Getting Ready For a Big Move

February 12, 2019 1 Comment

Relocating from one home to another, even if the new home is in the same neighborhood, is a major life change. Packing up a home in which you’ve laid your head and spent quality time with family and friends is never easy and it can involve a lot of emotional upheaval. It’s funny to note that the biggest aspect of relocating doesn’t involve the geographic distance. Instead, what really has an impact during a move is the transition of taking yourself (and all the belongings you’ve accumulated over the years in that place) out of the place you’ve been calling home for quite a while. That’s why people who are considering making a move must plan all the details very carefully, to avoid any possible pitfalls along the way.

Those Who Move and Those Who Don’t

There’s an interesting psychology behind moving and it’s one that should be explored in this discussion of preparing for a house move. We all know people who tend to stay in their home for the long term. Families who own their now home (especially if they are raising children) tend to stay in their own place for the long term. This makes sense, as couples with children tend to want to “put down roots” and have a feeling of stability in the place where they live. People with children generally want to have on-going connections with their local community, especially as concerns their children’s activities in their schools. This feeling of wanting to “put down roots” in a community also applies to couples without children and to single people, too, though this feeling is generally more pressing for people who have children to raise.

Some people who are in a life transition, as in building a career, may relocate numerous times in a few years in order to take advantage of certain opportunities that come up. For others, moving frequently may be part of how they were raised, and may be their own unique style of “normal.” No matter what a person’s situation, however, getting ready for a move is always a big project, so let’s go over what is generally involved in making a move as successful as possible.

Making a List

When a new place has been secured, whether it’s a home with a mortgage or a rental, plans must be made in order for the whole move to go smoothly. Finding out the most reliable
Houston movers should be at the top of the “to do” checklist for people in the Houston area. From there, plans must be made to transfer over services like phone and utilities, but luckily today most of the can be done online. If the move involves having children change their schools, that must be planned well in advance. After all this has been accomplished, the hard work of dealing with your possessions must be planned for.

Packing Up

One of the more emotional components of making a move involves packing up all of our personal belongings. Wrapping and packing up our personal belongings takes time and energy, and the feelings that handling our possessions brings up can be complicated. Every item we own comes with a memory, some good and some not so good. During the process, many people decide it’s time to rid themselves of some of their belongings, and this can bring up feelings of loss but also a sense of relief. All of this means that it’s important to give yourself some tender loving care during the packing process, and to take some time to really rest and relax fully after it is all over.

Making a move can be a very positive action once the move is completed, but the truth is that the process can be arduous. So, the best plan is to plan carefully, and be kind to yourself.

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Get Ready for Spring Weather

February 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

It’s been a long, cold winter and everybody’s ready for warmer weather to arrive as we head into spring. If you’re a homeowner, that can also mean a long to-do list as you put away your winter items and bring out your spring accessories. Don’t put off items that need attention right away, or you’ll end up letting your to-do list overwhelm you. Instead, be prepared for spring by completing these simple tasks.

Start Cleaning

They don’t call it spring cleaning for nothing. Springtime is one of the best times of the year to go through and take stock of all the belongings that have accumulated around your home during the winter to see what you want to keep and what can be tossed out. Don’t try to rush the process or you may overlook important items that you should keep or toss. Instead, take it one room at a time and give each a thorough deep cleaning as you go through. In each room, pull all items out of closets, cupboards, and drawers and go through each item individually. If it’s something you haven’t used in the past year, chances are you can toss it. Toss out old documents as well, with the exception of important financial documents, which you should hold onto for at least seven years.

Make a Repair List

The next thing you’ll want to do is take a walk around your home and check things such as windows, doors, fence posts, and your electrical and plumbing. If anything looks broken or in need of repair, make a list so you don’t forget to get to it. Rank your list in order of importance and tackle the big items first. For example, if you have a leak in your plumbing that should come before fixing a broken fence post. If you want to get through your list quickly and don’t have the time to tackle everything alone, there are plenty of handyman services in Portland, OR that can help you get things done quickly.

Service Your HVAC System

As we transition into warmer weather, it’s time to start thinking of preparing your HVAC system so it’s ready when you need to start using air conditioning. Have your HVAC system serviced by a professional. They’ll be able to inspect your existing system to ensure it’s in good working condition while changing out filters, adding parts as needed, and ensuring it’s in good shape for the upcoming season.

