Insta-vs-Reality: The truth behind the tidy photos!
Insta-vs-reality: The truth behind the tidy photos! Some homes can look pretty perfect on Instagram right? Squeaky clean bathrooms, tidy kitchens and perfectly plumped sofas… The dream! But what’s the reality?
I can assure you right now that behind every shiny Instagram account, is a perfectly normal, clutter-filled home… And I’ve got proof to show you!
I’ve decided to let you in to my home and take you on a tour of of what my house often looks like pre-photoshoot! I’m showing off different rooms in my house both before and after they’ve been made ‘Instagram worthy’.
The truth behind the tidy photos!
I think it’s really important to show you that life in my home is often far from perfect, and behind every perfectly styled shot is a whole lot of mess that has likely been pushed to one side. During lockdown especially, it’s important to remember that it’s totally OK to have some mess around the house – I want to make sure that no-one is feeling pressure to live up to the ‘insta’ standards that is often seen on my grid.
Living room
The living room is often untidy! We spend most evenings chilling out in here and Digby is often curled up in a ball in-between us on the sofa, which means we have to dog-proof the velvet! We use blankets to cover the sofa from mucky paws. In all honesty, the sofa is more often hidden than not!
To make this room ‘Insta worthy’, I:
- Clean and tidy the room from clutter
- Hoover and straighten up the rug (which always ruffles up!)
- Plump up the sofa and cushions so that it looks like it’s untouched!
Get the look
Sofa – Sofa Workshop / Floor Lamp – Forest & Co / Side table – Ikea / Blanket – Wayfair
Bedroom
The bedroom is my favourite room in the house. It has such a tranquil feeling when it’s looking it’s best so I try to always keep it tidy for a more relaxing environment. Needless to say it still has it’s messy moments though! Rushed mornings can sometimes mean the bed isn’t made, and mugs are left by mistake. This is so normal though!
I always think that simply making the bed makes the room feel so much calmer – and so it should! It’s not often it gets forgotten but when it does it stresses me out!
I’m often picking up dog toys too, and socks, and cushions!
To get this room insta ready I:
- Make the bed, plump the pillows and lay a nice blanket or throw
- Hoover and clear the clutter off the floor
- Put a nice plant/flowers next to the bed (but these don’t always stay here!)
Get the look
Bed – Wayfair / Stool – Wayfair / Rug – Maisons du Monde / Shevles – The Floating Shelf Company / Lighting – Creative Cables
Bathroom
Our bathroom is teeny tiny, so if there’s any clutter in this room it instantly looks messy. Luckily it works both ways though, because it’s often the easiest room to tidy because of the lack of surface space! Often toiletries get left out of drawers or towels aren’t folded neatly.
I’m always cleaning this room thoroughly before I take any photos – the shower screen shows every single smear on camera and it drives me nuts, but again it’s a totally normal thing.
To get this room insta ready I:
- Fold the towels neatly
- Put away all toiletries and hide our toothbrushes
- remove the toilet roll off camera because it isn’t pretty!
Get the look
Floor tiles – Period House Store / Geometric wall tiles – Tile Flair / Shower – Victorian Plumbing / Towels – Sainsburys
Office
Ahh my office, AKA dumping ground. My office has a huge cupboard in it too which is where I store a lot of my wardrobe and have a mirror on the inside of the door. This causes all kinds of chaos and the room is always used as a dumping ground for clutter I don’t want to have in the bedroom. Along with that, my desk is always covered in paperwork, files and coffee cups. Oh and, Digby always likes to steal things from the bin, so the bin often lives on top of the desk – joy!
Before shooting this room, I:
- Tidy away all clutter/clothes and rubbish.
- Remove all paperwork from the desk (including my letter rack because it looks ugly)
- Hoover & clear the floor.
Get the look
Desk & Drawers – Ikea / Chair – Amazon / Magazine rack- La Redoute / Cushion – Maisons du Monde
So, there we have it. I will share my dining room with you at a later date because at the moment it’s off-limits to me. Tom is currently working from home and the dining table is his new desk, so I’m sure he’ll have my head on a plate if I start disturbing him to take photos!
My top 3 tidying tips!
- Try and make fun of cleaning my switching up some of your accessories at the same time. Moving things around can create a brand new look for the room and refresh your love for the space you have created.
- Blast some feel-good music whilst you dust! It makes cleaning far more enjoyable and you can have a boogie at the same time.
- Always leave the hoovering until last so that you can easily access all floor space. The once the hoovering is done, stand back and admire your work from afar!
Why not take a before and after photo in your own home so you too can document your achievements?It really is quite satisfying to see how much the room transforms from drab to fab!
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Contains previously gifted items.
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