Five low-cost hacks in our new house that add value to our day.

The devil, they say, is in the detail. That being true, I recommend making the devil your best friend if you’re planning to build a new house or renovate.

Everyone who builds has their regrets: didn’t make the bedroom/bathroom/living room big enough, windows wrong size, higher or lower ceilings and so forth. Having now built our second house, I can still see areas which we could do better next time.

It's not always the most obvious details which makes the difference to improving livability, but the small. Here are 5 details which I’m glad we did because they have made a difference to function and appearance.

The power of pink.

It’s said that it used to be that pink was a colour for boys, and blue for girls.

I like this idea. Although a devotee of pink, I also love blue and all it’s hues, from the wisteria and cornflower tones, right through to deep navy. Against the skin it adds paleness which might be why the fashionistas of the 19^th century, at least in some parts of the world, favoured it for their little girls.

The Roo.

If you have a pet dog or cat, you would know that with the joy and companionship there is also the responsibility of ownership.

This takes the form of the expensive (vet bills, constantly buying food, treats and bedding), the time-consuming (walking can sometimes be a chore, washing bedding etc) and the icky, such as picking up poop, treating fleas or goopy eyes and ears, grass seeds stuck in paws…..

Hosting wildlife doesn’t usually carry the same burdens.