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Adulting For the Home Home How To Life

4 Ways To Increase The Value Of Your Home

Increase The Value Of Your Home

Many assume that adding value to your home means spending a large sum on home improvements. But, there are many cost-effective ways to increase the value of your home.

Increase The Value Of Your Home

How to Increase The Value Of Your Home

Improve Insulation

An essential feature of a home is good insulation. Double glazing windows and durable door frames will not only make your home more energy-efficient but will also add value to your house.

These features do not have to be expensive. Finding a reasonable window installation cost is simple with the right companies. Some companies may offer discounts if you install new windows across the house, increasing the value further. 

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Revamp Your Yard

Increase The Value Of Your Home

Your home is more than just what’s inside. Your yard matters, too. If your yard is neglected or lacking, redesigning the space is a great way to add value. Water features, a better lawn, and patios can make the area more appealing and functional.

Upgrading your yard will also mean you get to enjoy it before you move. As you spend time in the upgraded yard, you might even find that you want to add other things such as sheds or energy-saving tools, which will only increase the value of your home further.

Make It Energy-Efficient

A more sustainable home is a more valuable home. The upfront cost of energy-efficient features such as solar panels can seem daunting. But, it will lower your future energy bills and lower maintenance costs. More effectively, it will increase the interest for environmentally conscious buyers and give your home more edge than those without such features. 

Adding features such as new light bulbs, wall insulation, a new boiler, and solar panels is a great way to implement more sustainability into your home while making it more profitable when it comes to selling.

Fix Anything That Is Broken

Increase The Value Of Your Home

Keeping your home in excellent condition is an easy way to increase its value on the market. It can be easy to let broken features slide and get lazy with repair jobs. But, leaving a broken tile or sink fixture may lead to more issues, which will cost you more money. If things are left unrepaired, then the value of your home will automatically decrease. 

A home in excellent condition with little to no work to do will appeal more to future buyers and make them consider your home to be worth the asking price. Plus, fixing things as they break instead of putting them off will make your life easier and save you money.

Increase The Value Of Your Home

Adding value to your home is a great way to profit if you plan to sell. These four methods will maximize your home’s value and make it more attractive to future buyers. It will also benefit you in the meantime as your bills will reduce, your home will be easier to maintain, and you will enjoy the space. 

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How To Life Mental Health

4 Easy Tips to Be Happier With Your Appearance

happier with your appearance

If you are unhappy with the way you look, you are not alone. More than 80% of people are unhappy with their appearance, and this can have extremely damaging consequences in their lives. It can lead to low self-esteem and confidence, which can affect social relationships and career prospects. If unchecked, it can also result in mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. The good news is that there are easy ways to be happier with your appearance.

happier with your appearance
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No one should have to feel bad about their appearance but it can be hard to shake these negative thoughts. The personal care industry makes a colossal amount of money from advertisements that tell people the way they look isn’t good enough.

These advertisements lead people to believe that they need to buy expensive moisturizers and hair products to be attractive. It’s important to remember that this is nothing more than a marketing tactic (albeit a very successful one), and has no foundation in truth. As Eleanor Roosevelt famously said, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

If you want to learn to be happier with your appearance, there are things you can do. Forget about buying the most expensive cosmetics and punishing your body in the gym.

The key to being happier with your appearance lies in changing your mindset, not changing the way you look. Here are four ways to improve your self-confidence and body image.

How to Be Happier With Your Appearance

Avoid Negative Thoughts

Anytime you find yourself looking in the mirror and criticizing your appearance, stop and think about what you’re doing. You would never say such things about someone else, and your loved ones wouldn’t dream of saying them about you.

You have to treat yourself the same way you would treat others. Try to catch yourself next time you start forming a negative thought and replace it with a positive one instead.

Focus on Your Strengths

Every single person on the planet has positive attributes. It may be that you’re brilliant at your job or you’re a great parent. Perhaps you’re a fantastic sportsperson or a talented writer. Whatever it is, focus on this rather than the things you perceive to be negative.

