adding our favourite scented candles to our set up.

Now we've got our bathtime inspiration, we say bring on the gloomy days; there's nothing a soak in our elevated tub won't fix!

If you want to treat yourself a little more before the change in season, why not pick up some little luxuries to get your home ready for autumn?

Most of us will be familiar with decision fatigue. It's when we become so overwhelmed with making decisions that even small choices start to feel mentally taxing - and it's only too easy for it to show up when we're decluttering the home.

Even the best decluttering methods are surprisingly decision-heavy. Whether trying to organise kitchen cabinets or streamlining and editing wardrobes, sometimes every item can prompt a decision-making spiral.

I'm a keen declutterer, but I've also fallen prey to decision fatigue when organising my home. So, when I heard about 'decision fatigue decluttering', it felt like it was meant to be – could it be the answer to my decision-making woes? I put it to the test to find out.

I tried decision fatigue decluttering to organise my home

I'm no stranger to putting a new decluttering method through its paces - from the 'one-touch' tidying rule to the four-box method, to the 1-3-5 technique to the 'move out' rule, I've tried a few.

My favourite methods are always the ones that feel simple, straightforward, and easy to apply. And after giving decision fatigue decluttering a go, it's safe to say I'm a huge fan.

What is decision fatigue decluttering?

Put simply, decision fatigue decluttering is all about reducing the mental effort required to organise the home. Instead of weighing up what to do with every individual item as you go, you set simple 'rules' or boundaries before you start, making the process quicker and easier, to make decluttering feel more manageable.

Examples of rules might be that you'll get rid of anything broken, any duplicates, or anything that hasn't been used in the last year. But one of the best things about this method is that you can pick any rule that will help, and you can apply it anywhere in the home, whether you're decluttering books or decluttering the bedroom.

The key idea is that you'll simplify the number of choices you have to make in the home - not just during the decluttering process, but in everyday life, too.

"There’s a genuine benefit to simplifying the number of choices you have to make at home," Max Wilson, Co-Founder of Pocket Storage says. "A cluttered home creates many tiny decisions during your daily life: what to wear when you have many similar clothes; which cup to choose when the kitchen cabinet is stuffed with other cups; and where to place something because every single space in the house is already occupied."

So, if you want to give decision fatigue decluttering a try, start by establishing some boundaries that will help speed up the process. Sticking to these boundaries when you're decluttering should help you simplify your home's contents in a way that's easier to manage going forward.

Trying decision fatigue decluttering

Before I started, I had a good think about what rules would be most helpful to me and my home. I wanted to use decision fatigue decluttering to reduce overwhelm and see the process through; I'd be lying if I said I hadn't abandoned my decluttering checklist before when things got too much.

These were the rules I decided to stick to:

1. If I own multiples, I'll keep only the ones I actually use.
2. If I haven't used it in the past year and can't name a specific reason I'll need it in the next year, it goes.
3. I stop after one hour.

I also decided to leave sentimental items out of my decluttering session altogether, as I find this is when decision paralysis hits the hardest. This is a good tip for when you're trying out any new decluttering technique: keep things simple at the start, and build on it later.

Armed with my new rules and boundaries, I set to work on decluttering my activewear drawer. As I love exercising, this drawer often becomes the messiest. It's also a drawer with many multiples - multiple sports bras, pairs of leggings, and gym tops - and while I do think having more than one gym top is justified (I rarely wear one without putting it straight in the wash), I don't think it's necessary to have quite as many as I do.

Sticking to the rule of keeping only the ones I actually use, I managed to declutter four items from this drawer. Everything looked satisfyingly neat afterwards, and I didn't feel like I'd used up a lot of my mental energy in the process.

Spurred by this success, I decided to tackle a couple of storage boxes that sit in our home office next. I usually skip these when decluttering because they house a random collection of items that I know will take more decision-making energy than the rest of the house.

Thanks to the decision fatigue decluttering method, tackling these was easier than I thought. One of the first things to go was the collection of tennis balls we've amassed. As they hadn't been used in the last year and I couldn't think of a reason they'd be needed in the next year, the decision to give them away had been made before I'd even started.

It felt pretty good to stick to the rules I'd created earlier, and it definitely helped speed everything up. That said, there were times when I started to doubt myself, like when I started decluttering and storing my handbags.

There were definitely items in this basket that I hadn't used for over a year, and while I couldn't concretely say that I'd use them in the next year, I also couldn't tell myself that I'd never use them again. Maybe this was a flaw with the rule I'd chosen rather than the method, but it was a lesson that perhaps some flexibility when decluttering isn't a bad thing. It's about finding a balance that works for you.

Finally, I decided to tackle just one of my kitchen cupboards with the decision fatigue method. Rule number three was helpful here, as previously I probably would have tried to do all my kitchen cupboards in one session - but I'd made a rule beforehand that I'd stop decluttering after one hour to help avoid decision fatigue.

10 minutes later and I'd done a solid job of improving the look of my spice cupboard. I could easily spot which items had sat there collecting dust for over a year, and I soon had a small collection to take to my local supermarket's food bank.

All in all, I was pleased with how much I'd got done within an hour. I do not doubt that the decision fatigue method sped everything up, and I didn't feel mentally drained at the end of it all, which felt like the biggest win.

Verdict: should you try decision fatigue decluttering?

It's safe to say that I'm a fan of decision fatigue decluttering, and I'd recommend it to anyone who struggles with overwhelm in the home.

My best advice would be to pick rules which are genuinely helpful to you. For example, if your kitchen cupboards are the biggest problem, create a rule around getting rid of expired products for an easy win. If you often keep things 'just in case', say that you're only allowed one box for these items - it'll still give you the space to keep items you struggle to let go of, but stop it from getting out of control.

The decision fatigue decluttering method has a lot of potential. I'll be going back to it for sure the next time I'm decluttering my home.

As we begin to contemplate summer ending, we're starting to anticipate all things cosy, and Julia Roberts' living room just gave me the biggest autumnal decor inspiration for my own home.

Once the leaves start to fall and the early nights arrive, all I can think about is finding ways to make our homes cosy and welcoming. And although lighting my favourite autumnal-scented candles always works, I want to go the extra mile by creating your very own cosy reading nook this year.

