It is definitely time to add some good quality jewellery into my wardrobe that is going to fit my style as the Nike logo necklace just doesn't cut it these days with the style I am going for. I have spent a lot of time looking on the Abbott Lyon website lately looking at pieces of jewellery I could start to add into my rotation over time that are a lot smarter than I currently have and that are a mix of colours not just the typical silver I opt for. I have to admit that after looking on the site so often I have found a lot of items I would love to pick up over time so I really do need to get saving as the items are not cheap which is something I don't mind as this is an area I would love to start investing in to help add that little extra to my outfits. So here are the items I am wanting to start adding into my wardrobe to help elevate those outfits going forward...

Bracelets

I only own a few bracelets at the moment and this is something I really want to add to as my wrists just feel bare these days and I want something to help dress up outfits especially when I am wearing the likes of shirts going forward. So here are the bracelets I would love to add to my rotation...

Gold Tennis Bracelet £65

As I said at the start of my post I tend to opt for silver jewellery however, this time I want to add a bit more gold into the rotation as I know that gold jewellery can look a bit more elegant with certain outfits. I absolutely love this gold tennis bracelet due to it's simplicity but I know it would look lovely with a nice shirt for work if it is just peeping out of the cuff.

Silver Tennis Bracelet £65

I am not going to avoid buying new silver jewellery all together and this silver tennis bracelet just keeps drawing me in. This one is exactly the same as the gold one however, I do feel like this one would be great with the likes of t-shirts and vests. A tennis bracelet is just a classic really isn't it?

Gold Personalised Heart Bracelet £54

This bracelet is certainly something totally different to what I would normally opt for however, I absolutely love how it looks in the images on the site. It has a it of a statement with the heart without being too in your face and still looking much classier than previously bracelets I have owned. I love how you can personalise this too and also pick the font, maybe this could be one I ask for as a gift when the time comes.

I love how small and subtle this bracelet really is and again it is something I would not have purchased before as it wouldn't have gone with that previous style I had. An infinity bracelet is one I have wanted for a long time now and with the price of this I think it could be one of the first pieces off here I pick up as it seems like it would be perfect for both casual or smart outfits.

Necklaces

I actually have a fair few necklaces in my jewellery box at the moment however, they are all men's ones and to be honest I have gone off of a lot of them as they just don't go with that style I am opting for these days. Abbott Lyon have some gorgeous looking ones on their site currently though and here are the ones I would love to add into my jewellery box...

Personalised Initial & Droplet Birthstone Gold Necklace £89

This necklace is absolutely gorgeous and I love how much of a statement the initial and droplet make without being in your face, even the chain on this has the little details rather than just being plain. I have actually wanted something that includes my birthstone for a while as I love the colour of it so add in the little initial at the side of this it would be ideal for me.

The chain on this necklace is the same as on the birthstone one which is an added bonus as it looks brilliant and the heart locket is just big enough with the stone in the middle without being too in your face like some lockets in this style can be. I love how you can upload the files on the site for them to add to this locket too as who prints photos these days? The only issue for me would be narrowing down which images to use. 

Gold Paperclip Chain Necklace £45

Now this one is very plain and simple compared to the other necklaces in this post but again I can already picture the type of outfits I would wear this with. This might be a simple chain however, the paperclip style just makes it that little bit different and makes it perfect for both casual and dressed up days. With a nice shirt this would just be perfect. 

This one is just a nice and simple plain chain which I believe everyone needs in their jewellery box as it will go with everything no matter what the occassion is. It is nice & subtle and you can even add little charms if you wanted so it is pretty versatile for the price. This is definitely going to be purchased as soon as possible.

Gold & Silver Tennis Necklaces £65 each

These necklaces just look a little more in your face than the others on the list without being too in your face. The main reason they are on the list though is that they will match the tennis bracelets perfectly so if I was going somewhere like an event these would be perfect for putting on together and dressing up an outfit. This is also why both colours of the necklace are on the list so that I can match both bracelets when I eventually get them. 

Rings 

I think in the past I have had about 3 rings that have fit me properly but none have been particularly fancy and I want something a bit smarter going forward. One reason I never wore rings was because I didn't want to draw attention to my hands due to me being a nail biter, now though I am getting my nails done regularly and I don't mind attention being drawn to them. There are a few nice ones I have found on the site that I would like to purchase and those are...