Don’t let spring sneak up on you without being prepared. The sooner you tackle your spring to-do list, the sooner you’ll be able to enjoy the warm weather when it arrives.

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Make Preparing For A Party Much Easier

February 7, 2019 1 Comment

Whatever the occasion might be, it’s always fun to have a party – but somewhat less fun to plan one. If you are a little worried about an upcoming party you have in store, and you feel you might need some help with planning it, then the good news is that there are plenty of resources to help you out with that. Overall, however, it can help just to know what kinds of things you should focus on so that you can feel more ready and make the most of it as well. In this post, we are going to take a look at a number of the things that you can do to make preparing for a party considerably easier and even more enjoyable. As long as you have considered the following, you will find that preparing for that party is going to be a walk in the park – and you might even start to look forward to the next time you need to plan for something of that sort.

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Reducing Costs

 

Arguably one of the most common worries that many people face here is that they are concerned with the costs of the party and how they will make it work. Knowing how you are going to afford a party is something which can take a lot of time to get right, but it is essential if you are to make sure that the rest of the process falls into line as well in the way that you would like and expect. One of the first things to do therefore is to make a list of everything that you are going to need to buy, and the likely costs of it. Having it all clear in front of you in that manner will help you greatly in ensuring that you can get the funds together. You will then want to think about any possible alternative ways in which you can source the things that you are likely to spend the most. That could be as simple as finding wine for sale online or it could be that you need to think about searching around for a cheaper venue – possibly even using your own home or the home of someone close to you. However you do it, finding ways to reduce costs is bound to help you feel better about the party on the whole, and it will mean that you are going to be able to keep the stress at bay much more effectively too.

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Starting Early

 

It is much more likely that you will become stressed if you don’t give yourself the time to properly prepare, so one of the best things you can do is to make sure that you start planning for the party early. You can’t start too soon, especially if you are going to be booking a venue, live entertainment or catering – all of which can get booked up early, especially if they are in high demand. The earlier you start, the more you will get done, and the closer it will all be to the image you had in your head of what you wanted to achieve. It doesn’t mean that you need to get it all sorted early on either – merely that starting with some aspects of it can help you to get the ball rolling, and feel better and less stressed about it on the whole as well. This is a simple and extremely effective way of making it much easier on yourself to prepare a party of any kind.

 

Sending Invites

Obviously enough, you can’t have a party without any guests, so you will need to make sure that you are inviting people as and when you can if you are to make it a success. Again, earlier is better, although if you go too early on this you can end up making it so that people forget to attend. You will want to think about how you are inviting people, as that can make a difference too. Here, it is best to do what is easiest not just for you but for others too. For formal events, a postal invitation is probably the best way, but for many other occasions, you might find that an invite on social media will suffice, and can be a lot easier too. It’s all about judging what is best and going for that. As long as you get this right, you will know that you can end up with the right amount of guests – and that will make for a much more successful party on the whole.

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How to Help Your Child Reap the Benefits of Faith and Spirituality

January 30, 2019 Leave a Comment

How to Help Your Child Reap the Benefits of Faith and Spirituality

It is well known that living a spiritual life provides many benefits for the mental and physical health of Christian adults, but did you know children can be positively impacted by being raised in the faith as well? This is great news for parents who plan to raise their children in the church and teach them essential religious values. While some people might feel that they need to wait until their child is older to fully understand and benefit from spirituality, helping your child develop a faith in God from a young age is a great way to provide them with a happy childhood and guide them towards a life of faith in the future.

 

Teach Them the Importance of Morality

 

One of the greatest benefits for children who are exposed to religion from an early age is that they are able to turn to a clear set of morals to live by. The Bible teaches children the importance of loving their neighbors and the consequences of immoral actions like stealing, hurting others, and speaking unkindly. In a society full of people with varying ethics, it helps for children to have fixed rules they can always depend on. It is inevitable that your child will be exposed to multiple other influences in their life that may try to alter your child’s thinking and pull them towards a lifestyle that is harmful or sinful. This is why it’s important you teach your child that the standard they attempt to live their life by is determined by the Bible, not by other humans.

