Kirsty Bosley: Live, laugh, love – or just be a bit more original

I know it goes that we must always look on the bright side of life, but why are so many people relying on bits of tat to show their feelings?

In every shop in which you might seek homewares, there are signs and cushions containing slogans designed to inspire and empower. I know that not everyone finds it easy to choose the right words to say how they feel, but these bits of rubbish are surely not the way?

Maybe I'm suffering with sentiment ineptitude.

I didn't really notice before, but the more bits and bobs designed to represent feelings that adorn walls and fireplaces, the less sentimental I appear to become. Every 'meaningful' sign, every embellished photo frame screaming LOVE (regardless of picture content) makes me recoil in inexplicable discomfort.

Every birthday and Christmas I cross my fingers that I won't receive such things and be forced to put them up in my apartment where I will avoid looking at them forever.

Fortunately, they're not the kinds of gifts I get. I feel ungrateful even writing that; I should be happy to get anything at all. But I can't help it – I don't like bits of bric-a-brac and that's just that.

My friends and family are sentimental in different ways. Last Christmas my friend Alix gave me a really unusual (bit like me, I suppose, given this hatred of the harmless) journal, for writing down my thoughts and ideas and bits of random poetry. It was unlike anything else I'd ever had – like our friendship – and it was perfect.

The boy I like writes notes for me, usually containing some nonsense or other that he knows will make me laugh. It's a bit like LIVE LAUGH LOVE only usually containing in-jokes, tailored specifically to us.

With my tastes in interior decor, I simply can't judge people based on their choices of ornaments. I have a creepy Halloween skull on display year round that lights up when you press a button on the bottom, and I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea.

It makes scary noises as well, none of which sound like live, laugh or love.

The only way you can inject laughter or happiness into your home is if you act on it. Words don't mean anything without actions. The best fun I've had in the last month was playing Pictionary with my friend Andy and his daughters. Amusing Abi and Emily was so much fun, and filled the house with such laughter that the little game added much more to the home than any £10 sign from Matalan could ever do.

Fridges packed with lurid finger paintings, sketches of stick men on walls, homemade calendars and crap you bought from Spain when you were on honeymoon far surpass bits of shabby chic whitewashed wood from the home section of Next.

They say that actions speak louder than words, so ditch the false sentiments and start filling every corner of your home with laughter and love – it doesn't cost a thing.