I have been welcoming guests on our farm for over 20 years and have learnt so much over time- I wish I had had someone experienced to give me advice from the start as I have had to find my own way of doing things. I gave up with the linen as I was spending so much time trying to get it right and now have a professional laundry doing it - the results are excellent and if I'm not happy, it goes back. Towels are always tumble dried as they go like concrete if you dry them outside. I went dark with the table linen after a while as despite bleaching there will be stains you can't get out. If you carry on doing everything yourself you will burn out as I did and I had no life - took me a while to realise that I needed help which was a godsend

You are refreshingly honest about the trials and tribulations of owning and starting up a B and B Chateau! ❤️ I know it will all come to fruition!❤️

Hi Karen…I didn’t have chance to comment after your last vlog. You were so thrilled with the muscari in your urns, they are beautiful for sure. But…can I suggest that once they have finished flowering you lift them as a solid set and transplant them to where you want groundcover on your below terrace wall garden? Muscari spread wonderfully and are so faithful. That will release your urns for summer colour at the same time as letting muscari do its magic in a permanent bed. Then, if you repeat your muscari bulb plantings anew, repeat the process…double plus!

Peonies can take a few years to get established and flower. Don't be disapointed if they don't flower much the first year. You could dig up that old established plant that is in the grass and shift it in with your new plants. They will need some kind of wire circle frame to keep the flowers upright. They will be wonderful for years to come.

One easy way to get flat sheets is to fold them into a long narrow strip and then roll the strip. Store them that way and it is like putting them in a linen press. I roll a lot of my cloths and laundry and have heard it's how the military does it. It's also tidy and compact.

Dear Karen, with the left over bread, croissants and chocolatines, you can make a famous "old" French dessert which name is "Diplomate", slightly different from the English pudding, because you don't make it only with bread. You usually add kirsch (cherry spirit) and candied fruits. Try to find the recipe in English ! 🙂

As you said, this is your first season, and it will be a learning curve-with some back breaking effort. In the same way that you plan to redecorate rooms in bits, you can also invest in back savers as deals come along. Also, your trial and errors will build your experience and you will develop routines that save time and money👍🏻🥰

Tip for hanging sheets on a line: take the bottom corners and pin, then pin the top corners. Add pins as needed to keep the sheet from sagging. No crease down the center this way. It is helpful to leave the sheet in the basket while working one the first end. When dry, remove pin from top corner and place top corner on bottom corner and remove bottom pin and finish folding (remove extra pins as you go). Hope this helps.

As you go planting the gardens , think about lavender plants! You can gather the flowers as blooming & make your own sachets to use in the house & sell. The soil that you removed from the beds can be enriched or mixed with sand, mulch & fertilizers then use. To protect from weeds by using newspaper between plants & then add the soil. People do use garden cloth but it’s more expensive! Good luck you’ll get there!

The trick for well ironed/pressed/mangled/rolled linen is to shake them out well before hanging on the clothes line to get rid of the worst washing machine wrinkles, and run your nail against the fold that comes to the selvedge edge on the long sides of the sheets. Then taking the linen in when they are a still a little damp, put them in a plastic bag to keep them from drying and then iron/press/mangle them and the damp in the fabric will help to achieve that smooth result. Nothing smoothens the wrinkles from a bone dry sheet, pillow case or duvet cover. Mangled is best because it gives that crisp hotel linen result and also reduces the inevitable dust from the bed linen fabric.

Karen that rug is absolutely perfect for the Cleopatra Room. The colours are so rich and and stunning and when you get the new Bedding it's going to be gorgeous. The idea for the individual jam jar's is so smart and it will really cut down on so much waste. I also find it so difficult to waste food so this is such a good idea. Lastly there is nothing better than crawling into a bed made with fresh sheets right from the clothesline. This is how I grew up and it was one of my favourite childhood memories. Also it's so good for the environment. Looking forward to your on-line store and seeing what you will have to offer. Maybe you could do some linen napkins with either your Logo on them or just an image of your Chateau in Black and White. Whatever you do it will fantastic. Happy Easter to you both and your families as well! Cheers ...

