Nov7

The Joys And Trials Of Cat Ownership

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The Joys And Trials Of Cat Ownership

For all of the “crazy” cat people out there! 😉

The Joys And Trials Of Cat Ownership

If you are a cat person, you’ll be well aware of how wonderful it is to have a furry feline friend or two in the house. The joy of their soft, warm fur when they are cuddled up with you on the sofa in the evening. Or their meows, when you come home from work, are so wonderful. But, of course, they can be little terrors too! Being a cat mom is truly the best of times and sometimes the worst of times. Read on to see what I mean.

Affectionate: Cats are known for being kind of aloof but in the right situations they can be very affectionate. The trick with cats is to let them come to you. Once they realize that they won’t be crowded and attention is demanded of them, they will be much more likely to come over and say hi.

The level of affection and fuss that your cats enjoys will also depend on its temperament, too. For example, some cat breeds like Rag Dolls have no problem being picked up and carried about. Although other breeds and moggies can dislike this intensely. Some brave individuals can be quite demanding of attention and meow and head butt until you fuss them!

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 MEOW!

Mischievous: Of course as well as being affectionate cats can also be mischievous, too. Sometimes they don’t totally realize that they’re doing wrong. When they bring a mouse or a bird in from outside, for example. This is usually meant as a gift for you. It’s food that they have hunted themselves, so it shows that they care about you, as they don’t want you to starve! They probably don’t understand why you scream or are cross because in their minds they have done a good thing.

The same goes for when they are overcome with the temptation to eat something that they shouldn’t. Cats have a very sensitive nose and can smell good things to eat from a fair way away. This means that keeping any fish or other things that they find yummy a secret is a pretty hard thing to do.

However, sometimes it seems as if they know exactly what they are doing wrong but do it anyways just to be naughty. This is especially true when they do the terrible, but the adorable thing of looking at you while they push an ornament off a high shelf. It’s like they are saying “Am I allowed to do this? No? We’ll I’m going to anyway!”

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 Purrfect 😉

Clean: One of the major joys of owning a cat as opposed to any other pet is that they are relatively clean with their potty habits. For the most part, when you get a cat it is already litter trained. Although this may not be the case with a stray that needs re homing.

If they are litter trained, you are definitely onto a winner, as it means that all of their waste goes into the tray and you just have to keep that clean. Even so, emptying the litter tray and cleaning it out can be one of the least favorite things about cat ownership. That is why some clever people have come up with innovative robotic litter tray designs like the one reviewed on Petsho. These are designed to clean themselves making your life even easier.

Dirty: Of course, there is some issue with dirt that is specialized to having a cat. They are quite good at getting muddy or greasy paw prints over everything. Especially windows! There is also the dander to deal with. Dander is the hair that pets shed. This can be problematic for anyone that has asthma or allergies. However, you can use a pet vacuum like this and HEPA filters to reduce the amount of this in your home environment.

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 Hello!

Relaxing: Cats are wonderfully relaxing. They are furry and warm and are more than happy to curl up in your lap on a cold day. Their purrs are actually healing as well. A cats purr vibrates at 20-140 Hz, which has been scientifically proved to encourage the healing of broken bones.

Stressful: While cats are for the most part a relaxing pet to have around when they are in good health and well behaved, it can also be stressful to own a cat. This depends on the cat’s own temperament. The lazier ones tend to be less stressful to look after. It also has to do with their health. Having a well-beloved pet get sick is bound to stress anyone out! cats4.jpg

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Having said all of that, the joys of cat ownership definitely outweighs the trials. Especially when you have a house filled with felines and still want more! MEOW! 😉

Are you a cat person or a dog person? What was your first pet’s name? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Adorable Featured Image By: Pixabay

Nov4

The Mixed Emotions Of Moving House

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The Mixed Emotions Of Moving House

It is important to take a compassionate approach when moving to a new home. It’s not the easiest thing to do. In fact, it is well known as one of the most difficult and stressful things you can go through – and that’s even when you are looking forward to your new home! So how can we deal with your own emotions, as well as those of our nearest and dearest during the moving process? Read on to find out.