 

Show Them That God Is a Source of Love and Comfort

 

The Bible reveals God to be a kind, parental figure who has unconditional love for his children in spite of their mistakes. While you will always try your best to love your child and walk with them through their trials in life, you are neither perfect nor all-knowing and cannot shield your child from experiencing hardships. Children benefit from knowing that they can seek God to wrap them in his divine love and comfort when things are hard. Turning to God will teach your children healthy ways to cope and work through problems rather than relying on harmful or unproductive coping methods. Additionally, through this process, you will help nurture your child’s personal relationship with God. Your child will certainly encounter conflicting depictions of God as they grow and meet people with differing beliefs, so it is important you support your child in discovering God for themselves.

 

Expose Them to a Strong Community of Other Believers

 

Taking your child to church and spending time with other groups of believers is an effective way to get support developing your child’s spirituality. While it is very important for you to teach your child how to live out their faith at home, the church will teach them important biblical lessons and expose them to other Christian children their age. Model for your child the value of community by being involved with activities in church and forming close relationships with others. You can even join other religious communities like faith-based volunteer groups, bible studies, and fellowship ministries like The Way International. If your church has a Sunday school or children’s church, they will be able to learn about God in a fun, engaging way. Over time, they will likely make friends who will continue to be a good influence and source of support as your child grows older.

 

Prepare Them for Adulthood

 

Providing your child with a spiritual education and religious upbringing will benefit them throughout their childhood and well into their adulthood. Many studies have shown that children who grow up with spiritual beliefs are likely to have better mental health as adults and are less likely to use illicit drugs, smoke, or contract an STD. Don’t hesitate to show your child the love of God from the moment they’re born!

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Millennials Don’t Know They’re Born Until They’ve Hosted An 80s Party

January 21, 2019 Leave a Comment

As millennials, we think we’ve got our stuff together. We’ve learned from the mistakes of the past, and we’re moving towards a better and (hopefully) brighter future. We’re undoubtedly top trumps when it comes to things like technology. No generation before has had the reach and capabilities that we have now. But, when it comes to parties, we still struggle to fill the top spot.

That coveted title still belongs in the 80s, the era of shoulder pads, flared trousers, and banging parties. None of our attempts even come close to beating the events thrown in this era. That’s why even us millennials don’t know we’re born until we’ve hosted an 80s party. This is the ultimate way to add a vintage vibe to any do. It’s also your best chance at hosting the part of the year. Keep on reading to find out why.

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Bold = best with the dress

In the 80s, bold clothing was all the rage. Forget jeans and black tops; we’re talking shoulder pads which would poke your eyes out and insane flares. It makes sense, then, that a party with an 80s dress code is going to be a good night. You can certainly bet no one turns up in an uninspiring dress. Instead, you’ll be able to unleash all your creative impulses. You’ll be able to go where millennial fashion would never allow. And, you can guarantee you’ll all have a great time doing it. You might even find that you own more 80s pieces than you thought already. Many of the designs which appear in shops like Urban Outfitters come straight out of this era. If not, you could always follow the current trend of repurposing clothes you don’t wear anymore. Either way, clothes alone will set that dance floor on fire.

Bright drinks = you’re doing it right

Nowadays, our drinks tend to be pretty lackluster. There’s no color in a gin tonic, after all. In the 80s, though, it was impossible not to end up with a glass of something fluorescent. That’s because this was the age of cocktails. That’s right, baby; you can replace those endless gins and tonics with something like these cocktails with gin. Just the fun sight of drinks like these is sure to get guests giddy. Before they’ve even taken a sip, cocktails ensure that everyone gets into that fun party spirit. Add a few cocktail umbrellas, and you’re sure to be in for a fun night indeed.

 

Cheesy music = there’s nothing else to it

No 80s party would be complete without a cheesy playlist to die for. We’re talking Cyndi Lauper, Wham! and even Prince. These are classic songs which everyone knows. And, you can bet they’ll fill the dancefloor far faster than those modern dubstep tracks. Far from standing around the edges and bobbing your heads, every guest will be up there dancing until their heart’s content. That alone would ensure that your 80s party goes down as one of this decade’s best.

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5 Basics a New Driver Should Know About Their Car

December 21, 2018 Leave a Comment

5 Basics a New Driver Should Know About Their Car

Being a new driver can be a bit intimidating while you are gaining your confidence on the road. In addition to getting the rules of the road down, you should take the time to educate yourself on the basics of how a car works. A little knowledge beforehand will keep you from making some basic rookie mistakes and keep you from being stranded on the side of the road.

