Tag Archives: apartment

Oct13

How You Can Start Decluttering Your Home

Posted on by
Standard
How You Can Start Decluttering Your Home

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

Find a solution for the things you want to keep:

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

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

Start with five minutes a day:

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

Seek out inspiration:

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

Focus on one room at a time:

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

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

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

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Oct12

Keeping Clothes You Love Looking New

Posted on by
Standard
Keeping Clothes You Love Looking New

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

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

Read the label:

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

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

Check your water:

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

Sort your colors and fabrics:

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

Keep your washing machine clean:

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

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

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Oct6

4 At Home Issues To Handle To Ease Your Mind

Posted on by
Standard
4 At Home Issues To Handle To Ease Your Mind

Life is hard sometimes. It’s an amazing adventure that we’re all lucky to embark on, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be full of stresses and strains to our mental well-being along the way. For some reason, life likes to throw curve balls at us in order to challenge our will and capabilities. That’s okay, though, because the harsher times allow us to really appreciate the good ones.

Something that a lot of us have to deal with from time to time is anxiety or an obscene amount of personal stress. While this isn’t the most convenient set of feelings in the world, they’re pretty common. They can also be helped and lessened quite easily if you know how to attack the route of the issue.

Most of the time, the root of the problem is right at home. If we’re not content in our abode, then everything else can feel toxic. Everyone’s domestic life is different, obviously, so spoon-feeding you solutions probably won’t work. Here are a few suggestions, however, that could do your mind a world of good:

Create a housework routine:

Doing things around the house can feel so draining – especially when you’re not used to doing them. Leaving them and holding off for ages seems okay at the time, but you’ll eventually have to do the jobs, and the longer you leave them, the more work you have to do. If you get into a systematic routine, you’ll get things done quickly, and it’ll all feel like a cakewalk. Plan out a daily cleaning routine so normal messes don’t turn into huge disasters.

Reconcile issues with those in the house:

When something’s weighing on your mind, it can affect how you behave day-in-day-out. You need to open up and talk about things with others – especially if there’s some awkward tension or friction there. The best thing to do, always, is to talk things out and get to the bottom of whatever is going on. Even if the outcome is pretty negative, it is still an outcome and closure – you can move on accordingly.

Take care of tedious tasks:

We all have annoying aspects of the home that need to be seen to. A lot of people, however, get on with life and don’t get them handled. They just plod along and get upset whenever they see the things that need to be changed or fixed. It’s understandable as there are many important aspects of one’s life, but everyone has the same twenty-four hours. Get in touch with an electrician if you think your wires are on the fritz. Speak to a plumber who can deal with the awkward piping and boiler situation you may have. Don’t leave things until they go completely kaput.

Take a look at finances and spending habits:

Our bank accounts and our outgoings can put us under a lot of pressure – sometimes unnecessarily. Take a look at how you’ve been behaving financially over the past year or so. If you’re doing okay for money, then, by all means, continue enjoying what you do. If you’re a little tight for cash right now, then you might want to look at your situation and do a little revising for emergencies.

Feeling good starts in your house. Take care of what you can DIY and, as always, call in the professionals when you need help!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Oct3

Quarantine Routines

Posted on by
Standard
Quarantine Routines

Hello! I’ll tell you what, ever since March 19th (The day bars and restaurants in Ohio temporarily shut down) my life has changed drastically. For my big girl job, I provide care in home for people with special needs and, now, more than ever it is my responsibility to continue staying healthy for those who need me.

Due to the nature of my job, going out for frivolity is the last thing on my mind. Back track to 2019 and it was the only thing on my mind, lol! Going to shows with Johnny, restaurants, movies, TJMAXX!!! Ugh, I miss all of that so much.

My “normal” routines of going here, there, and everywhere definitely seem to be a thing of the past. So, obviously, I had to fill up all of this newfound free time with other things. They are still fun for me, of course, but I don’t think any of these options trump my bimonthly TJMaxx shopping trips with my mom. Haha, check it out:

Reading:

I have read so many freaking books in the past six months, it is insane. My goal has been to try and finish at least two to three per month and I have achieved it every time. It has been fun to experiment with different authors like Lucy Foley and Ilaria Tuti. Both Johnny and I have also been enjoying our Audible subscription for books on tape, as well. We are always open to author and book suggestions so keep them coming!