Stress: No matter what else you are feeling about your impending move, stress is likely to be featured on your radar somewhere. With all of the packing, cleaning, and organizing to be done, very few of us get away from it stress-free.

So how can we effectively manage our stress during a move and stop the process from being worse than it needs to be? First of all, it’s essential to be organized. Chucking things in bin liners the morning of the move is going to do nothing for your stress levels. Same with getting to your new home and having no clue where your mugs and coffee are. And spending three hours looking for your duvet before you can get into bed is not going to keep you calm. You need to know where everything is and how to get to it. Create check lists, label boxes clearly, and keep your boxes organized by what room they belong in to help keep yourself more organized.

The actual process of lugging boxes and transporting them can be exhausting and stressful, too. Especially when you have the major task of unpacking them all at the other end to look forward to. To help with this, you could employ professional furniture removalists. They can take the brunt of the heavy lifting while you conserve your energy for the trials ahead.

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Pixabay Image

Sadness: It is not surprising that when moving, a lot of us can experience sadness. It can be hard to move out of a property that holds a lot of sentimental memories for us. It can be equally as difficult to take the plunge and move further away from loved ones and friends. Especially if you have built an amazing relationship with them over the years.

It can help to have a going away party so you can say goodbye to everyone in a formal way. This gives a sense of closure and celebration in moving onto the new and shows that you care as well as will stay in touch after the move.

Excitement: One of the most major emotions that a lot of people feel when moving is excitement. It can be thrilling to move to a new property and decorate it just they way you want. You might also get excited about making a fresh start, meeting new neighbours and friends, and sampling all that your new town or city has to offer.

It’s important to not get carried away, though. Doing too much when you first move can bring about exhaustion and additional stress. This is not the best way to start your new life. Also while you want to get going at putting down some roots, it’s often better to let friendships develop naturally over time.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Nov3

Is Your Home Really As Clean As You Think?

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Is Your Home Really As Clean As You Think?

We all know how important it is to ensure that our homes are as clean as possible. Cleaning gets rids of nasty germs and bacteria that can grow in problem areas such as the kitchen and bathroom. And once your home is free from bacteria and germs, you will find that your family won’t fall ill so often. Because of this, many families strive to keep their home as clean as possible. But are you really doing as good of a job as you think you might be? Here are some common parts of household cleanliness that many families overlook. Make sure you start focusing on these areas next time you clean the house.

Dust And Mites: In this modern age, many parents are working full-time and don’t have as much time as they would like to clean their houses. That means that dust has a lot longer to build up. Modern houses also have well-sealed windows, which are often closed when the central heating is on. This causes the air to turn stale in the rooms. Stale air alongside all that dust can encourage mites and other small bugs to gather in your rooms. The only way to prevent these insects from moving in is to keep on top of your dusting. It is also crucial to Get rid of the small bugs in your windowsill and air out your rooms as often as the weather will permit.

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Clean Your Air: There are more reasons why you need to watch the quality of air in your rooms, as well. If someone in your family suffers from asthma or emphysema, then you will really need to make sure that the air in your home is as clean and pure as it can be. Otherwise, their symptoms could worsen. Stale air can also start to smell quite bad. So how do you clean air? It’s easy really; you just need to buy an air purifier. If you aren’t sure which one to get, you can take a look at review sites including Plenty Air.

Toilets And Toothbrushes: Now it’s time to take a look in your bathroom. Even though you may regularly clean your bathroom with lots of products, it could still be dirtier than you think. Especially the area around your toilet. Did you know that germs spread every time you flush your toilet? In fact, they can travel up to six feet in distance. I bet that’s more than what you thought! There is also another area in your bathroom that can be a breeding ground for germs. And that is your toothbrushes! To make sure they don’t get too dirty, you should keep them well away from your toilet. And make sure to replace them every three months.

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Squeaky Clean!

