I’m a mother of four (two adults; one teen, one tween), wife to an editor-turned-ministerial-advisor-turned-carpenter, and true homebody who believes every home has the potential to be perfect - for those who live there. Which is a very different perfect to magazine-perfect.

As the founding deputy editor of lifestyle magazine Real Living, I’ve lived and breathed the "real life" world of interiors in my work and at home, renovating several properties over the years which I used to document on my blog, The Happy Home. I know what it’s like to raise a family and live on minimal income. I know how to make the most of what I have now, while planning for the future. I bring a relatable “real” feel to creating a home with real budgets. I might not have the same design education and experience as others, but I have a DIY background, a making-do-with what-you-have background and a love of reusing, repurposing and not creating waste.

With the cost of living pressures so high these days, it’s important to make the most of the space you have affordably and smartly. With a little creative ingenuity and even the smallest of budgets, a home can be transformed to be the safe, comfortable haven it should be - even if it’s just a small corner. Spaces can be dressed up, maintained, organised and decorated - a little editing can make a world of difference to the home and the feeling it invokes.

If you’re someone who wants ideas to improve what you have without going into too much debt. Someone who thinks before they buy things and who want to live with just the right amount of things for their family rather than all of the latest and greatest things, let’s chat!