Category Archives: Anything & Everything

Oct28

Keeping Calm When Moving House Independently

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Keeping Calm When Moving House Independently

Moving to a new house is such a huge task, and it can feel almost impossible when you have to struggle through the journey by yourself. Moving alone means that you are the only person responsible for completing each and every requirement, and this can easily become an overwhelming task. Luckily you needn’t suffer through such a negative experience, as there are many proactive tips and tricks that you can utilize to keep calm and cool whilst moving to a new home independently! Read on to uncover some of the best steps that you can follow now to breeze through your move and make the most of each and every achievement:

Make A Plan:

One of the best things that you can do to take the stress out of moving by yourself is to make a detailed plan which includes every important step and feature. The most essential date of all is the day that you move into your new property, but there are also many other tasks that you must complete before you reach this point. Your belongings must be organized and either packed up ready for the move, sold on for extra funds, or simply thrown away, and you need to update your address with all of the relevant companies to maintain security.

It is also important to organize utilities inside your new home, not forgetting a WiFi connection, and arrange your finances by using a platform like MortgageCalculator.Org to figure out your monthly payments. Making a plan will help you to ensure that you don’t accidentally miss any of the most essential steps during your move, and the fact that you can tick off each task as you go is a great motivation to keep on working hard to get closer to your goal.

Get Professional Support

If you feel as though you are struggling through your move without any support, there’s always the option to enlist professional, specialist help to see you through to the end of your journey. Whether you need the help of an experienced estate agent to find your new dream home or would benefit from a team of trusted movers to help you transport your life from A to B, there are many different brands and people ready and waiting for your inquiry. It’s a good idea to check online and read a few reviews left by previous customers to get a better feel for the quality of the service they provide, as you don’t want to waste money on something that won’t really offer any benefit, and positive feedback can give you great peace of mind.

Keeping calm when moving independently has never been so simple when you are able to utilize the top tips and tricks that have been detailed above! You needn’t struggle through such a huge task all by yourself, as there’s always a way to maintain control or seek out specialist support to help carry you through the process.

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Oct21

Sweet Surprises: Best Boyfriend Ever Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Best Boyfriend Ever Edition

Hello! So, last Thursday, I had quite possibly one of the worst work days of my life. I can’t go into more detail than that but it was emotionally charged and very sad for me. Despite being so upset, I knew Johnny had kind of a bum week too so I decided to pick him up some fast food from one of his favorite places in the area I was in. I texted him that I had his dinner and not to make anything for himself and he replied back that he actually had a surprise for me, as well.

Naturally, the word “surprise” put a tiny pep back in my step and I was eager to get home to see what Johnny was talking about. When I walked into our apartment, I laughed out loud because I saw this hanging from our rafter:

Originally, I thought the ghostie was the surprise but Johnny told me that it was for him to take to work to decorate his space with. This is a ghost that he definitely won’t need a boo buddy or ghost camera for! Then, he handed me this adorable sugar skull coffee mug:

I absolutely love being gifted with coffee mugs because it makes me think of whoever gave it to me whenever I use it. I have so many cute mugs from my best friend and the ones that aren’t in my kitchen cabinet house little knick knacks and baubles throughout my apartment. Johnny hit the nail on the head with this pick me up and, somehow, we both knew that each of us would need one that day.

My new coffee mug is deliciously Day Of The Dead and I plan on keeping it out all of the time because it always makes me smile when I see it. My Johnny really is the best boyfriend ever and my day got a whole lot brighter as soon as I got home.

For the rest of the night, we watched The Haunting Of Bly Manor and Seinfeld and laughed every time the ghost decoration spooked me when I saw it in my peripheral. I am so thankful to have him because he turned my awful day into a wonderful evening and all I had to do was open the door to our place. ❤

Has anyone given you a Sweet Surprise recently? How do you unwind after a bad day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct6

4 At Home Issues To Handle To Ease Your Mind

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4 At Home Issues To Handle To Ease Your Mind

Life is hard sometimes. It’s an amazing adventure that we’re all lucky to embark on, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be full of stresses and strains to our mental well-being along the way. For some reason, life likes to throw curve balls at us in order to challenge our will and capabilities. That’s okay, though, because the harsher times allow us to really appreciate the good ones.

Something that a lot of us have to deal with from time to time is anxiety or an obscene amount of personal stress. While this isn’t the most convenient set of feelings in the world, they’re pretty common. They can also be helped and lessened quite easily if you know how to attack the route of the issue.