What’s more significant: the fact that you’re a good person or the shape of your body? Focusing on your strengths and improving yourself in ways that really matter will do wonders for your confidence and self-esteem, and help you put things into perspective.

Avoid Sources of Negativity

There are always people who take pride in putting others down. If someone makes you feel bad about yourself, the problem is with them, not with you. Cut out toxic people from your life and surround yourself with those who make you feel good.

Although social media and the internet can often be a force for good, it can also knock your confidence. If you are constantly bombarded by pictures of happy people with supermodel good looks, you will feel worse about your self-image. Limit your time spent online and avoid sites that make you feel bad.

Change Your Perspective

Remember that even the most objectively beautiful celebrities and models have issues with their appearance. Just as you don’t notice flaws when you look at an A-list star, other people aren’t as concerned with your appearance as you think they are. When you change your perspective, you’ll realize how insignificant your concerns are.

happier with your appearance

We all struggle with our self-image once in a while, but there are ways to be happier with your appearance. What are some of the ways you work to be happier with your appearance? Tell me in the comments!

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Adulting Family Activities Home How To Life Marriage Our Family Parenting

How to Have a Happier Family Life

How to Have a Happier Family Life

Whether your family life is already blissfully happy or you feel like you have room for improvement, it is always worth thinking about what you could do to bring harmony and happiness to your home. There are no downfalls to having a happier family life. Instead, you will find that it makes your home life blissful, which is something everyone should strive for.

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Ways to Have a Happier Family Life

Improve Your Work-Life Balance

It can be tough to find the right balance between work and family commitments, but it is something worth trying. The less stressed and burnt out you are, the happier you and your whole family will be at home. This leads to more quality time you will be able to spend together.

How do you achieve a better work-life balance? Start by looking at your schedule and crossing out at least one commitment that isn’t really essential. Use the spare time you’ve created to have a family movie night or a trip to the park.

Do this every month and soon you’ll have a more streamlined schedule and a better work-life balance.

Live Healthily

Looking after yourself and your family is vital for everyone’s happiness. That means making a real effort, as a family, to eat healthy nutritious meals, exercise, and spend time talking about your feelings.

If one of you is going through a tough time healthwise, you should all band together and offer support. This might include having family therapy sessions, looking into sober living homes, or just clearing time to be together non-judgementally. The healthier you are, the happier you will all be.

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Practice Discipline

Discipline is important in families. Children need to be taught boundaries, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of the family as a whole.

Discipline can seem like a scary word, but it really isn’t about punishment – it’s about knowing what is expected of you and learning how you can stay calm, keep the peace, and do the right thing.

Disciplining your children in this way will give them healthy boundaries and healthy boundaries will lead to a happier life. When children know what is expected of them, everyone will be happier.

Listen to Each Other

As a family, it is important that you all take time to communicate with each other in the good and bad times. Listening, in particular, is a really important skill to learn.

The more your family feels heard and respected, the more they will open up and the easier it will be for you to solve your problems together. Of course, it’s also important to share your triumphs and revel in each other’s joys, too.

Be Flexible

When you have a busy family life, it’s important to be flexible if you want to avoid arguments and live a life with less misery, If you’re too rigid and inflexible, it will cause many arguments and end up with no one doing what they want.

Obviously, some commitments can’t be moved, but if it doesn’t need to be set in stone, don’t put it there. This will make life much easier and happier for everyone.

With all of these tips, you are well on your way to having a happier family life. What are some of the ways you create a happier family life? Tell me about it in the comments!

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Adulting For the Home Home How To

How Can You Keep Your Home In The Best Condition Possible?

Keep Your Home In The Best Condition

Keeping your home in the best condition possible is important for a number of reasons. The first is that it means you aren’t going to have to spend a fortune and a bunch of time sorting it out later on. This will be helpful if you want to move or if something gets damaged. The second is that it will make your home a much nicer place to live.