 

  1. Don’t exhaust the battery — your basic rookie mistake is to keep your battery on or in use while the engine is off. The car engine charges the battery, which is what makes the car start. Many a driver has accidentally drained the battery by listening to the radio with the engine off, having the headlights on with the engine off, leaving the car ‘on’ with the engine off… etc. Basically, anything that uses the battery should be used only minimally while the car engine is off. You won’t be sorry that your car always turns on reliably.
  2. Always change your oil — changing your oil is the cheapest way to keep your call happy and healthy for the long run. The car engine oil is there to lubricate, cool, and clean your engine. The absence of clean engine can create heating, build-up within the engine, and other horrible consequences. Oil changes are often recommended every 6 months and are usually fairly affordable. Many big car repair franchises offer all kinds of specials for this regular maintenance.
  3. Spare tires are not made for the long haul — your spare tire, some call it a ‘donut’ is meant to be used for emergencies. Many times these spare tires are smaller than the size that would be appropriate for your car and is not made to last for a while. So while it’s fine to swap out a flat tire for a spare to get safely home, you should replace it as soon as possible. Failure to do so will likely find you with another flat soon and/or damage to your axles or rims.
  4. What a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is — familiarize yourself with this icon on your dashboard is. Many drivers cannot recognize what is TPMS. It is a visual alert symbol to let you know to check your tire pressure. Cars are required to have these by law to keep you safe on the road. Ignoring the symbol is unsafe and can lead to more serious damage to your car. The symbol looks like a bulb with an exclamation point inside.
  5. Even the best-laid plans can go to waste — After knowing the basics about their car, a new driver should also be aware of how to handle emergencies while driving. Batteries die, flat tires happen, and unfortunately, the gas tanks do not run infinitely deep. The best way to handle these emergencies is to be prepared. Keep an empty gas tankard in the trunk, a spare tire and patch kit, jumper cables, and, if all else fails, keep your cell phone charged. Keeping a car phone charger handy in the car can often be a real lifesaver. Since these chargers run off your car battery, it won’t help you if the car battery dies (and you should avoid leaving it plugged in without the engine running), but otherwise, it’s a practical way to be prepared for an emergency.

 

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Filed Under: Lifestyle

Finding The Right Wheels For Your Toolbox

December 12, 2018 Leave a Comment

Finding The Right Wheels For Your Toolbox

Tall toolboxes are excellent to have around the house, especially if they are going to be used on a daily basis. However, these toolboxes can become a pain if any of the wheels break off or stop working. Luckily, there are some things you can do if your wheels are no longer wheeling smoothly.

See How Other People Are Handling This

The first thing you can do is find out how other people are handling this situation. It would be best to speak to people who use this type of toolbox on a daily basis. Find out what they have done or what they will do if one or more of their wheels on their toolbox stopped working. It would be wise to speak with a variety of these individuals because they will all differ in experience and common knowledge in this field.

Visit Department Stores

The next thing you can do is visit department stores in the area that are known for selling tools and toolboxes. Find out what options these stores have for people who are having trouble with the wheels on their toolbox. You should also find out if their replacement wheels come with full installation or not. Visiting several department stores in the area would be best.

Do A Thorough Online Search

An additional thing you can do would be to do a thorough online search for companies that sell wheels for toolboxes. Using a known search engine would get you to the top companies in the area, and you can compare these companies according to their ratings and reviews. An example of the ideal company is Access Casters Inc. They are known for distributing the finest tool box wheels in the country. Their wheels come in different shapes and colors, and they can even be custom made.

A toolbox can be a person’s closest friend in certain situations. Therefore, it is important that all of your wheels are working at all times. These wheels can also be a great gift for someone.

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StorageMart Storage Facility

November 19, 2018 Leave a Comment

Although these are my personal opinions this post has been sponsored by StorageMart.

StorageMart is the largest private family owned storage facility business who has very friendly professional staff members that are willing to help with anything at any time. They are known for having exceptionally reasonable priced storage units with no deposit required and no contracts. A required deposit and contracts are usually the things that hold potential customers back, but this company has now set the bar with no requirement for each. What really separates StorageMart from others is that they are open 24 hours a day for your convenience. Their facilities are also well lit so you can have access to your unit day or night and feel safe while doing so.

