From Hobby To Passion, Finding More Time For What You Love

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From Hobby To Passion, Finding More Time For What You Love

Finding your balance in life isn’t always easy. When you feel the scales tipping too hard in one direction, it can feel like you’re stuck in a rut. With the state of modern living, all too often those scales tip too heavily in favor of work and the important responsibilities we all carry. When that happens, it’s time to take a closer look at how you spend your time, and how much you dedicate to your passions.

Recognize the benefits:

First, we have to get rid of the stigma that some of us attach to our hobbies. It is true that in many cases, you don’t get an easily understandable return on your investment. Most people aren’t going to make money off of their passion. However, they are going to enjoy the benefits that can enrich their lives not just personally but professionally. People with hobbies tend to be more productive and more motivated in their work. They can learn plenty of transferable skills that can apply to their careers. Perhaps more importantly, it helps round you out as a person, gives you a broader perspective on life, and gives you the downtime that you need to get away from work every now and then.

Be willing to invest:

If you want the full benefits of finding a passion, whether it’s writing, backpacking, archery, or something entirely different, you have to be willing to give into it. Most passions require some kind of gear or tools that cost money. This could be sports equipment, a laptop, or even EFT Coffee cheat packs for your favorite video games. You can start with basic gear and level up as you continue to explore your hobby more fully. The time it takes to learn the ins-and-outs of any hobby, however, is the biggest investment that you have to make. This means taking a closer look at your schedule and physically penciling in time that you take away from other fields of your life to enjoy your hobby without any distraction. You have to create those boundaries and make a hard rule out of them, otherwise, it’s all too easy to find yourself sacrificing that “me time” for something that isn’t really worth it.

Find others who are into it:

To some people, a little isolation goes a long way in helping them enjoy their passions. Spending time alone in the wilderness or in your own garden can help you get away from the noise of your colleagues or family, which is perfectly fine. But, if you really want to get deeper into a hobby and commit to making it a passion, finding others who share your interest can be beneficial. Beyond all of the practical advice, discussion, and recommendations, finding others who share your hobby acts as a positive reinforcement. Seeing other people willing to commit to the same thing as you can help you get over the stigma that you might have against spending more time on you.

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Creative hobbies are a good place to start!

Make room for it (literally):

It’s another investment, but if you need physical space to enjoy a hobby, such as gardening, woodworking, or painting, then it’s worth making space for it. If you love movies, then you can create the perfect home entertainment space. If you paint, then think about using the garage or finishing the basement to give yourself a studio. A degree of separation is needed from the space where you practice your hobby and where you live the rest of your life. Otherwise, it’s too easy to let distractions pop in or to find your valuable hobby time spoiled because someone else is using that space.

Get your own retreat:

If you’re an outdoorsman who loves archery, horse riding, or simply walking the great outdoors, then it is worth considering making an investment into a property that allows you to indulge in it whenever you have the time. There is plenty of land for sale perfect for those who love their outdoor passions. It’s a big investment, but property can always be profitable, and it can be cheaper to keep returning to your own property rather than having to rent a lodge several times a year.

Get involved with the community:

We have already stated how finding others who share your passion can help you learn more about it and get more engaged with it. But if you’re already well versed in the passion of your choice and you are in a position to share, then you could become a more established voice in the community, as well. Think about starting a hobby podcast or a blog where you can discuss the finer points and give a little more insight, even helping new people find that passion. If you’re able to land sponsors or affiliate deals, you might even be able to monetize that passion.

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Beautiful!

Teach others:

Not all passions can be easily monetized. It depends on the market around you, any competition, and your own experience. If you have a long history in a particular field or talent, however, then you could make a side-gig or even a main career of teaching it to others. Whether it’s sports, martial arts, or knitting – consider starting a class to help newcomers find their feet. Beyond finding new people to share that joy with, teaching is also a learning experience, helping you consider your passion a lot more deeply so that you’re able to communicate it with others.

It might feel like a risk, investing time and money in something that your mind can easily rationalize as “just a hobby”. However, the benefits of finding your passion and giving yourself a reason to enjoy getting out of bed every morning are vital to helping you keep up those still important responsibilities.

Featured Image By: Kaboompics

Hipster Hobbies: Becoming A Collector

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Hipster Hobbies: Becoming A Collector

Have you been thinking of a new hobby that you could take up? Lots of people instantly think of getting involved with a sport whenever they start looking for a new hobby, but if you are not particularly sporty, then that suggestion might not impress you! Not too keen on reading or other creative pursuits, either? Well, there is one other idea that we have for you. In fact, this suggestion is quite trendy right now as many hipsters are starting to pursue it.