Sharing her cabin-style living room on her Instagram @juliaroberts, the Pretty Woman star Julia Roberts gave us a sneak peek at the hidden-away, snug space in the corner of her room that screams autumnal relaxation, and I can't wait to recreate it.

Although the post was a loving celebration of Julia's husband's birthday, I couldn't help but spot how she's inadvertently provided us with all the Autumn decor and interior ideas we need ahead of the new season.

Featuring a welcoming oversized armchair, roaring cabin-esque log-burning fireplace and a cosy rug, the zoned-off area is everything we want from a cosy reading nook. And aside from reading, having these relaxing spaces in our home is so beneficial to us, especially in the colder seasons.

"With our fast-paced lives and endless to-do lists, having a space solely for unwinding is essential for our wellbeing," says interior designer and holistic health coach Michelle Wilkie at Interior Self. "Even in the tiniest homes, setting up dedicated areas for eating, working, or relaxing can make a big difference to both our mental and physical health."

"A cosy reading nook, for example, can become a peaceful retreat where you can escape and recharge, giving you a much-needed pause from the daily hustle. These spots are great for calming your mind and creating a sense of stillness, which helps our nervous system reset," she adds.

Not only is oversized furniture one of the biggest armchair trends, but it's also a great way to make our spaces more welcoming for relaxing. Pair that with layered lighting like lamps and firelight like Julia has, and you've got the perfect spot to unwind, whether that's with a book or your newest hobby.

"Plus, having a place to read or focus on a hobby is a perfect excuse to step away from screens and give your eyes a break. It’s all about creating a space where you can truly unwind and be present," says Michelle.

Not only does this kind of room zoning help make larger spaces feel more concise and cosier, but it can also be customised for smaller spaces too, which will work brilliantly for my flat.

If you're also looking to make your small living room bigger while keeping that homey, snug feel, creating a dedicated corner with blankets, a rug and an inviting chair is the way to go.

Creating these cosy areas in your home is a great way to use interior design to keep SAD at bay when winter arrives. They can make dreary, gloomy days a little lighter and keep you feeling positive.

Styling your home is such a personal process. However, it is always nice to know you're aligned with the advice of leading interior designers – that's why we're so invested every time Kelly Hoppen CBE shares her essential interior design tips.

Another interior designer I love following for advice is Abigail Ahern, whose distinct personal style instantly makes you think of cocooning spaces filled with colour-drenching, layered textures and dramatic lighting.

This week she shared her professional advice on the designer tricks that never go out of style, which I feel benefit every home. These are 'simple little principles' she encourages all homes to adopt to make any room feel more considered and refined...

3 simple design tricks that never go out of style

As a pioneer of decorating instinctively, Abigail has long encouraged homeowners to worry less about following conventional design rules or fleeting trends – choosing instead to create deeply personal homes they love while embracing the fundamental disciplines of interior design.

1. Soft edges

No matter the decor, using curves helps to soften the feel of any space by breaking up the linear constraints of straight lines – be it walls or bulky furniture pieces.

"First, always add circular pieces to a room, because we've got lots of straight lines in our rooms because they are either rectangular or square," Abigail begins. "Adding curvaceous pieces, whether that's a coffee table, a rounded lamp, or a little vase, always, always helps."

Rounded edges and curvaceous shapes were one of the main themes I saw running through every interior design preview collection for autumn/winter, as we strive to make our homes feel a little softer and more comforting as we transition into the darker months.

2. Layered lighting

For me, layered lighting is essential, and seemingly Abigail would agree. She encourages all homes to 'overdose on lighting' to flood every room with a balanced warm, mood-enhancing glow.

"I have five pinpoints of light in just one small area," says Abigail as she demonstrates the importance of maximising lighting in any space.

From welcoming dimmable overhead lights to control light temperature to incorporating a mixture of different lamps, creating a generous layer of lighting ensures the perfect level of ambient illumination at all times.

3. Restricted colour palettes

Lastly, Abigail recommends restricting your colour palette. A considered colour palette is key for making a room look more expensive. That's not to say the colours have to be muted or neutral, just that they should feel cohesive throughout a room to make it feel uniform and refined.

"Echoing similar tones across your room feels super restful," Abigail explains. "And when you restrict the palette, you can mix anything with anything for an uber-sophisticated feel."

I've actually been lucky enough to visit Abigail's home and it is one of the most beautifully curated homes I've ever had the privilege of snooping around – don't worry, Abigail was the one giving me a guided tour; I didn't secretly go looking around. It was a career highlight for sure.

One of the main takeaways for me was how much her home reflects her personal style and how cohesive and comforting it felt throughout. Proof that sticking to the basic rules of interior design is always a winning combination.

Whether it's the changing of the seasons, or simply the passage of time, a bedroom refresh is in order. Rather than spending thousands on a mattress, I've found some simple, affordable extras that will give you that true hotel-bed feeling.

As Josie Towells, Head of Buying at Simba notes, autumn is the perfect time for kicking off cosy season at home. She recommends bringing "warmer, earthy tones and softer, more tactile fabrics" that instantly make your bedroom feel more inviting, from autumnal bedding through to a new, cosy duvet.

Josie has plenty of tips for finding the perfect pieces to make your bed feel brand new this season, whether that's with your pillows, a textural, cosy throw, and a super soft pillow. With the Simba sale live and plenty of new launches on the market, here are 6 wallet-friendly finds that will do just that.

The Simba Sale finishes at the end of this long weekend, making this the perfect time to spend on some brand-new bedding to give your room a fresh look and feel. You've heard from the experts and seen the deals that I've scoured through the sale for, now it's in your hands.

Lidl's air fryer deals are always impressive. However, in an unexpected twist, they've announced a £90 saving on the the famously good Philips 1000 Series Flexible Air Fryer now available for £79.99, rather than the usual RRP of £169.99.

With a 7.1-litre capacity and the option to split the drawers in to two, 3.55-litre sections, it's one of the best air fryers for flexible cooking, whether you're catering for the whole family and want to roast a chicken, or whether you want to make up a meal of multiple parts.