Most of the time, the root of the problem is right at home. If we’re not content in our abode, then everything else can feel toxic. Everyone’s domestic life is different, obviously, so spoon-feeding you solutions probably won’t work. Here are a few suggestions, however, that could do your mind a world of good:

Create a housework routine:

Doing things around the house can feel so draining – especially when you’re not used to doing them. Leaving them and holding off for ages seems okay at the time, but you’ll eventually have to do the jobs, and the longer you leave them, the more work you have to do. If you get into a systematic routine, you’ll get things done quickly, and it’ll all feel like a cakewalk. Plan out a daily cleaning routine so normal messes don’t turn into huge disasters.

Reconcile issues with those in the house:

When something’s weighing on your mind, it can affect how you behave day-in-day-out. You need to open up and talk about things with others – especially if there’s some awkward tension or friction there. The best thing to do, always, is to talk things out and get to the bottom of whatever is going on. Even if the outcome is pretty negative, it is still an outcome and closure – you can move on accordingly.

Take care of tedious tasks:

We all have annoying aspects of the home that need to be seen to. A lot of people, however, get on with life and don’t get them handled. They just plod along and get upset whenever they see the things that need to be changed or fixed. It’s understandable as there are many important aspects of one’s life, but everyone has the same twenty-four hours. Get in touch with an electrician if you think your wires are on the fritz. Speak to a plumber who can deal with the awkward piping and boiler situation you may have. Don’t leave things until they go completely kaput.

Take a look at finances and spending habits:

Our bank accounts and our outgoings can put us under a lot of pressure – sometimes unnecessarily. Take a look at how you’ve been behaving financially over the past year or so. If you’re doing okay for money, then, by all means, continue enjoying what you do. If you’re a little tight for cash right now, then you might want to look at your situation and do a little revising for emergencies.

Feeling good starts in your house. Take care of what you can DIY and, as always, call in the professionals when you need help!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Sep9

Paranormal Activity Pt. 5

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Paranormal Activity Pt. 5

Hi! For those of you who don’t know, I have experienced quite a bit of what I would call “Paranormal Activity” in my apartment. From a piece of paper almost levitating onto a candle to walking on broken glass a lot, my “ghostie” seems to pop up from time to time just to remind me that he (I think it’s a he) is still here.

Broken glass has always seemed to be the motif of my ghost. I can count on over one hand the amount of time I’ve stepped on it, even though it has been months since anything was broken in my apartment. The glass also seems to end up in the most inconvenient and unexpected spot – my bathroom for some odd reason.

This past week, I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror getting ready for work when, all of a sudden, I felt a sharp nick – like I cut myself shaving. I looked all over the floor for the culprit and couldn’t find zilch. I also examined my legs and feet extremely thoroughly and could not find any cuts or blood so I continued with my morning routine and considered it a “phantom” pain.

I left the bathroom and got dressed and then returned for finishing touches to something really weird – a trail of blood on the floor that was definitely not there earlier. I looked on both of my feet again and couldn’t find any puncture wounds or traces of blood.

At this point, I was in a rush and decided to just forget about it and I almost had until later that evening. I visited the LOO and as I was walking out, I felt that same sharp pain in my foot and, this time, there was a shard of broken glass sticking out of it.

This may seem like something little or coincidental but I swear, I walk on broken glass at least bimonthly and I’m not sure how it’s always me and never Johnny. It’s not like there is a lot of room to walk around in our apartment and yet I am the one with the glass in my foot. My right foot to be specific because that is always the one to get injured.

I understand that broken glass is hard to clean and it can end up everywhere but, the fact is, it somehow ALWAYS ends up in the bathroom and I am always the victim. The glass is never enough to hurt but it sure can be annoying and I am hoping that my ghostie comes up with a new motif ASAP!

Has any paranormal activity ever happened to you? Do you have a ghostie in your house? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug29

lifewithlilred Domain Renewal!

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lifewithlilred Domain Renewal!

Hello!!! On August 21st, lifewithlilred’s domain of http://www.lifewithlilred.com has been renewed for its seventh year online. It feels like just yesterday when I started my blog and it’s hard to believe that it has already been going on for the better part of a decade. lifewithlilred originally started out as more of an online journal and ode to fashion and from such simple beginnings, I now have readers and friends in over one hundred and ninety different countries. Wow!

Since lifewithlilred’s conception, I have been writing every day. I get up early before work to get my blogging done and I can’t believe I still have stuff to talk about after all of this time! No one ever said blogging was easy and that is the truth – it takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to write Every. Single. Day. Luckily for me, such amazing friends tuning in makes this task a joy instead of a burden.

I want to thank literally everyone who has viewed lifewithlilred because all of you serve as my motivation to continue on with this blogging journey. So thank you all from the bottom of my heart and here’s to another lucky seven more years of lifewithlilred!! ❤

And, as a reminder, my blog is a safe place for everyone and if you are ever interested in guest blogging for me, then shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com 🙂

Aug27

What Are Your Goals For The Rest Of The Year?

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What Are Your Goals For The Rest Of The Year?

