If I had a penny for every time somebody told me they just didn't have time to keep their house as clean and tidy as mine, I would be a very rich woman. Well, richer than I am at least. No matter how many times I hear this claim, it always surprises me. Yes, the people who say this lead busy lives but their assumption that having a clean home takes oodles of time and burdensome hard work leaves me baffled. I did not always love to clean. Cleaning is something I have trained m

I am a sucker for a beautiful smelling home. You name the (typically expensive) scent-based product and I've tried it. Lacy bags of imported French lavender in my drawers; scented candles that cost a day's work; room sprays that promised to transport me to Caribbean beaches. I've tried aerosols, plug-ins, candles, incense, room spray, wax melts, scented cleaning products, oil burners, carpet powders, laundry scent boosters and more. This proliferation of perfumed products has

Without a doubt, the problem my clients, friends, family and online followers present me with most often is "Claire, I'm so overwhelmed by my house and I just don't know where to start." So nothing too big, right?! I'll let you in on a secret: sometimes I'm overwhelmed by the length of my to-do list. You're not alone! There's laundry falling out of the hamper, bags waiting to be donated to the charity shop, food going bad in the fridge and 15 half-finished projects. In recent