Tag Archives: anything and everything

Oct31

Happy Halloween!

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Happy Halloween!

Hello everyone! Just swinging by on this spooky Saturday to wish all of you a very Happy Halloween! Although this year is much different than Halloween’s of past, there is still plenty of fun to be had. From scary movie marathons and crafts to a social distanced bonfire or a scavenger hunt at home, this could potentially be your best Halloween yet because you will have to do something totally different if you wish to be in COVID safety standards. But, something totally different doesn’t mean anything less enjoyable!

Visit previous Halloween posts here on lifewithlilred to help get you inspired and bring some scary fun and completely safe Halloween spirit to you and yours. ❤

Happy Halloween!!

^^^ Never forget my sweet doggie’s Minion costume!

How are you celebrating Halloween this year? What is your favorite Halloween costume ever? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct28

Keeping Calm When Moving House Independently

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Keeping Calm When Moving House Independently

Moving to a new house is such a huge task, and it can feel almost impossible when you have to struggle through the journey by yourself. Moving alone means that you are the only person responsible for completing each and every requirement, and this can easily become an overwhelming task. Luckily you needn’t suffer through such a negative experience, as there are many proactive tips and tricks that you can utilize to keep calm and cool whilst moving to a new home independently! Read on to uncover some of the best steps that you can follow now to breeze through your move and make the most of each and every achievement:

Make A Plan:

One of the best things that you can do to take the stress out of moving by yourself is to make a detailed plan which includes every important step and feature. The most essential date of all is the day that you move into your new property, but there are also many other tasks that you must complete before you reach this point. Your belongings must be organized and either packed up ready for the move, sold on for extra funds, or simply thrown away, and you need to update your address with all of the relevant companies to maintain security.

It is also important to organize utilities inside your new home, not forgetting a WiFi connection, and arrange your finances by using a platform like MortgageCalculator.Org to figure out your monthly payments. Making a plan will help you to ensure that you don’t accidentally miss any of the most essential steps during your move, and the fact that you can tick off each task as you go is a great motivation to keep on working hard to get closer to your goal.

Get Professional Support

If you feel as though you are struggling through your move without any support, there’s always the option to enlist professional, specialist help to see you through to the end of your journey. Whether you need the help of an experienced estate agent to find your new dream home or would benefit from a team of trusted movers to help you transport your life from A to B, there are many different brands and people ready and waiting for your inquiry. It’s a good idea to check online and read a few reviews left by previous customers to get a better feel for the quality of the service they provide, as you don’t want to waste money on something that won’t really offer any benefit, and positive feedback can give you great peace of mind.

Keeping calm when moving independently has never been so simple when you are able to utilize the top tips and tricks that have been detailed above! You needn’t struggle through such a huge task all by yourself, as there’s always a way to maintain control or seek out specialist support to help carry you through the process.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct24

Working In The Care Profession During COVID Times

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Working In The Care Profession During COVID Times

Hello! For those of you who don’t know, I am an Independent Provider for people with special needs and I provide care in home and in the community. I have been an essential worker since the beginning of all of this COVID business in March and, I’ll be honest, sometimes I just want to crawl back in bed instead of go to work!

Because I work with some very high risk families, I have been essentially in my own state of lock down for the past seven months. Coffees with friends have turned into FaceTime dates and dinners out with Johnny just means Door Dashing something now. Of course, this is all A-okay, though, because I would never forgive myself if I ever brought this virus to any of my clients. It’s a lot of pressure but it’s just me doing my job.

I have come to terms with the fact that I will not be “going out” and Johnny has too, since we live together (Believe me, I wouldn’t want to. Just the thought of going to a bar or restaurant makes me cringe!). This has put us in very close acquaintance with our TV, Nintendo Switch, and each other literally every day, lol.

Although it can feel like a lot to be so limited to my apartment, I do still treat myself monthly to getting my nails done and it is my outing to look forward to. I know that many of those working in the care and health profession are doing everything that they can to keep their clients and patients safe and I applaud all of them because it’s not easy, that’s for sure.

I also encourage all of us who are hunkered down to participate in a “treat” to help lift your spirits. After a rough day at work or even just hearing the state of the world on the news, I never say no to a pick me up. Whether that be pampering myself with a face mask or maybe ordering something small online – it’s important for me to be in the best mood I can to continue being able to give the best care that I can to my clients every day.

