Tag Archives: cold

Dec13

Winter Proof Your Home With These Tips

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Winter Proof Your Home With These Tips

Looking after your home is harder in the winter because there are more threats to comfort and security that come with the cold weather. However, with preparation prior to the cold months, you can have peace of mind and plenty of comfort throughout the festive season and into the New Year. Be sure to winter proof your home with these tips:

Fix the Roof:

Some people put off having their roof repaired in the winter. It’s an extra expense and they might assume that roofers don’t work in the winter anyway. This is a misconception. A roofer can work in the winter and there and several reasons why it’s a good idea to have work done. Along with the obvious benefits of repairing leaks and damage to the roof for the onset of the winter weather, you can also benefit from lower prices in the winter months. Roofers still work in the winter but tend to charge lower fees because there is less demand for roofing services.

Check the Boiler:

Boiler checks are highly recommended in the winter. According to the best advice, a home should have its boiler checked once a year, but twice a year or more is ideal. Checking a boiler requires a professional call out, so make it at the start of the winter season. A boiler engineer will look at your boiler and check that everything is working mechanically; they will also check the pipes for any residual soot that might compromise the system. Following a boiler check, you can have peace of mind that the system is operational and reliable for winter.

Protect the Pipes:

When the water pipes burst in the winter, your home can flood. This will end up costing you huge sums of money and you might have to take time off work or away from your family at Christmas. Water pipes can burst in the winter because the water in them freezes and then expands, splitting the metal. Water pipes are one of the easiest things to protect in the winter; all you have to do is buy a foam tubular from the hardware store and cut a slit down one side of it. Wrap the foam around the pipes and secure it with a tie wrap. If you did this last year, double-check the foam quality to see if it needs replacing.

Check the Drains:

When the drainage system on your property gets blocked, you will notice flooding and debris in the garden and driveway. This is not a good thing to have to deal with in subzero temperatures! Unfortunately, dealing with blocked drains is more common in the winter months. Having your drains checked is one of the best ways to clear them out after the fall and before the winter to avoid expensive and inconvenient repairs. Arrange for a drain technician to inspect your system at a convenient time before the winter.

Use Insulation:

Don’t forget to use plenty of insulation options throughout the winter; not only will this keep you warm and comfortable in your home, but you will also protect the property from dampness and damage. Insulate walls with cavity insulation and the rooms with curtains and draft excluders.  

It’s freezing outside but the same doesn’t have to be true inside of your home. Check off your winter proofing chores and enjoy a nice and toasty winter in!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

 

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Nov27

Get Winter Ready With These Ideas

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Get Winter Ready With These Ideas

Winter is nearly here and preparations need to be done to keep you and yours comfy cozy all season long. From wardrobe updates to weatherproofing and everything in between, here are some steps to get you winter ready:

Update Your Wardrobe:

With winter coming you will want to make sure that you are changing into warmer clothes to beat the frigid temps. One of the best things you can do to save money is to go through all of the winter clothes you have, see what still fits and what you would still wear and then get anything you don’t have. With kids in the house and how quickly they grow, they might need a whole new wardrobe as their winter clothes from the previous year may not fit anymore.

Weatherproof Your Home:

Winter brings a lot of harsh weather and in some areas extremely harsh weather. Different weather can have different effects on your home so there are some things you need to add to your to-do list before it sets in. One of the things you will need to do is to clear out the gutters. You will also want to make sure you bleed your radiators, service your boiler, get a furnace tune-up, and check your doors and windows for drafts. You don’t want the cold weather coming in, especially with the rise in heating costs.

Declutter And Organize:

You most likely will have done a spring clean but a winter clean is also something to be done. One of the things you need to do is organize and declutter what you can. A big area to focus on is toys if you have children. With Christmas coming you want to make sure you have somewhere to put all of the new prezzies. Having an organized and clear home can also help your mental health which can often take a downward turn during the winter.

Car Checks:

The bad weather can affect your car too. You can help prevent issues by getting it checked, checking tire pressure, and making sure your heaters work. If there are any other issues, get them sorted so you aren’t stranded in the snow with a car that won’t work. You will also want to make sure your window wipers work properly to make it safe for you to see in bad weather.