Keep Your Home In The Best Condition

While it may seem like a daunting task that you would rather ignore, it is best not to. You’ll be happier that you have a nice home, and it won’t be such a headache later on. Luckily, there are some easy things you can do to keep your home in the best condition possible.

How to Keep Your Home In The Best Condition

Fix What Is Broken

Keep Your Home In The Best Condition
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If something is broken, you need to fix it. It might not always be possible to do this right away, but there should be some kind of solution in place. For example, if there has been some flooding or other water damage, a company such as Delta Restoration Services will be able to provide the solution that you need.

Or, it might be something else such as a problem with the roof. You might be able to fix it yourself, or you may need to call a professional depending on the extent of the damage.

The same goes for things such as the washing machine or dishwasher. As long as you have a plan in place, then you’re on the right path to keeping your home in the best condition possible.

Keep It Clean

Keep Your Home In The Best Condition
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Another thing that you need to do is to keep your house clean. You never know when you are going to have unexpected house guests, so your home should always be clean.

It might feel like a nightmare in the beginning, but once everything is clean, you will feel better. Make sure you keep up on it to avoid having to spend hours on it again later.

Clean up often, make sure nothing is left lying around, and vacuum or sweep once per day. Of course, there are other things like shampooing the carpets that can be done less frequently. 

It’s the little things that are going to make a big difference. When you keep up on the little things, you are doing yourself a huge favor.

Make sure that everyone who lives in the house is helping out, though, and this includes the kids. When only one person does it, this is where the downfall usually happens. One person cannot be responsible for keeping everything clean.

Make Cost-Effective Improvements

Finally, one of the best ways to keep your home in great condition is to improve it in a way that keeps things efficient. Using a Solar Panel Company is a great way to do this. Generating your own energy can help you to run your home at a better cost, and you’re doing your part to be renewable too.

How Can You Keep Your Home In The Best Condition Possible

If you follow these tips, you are sure to keep your home in the best condition possible. By fixing things when they are broken and keeping your home clean, you are sure to have a home that you love. If you have already done these things and are looking for decor options, check out this blog post for home decor lovers.

What are some of the ways you make sure that your home is in the best condition possible? Tell me in the comments!

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Adulting Decor For the Home Home How To

6 Easy Tips for a Happy, Healthy Home You Will Love

happy, healthy home

We all want to create a comfortable and relaxing home for our families, whether it’s interior design hacks or eco-friendly changes. There are many ways to create a happy, healthy home, to enhance both physical health and mental well-being. All of these tips are simple and inexpensive changes that you can use to improve your lifestyle.

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***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Tips for a Happy, Healthy Home

1 . Cleanse the Air

To create a happy, healthy home, the first thing you should do is improve the quality of your air. First, keep your home well ventilated, opening doors and windows often.

Next, invest in an air purifier or Air Scrubber, which can remove harmful toxins and allergens from the air. There are many different types of air purifiers out there, which is why it’s best to check out a few reviews, such as this Bissell review.

Alternatively, house plants can also cleanse the air inside, removing chemicals such as trichloroethylene and benzene.

2. Remove Excess Clutter

A little clutter never hurt anyone, but an overwhelming amount of clutter can contribute to feelings of stress. This makes it difficult for you to relax at home.

To banish the clutter from your life, go through your items, and keep only things that you actually need or love. To embrace the minimalist lifestyle, these resources may come in handy:

3. Recycle Food Waste

To create a healthy and environmentally friendly home, try recycling your food waste by creating a compost pile. When you recycle your food waste, you’ll be contributing less waste to landfill sites.

Any efforts you make to go green can help you to create a healthier home for you and your family. Whether you shop second-hand or use water-conserving devices, every little bit helps.

4. Create a Vegetable Garden

Growing your own vegetables can help you live a healthier lifestyle. You’ll learn new skills and get nutritious food. Plus, gardening is very therapeutic.