In addition to all these great features, StorageMart has climate-controlled storage buildings that have drive-in loading docks to keep you out of the elements and provide ease with loading and unloading property. StorageMart truly has its customer’s best interest at heart and will attempt to meet anyone’s needs. The climate-controlled storage units allow one to safely store sentimental property that could be damaged by the humidity or the heat. It also allows you the comfort of knowing you can work inside your unit and not have to deal with the summer’s heat or bear with the winter’s freezing temperatures.

StorageMart cares for their community in which they serve. Rather than tearing down old buildings and building a storage facility from scratch, StorageMart focuses on upcycling. Upcycling is recycling older buildings rather than tearing them down and rebuilding. StorageMart believes it is important to be green and care for the environment. Not only do they upcycle, but StorageMart also utilizes solar panels in many of their storage buildings for electricity. As a family-oriented business, StorageMart believes that caring for the environment is extremely important. StorageMart is not only green but is also known for their charity work in the 3 countries in which they have storage facilities. StorageMart can be found in the US, the UK, and Canada. StorageMart is constantly looking to expand in an attempt to assist as many potential customers as possible. So be on the lookout for StorageMart to be in your area.

 

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The All American Alcohol Adventure

October 15, 2018 Leave a Comment

(Image Source)

 

There are few things more fun than going out and enjoying a drink or two with some friends. This tradition has gone back hundreds of years, making it one of the only pastimes which have remained a strong part of human culture for so long. Of course, though, there is more than one way to soak up something like this. To give you a taste of the action, this post will be exploring America and all of the booze it has on offer.

 

Beer: Beer is one of the most popular drinks in the entire world. It comes in loads of different shapes and sizes, though, and the US has its own unique blend of ideas in this area. In recent years, Texas has become the largest producer of beer throughout the country, largely thanks to the craft breweries which have started to call it home. You can find great beers practically anywhere in the US, though, making it worth looking for this sort of drink wherever you go, even if you have to try several places before you find what you want.

 

Wine: Like beer, wine is another drink which is enjoyed around the world, and this has been the case for a very long time. Thanks to its popularity, Vineyards have become tourist attractions in their own right. This makes it easy to find trips to places like this, enabling you to sample the best options on offer directly from the source. Missouri is well-known for its wine production, though a lot of other states also follow this trend, especially where you find sunshine throughout a large part of the year.

 

Spirits: There are a lot of spirits enjoyed throughout the US, but bourbon is still the country’s National Spirit. First produced in Kentucky, this beverage is well known across the world, and can be found in almost every bar across the states. There are plenty of brands to try when you want to sample as much as you can, and, like vineyards, the ranches where this drink is primarily made are often open to tourists. Having an entire vacation planned around a drink like this doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.

 

Cocktails: Finally, as the last area to consider, it’s time to think about cocktails. While this isn’t something which is produced from raw ingredients, it still takes a lot of skill to make a good one, and this tradition is often passed down within local areas. California and Washington are the states best known for their cocktails. This makes them worth a visit if you want to try the selection of offer. Of course, though, you have to plan ahead, as the best bars will always get busy very quickly.

 

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling excited about the prospect of an alcohol-filled adventure across the United States. A vacation like this is strictly for adults, as the kids won’t find it very fun, but this doesn’t mean that you should hold yourself back.

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Bare Republic Sun Block

July 30, 2018 Leave a Comment

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest

opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links

 

My family and I love swimming, camping, and everything outdoors. My boys can be outside all day with no problem, but when it’s time to apply sunblock, they give me the hardest time in the world. I’ve tried letting them apply sunblock lotion to themselves and even playing a game with the spray bottle, but nothing seemed to give. As soon as I thought I was out of options, we found Bare Republic Neon Stick Sunscreen!  They come in 6 fun neon colors, Lighting Yellow, Electric Blue, Wicked Purple, Goblin Green, Atomic Orange, Pin-Rock Pink and they even smell good! They are naturally scented Coco Vanilla, Citrus Cooler, Coco Mango, and Pina Coco scented sunscreens. What’s not to love about this sunscreen, it’s fun and smells good!

