Category Archives: Anything & Everything

Home And Garden: Protect Your Property

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Home And Garden: Protect Your Property

If you need some help with protecting your home and garden this year, you might want to check out some of these clever gadgets, which can be the perfect remedy for your home security problems:

Ring Video Doorbell: The Ring Video Doorbell is no ordinary doorbell, it allows you to answer the door without opening it. There are motion sensors on the doorbell, and you can download an app on your phone so that when someone rings the bell, you will get a notification from the app and you can see who is at the door. It also allows you to talk through the doorbell to whoever it is. This is ideal for if you have a parcel coming and you don’t want it given to the neighbor or if you have a friend coming over but you are running a bit late.

Yale Smart Home Alarm: Arm and disarm your alarm from your smartphone. You can also add a power switch to all of your appliances as well as on your front door, so that if you leave the house and panic that you haven’t locked the door or turned off the oven, you can do it from your phone! This is a high end item, and you can review a ton of different security systems at Homesecuritysystem.co if you are unsure of which one to pick for your price range and needs.

Nest Cam Indoor: Place the nest cam in your home in a certain place and you will be able to see a 24/7 live stream of anything going on in that part of the house. If there is any odd activity or weird noises, your phone will notify you so that you can see what’s happening.

Dummy Camera: If you don’t feel like shelling out the dough to kit your home out with full CCTV, you can bluff by hanging up a fake camera outside of your home. It is far cheaper and any potential thieves won’t be able to tell the difference, meaning that you are much less likely to have your home intruded by anyone.

Fake TV Light: If you are ever out of the house but you would like to mimic occupancy to deter anyone from coming near the home, you can use this gadget to make it look like the TV is on. The TV light mimics the color changes of a TV, and you can pre-set the light to come on at certain times.

Cam Safe: If you’ve ever seen on Pinterest those secret compartments behind a light switch, then you may like this gadget. The idea is to take every day objects in the home and make them into secret compartments to store your valuables. It could be as random as a can of Coke or a packet of chips. It will allow you to keep your valuables in the home, in a place where no criminal is ever going to look for them. You can even keep it in the fridge if you want to make it even more convincing.

Stay safe and secure this holiday season with the above gadgets!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Taking Control Is A Leisurely Stroll

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Taking Control Is A Leisurely Stroll

Feeling as if you don’t have control over the events going on in your life can be very frustrating. If you’ve lost your job, aren’t earning what you’d like, or are simply struggling to use your time well, it can be hard to feel like you’re a true adult. In reality, everyone has a hard time with these parts of life, and the way you handle them can make a real difference. To make this nice and easy, this post will be exploring all of the little areas which you need to take control of when you’re first starting out in adult life:

The Little Things:

The Modules Of Adulthood: Buying a home, having a family, and achieving your other goals will seem very daunting when you think about them together. To make this a little easier, some simple splitting can help you a lot, as this will give you the chance to handle each piece on its own. This makes the big jobs little, giving you some breathing room and a chance to think at each stage. When thinking about this approach, the Agile development methodology can be very helpful to use as a template.

Using Outside Support: When you’re doing something for the first time or when you don’t have the skills, it almost always benefits you to hire a professional. An experienced moving company, for example, will have a much better chance to achieve a home move successfully than you will on your own. There are loads of professionals out there, making it easy to find someone to help you with whatever you’re struggling with.

Time Management:

Why Is It Important? Being able to follow the passage of time accurately without looking at a clock takes many years, and a lot of people will struggle to be able to do it. Of course, when you’re working, at school, or dealing with other adult commitments, you’ll have to make sure that you have a tight hold on your time. One of the best ways to achieve this is through some strict routine. As time goes on, it will become a lot easier to follow your preferred cycle, and a lot of people will find it becomes habitual.

The Constant Battle: When you’re trying to control a busy life, it can be hard to make sure that you have enough time for all of the jobs that you have on your plate. To solve this for you, it can be a good idea to start looking for some ways to assess your workloads. For a lot of people, the biggest problem is underestimating the time something will take. So, as a backup, having some extra time can always be a good idea, even if you don’t end up using it.

