Oct13

5 Ways To Tell You’re Ready For A Career Change

Posted on by
Standard
5 Ways To Tell You’re Ready For A Career Change

Many people aren’t actually doing what they want to do work wise or, unfortunately, only see their job as a means to an end. It’s common to feel a bit stagnant and decide to focus on furthering studies or learning something new. If you’re not feeling challenged anymore, it might be time to shake things up a bit with a career change. You’ll be more likely to be engaged and motivated at work, and will be able to start making realistic financial goals for your future. Here are five ways to tell you’re ready for a career change:

You don’t feel like your job makes a difference:

Many people opt for a career change because they want to do something more rewarding. This might mean a new job where you help make a difference in people’s lives. If you’re interested in this type of work, you could look into taking a course with an occupational therapy school. This is an example of a career where you can help people of all ages with any physical, developmental, and social challenges they may be facing.

You no longer feel challenged:

If you’ve been in the same job for a while, it’s easy to feel bored and in a rut. Often people are afraid to change careers because they don’t believe they can learn something new. This is not the solution, however, and it’s much more beneficial to seek out new challenges. This way, you’ll improve your skill set and have more opportunities in the future. It’s time to get focused and finally leave your comfort zone.

You would like to continue studying:

There are also many benefits to furthering your education. You’ll be a much more valuable member of staff to any employer, and you’ll be able to gain more experience and responsibility. Perhaps there’s a subject you’ve always wanted to study but haven’t got round to yet? It’s never too late to continue studying and if you don’t want to leave your current job you can opt for a part-time course online. Employers are generally on board with this idea, as it helps to motivate staff, so they might even offer to sponsor you.

There is a wide variety of online courses and certificate programs available. Local community colleges tend to offer fully online degrees or you can search online for well credited programs. From literary arts to home inspector training online, you are sure to find something that fits your interests.

You don’t feel financially compensated:

It’s also time for a career change if you don’t feel financially compensated. By focusing on gaining a new qualification you might be able to finally curb financial anxiety and get paid what you deserve. Money isn’t always the reason people decide on a career change, but it’s definitely a factor if you don’t feel valued at work.

Your priorities have changed:

Your priorities might have changed since you were younger. Whereas in your previous role you were more interested in travel or networking, for instance, you might now be looking for other challenges in order to progress. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for in the future, here are some tips on how to prioritize. Before you make the decision to change careers, you need to get your goals and priorities straight.

It’s never too late to try something new and, yes, that includes your career! Good luck!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Oct13

How You Can Start Decluttering Your Home

Posted on by
Standard
How You Can Start Decluttering Your Home

As we approach winter and the festive period, you may be wondering exactly what you could be doing in your home that can have a positive impact on your life. Aside from getting excited about what is to come, you can make some big improvements in your home. Decluttering and clearing away mess, then organizing the chaos can help you to feel happier and more content in your home. So what can you do to get started? Here are some of the things to think about:

Find a solution for the things you want to keep:

One of the biggest issues we can find when it comes to our homes is feeling like we have no choice but to get rid of some of the things we want to keep, because our homes just can’t house them right now. Maybe pieces of furniture or other big items like baby and kids beds. Something you may want for the future, but have no need for now. Decluttering doesn’t always mean selling, donating, or disposing of things, it can mean storing correctly. Using a secure self storage facility could be a great option to consider. Meaning you can store items you want for one day, such as when family dynamics change or you have a bigger property.

After you have used a site like Storage Locator to find a facility near you, the real clear out can begin. Keep in mind that storage spaces can easily become cluttered too. You will want to only store what you absolutely need to keep so you’re not simply moving the clutter from one area to another.

Start with five minutes a day:

Often, it is the small things that can start to drive you crazy when it comes to decluttering your home, so you may want to not overwhelm yourself when you start the journey. This is when just using five minutes a day can start to make a big difference. Grab a bag and walk around your home for five minutes, getting rid of bits of rubbish, odd items, and clutter. Then go through it and decide whether it needs to be disposed of or not. This method is great for cleaning papers and other recyclable items. Helping you to have a clearer space to work with.