Even though we have a high efficiency dryer, we use the clothes line in the backyard for most of our laundry. We only use the dryer when it is raining or storming. (we live in a high wind area and I decided I did not want to chase the laundry all over the yard). Sunshine is the best disinfectant and eco friendly. As to the compost...we are active composters and in Los Angeles you are no longer allowed to put food waste in the trash anymore (large bones, cheese etc is okay). We compost everything, all greens, breads, chicken and turkey bones,egg shells etc. I also put vegetable waters (left over from cooking) in the compost bucket as we live in a dry climate. If you layer leaves, and grass cuttings and turn it every once in a while, you will have lovely compost. You can also compost cardboard and egg cartons (if they are the wood pulp type) and some fabrics (linen, cotton, wool if they are 100%)

Hi, the cage near the clothesline could be a birds' cage, as it was customary to have one in castles, they were big like the one you have. It was usually situated in the garden, so that people could sit and listen to birds singing while being in the garden. As far as the bread, I would freeze any leftovers, so no waste there.

Your rug looks much better than the inspiration rug. Use lots of gold in the pillows and such. To me that makes me think of Egypt kings.

Fold the flat sheets in half and clothespin them to the line along the hem. Much easier to remove. In the 50’s I helped my Mom hang clothes on the line. Did not have dryers. Sheets smell so fresh after drying outside.

I just heard of a laundry hack that might solve part of your wrinkled sheet problem. You might have to dry your sheets, take them out immediately, fold them loosely so they don't wrinkle, and then, put each one back in individually for 10 minutes with a couple of ice cubes! I also read that most people in Europe don't have clothes dryers, everyone hangs their clothes to dry even in winter where they would freeze dry outdoors...brrrr. Many people hang their laundry in the attic to dry. The only problem I see with this is taking everything from the washer down below back up to dry it in the attic. An alternative is to get another washing machine and put it up near where the bedrooms are. We had our main laundry room upstairs in a house we built in NC and had another laundry room on the ground floor for other laundry. I never even used that one except for kitchen towels. If I was going to use the attic to dry my sheets, I'd take the iron and ironing board, as well as a standing steamer up there as well and leave them there. I'm sure you probably have an attic but maybe you could possibly use a bedroom that isn't being used as an upstairs laundry? The point is not to be running up and down the stairs. Maybe an armoire or some kind of cabinet in that room to store your linens? (Note to self: Just make sure to unplug iron so as not to burn house down.) Also read that the French iron EVERYTHING, even jeans. My mother swears by Magic Sizing rather than starch. Who wants starched sheets? Hanging things to dry does eliminate most wrinkles but I'm going to iron any shirt or blouse rather than wear it wrinkled. I think if I was in your shoes, I'd find someone else to iron my sheets but I get it that that's not cost effective right now. In the meantime, I'm going to try the ice cube trick here just to see how it works and I'm also going to try to go more EU and have husband put out a line for me. I love hanging sheets & towels out to dry.

Can’t wait for you to hire people to do the cleaning iron sheets and take care of the lawn - such hard work

I always find that a good way to use left over bread/croissants etc is to divide it up into some individually portioned foil containers and to pour some homemade custard with raisins/chocolate chips over them....just takes about 25 minutes in oven...they can be frozen for future use as desserts....Best part is 2/3 day old bread or croissants actually works better so you can save up leftovers for a few days.... lots of delicious recipes on line for this bread and butter pudding....

Your rug is a better choice than what's in Inspiration photo

Oh my - the wooly balls! Yes! I have those I bought from Norwex. They're amazing. You'll NEVER need dryer sheets again. Less waste and those balls are good for several years. So helpful!