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 Daunting tasks turn easy when you break it up!

The Bigger Picture:

Your Career: Being stuck without an idea of what you’d like to do with your life can be very hard. Along with this, finding yourself in a job that won’t go anywhere can also be unpleasant to live with, and a lot of people will strive for the chance to have a fulfilling career. One of the easiest ways to achieve something like this is through planning. Right up until retirement, you should have an idea of where you would like to be at each stage in your life.

Your Family: Unfortunately, there are some parts of life which can’t be planned, and your family will be one of them. Most people never set out to find their partner or to have children; these things are surprises. To make them easier when they come, it can always be very helpful to have some preparation in place. Money is what you’ll need the most to fuel a growing family, so it’s a good idea to save up long in advance for this part of life. Along with this, having some knowledge under your belt can add a lot of ease to your job as a parent or partner.

Your Other Goals: Finally, it’s time to think about the other goals in life, and how you’re going to find ways to achieve them. Unlike the time you spend on your career, your hobbies and interests will need your spare time, making it hard for a lot of people to get the chance to indulge in them. This is a shame, though, as making time for something like this is often a simple matter of using time currently dedicated to something like TV.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder on the time you put into the control you have over your life. When you feel like your destiny is out of your hands, it can be hard to feel safe and secure in life. Thankfully, though, it doesn’t have to be this way, and most people have the skills to make the changes that they need all by themselves.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Fed Up With Car Failures? It Could Be Time To Upgrade!

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Fed Up With Car Failures? It Could Be Time To Upgrade!

Our cars really are our ticket to independence, and having your own vehicle gives you the ability to go where you want, when you want. If you’ve been driving for a while your car probably feels like an extension of you, and so when things go wrong it can spell disaster. If your car is giving you trouble and it’s reaching the end of it’s life, here are some things to consider:

Reasons For Upgrading:

There are plenty of reasons why a newer car is a good investment. First of all, if you’re considering scrapping your car it’s likely to be because it’s unreliable. Newer cars are generally more reliable, as all of the parts are less worn. Plus, it’s easier and cheaper to find the parts to replace them if they go wrong, too. In more recent years pollution and car emissions have become a hot topic, and car manufacturers have taken this on board. This means newer cars tend to be more environmentally friendly – not just through electric or hybrid models, either. New cars also have better safety features, so if you are unlucky enough to be involved in a crash, you massively improve your chances of surviving or, at least, avoiding serious injury.

Choosing Your Next Car:

There are many factors to consider when you’re buying your next vehicle. You should never just rush into it and choose something based solely on price or looks. When shopping for a new car, make a list of “must haves” and “nice to haves” for your new vehicle with safety being paramount. Keep in mind that extra features in a car will have an impact on the price and that might not be within your budget so be reasonable and practical. This could include more cost effective upgrades like Private Number Plates to personalize your car or a subscription to satellite radio. The most important thing is that you have a safe vehicle to get from Point A to Point B.

Keep an open mind as you consider different options for your car as they might not check every box you have. Then, you can utilize sites like autoeasy.com/cars to give you options for cars that fit most of your preferences. It will help simplify the process because, let’s be honest, car shopping can be really frustrating sometimes! Of course, you should run some quotes through comparison sites to check out how much insurance will cost and if it’s affordable for you. If you have a very specific model in mind you might struggle finding one local, but luckily companies like Shiply do vehicle delivery. This is useful as you don’t need to travel or sort out insurance costs for driving it back, you can sort everything from the comfort of your own home, instead. And who doesn’t love online shopping?

As you consider your next car, it’s beneficial to research any common problems that that specific vehicle might have as well as a solution to the issue. Then, you will have the knowledge and a shop ready to go should your car need repairs. For example, you could enter a search for “volkswagen t-roc air conditioning service” (or the issue for your car) to find a body shop that specializes in that repair. It’s always a good idea to have a local shop on standby!

