Category: Life

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Adulting Home How To Life Parenting

Easy Stress-Busting Tips Every Work From Home Mom Needs Now

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Being a work from home mom may sound like the ideal solution to earn money while raising your kids. However, as any work from home mom will tell you, it is not always as idyllic as it sounds.

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While working from home does allow you to enjoy flexibility in your day, it can leave you feeling like you are trying to do everything at once. You may feel as though you are not giving either your home life or work life your full attention. This can leave you feeling stressed out and emotional.

To make working from home efficient for you and your family, you need to find a way to ease the stress and strike a better balance in your life. If you are wondering how you can enjoy the benefits of working from home while minimizing stress, you should find these tips helpful.

How a Work From Home Mom Can Make It Work

Perfect Your Workspace

Perfecting your workspace is an essential ingredient for working from home successfully. If your work setup is not suited to your needs, you will feel uncomfortable, and it will be impossible to be productive. 

If you can, try to create an area of your home that is dedicated to work, so that you can give your job your full attention.

This space should be as quiet as possible and away from the constant interruptions of your kids. If that isn’t possible, simply make sure your workspace is efficiently setup and allows you to develop a nice work flow.

Use headphones to minimize the sounds around you, or learn to tune them out when necessary. Plus, make sure your kids don’t mess with your setup or touch any of your work supplies.

Take Regular Breaks

While it may seem like a good idea to just plow through your work and get everything done as fast as you can, this is not necessarily going to make you more productive. Failing to take regular breaks can make you less productive rather than more. So, you may find that you are putting in lots of hours but not making as much progress as you would like to.

When you take a break, you are allowing yourself to clear your mind and then return to your task with a fresh outlook. This can be hugely beneficial, especially on more taxing tasks.

Plus, by taking regular breaks, you will find comfort knowing your kids don’t need anything right then. This will help you focus on your work rather than wondering what your kids are doing or if they need help.

Minimize Distractions

When you work from home, distractions are everywhere. It is so tempting to get sucked into chores when you are supposed to be working. When you have kids at home with you during the day, it can be even harder to resist this temptation. If you have five loads of laundry waiting to be washed, dried, and ironed, you may be tempted to crack on with this before you get started on your work.

However, once you start on your chores, you may find it difficult to slip back into a ‘work mindset’ and focus on your job. Wherever possible, try to ignore the laundry basket calling to you and, instead, use your work time just for work.

This will likely mean setting up your work from home space in an area where you can’t see the chores that need to be done. Then, you won’t think about them as often which will make them easier to ignore.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use Childcare

Being distracted when you are trying to concentrate is hugely frustrating. Even simple tasks can take ages to complete when you are repeatedly distracted.

With little ones at home, the chances of being distracted when trying to work are pretty high. You may find yourself struggling to get any work completed at all while the little ones are running around asking for snacks.

Using childcare may seem to go against the reasons why you chose to take a work from home job. However, there will be times when using a preschool daycare provider is a necessity. This doesn’t mean you have to use the service often, but it will be nice to know that you have the option.

Having a childcare provider on standby for when you need them is a wise idea. You can turn to this option for those times when you need to attend an important Zoom call or if you have a deadline fast approaching. There is nothing wrong with seeking childcare help when you need it.

Of course, with Covid-19 changing things constantly, it is important that you select a daycare that is staying open during these challenging times. If your children are grade-school age, many daycares are helping students complete their virtual school work, too.

Set Up a Work Space For Your Kids

If you find that your kids want to be right next to you all day, then make that work for you. Teach them how to be quiet while you are working, and teach them to work, too. Set up a space close to you that they can use as their dedicated work space.

Include a surface big enough for activities, a comfortable chair, and any supplies they may need. This includes pencils, crayons, markers, paper, etc. I did this for my daughter, and I included this awesome Lego desk organizer. She was so excited to build her own, and she uses it nearly every day as I work.