It’s easy to think that this year has been a bit of a mess. Because in many ways, it has. But at the same time, the days are still ticking by. And if you’re someone that is looking at the time and thinking, where has the time gone, then you’re not alone. Because the situation of the world definitely makes you feel like you’re on pause, but you’re not! Life goes on. And before long, you may find that you want to try and turn the year around and be able to accomplish something. This doesn’t even have to refer to work. It can be about your hobbies, your home, or your health – anything! But if you want anything to happen, you have to make sure that you set those goals. So, let’s take a look.

Follow Your Passion:

To start with, it could be that you want to think about doing something that you love. Maybe you’ve felt uneasy over the last few months and you’ve felt lost? When that’s the case, working to uncover your passion and then dedicating some time to it can be just what you need right now.

Start A Side Hustle:

As a step on from that, you may find that you want to do something that will help or advance your career. Maybe you’re not happy at work at the moment? Or you have always dreamed of doing a different job? Now could be the time that you start a side hustle or you think about taking a course to help you change careers.

goal1Unsplash Image

Get Fit:

You also might want to look after your body a little more. If you have felt lethargic lately, it could really help you if you start to work on getting fit. There’s so much time left this year, you could really transform your body!

Redo Your Home:

You may even be thinking about your home and some of the changes that you’d like to make. Because when you’re spending more time inside, as you will throughout the winter, you might want to spruce it up. Whether you have suffered with an issue recently and need to look into water damage restoration cost or you want to redo the space because it’s been a while since you did it, now is the time. It may be the project you focus on that makes you feel great!

Be More Present:

You may find that the most important thing for you is to be able to be more present. It’s easy to get worked up over everything that is happening in the world right now. That can then often mean that you’re worrying or overthinking a lot of the time. But that just causes you to miss a lot of life. It will pass you by! When you decide to be more present, you are going to find that you are able to make the most of all of your efforts.

Ready, set, goal and finish the year strong!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Jul26

Writer’s Block? Have Some Quarantine Writing Prompts!

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Writer’s Block? Have Some Quarantine Writing Prompts!

Hello! Depending on where you live in this great big universe, you might have been or currently are living in a state of quarantine. As for me, I have been in a lock down lifestyle since March 19th in Akron, Ohio. Other than leaving the house to go to work as an “essential” employee, I probably go out two times a month for groceries and appointments.

Maintaining a blog in normal times is hard work. However, maintaining a blog in a time of quarantine is a whole different ball game. I, myself, have had a difficult time coming up with daily content and sometimes it feels impossible to come up with a blog post for the day.

Back in early 2020, I could find inspiration to write about anything from a quick trip to TJMaxx or an adventure outing with friends. Fast forward over half a year later and the most exciting thing I have to tell you guys is when I get a new LEGO set. Lol, so I understand better than anyone what it means to have writer’s block right now and there is no shame in it!

If you are coming up with question marks for your page, try writing about the following:

  1. Have you picked up any new hobbies or perfected an old skill in quarantine?
  2. What have you been binge watching lately?
  3. How many books have you finished? Which one was your favorite?
  4. How has your garden or potted plants been growing?
  5. What has been the most difficult part about being in quarantine?
  6. What has been the best part about being in quarantine?
  7. Have you cooked or baked anything new?
  8. How has your beauty routine changed since being in quarantine?
  9. How has your work or day to day life been affected by the coronavirus?
  10. What are you most looking forward to doing post quarantine?

We are all having a hard enough time right now so don’t let your blog be another thing that stresses you out. And, if you’re curious how to become a better editor, follow the link to perfect your post. Use the prompts above and tag me in it so I can read it, too! 🙂

Much love. -Sarah

Jul19

Things I’m Missing

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Things I’m Missing

Hello! Johnny and I have been living in a lock down style state since March 19th when the restaurants and bars in Ohio closed down. Since then, the only things I have left my apartment for other than work has been the grocery store, gas station, and my monthly nail appointment. And, on occasion, we might have a friend over for a drink through serious social distancing in my living room.

Despite being constantly surrounded at home by “entertainment” like the TV, streaming services, video games, books, and board games there are definitely some activities in the community that all of the America’s Next Top Model marathons in the world couldn’t replace. I eagerly await going to all of the following once it is safe to do so:

TJMaxx:

Lol, of course TJ’s was going to be the first on my list! You guys have no idea the amount of TJMaxx related memes that I have been sent by people who have genuinely been thinking of me during this pandemic for that reason alone! I miss going on my monthly shopping trips to TJMaxx with my mom more than anything but we have all been picking and choosing what we do very carefully. For example, my monthly “treat” outing is visiting the nail salon where I feel most comfortable. I know I wouldn’t feel safe in a store full of people so online shopping has been the move for months now.