How To Get Rid Of The Old Model:

If your car is an older model, and either something major goes wrong or a few things all go at once, you can find yourself in the position where the costs of the parts and labor can be more than what the car is worth. In this case, it makes the most sense to scrap your car for cash or find a car yard that does trade ins, and then put the money towards a newer vehicle. If your car is particularly well maintained or a rare model, you could even sell it and make some good money, as collectors will be prepared to put in the cost of parts.

If it’s long past its best you could have it scrapped – just make sure that you choose a licenced car scrapyard. This prevents the vehicle from being unlawfully sold, where it could potentially end up in criminal activity while still registered to you!

A new car makes an excellent gift to yourself this holiday season – especially if you are in desperate need of a new one. Hit those holiday sales and drive away in your dream car!

Mean Muggin’

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Mean Muggin’

Hi everyone and happy weekend! One present that always sits well with me are coffee mugs. Lil Red loves her caffeine, and I love novelty mugs just as much as the next person. My thing, though – is that I never use them! I guess I never really noticed the coffee mug collection that has accumulated on my desk at home until my sister pointed it out. But I can’t help myself. Mugs break, there can be dishwasher disasters, paint and pieces can chip – these are all chances that I’m not willing to take! So, I leave my precious mugs to be admired on my desk and will usually put my knick knacks in them, instead.

Here are just a few of my mugs in my collection – travel ones not included, because that’s an entirely different story!

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Obviously, my sister and best friends know exactly what to gift me with and all of these mugs are special to me. But, I have to admit, that I am most partial to my minion mug from my sister a la my birthday last year! I am completely Despicable Me obsessed, so Kristen really hit the nail on the head with that one. It’s the cutest! :*)

Will I ever get around to using my mug collection? Maybe. Am I mad about it? No way! Whoever said that you have to use items that you collect is a liar! What are some of the things that you collect? Do you get any use out of your collections? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Halloween Heaven Guest Bloggers Series Conclusion

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Halloween Heaven Guest Bloggers Series Conclusion

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! Yesterday, my Halloween Heaven guest bloggers series had its grand finale with a party guide to celebrate all things spooky fun. We are now back to a normal week on lifewithlilred starting on Monday, which will include posts about my trip to NYC to meet the wonderful, beautiful, charming, talented Kate of Ankhor You. Spoiler Alert: IT WAS GREAT!!!

But, before that, I want to extend a most heartfelt thanks to all of my incredible guest bloggers for helping to put lifewithlilred into the Halloween spirit! Each and every post was exactly what I was hoping for and I am so happy to have been able to share your work on my page. All of you are welcome back any time on lifewithlilred and thanks again for all of your hard work!!

What was your favorite post from my Halloween Heaven guest bloggers series? Who will be joining me on lifewithlilred for a winter themed series come December? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Hi-Tech Your House Out

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Hi-Tech Your House Out

 

Technology is every where and is used for almost every thing. A trip to the shops? You take the car or other transport. In the stores themselves you can see aisles full of the latest gizmos and gadgets. So why let your home fall behind in the times? There’s so much cool technology out there that it would be silly to not deck your home out with it. There’s not just the tech for showing off, but there’s also the ones that will actually aid you and save you a lot of money in the long run. Let’s have a look at what you can put in each room to help you get the most bang for your buck in your home:

Kitchen:

Let’s start with something that’s going to aid you in the long run. A dehumidifier. You may not realise it, but whenever you cook and the room gets a little steamy, opening the windows doesn’t stop it from sticking to the walls to begin with. If you’re one of those people that chooses not to open the windows, then chances are that over time you’re going to get a build up of mold somewhere. A dehumidifier is perfect for preventing this. They don’t cost that much, and it could save you a lot of money from preventing an unneeded mold issue.

Living Room:

This is the center of the house, so why not have the best tech in it? Whether you’re having a cozy night in or family and friends round, use it as the room to wow them with the biggest most beautiful television that you can find. The way that TV tech has advanced in the last two years is incredible. Look into getting yourself a large, preferably 50-60 inch curved 3D TV. As big of a mouthful as it may be, the picture quality it’ll give you is insane. Try and get a 4K one and you’ll be blown away. Your kids will absolutely love the 3D element, and it’ll definitely amaze any guests that you have over. Yes, it may be pricey, but a TV lasts a long while, so it is definitely a worth while investment. Couple it with a surround sound system and it will really give that cinema quality to any film you’re watching.

