Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!

A Quick Home Maintenance Guide For Homeowners

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A Quick Home Maintenance Guide For Homeowners

Homeowners need to get to grips with home maintenance if they’re going to keep their home running well and comfortable enough to live in. This quick home maintenance guide can give you a few useful tips that will help you to keep on top of things now and in the future:

Keep Your Furnace And HVAC Filters In Working Order:

If you don’t stay on top of your furnace and HVAC filters, dust and grime will accumulate and this will mean they run less efficiently, costing you more money. Allergens and pollutants can also get trapped, and you don’t want those being spread around your home. All you have to do is turn off the system and look at the filters to see if they are grimy. Check these over every year and be sure to schedule an annual maintenance check with your preferred home heating and air professionals to ensure that everything is in working order.

Recaulk Your Windows:

Heat loss in the winter happens due to cracks in the windows 80% of the time. Sealing the space around them will help you to solve this issue quickly, so you can keep your home warm and save money. Make sure that you choose the right caulk by speaking to a professional so that you can get it right the first time. If you book in a professional home inspection, they’ll look for this and give you tips on maintaining your home to help protect your investment.

Check Wooden Decks For Moisture:

Wooden decks must be sealed and stained to stop rot and permanent water damage. A splash test will give you a good idea if the sealant is still doing its job. You’ll see droplets on the deck if it’s working. If not, then you need to take the time to reseal your deck, doing this every 2-3 years in total.

Clean Out The Gutters:

Guttering is one place that often goes unattended due to it typically being out of reach and sight. However, cleaning out gutters is essential, especially if they’re not closed off. From the weather and elements, a lot of debris can become clogged up in the guttering and with rainfall, it can seep into the walls and internal structure of the home. Get up on a ladder to remove it yourself safely or seek guttering services to get it done professionally.

Check For Water In The Crawl Space:

You want to avoid mold and water damage to your house as much as possible, so just grab a flashlight and take a look. Have a look for changes in color, the corners, and the edges. You can also use your fingers to see if you feel any dampness. You need to make sure this is fixed by a waterproofing company in Arrington, TN or your local area before rainy weather comes, as you don’t want to let any more moisture in.

Touching Up Your Exterior Paint:

Your paint greatly contributes to your curb appeal, and staining will help to protect your home from rusting and rotting. Take your time and look for chipping, peeling, blistering, or cracking on every part, every summer. You may, then, need to take your time sanding, scraping, patching, priming, and re-painting small areas.

Maintain Your Fireplace:

If your fire isn’t running the way it should, it could go as far as killing you with toxic gases. At the very least, it’ll take up a lot of energy. It’s always better to build a relationship with a professional that you trust to help you with this. If you have a wood burning fireplace, then it’s especially important to stay on top of maintenance. Creosote is a by-product of burning wood and this can build up in your chimney and create a fire hazard.

Keeping up with simple maintenance will keep your home running smoothly and will save you money in the long run.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Stop Replacing Clothes So Often With These Longevity Hacks

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Stop Replacing Clothes So Often With These Longevity Hacks

Do you wish that your clothes would last you for longer than they do? If they did, you wouldn’t have to replace them quite so often, which would help you save a whole load of cash. So, imagine if there were ways that you could prevent all of the wear and tear that your items of clothing have to go through.

Well, there are a few ways you can do just that! And don’t worry, you don’t have to spend a lot of money trying to increase their longevity and lifespan. In fact, these simple hacks can help you see a big difference when it comes to making your wardrobe last longer.

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Cuuuute!

Know What To Fold And What To Hang:

Did you know that storing your clothes incorrectly could shorten their life? It’s true; some clothes need to be hanged up while others should be folded away neatly. For instance, sweaters and hoodies will stretch out of shape when they are hung on hangers in a closet. They need to be folded up in drawers. Similarly, dress shirts won’t fare too well when hung up. However, jackets and coats need to be hung – you can use shirt hangers to ensure that they don’t stretch too much on the hanger. Dresses and skirts also need hanging in wardrobes, as well.

Reduce Your Laundry:

If you regularly wash clothes, they will end up losing their color and the material will also start to fray. So, no matter how tempted you are to pop an item of clothing into the wash, you should try and hold off until it really does need cleaning. Ideally, you should wear everything more than once before it goes in the washing machine. There are some things that can help you put off your washes. For example, lint rollers can remove any hairs from your sweaters and you can also buy anti-stain pens that you can dab onto your clothes to remove any small stains and spills.