To help you learn how to create a lovely vegetable garden, try using apps like Veggie Garden Planner, or Garden Plan Pro. 

5. Banish the Chemicals 

To make your home a little bit healthier, take a look at the products you use, and banish the chemicals from your life. Choose non-toxic eco candles, or replace conventional cleaning products with eco-friendly cleaners.

You should also pay attention to the products you use on your skin. Many of them contain chemicals, which should be avoided.

When choosing your cosmetics products, use apps like ‘Think Dirty’, to help you make healthier and greener choices.

6. Decorate to Boost Well-being 

When you’re decorating your home, try to make changes that will boost your well-being. Choose artwork that depicts the natural world, helping to create a calm atmosphere.

When painting your rooms, choose calming colors such as muted greens or rustic greys. Hang up photographs of your family and friends, and choose soft furniture for maximum comfort.

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Taking these steps to ensure a happy, healthy home for your family will make all the difference. Even if you can’t implement all of the ideas, trying a few of them will help immensely.

What are some of the ways you create a happy, healthy home for your family? Tell me about it in the comments!

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Adulting For the Home Home How To

2021 Designs That Will Complete Your Kitchen And Home

2021 designs for the kitchen, 2021 designs for the home, 2021 designs, home design 2021

Upgrading your home often takes time and money. You could troll through pages of inspirational content but sometimes, you just can’t find what is going to be right for you. There are ways you can figure out which 2021 designs to adapt to your kitchen and home, however.

With a custom home builder, you can make decisions that do fit you perfectly. Let’s say you are looking to upgrade your kitchen to modern appliances and give it a general fresh feel. It’s important to know the types of tones and styles that you like the most. It may be hard to pick exactly, but here are some ideas to get you started.

2021 designs for the kitchen, 2021 designs for the home, 2021 designs, home design 2021
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2021 Designs To Adapt To Your Kitchen And Home

A Work Triangle

In the kitchen, it is important to have a work triangle – refrigerator, sink, stove. Comfort and accessibility between the elements will create comfort at work. Drawer for pots under the stove, our spice rack close and available, cutting knives and the like.

Make sure that all the things you use will be arranged in a convenient and accessible way within easy reach. The lighting should also be arranged in a functional way. Continuous lighting about one foot from the end of the cabinet line will make it so that when you open the drawers, you will see exactly what they contain.

Plan According to Your Exact Needs

Just before starting kitchen design, it is most important to understand your needs. Consider whether you cook a lot or a little. Is life lived in the kitchen or is it used for food only? What are the needs in terms of storage, characterization of the seating, and other important things? Figuring these things out ahead of time will give you a space that will meet all your needs.

Make it an Exciting Experience

Today, design and cooking are a social experience in themselves. You likely don’t want to be in an enclosed space, so the kitchen design changes and it is part of the whole house. It should be open and appealing to everyone, and also allow everyone to enjoy the cooking experience. So, design the kitchen in an open and inviting way.

2021 designs for the kitchen, 2021 designs for the home, 2021 designs, home design 2021
Source: Unsplash

2021 Designs are Taking Hold For the Home

In recent years, the concept of ‘power wall‘ has become a very strong trend (literally) in the field of interior design. This means investing in one prominent and central wall leads to the creation of a special atmosphere in the space. But this trend, it seems, will give way in 2021 to something more fluid, more integrated, and more inclusive.

In 2021, you will see more and more uniformly painted spaces, and not just one prominent wall. Life in Corona times has left us at home and pushed some of us into harmony. 

One of the most prominent trends that was born in the pre-Corona period, but intensified greatly thanks to it, is a return to nature. This includes an understanding of the importance of using natural and recycled materials, alongside a growing discussion on sustainable design. A sustainable design is a simple design, accessible to all and not very sophisticated.

This trend has evolved from raw materials, which have been perfected over the years into combinations that fit the everyday lifestyle. Green and eco-friendly materials that are simple and unsophisticated such as straw, which started out in rugs and baskets, now go into elements on walls and textiles. These elements are found in the natural plaster, recycled wood cladding, and more. It is these materials that bring us home and comfort us.