Gold & Silver Fine Script Name Rings £69 each

I love the look of this ring so much that I actually want it in both silver and gold so I can mix and match what I wear them with. I love how simple this ring is with the only detail being the script writing on it which isn't too in your face as it doesn't fill the full ring, just the top. This would definitely be perfect for everyday rather than just those special occasions.

Gold & Silver Crystal Heart Rings £59 each

Again I would love this one in both silver and gold. This one to me is a bit more casual and again is perfect for everyday no matter what sort of outfit I would be wearing. This is a bit chunkier than any other rings I have ever had too so will probably take some getting used to but these are two rings I would love to add into my jewellery box.

Watches

If you have been here a while you will know that I absolutely love a good watch however, the ones I currently own are a bit more on the masculine side. I want to change this though and add a few more feminine ones into my watch box to add options into the rotation. Here are the Abbott Lyon Watches I would love to purchase...

Essence Silver 23 Watch & Essence Gold 23 Watch £149 each

These watches are totally different to watches I would usually wear as they are much smaller. I absolutely love the simplicity of these watches though and to be honest I think the cost is very good too. Again I would love to get this in both gold and silver to go with any option of outfit and event however, the cost would be worth it as it would definitely help elevate those outfits.

Essence Two Tone 23 Watch £149

This is basically the same watch as above however, the mix of metals is absolutely perfect. The gold and silver work brilliantly together to create an elegant and classy look which is just what I am wanting to opt for going forward but more on that another day. This watch would work perfectly with a nice mix of all these items on this list so who knows it could be the perfect first watch purchase for the new jewellery box.

Pearl Belgravia 36 Watch £149

This is another two tone watch however, the main reason I love this one is due to the round face and the pearl effect. It is something totally different to what I would normally get but I am drawn to it every time I look on the site. Again this is really reasonably priced for what it is and would be the perfect addition to elevate different outfits. 

So there you have it those are the items I am constantly drawn to when browsing Abbott Lyon, hopefully sooner rather than later I will be able to add some of these into my jewellery box to start elevating those outfits at long last. The question is though what should I purchase first? 

See you soon

Lucy

Here we go another new month and it is safe to say this year seems to be flying by faster than ever in my eyes. May is looking like a very busy month with house projects, birthday's and a holiday however, I am determined to have a productive month like I had in April. The month will no doubt be over in no time but here are the goals I am hoping to achieve...

Fashion

Buy some new shorts

I have come to the conclusion that new shorts need to be purchased. The ones I currently own are very worn and don't really suit the style I want to achieve in the warmer weather so I need to head out to finally pick up a few pairs to see me through the seasons. I have a feeling that the shorts purchased could be from Marks and Spencer's if they fit right.

Clear out more of the wardrobe 

The wardrobe never got changed around in April so I am determined it will be done in May and whilst doing this I want to have a massive clear out so I finally stop holding onto items for the sake of it like I keep doing. There are so many items that don't fit the style I am aiming for so now it is time to make space for new bits that will fit that style going forward.

Rotate the footwear I wear

Last month I sorted out my footwear rotation and now it is finally time to make sure that I am going to get the wear out of all the pairs within the rotation. There really is an option for every occasion in this current rotation so it is about time I started switching things up a bit more. I have everything from trainers to sandals so let's see how this one goes. 

Buy some new chinos

I have taken a liking to wearing chinos again however, the ones I have don't really fit me correctly so I want to pick up a few pairs in May that fit much better than the current options. Again I think Marks & Spencer's could be the go to for these but I might have a look around to see if anywhere else have some a bit cheaper.

Get some basic t-shirts

One thing I am lacking is some nice fitting basic t-shirts for layering spring outfits with so my mission in May is to hunt around and find some nice fitting not see through white and black t-shirts. I have been looking for a while and not found what I needed but we are upping the search this time around and I am determined to add a few of each colour to my wardrobe.

Life

Create a new morning routine

Throughout May I really want to make some changes that are really going to benefit me and one of those changes is to actually create a morning routine that I stick to 7 days a week to really kick start my day the right way. A routine is something I usually thrive with so if I get into the habit of carrying out a morning routine everyday I am hoping I become more consistent towards my goals. We shall see how this one goes.

