ME…. AND MY HOUSEKEEPING!

We meet Springwatch’s Gillian Burke

How would you describe your

home? It’s rented and it’s too small for me and two teenagers. It’s full of furniture that isn’t mine and nothing is quite the way I’d like it to be, but it’s perfectly imperfect.

How tidy is it? It’s clean, but every surface has stuff on it. My guilty pleasure is buying interiors magazines and rifling through them looking at all the immaculate homes. That’s how I get my tidy fix! What is your kitchen cupboard must-have? Rice. I grew up eating creole food and rice is the foundation for virtually every meal. Would you rather cook for friends or eat out? After over a year of making three meals a day, I’m ready to eat out. I don’t even care if I have to go it alone! What do you always have in your fridge? Onions, garlic, ginger, chillies and lemons. They form the bedrock of all the dishes I make. Who are your dream dinner party guests? The kind of people who would be happy to perch plates on their laps and sit on the stairs because there’s not enough space for everyone! I’d rather have a house full of people than a beautifully laid table. What is your best time-saving tip? Cook two meals in one go. It doesn’t always work when you’re feeding teenagers, though – I have to scale up every time!

Are you a saver or a spender? Neither. I don’t seem to save very well, but

I’m also not a big spender. If I could afford a personal shopper to buy all my clothes for me while I sat and had a glass of wine, I’d do it! What is the best bargain you’ve ever found? A Japanese winter kimono that I bought in a charity shop for £5. I’ve lived in it while working from home. What is your biggest extravagance?

Fresh flowers. I recently treated myself to a subscription. They’re grown locally, seasonally and without chemicals, and they’re hand-tied and delivered to the local area. What did your parents teach you?

To never throw away food. The idea of food waste was incomprehensible when I was growing up and that was before anyone knew about the impact it had on the environment.

Watching birds gathering nest material is always a joy

What That it’s advice important will you to hand always down? be fair. without People being can fair, often and be I think kind the latter is just as important. Are you a hoarder or a chucker?

I have a habit of hoarding little natural treasures that I find when I’m out and about – pebbles, seeds, shells and leaves; I have a huge collection of them. Unfortunately, my emotional attachment to random things is quite strong! What is your favourite household task? Hanging laundry on the washing line on a bright summer’s day. I just never quite get round to the part where I fold it up and put it away! What always lifts you out of a mood? Watching stand-up comedy; the more inappropriate, the better. What keeps you awake at night?

Wondering how we’re going to make the world a better place. I think we all need to keep trying. What helps you stay calm? Wine. Is that a terrible thing to admit? A glass of white is my go-to. What simple thing sparks joy for you?

Watching a bird gathering nest material is always a moment of joy. Also, holding my children’s hands – partly because it’s a very rare occurrence these days. What is your favourite home comfort?

Burning essential oils, like lemon myrtle or geranium. If I can’t make my home look like the ones in magazines, at least I can make it smell like them!

What is your health motto? Try to live today in a way that your future self will thank you for.

 Springwatch returns to BBC Two this May. Read Gillian’s blog at gillianburkevoice.com/blog