I tested the Series 1000 when it launched last year and loved the flexible design. The Lidl deal has already attracted a lot of attention, so make sure to look at Lidl's stock checker before you make your way to the middle aisle. And if it sells out, fear not, I've found comparably good deals too.

As someone who tests air fryers for a living, I love to see savings on models that I've tested and loved. So, if you find stocks have dwindled by the time you've located the car keys, there are still models that are just as good and deals that are equally impressive, if you know where to look. These three, for example, boast flexible designs, with their own benefits:

When I tested the Series 1000 last year, it was one of the first models to emulate the Ninja FlexDrawer design. Having the choice to use either one large drawer or two smaller ones is a stroke of genius that I've found benefits creative cooks and family homes more than anyone else. I could fit half a pizza in the large drawer with no trouble, a rare feat as the shallow design of many air fryers often stops this. You could also squeeze a roast chicken in the drawer, or a deep dish for lasagne or a pasta bake. However, splititng the drawer in two will give you two separate sections of 3.55-litres, which work independently of each other, making two part meals ish and chips, sausage and mash, pasta and veg) effortless.

I was impressed with the speed and power of the Philips in particular, as it shaved minutes off the cooking time for chips, fish fingers, and vegetables. The full drawer could fit a 12-inch pizza cut in half, which is rare for the shallow design that most air fryers adopt. My greatest success, however, were cookies, made in eight minutes and totally delicious.

I've championed Phillips air fryers for a long time. Not only did they come up with the first air fryer design, they've consistently innovated and created the best air fryers for small homes, family homes, and flexible homes alike, which is why this deal is such a welcome surprise. And the best news is that if you don't manage to snag this saving in Lidl, there's one that's almost identical on Amazon.

Home storage isn't always the easiest thing to figure out, especially when you don't have much room to play with. That's when utilising vertical space is a game-changer.

Mastering how to organise a small space is a great way to keep your home tidy and functional, and good storage is always key. If you've tried several savvy home organisation ideas and still need more places to put things, it's time to start utilising the vertical space in your home, and as Ashley James proves, fitted cupboards are the best way of doing this.

Sharing a reel on her Instagram @Ashleylouisejames, the TV presenter gave us a glimpse behind the scenes at home, where we spotted sleek fitted sage cabinets that maximise the space beautifully.

Floor-to-ceiling furniture is a storage masterpiece in any room. Whether you're organising a kitchen or looking for ways to streamline your linens, investing in fitted cupboards is a great way to maximise storage space.

"Floor-to-ceiling fitted wardrobes are a great way to maximise storage whilst maintaining a sleek and stylish finish. Unlike free-standing wardrobes, they're designed to fit the exact dimensions of a room, making use of every available inch, including alcoves, sloped ceilings and other awkward areas," echoes Melissa Denham, interior design expert at Hammonds Furniture.

They're not just helpful for organising small bedrooms, though; you can use them in your living room like author and presenter Ashley James.

When you're lacking space and need to maximise what you have, choosing customised furniture like fitted cupboards means every inch is utilised for that much-needed extra storage.

"The extended height provides additional storage to keep your room organised and clutter-free whilst seamlessly blending into the space," explains Melissa.

And if you're wanting to make a small room look bigger, the type of doors you choose for your fitted wardrobes can help with that too.

"Mirrored doors are a timeless choice, creating the illusion of more space. Wood finishes bring warmth and a natural touch to a room, whilst deeper matt finishes can create a more sophisticated look," says Melissa.

However, we're a big fan of how Ashley's cupboards welcome a splash of colour to the space, and the brushed gold handles are a sophisticated touch that makes the look more sophisticated.

If you don't have the funds to add fitted wardrobes or cupboards to your space, then you can always make a room look bigger with paint instead. It's a simple way of opening up a room without blowing your budget.

Luckily, it's not every day we experience bad news, but on the chance we do, our gardens are a fantastic place to find solace and joy. And Jo Whiley has shared her blooms with us the day after the sad passing of country icon Dolly Parton.

Whilst we don't always see sorting out our gardens as a therapeutic task, there's no denying that being outside amongst the flowers and wildlife is unbelievably good for the soul. And when bad news does arrive, like hearing about Dolly's passing yesterday, our plants can be a good place to find solace and a touch of reprieve.

Sharing her garden on her Instagram today (@jowhiley), Jo Whiley spoke fondly of the musical icon and how sharing her colourful, thriving flowers is a way to add some brightness to our day.

When such a beloved star passes away, it's never a surprise to see wonderful tributes pouring in across the world. King Charles himself has honoured the singer and her charitable work, and there continue to be waves of support and love across the internet.

Jo has posted her own tributes, with a reel this morning shared to help spread some colour, positivity and love, just as Dolly would have done.

"The morning after the passing of Dolly, I think everyone's just processing a world without Dolly, so I thought I'd give you some garden colour just to brighten your morning," starts Jo.

"This is how the garden's looking at the moment. I've managed to keep these flowers going. I've been talking all summer about how amazing pelargoniums are for colour, and they're really easy to look after as well, and geraniums. So get yourself some of these for next year," she adds.

Choosing plants that flower for a nonstop, vibrant plot means no matter the season you find yourself in, your garden will be blooming with colour ready to cheer you up.

"Also anemones, which are the gift that keeps on giving and some boscobel roses, which are the brightest and best. And talking of the gift that keeps on giving, here are the dogs- that's Goose and Django," says Jo as she pans around her country garden.

"Don't forget everybody, today what do we have to do? We have to be more Dolly," she finishes.

We will definitely be holding onto that sentiment and think of Dolly every time we head into our gardens or enjoy a touch of pink in our plots.

If you want to truly create a space where you can go outside and find some peace, then learning how to make a sensory garden can be a great idea.

Sometimes, the best things are hidden in plain sight. Quite literally in this case, as Brithi's kitchen sidekick is an appliance we walk past every day.

In collaboration with research from Russell Hobbs, Masterchef winner Brithi Parathan, is on a quest to make cooking more effortless, yet still impressive. His revelation makes toasting nuts without burning them a breeze, it gets rice perfectly fluffy, and gives aromatic spices extra warmth.