Karen, Love the tiny jam jars. Great solution to fight waste. Love your laundry hanging experience😂. It’s a learned skill. You’re doing a wonderful job!

I laughed when you said in another vlog that "we don't iron sheets in America".....we Canadians don't generally do that either, unless you've just emigrated from the UK. I laughed at you and your sister (?) as you discussed "the wrinkles" and the "structure"....so down to earth! Hopefully one day when you establish a bigger B & B, you can send the bedding out to be laundered. I hear you on the ironing of napkins. Yes!!!! Wooly Balls....work well!!!! My daughter introduced them to me! You are absolutely lovely!!!

You are doing great. One day at a time.

Uneaten but stale pain au chocolat and croissants can be used for desserts. The croissants can be made into a savoury starter. Tear up add a melting cheese like gruyere, grated and mix egg yolks, milk, cream and a little dijon mustard. Pour over the bread and cheese and leave to soak in then, bake in a bain marie. It will puff up, light and fluffy. Left over pain au chocolat can be used in the same way for a dessert. Tear up layer with a berry fruit or raisins and sultanas, maybe a dash of alcohol or soak the fruit in alcohol, make the custard mix and leave to soak, then sprinkle with brown sugar and bake in the bain marie. In France the dessert pain perdu is similar, in the UK it is called bread and butter pudding. I prefer the rug you found in the attic, softer colours.

Karen something else you can do to save energy and time is put a dry towel in the dryer with the sheets and pillowcases it will help with wrinkles and speed up dryer time try it with one sheet at a time one load and see what you think. Good luck girl you are doing a great job so far be patient it will all come together. Hugs girl ❤❤❤❤😊💐💐🍷🍷👏👏🇨🇦🥰

In CDA. WE USE BREAD CUBED, MILK BUTTER VANILLA BROWN SUGAR RAISINS CINNAMON. LAYER OR MIXING BOW BAKE IN CASSEROLE TYPE PLAN

For your store. Design an interesting mug for each queen - each different, colorful, each with white background - maybe all with colored handles - interesting bought as singles or as a set.

How about your own label for small decorative soaps to reflect the rooms or how about wine bottle labels for a special memory?

If your leftover bread is white bread, you can make bread pudding from it. You can let it go stale and make your own bread crumbs. You can mix shredded chicken or tuna with chopped onion, peppers, corn and mayonnaise and shredded cheese and spread it on the bread. Bake it until the cheese is melted. The Spanish do that with their leftover Bolillos. You can cut up the bread and feed it to the birds, ducks. I used to freeze leftover bread and Eva pieces when my kids were little. Would thaw it, cut it so each kid would have a large Ziplock bag of cut bread. We would drive to the lake and feed the ducks, bring a pick ick along or use it as fish bait.

Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your vlog on Eleanor of Aquitaine. As for decorating her room, I would advocate for red fabric covered walls with ted braid borders and maybe a fleur de lis print. The gold baseboards are a great idea - gold LEAF, of course. Get to know Adrian and Carol, owners of Chateau de la Fertè - great people - work harder than anyone in all the chateaux and do it on a budget - Carol can tell you all the ins and outs of gold leaf. And love your idea of Eleanor’s family tree, prints, not photographs of her family, Robin Hood theme in bathroom. Colorful curtains to go with all the read. And a fabulous print of Eleanor on the period print. You are REALLY on to something special and different and INFORMED here, that helps you stand out from other chateaux. I will watch that kind of thing forever. Loved the period food information too. Hope you go visit Adrian and Carol.

Or another suggestion about the bread. Once bread is made and cold, u could slice it and put it in the freezer and just take out slices where needed.