My boys can’t get enough of them! They have so much fun ‘drawing’ on themselves and love how good they smell! This makes all of our outdoor events more enjoyable not having to fuss to apply sunblock. The sunblock sticks are easy for them to hold and compact enough to put in their pocket as walk to the pool. Being able to carry the sunblock sticks makes them feel very important. The colors go on so easy and very visible. Of course, if you want a brighter color, you just have to go over it a few times. My boys have a fair skin color, so we had to go over the orange and yellow a few times.

I love the fact that my boys enjoy applying sunblock and it’s not such a pain anymore. But most of all I love that it is safe for all of us to use. It is SPF 50, water resistant and last 80 min. Another huge plus is it will fade away when it is time to reapply. Unlike other sunblocks that can harm or burn your skin. Bare Republic Sunscreen is for the entire family, so we don’t have to buy a separate ‘kid’ sunblock. They are also free of chemical actives, synthetic fragrances, petroleum, parabens and anything else we wouldn’t want to put on our skin or leave behind in nature. They are also known as cruelty-free sunscreens that combine antioxidant-rich oils, plant extracts, and non-nano mineral actives Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide to offer broad-spectrum protection from UV rays

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Family, Lifestyle

Injured? Here’s How to Make The Most Out of Your Free Time

May 16, 2018 Leave a Comment

When we get injured or suffer a road accident, it is easy to focus on the negatives and get depressed. What if you focused on the opportunity that this time off gives you to sort out your finances, learn new skills, improve your relationships, or do what you always wanted to. Below you’ll find a few tips on what to do with your free time and better yourself while recovering from an injury.

Image via Austin Chan

 

Reconnect with Friends and Family Members

Image via Jon Ly

 

A sudden break from your daily rush lifestyle might come as a shock. If you failed to give your parents a call or sit down with your kids after school due to work, now this is the time to improve your relationships. If you have been wondering about how your old classmates and friends are doing, it might be time to look them up on Facebook and reconnect with them. List everyone you want to get in touch with, and make the most out of your time.

Take on a Course

Whether you always wanted to learn meditation or have been dreaming of a career change for a long time, but had no time to study, this is your chance. There are plenty of accredited online courses that will help you secure a promotion or pay rise, even lead to a career change after you have fully recovered. Do your research and dig deep to find out what you really want to learn.

Start a Blog

In case you have always wanted to connect with like minded people, but had no time, you can start your own blog. This will give you a new routine and a purpose in life, so you become more positive about your abilities and talk to people who might be facing similar issues as you. If you are facing disability forever or just for a few months, you can use your blog to write about your emotions and release stress and frustration.

Explore Your Legal Options

You can also use the time on your hands to explore your legal options and get the compensation you deserve from the person or business that caused your injury. Whether it was a road accident caused by a careless driver or a work injury due to the negligence of your employer, you can start building your legal case while recovering. You can also get in touch with an attorney to help you with your personal injury so you don’t have to do everything alone.

Plan Your Life

When you can take a step back from your regular busy life, take the opportunity to plan your life. Whether you would like to sort out your finances and get a better mortgage rate or deal with your home improvements, make a decision whether to move or not, you will now have the time and focus to get these pressing issues out of the way.

Suffering an injury is never great. You can, however, focus on the positives and make the most out of the free time to better your life.

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Filed Under: Children, Family, Health, Lifestyle, Wellness

Hostess With The Mostess: Airbnb Through The Looking Glass

April 23, 2018 2 Comments

Plenty of people who travel look to Airbnb for cheap and gorgeous accommodation. Nowadays, it’s seen as weird if you haven’t tried out the renting site that has changed vacationing forever. Apart from being cheap and novel, it’s great to have the full range of home accessories at your disposal. Hotels are brilliant, but houses are twice as good.

 

Of course, there is another side to Airbnb and that is being a host. Consider the next time you travel that you may make money in the process. After all, the property isn’t being used and everyone can do with the extra cash. It’s the dream, right? Sure is, but going through the looking glass is a tricky journey. Ask Airbnb hardliners and they’ll let you in on a few horror stories.

 

So, if you’re hell-bent on trying to kill two birds with one stone, how do you make sure you don’t get hit in the process? Well, you can start by taking a look at the following advice. This is what every beginner should do before they open their doors to the public.