Language Learning:

Yes, I currently am still learning French, Spanish, Italian, Czech, and German on Duolingo. I make an effort to try and practice each language four times per week, bare minimum, and so far so good. What I would really like to do in the next month or so is purchase the Duolingo Plus subscription so I never run out of hearts while practicing. This seems very necessary when learning five languages and, once I get Duo Plus, I’d like to start learning a sixth. Any ideas as to which one?

Online Shopping:

Maybe once or so per week, I will take ten to fifteen minutes to browse through some of my favorite online stores to window shop. Mainly TJMaxx, Unique Vintage, ModCloth, and Nasty Gal. It is definitely not the same as regular shopping but it somewhat satisfies that itch to go browse the aisles in person!

When I’m not aimlessly scrolling through websites and saying “oh that’s cute” about basically everything, I am trying to do some early Christmas shopping. With a long list of people to shop for, it is never too early to start the Xmas process and I am pleased with the slow and steady progress I’ve been making.

Movie Nights:

Johnny and I have decided to put a halt to finding something we can both agree on when it comes to movies. Now, we alternate whose pick it is for our movie nights and it has been great! Normally, Johnny will pick a war documentary or movie and I will choose a horror, psychological thriller, or foreign film. I love being able to see all of his favorites and it is exciting to rack my brain and browse through our streaming services to select my next pick!

Are these new routines the most exciting? Well… No. But they are as exciting as I choose to make them and I still always end up having an awesome and totally safe time at home. 🙂

What should Johnny and I watch next? How about a great new suggestion on Audible? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep29

Having Trouble Focusing While Working From Home?

Posted on by
Standard
Having Trouble Focusing While Working From Home?

Many of us have had to get used to the prospect of working from home over the past few months. While there are undeniable benefits to being able to take care of business in your own space, a lot of people have trouble adjusting to it, as well. If you’re having trouble getting productive, here are a few solutions that might help you get back on top of things:

You’re not making time for it:

With the flexibility that comes with working from home, it might feel tempting to simply do work whenever it suits you and not have any solid plans. However, this tends to end up wrecking your work-life balance. It’s a good idea to find what time you’re more productive and create a daily schedule around that, complete with strict starting and finishing times. This way, your life and work-life don’t start to bleed together to the point that you feel like you have to be half “on” whenever you’re in the home.

You’re surrounded by clutter:

It might sound like the difference would be minimal, but a neat and organized desk actually has a big impact on your mental condition while you’re working. Clutter has been shown to be a more significant cause of stress than we otherwise give it credit for. Maximizing closet space and making use of things like desk trays in the home office can ensure that you’re not surrounded by bits and bobs all day long. You may find that your office space becomes cluttered quickly because you don’t have enough surfaces to work at. If that is the case, then it might be time to check out Office Monster to see if there is any furniture that you could add to your current set up to help better organize your space so you can complete your day’s work free of distractions.

Your office doesn’t give the right vibe:

This point might sound nebulous, but getting yourself in the right headspace to work is vitally important. As such, investing in decor that can help you create a quirky but professional vibe is important. You want to make sure that you’re surrounded by imagery and designs that inspire and energize you while also ensuring that the workplace is subtle enough that it doesn’t serve as an ongoing distraction.

For some people, it might be as simple as hanging a few pieces of art to give the room some life. For others, it could be a total change of scenery to complete a huge deadline. If this is the case, utilizing Hamilton Cabin Hire (or a similar service in your local area) could give you a welcome reprieve from your home office to focus fully. Your best work might just be a long weekend away.

You’re physically uncomfortable:

Of course, even if your office gives the vibe you need and is organized to perfection, you’re going to have a hard time enjoying it if you’re dealing with a sore back. You might not notice the impacts of poor posture immediately, but if you start to feel some aches and pains in your back and joints towards the end of the day, that means it’s time to look at your chair and desk setup. Ergonomic furniture design can help support these achy parts of you, leading to a more comfortable working day while decreasing the chances that you might actually injure yourself.