Why not become a collector and start a new collection? Not only does this give you something to do in your spare time, but it could also work out as a very valuable investment eventually. Some collections, such as stamps and baseball cards, can increase in value over time and you’ll be able to sell them for a tidy profit at some point in the future. That’s especially the case if you can add any very valuable items to your collection!

Ready to get started on your new life as a serious collector? Here are some tips that can help you get your new collection up and running:

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Antiques are always a good way to go!

Realize Your Passion:

First, you need to think about what you are going to collect. It’s a good idea to start collecting something related to your passion and main interests. That way, you are a lot less likely to get bored of whatever it is that you are collecting. You should also have a fairly good background knowledge on whatever it is you are collecting, which will make this a much more interesting hobby for you to pursue. Thanks to this knowledge, you will probably already be pretty clued up on how to spot authentic items and which to pass on.

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Pretty!

Catalogue Everything:

Once you start a collection, you should try and make sure that you don’t accidentally buy two or more of the same item. That would be a waste of money and will only take up space in your home, especially if the items that you are collecting are large. One way to prevent this from happening is to make sure that you catalogue everything that you buy. Don’t worry; this doesn’t have to be an extensive catalogue system – simply recording each item that you buy is enough to keep track of what you have in your possession. You should be alright keeping a record in a notebook, but if your collection becomes extensive, you might want to consider buying a specialist computer software to help you keep track of everything in your collection.

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Pexels Image

Buy Authentic Items:

You will find that some collectables can be rather expensive. As a result, there are a lot of people out there who are selling fakes and pretending that they are the real deal so that they can take advantage of collectors. To make sure that you’re not fooled by any scammers, you need to make sure that you are careful to only buy authentic items. If you do buy a forgery, you will find that you won’t be able to sell it at the price that you bought to make a profit.

Are you wondering how to make sure that you always buy authentic items? First, make sure that you use reputable sellers and shops. When you visit the website where you are hoping to buy your collectibles, you should make sure that there is a wealth of information about each item. They should also have accreditations that prove that they are the genuine sellers. If possible, try and find some reviews from other sellers, as well. Generally speaking, it is always better to buy from official sites instead of auction sites like eBay, as it is easier to figure out whether the seller is genuine or not.

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Stamp collecting is always popular.

Sell & Buy:

When it comes to collecting, it is rarely a one-way street. You will find that the majority of collector sell as well as buy. This is, more often than not, for practical reasons. For example, they might need to make more space in their home for more valuable items and, therefore, sell off some of their lower value items. Or, it could be for financial reasons – some collectors sell off some of their items to make funds for more expensive and rarer ones. It’s a good idea to set up your own eBay site to aid your selling. If that sounds like too much effort for you, you could also sell through a genuine collectible seller or shop. Just remember that they will take a commission, though, so you won’t get 100% of the profits.

Work On Relationships With Sellers:

Once you start to regularly return to the same sellers, it’s a good idea to try and develop a rapport and relationship with them. Lots of sellers really appreciate their loyal customers, as they help them make a profit each month. You will find that the sellers you always go back to will be really appreciative of your business. As a result, you will find that they might offer you some discounts on buying in bulk and they could also offer you other special and exclusive deals. Plus, when they start to get a feel for the kinds of things that you are after, they could contact you to let you know whenever they get something new in their shop.

Think About Storage:

Ideally, you need to try and keep all of your collectibles in pristine condition. This way, they will retain as much of their value as possible. So, it’s a good idea to try and keep the items in their original packaging. You might also want to buy some display cases if you want to use your collectibles as part of your decor.

Lots of people find that starting a collection is a very worthwhile hobby and one that can bring them significant profits. Do you think this sounds like the one for you?

Featured Image By: Pexels

Spring Crocuses

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Spring Crocuses

Hello!! With hopefully the last snow of the season behind us in Ohio (But, who am I kidding, we’ll probs get at least one more!), the temps have been raising to a comfortable fifty degrees. With that increase and some extra sunshine, I found some more crocuses in my yard popping up when I walked the dogs this weekend. Seeing freshly sprouted flowers just makes me happy, and I’m sure that plenty of you are the same, so take a look:

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Instead of just the yellow crocuses that were sprouting up last time, I had the pleasure of seeing white and purple blooms peeking out beneath the winter debris. The white crocuses are happily embracing the sunshine, while the three purples ones are so close to opening up and doing the same. I can’t wait for when they do!

