My husband and I moved in to No.80 in November 2014. The house is a 1900s Victorian five bed semi detached house that had been carved up into three bedsit flats for students, and it’s safe to say it was very unloved and dingy when we got there.

There were three floors of woodchip wallpaper, heavy fire doors and acres of brown nylon carpet everywhere. The place was an eyesore - but there were also so many positives. Tall ceilings, big windows, a long garden leading down to the canal with ducks and swans floating by, and a wonderful, vibrant neighbourhood - on the doorstep of a country park but ten minutes drive from the city, and bursting with independent shops, great schools and cafes.

All it needed was some love. 

Our mission became to turn the house back into a functional family home where we could raise the children we wanted. Change has been slow - that family did happen, and two babies halted progress a lot - but we’re finally making it happen and creating the home we dreamed of when we first moved, right here in West Bridgford, Nottingham.

Reading other home renovation blogs has been key for me in providing inspiration and helping me to explore ideas, as have my home renovation Pinterest boards - so I hope our story also inspires you.

At this time of year, the leaves are falling, the mercury is dropping and the shops are alive with the new season fashions from the autumn/winter runways.

Most of us are considering updating our wardrobes, adding those key pieces and retiring our summer garments in favour of cosy jumpers, leather skirts, ankle boots, scarves and a killer coat or two.

We carefully select the items we want to add to our collections and sometimes we choose to invest a fair amount in that must have, love forever piece.

But whether your new season additions are designer labels or high street, in order to give them the greatest shelf life you need to look after them correctly.

We all acknowledge that we should be looking for pieces which will have longevity - sustainability and budget wise, it's a clever idea - and the key to that is really taking care of the new items you choose to add this season.

So how do you care for all your clothes as if they are priceless couture?

There are so many things to love about it – its beautifully lightweight, soft against the skin, hypoallergenic and it helps to regulate body temperature – meaning it keeps you cool on a hot day, and warm on a chilly one.

Although delicate, silk is surprisingly hardwearing and retains its beauty for years –which is why so many legacy and heirloom pieces are passed down for generations.

There’s something timelessly chic about it too – and it’s a beautiful fabric for the transitions between seasons. Plus, it looks and feels perfectly luxurious.

So silk was high on the agenda for my travels to Italy, and as well as a beautiful patterned sundress from Twenty8Twelve, I had also packed this pale pink number, which was perfect for strolling around San Miniato on market day.

These days I'm a lot more selective about the makeup that I love. I research and think about my purchases far more, and buy less - now, if something is going to make it into my life, it has to be pretty special.

So I wanted to share the new season items adding a bit of extra autumn glow to my makeup bag lately.

Ah, beautiful Siena. This stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site was absolutely the highlight of our trip.

It offered just as much culturally, visually and atmospherically as Florence, but it was much less frantic and crowded with tourists - it felt like we got to enjoy the city on our own terms.

It's a place of winding, narrow passages steeped in shadow which suddenly give way to brilliant sunny squares filled with beautiful buildings. The perfect balance of vibrancy and tranquillity.

The centre is still very medieval, with stunning architecture - I felt just like I’d landed in Romeo and Juliet (Yes, I know that’s Verona, another city I love!). It really gave me a sense of what life during the Renaissance must have felt like.

The Siena cathedral is a Romanesque-Gothic dream with jaw-dropping ornate carvings, and I adored sitting in the Piazza Del Campo with a coffee watching the world go by.

Well, what a month. The last, extremely brief golden flare of summer came and went, and we’ve now slipped into a chilly grey autumn full of torrential downpours.

Despite the gloom, this time of year always feels quite energising for me. It's usually a time I refocus on my personal goals and there’s something quite optimistic about it, in spite of the darker evenings.

Usually, it's this time of year that I make big changes to my life - getting married, moving house or jobs, getting pregnant - they’ve all happened at this time of year for me. At the moment, there’s way too much on our plates as it is though!

Here’s what we’ve been up to lately…