Seek out inspiration:

If you are struggling, then you may want to seek out some inspiration online or through visual videos and programs. This is when The Home Edit, the Marie Kondo TV series on Netflix, or following the account on social media could be great sources of inspiration. There are some simple things that you can do to store items better such as using canisters in cupboards or folding clothes in a specific way. The inspiration could help you to come up with ways to store the items in your home more effectively.

Focus on one room at a time:

If it feels like you have a lot to go through, then focus on one room at a time. You can then dedicate the time you have to going through drawers, decluttering items, and storing them differently or more effectively. The one room at a time method gives you a focus and once it is done it can be a huge motivation to carry on with the next project.

Don’t forget as you go through each room that decluttering doesn’t just mean removing the items from the room, but throwing them out, donating, or having a yard sale. If you have a huge clear away, you might need the help of rubbish removal services to get the job done. You will still have to deal with clutter if you put these items in a storage facility to use later!

Get to decluttering more effectively with the tips above! Happy cleaning!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Oct13

Steps To Take Towards A Healthier Pregnancy

Posted on by
Standard
Steps To Take Towards A Healthier Pregnancy

For a lot of women, simply getting the good news that you’re pregnant can be work enough. However, it’s about to get a lot tougher after that due to the range of health issues that, even if they’re not serious, can plague a pregnancy and make it much tougher to get through. Aside from following all of the advice from your doctor, let’s discuss some tips that can help you achieve a healthier pregnancy.

Before we begin, it’s so important to confirm your pregnancy as soon as possible if you have any suspicions or tell tale signs. This can be done with an at home test or doing Blood Tests Glasgow (or your local area). The sooner you have an answer, the sooner you can begin taking the steps to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Folic acid and Vitamin D are key:

Eating a healthy and balanced diet is important when you’re pregnant, but there are a few vitamins and nutrients that are worth giving a little more focus. In particular, vitamin D is crucial for developing healthy bones and muscles, while folic acid can help decrease the risk of a wide range of birth defects. As such, talk to your doctor about taking folic acid supplements. These are often prescribed to expecting mothers and are usually taken up until the end of the first trimester when you should be out of the woods.

Keep moving:

Pain is a greater risk when you’re pregnant. You’re gaining weight, a lot of it on your belly, which can change the way that your body handles the pressure caused by gravity pushing down on that weight. This can lead to very achy joints and back pain. For that reason, it’s a great idea to make sure that you remain as active as you safely can through all stages of the pregnancy. There are pregnancy exercise classes that you can do in person or online, whichever is safest at the moment. Otherwise, even daily stretches and walks can make a big difference.

Tackle your pain head on:

By being more active and addressing posture issues, you can make sure that your added belly weight isn’t stressing your body out as much as it otherwise would. However, chronic pain is a regular part of many women’s pregnancies and one that should be addressed with care. As such, look for professionals like a chiropractor that offers specific treatments for pregnant women that take into account your additional health concerns. There are also maternity massages that ensure your baby bump is kept safe while offering you some much-needed relief.

Don’t ignore your mental health:

We naturally complain more when we’re pregnant. We’re in more physical discomfort, we might be anxious about the upcoming birth, we’re planning for a huge life change. However, if you’re having real trouble with your mental health, then it is worth taking the time to reach out to a counselor. Nowadays, it’s much easier to find trained professionals online who can help you deal with a wide range of anxieties and insecurities. Don’t feel like you would be too much of a burden talking to friends and family, either. Everyone wants to make sure you get through this in tip-top shape.

Your doctor’s advice is always paramount when it comes to deciding how you deal with a pregnancy. However, the tips above can be a good supplement to that and are worth keeping in mind!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Oct13

An Apple A Day

Posted on by
Standard
An Apple A Day

Hello!! For those of you who don’t know, my big girl job is as an Independent Provider for people with special needs. I love my job always but in the summer and fall, I feel particularly thankful because I am constantly being spoiled with produce from gardens and apple orchards. Each family I work with does a garden every summer and, I swear, I never went a week without delicious, homegrown veggies in my apartment these past few months.