Create a new evening routine

Alongside creating a morning routine I also want to create an evening routine to stick to daily. An evening routine should help set up for the following routine to flow smoothly and also create habits for me to get enough sleep, get jobs ticked off the to do list and not burn out. I am looking forward to seeing how this develops over the month.

Continue working on the back garden

With the work indoors being out of our hands until the middle of the month the plan is to use the nice weather to finally push towards completing the back garden. Out here we need to finish turning the planters into benches, tidy up the grass and edging area before finally painting the decking and fencing and getting all the furniture back into place. A good few weekends and this could finally be completed and we can enjoy the area properly after 7 years of waiting. 

Finish reading my book

I have set myself a goal of reading 3 books this year and I am not even half way through my first one so in May I am determined to change that and finally get book number 1 complete. Reading will be being added into my evening routine to make sure I am giving myself that break rather than having life 100 mph each day.

Get back to cash stuffing

With the motivation to crack on with house projects I realise I need to start managing my money better than I have been doing lately and that is why a goal of mine for the month is to get back to cash stuffing where I set a budget withdraw the amount needed for each category and stick to what is in each envelope so I know just where my money is going for a change. 

Home

Get everything put on the walls in the hallway

Once the paint has dried on the walls the plan is to crack straight on and get everything up on the walls that we need to before putting the new flooring down just so we don't ruin it. This will include hanging the radiator, putting up the mirror and shelves alongside any artwork we are wanting to go up. 

Put down the wooden floor in the hallway

Once everything is on the walls it is time to get the wooden flooring laid downstairs. This isn't a huge area so I am hoping it goes down quite easily but I guess only time will tell if it does. I am hoping this gets done before our trip away just so we can come back and not have too much left to do.

Put all the coats and shoes into their new home

Once the paint has dried it is a case of cracking on to clear the rest of the house which has been over run with coats and shoes. The plan is to have another sort through the coats and shoes to put away only what we really need and organise them so we actually know where items are for a change as previously items were just dumped all over. It is time to keep the minimal and get the wear out of the pieces.

Start getting prices for our next job

The motivation post hallway work is definitely there and before the end of May the plan is to get the prices together for our next job... the dining room. I am really looking forward to getting this room done as it means we will finally have a dining table back after a few years without one meaning meals can be enjoyed away from the sofa and we are also planning to add a bar area into here. I am hoping the costs for here are reasonable and we can get cracking on in the next few months as I can just imagine summer nights having meals at the table with the patio doors open and the dog running around.

Start moving bits from the dining room into the new cupboard

By the end of May I am hoping to have moved all the board games and books into the cupboard at the top of the stairs so they are cleared out of the dining room ready for when that room is under going its transformation. This is going to free up so much space in the room and will just make life much easier going forward and as we are moving bits we can have another good declutter to make sure we are only putting away bits we really want to keep. No more keeping things for the sake of it.

Fitness

Limit the amount of takeaways we have 

Throughout May the plan is to really cut back on the takeaways as they are doing neither of us any favours and to be honest we haven't really enjoyed them as much lately. The plan is to only have 4 a month which may still seem a lot to some people but for us that will be a big cut down and hopefully get us moving towards our fitness goals.

Cut back on the fizzy drinks

The fizzy drinks have been creeping in far too much lately so those are going to be replaced with sugar free squash or water. There is no need for me to be drinking as many fizzy drinks as I have lately as I know they aren't good for me and my skin is breaking out which I am putting down to this. I am hoping that cutting back helps my skin clear up a bit and makes me feel a bit less bloated.

Go to the gym 4 times

I have signed back up to the gym in the hopes of making some decent progress on my weight loss journey. The plan through May is to make some use of the membership and try get into a bit of a routine in terms of working out and what sort of workouts to do. The gym I am a member at has a pool so let's hope I can get in there a fair few times too as that would be a decent workout.

Run 5 times

During May I would like to get at least 5 decent length runs under my belt. The plan is to try run a 5k without the couch to 5k app to see what sort of benchmark I am at for time wise. The 10k is fast approaching now though so I need to get running and get the distances increasing.

Go back to boxing

In May I want to finally get back to boxing. I am really missing the sessions and I know just how good the progress on my weight loss journey is when I am going here regularly. The aim for May is to attend 2 sessions to try get back into the swing of things before increasing the amount I go to. 

