Category Archives: Holidays

Top Gift Ideas For The Whole Family

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Top Gift Ideas For The Whole Family

If you want to find a gift that the whole family can enjoy, then you are not alone. Every single year, people try and find gifts for a group of people rather than buying gifts for them individually and this can cause real problems. This is especially the case if the family members in question don’t share many common interests. Thankfully, there are plenty of ideas out there for you to choose from and you’d be surprised at how easy it is to find something that matches your family perfectly!

Family Mugs: A lot of people feel a relentless sense of anger when they find someone else using their mug. We all have a favorite mug, one that we use to get us through those cold winter nights and even those long nights after work. If you want to put an end to those mug-wars then why not consider buying a family mug set? You could personalize each one with the name of the person and even a cartoon picture of them, as well. You can also create one for any guests that come to your home, so there will be no more arguing or bloodshed when the time to make coffee approaches.

Customized gifts like a coffee mug, wine glasses, or tumblers are always sure to please. It’s a useful gift with that little bit extra! You can extend custom options to anything that you please as your selection is vast. Custom Fridge Magnets are perfect to organize the fridge art of kiddos and grandchildren and could be customized with their picture. A dufflebag for the gym could be embroidered with the initials of your giftee. No matter which route you go, it will be a thoughtful gift that they will love!

Ice Cream Machine: An ice-cream machine is a must-have in the summer months. The best thing about having an ice-cream machine is that they are very easy to use and they are also good for the kids to use, as well. All you have to do is add the mixture to the machine and turn it on. The machine will then chill the ice-cream over time and when it’s ready, you can scoop it right out of the machine. This is way better when compared to making it yourself because you don’t have to worry about putting it in the freezer or even blending it properly. You can then add your own flavors if you’re feeling adventurous!

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YUM.

Family Bucket List: We all have things that we want to do before we kick the bucket, so a family bucket list is really fitting if you know that everyone has a mental list of what they want to do. It’s actually possible for you to buy kits that give you the chance to do this, and each one comes with a container and a list of slips for you to write what you want to do on there. Everyone can see the list going down as feats are accomplished, and it’s ideal for those who have adventurous family members!

Games Consoles: A gaming console is a brilliant way for you to get the whole family involved. You can buy quiz games and you can also buy family-fun games as well. If you have a family of console-lovers or even mobile app gamers, then games such as Final Fantasy 15 are great for this. You can even buy in-game extras and this can include currency and so much more, so it’s ideal if you want to give them a head-start.

Family Charades: Charades is quite possibly the game that causes the most arguments in a family. It is incredibly fast-paced and it is also very fun. When you do play charades, you will be given something to act out. It could be a movie, an actor, or anything else. You can get the kids involved with this and it is a great way for you to make sure that everyone is included. These sets don’t cost much, either, so if you want to have something that the kids can play then this is a good option for you.

Sweets Basket: Who doesn’t like sweets? Sweets baskets are the easiest way for you to get something for everyone without breaking the bank. They show that you thought about the recipients and you can put tags on the individual sweets, too. On top of this, you can add extra goodies to the gift basket. This could be a mug or it could be a selection of coffee. You can make something for each family member or you can make a joint one. Either way, this is ultimately the easiest way for you to appeal to everyone and you can do the whole thing yourself with bows, ribbon and more!

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 YUM again!

Finding the whole family a gift is relatively easy and there are plenty of ideas above to get you started. Happy holidays!

A Former Retail Worker’s Black Friday Lament

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A Former Retail Worker’s Black Friday Lament

Hellooo everyone and happy Black Friday! Boy, I’ve got to tell you – it never gets old not having to work on Black Friday any more. After over four years of working retail, the mall madness is the last place that I want to be, whether it be to work or to shop! It’s so crazy to think that as this post is being published, I would be stuck at work running around like a madwoman – if we were living in 2010 to 2014, of course. #blessed

Some retail workers live for Black Friday and that’s cool, but I was never one of them. I detested Black Friday like a fly buzzing in your ear, the common cold, or the relative that you can’t stand at family gatherings. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and I was always very bitter that I never got to fully enjoy it for four years in a row. Of course, I’m thankful for those jobs but my sixteen to twenty year old self didn’t know how to separate the two so that I could still have fun on the holiday, despite dreading going into work in T-minus twelve hours.

As much as I enjoy a fast paced lifestyle, working for over twelve hours straight while on your feet the whole time and rushing to and fro between customers is for the birds. I genuinely don’t know how I did it, especially when I was working two jobs – hello, twenty hour day. And for this reason, among many others, I respect the hell out of retail workers during this time of the year.