Has Covid Shaped Our New Design Trends?

Another trend that will be seen in the 2021 designs is the use of calm and peaceful shades. This has a direct connection to the Corona Virus Pandemic, and to the mood and optimism we so desperately need at this time.

Pastel pink, for example, transmits a delicate and sensitive optimism. It connects to natural materials and vice versa – wood and iron for example – and together they form a complete and harmonious look. This harmonious look brings with it both softness and innovation.

A narrative of simplicity, serenity and convergence will be expressed in both materiality and color. This is achieved by using basic raw materials (wood, straw, terracotta, bamboo, jute, and rattan), recycled materials, and a great deal of DIY.

One color palette that reflects peace is earth tones such as a sand color, aqua shades with an optimistic and hopeful saturation, and shades of green that will symbolize environmental trends in the world. Add in some bright colors that will stand out even when things seem dreary to symbolize happy optimism.

2021 designs for the kitchen, 2021 designs for the home, 2021 designs, home design 2021

Using these tips and following the new trends for 2021 designs, you can create a peaceful space that you love. Make your home a place you always enjoy, and a place that helps you forget about your problems.

What are some of your favorite ways to design your space? Are you changing things up for 2021? Let me know in the comments!

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For the Home How To

5 Cost-Effective Ways To Insulate Your Home

Insulate Your Home

It is winter once again, and the heating bills will soon be staring you in the face. Insulating your home for the winter season is a sure way of spending less on heating, plus it can protect you and your home from other issues, too. Luckily, there are ways to insulate your home better to keep the heat inside and the bills lower.

Insulate Your Home
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Tips to Insulate Your Home

Insulate Crawl Spaces

Crawl spaces are a cause for great concern for homeowners. This is because it is prone to moisture and can deteriorate easily.

Because crawl spaces are close to the ground, they naturally become damp. This dampness creates a thriving environment for pests, and that makes your home a potential breeding ground for them. The dampness in crawl spaces may cause mold, which can easily spread all over your home. 

In cold climates, dampness can lead to the destruction of floor joists and other supporting constructions that keep your home together. You should seriously consider insulating your crawl space and installing a vapor barrier to provide a safe and healthy environment for your home. Improve the natural airflow of your home; you can visit https://www.insulatekansascity.com/crawl-space-insulation/ to find out more.

Use Weatherproofing to Cover Air Leaks

Using weatherproofing strips and caulking to cover and seal air leaks is a great way of insulating your home. Pay special attention to doors and windows. Check for the slightest sense of draft, and use weatherproofing material to seal up air leaks.

Use Thick Curtains

Thick curtains can help insulate your home, especially if you do not have modern windows that help with insulation. Also, consider going for darker colors as they keep warmth longer than lighter colors.

Another option is to use cheap liners and add them to the curtains you already have. Remember to keep the curtains open during the day so that natural sunlight can stream into your home and add some heat. Then, close the curtains at night to maintain the warmth.

Use a Door Snake for Drafty Doors

Door snakes are anything used to seal off the small spaces under doors. They can be made easily with things you probably already have.

Your home has an abundance of materials that can be transformed into a door snake. Old socks, popcorn kernels, and even pillow stuffing can be used to make door snakes.

Or, if you aren’t very good at DIY, you can buy one that is already made. There are many options, and you can get one to fit any door.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

When Not in Use, Plug Your Chimney

Plugging your chimneys when they are not in use is another cost-effective way of insulating your home. According to a study, the heating bills of homes increased by 30% if there was a fireplace damper missing or damaged.

You may be losing a lot of useful heat through your chimney if it is not blocked, and you can easily plug it using a chimney balloon. You can create a simple chimney balloon by covering a large-sized balloon with laminate and inflating it once it is inside the chimney. This should provide an adequate seal and keep the heat in your home.