I am very thankful to my clients and their families because they motivate me to be extra careful every day. I am also very thankful to everyone in the health and care profession as well as all employees right now who continue with their duties despite potentially being in harm’s way. We rock and I wish nothing but the best for all of you! ❤

How has your job been affected from COVID? How do you keep your spirits high right now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct23

When You’re Having Trouble Finding Your Dream Home

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When You’re Having Trouble Finding Your Dream Home

The real estate market can be one wild ride to go through. Looking for homes is far from easy and even homes that you should be able to easily say “no” or “yes” to can become a trickier subject when you’re thinking about trying to move quickly or ensuring you have your finances in the right place. However, it’s even harder when you just can’t find a home to say “yes” to. If you’re having trouble finding your new home, here are a few tips to get you back in the game:

Know your priorities:

First of all, you might need to manage your expectations a little. When you’re talking about the right home for you, does it have to tick every single box or are there some boxes that are more important than the others? For the vast majority of house hunters, the latter is more likely to be the case. If that is so, then you should take the time to actually know which boxes need to be ticked and which would be nice to have. Sit down with a pen, paper, and anyone else who is involved in buying the home and brainstorm things you want from the home. Then take the time to separate them into actual wants and needs, so you know what you might be willing to drop if all the most important boxes are ticked.

Get some help looking:

If you’re having trouble finding a good home, then the simple issue might be that you don’t know where to look. That’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s not like it’s your profession to go house hunting. That is the profession of real estate agents, however. Working with local real estate agents means getting access to someone who has done plenty of research in the area, so they know about what amenities you can expect, how properties compare to one another in the general area, as well as pricing history throughout the area. What’s more, there are plenty of properties that don’t get advertised to the general public that a good estate agent can help you find.

If you’re looking for a major change, expand your horizons! Perhaps you want to try living in a brand new state and are interested in land home packages delaware, or elsewhere, which combine the convenience of securing both land and a custom-built home. This change of scenery might be just the inspiration you need to find your dream property, especially if you are coming up empty with local options. Working with a home builder team is interactive, exciting and could be an excellent way to go if you are not willing to sacrifice the must haves and nice to haves in your new home.

Can you make it your dream home?

Your home might not exactly fit all of your needs and wants right now, but how many of those could you take the time to implement yourself? When it comes to home styling, the world is your oyster so long as you have the budget for it. However, even when it comes to how much space you have and how many rooms you have, you might want to look at home remodeling services. This is going to boost the overall price of the home, of course, so you need to seriously consider how much you want those changes. If you still can’t imagine the house to be the home of your dreams even with remodeling, it is best to explore other options like touring different properties or considering new house and land packages. Sometimes the home you are viewing is just not a good fit and that is okay!

Can you make your dream home?

Buying a home to only renovate and remodel it can be a lot more expensive than you might think. In fact, it might actually be more cost-effective to build your dream home, yourself. Going for a new build with the help of custom home builders is actually a more reasonable choice than you might think. Besides, if you have the budget, you can make sure that your custom home ticks every single one of your wants and needs. Custom home communities like Olde Bulltown Village are becoming more and more popular and could be a great place to start looking for inspiration. For those who don’t want to compromise, there simply isn’t a better option than to build the home yourself instead of buying one.

Know when you have found the right house:

Perhaps you’ve already found the home for you, but you simply haven’t taken the time to acknowledge it. In a lot of cases, if you find the best home on the market early, then you might not make a move on it since you want to see what else is out there. However, the more homes you look at, the more the details of that older property can slip out of your mind. Be sure to talk about homes you have looked over with your real estate agent so you can compare them in detail and remind yourself of the house that might already be right for you. Then you need to be willing to act on it.

You might not always be able to get the home that ticks every single one of your boxes. If you do, it’s probably going to be more expensive than you might think. However, hopefully, the tips above will help you get a little closer than you currently are!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Oct21

Sweet Surprises: Best Boyfriend Ever Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Best Boyfriend Ever Edition

Hello! So, last Thursday, I had quite possibly one of the worst work days of my life. I can’t go into more detail than that but it was emotionally charged and very sad for me. Despite being so upset, I knew Johnny had kind of a bum week too so I decided to pick him up some fast food from one of his favorite places in the area I was in. I texted him that I had his dinner and not to make anything for himself and he replied back that he actually had a surprise for me, as well.

Naturally, the word “surprise” put a tiny pep back in my step and I was eager to get home to see what Johnny was talking about. When I walked into our apartment, I laughed out loud because I saw this hanging from our rafter:

Originally, I thought the ghostie was the surprise but Johnny told me that it was for him to take to work to decorate his space with. This is a ghost that he definitely won’t need a boo buddy or ghost camera for! Then, he handed me this adorable sugar skull coffee mug:

I absolutely love being gifted with coffee mugs because it makes me think of whoever gave it to me whenever I use it. I have so many cute mugs from my best friend and the ones that aren’t in my kitchen cabinet house little knick knacks and baubles throughout my apartment. Johnny hit the nail on the head with this pick me up and, somehow, we both knew that each of us would need one that day.

My new coffee mug is deliciously Day Of The Dead and I plan on keeping it out all of the time because it always makes me smile when I see it. My Johnny really is the best boyfriend ever and my day got a whole lot brighter as soon as I got home.