It is time to get the busy month underway and see just how many of these we can get ticked off the list. I am really hopeful for a great month with plenty of productivity so let's see how this goes, let's hope the end of month check in is a good one...

See you soon

Lucy 

Well that is April over and done with and it has been a bit of a mixture of a month. It has been a lot busier than I expected, which is some achievement as I always knew it was going to be busy. That being said though a lot of progress has been made throughout the month and a good chunk of goals have been ticked off of April's goals list. So here are how the goals I set myself for the month went...

Fashion

Sort out my Spring wardrobe

Unfortunately this is one of the goals that didn't take place due to a lack of time. I am running short of clothes that are suitable for the change in weather now though so I really do need to get working on the change over asap. 

Sort out my Spring footwear

Now this one I have done and I am quite proud of the selection of footwear I have for the upcoming months. There are a few new pairs I want to add into a rotation however, I have just what I need for now and hopefully I get plenty of wear out of the pairs I have. 

Have a declutter of all the coats we own

Well we moved and decluttered a few coats but looking at the space we are going to have available when the hallway work is done we are going to have to be ruthless and declutter even more. There are coats we haven't worn in ages that have just been gathering dust so maybe it is time to get rid of those at long last and free up some space for the future.

Start on buying pieces for my Spring wardrobe

Oh look another one that hasn't taken place, this time though it is due to us not changing the wardrobe round just yet so we don't know what we need and don't need. We want to wait until this is done to make sure we are only buying what we really need and not wasting money. Plus most of our money this month has gone on the hallway works which is a bit more of a priority.

Life

Enjoy our night away

We had the best time on our little night away which you can read all about here. It was just so nice going to explore somewhere new just the 3 of us and it has definitely made us want to do it more often if time allows. Odin had the best time exploring new places and the poor dog was shattered once we got home from all the excitement.

Plan another adventure

Unfortunately this one is going on the back burner for a while as although we loved our night away we have come home and cracked on with the hallway works which has spurred us on to get moving with other jobs around the house. Rather than another adventure we want to get cracking straight on with the dining room so we can have that done before summer and we can get saving for the big works in the living room.

Enjoy a date night at the PlayStation concert

We had the perfect dog free night at the PlayStation concert which was an unbelievable experience. We made sure to make the most of the dog free time with an earlier than planned train to Leeds so we could have a few drinks, go for a nice meal and then have a few more drinks before the show. It was a brilliant night even if it was a very late one.

Start going on night time dog walks

This one didn't get done mainly due to how busy I have been... most nights I haven't actually been home when it has been time for Odin's night time walks so I have missed out on the chance to go on the walks with him. I am determined now on those nights when I am home I will be going on those walks with him & Liam to get those steps in.

Home

Make some good progress on the hallway

Now this goal I can say is definitely completed. We got all the wallpaper off the walls and all the useless accessories we no longer needed and the plasterer has been and redone all the walls which are now looking brand new. We even managed to get the carpet ripped up and at the beginning of May we will be having all new furniture built into this space which is going to create a massive transformation which we really can't wait to see take place.

Declutter under the stairs 

We really made a difference under here. All the junk was cleared out and we have access to all the tools, gardening essentials and whatever else we store in here at long last. It just means we can finally get hold of things with ease and no longer have to fear being squashed by the lawnmower every time we open the door.

Declutter the shed

Now this one I am so glad we have got completed as we have so much space now in the shed. We have almost filled the skip with what we have got rid of there was that much junk dumped in there. We have added shelving into this space and have designated areas for gardening equipment, dog toys, football bits and BBQ bits so everything is much easier to use.

Start on the front garden

Unfortunately we just haven't had time to do this however, I am glad we didn't as the plasterers used this space for mixing so at least now we know by holding off we haven't damaged any plants we may have added in here. This is something we really do need to get around to doing though as the front of house needs a big tidy up.

Fitness

Make progress on the Couch to 5K programme

This one hasn't happened and to be honest I am questioning if I am going to continue with this or not as I am getting quite bored of it. I feel now like if I really put my mind to it I could just do a 5K even if it just a case of taking it steady and building up a pace. Maybe I will try this and take it from there.

Spend more time in the kitchen

This has been a bit hit and miss but I can honestly say that I have spent a bit more time in than usual even if it has just been making quick meals rather than ordering in. This is going to be something we keep working on though as I need to get my act together to get this weight shifted.