Of course, you can purchase a chimney balloon, instead. There are different sizes and types, so you’re sure to find one that works for you.

Seal Attic Air Leaks

Hot air rises, so your attic may serve as an escape route for hot air. You should consider sealing air leaks in your attic or redesigning it.

You can use regular reflective foil material as a cheaper alternative to using foam as insulating material. Staple the reflective foil sheets to the rafters in the attic, and the heat will stay in your home and reduce your heating bills.

Follow these simple tips to reduce your heating bills and keep your home safe and warm during the winter season. It can help with other issues, too, as mentioned in the section about the crawl space. What are some cost-effective ways you reduce your heat bill? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Big kid fun Family Activities How To Infant/Toddler Learning Learning Parenting Toddler and Preschool Age Fun Toddler and Preschool Age Learning Toys Toys and Games

What Are Some Of The Ways You Can Encourage Imaginative Play?

imaginative play

Encouraging your child to use their imagination is very important. After all, this is an essential step in their learning process as it helps them develop skills and learn. The best way to get your child’s imagination working is through imaginative play. After all, if something seems fun, then your child will instantly be more responsive and involved.

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Luckily, there are quite a few imagination-based toys available in stores and on the internet. Even better, many toys for imaginative play are popular with young children. You’ll be able to find the perfect one for your kiddo that they will love.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

Click these links for a few ideas for pretend play that your kids will love:

There are also online play options and virtual school assemblies. This means that you are not faced with a shortage of options to choose from.

This blog post aims to give you a helping hand with this by simply providing you with some tips and suggestions regarding the promotion of imaginative play.

Figure Out What Type of Imaginative Play Your Child Likes

The key is to try out a few different things to discover what type of imaginative play your child likes. Stick with things that let them use their mind to unlock the door of their imagination.

There are lots of great toys available that are based around role-playing. One of the most popular options to go for is a kid’s kitchen. This gives your child their very own area of space where they can pretend to cook and create different meals.

This helps them because they will be able to become more familiar with different kitchen activities. Plus, they can use their imagination to create different scenarios.

Buy a Dollhouse

Another good option is to buy a dollhouse. These are great because they promote creativity as well as imagination. Your child will be able to decorate the rooms in the house and think of different scenarios between the dolls. Plus, this helps the child learn about family dynamics, the roles of different individuals, and the makings of a household.

Encourage Imaginative Dress-Up

There are lots of different dress-up costumes available from toy stores, and it is another good option to go for. After all, what better way to let your imagination run wild and get into true character than dressing up as something? The choices for dress-up are never-ending, and it is a good idea to let your little one pick which outfit they likes best.

Consider Other Play Home Items

If you are looking for something which is smaller or more affordable than a play kitchen, then there are lots of scaled-down sets. These sets encourage kids to learn different life skills. You can get cake baking sets, laundry sets, coffee making sets, and much, much more.

imaginative play, pretend play, parenting, learning and fun, fun and games, pretend play for kids

As you can see, there are several different ways in which you can get your child’s imagination working. Hopefully, the tips to promote imaginative play given in this article will have provided you with some ideas and inspiration. What are some ways your kids enjoy imaginative play? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Adulting Decor For the Home How To Life

5 Easy Ways to Create a Cozy Living Room You Will Love

how to create a cozy living room, living room, comfy living room, comfortable living room, cozy up in your living room

There are certain times of the year where you just want a cozy living room to enjoy. The winter is one of those times, but how can you make your living room as cozy and relaxing as possible, with minimal effort? Well, here are some quick tips for making your living room as cozy as possible.

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How to Quickly Create a Cozy Living Room

1. Clean Up

No one can be genuinely cozy in a place that needs to be decluttered. Most people tend to clean during the winter and again in the springtime. So if you’ve been putting off your winter clean, it’s time to get it started. 

Declutter as much as possible, though you’ll likely do this to make room for a Christmas tree or some sort of festive decorations, anyway. The more you eliminate, the better you will feel as you cuddle up on your couch to read a book or watch your favorite show.