And the most brilliant part is that we all have one - and we're probably using it everyday, just only for reheating leftovers. Yes, that's right. Brithi is reimagining the once humble microwave, making the most of the simple functions as well as the most modern launches too.

Brin Pirathapan is no stranger to putting a fresh, flavourful twist on the classics - and he's done it again , this time with the microwave. You probably use yours for reheating leftovers, getting your baked beans piping hot, or for fast ready meals and then you turn to your air fryer for cooking with more elements. But what if Brithi told you it could be used to cook a seriously impressive meal from scratch?

Russell Hobbs' research found that two thirds of us use our microwaves six times a week. And yet, according to Brithi, we're barely scratching the surface of what they can do. He explains, "there are a whole host of microwave-based tips and hacks that can make you more efficient in the kitchen and elevate your everyday ingredients." And I think you'll find they're inspired enough to win over even the laziest cook.

Take toasting nuts for example, a task Brithi swears by the microwave for. "Whether I'm making a delicious, vibrant pesto, or adding a toasted, crunchy element to a salad, I find it's much easier to do in the microwave than on the hob (mainly because I always end up burning them on the hob!)."

This is a trick that works just as well for spices, Brithi uses the same technique to toast them before grinding into curry powders, or adding whole into fragrant dishes, drawing out their warming aromas in the process.

And he doesn't stop at toasting. "Many everyday tasks that traditionally require a hob and a pan can be executed perfectly in a microwave," Brithi says, "such as cooking fluffy rice, making scrambled eggs to your liking, or even poaching fish."

These are all extras that work in favour of microwaves, especially in the air fryer vs microwave debate, but Brithi has a way to put it properly to the test: showing off how to make a meal from scratch.

Proof: Satay Udon Noodle Soup Recipe

The proof is in the cooking and Brithi is keen to show off what you can do with a Satay Udon Noodle Soup recipe. It's a quick dinner or lunch, delivering nutritious and delicious results. Importantly, it's all made from scratch, in the microwave.

Start by preparing the aromatics. Finely slice the spring onions. Separate the greens and the whites. Bash and dice the lemon grass. Peel and grate the garlic and ginger.

In a microwave-safe container or deep bowl, add the spring onion whites, lemon grass, garlic and ginger along with peanut butter, red curry paste, sesame oil, soy sauce and coconut milk. Mix well until combined, I use a small whisk.

Add beansprouts to the container, top with the noodles.

Cut the tofu into small 1x1cm cubes and add to the bowl.

Fill with 100 ml water and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Mix and then microwave again for 1 minute

To finish, add a squeeze of lime juice and top with the spring onion greens, chopped salted peanuts and a drizzle of chilli oil.

With our eyes opened to the many functions of the microwave, it's easy to see why Brithi has labelled it “is one of the most beloved but underused appliances in the kitchen." From toasting nuts to cooking a full meal from scratch, it might eb time to give yours a second look Let us know what alternative uses you discover for your microwave.

Thyme is one of those herbs that elevates any occasion. Great in soups, stews, and roasts, or tossed whole into a pan for roasting vegetables and meats, it brings out new flavours in some late summer and autumn dishes.

It is also a lovely aromatic herb to boil with water and use as a fragrant DIY spray to make your home smell lovely. Despite such greatness, it doesn't necessarily merit a trip to the shops if you’re not heading out anyway.

Garden writer Simon Akeroyd has shared how you can always make sure you’ve got a handful of thyme whenever you need it, without having to go out and buy some. All you’ll need to get started is a couple of thyme cuttings from your local supermarket - usually found in the herbs section and costing less than £1.

Place your sprigs straight into a tall glass or jar and fill it roughly halfway full with water. Then simply leave it somewhere where it won’t be knocked over - the kitchen counter is fine, or a room that doesn’t get much interference.

During this first step, you’ll want to change the water every one or two days to keep it fresh. After a short period, which is typically between 10-14 days, you should start to notice roots appearing. Once these roots have grown well, it’s time to pot your thyme.

Plant your new rooted cutting in peat-free compost inside a terracotta pot. If you’re planting multiple cuttings at once, dig deep enough holes in the compost and plant each root in a separate hole.

Thyme is a hardy plant, so it’ll be fine to grow outdoors if you’re still getting plenty of sun each day. Thyme needs at least six hours of direct sun every day.

If the weather has turned, or you’re hoping to keep growing thyme throughout the autumn and winter months, you can place your pot anywhere indoors that has access to natural light, or use an LED grow light to encourage growth.

In terms of temperature, if it gets chillier outside, bring the plant in. Anything between 16 degrees Celsius and the upper 20s is a good climate for thyme to grow.

Once your thyme plant starts to grow fresh sprigs, the best part is that you can repeat the process above and just keep it going. Simon suggests that the perennial nature of the plant means you’ll get a good few years of harvest.

Comedian and writer Ruby Wax invites us into her home with a sneak peek at her gorgeous garden oasis, which she calls a magical “homemade fairy glen.”

While Ruby’s at-home oasis is a scaled-down version, she revealed it was inspired by the “real thing” of the 42 Acres retreat at Somerset, somewhere she described as “the kind of place your brain has been waiting for… There’s ancient woodland, wild meadows, water and wildlife.”

Of course, not everyone has the space for ancient woodlands and wildlife in their garden, but Ruby proves how you can achieve a little slice of magic in even the smallest plot. She has turned a small corner of her own garden into a private, enchanting reprieve - and she did it all with some very intentional and easy-to-replicate lighting and staging tricks.

Lighting is the essential detail in Ruby’s homemade fairy glen, with a mixture of colours, bulb sizes, and layered placements creating illusions of depth, softness, and warmth.

By placing lights in the canopy trees, Ruby creates an illusion of depth and size. It’s hard to tell just how big Ruby’s garden is, and perhaps that’s the point.

Mastering this trick can make any small patio feel larger, and Ruby has proven you can also create your own woodland feel, too.

With on-trend festoon lights hanging vertically in the canopy of large trees, Ruby’s homemade fairy glen looks to be endless – a true escape from the real world when she might need it most.