But, trust and believe that as soon as I feel one hundred and fifty million percent okay, TJ’s will be the first place I visit. I have plenty of birthday gift cards burning a hole in my pocket and I intend on using them on a gigantic haul. It’s always nice to have something to look forward to, haha. 🙂

Restaurants/Bars:

It’s not like Johnny and I went out a ton pre-coronavirus but we would usually go to the bar or out to eat maybe once a week or so. These outings were the best last summer when we could have drinks on all of the outdoor patios in Kent. It was just such a nice way to spend an hour or two after work and I miss being able to unwind with our friends.

Most of all, however, I miss going to the bars where the band my boyfriend is in, The Outside Voices, would play. Going to their shows over the weekend was always something we really looked forward to and I know it has been so hard on him to not be doing anything musical. In fact, I think he misses performing just as much as I miss shopping at TJMaxx and that’s really saying something.

Guilt Free Hang Outs:

I have been able to Skype with and social distance hang out with a few of my friends on occasion. Of course, it’s always nice to see them whether that be on the laptop screen or at the opposite end of the room. But what I really miss is being able to hug them and interact more closely. For example, when Lea usually comes over we like to curl up on the couch and drink wine. Not so much anymore, lol.

I miss all of the little things that I never thought much of before. Big hugs goodbye, sitting on the same couch, or venturing out for random adventures – just for starters. A lot of thought goes into doing just about anything now and I miss the spontaneity that comes with guilt free hang outs with all of my besties.

What are the activities that you’re missing the most right now? Do you have a safe “treat” outing that you participate in? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul14

Still Need Something To Do?

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Still Need Something To Do?

Hello! If quarantine has been giving you nothing but the boredom blues as of late, then it sounds like you need an activity ASAP. We’re not just talking about the basics of reading, gardening, and baking… We’re talking guest blogging. If you would like to be a featured writer on lifewithlilred for the day to my readers in over one hundred and ninety countries, then shoot me an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com

Join my Quarantine Team and spend an afternoon doing something different! Who knows, it might just light a creative spark to keep you inspired as the coronavirus pandemic continues on. Send me an email with a few post ideas that you had in mind and we’ll get you on your way to becoming part of the lifewithlilred family in no time! ❤

Jul13

Save Time By Outsourcing Your Personal Admin

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Save Time By Outsourcing Your Personal Admin

Do you feel like you don’t have any time? If you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get stuff done, you may be overstretching yourself. It’s okay to pay someone to complete personal admin. From getting help moving house to having your shopping delivered, you can carve some time back for yourself by leaving your daily tasks to the professionals:

Help Moving House:

Were you considering renting a van and driving your furniture to your new home? Moving is already stressful enough without you having to relocate your entire house at the same time. Hire a moving company to do the job for you. You can often select the level of service you require, from long-distance relocation to storage options until you get settled in. Let yourself focus on getting your family into the new place while a moving company does the rest for you.

Grocery Shopping:

Are you fed up with making your way to the supermarket every week? Well, stop doing it! 1.8 billion people worldwide shop online, so it’s time to join a quarter of the population and start saving yourself some time. Choose a delivery service and let your food come to you. If you don’t drive, ordering your food shopping saves you even more time than relying on public transport. You can order more in one go, too, rather than carrying bags home yourself.

Painting and Decorating:

While we’d all love a pristine home, if you’re not a professional, doing some home decor yourself can often be disappointing. You have a perfect idea of what you want the room to look like, only to find your DIY skills are a little lacking. The hours tick by while you’re watching paint dry, knowing you’ll have to put another coat of paint on. Doesn’t sound fun, right? Pay a professional painter or decorator, and you’ll be happy with the finished product and save yourself time in the process. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to finding a painter, you could make use of a site like My House Painter https://www.myhousepainter.com/painters/texas/ to locate and get estimates from a whole host of local contractors so that you can choose the best one for you.

Gardening:

It can feel daunting to tackle your garden maintenance, especially if your outdoor space has gone unloved for a while. You could seek out Pinterest for some garden inspiration, or you could hire a professional gardener to take the stress off you. Your garden might need a little spruce up or you might take the opportunity to hire a landscape gardener for a complete overhaul. Take back some vital weekend time you might otherwise spend wondering what to do with your garden.

Daily Errands:

Are you tired of having to wait in line or complete daily errands that are otherwise pretty dull? From putting together IKEA furniture to folding your laundry, there are hundreds of daily tasks you can outsource to someone else. See if there’s a service like TaskRabbit in your area to hire someone to take on your daily errands. Or, you might want to earn money doing this for someone yourself.

There are hundreds of little things you can outsource to others to make time for yourself. Start outsourcing your personal admin today, and you’ll be surprised when it frees up time to do the things you actually enjoy.

Featured Image By: Pexels