What is your favorite flower? Are there any blooms popping up in your yard? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Introducing Sleep Hygiene To Your Life

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Introducing Sleep Hygiene To Your Life

If you’re someone who struggles to get to sleep at night, or you’re the kind of person who lays awake for hours just waiting for sleep to catch up with you, then there’s a good chance that you do not have the best sleep hygiene. This is a relatively new concept that’s been getting a lot of attention recently, with more and more people complaining of insomnia and research into sleep disorders becoming a wide medical field.

If you want to introduce it into your life, because let’s face it, at this point you’ll take anything to make sure you get a good night’s sleep, then here’s some basic tips. It’s important to remember that not everything works for everyone before frustration makes you give up on the entire premise!

Get Relaxed Before Bed:

It’s all well and good that you can fall onto the softest mattress from Sterling Sleep Systems, but you need to get properly relaxed before that to make sure that sleep takes hold of you in the shortest time possible. The best way to do this is to implement a routine for the nighttime that gets your body used to switching off and falling asleep, and gets your brain to remember that sleep is its friend!

Make sure that you’re washing in warm water before you head to the dream world, as a bath or shower can release tension from your muscles and give you a very refreshing feeling. You could also try stretching yourself out before you sleep; yes, a bit of exercise before saying goodnight could help you. Your body doesn’t need to settle into a lethargic position before you fall into a restful slumber, after all.

Keep it Dark:

Your brain needs to focus and only focus on trying to get to sleep, and that means your sleep environment needs to be calm and quiet for you to slumber away in. Making sure it’s dark is a good way to indicate to your open eyes that it’s time to rest. This isn’t something everyone finds relaxing, of course, but you can easily minimize the effect of harsh lighting before you go to sleep by turning off the phone or the TV, or dimming these screens down.

Try Not to Nap:

Everyone needs to nap from time to time, but if you’re taking two to three hour naps in the middle of the day, you’re going to suffer at bedtime. This is because your body doesn’t feel tired due to the extra energy, and let’s face it, you already know this is a problem you have to conquer. If you do need to nap, try to limit the time to 30 minutes, with 20 minutes being the optimum. It can erase the tiredness behind your eyes and really boost your mood, so feel free to take these shorter naps.

Sleep hygiene is quite effective to practice and can make going into the land of nod a lot easier.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Eight Confidence Boosting Tips For Every Day

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Eight Confidence Boosting Tips For Every Day

We’re all dreaming of the day when we wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and are happy with what we see. Until that day arrives, we can work on our self-esteem and confidence, so we can learn to appreciate the beauty on the inside and the outside, and become more aware of our flaws and best features. Confidence can help you find the best ways of creating your own style, achieving your goals, and becoming more successful. From learning to appreciate your skills and knowledge to working on your limitations, there are plenty of ways that you can boost your confidence to look and feel better every day. Here are a few tips for you to consider:

1.   Positive Affirmations

To build your confidence, you might want to find some positive affirmations that you can repeat to yourself every day. When you don’t feel like meeting people, or you feel like you look ten years older than you are, you have to acknowledge the thoughts and focus on the positives. Some people call this the “fake it till you become it” attitude, but you shouldn’t try to pretend to be someone else. Instead, find positive things about yourself and focus on what you have achieved instead of what you failed at.

2.   Self-Compassion

If you fear rejection or failure, you are likely to have inner frustrations and anger to deal with. The best approach is to learn self-compassion through meditation and mindfulness training. You will find that you have to love yourself and recognize your value before others would. Self-compassion is an approach that helps you become the best you can by looking after number one, and focusing on your self-image instead of what other people think about you. Chances are that you are not happy with plenty of things in your life, but if you focus on what you are doing right, you can find a helpful solution.

3.   Goals and Achievements

Once you have learned self-compassion, you have to list your goals and achievements. Think about what you have done well in your life and acknowledge your personal strengths. To develop yourself further, you could set yourself SMART goals. They are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-relevant. This will help you stay focused on your long term goals, whether they are related to your career, personal life, or your appearance.