Shop garden lights

This idea of creating the feeling of expansiveness through layered lighting is also achieved by the use of different bulbs. Directly above Ruby’s seating area are the warm bulbs - always one of the hottest exterior lighting trends - helping to create softer downlighting without any glare.

But further out, in the top right-hand corner of her image, you can see she’s used dimmer lighting like hanging lanterns to make the garden feel bigger and more layered.

She has also placed some lights underneath the foliage directly behind her wrought iron bench, creating larger shadows and making the plants appear larger and more enveloping.

It's a classic example of the impact of biophilic lighting. Instead of just flooding the whole area with light, knowing the art of subtle placements can really accentuate plants and greenery.

Claire Anstey, Lighting Buyer at British interiors brand Heal’s, previously explained to woman&home, " Biophilic lighting helps diffuse the light softly through foliage, creating an inviting glow once the sun sets.

"Opt for warm-toned bulbs wherever possible; their golden hue creates a relaxed, cocooning ambience that’s ideal for lingering dinner parties and elegant outdoor soirées... Highlight textured leaves, architectural branches, and pockets of greenery to create depth, shadow and a beautifully layered garden after dark".

While the lighting really does help create the idea of a never-ending woodland in Ruby’s Notting Hill garden, she’s also used clever plant placement.

With the mix of sturdy, woody branches and dense shrubbery of differing heights, Ruby has avoided the garden feeling overly designed and kept a sense of wilderness and abundance – the benefit of this, other than the aesthetics of one’s own mini woodland, is that you can build a living privacy screen from any neighbours.

The arching branches of what appears to be a maple tree overhead also help give Ruby’s seating area a secluded courtyard feel – it’s enclosed without being closed off by a pergola or awning.

There's no doubt the weather has cooled. But do you know what? I haven't packed one, very specific, fan away. Plenty of other "heatwave heroes" have found new homes and places to be stored away over the winter, but I'm just not sure I want to sleep without the breeze of this Meaco fan.

Lots of people forget that cooling fans aren't really heatwave purchase. A smart investment can make them a sleep and air quality purchase too. In fact, if you run hot at night, the season is almost irrelevant. What matters is that you own a fan that is quiet enough not to wake you, controllable enough to dial down to a whisper, and effective enough to actually do something when it counts.

Having tested plenty, I can tell you that most fans aren't up to the task of keeping you or your bedroom cool. However, Meaco's new Sefte Tower Fan duo really is - and I think it'll be hard to get hold of very soon.

The new tower fans build on the Sefte range's reputation for keeping a room cool, arriving in two sizes: a 49cm model built for bedsides, desks and even kitchen counters (it's been designed to tuck neatly beneath overhead cupboards), and a 92.5cm version with the extra puff to cool a bedroom or living room properly. Both are UK-designed, come with Meaco's three-year warranty, and are finished in the brand's understated Warm Pebble colourway, so even once the heatwaves have passed, they won't look out of place doing quieter, everyday duty in a corner of the room.

It's one of the many proofs that this is not just for the heatwaves and summer days. The Meaco fans boast air speeds of up up to 9m/s, which is strong enough that if you were outside and had a windspeed of 9m/s, you'd find it hard to control an umbrella.

In total, there are 12 fan speeds, Normal, ECO and Night modes, and noise levels as low as 22dBA, which is described as "virtually inaudible" and comparable to "the sounds of a calm, remote, rural bedroom at night" on dBA measurement scales.

Chris Michael, Chief Product Officer for Meaco says that the Sefte Tower range combines fans that sit comfortably in the home "with the quiet operation, airflow control and product quality that customers expect from Sefte." He adds that "the four oscillation angles give people greater control over where the air is directed, while the choice of two sizes means they can select the model best suited to their space.”

Chris is referring to special, new Air Beam Precision control which adds a fourth oscillation option (a narrow 45° alongside the existing 90°, 135° and 180°), so you can aim a thin stream of air exactly where you need it rather than cooling the whole room, which is a godsend for anyone who wakes up hot in the early hours of the morning and wants a cool, smooth stream of air to keep them cool..

More fans that we love

If you've tried to get your hands on a fan or an air cooler this summer, you'll have witnessed a snapshot of the unprecedented demand that the market has seen this year. And nobody knows that better than Meaco.

Given how quickly Meaco's fans have sold out this year, it would be a mistake to assume the moment for buying one has passed just because the current spell of hot weather has. If this summer has taught us anything, it's that heatwaves in the UK now arrive with little warning and even less mercy and a fan that's this quiet, this well-designed and this easy to live with year-round is worth having in reserve.

Despite tulips being one of the most popular plants to add to your garden, it's easy to get planting wrong. And the depth at which you plant the bulbs is one of the first hurdles.

When it comes to learning how to grow tulips, there aren't many ways you can go wrong; however, there are several instances where specialist knowledge is needed. And before you worry about caring for your growing tulips, you'll need to ensure the bulbs are planted properly.

It may seem like an insignificant point, but planting your tulip bulbs too deep or too shallow is integral for their growing potential. So, to ensure you have impressive blooms come spring, we spoke with gardening professionals to find out what depth is just right.

How deep should you plant tulip bulbs?

Similar to planting your tulip bulbs too late, misjudging the depth at which you plant bulbs can also prove problematic.

"Whether you are planting tulip bulbs into pots or directly into the ground, you must plant them to around three times the height of the bulb itself," says Lucie Bradley, gardening expert at Easy Garden Irrigation. "Which usually means between 15 and 20 cm from the surface."

"The reason behind why tulip bulbs are planted deeper than many other spring-blooming bulbs like crocus or daffodils is that it helps to protect them from the colder winter weather and frosts, as well as providing the depth that they need to produce deep roots, which can keep their stems upright and able to support their heavy blooms," she adds.

That's why tulips are not generally a plant you need to support while they grow; they do that all on their own when planted deep enough.

How many tulip bulbs do you put in one hole?

You may think more bulbs in one hole means more flowers, but sadly that's not quite how it works.

"Depending on how you want your tulips to appear in your garden, you can either plant them as single bulbs – placing one bulb in its own hole and spacing these approx. 10 to 15cm apart if you want to create a formal display," explains Lucie.