Bed Bugs: When was the last time you inspected your mattress? Even if you change your bed linen regularly, your mattress could still be the perfect home for bedbugs. The only way you can prevent these little creepy crawlies from settling in your bed is to change your pillow every three years. Washing your bed linen in a boil wash every week will also help to prevent you from finding bed bugs in your bed. If you do notice a problem with these pests, it is so important to call in a bed bug exterminator immediately before the issue gets even worse. They will also provide you with the information to prevent the return of bed bugs so use it well.

*Lil Red Horror Story: A few years ago my BFF and I planned a trip to Niagara Falls. We were young and broke and was on the hunt for the cheapest motel humanly possible. We found one for a price that was too good to be true and about a day after booking our rooms my dad asked me if I read the reviews for the motel (No, I didn’t. Whoops!). Apparently, the reviews were consistently saying that the motel had bed bugs which explains their dirt cheap price! Long story short, the motel had a no refund policy and my mom had to call the place and claim that there was a “family emergency” to get said refund and not come home from Niagara Falls crawling with bed bugs! Yikes and yuck!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Nov2

4 Entrepreneurial Skills You Should Teach Your Kids

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4 Entrepreneurial Skills You Should Teach Your Kids

No-one knows what the future may hold for your children. They might grow up and forge professional careers or perhaps develop a creative skill. They may even think about working for themselves and become self-employed!

Regardless of whether your kids start a business or not when they’re older, there is one thing you should do. I am, of course, talking about teaching them entrepreneurial skills! You might think that it’s a pointless exercise if they don’t want to work for themselves. But, they are skills they can apply to many areas of their lives as adults.

Here are four of the top entrepreneurial skills worth teaching them:

1. Problem Solving: Even as children, we all have to face problems and learn how to solve them. Problems, as you know, can take many forms and the key is to work out how best to resolve them. Teaching your kids about problem solving is a crucial entrepreneurial skill. Yet, it also gets applied to almost all other aspects of life.

The idea is to teach kids how to focus on a problem and figure out practical ways to solve them. You could give them options to help them out, such as asking them if a particular method would work or asking them which option might be the most effective.

2. Money management: Believe it or not, children start “getting” the concept of money and finances at a young age. Kids observe what we adults do and mimic our actions. This is why you can buy toy cash registers for children, for example!

Money management is an entrepreneurial skill that will help your kids throughout their lives. If they do start a business, they can, of course, get some advice on money management for their startups. They can also mimic good ol’ mom and dad’s financial responsibility!

But, the aim right now is to teach kids how money works and how best to manage what they’ve got. For instance, if they have a new toy on their wish list, a weekly allowance might help them to save and manage their money accordingly to buy the latest new treat.

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 Pixabay Image

3. Resilience: We all have to deal with setbacks in our lives. Some might say that life would be boring if everything went our way! The trouble is, some youngsters grow up not knowing how to deal with setbacks.

All kids need to learn about resilience. That is, they must know how to solve a problem (see point one) and get back up again, as it were. It will also teach them about determination and how to build it up when they suffer a setback.

4. Creativity: You might not think it, but even industries perceived as “boring” need creativity! The good news is that we all have creativity built into us from day one. We just need to learn how to tap into that resource and use it to our advantage.

It’s a common fact that children nurture their creativity with a little help from others. As a parent, you should be encouraging your children to be creative. The thing about creativity is that it promotes a forward-thinking attitude in later life. And that’s a special entrepreneurial skill to have!

Featured Image By: Flickr

Nov2

Xmas Shopping Time! Fantastic Gift Ideas For Everyone In Your Life

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Xmas Shopping Time! Fantastic Gift Ideas For Everyone In Your Life

Can you believe it’s November already?! With the holiday season creeping up on us quicker than ever, here are some fab gift ideas for everyone on your shopping list:

Xmas Shopping Time! Fantastic Gift Ideas For Everyone In Your Life:

Christmas isn’t far away now and it’s an excellent time to start on your gift shopping! Many deals will be coming up in the next couple of months. You’ll especially want to look out for Black Friday deals later this November. You can grab some great bargains and get them all wrapped up in time for Christmas.

As fun as it is to go holiday shopping, buying gifts can be tough sometimes. Children often let you know a thousand things they’d like for Christmas. But when you buy new things for your spouse year after year, it can be hard to keep it fresh! You should also consider how to gift your parents and other family members. Here are some gift ideas for everyone.

