‘Joe’s brain works totally differently to mine’ Stacey Solomon gets real on life at Pickle Cottage
What really makes a blended family swing? At Pickle Cottage, Stacey Solomon juggles chaos, proud clutter and one household rule: there’s a place for everything—even teeth.
You’d think there’s at least one area in a busy celebrity household that’s immune to the daily mess—turns out, even for Stacey Solomon, things get wild. Living with her husband Joe Swash and their six kids at Pickle Cottage in Essex, Stacey’s become a queen of organisation, but she’ll be the first to admit not everyone in the house follows her lead. The family home is named after the affectionate nickname she gave her children, and it’s no wonder—between keeping track of everyone and hosting a lively bunch, she’s got her work cut out for her. Yet Stacey finds a way to balance daily disorder, family quirks and mementoes with humour and pride.
Chaos versus order: Stacey and Joe’s household balancing act
Anyone who’s watched Stacey on BBC One’s “Sort Your Life Out” might imagine she rules her home with an iron label maker. But the reality is a lot messier—and Joe Swash is often the reason. Stacey says she’s “probably the member most organised in the family,” though her 13-year-old son Leighton “is fighting me for that trophy.” She’s quick to add that life is far from perfectly arranged:
“Between an 18-year-old teenager and a 45-year-old man with ADHD, it's not easy.”
The contrast couldn’t be starker, as she puts it:
“And Joe is really funny – he's the opposite to me. He actually needs a bit of chaos. I like things organised. And just because that helps me to navigate through my life, that doesn't mean that is the right way to live.”
Joe’s style isn’t just charmingly different—it’s a rhythm Stacey’s had to learn to live with: “Joe's brain works totally differently to mine. And so sometimes, he does need things to be a little bit chaotic.”
A home full of memories—and a unique trophy box
Stacey isn’t shy about her pride in Pickle Cottage. Her path from Dagenham (and Joe’s from Islington) makes their current home feel even more surreal:
“He's from Islington, I'm from Dagenham, I know they say you grow up and you dream of these kind of things, but Pickle Cottage wasn't a dream for us growing up, because I didn't even know houses like that existed. So when we got Pickle Cottage, I just think we were just like, oh my god, we live in a house like this. Like, when did this happen and how did this happen? And I think I'm proud of every bit of my house.”
This sense of pride seeps into every basket, box and quirky collection she keeps. Stacey describes herself as a “storage addict” and a hoarder, and nowhere is this clearer than with her kids’ baby teeth—a single “big teeth box” for all the teeth, instead of separate ones.
“I had so many kids, I was like, ‘I can't just have like five teeth boxes, can I? I'm going to have to make one big teeth box.’”
The tradition includes rewarding each lost tooth:
“A pound for a small one, two pounds for a big one.”
She’ll admit: on a few occasions, she’s had to improvise with a euro instead, if that’s what was handy. Her kids love sifting through these memory boxes—and they’re not alone in treasuring these weird and wonderful mementos. The shelves also hold one legendary photo: a print of Joe naked on a paddle board in Australia, spoofing a viral Orlando Bloom moment, except with a pickle carefully covering his modesty:
“It was so lovely and thoughtful of this fan that I thought, I can't throw it away. So I've just kept it for 10 years.”
Family pride in the chaos
Despite, or maybe because of, the constant chaos at Pickle Cottage, it’s clear Stacey wouldn’t want life any other way. She celebrates each nook and quirk, collecting years of tooth fairy visits, surprise fan gifts and happy, messy memories. Joe’s love for a little disorder might keep her on her toes, but their home is living proof that one-size-for-all does not apply to modern families. Maybe that’s why fans keep tuning in—because in Stacey and Joe’s world, a bit of chaos is just another flavour in the mix?
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Stacey Solomon says ‘Joe’s brain works differently to mine’ in candid marriage insight