4.   Congratulate Yourself

Once you have achieved a goal, you need to congratulate yourself. You can set yourself a reward for completing each task or achieving the goal, depending on what works the best for you. If you happen to be a maximalist, you need to learn to settle for “good enough” instead of perfect all of the time. Even if other people don’t acknowledge your achievements, you have to look after your confidence and emotional balance, by congratulating yourself. You might even print off some motivational certificates and display them on your wall whenever you achieve a new goal.

5.   Changing What You Can

Sometimes we have problems with our behavior, emotions, or appearance that impacts our whole life. If this is the case, you should seek professional help. Counseling can aid your self-discovery, and help you find the reasons why you have low confidence. If you can fix the issue, you should. Some women benefit from breast augmentation and feel better and more confident in their skin, while others opt for exercise or skin treatments. Find what you want to change and start actively seeking the solution.

Should the surgical route be the one you wish to take, then that is perfectly okay! There is nothing wrong with opting for plastic surgery as long as you are safe about it. The most important thing you can do is find an excellent surgeon and it can be helpful to schedule a few consultations at different practices. To get started simply enter a search for “Top Breast Augmentation Experts Philadelphia” (or your local area) and shop around to find the best fit for you and your needs. Your safety and comfort are paramount so do not settle for anything less than the best.

6.   Managing Your Frustrations

It is important to deal with your frustrations. If you don’t feel good about how the dress looks on you or would like to improve your mental health by learning to accept yourself, you can change how you feel. While it is important to better yourself, sometimes you are too critical with yourself. Ask for feedback from your friends and family members to find out whether or not your assumptions are founded on facts or your imagination. You might feel like you are not looking your best, while most of your friends will be jealous of your style.

7.   Focusing Less on Impressing Others

It is important that you learn to realistically assess your looks and behavior, and not try to impress others with everything you do. Simply put, you should do what makes you happy, instead of what impresses others. Likewise, wear what you feel good and confident in. If you’re not checking the feedback from others every minute, you can focus on developing yourself. There are several methods to help you achieve a higher confidence level and doing your own thing instead of fearing criticism. Tell yourself that if someone doesn’t like you it is their problem, and don’t try to be friends with everyone.

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Eloise Ambursley Image

8.   Daring Not to Fit In

If you feel better having tattoos and piercings, do so. In some lines of work this is a taboo, but if it fits in with your career choices, nobody should tell you what not to do. Some people wear purple or blue hair with confidence and are happy that they can express themselves. If you talk a different way than others, have a unique humor, or are a “new type of weird”, don’t be ashamed; be proud of who you are. Whatever makes you feel good in your skin is allowed. If you can express who you are by how you speak, act, and dress, take the opportunity, and you’ll find that many people will find you unique and interesting.

Being confident and feeling good in your skin is an ultimate way of becoming a happy person. You should ignore the negative inner voices and criticism. Dare to be yourself, and express your personality. Use positive affirmations and learn self-compassion. Accept your limitations, but make changes that increases your confidence and well-being. People who have a good relationship with themselves are more likely to have true friends and meaningful relationships with others.

Featured Image By: George Bohunicky

Spring Renovations: Are These Projects Worth The Money?

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Spring Renovations: Are These Projects Worth The Money?

When spring arrives, it can feel only natural to want to get outdoors and start tending to your yard or garden. After a long and cold winter, it could really need it! Surely, you’ll want to make everything look as good as new.

That can all seem very well, especially if you are thinking of selling the home soon or just want to make it look a little different. But are some of the home projects or renovations that you have planned in your mind going to be worth it? Here are some suggestions for you, to make sure that you’d be getting your money’s worth for each project:

Yard/Garden Landscaping

If the sun shines and the flowers are blossoming, then who wouldn’t want to be outdoors? But if you want a super-styled outdoor space, rather than just a rose bush by the picket fence, then it can cost you quite a bit to get it done. It can mean some major changes to the yard, with some digging up, possibly concrete being added, and things like ponds being made. It can really change the look of the space, so you need to decide if it is going to be worth it for you.

If you are planning a move sooner rather than later, then in reality, there are plenty of other things that you can do to improve the curb appeal of your home, rather than getting the yard landscaped. Getting new plants and generally tidying up the outside space could be a much better use of your cash. If you’re not planning to move, then you just need to weigh up the pros and the cons. If you do want to landscape, consider it carefully. Will you need to outsource to bring your landscape design vision to life? Are there aspects of your design that you could DIY? Be realistic about what you are capable of. At the end of the day, the yard is the first thing people notice and sometimes the best thing is leaving it to the professionals if you are lacking the time or green thumbs.