 

Understand The Market

 

As soon as a new tech company blasts off into the stratosphere, the question is the same: how do they do it? The answers vary depending on the product and business, but Airbnb relies on something called “rental arbitrage.” For anyone who hasn’t heard this term before, it’s a fancy way of saying short-term renting. People want a bed for a night, and you want to make money and that is the equation. Of course, it isn’t as simple as this as not all hosts and landlords are created in God’s image. How much money you make comes down to a variety of factors, from the number of listings in the area to the popularity of the location. Too much or too little of both, and the venture will skyrocket or tank accordingly. It’s vital that beginners understand this before signing up as it may not be the sure-fire money-spinner you imagine.

 

Who Do You Want To Be?

 

Hosts have to decide who they want to be and what they want to get from the experience. This isn’t Westworld so the decision is yours and yours alone. Let’s confront the elephant in the room first – money is a factor. Cash will always play a part in the decision-making process regardless of how much of little you have. Still, it doesn’t have to dictate everything about being an Airbnb host. For instance, you may simply need a few extra bucks to supplement the household income for a while. Perfect, because renting your home is an easy and accessible method. Others, however, want to go further and turn hosting into a primary source of income. Those who fall into the second category need to cover every base, from cleanliness to gift packs. A stove fan comparison guide should even be on your radar because the whole property has to be perfect. Otherwise, tenants won’t leave a five-star rating and traffic will decrease.

 

Value Your Time

 

To decide which type of host you want to be, it’s important to think about time. Time is another valuable resource because we all need to mix work and life. Those that don’t tend to lack the same fulfillment from life. It’s Sod’s Law, then, that being a host takes up a large chunk of time when there aren’t enough hours in a day anyway. Being able to generate a wage from renting a property is less time-consuming as it’s a full-time job, yet it takes months of hard work to reach this goal. So, depending on the other things you want to do, time may play a factor. As always, the trick is to be realistic and not to overextend. When excitement hits, it straightforward to bite off more than one can chew, and this only becomes apparent when you’re up a certain creek. Factor in the time it takes to talk to guests, to set up a reservation, and to check them in and out to ensure there is plenty of time for other things.

 

Know The Market

 

The first paragraph went into this but it’s worth looking at it from a different perspective. Some markets aren’t big enough for hosting, and every patron should know this is in advance. However, there is also the argument that people must realize when they are in a hotspot. The obvious ones are easy to figure out, such as the Upper East Side in Manhattan or Chelsea in London. But, you may live next door to an attraction which is super popular. Better, the area may have excellent transport links and be cheaper on the whole than the city center. The reason it’s essential to know about these sorts of things is money. Would you charge half the price in NYC or London? Hell no! If anything, you may add a little bit extra to the amount due to demand. Therefore, there is no reason to do the same anywhere else in the world. By analyzing the market, you can figure out whether you’re under or overplaying your hand.

 

Adjust Insurance Policies

 

Homeowners have coverage to ensure they are not out on the street if the worst happens. Usually, nothing in a policy relates to renting out a property to a third-party. Insurers assume you and your family is going to live there so they don’t factor it into the price. Therefore, the policy may be void if there is damage as a result of listing it on Airbnb. Without a doubt, one of the first things a host has to do is contact their insurance company and have a conversation. If they are willing to add amendments, everything is fine as there is a solid backup plan. Think carefully about the next steps should they say no. Airbnb does have a $1 million insurance policy, but will that be enough?

 

Are you looking to rent for the first time? What are the things you’re excited and worried about?

 

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Filed Under: Lifestyle, Travel

Improve Your Quality Of Life

April 13, 2018 1 Comment

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Some people’s quality of life is amazing. They can go wherever they want, free from any aches, pains, or even just setbacks. But some people are the complete opposite, and just getting out of the house is a struggle. But it’s not just health, the quality of life people can have is largely determined by the income they have, and the way in which they have been brought up. It can also be determined by the quality of life you believe you’re having, and how much you actually enjoy life on a daily basis. However, it doesn’t matter what your beliefs are; there’s always something that could be improved. At the end of the day, life is far too short to be held back by a quality of life, especially when there are so many things you can do to improve it. Here are just a few ways that we think your life could be completely transformed.

 

Is Your Health Holding You Back?

