Recently I had one of those unpleasant experiences. I’d bought a doona cover from a retailer as I had a voucher to use. And the doona cover was reduced. It was a retailer that I don’t usually use but, I thought I was getting a bargain! So I purchased it online.

But it wasn’t a bargain. After a few months of use, the doona cover was pilling. Little balls were appearing making it look old. And the weave was so loose that it had pulled out a thread. What a mess!

I contacted the online customer service and explained the problem via email. Following a few emails addressed to ‘Hey Katie’, I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. After sending many photos, explaining it wasn’t of merchantable quality or fit for purpose (my legal jargon came in handy), my dispute has still not been resolved. Aside from vowing to never enter the doors of the store (online or otherwise), it’s cost me time, money and unnecessary effort.

So why am I ranting about this? Well, it’s the importance of buying from trusted suppliers! That’s where an interior decorator can help.

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of outside "interior decorating" (also known as gardening), and I’m really getting into it. It involves lots of weeding, planting, and watering. I’ve learned so much along the way—things like soil quality, climate, conditions, and plant types. There’s so much to learn, and I’m still figuring it all out. I’ve spent hours scrolling through pictures of the ideal garden, you know, the ones where plants are healthy and green, the flowers are in full bloom in magical colors, and there’s not a weed in sight. I mean no weeds.

I took some time off over the Christmas break—actually, most of January. Between ferrying my daughter to and from the Australian Open for her ballgirl duties and heading to the beach, I had a real break from my everyday life.

Then February arrived. School started back, and the usual routine resumed—early morning wake-ups, school drop-offs, walks, work, making dinner. Repeat. Sound familiar? But something felt off. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I was feeling a bit… flat.

Curious, I started looking into it. Was it that I’d had too much time off and struggled to get back into a routine? Or was it something deeper?