Welcome to the first in a new series, At Homethings With, where we meet the real people using Homethings in the comfort of their own...you get the gist.
Kicking us off with a pink-hued bang is Caitlin, who works at a Bristol design agency specialising in branding and packaging.
Let's have an introduction – we're Homethings, you?
I'm a total bookworm, huge music-lover and delicious-food consumer. I've recently started writing a book which, now that I'm saying it out loud, feels terrifying.
How has your relationship with your home changed during lockdown?
I've always thought of my home (wherever the may be at the time) as my sanctuary; my escape from the outside world and my safe haven. I think that's down to me being a bit of a "nester" – I make it my mission to feel homely and comfy wherever I go. I suppose the Danes would call me a Hygge-chaser.
Lockdown has amplified this feeling ten-fold! Whilst there's definitely been a bit more mess to content with, I've found the extended time at home to be (mostly) wonderful. Obviously, I have the luxury of being able to work from home, which I'm aware is a privilege and I'm super grateful for that. But I really do think that now, more than ever, investing in your home and making it cosy is one of the best forms of self-care you can do!
Let's break things up with a bonkers fact.
The Paris Agreement on climate change was signed by the largest number of countries ever in one day – bonkers but brilliant 🙃
Let's break things up with a bonkers fact.
The Paris Agreement on climate change was signed by the largest number of countries ever in one day – bonkers but brilliant 🙃
What is your favourite room in your home?
Definitely my living room, no question. It's go these huge, original floor-to-ceiling sash windows with working shutters that allow the sun to stream in and fill the room with light. Even on grey days the room still feels so warm and ambient – I just love it. Having a big, pink, comfy sofa also helps ;)
Has sustainability influenced any of your recent purchases?
When I moved into this flat a few months ago, I became painfully aware of how much stuff we all need and want to make our homes liveable. Having lived in a furnished house-share previously, I'd never fully appreciated the cost and environmental impact of filling a house with furniture and all sorts of other things. So as soon as I realised, I made a point of shopping second-hand for lots of my furniture and asked around friends and family for old pieces that I could potentially upcycle. My face second-hand buy is my gorgeous vintage cane coffee table that I bought for 30 quid on Marketplace – a bargain and better for the environment. Winner.
Give us your 411 on Homethings.
We all need to be more conscious of what we consume and where we can cut back, but that's a given. But what's great about Homethings is that it's tapped into a market that not many people actually realise is a huge problem. At any given time, I probably have around 20 plastic bottles of cleaning products under my sink and in my bathroom – all of which are single-use. Gross. We, as a society, desperately need a brand like Homethings to shake up the cleaning market and show us how simple and streamlined we can be with the cleaning products we buy.
Give us your 411 on Homethings.
We all need to be more conscious of what we consume and where we can cut back, but that's a given. But what's great about Homethings is that it's tapped into a market that not many people actually realise is a huge problem. At any given time, I probably have around 20 plastic bottles of cleaning products under my sink and in my bathroom – all of which are single-use. Gross. We, as a society, desperately need a brand like Homethings to shake up the cleaning market and show us how simple and streamlined we can be with the cleaning products we buy.
Spill the beans on your cleaning routine – is it a 'job to get done' or something you enjoy?
I kind of go through waves with this. If I'm in the right mood – a cleaning mood – I could clean for hours and hours and absolutely love it. Other times I find it a real chore and have to properly force myself to get it done. Something I've actually done (pre-Covid, obvs) is invite people over knowing that my house is a mess so that it forces me to speed-clean and get it all done super quickly and efficiently. There's nothing like a bit of self-inflicted house pride terror to get you through your chores.
Least favourite room to clean?
Bathroom. Ew. I mean, it's just me living here, so it's not as if I'm cleaning up after anyone else, but still, it's just a bit gross scrubbing a toilet, isn't it?
Go-to playlist when you're enjoying a good clean sesh?
If I'm forcing myself to get the cleaning done, then a fun playlist with a load of 90s classics that I can sing along to is the one (hey, that rhymes). If I'm already motivated to clean then I'll always just stick on a good podcast to accompany my cleaning binge.
Piece of wisdom to share with people?
In the immortal words of one of my favourite people, "I am constantly amazed by Tina Fey. And I am Tina Fey." Self-belief is the best gift you can give yourself, honey.
You can go check out Caitlin on Instagram. And if you fancy featuring in our At Homethings With series, drop us an email hello@gethomethings.com ✌️