Eating Healthy:

Winter and Christmas bring a lot of goodies and treats and with the darker and colder nights coming it is easy to indulge. During the winter, a lot of bugs and illnesses go around so you want to make sure you are filling your body with goodness and nutrients so your body can fight off the bugs effectively. A good way to make sure you are caring for yourself is by incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet. If you are having eggs for breakfast why not add some tomatoes and mushrooms to fill it out? If you are having pasta for dinner, you can add a whole variety of different vegetables or salad to the meal.

Stay Active:

During the winter months, it is very easy to want to be at home more and snuggled up watching TV. A lot of people normally reduce the amount of exercise they do in winter. You don’t have to go to the gym to work out, you can still do it in the comfort of your own home. There are hundreds of thousands of videos online of different workouts for different levels. You can also make use of the sunlight you have in the mornings and go for a walk or run around your local park. Staying active is beneficial for your health and well-being as when you exercise your body gives you a chemical which makes you feel happy, so exercise is great for improving a blah mood too.

Be in a sunny state of mind all winter long with the tips above. Make necessary preparations now to enjoy a stress free holiday season!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Mar2

One Of Those Mornings

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One Of Those Mornings

Hello! Last week was an insanely busy one for yours truly and when I woke up Friday morning, all I could think was TGIF. Little did I know, it was going to be one of those mornings. You all know the kind, when nothing seems to go right and you’re ready to crawl back into bed before it’s even noon. As I’ve mentioned before, I am a woman of routine and my usual mornings got way bent out of sorts. All I can say is: WOOF. lol

On Friday morning, I had a lot to do between writing and my online job before I made my way to work. I was making good progress and decided to take an anime break before I completed the rest of my assignments. I watched an episode of Black Clover and was halfway through the final episode of the Entertainment District Arc of Demon Slayer when the lights began to flicker.

For a brief moment the power went off but turned back on immediately and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I went back to watching my show and five minutes later, the power turned off again and this time it was for over an hour! I stuck around at home for another fifteen minutes or so to see if it would turn back on but had no luck so I decided to bring my laptop to my parents’ house before beginning my shift there.

What normally is an under five minute drive to chez parents ended up taking forty minutes because my car was frozen solid:

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Due to Ohio’s crap weather, we had freezing rain and snow Thursday night and it left my car completely encased in ice. Oh, the joys of apartment living and no garage! It took my car about a half hour to thaw out and it was about as boring as watching paint dry lol. When the defroster had finally done its job, I still needed to pop to the gas station so I had enough in my tank for the weekend only to find that it was still frozen shut. SMH!!

When I finally arrived at my parents’ place, I was able to watch the rest of Demon Slayer and finish all of my work with five minutes to spare before clocking in. It was a mad dash, I tell you! Thankfully, the rest of the day went without a hitch because I was totally wiped out – blame it on evil Aunt Flo, I guess.

By the time I got back to my apartment, I seriously didn’t move for the rest of the day and it was SO needed. My Johnny also managed to lift my spirits by teaching me how to play Rummy, which actually ended up being a lot of fun… Probably because I kicked his butt! He also suggested that we play Scrabble, which is my favorite game, and it resulted in a tie. No one was more surprised by this outcome than me because I usually wipe the floor with him. 🙂

One of those mornings turned into a good day at work and an even better evening. But the night was the best because I slept like a dog/rock/log/baby!

What is your favorite game? How do you spend your time after work? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Staircase Photo Shoot OOTD

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Staircase Photo Shoot OOTD

Hello! This past Saturday was an absolute delight filled with dear friends, family, and delicious food. Johnny and I met up with two of our favorite people for lunch at Barrio, which is one of all of our favorite restaurants. Barrio is a build your own taco restaurant and they also have the literal best Margaritas that I have ever had:

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The food and drinks were divine but the company was even better and Johnny and I had such a fabulous time! Since Johnny and I don’t go out too often, it makes every lunch or drink at the bar an occasion to get dressed up for. I had grand plans of having him take my pictures in downtown Kent but, unfortunately, it was SO. Freaking. COLD!!

It truly is such a Midwestern statement but it wasn’t the temperature that made it cold, it was the constantly blowing wind. And, for once, I even agreed that it wasn’t the day for outdoor pictures, which is really saying something. I was disappointed because I loved the outfit that I was wearing so I just had him take some shots on the staircase in our apartment, instead:

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Who? What? Wear?