2. Add Texture

Some textures are super comforting during the winter months. Look for textured fleece blankets, chenille sweaters, or warm fluffy socks to keep nearby. If you already have them, it’s time to grab your most comfortable blankets and have them ready on the couch. This is one of the most important things you can do to get that cuddly, cozy feeling in your living room.

Having a soft fluffy rug will also help to keep your living room warm and insulated, as well as add extra texture to the living room too.

***This post contains affiliate links. It costs you nothing extra, but I may receive a small commission.***

3. Consider the Lighting

If you want to create some specific atmospheres, then lighting is the way to do it. One of the best things you can do is to add fairy lights to the space around your living room. Wrapping fairy lights around shelves, around your Christmas tree, or around windows to add a festive twinkle to your living room. 

Then, when the sun sets early in the winter months, you can turn the sparkle up. For an extra cozy feeling, you might want to keep the overhead lighting off and let the rest of the twinkling lights work their magic. 

4. Make Sure It’s Warm

Part of being cozy is being warm, so make sure your living room is well-heated. If you haven’t had your boiler checked out for a while, now is the perfect time to do it. Many people find themselves in need of a water heater repair just as winter hits. 

Plan ahead so that you don’t get stuck in this situation. If you have a fireplace, consider getting that checked out, as well. There is no way to be cozy if you aren’t warm, and you don’t want to get stuck this way in the middle of the night.

Before switching on the radiators in every room in the house, read this handy guide and how you can save money on your heating over autumn and winter.

5. Fragrances

Some fragrances just remind us of the winter. Spiced apple, cinnamon, pumpkin and Christmas cookies are all great scents that can make a room feel extra cozy. If you don’t want to have open flames, then reed diffusers can help bring comforting smells to your living room. 

Many fragrance brands have brought out specific holiday-themed fragrances, which means you can recreate that cozy Christmas feeling all year around. You can also opt for a simple plug-in. 

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So, once you have created a cozy living room, it’s time to get settled in. Put on your favorite comfy clothes, get a cup of coffee, and grab a blanket before hopping on the couch.

I always like to watch Gilmore Girls when I have a chance to get cozy on the couch. What do you like to do when you’re cuddled up on the couch in the winter? Tell me in the comments!

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Big Kid Home How To Life Our Family Parenting Teenager

How to Handle Family Issues Positively in 2020

positive family, positive parenting

It’s no secret that 2020 has been a real struggle for most of us. With so many unknown situations occurring and life constantly changing, it’s been hard. Unfortunately, this causes many issues for families. Luckily, however, there are ways to handle family issues positively.

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Challenging situations will affect everybody, be that in our jobs, or physical and mental health, and in our relationships with our friends and families. 

While it is natural in all relationships to experience rough patches, placing a global pandemic that leaves us all trapped inside all the time into the mix makes it worse. The feeling of wanting to escape or take it out on others around you increases dramatically.  

In challenging times you will need the support of your family to get you through. However, family relationships can be complicated at times, and conflict within the home is hard to escape from. 

Here are some of the things you can do to help to restore your family (dis)agreements during one of the most challenging global crises in the 21st Century. 

How to Handle Family Issues Positively

 1. Stop playing the blame game

Relationships, particularly within a family unit, are about more than just one person. Attempting to, or even suggesting changing any family member can invite defensiveness. Nobody likes to be told that they are doing things wrong or need to change.

When dealing with issues, it is vital to come at them from a place of wanting to fix them, not of wanting to come out on top. This may mean coming to tackle an issue by starting with your role in the disagreements or tensions within family relationships. By admitting your fault in it, the other person will be more likely to accept your suggestions.

If all of you seek to facilitate your own changes individually, the family unit will flourish as you all try your best to be a good mom, dad, husband, wife, son, daughter etc. Each person in the family unit has a responsibility to uphold, so it is important for everyone to work together.

