I remember the first time I slept over at my future husband's house, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.
He was the most kind, wise and addictively eccentric man I'd ever met. But that wasn't the reason I wanted to stay forever.
It was his grown-up coffee machine.
On that cold winter morning seven years ago, the noise it made was intrusive, distracting and unpleasant. A mechanistic din better suited to a panel beater's workshop, than a home with original art, fitted bookshelves and bluetooth-enabled speakers.
But as I sat in his living room waiting for him to finish, I had a sense that I was hearing my future.
Eventually he appeared in the doorway bearing two coffee cups and a tentatively, confident smile.
Yes, he might have eight years on me. An entirely incompatible life history to mine. And be hurtling towards 40, rather than 30.
But he knew he could make a delicious, grown-up coffee that would knock my socks off.
It didn't take long for him to seduce me with his grown-up, domestic ways.
Before long I was coveting his high-quality pillows. Admiring his extensive range of sharp, unbreakable knives. And falling head over heels in love with his tantalisingly perfect procedure for making popcorn.
Seven anniversaries later, the sound of that coffee machine is now as familiar and comforting to me as the background burble of Radio Four in my parents' home.
It's the signal of the beginning of another new day with my husband in my pre-40 life.
Here are 10 things you definitely need in your home before you're 40...
10 Things You Should Have In Your Home By The Time You're 40
Coffee Machine(01 of10)
Open Image ModalForget those awful coffee pod machines. They're terrible for the environment, a false economy and make you look desperately childish in the eyes of the world.Instead, invest in a good quality ground coffee machine that will produce perfect espressos every time. There is no day that an immaculate cup of coffee can not improve. (credit:px photography via Getty Images)
Filing Cabinet(02 of10)
Open Image ModalA key component of being a grown-up is learning to solve those consistent niggles.Believe it or not, there are solutions to the problems of filing. And they're not evil. Head to a stationery shop, find a simple, lockable case and take it home. Decide on your filing categories. Pop on a TV show that needs little or no attention, and start sifting through those papers stuffed in bookshelves, neon coloured wallets and at the back of drawers. Soon they'll all be in one place and the sense of satisfaction will blow your mind. (credit:Nikada via Getty Images)
Chef's Knife(03 of10)
Open Image ModalDo not make another meal without investing in a chef's knife. Sure, you might not be ready to spend hundreds of pounds on a set of titanium kitchen knives, but that doesn't matter. A chef's knife will turn you into a proper cook. Oh. And buy a sharpener. Preferably a whetstone. (credit:SuperStock via Getty Images)
Vacuum Storage Bags(04 of10)
Open Image ModalAssuming that you don't live in a five-bedroom country home with infinite storage, then you need to find alternative solutions. These vacuum storage bags will transform your life. Once a year, take all your winter clothes, stuff them in a bag, and suck the life out of the them. Do the same for excess rugs and blankets. Then store under the bed.Reverse the process six months later. You'll need half the storage space you had before.Welcome to grown-up land. (credit:Amazon)
Kitchen Timer(05 of10)
Open Image ModalBefore you hit 40, you need to accept that there is a right amount of time, and a wrong amount of time for all basic cooking procedures.If you don't have a timer, then we can only assume you can't make poached eggs. Or pasta. Or rice. Or anything really.Start noticing how long things takes to cook perfectly, and set the timer accordingly. It's the only way you'll ever grow up. (credit:Peter Zijlstra via Getty Images)
Wrapping Paper Bag(06 of10)
Open Image ModalStop pretending that you don't need to wrap presents on a regular basis, and find a way to bring order to the process. Buy a bag in which to store all those crucial, yet irritatingly shaped products that you need for present wrapping.Long scissors, rolls of paper, tiny ribboned cards. There's a place for everything. Prepare to be amazed by the usefulness of this acquisition. (credit:Allaboutyou.com)
Winter/Summer Duvets(07 of10)
Open Image ModalYou might pretend that you enjoy sweating in summer and shivering in winter in your 20s. But post-30, you'll start wondering why you're never the right temperature in bed. Invest in a winter and summer duvet set. Now. (credit:Quiet Noise Creative via Getty Images)
Grown-up Fridge(08 of10)
Open Image ModalThere comes a time when you have to admit that crouching down on a cold, sticky floor to grab your milk is simply not a sustainable state of affairs.My husband and I ended up putting our fridge in the living room, such was our meagre London living space. But we never regretted it.This investment will make you feel like a proper grown-up, I promise. (credit:Shutterstock / toocanimages)
Pillows(09 of10)
Open Image ModalCan you remember the last time you had a refreshing night's sleep?If the answer is no, then you need to take control of your pillows. Toss out those baggy, sweat-stained affairs and walk confidently towards a department store. Ask the assistant about memory foam, duck feathers and hypoallergenic covers, and feel your inner domestic god or goddess begin to smile. (credit:Tara Moore via Getty Images)
Cutlery(10 of10)
Open Image ModalTwo simple rules of thumb:- It shouldn't bend. - It should match. Enough said. (credit:Yagi Studio via Getty Images)