I will be the first to admit that this outfit was definitely not appropriate for the weather but that has never stopped me before lol. While selecting my outfit, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to wear and, then, I remembered my Scotch & Soda blazer that I am obsessed with. Although it is a recent purchase, I kind of forgot about it because it has been too cold to wear it. Granted, it was way too cold to wear it on Saturday so I am looking forward to warmer weather even more so I can rock it without freezing my nads off.

The Scotch & Soda blazer is very light, making my black cami the obvious choice to wear underneath. Anything bulky would ruin the way that the blazer lays because it’s so form fitting. My distressed jeans were also, admittedly, not the best choice for a cold day because the holes in it are huge but I never get to wear them during the work week since they’re not the most appropriate!

With the base of my outfit complete, it was time for shoes and accessories. I chose one of my favorite necklaces by Mia Fiore to add some visual interest and it played beautifully against the deep gold accents in the blazer. I also liked the bold chain against such a delicate pattern. Normally, for earrings, I always rock dangly pairs but that wouldn’t work with the necklace so I went with some small studs, instead.

For my shoes, I toyed with a lot of different options but most of them would have broken up the sleek silhouette that I was working with. I finally ended up with my original thought of my platform loafers by ModCloth. They are not in the best shape because they’re pretty old but I loved how they looked with my OOTD.

With the loafers selected, I knew that I needed some type of sock with them because I am nothing if not sensible lol. I had a sheer white pair with daisies on it in mind but I couldn’t find them anywhere. It was all good, though, because I think my black ruffled ones looked even better. I thought it was so cute how you could still see the ruffles with the jeans I had on, which made for a really fun touch!

Was this a good outfit for the weather? Absolutely not. But was it still a good outfit? YES! I fricken love this OOTD and just had to share it with all of you, even if it was just pictures in my apartment! 😀

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

Dec14

Warm Up With These Indoor Winter Activities

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Warm Up With These Indoor Winter Activities

Hello! I love the way the snow makes everything look like a holiday greeting card… and that’s about it lol. Driving in it is for the birds and as someone who is constantly cold, I can do without the extra dose of brrrrrr. So, needless to say, I like to enjoy my winter activities from the great indoors! If you feel similarly, try out these ideas all from the comfort of being wrapped in your favorite blanket:

Present Wrapping Party:

I absolutely LOVE shopping for holiday gifts but wrapping them? Not so much! Of course, it is a necessary evil and making it more fun can make it, dare I say, pleasant? Invite your friends over for a present wrapping marathon complete with hot cocoa and holiday movies. You can even have a gift swap at the end as a little reward for a job well done.

All Aboard:

In my neck of the woods, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad offers all kinds of fun winter activities and you can peep the falling snow without being stuck in it! For the little ones, they offer the Polar Express and for adults, there tends to be a beer or wine tasting event as you ride the train. If there is something similar in your area, it could be a fun way to shake things up for a unique winter memory.

Craft Competitions:

There are so many winter baubles and trinkets that you can craft and you can up the ante by turning it into a competition. How about a gingerbread house bake off? Creating your own candles with festive scents? Or decorating ornaments for your tree or mantel? The prize could simply be bragging rights or a small gift to commemorate their victory.

Santa Hat Movie Viewing:

If you’re looking for a boozy time with friends or drinking a lot of hot chocolate, then have I got a game for you! Whether it’s a holiday movie or not, put a Santa hat on the corner of the TV and when any character ends up “wearing” it, take a drink. I promise that it will make the Hallmark movie marathon way more bearable! 😀

Winter Game Night:

Game nights are always fun and, this time, you can put a holiday twist on it. Try charades with famous holiday movie scenes to act out. Or, go around in a circle and each person will have to say the next word of a Christmas carol. Pin the ornaments on the tree? A holiday edition of Never Have I Ever? You could even make a photo booth set up for goofy holiday pictures… The possibilities are endless! Don’t forget a hot chocolate bar or trail mix station for your guests!