"For more informal, natural planting, tulips can be grown in clusters - known as ‘bouquet’ planting. This involves digging one hole approx. 25 to 30cm wide and then adding between 5 and 7 bulbs so that they are spaced around 3 to 5cm apart," she adds.

You'll also have to take this into consideration if you're trying out Monty Don's bulb lasagne method, which tulips are perfect for.

Will tulips grow if not planted deep enough?

If you don't avoid this autumn gardening mistake and accidentally plant your tulip bulbs too shallow, don't worry; you will still get flowers.

"If you plant your tulip bulbs too close to the surface of the ground, this won’t stop them from growing and producing blooms, but it will negatively affect their health, their stability and leave them more vulnerable to pest damage," says Lucie.

"Your tulip bulbs will be more vulnerable to changes in temperature when planted close to the surface of the ground, so can be damaged by frost, which can cause the bulbs to dry out as they lack the insulation and moisture they gain from the soil when planted at the correct depth," she continues.

If you do manage to protect your plants from frost, though, shallow planting can lead to other more serious issues.

"With many tulips reaching 50cm or more in height, it’s important that they produce a strong root system deep in the soil to securely anchor them in place," says Lucie. "If you don’t plant your tulips deep enough, they won’t be able to develop the deep roots which they need to keep their stems steady.

In addition, with less soil covering the bulb, there is less weight to support the stems. "As a result, your tulips are likely to finish up leaning or even falling over when in bloom."

"When planted close to the surface of the ground, leaves tulip bulbs within easy reach of wildlife. Tulip bulbs taste sweet, being packed full of sugar, starch and carbohydrates and don’t have the same bitter toxins that daffodils or alliums use for natural pest defence, so squirrels, voles and muntjac will easily detect their scent and eat these nutrient-dense morsels before they get a chance to grow," she finishes.

So it's worth putting measures in place to keep squirrels out of your garden while waiting for your tulip bulbs to establish, as they're particularly clever thieves.

Once you've mastered planting your tulips, you can enjoy their blooms, and then all you'll need to know is what to do with them after flowering once spring ends.

Something as simple as the water you put in your iron probably doesn't cross your mind; however, if you want to avoid limescale build-up and stains on your clothing, you may want to consider it.

With daily cleaning habits and weekly home deep cleans, smaller household issues like the water you use in your iron can easily fall by the wayside. If you've ever cleaned your iron properly, you've probably noticed it builds up limescale pretty easily, especially if you live in a hard water area and use tap water to fill your iron.

And while there are specialist ironing waters to purchase, this feels like a real waste of money and plastic bottles when you can follow this easy method from Nancy Birtwhistle for free homemade ironing water.

So you don't have to add your iron to the list of household items that you need to clean more regularly; using the appropriate type of water will prevent limescale buildup in the first place.

"If you live in a hard water area like me and you use tap water to fill your iron, what will happen eventually is that limescale will build up inside. And then what you'll find one day when you do your ironing, instead of the steam coming out of here, you'll get all this brown gungy stuff that'll stain your laundry," says Nancy.

"You can buy distilled perfumed ironing water - I've just had a look at the price of it. Minimum £1 a litre in a plastic bottle, which we don't like; I saw some going for £4 a litre in a plastic bottle," she adds.

"But on a day like today, we can get the ingredients for free," Nancy points out.

If you're using clever garden solutions for collecting rainwater, this part will be super simple; if not, you may have to wait for a rainy day to collect straight from your gutter pipes.

You'll need to collect a litre of rainwater in a jug and some fresh lavender for perfume; it can be rose petals or citrus slices too. Then give the flowers a squeeze to release their fragrance, and put the mixture into a pan.

Boil it for a minute, then leave it to cool and infuse in the pot. Then it'll need straining and pouring into a reusable glass bottle to use when you're next ironing.

While it's not a luxury cleaning product, this is a free way of ensuring your iron doesn't become clogged up with stubborn limescale.

If you want some more of Nancy's all-natural cleaning solutions, then we'd recommend you try her 'dry cleaning foam', which makes quick work of stubborn yellow stains on bedding.

Emily English, best known as Em The Nutritionist, has given fans a peek inside her kitchen, sharing five pieces of kit she uses "constantly" and would "genuinely buy again and again" - from a knife sharpener for "super sharp edges" to a handmade butcher's block "built to last a lifetime."

There's just one catch: recreating Em's kitchen edit will cost you nearly £1,000. I'm all for investing in quality to transform your kitchen, but after years of testing these pieces for a living, I know you don't always need to spend big to get great results.

So, I went back through everything I've tested and found almost identical alternatives to all five of Em's picks for just £185.98. That's a saving of over £750, without any compromises on performance They're easy kitchen upgrades to make when you're trying to save.

Shop Em's Kitchen Staples

Affordable alternatives

After years of rigorous product testing, I've learnt that the smartest shopping doesn't sit at either end of the price spectrum. The old adage "buy cheap. but twice" holds true, because quality is worth investing in, but a higher price doesn't always guarantee a better product. Sometimes, you're paying for the name.

With Em's Edit, however, I don't think that's the case. I've tested Made In pans extensively and was so impressed by their performance that I bought a set for my own kitchen. I've also spent years interrogating whether Le Creuset is truly worth the investment and whether cast iron alternatives match the same results. And when it comes to the best casserole dishes, I still choose Le Creuset. It's earned its place for a reason.

That doesn't mean that I'd recommend buying all five of Em's staples at once. Instead, I'd take a considered high-low approach, investing whether quality makes the difference. Blending the Le Creuset and chopping board with more affordable buys, such as Dunelm's stainless steel boxes is a smarter way to refresh your space, shopping a luxury looking and feeling kitchen without breaking the bank.

Emily English has promised a video which reveals the affordable kitchen tips and tricks that work just has hard as her premium investments. I'll be watching closely, because if there's one thing that I've learnt, it's that, sometimes, these little kitchen accessories earn their place just as much as Le Creuset and Made In.