For Him: Men can often be the toughest to buy for. They aren’t as interested in flowers and chocolate and socks and power tools can get boring after a while. When it comes to gifting your husband, father, brother or other male relatives, you might need to get creative.

It’s a good idea to try shopping online for the best gifts for men. You can find many unique gift ideas on sites such as Cuckooland.com. Perhaps your husband would enjoy some retro music equipment. Your brother might appreciate a whiskey hamper. Of course, things like male grooming equipment and accessories like watches and wallets always work. Another great option to consider are T-shirts to wear out and about or to lounge around the house. You could go the customized route or explore funny t-shirts that will provide a laugh every time he wears it.

If the men in your life are big sports fans, you might even want to consider event tickets. There are many places online to get tickets for football, rugby, or any other sport they may be interested in. You can take this gift over the top with authentic Broncos jerseys (or their favorite team) to wear while cheering them on at the game. Giving them an opportunity to support their favorite team in authentic gear will be a much-appreciated gift!

For Her: Husbands- make sure you get your wife something she loves! Getting the same perfume as last year will be disappointing. Make sure to also gift your mother well and any of the other important women in your life.

Cosmetics almost always make the beauty savvy gal smile so look into some great beauty gift ideas. Moisturizer, makeup, and hair products always come in handy! You might even want to treat the women in your life to a spa day. Every girl loves to relax and get pampered from time to time.

Jewelry is also an excellent gift idea, as long as you don’t go for anything tacky. Cute earrings or a stylish necklace will be truly appreciated. If you want to go for something unique, you can even get personalized or engraved jewelry. Make sure you get a stylish gift box to present it in!

For The Kids: Your little ones will most likely want some new toys for Christmas! You may want to check out some of the must-have toys of 2016 at MadeForMums.com if you have young children. Fill up their stockings with sweets, chocolate, and other fun gifts.

If your children are in their teens, they’ll want something a little more exciting. Christmas is the perfect time to gift them new electronics. A new laptop is a fantastic idea- it’ll motivate them to do their homework more as well as being a source of entertainment. Of course, smartphones and tablets never disappoint either. You can often get great deals on electronics on Black Friday.

If you really want to surprise your kids, you might want to get them the latest games consoles. An Xbox One or PS4 will make your youngsters very happy on Christmas morning. (Or your adult boyfriend! Ha, mine would love this!)

Who has began their holiday shopping? Who is finished already?! I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Wikimedia Commons

Nov2

Six Useful Technical Skills You Can Make A Living From

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Six Useful Technical Skills You Can Make A Living From

When it comes to considering a career, nothing beats having technical skills. Having the ability to do something practical which many people can’t do will instantly stand out to employers. Not only that, but you can often make your own business or freelancing venture with your technical skills. The best thing is that you can learn many of these skills without having to take a college course. All it takes is some time and dedication. You can learn many of these through short training sessions or even at home!

Many kinds of technical skills can help you make a living. Almost all of these revolve around using a computer. That makes them even easier to learn, as often all you need is your computer and the internet to learn them. A lot of the times, these skills also involve a lot of creativity. It makes for a much more fulfilling job than simply filling in data or working at a cash register.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you could even learn more than one. Having a range of practical skills is useful for getting hired. Many can also be used to offer profitable freelance services. If you’re ready to start learning a technical skill, here are some of the most useful ones to learn.

Graphic Designing: Excellent graphic designing is a skill that’s in high demand and people will pay a lot for ones that do a fantastic job. There are many routes that you can take with graphic designing. Learning how to use Adobe PhotoShop allows you to create enticing posters, flyers, and other materials. Businesses will appreciate this, as they often need these kinds of images created for them.

Graphic designing also comes in handy when it comes to creating websites. Web designers often need someone to design the graphical interface of a website. If you learn both graphic design and web coding, you could become a skilled solo web designer. Nonetheless, even knowing how to create attractive web graphics by yourself will pay off.