For the rest of the night, we watched The Haunting Of Bly Manor and Seinfeld and laughed every time the ghost decoration spooked me when I saw it in my peripheral. I am so thankful to have him because he turned my awful day into a wonderful evening and all I had to do was open the door to our place. ❤

Has anyone given you a Sweet Surprise recently? How do you unwind after a bad day? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct20

Got A Pest Problem? Here’s What To Do

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Got A Pest Problem? Here’s What To Do

Nobody wants to have a pest issue in their home but, somehow, it seems to happen to everyone at some point during their life. You could have a mouse or rat infestation, a wasp nest, or an ant problem – but whatever kind of pest you have, it’s important to take the necessary steps to get rid of them. Even those of us who love animals and don’t want to harm them have to take action against an infestation in our own homes. Unfortunately, rodents carry diseases which are unhygienic and dangerous for us. Plus, they’ll give you a fright if you see one scurrying around in the night!

So what are your options for pest control? Here are some ways to combat a pest issue in your home:

Natural Means Of Extermination:

Natural pest control consists of a number of different actions you can take. If you aren’t a fan of harmful chemicals or poison being put down to kill the pests, you can try other means of pest control which are more natural and ethical. These could include:

  • A cat or terrier dog: This might sound like a laughable suggestion, but rescuing a cat or small dog is a great natural means of controlling mice and rats. Cats will hunt naturally and are savage when it comes to killing their prey, while terrier dogs are genetically programmed to run after small furry creatures in their space – and kill when they catch them. This is a means of ‘natural’ pest control because the dog and cat is living out its natural instincts, while the pests aren’t being killed using chemicals.
  • Sustainable pest control: This would involve hiring a sustainable pest control company who specializes in non-toxic means of exterminating pests.

Hiring A Pest Control Company:

If you have an issue that goes beyond a mouse problem, you might need to consider hiring a traditional Pest Control company to deal with it. Spider, cockroach, or wasp infestations can be dangerous for yourself, your children, and your pets and require more than just a few mousetraps to get the job done. You will want to do your research before hiring a professional company. Look for companies that are well reviewed and have experience with the pest your dealing with. Typing “Roanoke pest control companies” in the search bar or whatever area you’re in will help narrow down your search considerably.

Remember that pests will vary depending upon where you live and not every pest control company will be well versed in dealing with them. For example, if you live in a particularly hot climate, you might want to consider a company like Responsible Pest & Scorpion Control (or something similar in your local area) as they are capable of dealing with the dreaded, climate specific pests like scorpions.

Pest control companies use a range of techniques which will aim to minimize the effect on your home and routine, while maximizing the effectiveness of extermination. These can include:

  • Using poison to kill the population of pests.
  • Using deterrent chemicals, such as strong smelling oils like peppermint oil.
  • Using humane means to trap the pests. This will especially be the case if you have a problem caused by bigger animals and require Squirrel Removal or something similar. 
  • Filling in the cracks in your home using a special foam which is impossible for mice and rats to chew.
  • Advising on other home habits such as cleaning, avoiding piles of garden waste, removing spider webs on a regular basis, and avoiding leaving food out which tempts pests. Heavy cleaning is an especially important step in bed bug treatment options so be prepared to put the work in.

Clean Your Home Top To Bottom:

While you are waiting for pest control to sort the problem, there are still things you can do. Clean your home from top to bottom, leaving no crumbs or other little things for pests to nibble at. It is a crucial step for a multitude of pests and is especially important for bed bug prevention. This will ensure you reduce the chances of pests coming into your home and causing further disturbance.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct15

It’s A Walk In The Park

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It’s A Walk In The Park

Hello! A super nice thing about October other than all Halloween everything is that Johnny has every Friday off. I, on the other hand, always have Fridays off so it has been really fun having an extra day to spend with him on our weekends. Although we are always okay with staying at home with our video games and streaming services, we decided to have a little field trip this past Friday.

Johnny and I loaded into his mini van and went for a drive through the Cuyahoga Valley. We admired the changing leaves while enjoying the pleasant temperatures of an autumn day, all set to the tunes of Dire Straits which Johnny deemed appropriate driving music. Sadly, he passed on my offer to play some Cardi B but that’s neither here nor there.

Regardless of what our soundtrack was, it was exciting to be doing something with my boyfriend other than sitting in the apartment. He had just gotten his hair done and looked SO fine and driving around and talking and laughing had me falling in love all over again. :*)

We stopped off at one of the hiking trails before heading home and took an excursion around Indigo Lake. We explored train tracks and Johnny proved to be an excellent stone skipper. I proved to be… Anyways, it was a hoot. To be out in the public of nature together was refreshing for both of us because we don’t venture out often now, as safety is our primary concern.

Johnny and I were both kitted out in our fall Sunday’s Best but, as always, it was back in our comfy clothes as soon as we returned home. We settled in for an evening of weird comedies like Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories and The Mighty Boosh and it was a great day. ❤

If you’re feeling cooped up from being at home a lot now, don’t discount the benefits of spending some time outdoors. I think you’ll be glad you did. 🙂

How do you safely go out right now? Where is your favorite place to go hiking? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct13

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

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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

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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

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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