Although summer is coming to a slow and rather hot end, there's still plenty to get done in the garden. Along with your usual pre-autumn tasks, there's one unconventional job you may have forgotten to add to your list.

As some of the best plants for shade, ornamental grasses are really popular for homeowners, especially those with north-facing gardens. They're also a great way to add dimension to your space, and some types will thrive non-stop for a vibrant plot all year long. They do, however, need a little TLC from time to time, and before autumn arrives, they need a special kind of attention.

So before you count your list of August gardening jobs as complete, you may want to get your hairbrush at the ready.

Whilst you may not think of your hairbrush as an essential gardening tool, for this job, it couldn't be more perfect.

"It's time to brush your grasses. So if you've got stipa grass, by now it might be really top-heavy, and you'll need to be brushing out all of the seed heads and any of the dead grass," explains Sophie Valentine, gardening influencer at @lookinsidemygarden on Instagram.

"So this whole clump is hundreds and hundreds of seeds that you can sow to grow more stipa grass for next year," she adds.

Some ornamental grasses are like flowers that self-seed; as the wind blows through them, these seeds can spread around your garden. However, if you want more control of where they grow, you can collect the seeds like this and plant them yourself.

When brushing your grasses, you might find that quite a lot of breakage happens and dry strands are being pulled out. This is completely normal and will be beneficial for the plant to both look better and continue to grow taller too.

"And you'll end up with handfuls of bits that look like straw, and it will take all the weight out, and it will stand up much taller," Sophie points out.

Now all you need to worry about is cutting back your ornamental grasses come springtime for another round of decadent swishing growth.

Whilst you might not have thought to, ornamental grasses make a great addition to your plant arrangements for autumn hanging baskets. They can add volume and colour to the display.

It's not the first time we've been completely enamoured by Dakota Johnson's home, but now the award-winning actress is bidding her house farewell; what better time to get all the inspiration we can?

With no lack of interior design trends to enjoy, it's hard to stick to just one when designing or redecorating your home. There is one, however, that continues to grow in popularity amongst all demographics and one that continually stands the test of time. And that is the midcentury modern look.

Warm woods, comfortable yet stylish furniture and a boatload of charm are what make this an interior style that works for so many homes. One home in particular, now being sold for 6 million dollars, is Dakota Johnson's LA 'treehouse,' which is simply teeming with interior inspiration to recreate in our homes.

Whether or not you're a fan of the midcentury look, quiet luxury interiors might be more your bag; there's no denying its versatility. Dakota's home is proof of that, as we can see its different variations in each room and how it works with what each space requires rather than against it.

Take her iconic green kitchen, for example, where she famously declared her love for limes. With it being a smaller space, the more industrial, stripped-back look helps keep it from looking cluttered or overwhelming. But you still have that warmth and charm from the rug, the inviting deep green and a few complementary houseplants.

Aside from the kitchen, there's inspiration to be found in the bedroom where textures and patterns are given the spotlight. What we can assume is the master bedroom, featuring a monogrammed bedspread, follows a similar principle to the kitchen. It's a relatively pared-back space but made to feel full with accent colours, bold yet appropriate prints and that signature midcentury wood panelling adorning the walls.

Dakota has clearly stuck to a cohesive style but still managed to add personality to her home throughout. With risque art pieces, more modern accessories like statement vases and a plethora of enticing coffee table books. There isn't a room in the 3,210 sqft house that doesn't fit and reflect her charming yet alluring demeanour.

And whilst it's a somewhat impossible challenge to recreate the whole look, the great thing about midcentury interiors is that they can work in smaller bursts too. Whether that's with an organically shaped coffee table or a warmly lit wooden lamp, you can make it work for your space as well as your budget.

So although we're rather heartbroken we won't be able to bid on the property ourselves, we will be using the space as interior inspiration for many, many years to come.

Midcentury is just one of the home furnishing trends that continues to make a comeback in the modern day. And whilst many of our favourite retailers are tapping into these now-timeless trends, we recommend searching through local antique stores and secondhand shops online for hidden gems too!

Recreating the luxurious look of Kimberley Walsh's home is surprisingly easy. In a new, affordable collaboration with Wickes, the singer and presenter has revealed her style tips for giving your home a fresh look on a budget - and she's shared some specific buys that she recommends.

The centrepiece is a trio of marble mosaic tilesthat Kimberley has launched with the retailer. Showcased throughout her own home, she champions these high-quality, natural stone tiles as an "effective and simple way to make your home feel instantly more luxe and chic."

Below, she shares simple ways to elevate your space and fall back in love with your home, including real life examples straight from her own bathrooms.

Kimberley Walsh x Wickes Mosaic Tile Collection

Kimberley's passion for the project is clear. Whilst marble has been one of the biggest interior trends of the year, she wanted to capture bright colours, calming aesthetics, and a way to bring personality to your home without the upheaval of a major project. As she puts it, "you don't need to go through the hassle of a full renovation to completely transform a room." Her go-tos are simple. Rather than tile drenching, she explains, " I usually suggest just adding fresh tiles to an empty wall, upgrading a small alcove with some contrasting paint or refreshing a sink area with new hardware to bring a new lease of life and elevate the entire spaces.”

Her philosophy reframes tiles as a design shortcut which she showcases in her own home too. She suggests embracing the luxury look of marble with "fresh, lighter colourways, coupled with contemporary textures to strike the perfect combination." Kimberley adds "something like the Viola Bianco Fluted Linear Marble Mosaic adds elegant depth without overpowering a room."

Nowhere is Kimberley's eye for materials more evident than in her own home. Across her family bathroom and ensuite, she's used brushed brass fittings as a connecting thread that ties the spaces together without them being too matchy-matchy.

It's great advice for giving your bathroom a renovation look: the warmth of brushed brass softens the coolness of marble, making them a classic combination that is easy to team with different accessories: the warm wooden frame around the bathroom mirror, a green marble tumbler for the toothbrush, and - if you zoom in enough - a classic Aesop hand wash. Overall, it's a look that captures what Kimberley explained that she wanted the whole collection to be: "classic stone options with a modern and playful twist."