Quite often, problems in relationships are just that: problems that need addressing. Stop blaming yourself or others and think about what the issues are that cause tensions. 

2. List all of the things that spark disagreements 

From not completing chores, to harsh tones in communication, small things can build up to a pretty big deal when managing family relationships. If you’re constantly asking your kids to clean their rooms, or your partner to give you some space in the mornings and these requests are ignored, you can feel disrespected and lacking in value.

That said, it may not just be you that ends up feeling that way and tensions may be high from a number of reasons. 

Have everyone in the family write out what they feel causes tensions within the household. Create a safe space in order to allow them to do so. The key is to not get offended by some of the responses you get. 

The lists should include all of the things that each family member fears talking about due to not wanting to run into any disagreements. Doing so will help to identify any potential issues within the family unit.

You may notice several family members will identify similar areas of concern which will make it easier to deal with the issues – especially if you can come to an agreement as to how they can be dealt with. Do this collectively and each of you will feel responsible for the rest of the family unit. 

However, if it seems impossible to write just a few things on the list because you argue about everything, then this determines that the issues run deeper than simple misunderstandings. 

3. Express concerns constructively 

It’s easy to come into addressing concerns with accusation, but as previously mentioned, issues are rarely to do with an individual and precisely to do with a root cause. 

Take the pandemic, for example. The outbreak wasn’t anybody’s fault. How it was dealt with and the things that have happened as a result have sparked a whole load of discontent and disappointment that certain things haven’t gone according to plan. 

Having each of you expressing your concerns constructively will open the doors to honest and open discussions. Ensure that any comments are not accusatory comments, but comments that demonstrate how you feel. Here are some examples of ways to open up a dialogue which limit the potential for conflict.: 

  • My concern is….
  • I feel/felt  (one word eg- sad, anxious, scared) …when/ that (what it’s about?) 
  • What are your thoughts about….?
  •  I would like to (and never use I would like YOU to…) 
  • How would you….?
  • I love it when… 

Attempt to move away from unhealthy, accusatory comments which go nowhere and more often than not end up causing further fights. 

4. Seek outside help 

Sometimes it feels impossible to deal with things on our own. This means we need a neutral, outside perspective to give us the clarity that we need to get through. Going through some family counseling together will help you all to work through any issues that you’re facing as a family unit. 

Family issues can occur as a result of traumatic experiences, so having a professional is necessary to help you to navigate them as a collective and deal with them head on. 

Their job is to help you all identify which behaviors are a direct response to the trauma and to give you the tools to work through them.

5. Prioritize family time 

Pre COVID-19, many families would struggle to find evenings to do things together. Now, forced time together isn’t always the blissful time together you had hoped for. Especially if you haven’t quite been as informed about the goings on in your family’s lives as you would have hoped. 

There may be tensions due to people feeling ‘misunderstood’ and ‘unheard’ which can cause friction. Even while at home, your teens may wish to spend more time in their rooms speaking with friends. However, it is important to try and figure out the things that most of you enjoy doing together and make those things a priority.

Find the joy in getting to know your family again. While going out at the moment comes with additional risks, there are plenty of things you can do at home. Small things done together can make the world of difference to everybody’s emotions during this incredibly challenging time.

6. Recognize The Right Decision For Everyone Involved

When you become emotional due to a domestic issue, it’s easy to do what you think is right without focusing on anyone else’s point of view. Once you calm down, you must swallow your pride and lose your ego. When you work together properly, solutions become so much more apparent.

Whether it’s something that leads to the contact of custody attorneys or something much less significant, be sure to talk it out and understand all angles. You’ll be a lot more content and issues will be handled so much more positively.

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Family conflict is impossible to avoid. Luckily, there are ways to handle family issues positively. The key is to work together as a family unit and figure out what the issues are.

Once you have determined the issues, figure out how to solve them. Involving everyone in the solution will make it easier, and it’ll make everyone want to do their part.

Do you have any other tips for handling family issues positively? Leave a comment and let me know!