It isn’t always easy to create a home office that feels right for your working needs. However, it’s worth taking the time to implement fixes and find what works for you rather than letting yourself start to hate the prospect of working at home entirely.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Sep28

Solutions For Having Too Much Stuff

Posted on by
Standard
Solutions For Having Too Much Stuff

We’ve all been there. Somehow, over the years, you’ve accumulated piles upon piles of stuff, and now you don’t know what to do with it. The stuff could be work-related (think heaps of documents, bits of equipment you never know if you might need, old materials, even backlogged products you’ve yet to sell) or personal.

What are you meant to do with those homework files from twenty years ago, the hundreds of drawings and old toys your kids used to play with, all those films you watch once in a blue moon? Getting rid of all of this stuff can be difficult, both psychologically and practically, but luckily there are some solutions that can help you move on with the old:

Sorting and Organizing:

If you don’t want to throw everything (or anything!) away, some simple organization can help clear your space. First, sort all of the mess into clear piles. You might even find that one of these piles becomes items you can throw away – it’ll be easier to see with it all separated out. The piles can be sorted by many different categories; age, how often you use something, the type of object it is. Once this is done, put each pile into a separate box and stack them neatly, or find other places to store them. This organization can clear space and create order without forcing you to get rid of all your stuff – a perfect solution!

As you organize, you might find that some of the clutter is coming from storing things for other people. Perhaps you have some of your sister’s clothes in your closet. Maybe your mom’s baking tins are in the kitchen or you have a stash of books from your friend you have been meaning to return. While you have organizing in mind, send those unneeded items off! Services like those provided from Drift Couriers (or a similar business in your local area) offers same day delivery. Your house will be less cluttered and those items you have been meaning to return can be checked off your to do list.

Storage Solutions:

Sometimes, you simply might not have enough space even after sorting and organizing everything. In this case, if you’re still unable to make great inroads by using the trash, it’s worth looking at external storage solutions. These come in many shapes and sizes, from storage trailers, to garage-sized units, to entire warehouses. Renting storage is an amazing solution if you’re running a business that requires surplus stock, and also personally if you’re moving house and need temporary storage for a while.

Having A Clear Away:

Finally, we come to it. The best solution for having too much stuff is simply to get rid of it, and yet this is easier said than done. Many personal items can hold sentimental value and letting go can be harder than it sounds – yet often, after the initial separation, you may never think of it again! It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. To help yourself let go, you can use a tidying method like the famous Marie Kondo.

Getting Help:

If you’re struggling to clear all of your stuff (and who doesn’t), it’s time to get help. Having another person in the room, a friend or a partner, is a great way to force yourself into making decisions. They are there to tell you when you’re being overly sentimental, and to grieve with you over the little items you’ll miss, but really don’t deserve to be taking up space any longer. Getting help doesn’t mean hiring a demolition company, it just means finding a friendly (but stern!) voice to keep you company while you make your decisions.

Clean away your clutter and make your home (and headspace) much more clear! 🙂

Featured Image By: Pexels

Sep26

Quarantine Weekends

Posted on by
Standard
Quarantine Weekends

Hello! Going from being out and about every weekend with Johnny at the beginning of this year is a far cry from what we do now. With COVID and the fact that my county is now in a threat level red, our weekends have went from full and busy to full of binge watching in the blink of an eye. The worst part? The weekend still ends quickly even though we’re not doing much of anything, lol!

Johnny and I have a pretty standard weekend format that goes a little something like this: Video games, movies, and TV. I am currently obsessed with the video games he gifted me for our anniversary so I have been playing a lot of Paper Mario and Diablo III. We also take turns picking movies to watch in between our viewings of The Last Kingdom and SuperStore – both of which I highly recommend.

Does it sound boring yet? I know it does but it actually isn’t all that bad. For the first time literally since I started working at sixteen, I have weekends that are completely agenda free. All I have to do is sit on the couch and stay safe and I’m confident that Johnny and I can keep doing that.

One of the best parts of our weekends is actually thanks to the change in weather. Because fall temperatures are upon us, it has cooled down our apartment significantly. Believe it or not, I find myself telling Johnny “I’m cold” more often than not now. This makes being stuck in the apartment much more tolerable and there is nothing better than bundling up in hoodies and blankets while it’s nice and crisp in and outdoors!