They will love sitting next to you as they work, and you can teach them some good habits along the way. With virtual learning being the norm right now, this can be a great option.

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

Stick to Regular Hours

When working from home, it can be hard to create a separation between being an employee and being a mom. With no physical barrier between your working life and your home life, you can unintentionally merge the two. You might find yourself working at all times of the day and night to keep on top of things. 

Creating the separation between your career and your personal life is essential, however. It is much easier to achieve if you stick to regular working hours. Setting a boundary and working only until a specific time means that once your time is up, you can stop thinking about work and focus on your family.

Learn to Switch Off

Switching off is something that many people find hard to do. It is essential, however, if you want to reduce the stress of being a work from home mom. Giving each aspect of your life your full attention and focusing on one task at a time is the best way to do this. It should help your stress levels to drop dramatically.

This doesn’t mean to only learn to switch off “work mode”, either. During important work times, you have to learn to switch off “home mode” or “parenting mode”, too. If you find that you can’t do this with your kids in the house, this is when you should highly consider childcare a couple of times a week.

work from home mom, tips for working from home with kids, work from home with kids, virtual learning and working from home, how to work from home when you have kids

Finding the work/home life balance is incredibly hard for parents. Now that being a work from home mom is becoming more normal, it is even more difficult. It is SO hard for moms to switch off “home mode” or “parenting mode”, even when their job is incredibly important to them.

Keep in mind that being a work from home mom won’t become easier overnight. As you work on these tips, it will take time to find the routine that works for you.

These tips for work at home moms will help, however, and they will get you started on a stress-free situation. Are you a work from home mom, and when did you become one? If you have any additional tips to add, leave a comment and let me know!

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Adulting How To Learning Life

Standing Up For Yourself In Life Is An Important Skill

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There are many life lessons we are taught as we grow up, such as standing up for yourself. Sometimes these life lessons are learned through direct tuition and mentorship, and some through life experience.

Of course, some lessons don’t immediately stick, and it might take several failures or obstacles for us to truly get the point. Also, it’s no great failing in a human being to make mistakes – we all do, and we all do until our old age.

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That being said, sometimes life lessons are worth considering, especially if they seem universal and you have yet to fully practice them. Not everyone learns how to stand up for themselves in life, because not everyone has a strong character from the offset.

Even those with meek dispositions can benefit from learning how to defend themselves, however. Thanks to the way modern society is set up, we don’t have to play by barbarian rules to do so.

But how can you exercise your self-defense in life, in a range of different areas? In this guide, you will get a primer on how to behave this way in three different life scenarios. This advice could help you if going through a difficult patch.

How to Work on Standing Up For Yourself

Know Your Legal Rights

Knowing your legal rights is the first step in the process, and it’s surely one of the most important steps. It’s important to know if you’re acting within legal guidelines in many respects.

For instance, knowing consumer law can help you more accurately complain if your consumer rights are being abused. It may help you assign a personal injury lawyer to a case if neglected at work. If ever in doubt, be sure to research online what possible precedents you can use in your favor.

standing up for yourself, stand up for yourself, important life lessons, self care, self-care

There’s No Need To ‘Accept’

Remember that in life, there’s no need to give in to someone unless you have previously accepted their authority (such as in a work setting), or unless they have the law on their side. This can be important to know if someone oversteps and expects you to be okay with that.

You may encounter this situation if someone takes your table reservations without asking, gives you less than what you paid for, or simply wishes to treat you harshly. This can be important to know, because when you don’t immediately feel as though you have to accept this treatment, you can actively defend against it.

Don’t Set A Precedent

The worst thing you can do is allow for a precedent to be set. It might be that someone in your office made a comment to humiliate you, and instead of addressing it, you smiled and took it.

This means that next time, it will happen again. It doesn’t mean you have to cause conflict with people every single time they do something you don’t like. Causing conflict each time may only cause more difficulty.

Sometimes, however, shutting things down as soon as they appear can show people you’re not that kind of person and that you won’t tolerate that type of behavior.