Great to see your handling of the laundry. I’m sure I rest better in outdoor ventilated linnen. See you soon.

if you fold the sheets in half instead of throwing it over the line and hang it by the corners upside down it’s already half folded so all you have to l do to remove the sheet of the line is to unpeg one end and walk to the other end of the sheet the sheet is already folded in quarter can do this with both flat and fitted sheets to put sheets on the line just pull it out of the basket one corner at a time as you hang on the line kim from Australia

The linen is such a time consuming job it would drive me nuts. Terrific how you keep at it. So pleased for you having a Fullhouse I guess after awhile you’ll have proportions jam, etc down pat. Best wishes ❤

Recommend getting an iron cord holder so your cord doesn’t make creases. It clips on the board.

You are doing a great job. There are so many wrinkle free sheets on the market now that are great 😊

Loved your little jar jam solution!

Here's a suggestion for your peonies; use a small fence around the outside for support. They tend to fall over under heavy rain, especially when they have blooms on them.

You can make bread pudding with the bread.Also remember to wipe the washing line down, nothing worse than finding peg/ line marks in the prestige whites. I sometimes iron linen when damp, it helps a lot.❤

I love your enthusiasm and energy. You are doing great for this being your first couple of months! Keep it up! You will learn as you go. Happy Easter!

Heads up hint on hanging out sheets to dry; if you damp wipe the clothesline first you might spare yourself occasional "stains" from birds or what ever might have gotten on it in the wind. ( I learned the hard way, LOL) PLUS Sheets with a blended count of polyester & cotton release wrinkles much easier. (I do ironing in my cleaning business.)

About the peonies. My husband bought a bag of peony (bulbs???) from Lowe’s about five years ago and planted them. Not one came up. We were super bummed but figured it was the cheap ones from Lowe’s. Then two years later they popped up! They were small like yours at first. And now each spring they are big like the ones in your yard. Point is. Don’t give up! Others that you planted still may come up in future springs.

Careful of your clothesline being near bushes and trees for the risk of bird poop. Yes, at least you are saving the dryer cost. Best of luck for a great outcome.

I am 57 and have always hung out our laundry to dry. My mother taught me at a young age. The smell of hung laundry is amazing!! Please make sure to wipe down your clothes line every time before you hang them. I've forgotten and have come back with dirty laundry which I had to wash all over again. You are doing an amazing job with your new endeavor. I am a teacher and would love to come and volunteer in the summer! Hugs! Nancy

I would recommend a green house, a vegetables garden, some fruit trees and some shrubs for berry's. All the best from Canada

Hi Karen, great job! As far as merch…..bar glasses or coffee mugs with your logo would be great for guests and followers online to purchase.

Take them inside before they are too dry or it will be impossible to remove the wrinkle. If they are a little humid ironing would be a piece of cake.

Bread can be used in French Onion Soup if untouched of course. I would so love to visit and get married there, but I haven't had a date in 3 years so a wedding may not be the goal, but a visit to stay in a queens room would be a treasure for sure. Congratulations.🎉 🎶💝🎶💗🎶💖🎶

You are doing great job in your new life - with sheets if using front loader down a fast wash 30 mins spin at 800 so that you hang out peg the top of sheet to the bottom of sheet so the air goes thru faster - already half folded to bring in then only need to iron half at time so much faster you will get into a rhythm to get 8 sheets

U did the flat sheet beautifully but fold sheet in half one more time for a total of two folds while on line . When u pull sheet off line it is better to fold. On most sheets on the line if your finish up the fold with what my mom use to call " hand ironing," while u fold then just the finish stacked sheet will finish up the wrinkles. For me while I iron I stack the flat sheet folded with the pillow cases and napkins and finish up my top seam of my flat sheet without unfolding for a nice look on the made bed. Mom, told me linen spray on sheet once on the bed wasn't just to smell good but to help loosen any wrinkles with the slight moisture and a good tuck under the mattress. But the big bonus for u and your guest is the wonderful fresh air smell when snuggled down in bed to sleep. Good you!!!