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I need that outfit!

Keep A Smoke Free Home:

It’s also a good idea to try and keep your home free from smoke. This includes smoke from cigarettes and vapor pens. The odors from each type of cigarette and e-cigarette will just cause your clothes to smell, even if they are put away in your wardrobe. Cigarette smoke and odors can end up all around the house and will get into your closets and other storage units. Not only that, but the smoke from traditional cigarettes could end up permanently staining your clothes.

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Kaboom Pics Image

Watch Out For Pests:

It’s not just cigarettes that are putting your clothes at risks – any pests that are sneaking around your home could also be causing damage. For example, rats and mice like to nibble on anything they can get their paws on. If they make their way into your bedroom, you might start to find bite marks on the edges of your clothes. They might also do their business on your clothes, which could cause stains and smells. Thankfully, this company can help you take care of your pest problem. You might also want to add some mothballs to your wardrobes, closets, and drawers so that you don’t start to have a problem with moths. These little creatures are known for eating clothes whenever they get the chance!

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Love that backpack!

Work In Old Clothes:

Ideally, you should always keep some old clothes that you can carry out all of your dirty work in. It’s really not a good idea to wear your best shirt and jeans for doing your cleaning and other chores around the house, for example. You will be on your hands and knees, which could wear down your jeans, and you might also spill some harsh cleaning chemicals on yourself which could stain your clothes. So, it’s a good idea to keep some old clothes that you aren’t bothered about for these jobs. You should also invest in an apron for when you are cooking in your kitchen. Just one splash of tomato sauce could end up ruining a crisp white shirt!

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Fun shoes!

Reinforce Your Hems:

As soon as you buy a new skirt, pair of pants, or dress, you should always find the time to reinforce the hem before you wear it. It’s really easy to do, as you just need to know one simple stitch. If you have your own sewing machine, then it is even easier. Doing this will make the hems a lot less flimsy and they won’t experience quite as much wear and tear as usual. Knowing how to sew hems can also help you raise or lower them, which means you will be able to adjust your skirts and dresses to keep up with hemline fashions.

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Definitely wear your play close while exploring!

Invest In Good Quality:

One of the best things that you can do when you are shopping for clothes is to invest in good quality items. If you just buy cheap clothing, you will find that it regularly needs to be replaced. That’s because it hasn’t been made with the best materials or using the best possible techniques. As a result, it will be flimsy and a lot more likely to stretch out of shape.

Plus, you will find that the colors fade quickly. So, rather than scrimping and saving in budget stores, it really is worth investing in top-quality items. These will last you a lot longer so, even though you initially pay more, you will end up saving money as you won’t need to replace them so often. When you buy expensive clothes, you should look for timeless, statement pieces as these won’t go out of fashion quite as often as items of clothing that are bang-on trend right now.

Your clothes should always last you for at least a year. If you find that you are replacing items more often than that, you might really benefit from all of the tips in this post. Good luck with your wardrobe’s new lease of longevity!

Featured Image By: Kaboom Pics

March 2018 Finishes

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March 2018 Finishes

Howdy! I can’t believe that another month is drawing to a close already. 2018 is flying by, and with that, brings my empties post for March! Take a look at my monthly finishes and let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

  • Suave Sweet Pea & Violet body wash: YES
  • Dickinson’s Witch Hazel: YES
  • The Body Shop Nutriganics eye cream: YES
  • Clinique Moisture Surge moisturizer: YES

Why/Why Not?

Suave Body Wash: I love the Suave shower gels. They lather well, they always smell great, and they are long lasting. It took me over two months to finish my Sweet Pea & Violet body wash and it was most enjoyable. It’s a floral scent, but it’s not so overpowering that you smell like a flower field all day. It’s actually quite energizing, which is great for the days that you don’t feel like waking up!

Dickinson’s Witch Hazel: I use witch hazel as a toner, a piercing cleaner, and a makeup remover when I am making little edits to my makeup look. Witch hazel is cheap, but effective and it works diligently to tighten my pores and give the areas around my piercings a deep clean. Dickinson’s is the only brand that I trust, and it took me about four months to finish this bottle.

TBS Eye Cream: We all know by now that The Body Shop’s Nutriganics eye cream is my go to for preventing fine lines and wrinkles around my peepers. It takes me a solid half a year to finish this tiny bottle of cream. You can’t beat that!