Another essential piece of tech, for both the summer and the winter months, is a dual heating and cooling system, also known as an HVAC. During the colder months that are approaching, you can use it to keep your home nice and toasty. Come the summer months, reverse it and it’ll be an excellent cooling system. They are more efficient and easier to control than normal heating, and the fact that it can heat and cool is so handy. Look for HVAC contractors that can install it for you. You’ll be loving your lounge before you know it!

Bedroom:

The bedroom is the place where you retreat to escape the madness of the day. So put some tech in there that’s going to make life that little bit easier. Take the Amazon Echo for example. Yes, it can be used anywhere in the house, but it has some neat features to help you out. Simply say “Alexa, set an alarm for eight AM”. Pretty lazy right? But we live in a lazy generation, so finding a few shortcuts along the way can only help! You can also ask it about traffic on your route to work whilst you’re getting ready, this gadget finds out everything for you. So utilise it!

The Dyson Eye can be used anywhere in the house, but it is wonderful for your bedroom quarters. It’s basically a little robotic hoover that’ll go around on its own vacuuming areas. This is perfect for the bedroom, as it’s usually the room with the smallest amount of walking space. This little robot buddy will prevent constant bashes into the wall with your clunky old vacuum!

Technology is changing daily and can only make your home even more amazing. Do your research and find out which gizmos will work best for you!!

Featured Image By: Flickr 

Great Ways To De-Stress

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Great Ways To De-Stress

There are plenty of ways to relax. You can read a book, have a long bath, or watch your favorite movie with a takeout dinner. But what about those days when you can’t relax? You need to let off some steam after a hard day, and these things all seem too passive? You’re much too agitated to sit still. You need to de-stress and unwind before you are ready to chill out.

Well, fortunately, you don’t need to be stuck thinking about your day, winding yourself up more and more until you can’t sleep. With the right techniques, you can get yourself perfectly zen before hitting the sack. Here are some of the best ways to de-stress after a hard day:

Do Something Creative: Using your energy for something creative is a great way to burn it off, and you may even create something amazing. Draw, paint, or play an instrument. Even if you’re not creatively talented, you can always try something new and find that you really enjoy it – even if you’re not the best. You don’t need to be good at an instrument to have fun trying, check out kindsound.com for some ideas. You also don’t need to be a great artist to make a picture. Adult coloring means that anyone can spend time using creative energies. Have a look at justcolor.net for some great printables.

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So fun!

Go For A Run: Running is a brilliant way to de-stress. You don’t need to go anywhere special or invest in expensive equipment. You just need some cheap trainers to get started. Run straight out of your front door, focusing on the rhythm of your feet hitting the ground and feel your stress leaving your body. Run until you feel better or you can’t run anymore. Then, turn around and go home. You’ll feel more relaxed and confident, and you’ll get a fantastic night’s sleep.

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Pixabay Image

Do A Fitness Video: If you don’t fancy running, try an online fitness video, instead. There are plenty available on YouTube, but try something new like combat aerobics or boxercise to burn away some of that stress efficiently. Literally, punch it out of your body.

Have A Massage: Getting a massage is probably the most passive way to release your stress. You don’t have to do anything but lie there while someone else pounds the stress from your muscles, getting rid of your knots and helping to remove the tension from your body. Often after a good massage, people feel like a weight has been lifted from their shoulders. Swedish massages tend to be a very popular option and might be just what you need to unwind. If you are interested in learning more before you book an appointment, simply enter a search for “swedish massage in Missouri City, TX” (or your local area) to find the best massage therapists near you.

Shout: If all else fails, scream and shout and let it all out! #britneyspears #will.i.am Sometimes there’s no better way to release everything than to scream. Go down to the bottom of your garden and scream your heart out. You might find that you feel much better afterward and who cares if you freak out the neighbors!

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Ahhhhh!

Finding a way to let your feelings out can calm you down enough that you can enjoy the rest of your evening and get a great night’s sleep. If you can let these negative energies out productively and safely, then treat yourself, you deserve it.