Here are some of her hard-working accessories:

There's plenty to explore in the whole Kimberley Loves with Wickes collaboration, but we couldn't resist the mosaic tile trio, especially because they make marble look so modern and accessible for any kind of home - a timeless way to reinvent the tile trend of the year.

Decluttering can make a huge difference to how calm and organised our homes feel, and for many of us, getting rid of things we no longer need is a priority. But some items are worth thinking twice about before adding them to the bin or donation pile.

Some of the best household items to reuse are things you might instinctively get rid of during a clear-out. From practical storage solutions to everyday objects that have alternative uses in the home, holding on to a select few items could actually save you money – and help you stay organised in the long run.

The trick is knowing the difference between useful belongings and clutter you're keeping 'just in case' – which happens to be one of the easiest decluttering mistakes we can make.

These 8 household items are worth keeping, say professional organisers

To help us find genuinely useful second purposes for items in the home, I asked professional organisers which household items to reuse. The eight items below might make you reconsider what you throw away during your next decluttering session.

1. Old toothbrushes

Just like there are cupboard essentials that double up as cleaning agents, our old toothbrushes can become a handy addition to our cleaning kit.

"They're brilliant for cleaning awkward or hard-to-reach spaces," says Shannon Murphy, founder of Simpl Living Co. "Rather than throwing one away when you replace your toothbrush, keep it for cleaning around taps, small gaps, around hinges, grout lines or in other areas where a cloth or larger cleaning brush can't easily reach."

2. Tech and gift boxes

Deciding what to do with the box after we buy a new phone or receive a lovely gift is tricky, and nine times out of ten they end up getting thrown out. But they're actually a great way to organise chaotic drawers, and can save you spending money on drawer organisers.

"Rather than buying lots of small storage boxes, the boxes can be placed inside drawers to create compartments for things such as cables, stationery, small electronics or other loose items," Shannon suggests. "Their rigidity means they don't collapse or move around as easily as softer storage solutions."

3. A favourite chipped mug

It's a little heartbreaking when our favourite mug gets chipped or cracked. But we don't have to toss it straight in the bin, says professional organiser Rebecca Crayford.

"Use it on a desk for pens, in a craft area for paintbrushes or pencils, or on a dressing table for make-up brushes," she suggests.

"It works particularly well for a mug you really love or one that has sentimental value – you get to carry on enjoying it rather than leaving it unused at the back of a cupboard."

4. Wash bags and cosmetic bags

It's easy to accumulate a collection of wash bags and cosmetic bags, especially when they're part of a gift set. I've got a full drawer of empty ones at home, but Rebecca says they could be put to better use.

"They're great for storing odd items," she says. "One could hold spare chargers and cables, another a small sewing kit, travel toiletries or shoe-cleaning supplies. Keeping everything for one task together also means you can grab the whole bag when you need it."

5. Empty candle jars

It's always such a shame to throw a pretty candle in the bin once it's been used, but we're usually not sure what else to do with it. APDO member Maria Delia, founder of Dare to Declutter, recommends keeping old candles for storage purposes.

"I use them for things such as cotton pads, hair accessories, makeup brushes or small toiletries," she says. "They can also look much nicer than buying lots of plastic storage containers, particularly in a bathroom or bedroom." Reusing a fabulous candle jar is an easy way to make your bathroom look expensive on a budget.

Use our recommended method for removing wax efficiently when repurposing candle jars.

6. Old pillowcases

Old pillowcases can have a second lease of life when they no longer feel fresh enough to use. Maria recommends using these to organise a wardrobe, among other things. "They make brilliant breathable storage bags for handbags, shoes, seasonal clothing and delicate Christmas decorations."

"I also like using them to keep a matching set of bedding together," she adds. "Simply fold the duvet cover, sheets and extra pillowcase and pop them inside one of the other matching pillowcases. This way your airing cupboard stays organised as there is no need to pull out everything to find the matching set; it’s all in one neat little parcel."

7. Tea towels

Ever wondered what to do when tea towels are past their best? Maria shares a great tip on putting them to use – and it results in a mould-free washing machine seal.

"Once a wash has finished, I use an old tea towel to wipe around and dry the rubber door seal," she says. "Leaving moisture sitting in the seal can contribute to mould and unpleasant smells, so having an old towel within easy reach makes it much more likely that you’ll actually do it. "

8. Kitchen bowls

Just because a serving bowl or dish isn't being used for its original purpose in the kitchen doesn't mean it should be thrown out. Instead, have a think about where else it could be put to use.

"A lovely bowl can become a home for keys and sunglasses in the hallway, while a smaller dish could hold jewellery on a bedside table or hair accessories on a dressing table," says Rebecca Crayford. "And because it's something you already like, it can look lovely as well as being useful."

Professional declutterers often had the same advice when it came to what household items to reuse: try and find a purpose that is genuinely useful for you and your home. Also consider the household waste you can recycle in the garden. If you can't reuse items, then it's OK to let them go. Remember to donate or recycle where possible.

Potatoes are one of the most popular foods to grow in the garden, and it can feel rather sad when you notice they're done producing for the season. However, with this nifty trick, you can prolong the harvest – which has never been more needed than now.

Whether you're vegetable gardening as a beginner or have a thriving allotment, getting more out of your plants can prove challenging. But to keep gardening costs low while still growing more food, there are ways you can utilise the plants you already have to produce extra fruit.

Potatoes are one of the best foods to grow in pots, providing fairly substantial harvests from a single plant. And with this genius advice from BBC's Gardeners' World, that's about to be doubled again.

If you chitted your potatoes at the right time, you may have been enjoying your harvested vegetables this month. And whilst that supply may seem like it's depleting, there is one thing you can do to prolong it.

"Here's a trick you might not know. That's what I'm looking for, a top that's nice and healthy, but with a load of tiddlers on it," says Toby Buckland, professional gardener and presenter on BBC Gardeners' World.

"See, this plant has got life in it yet, and if I stick this in some fresh compost it will regrow and give me another crop in 6 to 8 weeks," he adds.

"It's so simple, all you do is dig a hole in another pot of compost or in the ground, and then stick the spud in. A thing to know is that if you've got a spud with lots of tops on it like this one, just snap it off," shows Toby.