Clinique Moisturizer: I got to sample Clinique’s Moisture Surge moisturizer for free thanks to a recent Sephora purchase. If I wasn’t so gung-ho about buying moisturizers for cheap at TJMaxx, I would definitely purchase this Clinique product. It is a gel moisturizer, which is my favorite, and a little dollop went a long way in eliminating dry winter skin. Loved it.

March was definitely a successful month for finishes, and I would happily use each product that I completed again. Now, if only I could get my hands on that Clinique moisturizer for a bargain price!

Which products have you finished up this month? How do you beat dry skin during the colder months? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Special K Cereal Obsession

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Special K Cereal Obsession

Hi everyone and happy Monday! Cereal has always been the perfect anytime food, to me. It’s great in the morning, but I find that it’s even better for dinner or a late night snack. My grocery store recently was giving away a box of Special K cereal as their weekly freebie, which was pretty sweet in itself. But, oh my goodness, the sweet deliciousness definitely lies in the cereal, for sure.

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The Special K cereal with berries and peaches is the freaking bomb.com. The cereal flakes have the perfect amount of crisp crunch to it, even after you pour your soy or almond milk over top of it. And, as soon as the milk hits the dried berries, they instantly plump up, making them taste freshly picked. The peaches and blueberries are as sweet as can be, and the raspberries add just the right amount of tartness to it to tone down your sweet tooth a smidgen!

But, the best part? The yogurt pieces!! These amazing little guys are jam packed with probiotics and taste EXACTLY like white chocolate. So delicious! So much so, that I think I am going to go pour myself a bowl right now. 🙂

What is your favorite kind of cereal? When is the best time to eat a bowl of cereal? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Big Idea

Oh, Heyyy

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Oh, Heyyy

Happy Sunday! I realize that it has been a phat minute since I posted a picture of myself and *gasp* I’m not wearing red lipstick in it! I swapped the red during a day out for one of my favorite Tarte lip paint shades in Rosé. This picture is also featuring a Lauren Conrad top from Kohl’s that I got for a whopping five dollars. What whattttttt!

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Oh, Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

How are you spending Sunday Funday? How often do you take selfies? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Snakeskin, Sister

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Snakeskin, Sister

Hi!! Although I am not the biggest fan of animal prints when it comes to clothing and accessories, I am definitely (faux) snakeskin obsessed. Cheetah, zebra, and whatever other animal prints there are simply fall by the wayside when it comes to snakeskin. To me, snakeskin is the chicest animal print – it tends to be soft and subdued but still has the perfect amount of glam rock edge to it, which sets it apart from in your face cheetah or zebra patterns.

I have never been able to find just the right snakeskin patterned clothing, but I do have a Nine West purse and two pairs of snakeskin booties that I adore. Take a look:

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I think that the best part about snakeskin is that it really is a neutral pattern. The blacks, greys, whites, and taupes blend so effortlessly that it never overpowers the rest of your look. My snakeskin boots are usually my go to’s when I want to spice an outfit up a little while still maintaining a rocker cool vibe.

And, can we talk about one of my favorite purses of all time?! My Nine West bag was a birthday gift from a few years ago and it remains as one of my most frequently used purses. It is perfect for either work or play and is large enough to fit all of my necessities in it without being too big. Sigh, TJMaxx shoots and scores again. :*)

Whether you want a chic pattern to incorporate into your work wardrobe or something more rocker when you’re at play, snakeskin will always be the best way to go!

What is your favorite animal print? How do you incorporate snakeskin into your wardrobe? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feel Better, Look Better

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Feel Better, Look Better

We all have this obsession with wanting to look perfect. We want to have that killer body, with those pearly whites, and flawless skin. But have you ever thought that in order to achieve those things, you need to ensure that you’re healthy and well on the inside? The healthier that you are, the better you will not only feel, but look too. Ever heard of that saying “my body is my temple”? Well everyone should think this way about themselves – you should worship it and want to do all that you can in order to be better.

Rather than focusing so much on how that girl’s body looks on Instagram and how she got her hair to look that shiny – think about how you can make yourself feel good. One of the biggest mistakes that every woman (and man) can make, is to compare themselves to others. Especially when it comes to a photograph. You need to realize that things aren’t all that real anymore. Those models you see in the magazines – they’ve been picked apart and had all their ‘bad’ areas photoshopped. That means no more cellulite, stretch marks, freckles, scars, or spots. So you can’t possibly compare yourself to that. Even Instagram nowadays is hard to decipher what is real and what isn’t, as there are so many filters and edits that are made within a mere few clicks of a button on a phone – you just can’t win. So put all of that attention into focusing on yourself – you haven’t got time to waste on negative thoughts.

