David and I have been focused on the house over the past month or so, filling it up with lovely interior pieces to make an initially rather quite plain, new-build box feel like a warm and cosy home. It’s looking beautiful. However it’s also rather costly and although my Pinterest visions have not been compromised, we’ve certainly had to search around much more than we thought.
One of our firm favourites throughout the process however, has been TK Maxx. I’ve never before fully appreciated how incredibly priced their products are and yet, how high quality they are too. We’ve stocked up on cutlery, plates, knives, utensils, baking dishes – and even pink Himalayan salt, all for a fraction of the price that we’d pay elsewhere.
There’s always that exciting ‘treasure hunt’ feel when you step inside, since each store is different and you never know what you might find. Plus, there’s rarely more than one of the same item (especially home-ware), so you have to grab it, before it goes. I learnt this the hard way. Farewell giant cookie jar.
The mix of homeware, designer labels, fashion, shoes, bags and even furniture means that there’s something for everyone – and with up to 60% off the RRP, you can leave feeling rather smug that you’ve bagged yourself a bargain.
Recently, I was on the lookout for a few ‘finishing touches’ to the grey, white and black theme that we have running through the living room and the bedrooms. I wanted something cosy for winter – and yet chic, modern and expensive looking. So naturally, we spent our Saturday browsing our local TK Maxx (we’re pretty much regulars these days).
They’d recently restocked (in fact, I later learned they do this daily) and so we were in for a treat with lots of new additions. Almost instantly, I gravitated towards the luxurious faux fur throws in the corner of the homeware section. I spent the next five minutes stroking the throw while shooting ‘can we buy this please?‘ looks over at David, who had found himself a rather swanky looking armchair to sit on while I shopped.
After he agreed, I then moved onto my next conquest – matching furry cushions, which I envisioned would look so cosy on the sofa, perfect for snuggling up on those blustering wintery nights that are coming our way.
We left with two faux fur cushions and a grey throw. Oops. But actually, we spent very little in comparison to what we’d budgeted. And the cosy additions to the new house got us thinking about the upcoming festive period and how lovely it would be to get all wrapped up and go somewhere cold and Nordic. Immediately my brain started whirring with ideas (perhaps slightly ridiculous) of husky rides, snowmobiles and hot springs.
Two hours later and we’d booked a whirlwind 48 hour trip to Iceland the very next weekend. We began planning our itinerary, pouring over blogs, travel recommendations and incredible pictures.
[ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third_end]
[/ezcol_1third_end]
Iceland has been on my bucket list for a very long time however it’s also rather expensive – and so doesn’t really go hand-in-hand with doing up a house. So when the opportunity arose to visit, to celebrate TK Maxx’s Ridiculous Possibilities campaign, we jumped at the chance. The incredible value of their products really has saved us money – and so the possibility of jumping on a plane and heading to an island in the North Atlantic, was even greater!
We’d booked a day at the incredible Blue Lagoon Spa, which happens to be on the 25 wonders of the world and a complete Instagrammer’s haven, with a hazy mist caressing the waters edge and the water a permanent turquoise blue from all the minerals and healing sulfur (apparently it’s said to cure some skin conditions). This geothermal spa is the most visited attraction in Iceland and rather oddly (but incredibly) is situated not in the capital Reykjavik where we stayed, but 45 minutes away in a lava field.
[ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third_end]
[/ezcol_1third_end]
It was a pretty surreal experience taking off your dressing gown, hanging it up among hundreds of others and then running as fast as you could into the water to avoid getting frozen alive. Once you get to the water, it’s like you’ve stepped into the loveliest, most comforting bath imaginable. From there, you can swim off, grab yourself a cocktail or sparkling wine – or maybe indulge in a mud mask or two. The algae mask made my skin the softest it’s ever been. In fact, I’ve heard many amazing things about the healing properties of this place!
[ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter]
[/ezcol_1quarter] [ezcol_1quarter_end]
[/ezcol_1quarter_end]
In order to fit as many things as possible into our spontaneous short trip, we also spent the following day touring the Golden Circle, which meant we were privy to yet more incredible natural sights. The Geysers were probably the most spectacular part of the day – you don’t very often see bubbling hot springs coming out of the ground – nor does water shoot up into the sky like lava every 4-8 minutes. It’s certainly something I won’t forget in a hurry!
[ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third_end]
[/ezcol_1third_end]
Everything we experienced on our trip was completely new to me – and admittedly, very much out of my comfort zone. I’m very much a sun worshipper and to me a holiday isn’t complete without sitting by the pool, catching a tan to take home. I’m not overly outdoorsy, nor do I really pine over beautiful views and landscapes. But trying something new can pay off – and we took away some wonderful memories. It’s inspired me to be a little more spontaneous and fight back the need for planning and control. Sometimes it’s the things that don’t appeal to you initially that create the best memories.
[ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third]
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_1third_end]
[/ezcol_1third_end]
So, there you have it! I still can’t quite believe we went to Iceland and back in a weekend. Nor can I believe it didn’t take me weeks to ponder over whether we should book. I’m so delighted we got to experience a lovely festive break in the run up to Christmas. It’s certainly inspired me to get more cosy and snug now I’m back home.
And maybe invest in one or two more fur cushions….
Well, I suppose you never know what you might find in TK Maxx or where it might take you?
***
This post was created in collaboration with TK Maxx for their #RidiculousPossibilities campaign. But of course, all views, opinions and photographs of me looking rather chilly, are all my own. I genuinely love TK Maxx (and honestly, we are regulars in our local store) so I was delighted to be able to support this exciting project!