Happy Easter to you too!!💐🐣🐰

Just an idea, maybe make the flower bed less deep. Move the block outline back. Possibly some evergreens mixed in with your rose bushes. Then split the tulip bulbs after they are done, done blooming to spread out. Maybe consider putting up a clothesline inside your laundry room. Great job on all the thoughtful projects.

Thanks for your video content. 👍I love peonies, they prefer a sunny location with well-drained soil. Good air circulation around the plant is also important.

I’m in Australia watching you. You are doing a good job. I love watching bulbs pop up too but our spring sun down under is so hot the bulbs only last one week!!

Oh yeah, spray starch on pillow cases quickly crisp them up when ironing . ( WORKS on top 10 -12 inches of top sheets also in a pinch.) I worked at a resort for years & had my own cleaning business for 30 years, wink😉

Enjoy watching you learning as you go! Wishing you all the best! 😊

I found it quite amusing that you haven’t line dried laundry before 🙂 Mqybe it’s an English thing, but it’s something we always do. I remember when I was working in Miami I was so shocked to hear that nobody line dried their laundry - it just seemed crazy to me with all that hot weather. Love watching your channel.

Great video. Well done

I love the rug you found in the attic. What a find! All of your leftovers except meat can go into a compost pile. Easy peasy. Good idea with the small jars. And, jam is really easy to make.🇨🇦

Karen, you can get an ironing press for linen. Many different sizes and costs.

It looks like you are doing a fine job so far. Lots of issues to deal with and things to learn, and all in a new country. I love that rug for Cleopatra room. It belongs there since it was found in the attic. Thanks for sharing your experiences via YT. Best of luck to you.

Lovely vlog Karen.

Love your hair pulled back. Really enjoy watching your vlogs

Perfect jam jars! Good thinking.

Happy Easter

❤❤❤

Great update , thats a great idea for merchandise too . I be putting some stones around the peonies just incase looks a great bunch of them growing in that patch .

So is breakfast a buffet? You could have them choose what they want from a server and leave what they don't want? I don't think cooked food can go on a compost pile. Do you have anywhere to dry sheets inside? If you do, you could put a fan on them to help them dry? Maybe you can get the rotary sheet roller thing from Amazon? The other thing is that everything I dry in the dryer comes out of the dryer pronto. I even bought a baby monitor just to hear the dryer buzzer. If they lay in the dryer, they will wrinkle. And don't worry, there's a learning curve.

Roll up a ball of tinfoil 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Place in dryer. Use over and over. Helps to clear fuzz and hair from laundry.

Happy Easter! - Side note: I hate to iron. I give you lots of credit!! 👏👏👏

What would be nice for your guest is a postcard in the relevant room of the chateau/ grounds etc so if there travelling they can send and share your retreat with others. Just a thought x

I would think the smell of the sweets on a compost pile would draw the wild hogs in closer to the Chateau.

The peonies are more established. Give them time. It took several years for mine at the cabin to bloom.

U could make bread and butter pudding or bread pudding with left over bread. Bread and butter pudding is easier to make.

Also adding lavender oil to the washing load reduces wrinkles

About you're sheets and duvets when I worked in a hotel the sheets got washed bit of starch spray and iron while still but damp then let them air off , keep seeing people on KZfaq putting creased bedding on the beds a pet hate and you can iron again when you put you're sheets on the bed . You're right to be wanting to know how to make them look nice it gives a good impression from the start many use laundrette to wash and press sheets , presentation is the key too successful business and paying for washing to be done is added cost ❤❤❤

Some sizable prints on the walls with beautiful frames, would go a long way towards making a room feel done even when it’s not yet finished. You could probably find some at some of the many brocants there. Hopefully you could even find ones appropriate for the specific queens rooms. If not, you could probably get good use out of the frame. Your place is beautiful. You guys have done great work there. Much luck to you.

The Cleopatra rug does have the great colors and is lovely. I had a thought that a sisal or hemp rug might give more of an Egyptian feel and they are very inexpensive. Just a thought. The move to duvets and duvet covers is great. Good luck moving into the full season you are doing well!