Strengthen your mind:

You may think that improvements are to be made on your appearance, but the first place that you should be giving some love to is your mind. This is the place where all of your thoughts and feelings come from. So you know when you look in a mirror and hear those nagging voices in the back of your mind that tell you you’re not good enough? That all comes from your brain, so you need to work on changing your perception of things. One trick to doing this is telling yourself that you’re beautiful every single day. Out loud. It doesn’t matter if you feel silly. Stand up tall, look at yourself, and declare your beauty. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe it yet – you will. Say one beautiful thing about yourself, but this doesn’t necessarily mean in terms of your looks. Think more about your traits and qualities. “I am beautiful because I’m kind.” “I am beautiful because I’m compassionate.” These reinforce the whole meaning of what beauty really is.

Give your body what it needs:

Your body needs certain nutrients and vitamins in order for it to function to the best of its ability. You should feel energized and, well, not tired and moody. All of these things are affected by what you put inside your body. Every different vitamin provides you with an essential source. This is why supplements are a good idea for people that are on the go a lot, because they don’t have to worry about not getting exactly what they need if it’s all there in a capsule, instead. KetoMCT is very good at fueling your brain and keeping it focused and alert, as well as supporting your weight management and boosting your immune system. All of these things are vital if you want to live a healthy life. Another trick that you can do is to eat as much of a colored variety of fruits and vegetables as you possibly can. The bigger the array, the more selection of goodness you are making available to your body.

Keep yourself in shape:

If you have noticed that you’ve gained some extra pounds and you aren’t happy about it, then it’s simple – do something about it. One of the biggest things to battle is laziness. We all suffer from it at one time or another, and finding the motivation to fight it can be very difficult. But, this is where you need to start being strict with yourself. If you expect to see a difference, then you need to put in the work. There are plenty of great exercises out there that you can do that are easy, and don’t necessarily require you to go to the gym. If you like the water, then swimming is a great workout, especially if you are a little heavier, because water makes you weightless, as opposed to if you were running. This is why it is so great for practicing mobility without the worry of straining yourself or causing an injury. Then as soon as you feel ready to push further – add some weights to the mix for added resistance.

Support one another:

Us girls need to stick together, not hate on one another. So spread the love and all of that positive energy that you know you have within you. Go out with your girlfriends, shop together, and give each other some tips to update your style a little. Let’s face it, shopping is a lot more fun when it’s done with your besties. Make a whole day of it and put on a fashion show with tons of different looks that you have all picked out. You may learn a lot about yourself that you would have never known if you hadn’t have tried on that weird frilly dress that looked gross on the hanger, but ends up making you look like a true woman. Then, after your long shopping spree, you can hit the fancy restaurant in your just-bought outfit and enjoy your new found confidence thanks to the awesome company you have around you.

Now, of course, you can’t expect things to miraculously change overnight. But with a little bit of patience and persistence, you will have a brighter outlook on yourself – and for good reason!

Featured Image By: Google

Sunshine Blogger Award #5

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Sunshine Blogger Award #5

Hello everyone and TGIF! The darling Stephanie over at StephanieLeigh Beauty just nominated lifewithlilred for its fifth Sunshine Blogger Award. I mean this in the most non creepy way, but Stephanie is seriously SO pretty and she knows how to rock a red lip, instantly making her a woman after my own heart. Her posts and product reviews are excellent AND she’s hilarious, so please do yourself a favor and check out her page! Now, let’s get on to the rules for this post:

The Rules:

  • Thank the blogger who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.
  • Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
  • Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
  • List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Q & A:

What is your favorite movie genre and why? Horror all the way! I’ve always loved scary movies. It’s fun to be all cozied up under a bunch of blankets and feel shock and then the laughter and relief when the scary scene is over.

What was the last TV show you binge watched? Uhmm… I think it was just rewatching Wentworth in its entirety… again.

Would you rather wear sandals and socks OR triple denim? Give me a denim tuxedo any day! I don’t even own sandals, anyways lol.

What is your favorite thing to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon? Get some of my blogging done for the week! I definitely try to do a lot of writing on Sundays.

Where is your favorite place to visit? Harry Potter World at Universal Studios in Florida!

What do you wish you could tell your 11 year old self? Stop caring so much what other people think. It doesn’t matter nearly as much as you think it does.