Get back into the gym

Unfortunately this didn't take place as time just wasn't on my side. I have since signed up to a local gym for the swimming though so going forward I want to try split my time before that gym and the home one just so that I am getting those workouts in at long last.

Hit 9k steps a day

The final goal was to hit 9k steps a day and I can happily say this has been hit by averaging out the steps over the course of the month which was the plan of how to work this out. I am very glad I got this done as I have been wanting to increase my daily steps and the 9k target did just that.

So there you go it was overall a pretty productive month in April and May is looking even better which I am excited for. Check back tomorrow to see what goals I am hoping to achieve in May...

See you soon,

Lucy

To kickstart the trip we were up nice and early to load up the car and get on our way. Our first stop of the trip was Matlock Bath, although originally we were just going to head to Matlock when we were driving past we thought Matlock Bath would be the best bet for us. We decided to park about a 25 minutes walk away from the centre just to avoid any chaotic car parks plus the weather was fine so we didn't mind that walk and Odin certainly didn't. The walk was a nice walk where we past the cable cars although we weren't brave enough to have a go. When we reached the centre we were a bit surprised as it wasn't as big as we though it would be however, we had a few walks around the place with the dog who was enjoying himself. We even went into the amusements where once again we wasted money on the claw machines but it was a fun hour or so. By the time we were done in the amusements and walking around we found a nice little pub on the waterside for some food. We got a gorgeous burger & chips each whilst Odin had his favourite sausages. 

Once we were done in the pub we were done in Matlock Bath and as it was still too early to check in we headed to a little place called Peak Village. This was a bit of an outdoor shopping centre but wasn't massive like other shopping villages so it was just right for with the dog. We ended up wandering around here a fair few times to pass the time and I ended up falling in love with a shop which sold the likes of Joules & Holland Cooper, I even found my Holland Cooper gilet of dreams but unfortunately money wasn't on my side for this visit, it has taught me it is an item I really need to pick up though. After far too many times walking around we went back out to the car park and through to the little nature reserve they had which Odin absolutely loved. After a wander around there it was time to go back to the shopping village for the best brownie and a hot chocolate.

By the time we were done with the drinks it was time to head to check in to our little cabin for the night. This cabin was in the middle of nowhere with just two other cabins in the field with it. This was absolutely perfect for the 3 of us and due to it being in the middle of nowhere we ended up just crashing out for the night with our Nintendo Switches and books. The next morning we were straight up and walking the dog around the site which was a big open field so perfect for him. Once the car was packed up it was time to head to our next destination which was Bakewell. We were a bit surprised when it came to Bakewell as it was very quiet and a lot of places were shut even in the Easter holidays. We spent a few hours here though just wandering around and we even treated ourselves to some Bakewell tarts as well as some for our family members. Our final stop in Bakewell was a pub where Odin was treated like royalty and we got a gorgeous breakfast. 

Once breakfast was done it was onto our final stop of the trip which was Buxton. This was always just going to be a quick stop off but we ended up spending a few hours here walking around the lovely park they have there which was much bigger than we expected and tired Odin out nicely for the trip home. It is safe to say we all had fun on our trip however, the fresh air seemed to knock us all out, especially Odin who was super tired for a few days post trip. We might have only gone away for one night but we all really enjoyed ourselves and it has made us realise we definitely need more trips away in the not so distant future but the question is where do we go next?

See you soon, 

Lucy

Here we go April, the weather is changing, nights are lighter and we are heading into some busy months with plenty of plans in place. That being said though I am hoping that April is going to be a super productive one with things starting to align properly for me. So here are my goals for April...

Fashion

Sort out my Spring wardrobe

I think it is now safe to remove all my big thick jumpers out of my wardrobe and transition into the lighter pieces of clothing I own. This is going to give me a good chance to have a huge declutter too as some clothing I haven't touched all winter so do I need to keep them? Definitely not especially if I am working on my relationship with clothing etc going forward. I know I have a fair few pieces in storage that are going to come in very handy for Spring so it is about time I dug them out.

Sort out my Spring footwear

I am determined to not be in beat up footwear all Spring, I have so many pairs that haven't been worn yet that I can create some great outfits with so I need to take the opportunity to create those outfits whilst I can. With us having the hallway redone in April I need to clear out my footwear too so those beat up pairs are going in the bin so I am not tempted just to throw them on. 

Have a declutter of all the coats we own

We own far too many coats and jackets and always tend to wear the same ones over and over. With us needing to clear the hallway we are going to take the opportunity to have a declutter of those coats so we can free up some space for what we are going to actually wear and for any new coats we may want to add in the future. Our coat storage space is getting massively reduced so we need to be brutal with this.

Start on buying pieces for my Spring wardrobe

Once I have done my Spring wardrobe change over I am hoping to make a list of bits that would fit perfectly into my Spring and even Summer wardrobe so that I can finally start to curate my perfect wardrobe for the upcoming weather. The pieces I am hoping for will no doubt be in my April pay day wish list so keep an eye out for that.

Life

Enjoy our night away

We have a night away booked for just me Liam and the dog which I really can't wait for and I am sure we are really going to enjoy ourselves. It is our first night away with just and the dog so let's see how it plays out. The night away means two days of adventures in places totally different for us so lets see just how much the dog loves it. 

Plan another adventure

I think this night away we have planned is going to give us the bug for just going out and about more often. I am hoping that the dog loves his time in the outdoors so we can get on plenty more adventures, the one I am thinking of planning is a nice day up in Malham, it isn't too far away and if we got up nice and early it shouldn't be too busy either.

Enjoy a date night at the PlayStation concert

We got tickets to the PlayStation concert as a Christmas gift from my parents and we are determined to make the most of some dog free hours. The plan is to hopefully get an earlier train into Leeds so that we can enjoy a nice meal and a few drinks before the concert so we are really hoping this goes to plan.

Start going on night time dog walks

With me having the dog all day at work Monday to Friday I tend to leave Liam to the night time dog walks so I can have a bit of a breather. With how the weather is changing though and how the nights are lighter I want to make sure that throughout April I am going on those night time dog walks to enjoy the time just the 3 of us and also to get those steps up.

Home

Make some good progress on the hallway

Finally it is all systems go and we are about to get our hallway renovations underway. This is a pretty big job so throughout the whole of April we are going to be chipping away at clearing out the items we store in here, stripping the wallpaper (woodchip) which isn't going to be an easy job, taking electronics off the wall and filling in any holes we discover from removing those. We have a deadline to get all this done by too as the plasterer is booked in for Easter Monday which really isn't that far away now. 

Declutter under the stairs 

Whilst we have the skip for the hallway we have decided we might as well get as much done as we possibly can. This means we can clear out under the stairs outdoors which has become a dumping ground even though we only did this towards the end of last summer. This should be a nice quick job just to give us a bit of a break from doing the hallway.

Declutter the shed

Whilst we have the skip we might as well get the shed decluttered too. This has become a dumping ground and you can't even get into it at the moment. There are old dog beds in there which were too big for the regular bin, junk and left over wood from projects we have done. The plan is to empty all the contents out into the garden, get rid of what we don't need and then add shelving and organise what is going back in so we can actually access what is in there. 

Start on the front garden

Again this is another job we might as well do whilst we have the skip as we can just throw bits in there. The plan here is to cut back the bushes in the front of the house, rip out the old trees which have seen better days and dig some borders around the edge. Even if we just get to the digging border stage I will be more than happy as the space will be all set for adding soil and plants in the not so distant future.

Fitness

Make progress on the Couch to 5K programme

I am finally in a position where I can start to run again as my injuries are healing nicely. The plan for April is to make some good progress towards completing the couch to 5k programme which I have been trying to finish for far too long. I am really hoping I can get to week 8 by the end of April but I guess only time will tell for that.

Spend more time in the kitchen

We have eaten out and got takeaways far too many times lately and it is time to change that at long last. If I want to make the progress on my weight loss journey I need to get into the kitchen a whole lot more to cook good, fresh meals. The plan is to not rely on Liam for the cooking and to actually get myself in the kitchen more often and try new foods.

Get back into the gym

Now that the light nights are back I have no excuse for not going and doing a gym session in the home gym. I know that by getting into the gym I will see the progress start to take shape so it is about time I just went out for 45 minutes to an hour a few times a week and got some use out of the gym again.

Hit 9k steps a day

I am determined that in April I am going to tick off the goal of 9,000 steps a day. I was so close in March and then I got injured. Now that is cleared up though the plan is to try hit the step target daily by getting out and about a lot more with the dog now the weather has changed a bit. I am looking forward to the end of the month to see if this is complete or not.

So there you have it those are the goals for April. It might be a busy month but it is time to be productive and finally get things moving in the right direction after putting things off for so long. Let's check back in at the end of the month to see just how good the month was...

See you soon

Lucy

It is finally time for me to start upgrading my wardrobe...

The time for less talking and more action taking has finally arrived and it is time for me to finally start upgrading my wardrobe. The plan going forward is to really knuckle down for those big purchase when I hit my goal weight but also to knuckle down and start building the wardrobe I want rather than buying items for the sake of it that I am never going to wear. The step of upgrading the wardrobe is going to be getting on top of all the washing and dragging all my clothing out to sort through, I will be getting rid of those items that don't fit and that I no longer wear. To be honest though it isn't just the clothing I will be sorting through I will also be doing the same with all my footwear and accessories, so I will basically be starting a fresh in many areas which is what I have been hoping for.

Once everything is cleared out I need to make sure that what I am adding to my wardrobe is made from quality materials as I am sick of having to replace items over and over after buying them cheap. I also need to make sure that the items I am buying are going to fit the more elegant/luxury style I am opting for going forward. I am not going to be buying items just to sit gathering dust anymore I only plan on buying what I am going to get my wear out of. The clothing also needs to suit a variety of things such as the lifestyle I am opting for with trips out, long walks with the dog and also my day to day at work where I really want to elevate my style rather than looking like a slob as I currently do. 

As I upgrade my wardrobe I am going to changing my habits when it comes to shopping which is certainly going to take some work but will stop me wasting money and make sure I am only picking up items I really want. The plan is to make a list on my phone with the items I really want on it and try to stick to that list when I shop. This list will be made up of products I know will work well with the style I am opting for and that are better quality than I usually buy. I will also be buying seasonally too rather than buying something that isn't suitable for the months ahead. With my weight loss journey I don't need to buy jumpers in April as by the time it comes to wearing them they may not fit, this should really help with keeping the clothing I own to a minimum too and I can easily swap items around as the seasons change. At the moment I am pretty bad at just nipping out on small trips and ending up wasting money however, going forward I am planning on cutting back on shopping trips curating that shopping list over time and then going out on one big shopping trip armed with the shopping list and hopefully plenty of money that I have saved up. 

I am really looking forward to seeing where this wardrobe upgrade is going to head as we finally start to change things up rather than just sitting on the idea. I will be posting all about the journey on here and on social media going forward with the bits I am getting rid of and the bits I am adding into my wardrobe. There will be try ons, mini hauls, unboxings and so much more coming to social media if things go to plan. On here I will be sharing what I pick up monthly and styling pieces so be prepared for more fashion content on here too at long last.

Now let's get that huge declutter done and make a start on upgrading the wardrobe including the footwear and accessories... it is time to level up and start showing the real me fashion wise. Let's get ready for much more fashion content...

See you soon,

Lucy

Finally it is here the first pay day after Christmas, it feel like forever ago that I was last paid so it is safe to say the money hitting the bank today is much needed. It was so nice waking up to money in the bank account and this is now where I start to knuckle down and begin my low spend year. With January's pay I have a few gifts to buy with my Sister's birthday being at the start of February and my Nephew's birthday in March, I am even starting to get bits together for April's birthday's too with Liam turning 30. The budget has been set for the gift buying though and I am really hoping I can stick to this.

The plan is to really knuckle down from this pay day though and hit the ground running with my low spend year, which I am going to be tracking over on my social media to try keep myself held accountable. Before any purchase are made I am also going to be adding to my savings to make sure they are number one priority going forward. Here is what I am hoping to pick up with my bit of treat money though...

Jeans

I really want a new pair of jeans that are going to sit better on my walking boots or in my wellies for our upcoming adventures. The baggy / straight jeans don't cut it so I think I might end up going for a skinny pair just for these adventures. I am also looking for a pair that are a bit of a different colour to what I am used to too so I will be having a good look around to see what is going to be the best option. 

Joules Gilet

I have absolutely fallen in love with this gilet from Joules and I think it would be perfect for some adventures we have got planned in the near future. Joules has never been a shop I have considered shopping at however, it is now somewhere I can't stop searching the website for. I am also hoping Liam will get a men's version of this as it would really suit him.