Graphic designing is a skill which yields many opportunities for employment. But a lot of people who are skilled create their own businesses. You can appeal to both businesses and individuals with graphics design skills. People need all kinds of things designed – from leaflets to t-shirt designs. If you want to take things a step further, you could even learn about 3D designing and modeling. This is a skill often used in animation, product design, and things like architecture and interior design.

Video Editing: With YouTube becoming the second most popular website in the world, video editing skills are more valued than ever. All kinds of businesses want to create video content for their company these days. People even pay for video editing skills for personal projects. Of course, learning video editing can also come in handy if you plan to become a content creator yourself.

Adobe’s Premiere Pro is a world-leader when it comes to video editing, as it works well on both Mac and Windows. Other software such as Apple Final Cut and Sony Vegas Pro is also useful for advanced video editing. It doesn’t hurt to become proficient in multiple programs.

It’s easy to get started in video editing. You can invest in some video editing software and start practicing yourself. There are also training courses which can help you learn fast. For instance, you could take Premiere Pro training classes to learn the software in less than a week.

Many companies hire video editors as part of their media operations. You can also offer your skills on a freelance basis, editing videos for various people. You might want to dabble in video creating and editing yourself by building a YouTube channel. If you become a video-editing whiz, you might even be able to achieve heights of becoming a film or TV editor.

Languages: Having a good command of more than one language is an extremely valued skill. Businesses who need to communicate with international clients will need someone to translate. Some companies need people who can speak multiple languages to deal with overseas colleagues and customers.

In fact, there’s never been a better time to learn new languages. Being able to speak a foreign language is the hottest job skill right now, with 25,000 jobs for interpreters expected to open up by 2020. Government institutions often need those who can speak different languages. The military also hires foreign interpreters relentlessly. Even Fortune 500 companies value multi-linguists.

It’s also a great skill to have for freelancers. Those offering their interpreting skills on a freelance basis can make a serious amount of money. You could also get some exciting opportunities. For instance, you could translate and interpret interviews at sporting events.

A degree will help you get the best opportunities. But you can also learn new languages at home with sites like Duolingo. Usually, the lesser-spoken languages are more valuable. You can get lucrative opportunities by learning Arabic, Farsi, and Asian languages. You could also teach in foreign countries or tutor language students.

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Pixabay Image

Coding And Programming: Learning how to code a website or program some great software is a highly useful and profitable practical skill. There are many different coding and programming languages you can learn. But if you learn one, you’ll be able to pick others up much easier.

You might want to start with HTML. It’s the primary language used in creating websites. There are many online resources which can help you get started. The fundamentals only take a short time to learn, but it’ll take more time to create more advanced websites. Make sure you find out how to code a site that’s functional on all browsers. Learning to code to W3C standards is also helpful.

Learning PHP and JavaScript is also necessary for professional web designing. You can add things like forms and dynamic web apps using these languages. You should also learn CSS, which is used to style websites. You should also become familiar with MySQL databases. These are often used for managing databases on sites with a base of users.

When it comes to programming software, Java, C, and C++ are the most popular programming languages. You might also want to learn some of the top programming languages for mobile development. The smartphone app market is becoming huge. Learning to create useful and engaging apps is a highly valued skill. You could get paid to develop apps for business, or even create your own and profit from them.

Writing: Writing is becoming more and more valued in today’s content-heavy market. Businesses often hire talented writers to create blogs and promotional materials for them. Those with creative copy-writing skills could also work in advertising writing jingles and scripts.

You should also look into technical writing. It involves simplifying complex materials for a wider audience. It’s a valuable skill, particularly for writing things like instruction manuals and white papers.

The best way to develop writing skills is to get plenty of practice. Creating a blog and taking on freelance writing jobs will help you to develop a portfolio. Although education can help, your body of work will be the most important factor in getting lucrative opportunities.

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Sound Editing: Audio editing is another skill that comes in handy, especially for freelancers. You can use free software like Audacity for basic editing jobs. Becoming proficient in programs like Adobe Audition and Avid Pro Tools will allow you to take on more complicated jobs.

