With three children and two dogs, it’s little wonder Vogue Williams says it’s a ‘constant battle’ keeping her household ship-shape. But the TV presenter, who shares Theodore, six, Gigi, four, and Otto, two, with husband Spencer Matthews, 36, wouldn’t have it any other way.
‘I spend my whole life organising, it’s a permanent battle and quite intense,’ laughs Vogue, 39. ‘But I love the chaos of our house. After breakfast, it looks like a bomb’s gone off, and after cooking dinner the whole kitchen looks like it’s been turned upside down. Spenny is good though, he’ll be on bins and he’ll do the kitchen if I do bath time. We’ll split the jobs and by the time the kids have gone to bed, we can sit down, watch TV and not worry about anything else.’
While it may be chaotic at times, Vogue, who has just launched her new kidswear brand, GEN, loves to keep things in order. So much so that she started packing for the family’s holiday to St Barts a month beforehand.
‘Spenny was like, “Why are you packing?” she laughs. ‘But the kids are all changing and I’ve had to go through their summer clothes to see what still fits. I always label the bags and store clothes in age groups, so things are easier to pull out again. I also put stuff in storage, until I’ve decided if I’m having another baby.’
So, is she tempted to go for number four? ‘I never know,’ she admits. ‘It’s the best thing in the world, I love the chaos of our house and I always wanted lots of kids. But we’ve got it nice now, and it’s not so hard. Otto is about to drop his nap too, everything feels a little bit easier.’
One thing’s for sure though. Over the next few weeks, Vogue will be embracing spring fever by sorting out her own seasonal wardrobe. And she’s got her system down to a fine art.
‘I have a problem collecting jackets,’ she confesses. ‘I have so many of them, but come mid‐April I’ll suction-bag them and put them away. I’ll also pull out my summer clothes and give any I won’t wear to a site that sells them for charity. I’m constantly editing, especially here in London because we’re always fighting for space.’
Twice a year, Vogue does a big sort out with the help of an expert. ‘She’ll do a big declutter with me,’ she explains. ‘But I think it’s really important to continuously go through stuff, otherwise you just end up collecting it. Today, I’ll go through my bedside drawer, for example.’
However, children’s clothes are an exception. ‘I’m all about passing them down,’ she says. ‘That’s why I love GEN so much, it’s unisex and the clothes are really good quality. When Gigi’s out of her clothes, she’ll go into T’s, and Otto will go into Gigi’s. It makes things a lot easier, I just wish I’d had it before. I always struggled to find fun stuff that’s not too grown up. I want Gigi to dress her age, I don’t want her in belly tops, and these clothes are fun and bright. I can always spot my kids, and I love that.
‘I kind of collect clothes and I’ve got stuff I’ve had since I was 16, which probably isn’t great for my decluttering. But I think you’ll have some things forever. It’s the same with kids’ clothes. When we make a final decision if we’re only having three kids, each child will get one box to keep for when they’re older, for their own kids.’
Come spring, Vogue and Spencer’s house always has a refresh too. The windows are cleaned, and every six months she calls in the professionals to do her carpets and soft furnishings.
‘If you get your mattress cleaned, it makes it last longer,’ she says. ‘I also get the sofas cleaned, because the kids are all over them. I used to have a cream rug in the sitting room, but I had to get rid of it, it was a nightmare. Now I have a Ruggable rug, which you can whip up and wash.’ She adds, ‘I never wanted to be one of those people, but I’ve started asking everyone to take off their shoes at the front door. I bought slippers for people to wear instead.’
When the weather perks up, Vogue also gives her decking a good scrub. ‘The power hose comes out,’ she says. ‘It brings me so much joy and it makes so much difference. I always think it’s going to be really quick though, and it’s nearly a two‐day job.’
One thing she is not a fan of though, is ironing. ‘I can’t stand it,’ she admits. ‘I’m obsessed with washing though. It just shocks me how much there is on a daily basis, sometimes we’re doing four loads a day. My brother lives with us too, then we’ve got the kids, the sheets and the towels.’
So, does she have any top tips for getting the laundry under control? ‘Don’t beat yourself up about not having it all done,’ she laughs. ‘It’s not possible!’
GEN is available online at Marks & Spencer and NEXT.