Speaking of cooling down outdoors, I can’t wait to start taking hikes and doing all of the Halloween themed activities soon. Have fun and keep on staying safe. ❤

How do you spend weekends in quarantine? What is the weather like in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep21

Mostly Ghostly Halloween Decor

Posted on by
Standard
Mostly Ghostly Halloween Decor

Hi! Around this time of the year I love taking stock of all of the amazing Halloween decor in stores (AKA all year round decor!). TJMaxx, Target, Walmart, and everything in between I just want to see and buy it all, lol. Every spooky guy and gal needs creepy cute decor!

Unfortunately, in COVID times it is hard for me to go out and about on a Halloween decor crawl because of how limited I keep my time in public. So, a few weeks ago, I resorted to browsing online for Halloween decorations and kept coming up short. Everything I liked was either sold out or not worth the price being asked.

Believe you me, I was disappointed because I really enjoy buying new decorations for my apartment. But, then, Johnny reminded me he brought some of his Halloween decor to our place and that put the pep right back in my step. How can these goofy adorable ghosts not make you smile? Check it out:

Johnny is an avid lover of Halloween, himself, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when he had plenty of spoils of his own to show me. He has tons of outdoor decor for when we finally have a place with a lawn and lots of knick knacks to display around the apartment. Now, not being able to shop in store for Halloween decor doesn’t seem all that bad. 🙂

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

Sep19

Feeling Great!

Posted on by
Standard
Feeling Great!

Hello!! With all of the craziness of politics, COVID, and everything in between it is very easy to feel down and out. This is especially true if, like me and Johnny, you are still limiting your time in public. The monotony of my never ending cycle of sitting at home, work, then sitting at home certainly leaves a lot to be desired but, after this past anniversary weekend I have been feeling great!

Johnny and I celebrated our one year anniversary over the weekend with a delicious meal made by a super talented friend in our very own kitchen. It was one of the best dates I’ve ever been on despite not leaving our apartment and we seriously had the time of our lives getting dressed up to stay in.

It feels easy to just turn on another episode of whatever you were last binging on Netflix and make a day of it. And, no judgement here, because that’s what Johnny and I do nine times out of ten. However, one small change up to our routine left me with a newly found spring in my step and I feel much better than I did before.

This is not me saying to go out here, there, and everywhere for something new. Rather, to explore all of the fun things that can be done from the safety of your home. Everything from dress up date nights to even a cleaning spree with the best music and company can get you out of the “I never do anything” slump.

Brainstorm with your friends about your next game night over Zoom, plan a social distanced picnic in the park, or maybe even a long weekend in a cabin? The possibilities really are endless and I promise that it’s going to be infinitely more fun than whatever TV series you were going to cozy up with! Explore and enjoy! 😀

How do you have social distanced outings? What has been the best date you have ever been on? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep15

Feeling Snacky

Posted on by
Standard
Feeling Snacky

Hi! It has always been important to me to have healthy food and snacks in my apartment. I rarely eat sweet treats as I prefer the savory but Johnny, on the other hand, requests something in the dessert department whenever I go grocery shopping. And, when that time of the month rolls around, I am oh so happy when there is chocolate or cookies handy compliments of Johnny’s sweet tooth! ❤

When Aunt Flo comes for a visit, my primary craving is ice cream. However, I can’t justify buying a tub of ice cream that I’m barely going to eat. My solution? Frozen Greek yogurt!

Living that #YOGURTLIFE in the words of Terry Crews from Brooklyn 99!

My newest snack craze has been sticking a yogurt in the freezer and crumbling a chocolate chip cookie for the topping. I love the ice cream like texture of the yogurt once it freezes and with that extra bit of cookie it feels like I am eating a low calorie sundae.

Your topping preference is up to you but for the yogurt I definitely prefer the Light & Fit by Dannon. The vanilla Greek yogurt is so rich, creamy, and flavorful and it’s seriously hard to believe that it’s only eighty calories! I like how filling it is and sometimes, if I’m not snacking sundae style, I will have a yogurt with my medication before bed.

The Dannon Light & Fit yogurts were actually not my first choice but Johnny brought them home from the grocery store as my primary option wasn’t available. He is always getting me to try new things and this one just happened to become a staple at chez moi!

What is your favorite snack? Do you crave sweet or salty? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah