Month: April 2018

Home, Home Improvement

Scandi On A Shoestring: Decorating the Nordic Way

Marci Smith

The Scandinavians have a simple way of living; it’s one of the reasons they seem to flourish. I mean, who else can work productively for six hours a day and still maintain the same high standards? The answer is the Swedes and their Nordic neighbors. So, it’s not hard to see why Scandi style is becoming popular in homes across the country. It’s simple, basic, really, but with a touch of elegance and class. Of course, now that a trade war is in progress, imports are at a premium and you may get priced out. Here’s how to avoid The Donald’s crazy business tactics and decorate on a shoestring.

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Blogging, Home, Home Improvement

Ensuring Your Home Office Fits Your Home

Marci Smith

We’ve talked before about creating the perfect exterior office, so it seems to make sense to examine the flip side: the interior office! For most people, this will be the first choice when it comes to creating an office in their home— but getting an interior office right is often easier said than done.

An office is a work space, which means it has to — first and foremost — serve an important purpose in your life. However, the office is also a part of your home, thus it needs to have a degree of flexibility to how it can be used and the purposes it is suitable for. You also have to try to balance the practical requirements with your preferred decor trends. Essentially, creating a home office that suits all of these purposes can be incredibly difficult— but here’s what you need to keep in mind to make it work…

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Home, Home Improvement, Maintenance

Crucial Questions To Ask When Renovating Your Kitchen

Marci Smith

Kitchen renovations are an exciting time, especially if you love spending time in this area cooking from scratch as we do. However, they can also be complicated, and there are some critical questions that you need to ask yourself before starting. In fact, some of the most crucial questions are listed below, so keep reading to find out what you need to be considered when renovating your kitchen.

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Health, Self-Care

The Best Ways To Beat Bad Moods

Marci Smith

Are you getting tired of waking up in a bad mood? Unfortunately, being in such a bad mood can be very difficult to shake off through the day, so there really is no wonder that so many people get down in the dumps whenever they wake up in one.

Feeling a bit grumpy and grouchy today? Well, your mood might improve when I explain that there are in fact a few things you can do to make yourself feel better. Don’t believe me? It’s true! Even though the majority of people think it can sometimes be impossible to shake yourself out of a bad mood, there are a few tricks and hacks that might succeed. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

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Home, Maintenance

How To Get Your Home Spick And Span For The Summer

Marci Smith

There is nothing more troublesome than having a potentially stunning home that is an absolute mess, and the summer is just around the corner. Your home should be the thing that looks open and welcoming as the sun shines through the windows – not a messy one. It’s understandable in the winter time because we put up decorations and we fill the home because it’s cold so the cosier the better, but that time has passed and the sun is just starting to make an appearance.

Let’s face it, no one likes the idea of cleaning – it’s a bore, going around doing all the chores on the list. But it’s necessary if you want a nice area to reside in. The sooner you get it done, the sooner you can stop worrying about it. Plus, having a deep clean will mean that as long as you regularly maintain it, there is no reason to do one like it again – you’ll only be required to do little touch ups here and there.

Another important reason you should want to keep your home clean, other than the fact that it’s nearly summer, is because it will greatly improve your mental health. You may be feeling stressed or a little down, but not sure why. One thing for sure is that a messy home creates a messy mind. You wouldn’t believe the impact your environment has on your mentality, it can really drag you down because essentially you’re not able to escape it. So bear this in mind when you’re trying to find excuses as to why you can’t clean today.

It doesn’t need to feel like an overwhelming task, you can make it fun. Invite some willing friends and family over, turn up the radio, tie your hair back, pop a bottle, and get to work.

Here’s what you need to do.

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Home, Maintenance

What Exactly Does Your Home Office Need?

Marci Smith

These days, thanks to the internet, it is ever so easy to set up your own business from home. You just need to set up your own company website and social media accounts to try and attract some clients, and then you should find that you have enough work and projects to keep you ticking over and help the money roll in. And that’s all there is to is, right?

Well, not exactly. One thing that a lot of home-based entrepreneurs take for granted is their need for a professional workspace where they can take care of some quality work for a few hours. Without this, you could find that production starts to fall off a bit, and your output slows down. That isn’t going to be good for your invoicing at the end of the month as there won’t be much work to account for!

So, before you do launch your very own home-based business, you need to set yourself up with a dedicated workspace. If at all possible, this should be your very own office area. Ideally, not just your dining room table as there will be too many distractions keeping you from your work! To ensure that the home office that you create is up to scratch, here are some basic requirements that each one needs to have.

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General

8 Essential Tips For Road Tripping With Kids

Marci Smith

Road tripping is a truly wonderful way to see the country.

Unlike any other form of traveling, road tripping gives you the sense of being in control of your own destiny. You have complete control over every element of your trip, from the time you leave to how long you spend at each specific stop along your route.

As a parent, you may find that your passion for road tripping begins to falter. Admittedly, road tripping with your children can be difficult and challenging, but it’s not impossible. If you want to take the road trip this summer to explore the sights and sounds of the USA, then these tips should help you make the most of the experience…

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Family, Parenting

Making The Most Of Your Evenings As Newbie Parents

Marci Smith

One of the toughest transitions any newbie parent will go through is the change to their evening plans. That’s when you start to feel a little itch. In those years BC (Before Children), evenings were your time to escape the humdrum of existing, to leap into the thick of the hustle and bustle to get over that bad day at work, to go out for a spontaneous meal, see friends and live a little. But for the first year AD (After Delivery) that becomes a bit tougher.

If you’re not a regular follower, you’re probably thinking “Why should I listen to you?”

Hi, I’m Marci, mom of three, and as I’m typing this, I’m feeding my three-month-old daughter.

If they don’t exclusively feed on the boob and you have a regular babysitter, then it’s no such much of an issue. But if you do, well, you need to start working out how you’ll make the most of your evenings. Sure, for the first month or so, that will be sleeping every time your baby sleeps.

But that will soon wear off and that’s when these evenings tips will become a godsend. Trust us on that.

 

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General

Keeping Wood Furniture in Peak Condition

Marci Smith

Wooden furniture is a great addition to any home’s interior design. It can be used in a variety of design trends, from vintage and retro to contemporary and minimalist. So, no matter how you want to design your home, there is no denying that wooden furniture will certainly play a big part in the overall decor.There’s just one problem with wooden furniture – it requires a lot of care and attention to keep it looking as good as new. But as long as you are willing to put in all that elbow grease to keep all that wood in peak condition, all of the wood in your decor will really enhance the overall look and feel of your interior design. Here are some tips that will help you look after all that wood.

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