You can take on various sound editing tasks, like editing radio advertisements and video voice-overs. Those who want to take things a step further may want to get into audio engineering. Those who master sound engineering software are capable of becoming music producers or working on sound for films.

Like other technical skills, you can find resources such as YouTube tutorials and courses to learn. It’s a talent that can take you a long way if you dedicate yourself to it.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov1

TJMaxx Fall Haul (Pt. 3!)

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TJMaxx Fall Haul (Pt. 3!)

You know how they say that you shouldn’t shop when you’re feeling emotional? Kind of like how you shouldn’t go grocery shopping if you’re super hungry? I call bullshit. This past Friday proved that emotional shopping is actually the best thing ever. Saying that my mom and I had a rough day is the understatement of the century. By the time the evening rolled around we were totally over wallowing about what a shitty day we were having and needed to get out of the house.

Naturally, the first place that came to both of our minds was TJs. We had a ten dollar gift card burning a hole in our pocket and after a day of complete crappiness, an evening spent among pretty things was much needed. There’s just something about going out and picking yourself out something nice that makes you instantly perk up. Finding a gorgeous new pair of shoes or simply a new winter scarf gives you back that “yes!” feeling and has you ready to take on the day again. Or is that just me?

Anyways, my mom and I decided to venture a little farther into Fairlawn as opposed to our usual TJs stomping grounds in Cuyahoga Falls. The Fairlawn location offers a more high end selection while the CFalls one is more of a value store. Neither one is better than the other, though, because I have gotten amazing hauls from both of them as well as completely struck out before at both locations, too. Our little evening trip ended up being totally worth it because we both walked away with new shoes, new winter accessories, AND some Christmas presents for our beloved pups. :*) Take a look:

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The Haul:

  • Leopard Print Booties: Circus by Sam Edelman
  • Tan Boots: Toms (My mom picked these out for herself! So cute!)
  • Pink Beanie: Kate Spade
  • Smiley Face Scarf: Nardi & Tagliaferri

I have been hooked on the idea of owning some kind of footwear with leopard print on it for a while. However, every boot, heel, or sneaker that I have come across always just ended up looking really cheap. I was pretty dead set on wanting to find a printed bootie since it isn’t exactly heels weather anymore so I was so happy when I came across my new pair of Circus booties by Sam Edelman.

I have always had a deep love for little black booties and have at least six pairs that boast various shapes, zippers, buckles, and styles. If I had to pick a favorite style though – I would have to say that I love buckles and a sharp pointed toe. My new pair of Sam Edelman’s offer all of that as well as a little peppering in of leopard print to help curb my current obsession.

If you ever come across a pair of booties in this brand that are similar to mine, I will say that they run quite big so I would go down at least half a size. I am normally a solid 6 1/2 and was really lucky that they had a size six. If not, I don’t think that I would have been able to purchase them because the 6 1/2 legit looked like clown shoes on me. Thank you for smiling on me, shoe gods!

The pair of Toms boots that my mom got were too freaking cute not to share, too! These boots were only THIRTY dollars which is crazy because I know that that brand of shoes costs a pretty penny. I love when my mom finds something new that makes her feel good and we always have the best time playing fashion show when we get home. That’s when I help her style outfits for work and play and if she’s feeling saucy she’ll even try and help me create a new outfit for school or work! So precious. ❤

And finally, my new winter accessories. The TJs that we were at had a gigantic section filled with gloves, scarves, hats, and earmuffs and all of them were unbearably cute. However, the problem was that they had a million of every single item that I liked. That is something that I really try to avoid because I like for all of my purchases to have a slim possibility of being worn by someone else.

So, I decided to utilize the technique that I employ quite often. It’s kind of like playing I Spy. You go through each row of items and you try and find something in there that doesn’t belong. Whether it be from someone shoving it in the wrong place or the fact that there was only one of the pieces left, it is a great way to find something that feels like it was there just for you. That is how I found my hot pink Kate Spade beanie as well as my Nardi & Tagliaferri (made in Florence!) scarf.

