(Drawing Room at Holland Park by Anna Alma-Tadema)

Darling, I had a project I wanted to work on and couldn’t quite get started with and – mirabile dictu – I finally figured out the problem. I had ugly file folders. A little known but vexing difficulty of modern life: insufficiently aesthetic items.

Of course the real solution is to move to France where everything is très magnifique, but all those beautiful tchotchkes are très expensive and all French government documents are done on paper in cursive handwriting so buying a house can take 6 months. Perhaps we should try to make do where we are.

There’s so much talk about over-spending and I am never a fan of running a debit, but within the 30-50 pound/ dollar limit there are a myriad of joy-inducing possibilities.  Do you love your dishsoap – I mean do you really LOVE your dishsoap? Does it make you want to sing as you scrub the water glasses? No? Then change it. Now. There’s so many eco-choices out there that if you are longing for strawberry-peppermint-avocado dishsoap, verily you will find it.

And your towels? Sparking joy are they? If not, no need to spend hundred of dollars, just get one or two in a luscious color. Shall we talk about your toothpaste? Do you grin to yourself as you brush? No? Get to work on that. Does your desk need a little porcelain wombat for good luck?

Spending ten minutes on changing some small part of your daily routine for the better brings long term satisfaction, not just a brighter smile but a brighter outlook on life. Stand in the beauty aisle  and sniff all the shower gels to you find the one that makes your heart sing.

There is no need on earth for you to have an inartistic welcome mat or threadbare tea towels. Upgrade a little now and then. If you live somewhere cold you need butter-soft amethyst or peacock blue gloves and if you live somewhere warm you need a fetching sun bonnet, not to mention a charmingly scented eco-bug spray and seriously excellent sun-glasses.

Those offending  folders of mine, straight into recycling and on-line I hop to search. Just look at these pretty ones from Bloom Daily Planners:

12 Pack File Folder Set, Eucalyptus

Lemon-zest candles, the right-sized tea cup, a squishy-soft Delft-blue bathmat, a lavender-scented sleep mask, a small potted hyacinth, pretty coasters. Go get yourself a little something-something to make your world a little more colorful and delightful.

How to Decorate

How to Have a Happier House

Grandmama’s Spare Room

(Drawing Room at Holland Park by Anna Alma-Tadema)