September In Bloom

September is a time for new beginnings and if you are looking to start a new creative hobby, we take a look at the simple yet effective craft of journaling. Think September means it’s time to pack away your secateurs for the year? Think again! If you’re green in the garden and not green fingered, we have some tips for the garden this month. And if you’re heading off to university, how can you create a student room with style? From bedding to decorations, we show you how to deck those halls!

A student room with style!

Let’s face it. Student rooms and shared houses aren’t pretty. The walls are plain, the curtains are in weird patterns and let’s not talk about the state of those carpets! Whether you’re a fresher, or a returning student renting a house, decorating your own space to make it feel like home is easy.

So, to bed Stylish bedding is a great start to introduce colour to your room. For a cosy vibe, dress your bed with a chunky throw.

Store while you snore In a small student room you’ll want to make the most of your space with storage solutions. Your desk will also need organisation. We recommend coming prepared with a magazine rack, a pen pot and an in-tray from WHSmith.

Let there be light A lamp is essential not only to show off your taste, but for that late night studying. Fairy lights can liven up a bare-walled room. Plus, fairy light curtains look amazing over windows.

Added extras

You don’t need to be green fingered to manage a houseplant if you consider cacti, aloe vera and spider plants. Not ready to become a plant-parent? Fake plants require zero watering!

Sweet smell of success

Candles and diffusers make a room smell fabulous. Visit Poundland for budget-friendly candles. Perfect for your relaxing haven.

Finally, don’t forget to check out Tesco for cutlery and pans!

Get organised, focused and creative with journaling

With winter nights (sorry) looming, September is a great time to start a new hobby and we recommend journaling.  With mindfulness a growing focus in the UK, the use of journaling is growing in popularity, with searches for journals up 18% on craft websites.

Bullet Journaling uses a bullet point structure to keep on top of all your tasks. It’s designed to be quick, easy and creative! Your bullet journal gives you a birds-eye view of your tasks, work and social commitments and goals.

Use your journal to unleash your inner creative with lists, books to read, recipes and brainstorming. The creative personalisation will take your mind off worries and is perfect for mindfulness.

You can splash out on a fancy journal from WHSmith or grab a plain notebook. Stock up on highlighters, stickers and washi tape too!   

Hacks

• When adding tasks into any sections, split them out as follows: Bullet point for Tasks, circles for Events and an asterisk for important!
• Get yourself a bookmark to easily access main sections.
• Sticky notes are great for reusing pages. Say you want to brainstorm ideas for a birthday party? Use a selection of post-it notes to scribble your ideas on. Once you’ve decided remove the notes ready for your next brainstorm.

What to sow and grow this September

September might be peak harvest time, but there’s still plenty to do.

Vegetables and herbs

Sow salad leaves for quick crops and sow turnip seeds into well-prepared beds for small roots. If you have been growing herbs, now is the time to pot up mint and parsley for the kitchen windowsill.

Flower power

Continue to feed and deadhead hanging basket and containers. This time of year, you are planting for spring flowering bulb displays with flowers like Crocus, Narcissi and Alliums.

From the sofa

Grab that journal and plan next year’s garden with a sketch of your borders and vegetable plot.