It’s funny, because you would think that during the holiday season, people would be full of good cheer and might be even overly kind. Sadly, this is not the case. Don’t get me wrong, I have memories of delightful customers during the holidays, but those are trumped by people who have almost made me cry because the line was too long, I didn’t have the shirt that they wanted, etc. And for what? The shirt isn’t going to magically appear. The line isn’t going to move in double time. And the craziest thing, is that it was always adults that were speaking in raised voices and being out of line to me and my fellow retail workers. Just SHAMEFUL.

So, having said that, PLEASE be sure to be kind to all of the workers that you interact with today, throughout the holiday season, and always. Working retail is a choice and a responsibility – but how many employees really want to cut their family time short to work a long Black Friday shift? Slim to none. Enjoy yourselves during your Black Friday shopping, but be sure to give all of the employees who made your outing possible a little credit! I promise you that they will appreciate it far more than you know.

How was everyone’s Thanksgiving? Do you have any crazy Black Friday stories? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: AskIdeas

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hi everyone and happy happy Thanksgiving! I will keep this post short and sweet so that all of you can get back to enjoying quality time with your friends and family. Thanksgiving is easily one of my favorite holidays, mainly because I love to eat! BUT, I also love being able to prepare a big meal with my family and friends and sit down at the table to enjoy it all together. Then, my family always concludes our Thanksgiving feast with movies or games afterwards, which is a total blast because the Mushenheims are a competitive people!

Thanksgiving is an all around fun day. Everyone at home is in a great mood, the house smells amazing from all of the delicious food being cooked, and we even opt to use the fancy dining room table to eat our meal at. In fact, Thanksgiving is the one holiday that I can always recall enjoying throughout the years and I have every intention of adding another exceedingly pleasant holiday to the books today.

I hope that all of my wonderful friends, readers, and followers on lifewithlilred have a beautiful day today! Enjoy yourselves, your family, and your loved ones and EAT ALL THE FOOD! How does your family celebrate Thanksgiving? What is the best Thanksgiving side dish? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Featured Image By: Pinterest

Black Friday Shopping Do’s And Don’ts

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Black Friday Shopping Do’s And Don’ts

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! I can’t say that I’ve ever gone Black Friday shopping before and have no real desire to, either. BUT, after working retail for four years, I’ve grown savvy to some pro tips that will get you through the madness with some great deals and your personal safety/sanity still intact. Take a look:

DO:

Know your sales: Most stores do the same Black Friday sales every year. PacSun does, The Body Shop does, Claire’s does, Piercing Pagoda does (All stores that I’ve worked at.). Investigate the sales from year’s past and see if you notice a pattern. That way, you can determine if it’s even worth it to go out and hit the shops. Most stores won’t give you their Black Friday sales info before the day – but it doesn’t hurt to ask, either!

Know your sales Pt. 2: Normally, Black Friday sales don’t end on Black Friday. At PacSun and The Body Shop, their sales didn’t end for a solid month. If you don’t get to the stores on the actual day, I wouldn’t sweat it too much – especially because Cyber Monday is still a thing.

Cyber Monday Savvy: And speaking of Cyber Monday, get hip to it. In some cases, Cyber Monday sales are even better than Black Friday deals, especially if the stores you prefer to shop at have a stronger online presence. Do your research of sales from the past as mentioned in the above sections and make your decision on which day to shop. Or throw caution to the wind and shop on both!

Get there early: If there’s something that you really want, I’d recommend staking out at that specific store front at least an hour before opening. That way, you can get in, grab the item, and get out. It also doesn’t hurt to see if you can put items on hold prior to the Black Friday date so that you can purchase them with the sales and you don’t have to run into the store like a madwoman to get it.

Let it go: If you find yourself in a stand off for the last of something, just let it go. People are literally crazy and I’d rather leave the store in one piece than get the last of something that I’m sure you can buy at a later date.

DON’T:

Be that person: Black Friday is, by definition, a crazy time. Please have some respect. At the mall that I worked in, the store manager of Victoria’s Secret got punched in the face THREE YEARS IN A ROW. That’s pure insanity. You are all better than that. Don’t be that person.

Go in willy nilly: It’s essential to have a game plan during Black Friday. What items do you want? What stores are a must to go into? Can you and whomever you’re going shopping with divide and conquer to get everything on your lists? Devise a plan and stick to it so that you can make the most out of your Black Friday shopping extravaganza.

Buy in excess: Yes, it’s great to get a good deal. BUT do you really need everything that you’re buying? It’s nice to see all of the money that you saved, but don’t buy stuff just for the sake of buying it on Black Friday. As I mentioned before, check the deals. Some stores already have their sales going on now. Think of what is really necessary to purchase and try and do it beforehand, if you can. Being involved in all of the Black Friday hubbub can make you feel inclined to overspend so DON’T FALL FOR IT!!

Black Friday is not everyone’s cup of tea. It certainly isn’t mine! But that doesn’t mean that I don’t know a thing or two about how to shop during it. Use my pro tips and have the best Black Friday shopping experience yet! What are some of your Black Friday do’s and don’ts? What are some of the best Black Friday deals that you have scored? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Winter Wonderland Guest Bloggers Series

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Winter Wonderland Guest Bloggers Series

Hi everyone and TGIF! I know it’s kind of early to start talking about a winter guest bloggers series BUT Lil Red loves to plan in advance so we’ll consider it perfect timing, instead. As the weather changes from cold to colder, lifewithlilred will become a toasty, warm safe haven for some holiday fun. I want all of your gift buying guides, DIY ornaments, and how many Christmas cookies you can eat in one sitting. Your favorite White Elephant present will also do just as well, if you don’t feel like playing Chubby Bunny “holiday style”!

I am hoping to get this holiday party started around the second week of December. If you are interested in being a guest blogger for my Winter Wonderland series, then shoot me an email with your post ideas at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com !

THANKS!! ❤

Featured Image By: FunnyBeing

Lil Red’s Holiday Shopping Pro Tips

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Lil Red’s Holiday Shopping Pro Tips

Howdy! I have been asked a lot recently for advice on holiday shopping, since I finished my present purchasing way ahead of the game last week. I take holiday shopping and birthday present buying very seriously, because I love to spoil my family and friends. Of course, random prezzies throughout the year are nice, but it’s fun to go hard on the major gift giving occasions. Now, I’m going to walk you through a step by step guide on my holiday shopping process to help you finish your purchasing with December to spare:

Make a list: I know that I say this all of the time, but it’s true. Type or write out all of the people that you need to shop for and then start narrowing down the best gift for him or her. What are their hobbies? What is their favorite food or type of music? What is something that they would like to have but would never buy for themselves? These are all excellent places to start.

More on gift selecting: Still stuck? Let’s talk about some of my go to present selections:

  • Alcohol is always a good choice if you’re buying for one of your girlfriends or brothers. Who wouldn’t want a six pack of Christmas ale or a bottle of vino?
  • If you’re buying for a couple, how about treating them to a date night? Gift cards for restaurants and movie theaters are a great place to start.
  • Groupon vouchers can also be a nice surprise. I received two vouchers for a Paint Nite event at a bar one year and my guest and I had an absolute ball.
  • Lotions, candles, and other bath and body care treats are also a fool proof selection if you are buying for a sister, your mom, or a girlfriend. Customize a gift set for them filled with smell goods, fuzzy socks, and a sleeping mask for the ultimate pampering party.
  • Buying a subscription is another really good option. Popping for a few months of a Netflix, Hulu, Ipsy, or Birch Box subscription is the gift that keeps on giving and they are not overly expensive.

Purchasing time: After you’ve made your list and checked it twice, it is time to move on to the actual purchasing of the presents. I prefer to do every possible bit of my shopping online, and then buy the rest of my presents in store as needed. I am a faithful member of Amazon and a majority of my shopping was done on there this year. I then went to the shops on a week day afternoon to do the rest of my buying and eliminated all of my holiday purchasing in one huge swoop.

Online shopping tips: If, like me, you prefer to shop online, then there are some steps that you can take to ensure that you are always getting the best deal. Such as:

  1. Signing up for emails or rewards programs. Most websites will give you an extra incentive to sign up for their email updates, like ten percent off a purchase or free shipping. Every little bit helps!
  2. Using websites like Retail Me Not or Honey to find coupon codes for different websites. Note that some websites rarely have promotion codes like Amazon, TJMaxx, and Zara.
  3. Do your research. Read reviews of the products that you are going to buy and Google them, as well. You can’t physically touch and look at what you’re thinking of purchasing so this is the online equivalent.
  4. Check out multiple different websites to ensure that you are getting the best deal.

In store shopping tips: I avoid shopping in store during the holidays like the plague. However, it has to be done sometimes and this is how I avoid the hustle and bustle of hitting the shops:

  1. Go shopping during non peak traffic times. A week day afternoon is ideal, but if your schedule doesn’t allow for that, then try going late in the evening or early in the morning. The less people around while you’re shopping, the better.
  2. It’s also important to make a game plan while shopping in store. Know exactly who you’re shopping for and where each item that you need is located in the store. Wandering aimlessly can be stressful and ain’t nobody got time for that.
  3. Use coupons, in store sales, and apps. Plenty of stores now use apps and rewards programs to give their customers great deals. Find them, use them, and love them. Every little bit helps!

And finally, make sure that you double check all of your items that you purchased in store or online for any defects in the products. The sooner you find a problem and correct it, the less you have to stress about it – especially if you have to ship back the item and rebuy it.

So there you have it, Lil Red’s Holiday Shopping Pro Tips! Was this guide helpful to you? What are some of your tips to holiday shopping that I didn’t cover? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

All Done Holiday Shopping!!

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All Done Holiday Shopping!!

HURRAY HURRAY! As of this week, I am officially all done holiday shopping and I seriously could not be happier. Being finished with gift buying less than halfway through November might seem obscenely early to some but, for me, it is just right. For as long as I can remember, I have never been one that enjoys last minute shopping or even going to the shops as Christmas draws closer. Don’t get me wrong, I love holiday set ups in stores and magnificent window displays just as much as the next person but, my god, the stress can be unbearable.

What if I can’t find just the right present in store? What if the gift arrives broken or the shipment gets delayed? What if the present is out of stock by the time I get to buying it? What if, what if, what if. AHHH! Just typing this out gives me anxiety!! I am far from the home stretch, just because Amazon packages still have to arrive, but the fact that I’m ninety-nine percent done makes me breathe easier.

Not only the aforementioned, but I’m happy to get one big bill out of the way now, rather than have it broken up into December when I’ll be trying to save moolah again. Hello, holiday cash! This is the earliest that I’ve ever completed my holiday shopping before, and I find myself wondering why I haven’t done it like this every year. The major stress of the season is gone and now I can sit back, relax, and sip my hot chocolate while the rest of my family and friends do the December Dash to get all of their shopping done in time! But that’s none of my business. 😉 😉 😉

Who else is all done holiday shopping? Who is a last minute gift buyer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Four Legged Friend Friday

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Four Legged Friend Friday

Hey everyone and TGIF! With Halloween now behind us, I had to dedicate one last post to some spooky fun on lifewithlilred until next year. My two beloved rescue pups, Gem and Ollie, got a little more than they bargained for this Halloween when my mom and I decided that dressing them up as Despicable Me minions was the way to go for our neighborhood’s trick or treat:

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As you can see, Ollie doesn’t seem to care too much about his new side job as one of Gru’s pill shaped sidekicks.

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Gem, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to get out of her costume immediately!

I hate to say that I was laughing at poor Gem’s expense, but oh my goodness – I could not stop laughing. Despite how cute she looked in her minion garb, nothing was cute about her STINK EYES that she gave to literally every single member of my family as we tried to snap some pictures. Gem is a really emotive dog facially and her death stare, as seen above, says that she was not too pleased about her costume.

Even though Gem was a total diva while we prepared her Halloween wardrobe, she definitely perked up once the trick or treaters started arriving at the door. Gem and Ollie enjoyed all of the attention and were happy to have made all of the little kids laugh. But, best believe, that they were happiest of all once their minion costumes came off and were retired to the closet until next year!

My Four Legged Friends were an obvious hit this Halloween and they sure are cute – costumes or not! Did you dress up your pets this Halloween? What should Gem and Ollie be next year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Monday Update: Early Holiday Shopping Edition

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Monday Update: Early Holiday Shopping Edition

Hi everyone and happy Monday! I hope that all of you had a fabulous weekend. One thing that Lil Red loves almost as much as shopping for herself, is shopping for other people. I live for birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas so that I can spoil my friends and family rotten with well thought out presents. I revel in making my holiday shopping list, mulling over the hobbies and favorite things of my loved ones, and coming up with the perfect presents under the tree for each of them.

Even though it is a bit early to start holiday shopping, I am pretty happy to have knocked out a solid chunk of gift buying this month. It was admittedly hard to spend the extra dough, especially because of my New York trip, BUT I was going to be buying the presents anyways so I figured that I would start getting it over with now. And since my preferred method for present shopping is doing it online, the earlier the better, in case any of the gifts are broken, take long to ship, etc.

Amazon has always been a godsend when it comes to gift giving occasions for me. What I usually do is buy a majority of my presents from there and then go to the mall (Yikes!), TJMaxx, or Target for the rest of the random odds and ends. Quite a few of my purchases have already arrived to chez moi, and I have to say that Amazon has really stepped up their shipping game. All of my packages arrived in about three days and all of the contents seemed to be handled and packed really well. When I opened the boxes and saw a solid amount of packing foam, I was confident that all of the items were going to be in one piece and ready to be given as a gift. And they were.

I’ve only had a handful of bad experiences while shopping on Amazon in the years that I’ve been a customer of theirs. But the success of my recent early bout of holiday shopping has made me feel safe in my decision to leave a majority of my purchasing in Amazon’s hands, once again. I’m glad to have gotten a head start on my Christmas shopping and am looking forward to checking off the rest of my list in November!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Early Holiday Shopping Edition! Who is done with their Christmas shopping already? Who is a last minute gift buyer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Celebrate Your Anniversary With Style

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Celebrate Your Anniversary With Style

Whether it is the date of your first meeting, first kiss, or your wedding, anniversaries are an exciting and special time that deserves to be celebrated. But how can you ensure that you are truly celebrating your anniversary with all of the style and glamor that you know it deserves? Unfortunately, many people don’t really know how to do this, and it often results in a less than satisfying day for everyone involved. In this post, we are going to take a closer look at how to celebrate your anniversary – of any kind – with true style:

The Difficulty Of Gift Buying: It wouldn’t really be an anniversary without gifts, and it is likely to be one of the first things that you think of when your date is approaching. If you find that you always struggle to find your partner a decent present that you are truly happy with, then you are not alone. Everyone knows this feeling, and it is one that is hard to do away with. So how do you go about ensuring that you end up with the right present? It might actually be easier than you think.

One useful way to do it if you are married is to fall in line with the traditional present buying rules for the years that you have been married. If you don’t know already, it is traditionally paper for one year, wood for five years, tin or aluminum for ten years, crystal for fifteen years, china for twenty years, and so on all the way up to gold for fifty years. If you have reached that genuine milestone, then you will probably want to splash out a little. There are many gold chains for men variations for you to choose between here, and you might be surprised at how easily you can find a fantastic present of this kind.

Even if you don’t want to go by this old rule or you are not married, you might find that gift buying doesn’t have to be all that hard. The trick is in working out what you think they might benefit from but which they would not normally buy for themselves. It might take some time to find something that is absolutely ideal, but the longer you spend on the process, the more likely it is that you will be happy with the resulting gift that you eventually find.

Once you have chosen what seems to be the perfect gift, you will have the issue of trying to come up with when to present it to them. This could be a more difficult concern than you have imagined, and you might end up going for a special occasion which the two of you can have together in celebration of your anniversary itself. If you can find a good time to reveal your gift, you will probably find that it seems to have much more value for the both of you. With the gift buying looked after, you will have dealt with what is often the most difficult part of ensuring that your anniversary celebrations are done with style. But there is much more to consider beside the present, so let’s continue on:

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  So sweet!

Writing A Letter: If you think that buying a gift is not enough, and you would like to express how you feel even more, then you might want to consider writing a letter to your other half expressing how you feel about them. For anyone who would enjoy receiving love letters in youth, this can be a lovely way to bring a little fresh life into the relationship, and at a good time as well. If you find that you often struggle with this kind of thing, then you might choose to take it as an opportunity to practice, as it is something that will always go down well in the future. Writing this kind of letter can be a great way to add a little genuine romance to your anniversary, and is the kind of thing that almost everyone will appreciate.

Depending on how you present it, you can also make this a great way to add some style to your anniversary celebrations. You could consider using old parchment style paper in order to give it an old world feel, for example. Or you might choose to have it delivered in an interesting and exciting way, which makes it more of an event. A letter is definitely worth putting the effort into if you want to make your anniversary as special as you want it to be – Even if you don’t have the best way with words!

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 Letter writing is a lost art.

Mixtapes Are Still A Thing: If you thought that the days of making mixtapes were long gone, think again. While the cassette might be a thing of the past, there is no reason that you can’t create the same kind of effect in a different way. If you are a little creative about it, you might even be able to upgrade the old mixtape idea into something more inventive and enjoyable that your other half will love.

One of the best ways to do this is to get a flash drive and load it with your favorite songs that remind you of them, or which you have enjoyed together in the past. If you present the flash drive in a special way, you will find that it really helps to make it more of a gift, and it is a lovely modern throwback to the old mixtape idea, which really seems to land with people well. Alternatively, you could make a CD, and in this way get a little closer to the original idea.

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#rockinout

Vacationing Is A Must: If you really want to make the most of your anniversary, then you might want to think about whisking your partner away to somewhere exotic for the weekend, or maybe even longer. For the truly romantic out there, you might even want to make it work so that this is the real surprise for them. If you can pull that off, you will find that it has a very strong effect, indeed. Nothing is better than a surprise holiday! Get this right, and it could be the most special anniversary you have had so far.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a low key anniversary, because they are just as special. But if you’re looking to glam things up this year, then the steps above are a great place to start!

Featured Image By: Pexels