My mom and I are kind of in love with all things Kate Spade so when I found this hot pink beacon of a beanie popping out amidst a sea of creams and greys, I had to try it on. I actually don’t own anything hot pink because I’m just not that kind of girl but this hat is so darling! I love the bow on the top and it’s the perfect touch of girly among my normally all black outfits. Not only that, but it goes perfectly with my new scarf!

I only own one winter scarf and I have had it since freshman year of high school. (Eight years! Yikes!!) A new scarf wasn’t exactly a priority on my list of things that I want but when I was playing my I Spy game and found the cheeky smiley faces peeking out from all of the draping scarves, I knew that it was the one. I love, love, love heather grey and the scarf was the perfect mix between being too warm and not being warm enough. When I tried my scarf on along with the Kate Spade hat and the tan safari jacket that I was wearing, I felt so fall chic and fun that I couldn’t not get it! And of course, I love having things from Europe so the fact that it was made in Florence was a big plus for me!

Was this shopping trip to TJs with my mom absolutely necessary? I would say, YES. After such a successful haul as well as some quality time with each other, we were back to our chipper selves – just a bit more fashionable than before. Sometimes all you really need is an evening out with your mom at TJMaxx to shake away the blues of a bad day! Love you mama! ❤

So there you have it, my TJMaxx Fall Haul (Pt. 3!)! Who has started their holiday shopping already? Where is the best place to get some amazing seasonal deals? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov1

The Young Millennial’s Guide To House Hunting

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The Young Millennial’s Guide To House Hunting

So, you’ve decided to break free from the family home. Perhaps you’ve had a taste of the freedom that is independent living while you were away at uni. House sharing is always an option. But do you really want to share your home with others who might create mess, be loud, and a general nuisance? It might be all fun and games at university in your early twenties but as you get on and start taking on adult responsibilities, it really isn’t. Who wants to be kept up until 5 AM by loud music when you have a shift that starts at 9? Who wants to return home to a questionable pile of washing up that nobody will admit is their own? But at the same time, do you really want to live with your parents until you’re 40? Here are a few things to consider when moving into a new place.

Who Will You Live With? As we’ve already mentioned, housemates can be an absolute nightmare. Everyone will have some sort of housemate horror story. So pick wisely. If you can afford it, why not live alone? This may not be for everyone but for the more self-sufficient out there, it may be the least stressful and most comfortable option. If you’re afraid of things that go bump in the night and enjoy some human company while you’re home, then pick your housemates very carefully. Opt for someone you know and trust. Be open about your habits before moving in with each other. Lay out boundaries when it comes to house rules as soon as you move in to avoid petty arguments later down the line. Save yourself the headache and secure yourself a happy tenancy.

Where Do You Want To Live? The location of your new home will make all the difference. It may be much cheaper to live out in the sticks but do you really want to isolate yourself like that? Home can be a lonely place when you don’t get visitors and there aren’t any events on around you. Can you handle the reality of living above a bar or busy restaurant? A rough area may see cheaper rent but will you feel safe walking home there when it’s dark? Make sure that you are completely comfortable in the location that you choose. Even if it means paying a little extra, it’ll be worth it.

What Is The State Of The Property? Always make sure you attend a house viewing. Estate agents can work wonders when it comes to taking flattering photographs of a property. You want to see what you’re getting yourself into before you sign any agreement. Will the landlord make essential maintenance repairs? From leaky to taps to home foundation repair, problems will need to be fixed quickly and your landlord should be up to the task. Is the property free from mold? Are the windows double glazed? You’ll thank yourself for checking when the cold winter months come. Don’t take on a flawed property if you don’t have the means to fix it up. You can end up landing yourself in debt.

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Nov1

Taking It Easy: Returning To Work After An Injury

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If you have been off work for an extended period of time due to an injury or illness, then there is much to consider. This can be an extremely difficult period of time for anyone. No matter what the nature of your condition is, there is a good chance that you are struggling to figure out how to best make the situation work. When it comes time to return to work, it can often be something of a shock, especially if you have been absent for a long time. To give you a helping hand, we are going to take a look at some of the key pieces of advice for someone in your situation. Bear these in mind when you are trying to decide what to do.