This past week, a client and his family visited an apple orchard and I had such fun hearing about his outing. Fast forward to when I was about to pull out of their yard to go home and his mom comes running out to stop me with a huge bag of apples. SO sweet!

All of the families I work with consider me an “honorary” member of their household and it is an honor for me. So, to come home with a bag of apples or veggies is special to me because it’s a reminder of how much we all care for each other. I would be so lonely without all of the wonderful families I get to help out and, god forbid one of us gets sick or goes on vacation, because we all end up missing each other like crazy!

Like I said, my client’s mom ran to my car with this beautiful bounty and it was like getting the most fantastic hug. Small and simple acts of kindness are often the best so be sure to offer an apple (pumpkin or gourd!) a day to someone you love if you visit an apple orchard or pumpkin patch this fall. You have the Lil Red Guarantee that it will be oh so appreciated. ❤

What was the last random act of kindness you made? What do you like to grow in your garden? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct12

Keeping Clothes You Love Looking New

Posted on by
Standard
Keeping Clothes You Love Looking New

When you fall in love with a piece of clothing, whether it’s your new jeans or an elegant blouse, you want them to last for as long as possible. Unfortunately, when it comes to fashion, nothing lasts forever. Clothes are made to be worn, and as such, they can develop signs of wear and tear. It’s part of their life cycle.

However, more often than not, the items you love don’t even make it to “old age”, so to say. Your fall haul shopping may not last longer than a couple of months if you can’t prevent damage. If you’ve been choosing new clothes to keep you warm in fall and winter, here is a brief reminder of how to avoid those rookie fashion care mistakes.

Read the label:

It might sound silly, but you’d be surprised to know that most people are quick to snap the label off without reading it. It makes sense: Labels can be itchy and unpleasant against the skin. Yet they contain valuable information. If you’re going to cut it, make sure to store it safely for future reference. Your label will display different symbols related to wash, bleaching, tumble dry, ironing, dry cleaning, and additional instructions. A hot wash and tumble dry are the most common places where damages can occur! If you’ve removed the label without reading it, your best bet is to apply the following principles:

  • Warm wash for cotton and similar fabric
  • Hand wash for silk, satin, underwear, lace, mesh, and wool fabric
  • Avoid tumble dryer for wool, non-stretchy clothes, and fragile clothes such as underwear, tights, or mesh skirts

Check your water:

Do you find white marks on your clothes after washing them? It could be limescale. Hard water can damage the fabric and leave white stains that are difficult to remove. Ideally, you want to consider hard water removal solutions such as a water softener. You can test your water to figure out if it is relevant to you. However, the easiest way is to check for limescale is in the kettle, around the taps, and on the shower curtains. Hard water will deteriorate your most loved clothes so it is wise to look into a Water softening equipment supplier in Vista, CA or your local area to get this problem solved.

Sort your colors and fabrics:

Granted, nowadays, you can throw all your clothes in the wash at the same time and add a color catcher sheet to avoid color bleeds. Do these sheets work? Yes, more often than not, they can be highly effective. But it takes only one lousy sheet to ruin your laundry, so it’s best to learn to sort out your clothes. Ideally, you want to end up with distinctive piles: whites, darks, lights, denim, delicates. Color sorting is only one step! Make sure to consider fabric weight – hence denim VS delicates for instance – heavily stained garments.

Keep your washing machine clean:

A dirty washing machine will damage your clothes. Simple steps such as removing debris after a wash like pet hair and small particles and not leaving wet clothes inside the machine for too long can avoid unpleasant odors. You can also run a cleaning cycle as most washers have one nowadays. You won’t need a machine safeguarding assessment if your washing machine isn’t functioning as it should but a call to a local handyman will do just fine!

