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simply start living

Since beginning back in 2008, there have always been changes to my blog and website names as life evolved – 39 And Counting, 40 Not Out, The Online Stylist and then Simply Start Living. For a while there was the idea of writing a book – it didn’t get any further than flushing out themes and ideas, but it’s all filed away… never say never.

The one true constant is that life plays out in chapters, and each one requires a significant amount of evolving. Linked to that is my firm belief that I need to create content centred around what lights the fire in my belly, induces sleepless nights and makes me giddy to open a blank page and let fingers fly across the keyboard.

For the last few years, I’ve found myself focusing in on what it means to live each day with intention, to squeeze every drop of joy out of the smallest moments – be they the mundane, necessary or downright magical. Alongside (and wholly related to) that, our home and how we live within it has become extremely important as a sanctuary to escape to at the end of each day. If you’re wondering exactly how this translates into the premise on which to base blog content, I expand more on both concepts here. (LINK)

In its most recent guise, Simply Start Living focuses on the things that help to facilitate living a grounded, joyful life in a home that feels like love, comfort and calm. In a nutshell…ritual based living and design to elevate the everyday. An online space to celebrate moments and things that elicit comfort and to share thoughts on crafting a home that feels grounding yet evokes emotion and a sense of belonging.

If any of this resonates with you, I’m happy that you found your way here!

Amanda Start

I’ve been publishing on the internet in various guises for over eighteen years… as a blogger, influencer, online style advisor, style writer and content creator for small businesses. I’ve hosted workshops, attended fashion week shows, spoken on panels, appeared in a few mainstream media publications and at one point, was going to more press events than I’ve had take-out coffees. Possibly.

I live with my husband Patrick on the south coast of the UK, fortuitously placed between the coast and countryside. Our daughter is in the process of completing her degree and flew the nest to do so… as for what comes next for her… watch this space. In November 2025 we lost our beloved Labrador Biscuit who was such a huge soulful part of our family – we called ourselves The Three Musketeers for years and when she joined us in 2013, she affectionately became known as Dork Tagnan

Now I find myself at the beginning of yet another chapter… a daughter on the cusp of leaving to create her own life, the sudden lack of a four-legged, constant companion to love and care for… and free-wheeling toward sixty at a frighteningly brisk rate!

As for everything else that I love, well that’s what this blog is now about. In the frantic pace of a digital world gone ever so slightly mad, I recently found myself unsure of whether to continue here or show up on Instagram - stepping away from it as a full-time gig some years ago was the right thing to do. Now I compile content for a local florist on a part time basis which helps satisfy my creative needs and provides an income source more stable than performing as a puppet for Meta. Competing with algorithms and homogenous content by the bucket load does not elevate any of my days. However, I remain a visually motivated person and so sometimes, against my better judgement, I return to Instagram to share things that light up my days when the mood strikes. Ditto with Pinterest… because spending a day re-organising mood boards and ideas for inspiration purposes is a perfectly legit use of time! At the point (literally on the day) that I’d prepared to let the subscription to this site lapse, I had a serendipitous about turn and decided to keep it going but let it morph into something else…see the blurb above and this post here. (LINK)

And because I’ve always loved writing and enjoy a get-thoughts-down-on-the-page-before-my-head-implodes flurry, you can also sign up below to receive my newsletter emails if you wish. They’re an extension of this blog and the place where I share thoughts that keep me awake, the book I read in a one weekend sitting, an item that lifted my outfit out of the Meh zone, local people or places you might love or the piece of home decor or furniture that made the grade and into our house.

If you’ve been here for any of my previous online guises, you’ll know that elevating the everyday has been my mantra for years… I see no sense in changing that any time soon!

Amanda