Driveway Repairs:

If you have a driveway, then over the winter it can take a beating with the ice, snow, rain, and salt being added to it on a daily basis. The thing is, just putting a new layer of concrete or asphalt over the top isn’t always going to be that simple. You have to think about the foundations and any cracks, as they could lead to problems if they’re not dealt with. So it can involve some heavy machinery to get it looked at and repaired.

The thing is, though, is that a driveway is something that a potential buyer would be looking at right away. So if you are looking to move, it could be the thing that tips the scales for a buyer. On the flipside, if you’re planning to move, then you may not be bothered about the driveway and leave it for the new owner. So it comes down to how long you’ve got left living there and if you’ve got it in the budget. Should the driveway be a project you would like to tackle, simply enter a search for “asphalt driveway portland, OR” (or your local area) to begin researching the right team to take on the job. A driveway is one of the first things people see and you will want it looking its best the first time around.

Repainting:

Winter brings with it lots of shades of gray, and can often leave you feeling that you need some color in your life. Many experts agree that painting can change the look of a home, both interior and exterior, for a pretty low cost. So it can be worth doing, as if you do it yourself, all you are paying for are tins of paint. Professionals like Textbook Painting would be able to provide the right equipment, if you were painting the outside of the house, for example, but can still keep costs down. So if you want to freshen things up, then repainting is an easy win, and would be worth doing, moving home or not.

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A bright colored accent wall always goes down well!

Repairing/Replacing Siding:

The siding on your home is what takes the brute force from bad weather. A particularly harsh winter could have wreaked havoc on the condition of it. So if yours is looking a little worse for wear, then right about now could be a good time to repair or replace it. But it is going to be worth it? In short, yes, it is going to be worth it. But the actual process can be long and quite costly.

First of all, this isn’t something that you can do easily by yourself. So really, you will be paying the cost of labor for contractors to do it for you. And that can reach into the region of around $10,000. So to justify the cost, then you probably need to ‘wait’ until the siding is looking in particularly bad repair. If it is not peeling, coming away, or there are no loose parts, then it could be worth leaving for a little longer, simply to get more bang for your buck.

If only some of it is looking bad, then you could replace just those panels rather than the whole lot. That would be a good way to save money but still improve the look and condition of things. You could also consider simply repainting your siding, if there are just a few parts that are peeling off. Get them sanded down, ready to paint, and it can look like new afterwards.

While spring is a great time of year to be making changes, think carefully and plan out any projects or renovations before you get started on them!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

10 K A Day With Pacer

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10 K A Day With Pacer

Hi everyone! On March 17th, I downloaded the pedometer app on my iPod called Pacer. I have been completely obsessed with it, and have tried to complete at least ten thousand steps every day. By walking my dogs and increasing my steps per day whether that be through marching in place or walking around the house, I have been motivated to hit my goal of the ten K mark daily.

In just about a week and a half, I can tell how much my stamina has increased from walking close to four miles every day. I’m also really looking forward to when it gets warm enough so that I can start running outside and really put the app to the test! For someone who has a pretty sedentary job, I am so pleased with walking ten K steps and over each day. Beach body, here I come!!

How do you motivate yourself to work out? Do you use a pedometer app, too? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Lollipuff

A Quick Home Maintenance Guide For Homeowners

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A Quick Home Maintenance Guide For Homeowners

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

Keep Your Furnace And HVAC Filters In Working Order:

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

Recaulk Your Windows:

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

Check Wooden Decks For Moisture:

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

Clean Out The Gutters:

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

Check For Water In The Crawl Space:

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

Touching Up Your Exterior Paint:

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

Maintain Your Fireplace:

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

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

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Stop Replacing Clothes So Often With These Longevity Hacks

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Stop Replacing Clothes So Often With These Longevity Hacks

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

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

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Cuuuute!

Know What To Fold And What To Hang:

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

Reduce Your Laundry:

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

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I need that outfit!

Keep A Smoke Free Home:

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

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Kaboom Pics Image

Watch Out For Pests:

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

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Love that backpack!

Work In Old Clothes:

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

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Fun shoes!

Reinforce Your Hems:

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

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Definitely wear your play close while exploring!

Invest In Good Quality:

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

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

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

Featured Image By: Kaboom Pics

March 2018 Finishes

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March 2018 Finishes

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

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Would I Use Again?

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

Why/Why Not?

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

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

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

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

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

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