If you’ve had your love affair with a piece of garment cut short because of unexpected damage, now’s the time to stop the story from repeating itself! Keeping your clothes for longer means becoming more strategic and organized with your laundry routine.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Oct12

Fall Haul: Seven Jeans Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Fall Haul: Seven Jeans Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to the last post of my Fall Haul with TJMaxx! I am so happy with all of my purchases and can’t wait to incorporate all of my new clothes into my fall and winter wardrobe. It is, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year for me to shop and I think this was one of my best Fall Hauls yet!

Now, finally, let’s check out these coated, snakeskin patterned skinny jeans from Seven:

Man, do I love when the items I purchase still have their original price tag. My new jeans were marked as seventy-nine bucks and I got them for thirty, I believe. Score!

If there’s one thing Lil Red loves, it is coated skinny jeans. I think they are just the tops. The sheen, the punk rock appeal, the cool patterns – give me a pair of coated jeans over regular any day of the week! I was so taken by these skinnies just in the picture on TJ’s website that I didn’t even care if they were high waisted. I threw caution to the wind and it paid off big time because they are, easily, one of the most unique pairs of jeans I own.

When placing my order online, I really didn’t realize that these jeans were Seven brand until seeing them at home. For those of you who don’t know, Fergie references Seven in the timeless classic “My Humps” by the Black Eyed Peas. So, permission to be feeling myself for the rest of the year was obviously granted after that discovery! 😀

Although these jeans are high waisted, they fit a little bit higher than a standard normal rise. I can definitely get down with that and I love how long and lean they make my legs look. The metallic shine of the coated snakeskin pattern adds such a dramatic flare and Fergie really was right… My butt looks great in them! Lol!

Pre-COVID, I lived for my fall shopping trips to TJMaxx. Unfortunately, that’s just not possible right now and my online haul was the next best thing. I got a lot of super cute new pieces for a fraction of their original price and there is nothing better. ❤

What is your favorite thing from my Fall Haul? Have you purchased any new clothes recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct11

Fall Haul: Sound & Style Skinny Jeans Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Fall Haul: Sound & Style Skinny Jeans Edition

Hello! In Lil Red’s world, one can never have enough pairs of black skinny jeans. From pleather and coated to plaid and plain Jane, I try to get at least one to two new pairs of jeans per year as I can’t stand once my black jeans start turning grey after multiple washes! During this TJMaxx haul, I tried my luck by ordering two new pairs, not really expecting either to work. To my surprise, both of them did! Check out the first pair today and then tune in tomorrow for the last post of my Fall Haul. Let’s get to it:

The main reason why I thought that both of my new jeans were going to be unsuccessful was because both of them happen to be high waisted. Most of you know by now that I hate high waisted clothing but, for those of you that don’t: I hate high waisted clothing. I have never been a fan because I never found it to be flattering on my body type. It literally was just butt and boobs when I tried high waisted shorts out and I have steered clear ever since.

Because I refuse to wear high waisted, it can be difficult for me to find normal rise jeans and shorts. But, it had been a while so I figured “how bad can it be” and added both of my high waisted jeans into the cart. Once I tried them on at home, I was pleased to see that neither of the pants went up too high and, I’ve got to say, they both looked damn good!

I absolutely love my new plaid skinnies by Sound & Style. The black background with the muted plaid in purple, green, and yellow just seems like a perfect pair for fall. I can so picture myself wearing them with all of my favorite sweaters and cardigans in hues that match the plaid.

I have wanted jeans like this for a long time and my hatred of high waisted prevented me from having them. Of course, if they didn’t work I could have always returned them at my local TJMaxx but who wants to do that?! I am proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and the pay off of pants that fit amazingly and are too cute to boot was well worth any feelings of uncertainty! 😀

What is your preferred rise for pants? How do you step out of your comfort zone when it comes to clothes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct10

Fall Haul: Chaser Pullover Sweater Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Fall Haul: Chaser Pullover Sweater Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to my favorite purchase from my TJMaxx Fall Haul! Today, we are going to be talking about the most adorable pullover sweater by Chaser blinged out in sparkling, golden stars. As soon as I saw it on TJ’s website, it just had to be mine and I can’t wait to wear it all fall and winter long! Check it out:

There was a point in time when I shied away from colors I deemed “boring”. AKA white and brown. Lol, for the longest time I never owned anything in those shades and finally decided to give both of them a shot. After realizing that I happen to look good in white and brown, I learned that colors are only as boring as the outfits you style and began adding both colors into my wardrobe palette.