Your biggest pet peeve? When people talk during movies or TV shows that I’m trying to watch!! I hate that!

Coffee or tea? Coffee, all day every day.

A night in or a night out and why? A night in. It’s just as fun and it’s cheaper.

If you were to go on a talent show, what would your talent be? Quoting the movie Step Brothers in its entirety.

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? Getting paid to hold baby animals!!!!!!! :*)

My Nominees (I’m only doing three):

My Questions For You:

  1. What is your favorite hang out spot in your neck of the woods?
  2. Favorite season?
  3. Favorite flower?
  4. What was your first job?
  5. What is one of your guilty pleasures?
  6. What was your worst subject in school?
  7. How do you like to spend your free time?
  8. What was the last book you read?
  9. What was the last movie you saw in theaters?
  10. Favorite store to shop at?
  11. What was a beauty blunder that you used to make?

Thank you so much again to Stephanie for lifewithlilred’s fifth Sunshine Blogger Award! How would you answer some of Stephanie’s questions for her nominees? How about some of my questions for mine? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Confidence Boosting Secrets You Can’t Deny

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Confidence Boosting Secrets You Can’t Deny

If you are looking to improve the way that you think about yourself, it is a good idea to be aware of the many options there are available for you to do just that. The more that you know about how to boost your confidence, the more likely it is that you will be able to maintain a real sense of it for longer. In this article, we are going to look at some of the secrets to boosting your confidence, which you can’t deny are powerful. Give all of these a go if you want to feel as confident in yourself as possible. You might be surprised at the power that these methods really do hold:

Improve Your Appearance:

People often get confused or upset about the subject of improving your appearance. The fact is, that you don’t need to try and make yourself fit into a typical beauty standard in order to be confident or happy. It’s not about looking in such a way that society wants you to look, or even about trying to attract the opposite sex. It’s all about looking the way that you personally want to look, despite what others might think. For some people, the only thing they want is a breast augmentation. For others, all that is required is to dress differently or slim down a little. Whatever your own idea of beautiful is, follow it with your heart and it will lead you to a place of better self-acceptance in no time.

Go Outside Of Your Comfort Zone:

Probably the single most powerful way to build your confidence is to engage in acts which you find difficult or scary to engage in. In other words, you generally need to go outside of your comfort zone regularly if you are to try and feel as confident in yourself as you would like to. This can be done in a variety of ways. It might be a case of trying to complete a new kind of project – or maybe you just want to get involved in a new sport that you haven’t tried before. Whatever it might be, trying new things and becoming generally more adept at them will make you feel like you can do anything – which is absolutely true. You can.

Smile:

It’s a proven fact that smiling regularly boosts endorphins and helps you to feel better about yourself. If you are struggling with any other confidence-boosting method, then a simple and powerful one could be to just smile and relax. Even if you don’t feel like it, giving a great big grin could sometimes be the best thing to do. What’s more, doing it regularly will help you to change what you think of yourself in a profound way, so it’s definitely something that you should try out. You might be amazed at just how much of a difference it makes – and how fast it happens, too. For that reason alone it is something to consider, regardless of whether you have thought to do it before or not.

In this world, confidence is key and boosting it could be the best thing that you do for yourself.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

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Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Hello! Today is a special day, because it is my beautiful, amazing, wonderful mother’s birthday. Saying that my mom is my best friend is a severe understatement. I don’t know what is better than a best friend, but that’s what she is. She is my confidant, my TJMaxx partner in crime, and my viewing buddy for Ellen DeGeneres, The Voice, and America’s Next Top Model.

Although my mom and I love being women on the go, I love being able to just hang out and enjoy our lunch or dinner together when one of us isn’t working. It’s such a treat to sit down and chat while sharing a meal or one of her to die for grilled cheeses on her homemade bread. YUM.

Through simple pleasures and sweet surprises, my mom brings so much joy to my life. I literally can’t look at her without smiling. Every day, my mom teaches me something new about physical and emotional fortitude, kindness, and just taking life one step at a time. Through both good days and bad, JANE radiates positivity wherever she goes, and I think that anyone can take a page out of that book.

To the best mom and friend in the world, we raise our Margarita glasses to you!

Happy Birthday, Mom! ❤

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(And shout out to the man in the blue shirt on the far right who has no relation whatsoever to my family. Best photobomb ever.)

Who else is celebrating a birthday soon? What is one of your best birthday memories? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah