LUCY Baker, 48, who lives in Lincoln with her daughters, aged 14 and 11, and her son, five, says the pressure to redecorate for every season – with home ranges like Stacey Solomon’s – puts too much strain on cash-strapped families.
She tells Lynsey Hope all about it.
EVERY time I open TikTok or Instagram these days I’m bombarded with pics of pumpkin-orange bedspreads, spooky Halloween ornaments and cute autumnal cushions.
If it’s not store ads pushing me to buy plastic tat disguised as festive fodder, it’s celebs such as Kourtney Kardashian and Stacey Solomon promoting their new autumn homeware ranges and showing off their professionally decorated mansions.
It’s impossible to get away from — and easy to see how anyone could be convinced into spending £50 on stuff they really don’t need.
It will sit in homes for a few weeks before being bunged into the loft to make way for Christmas decorations.
A total waste of money.
I’m a busy mum of three and have enough to do without worrying about how to get an Instagrammable doorstep ready for trick or treating.
I’ve barely paid off the bills we racked up in September for new uniforms and school shoes.
And now parents like me are under pressure to decorate the house before fright night.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve almost fallen for the seasonal shopping con a few times.
While shopping in my home town recently, I nearly bought a pumpkin-shaped make-up brush holder.
I had to have a word with myself before placing it back on the shelf.
And I’m not alone.
One in five of UK adults say they plan to buy, or have already purchased, autumn decor this year, according to a YouGov survey.
It’s not surprising given that tempting seasonal wares are everywhere.
Stacey Solomon has a full autumn range at Asda, featuring bat-print duvets, skeleton mugs and decorative boucle pumpkins.
I like Stacey but I nearly unfollowed her as a result of her posts.
Her ideas for decorating the home for Halloween are too much — plus she is making money out of it.
I’m all for women being successful in business, but this “Do your house up for Halloween” vibe makes other parents feel like they are not good enough.
They try to convince us our lives will be enriched if our homes are on trend.
It’s so far removed from my childhood when you’d be lucky to get your bedroom decorated every five years.
When I was a child, things were made to last.
No one had the kind of cash to do up their homes for each and every celebration.
Now it’s Halloween, then Christmas, you might get a glitter ball for New Year then Easter trees, decorative bunnies and even Easter crackers. It’s getting to be the norm.
And of course, if you don’t get involved, the mum-guilt takes over.
Just this week, my 14-year-old daughter filled an online basket with things she wanted for her room — pumpkin cushions, autumn-coloured bed throws.
It amounted to around £50. Much to her disappointment, I put my foot down and told her it would only last two weeks.
We live in a household with two working parents, and while we’re not on the breadline, this sort of thing isn’t manageable on our budget.
It’s not only the cash — it’s bad for the environment, too.
What happens to this stuff once the celebration has ended?
They’ll want new stuff next year. It all feels so wasteful.
Stacey has previously spoken about the importance of sustainability but these temporary ranges fly in the face of everything we have been encouraged to do to look after the environment.
Mass-produced and often not recyclable, what’s the bet that most of it will be in the reduced section at the start of November?
As parents we have to remember these celebrations are not about how much you spend on cushions and wreaths, it’s about having fun with your kids.
Buy a real pumpkin, carve it together and stick it on the doorstep.
When the cushions and tea towels are long gone, these are memories you’ll treasure forever.
INTERIOR stylist Claire Douglas, who specialises in home styling on a budget, says: “Don’t be afraid to ignore trends like these.
“They largely exist to help brands sell their products and, as such, they move fast.
“By the time you’ve bought the latest ‘must-have’ item, the next trend could arrive before you can enjoy it.
“That said, if a trend really resonates with you and you love a certain style or colour, embrace it and enjoy it for the long haul.
“If you love a trend but can’t afford to waste money on buying a whole load of new home decor, there are some things you can do.”
Here are Claire’s tips . . .
SHOP IN YOUR HOME: Take stock of the decorative accessories you already own and move them about from room to room.
Mixing up the decor and creating new vignettes can uplift your interiors and give a fresh new look without spending more money.
REPURPOSE AND UPCYCLE: You could home customise or adapt your current home decor to fit a trend you love, such as painting pots or vases with a tester pot to add a pop of this season’s colour.
Add texture by mixing bicarb into the paint, or use modelling clay to create a trendy 3D effect.
GO THRIFTING: Charity shops are your friend, as are boot sales and flea markets.
Keep your eyes peeled for home accessories that fit the bill for the latest trend without paying full whack on the high street.
GO FORAGING: I’m a huge fan of foraging for flowers, foliage, twigs, sticks and branches for styling your home with.
Foraging is free and legal as long as you choose permitted locations and stick to the rules.
You can create amazing displays for no cost, plus you’ll get some fresh air and time enjoying nature as you do so.
AVOID PASSING FADS: Lean into the changing seasons when adding decorative touches to your home.
Celebrating nature never goes out of fashion and is a great way to surround yourself with pops of colour and fragrance for an emotional boost.
Think scented candles and pumpkins for autumn, cosy knits and vases of decorated twigs with twinkly lights for winter, Easter trees and beautiful bulbs for spring and fresh blooms in summer.
BE MORE YOU: Most importantly, never decorate your home to please or impress someone else, or to keep up with people on social media.
Choose home decor that works for you and your family. You’ll see it every day, so it needs to suit your personal interior style.
Don’t focus on what other people are doing – comparison is the thief of joy.
OVER THE TABLE WITCH’S BROOM
Gather together some twigs and sticks to create a witch’s broom-style display and then weave twinkly fairy lights into it to achieve a truly magical feel.
EGG CARTON BATS
Take one egg carton, some black paint and nylon thread and you can create some spooky bat decorations on a budget.
Hang these in doorways, or from your mantlepiece, to achieve the maximum effect.
GHOSTLY LEAVES
Take the kids foraging for fallen leaves then encourage them to paint their finds with white paint and draw spooky faces on them.
Then you can hang them up in groups with clear thread.
DARTS star Cameron Menzies was left devastated after his defeat to Dave Chisnall earlier today.
Menzies, 35, was beaten 2-0 by Chisnall at the World Grand Prix in Leicester.
The Scot, who is dating fellow darts star Fallon Sherrock, works as a plumber to support his sporting dream.
Following his one-sided defeat to Chisnall, Menzies expressed his disappointment on social media.
He wrote on X: “This is why I work. I am so far off being a pro n today absolutely broke my heart. I am sorry.”
Menzies is currently 44th on the PDC Order of Merit.
The rankings are determined by players’ earning over a two-and-a-half-year period.
Luke Humphries is currently No1 on £1,681,750.
Menzies, meanwhile, is 44th on £139,750.
This year he has shown encouraging signs of progress.
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In September he made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the Players Championship, eventually losing out to former world champion Gerwyn Price.
Seeing his disappointed post this evening, plenty of fans attempted to rally around Menzies.
One replied on X: “You are closer than you realise, one of the best players in the world this year.”
While a second responded: “Behave, you’ve had a class year. Going full time would be the making of you.”
A third wrote: “Mate, bad day but you don’t even get on that stage if you don’t have the game. Chin up, you’ll be back.”
And another added: “Miles better than you even realise mate. Don’t beat yourself up at all.”
