LAURA HARDY

Laura is a fiercely ambitious advertising executive who has worked hard to build a life completely different from the one she grew up in. Raised in a chaotic, cluttered house with three sisters and free-spirited hippie parents, she learned early on that if she wanted something done properly, she'd have to do it herself. These days, Laura is impeccably dressed, meticulously organized and always three steps ahead of everyone else. She's determined to climb the corporate ladder and eventually run her own advertising agency, and she approaches every challenge with the same ruthless efficiency. At home, she's unquestionably the boss, even if her husband Carl's messy, carefree ways regularly threaten to derail her carefully organized plans.

Despite their differences, Laura and Carl adore each other. His laid-back attitude helps her loosen up, while her determination keeps his chaotic projects moving forward. She loves their young daughter, Poppy, more than anything, but balancing motherhood with her demanding career is proving increasingly difficult. With Carl buried in his house renovation and Laura chasing her next promotion, they've finally admitted that a babysitter is essential if either of them is going to achieve their ambitions. Laura isn't particularly comfortable handing over control, though, and she'll probably leave behind a detailed schedule, emergency contacts and enough instructions to run a small nursery.

Laura has a rather unusual quirk: she secretly rates people on how efficiently they load a dishwasher. She can tell an awful lot about someone's character by the way they arrange plates, stack cups and deal with cutlery, and she's been known to silently reorganize a friend's dishwasher when nobody's looking. Beneath her polished exterior, Laura is terrified of slipping back into the instability of her childhood, which drives her need to control everything around her. She's loving, fiercely loyal and incredibly capable, but her perfectionism can make her demanding and a little intimidating.