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Talk To Your Employer: It is important that you keep in touch with your employer at all times, not just when you are ready to return. Doing so is a sign of good faith towards your employer. This will make it much more likely that they will think favorably of you when you need to return. But that is not the only reason that keeping in touch with them is a good idea. There might be any number of things that they can do to help you. It could be, for example, that they can make your transition back to work easier by changing something in your daily work routines. But you can only find out if you actually talk to them so arrange to meet them at your earliest convenience.

Make Sure You Are Physically Fit: If you have suffered a serious injury which has kept you out of work for a long time, you might need to check that you are fit before you return. It is not necessarily enough to simply feel better. You need to at least get checked out by your doctor. They will be able to tell you whether or not you are ready to return to work. If they don’t think you are, then their opinion is the one which matters. You should also consider a rehabilitation center at this time. They will be able to help you get back on track physically in time for your return to work.

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Claim Whatever You Can: It goes without saying that being off work for a long amount of time due to injury is incredibly unhelpful. Financially, it can quickly prove to be a real burden. However, it is likely that there is some help which you can take advantage of. For example, it is worth looking to see whether there are any benefits which you can apply for. There is a good chance that you can apply to at least some, even if you are only off work for an injury. Of course, it all depends on your situation – and your locality. Nonetheless, it is worth considering if you want to try and keep afloat during this difficult time.

 

Nov1

Real Home Security Is About Combining These Four Strategies

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Real Home Security Is About Combining These Four Strategies

Home security is on the minds of a lot of people these days. We feel like we’re living in more dangerous times. Home invasions, particularly when a home is empty, are one of the more prevalent crimes, too. We want to keep our homes and our things as safe as they can be. But we can’t all afford a panic room. The answer isn’t all that expensive. It’s all about combining the following four strategies.

Deterrence: The truth is that most criminals are cowards. They don’t get into the business because they’re brave, but because they have few scruples. If they sense a risk, they’re likely to move on to an easier target. So you need to make sure you don’t look like an easy target. Instead, make it clear that no-one’s getting away unscathed. Setting up CCTV cameras that are visible and secure is one of the best ways of doing that. Some even set up fake CCTV cameras, but these have obvious flaws.

Alarm: The right tech is also going to make sure that your home remains vulnerable for as little time as possible. With tools like Vivint Home Security, you can do more than sound the alarm in the vicinity of your home. Smart home security systems might be more expensive than the run-of-the-mill ones. But that’s because they’re set up with operators on the other side. Operators who can get in touch with you and the authorities all the quicker to make sure the danger is gone as soon as possible.

An alarm is such a critical part of home security and is one of those things that you should have regardless of how much you hope it never needs to be used. Just the sound of the alarm can send burglars running and quick access to local law enforcement is paramount. To set up a consultation for a new or improved alarm system, simply enter a search for “home security experts in Salt Lake City” (or your local area). The peace of mind alone is going to be well worth it.

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Reinforcement: Making it harder to get any worth from your home is going to make your home a lot harder to rob, as well. Reinforcing all your entrances and exits is a start. Most important is the lock reinforcement. When breaking into a home, breaking the lock is how people will try if they’re looking to ‘brute force’ it. You should also be making your valuables harder to get, too. Whether it’s by hiding them in smart spots around the home or putting them in a safe. Even if they do break in, then, you won’t be losing anything too valuable to them.

Awareness: Information is just as important a part of keeping safe as anything else. If you’re in a new neighborhood, get to know everyone around you. Naturally, most of them aren’t going to be the criminals. It’s likely to be people from other areas. But if people know you, they’re more likely to keep an eye out for you. They’ll quickly recognize when someone who shouldn’t be at your home is there. Similarly, you can ask them to keep an eye out when you’re out of the home or on holiday. Similarly, let the police know when you’re on holiday, too. Trustworthy neighbors can be a huge help in home security.

Keep your home secure. Deter the bad guys. Reinforce and keep safe your home and valuables. Use modern tech to sound the alarm. Know the power of information. We hope the tips above on those four strategies help you feel a little safer in your own home.

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