 

Health is probably the number one factor to consider if you feel as though your quality of life isn’t the best. Most of the time, the way we treat our bodies determines whether we’re going to be held back. There are some people who treat their bodies like a temple. They’re at the gym every other day, eating healthy every single day, and maybe having a little treat here and there come the weekend. These are the people you want to try and be like, but obviously, not everyone has the self-control to be like this. The people who might be being held back a bit in life are the ones who don’t seem to look after their bodies as well as they could do. If this sounds like you, there are a few things that you need to change that could seriously improve the quality of your life. First, you need to focus on your fitness routine. Fitness plays a big part in how you feel overall. Despite popular belief, exercise doesn’t tire you out, it gives you more energy in the short term and makes you feel absolutely amazing after doing a bit of exercise. Endorphins are released from the body during exercise, and it’s these endorphins that give you that rush of a good feeling. Although actually having the motivation to get up and go to the gym is the biggest problem people face. If you do manage to go a few times a week, you’ll notice improvements in your weight, muscle tone, and overall energy throughout the day. Plus, a good work out a few hours before bed will knock you right out when it comes to sleeping.

 

Then you’ve got the things that we just can’t help that could be holding you back. These are the things that happen to us as we age, and when they do, they can be rather frightening. All of the sudden we aren’t the young spring chicken we used to be and things just seem to start falling apart. One of the most common is the loss of hearing of sight. Not a complete loss, but if you’re noticing a reduction in hearing, for example, it might be worth considering what options are out there for you. A lot of people hate the thought of having to wear a hearing aid due to them being on display all of the time. But companies are now working to reduce the size, but increase the effectiveness of their products. This 2018 guide to buying TV Ears will show you the best ones you can get for general everyday use. If you’re noticing your sight decreasing, then things might be a bit easier to sort. All you’ll need to do visit your local opticians and have a checkup. Again, people are reluctant to do so because they feel as though it’s giving into old age, especially if they’ve had the perfect vision all their life. Even though it’ll be a tad expensive, it’ll definitely be worth it in the long run when the quality of life is improved overall.

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Are Your Finances Holding You Back?

 

This is the main one for a lot of people. Money is everything, and there’s not much you can do without it nowadays. So to improve your quality of life, sometimes you need to find a way to take the stress away by removing financial issues. The best way to do this is to look at your spending and decide where you might be going wrong. A lot of people don’t realize how much money they’re wasting on rubbish all the time until they actually total up their monthly spendings. So, sit down and do a money plan, focusing on absolutely everything that you might need to buy on a monthly basis. We’re talking everything from food shops and household bills, to days out with the kids or a meal out with friends. What you’re left with is usually a lot of things that you can actually cut down on. For example, your TV box company. Some companies out there charge through the nose for additions such as movie channels, sports channels etc. Do you really need it all? The flat rate to just have normal channels could save you big bucks each month! Anything you can cut back on to give you a better quality of life, in general, is going to pay off. There’s no point being left with hardly any money left over to be able to treat yourself just so that you can have something as simple as a few extra channels each month!

 

Is Your Work The Problem?

 

Whether your quality of life is amazing, or whether you feel like there’s some room for improvements, work is always going to be a problem. We’re a slave to the system until it comes to retirement age, and sometimes that system is absolutely terrible to work for. Granted, there are a few people out there who get to live the absolute dream and have their dream job that they enjoy. But for the most of us, we really struggle with getting through the day and staying motivated. So, if this sounds like you, take a stand and find a reason to enjoy work again! If that means leaving your job, leave your job! There are so many different career paths out there that a person can take that will mean their whole quality of life is changed. Life is just far too short to be worrying about work and having to get up every morning to be there. Plus, you never know, some careers that you’ll find might end up taking you around the world, which brings us to our next paragraph.

Why Not Go Travelling?

 

Travelling is one of the most liberating and freeing things that you’ll ever do. But so many people get to old age and look back and think ‘I wish I actually gone traveling’. So many people waste the perfect opportunity to go and see the world. Instead, they’re stuck in work just waiting for their life to pass them by. Sound like you? Well, find a way to go traveling and go and do it. Don’t let money hold you back, you can always bar hop in different countries to bring in a little money. Or you could go freelance so you’re able to take your work with you wherever you go! Even if you go traveling solo it is still worth doing to get that excellent life experience. The people you meet along the way could well remain friends for life as well!

 

So, do you now feel as though you can improve your quality of life? Don’t spend life wishing you could, be proactive and make it happen!

 

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