Make Bread Pudding with left over breads. You can do the raisin, Chocolate chip, mandarin orange, or apple versions and serve as deserts. It is delish!!!!!

Hi guys x the" action" shops has cheap and nice very tiny jam pots to fill , i love them and use them to put my home made pesto in . nice to see the rooms getting filled up 🥰 congrats . Grts Yves

A nice Wedgwood blue would look great on the walls which will then pick out the blue in the carpet. some of the red from the rug could be put on the bedspread and curtains. Make the curtains with blue and red, then another layer of curtain in gold which could pick out golds maybe pictures with gold frames

Every time we have went anywhere for vacation I always like to buy a cup that has their logo on it, or even magnets with the logo

Hola me encanta tu canal!! Lo estáis haciendo muy bien… como solución al desperdicio de comida podríais tener gallinas!! Solo necesitáis tener un recinto bien protegido con alambrera de gallinero para los depredadores y toda las sobras de comida como pan restos de fruta y verduras incluso de comida cocinada ellas lo comerán y a cambio te darán fantásticos huevos!!!….yo ya no tengo remordimientos cuando me deshago de la comida😊😊😊

Nice video. I do have one more tip for you. Clean your washing line with a damp cloth before hanging up your laundry. Otherwise you will get dirty smudges on your laundry.

Get some chickens & a rooster . Feed them your scraps & you get fresh eggs as well 😊.

Karen You Are Doing Well. It’s all trial and error learning you Could HaveGo Making Jam Of You Got Fruit 🍇 People Do Like Home Made Cooking 🥘 You Will Work It Out 💕👌

Hi! Karen just watched you doing your ironing. Get a Rewenta perfect pro stainless steel soleplate steam iron with steam station with water tank. Ironing with this iron is super quick, I iron my sheets and it take me no time at all do do the whole set (king size) the great also is that you can use it as a steamer to. I've had my iron for 15 years now. I think it would make your life much easier. Good luck

The Pen is probably a peacock pen

Your doing great! Don’t forget to wipe your washing line incase it’s dirty between uses would hate a dirty line mark on fresh sheets. You will get there. Enjoy.

that rug might be worth alot..

I was laughing when you didn’t know how to hang the sheets on the line, I’m sorry, I’m not being nasty, I’ve been hanging clothes on a clothes line for over 45 years and it’s not that difficult, 😂

Make a couple banners/flags for each side of the entry specific to represent your brand.. or the name of the chateau. Then you could put them out for special occasions for a Grand look for the chateau.

You can composte bread. However birds may eat the bread. Keep your composte far away from Cheatue you will have flies and fruit flies etc. Plus it smells.

Baskets and brass accent...you may have already. Happy Easter❤

Hello 🙂 Nice video ! I did not know you had already started the B&B ! I thought you would start later so… Congratulations for your work !!! And I wish you the best for the high season ! (One precision : the jam you call Blueberry (Myrtille) in the video is actually Raspberry (Framboise) 😉Another information you can use for the products you want to buy : the Lot is famous for walnuts. Walnut oil is made there, as well as lots of other things from walnuts 😉)

Having done the same thing years ago. There is no option if you won’t that clean crispy sweet smelling linens. It’s called good old ironing used to iron 20 sheets a day at one point. Errr hated it but just got on with it. It’s all hard work I no.

Perhaps buy sheets that are a blend, I like them and the wrinkling is easier to deal with.

Would fabric softener help with the wrinkles Hopefully the bedding is perma press. I think water temp make a difference

I'm surprised you're not familiar to mangle machine because it's a scandinavian must ! Do get one , you won't regret !

Maybe wrap bread items individualy and put them in a big basket. Guests can just take the ones they want and you can use the still wrapped ones for a bread pudding or one of the recipes others shared.