Featured Image By: Her Campus

Falling For Fall Guest Bloggers Series Conclusion

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Falling For Fall Guest Bloggers Series Conclusion

Hello everyone and happy Hump Day! I’m here today to bring my Falling For Fall guest bloggers series to a close. I want to thank all of my amazing guest bloggers for making this season’s series such a success. All of you are welcome back on lifewithlilred anytime if you would like to pen another post for my readers or do a collaboration. I had so much fun chatting with all of you and it was such a pleasure to work with each of you. 🙂

I hope that all of my readers enjoyed my Falling For Fall series as much as I did working on it. See you next season change for a celebration of all things winter wonderland here on lifewithlilred!

What was your favorite post from this series? Who is going to join me as a guest blogger come wintertime? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Wanted: Falling For Fall Guest Bloggers

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Wanted: Falling For Fall Guest Bloggers

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! I know, I know it’s not anywhere close to fall yet! BUT, I’m sure all of you know by now that when a new season approaches, I like to welcome it on lifewithlilred with one of my guest bloggers series. Starting August 29th through September 6th, I am looking for a crew of bloggers to share their favorite things about fall with the world.

From MOTDs and OOTDs to fun fall activities and your homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte recipes, I’m hoping for a wide range of unique posts special for autumn. If you are interested in participating, please shoot me an email with your name, blog name, and post ideas to sarah.mush6794@gmail.com ! THANKS! ❤

Time For A Fresh Start? Here’s How!

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Time For A Fresh Start? Here’s How!

There are infinite reasons in life as to why you might need a fresh start. A new job that you want to be a brand new person for, a big move coming up, or anything that dramatically changes your life. When that time comes, making some alterations in your life might be necessary to get the full fresh start effect. If you’re ready to commit to feeling like a whole new person, follow these steps:

Have A Declutter Session:

Having too many possessions is never a good way to go when trying to get a fresh start. That means that it’s time to go through your wardrobe, the most cluttered place in most people’s houses. Get rid of the pieces that you haven’t worn in months (and probably never will again) and try to keep as few items as you will need. The idea is only to have pieces that go together, which will save you a lot of time when picking outfits! Having fewer clothes also helps you to have a tidier mind, perfect for a brand new you. As a bonus, you get to donate your unwanted items to charity.

We will talk more about a thorough cleaning in the next section, but decluttering is the first step in that process. This is especially important if you have done your research for residential cleaning services in San Antonio (or your local area) and are scheduling a cleaning. You do not want someone cleaning around your clutter for two main reasons. 1) You will not achieve a true deep clean. And 2) You will not get as much bang for your buck.

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 #declutter

Clean The House:

Another thing that you can do for a fresh start is to have a massive clean out of your house. Now is the time when you would want to get in a house cleaning service so that you can get a thorough job done. When you are surrounded by a clean and organized house, it will feel like a brand new space. It makes room for you to add new decorations, pictures, and anything else that you think would be good for your new beginning. Just try to keep it very clean for as long as you possibly can!

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Cleanliness is godliness!

Out With The Negative:

If you have some people in your life who you feel anxious or unhappy around, you might need to change that. To have a fresh start, you need to let go of any people who aren’t enriching your life. You only want to be surrounded by individuals who add to the enjoyment of your life, without taking any away. Any relationship shouldn’t be a lot of hard work with little reward. This doesn’t mean that you need to cut all of your friends out straight away. Just try to see the people who make you happy more; it doesn’t have to happen in a horrible manner.

Focus On Yourself:

The most important thing that you can do is look after yourself during your new beginning. Spend a good few days being kind to yourself. Eat healthily and exercise a lot. Make a meal plan for yourself and try not to cheat! Get some movement in, even if that is just walking home from work or taking the long walk to the shops. If you do this, you’ll feel the best that you possibly can in yourself, allowing you to have the most amazing fresh start ever. You deserve it!

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Pexels Image

No matter how you choose to create your fresh start, be good to yourself and the rest will follow suit!

Featured Image By: Pixabay