Don’t let it snow on your parade with the ideas above and stay comfy cozy all while achieving the ultimate holiday spirit! 😀

PS: Spread the joy by putting a “buy in” to each event you host by having your guests bring a canned good to donate to a local shelter. ❤

What is your favorite winter activity? What puts you in the holiday spirit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr22

My Top 3 “Feeling Sick” Beverages

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My Top 3 “Feeling Sick” Beverages

Hello! The last two times I saw my sister this past week, my lil niece was feeling under the weather. While Kristen and her SO, Ramon, are immune to the “Toddler Flu” by now I, on the other hand, got hit with it hard. My niece was coughing and her little nose was running faster than she could and I just had a feeling I was going to get sick. And, man, was I right because I spent the entire past weekend in complete misery.

Kristen and Ramon have parent level immune systems and were A-okay while I felt like I was going to burst from all of the congestion. During my weekend, I tried to recoup with lots of Animal Crossing, My 600 Lb. Life, and forcing myself to drink disgusting tasting daytime flu medicine. Of course, I attempted to stay really hydrated too and had a glass of one of my go to “feeling sick” beverages handy at all times. We all have them and these are my top three:

Green Tea:

I don’t need to be sick to enjoy a hot or cold glass of green tea but it definitely hits different when you’re not feeling well! I worked through an entire carton of Arizona green tea in two days and tried to drink at least two cups of hot Salada green tea per day too. In my opinion, there is nothing more soothing than tea when you’re under the weather and the steam from the hot tea offered some relief for my clogged up sinuses. Needless to say, I am going to have to restock my supply next time I go grocery shopping.

Orange Juice:

You can’t go wrong with a cup of OJ when you have a cold for an extra dose of Vitamin C. I really don’t drink juice very often but I couldn’t get enough of it this past weekend. Call it wishful thinking or whatever you will but I did feel a bit better after a glass or two in the morning. It was also nice to drink something orange flavored that didn’t taste like battery acid like all daytime flu medicine does. Orange colored anything should never taste that disgusting!

Cream Soda:

When I was little, flat cream soda was my favorite drink during a stay home from school sick day. To this day, it still reminds me of my grandma because she always had a healthy supply at her funeral home and it was such a treat to have some! Johnny had a couple of bottles of IBC cream soda in the fridge and I couldn’t not partake in one of them to not only hit me right in the nostalgia but shake some of the blahs of the worst cold imaginable away. We all need a sweet treat every once in a while. 😀

Spending my weekend sick as a dog isn’t exactly what I had in mind but I did try to make the most of it! I was so thankful to my sweet bestie, Kate, of Live In The Nautical for video chatting with my miserable self and there is nothing that a nonstop My 600 Lb. Life marathon can’t fix, either. I raise my glass of OJ to both Kate and Dr. Now for helping get me through this dark time lol! ❤

What is your go to feeling sick beverage? What makes you feel better when you’re under the weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb21

More Spring Flowers To Brighten Your Day

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More Spring Flowers To Brighten Your Day

Hello! At my parent’s house a few weeks ago, my dad got a bouquet of the most lovely orange and yellow tulips for the kitchen table. I was so enamored by the sunburst colors, especially in the middle of winter, and I didn’t think that anything could be prettier. That is, until I saw the beautiful arrangement that my dad made special for Valentine’s Day. The ruby red tulips he picked out were such a unique twist on traditional V-Day roses and it also rang true to my Lil Red namesake so, of course, I was smitten! Check it out:

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Whenever I see a new bouquet at my parent’s house, it never fails to put a huge smile on my face. My dad has never been known to spend more than five dollars or so on flowers but he always manages to make his arrangements look stunning and expensive. These store bought tulips are divine, yes, but they still have nothing on my dad’s wildflower bouquets fresh from his garden in the summer!

As you can tell in the pictures above, there was snow on the ground when my dad made this bouquet and the contrast of the freshly fallen snow and the fiery red flowers was like Mother Nature putting on her own personal show special for us. I can’t imagine anyone not being able to delight in beautiful, colorful flowers and I feel so lucky that I constantly get to enjoy them at my parent’s house. ❤

What is your favorite flower? Do you have a green thumb? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb6

Spring Cleaning: It’s Never Too Early To Start!

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Spring Cleaning: It’s Never Too Early To Start!

Although spring time feels like it’s just around the corner, we still have a while to go until moderate temperatures and beautiful flowers blooming. However, it is never too early to start some spring cleaning to breathe some freshness into your home after a long and claustrophobic almost year of living during a pandemic. I, myself, did a fair bit of pre-spring cleaning during a random day off last week and once I was done, the atmosphere in my apartment felt much more relaxed from pecking away at the clutter. I plan on utilizing the following mental bullet points I came up with as I continue to clean up my place:

Get Prepared:

This may seem like a no brainer to have all of the necessary supplies handy to employ in your cleaning but, sadly, it’s not for me because I always forget to buy them when I’m grocery shopping! Trust me, your motivation to clean will quickly dissipate when you realize you don’t even have a sponge. Prior to your cleaning day, make sure you have everything you will need. Whether this be renting a dumpster bin through Bins Toronto for a massive haul away or picking up all of the products to deep clean your bathroom with, it’s better to do it beforehand. This way, you won’t be scrambling (Or completely not want to clean!) on your planned spring cleaning day.

Work In Sections:

Lighten the mood of the overwhelming dread that comes with saying “I’m going to clean the house today” to “I’m going to clean the living room today”, instead. Breaking your cleaning process up into sections will make it much less daunting of a task. You will also be able to really deep clean if you work room by room as opposed to a lighter cleaning all over. Before I did my pre-spring cleaning, I decided that I wanted to put all of  my laundry away and clean the kitchen and coffee table that were both very cluttered. I set an achievable cleaning goal and I felt good about the fact that I spent the extra time to do it the best I could.

Providing individual attention to each room will make your entire house feel more open, lighter, and relaxed.

Make It Fun:

Cleaning is hard work but it doesn’t have to be a totally miserable process! I always seem to get my best cleaning done when I have music playing. Then, not only am I cleaning but I am also starring as lead vocals, back up vocals, and guitar in all of my favorite songs. Hey, whatever works! Whether it be listening to music, motivating yourself with Starbucks, or dictating your memoirs – do what you can to make cleaning an, if not enjoyable, than slightly less awful of a chore for you.

Starting your spring cleaning early will make it feel like your house fast forwarded into April and, I don’t know about you, but that sounds great to me!

Dec30

Making The Most Out Of Your Time At Home This Winter

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Making The Most Out Of Your Time At Home This Winter

Now that we are in the midst of the cold, dark winter months you are most likely spending the majority of your time cooped up at home since social distanced outdoor hang outs are out of the question. It is probably the longest time a lot of us have spent continuously at home, in the space of just a few months! However, there are ways you can turn this negative into a productive positive with the following ideas:

Learn new skills:

When is the last time that you ever had seemingly unlimited time at home? I can’t remember! Now is the best time to take up new hobbies like cooking, baking, crafting, or photography. It is also ideal for finishing those projects that you have wanted to get around to but never had the time for. Paint the guest room, redecorate the bathroom, or clean out the garage – it feels good to check items off of your to do “eventually” list!

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Keep your home nice and toasty:

At this point in your time at home, you might end up noticing jobs that need to be done around the house like when you spot a hole in the ceiling of your roof as you pack away Christmas decorations in the attic. This is when you need the assistance of Blue Spruce Roofing Company who are professional roofing experts that will be able to inspect and repair any problems you are experiencing. It’s vital to ensure that your cozy nights remain just that, nice and toasty and totally draft free.

You might also want to think about making sure that your heating is in a good state of repair. The best way to make sure of that is to call out an expert HVAC repair and installation team. They will be able to determine if there are any problems with the heating, and take whatever necessary steps to overcome the issue. That will make for a much toastier home this winter.

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Declutter your space:

Now is the ideal time to reorganize, sort through your possessions, and actually drop your bags of used items off at a local charity instead of driving around with them in the trunk of your car for months. These items could also be regifted, sold online via Facebook marketplaces, or apps like Offer Up. Free up that unnecessary clutter in your life and start afresh. If you haven’t made use of whatever you are considering letting go of in the past year then, chances are, you won’t be using it again.

Heading into 2021 gives you the opportunity to enter into a brand new year with a completely clean slate. Leave all negative vibes behind in 2020 and continue to stay safe by making the most out of your time at home. Cheers!

Featured Image By: Pexels