Of course, just plain brown or white will never do so when I found this lovely creamy colored, star adorned sweater I was in love. And when I say in love I mean love love. This pullover fits so nicely without being too tight or too loose. You can rock it zipped up or you can easily put a lacy cami top underneath for a sexy surprise zipped down.

I always thought that hues in the white and brown family would wash me out but this sweater does the total opposite. It makes my red and yellow hair as well as all of my features pop and I know I’m going to wear it all of the time! I feel like an absolute star in this sweater and for under thirty dollars I consider it a steal. Hurray for fall shopping!

Is there a color you used to never wear that you like now? What is your favorite and least favorite color to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct9

Fall Haul: Max Sport Cardigan Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Fall Haul: Max Sport Cardigan Edition

Hi! Today, we’re going to be talking about a new cardigan by Max Sport compliments of my TJMaxx fall haul. This cardi just so happens to be Johnny’s favorite thing that I ordered because he claims it looks like a pirate. It definitely does but I think he’s been playing his Assassins Creed game too much! 😉 Haha, check it out:

First things first, WOAH, peep that original price tag. Three hundred twenty-eight dollars originally and I bought it for forty bucks – you just can’t beat that! Second things second, I think this cardigan rocks. Naturally, I have pirates on the brain because of Johnny but, damn, I just might be the poshest pirate in all of the Seven Seas with this little number.

The color palette of this Max Sport hooded cardi is just divine. I love the golden yellow paired with the deep red, which both look so shocking against its black background. I can see myself wearing this all fall and winter with my favorite thigh high black boots and the skinniest black jeans I own for a powerful and sleek silhouette. Y’all can call me Mrs. Captain Blackbeard! 😀

This Max Sport cardi was a great purchase and I couldn’t be happier with it. There is also nothing better than seeing that crazy huge original price and knowing that I got it for a song. And, the fact that my boyfriend wants to borrow it makes it that much better, lol! Tune in tomorrow for more of my fall haul because my favorite find will be on the agenda. It makes me feel like a star. ❤

How would you style this cardigan? Where do you shop for the best deals? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct8

Fall Haul: Cynthia Rowley Sweater Edition

Posted on by
Standard
Fall Haul: Cynthia Rowley Sweater Edition

Hi! It is no secret that Lil Red loves shopping for the fall. I detest shopping in the summer but ring in the cold weather and my heart begins to soar! Layers, jackets, sweaters, darling accessories, BOOTS?! The best. Despite not really going anywhere or doing anything in COVID times, I just had to treat myself to a spot of TJMaxx fall shopping online. It is the most wonderful time of the year for me, clothes-wise, after all!

Check out this adorable sweater by Cynthia Rowley and let’s get to it:

One of the things that I miss doing the most is my TJMaxx shopping trips with my mom and this sweater reminded me of her so much when I saw it. I could just picture her saying that she loved it when I came across it online because she loves anything with hearts on it. And, just as I suspected, this was one of her favorite things that I purchased when I gave her a fashion show of all my new treats.

I absolutely adore this navy and white striped sweater by Cynthia Rowley. It honestly reminds me of sweaters from Hollister that the “cool girls” would wear back in high school but much more posh, lol! I’ve never owned much with horizontal stripes because, as a girl with a bigger bust, they can make me look wide. However, this sweater just fits so nicely without being too tight or baggy and I love how I look in it.

The best part? The adorable heart, of course! It takes this sweater from something plain Jane into a more unique piece and I think I’m going to be wearing it all of the time this fall. In fact, I’m wearing it right now as I type this! 😀 ❤

What is your favorite season to shop for? What is your favorite pattern to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah