Jo Whiley has revealed that a visit to Dame Judi Dench's beautiful home for her gardening podcast, RHS Roots, transformed the way she thinks about her own house, inspiring her to create a space that's filled with family memories, rather than scaling things back and keeping it pristine, as she'd planned.
Speaking in our exclusive interview, the Radio 2 host admitted she'd coincidentally been on a major decluttering mission before visiting the Oscar-winning actress.
However, she noticed that rather than looking cluttered, Judi’s house felt warm and welcoming. "I'd been getting rid of things and trying to make everything look a bit more streamlined now the kids have left home. Coco’s the last one still living with us full-time, and she’s off to uni soon."
Everything changed when she stepped inside Judi's home and noticed how full of life it felt. "It was packed with family photographs, children's drawings and memories everywhere. It made me realise that's what a home should feel like.
"Seeing Judi’s reminded me that lived-in spaces are often the most beautiful because they reflect a lifetime of love, family and shared experiences.”
The presenter says seeing the beloved actress surround herself with sentimental keepsakes made her rethink her decision to have a further purge.
'It's the memories that matter.'
"I suddenly thought, 'Why am I putting all these things away?' As soon as I got home, I immediately put all the family photographs back out."
She revealed that the experience reminded her that our spaces are meant to tell the story of the people who live in them, rather than looking like a show home.
Jo now believes family pictures, her kids’ old artwork and much-loved mementoes deserve to be on display, saying they bring far more joy than perfectly styled shelves ever could.
"It's those little things that make a house feel like home. It's the memories that matter."
You can read Jo's full interview in the September 2026 issue of woman&home magazine - on sale now. Subscribe to the magazine for £6 for 6 issues.