Slow Cooker

The more I think about it the more I have been tempted to pick up a slow cooker to help me get on top of my nutrition. I really can't be bothered cooking after the football on a weekend so one of these could be ideal to have on whilst I am out playing as it could be cooking my tea for me and I have to do the bare minimum when I get home. I could easily leave Liam in charge of meals with this too so it could be a good investment all round.

We are trying to make a good start on the outdoor jobs so that when the weather does start to get better we can enjoy plenty of time out there relaxing rather than just doing DIY like previous, which still never got done. I am hoping to use a chunk of both of our January pay to get all the wood and screws we need to get our back garden finished off in terms of woodwork. We need enough to create a bit more of a fenced area, a gate and turn some planters into benches. We are really hoping to keep costs low on this but once the woodwork jobs are complete we can get on with the tidying up of the area in general and making it perfect for when the weather finally changes for the better.

I have seen some really nice inexpensive plant pots on the B&Q website and I think the plan with this months pay is to get a few to keep in the kitchen to grow some herbs in to see if I can make it work. I am wanting to grow some of our own vegetables and these plant pots are cheap enough for me to test with herbs before I go all out and convert part of the garden at the side of the house, which is currently what I am trying to convince Liam to let me go ahead with.

Obviously I need something to go in those plant pots I have just mentioned and I just want to buy a small thing of soil to fill the pots I buy which I guess is going to be reasonably inexpensive. I also want to pick up a few seed packets of different herbs to try grow before moving onto bigger items in the future. Hopefully I can do this on a budget and actually be successful in growing some herbs for us to add to our meals.

We are, fingers crossed, getting a hot tub fit ready for the weather brightening up however, Liam thinks we need to add a bit more privacy to the area it is being added to just cover us from the neighbors. We were going to do a bit of a wooden pergola however, we are currently tempted to just get a fabric awning that stretched across where the hot tub is going to be placed. We are definitely going to be shopping around for the best option for this so let's see if it gets purchased with January's pay or not.

Snack containers

I can't believe Home Bargains are selling snack containers for only £4.99 as we nearly paid £20 for these last summer on Amazon. I think the plan is to pick up two of these to help us with our healthy eating and stop us snacking on rubbish. These will be filled with cut up fruit that we can just dip in and out of. These will be perfect to take on our adventures with us too especially camping as they will make life much easier. Even just to have when we are sat in the garden they will be a brilliant addition.

New bedding

I am wanting to add a little bit more colour into the bedroom as literally everything is beige or wood so the plan is to start small and use this months pay to pick up a new bedding set. Liam is totally onboard with it as long as the new one is as soft as our current one so it is time we got looking around. So far I have a seen a few different ones in Asda that I really like so I might need to see if they have any in stock locally to see if they pass the softness test. 

Artwork for the Hallway

We are nowhere near ready to do the hallway as we still need quotes for bits we want doing however, I have spotted some artwork that I want for the walls so the plan is if we see them in-store we are picking them straight up and storing them until the hallway is done. I am absolutely in love with some pieces from Home Bargains as they fit the theme perfectly and are so cheap too. At £12.99 we are going to get a few and hopefully when we get the hallway done they tie the space together nicely.

There you have it those are the items I am hoping to use my January pay on. As you can see there is definitely a focus on the house for a change and to be honest with how we have 2025 planned out I feel like this could be the case for a while. I am also really trying not to buy new clothing as I feel like with a focus on my fitness journey, I will just be wasting money on clothing that doesn't last me as long as I would like it to. The plan with the main bulk of clothes shopping is to wait until I have done a wardrobe edit just before spring to see if I need new bits for the season or not.

I am hoping that if I have any money left out of the budgeted spend pot at the end of the month I can add the left overs into a savings pot however, I am also toying with the idea of rolling it over to February's pay day wish list so I can spend a little bit more, I guess only time will tell if I have left overs or not.

It really is time to start saving money and stop wasting it buy only buying what I really want or need each month. My lifestyle is changing and I need to make sure my spending and purchases reflect that going forward and the first pay day of 2025 seems like the perfect time to bring these changes in. I am really looking forward to trying to have a month of very little shopping and instead having plenty of days at home either cracking on with jobs, working on content or just relaxing playing some games.

Let's see how this goes shall we...

See you soon, 

Lucy