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It is clear that standing up for yourself is an important life skill. If you don’t do it, people will walk all over you and treat you badly. They’ll say hurtful things, inconvenience you, and take advantage of you.

Use these tips to get ahead of the problem. Standing up for yourself will change your life for the better.

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For the Home How To Life Parenting

How You Can Make Your Home Perfect For A New Arrival

Make Your Home Perfect For A New Arrival

If you have a new baby on the way, you need to make your home perfect for a new arrival. First things first: congratulations!!

There are things you can do to ensure you bring them into the best possible home. Plus, you can ensure that the rest of you can operate happily in the home while taking on the huge responsibilities.

Well, fortunately, it is easier to do than you may think. Most of it will quickly become a habit if you just practice them a few times.

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Make Your Home Perfect For A New Arrival

Create The Perfect Nursery and Consider Other Spaces

This goes without saying, but you’re going to want to ensure that your baby’s nursery has everything it needs and has enough space. Babies may be tiny, but they have lots of stuff and require a ton of space. Plus, they’re going to grow quickly and accumulate more toys and possessions.

If you’re looking for home additions, then you could do something with a spare room you might have. Your baby might need an extra playroom if you currently have no space anywhere else, for example. We didn’t do home additions, but we are constantly feeling like we don’t have enough space.

Unfortunately, my husband and I didn’t plan ahead and now that we have five kids in the house, I am seriously regretting it. Don’t let that happen to you, because now I am eager to move into a new space with more room. Whatever you do, make sure you consider the space you will truly need for a child.

Keep The Home Neat And Tidy  

The job you’re going to have is going to be difficult enough, so you’re going to need to ensure that your home is in good condition. You want to give yourself every advantage as you head into parenthood (even if it’s for the second or third time).

If you start ahead of time, then you’re going to be in a much better position to take care of your child. Likewise, if you have a messy home that needs to be cleared out, then you’re going to have extra work while worrying about and taking care of the baby. Make things easier for yourself and get this gritty job out of the way.

Make Sure Everything Is Safe 

This is another point that goes without saying, but you’ll need to make sure that you’ve checked every corner and analyzed every single situation around the entire house. You never know what issues a small child can run into, so you need to double and triple check. Sharp edges, loose items, wires, electrical products, and so many other areas need to be looked at.

Go through your entire house and make a list ahead of time. This isn’t something you will want to do once the baby is already home. There are many safety products on the market that will make things easier. These things include:

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

Prepare For Visitors

For the first few weeks and months, you’re going to receive lots of visits from friends and family. They’re going to be interested in what your life is like now with the small child in your home, and they’re going to want to wish you all the best.

So, with that being said, it’s best to make your living room a little welcoming at the very least. Prepare for lots of people and make a little extra space.

If you’re always prepared for someone to stop by, you won’t be so anxious about it. Prevent every bit of stress that you can so you can fully enjoy your new baby. 

Shop For Food

A lot of these have been obvious tips, but with the overwhelming event of giving birth and welcoming a human into the world, it’s easy to forget some fundamental tasks. You’re going to need to do a big food shop and tailor your grocery shopping around the child’s life for a while.

The way you operated before is no longer. Frequent visits to the grocery store may not be an option anymore, and you probably won’t want to take your baby out for a while anyway. Make sure you get more than enough, just in case.

Focus on shopping for meat that you can freeze, canned goods, and non-perishable items. If you’re feeling up to it, you can even prepare meals ahead of time and freeze them for a quick and delicious dinner.

Make Your Home Perfect For A New Arrival

Having a new baby is such an exciting experience, and making your home perfect for a new arrival will make it even better. Don’t cause unnecessary stress for yourself after the baby is home. Use these tips to plan ahead and make the transition easier for everyone.

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Family Activities Life Parenting

9 Enjoyable Activities To Kill Time On Weekends

enjoyable activities

According to the American Time Use Survey, one-third of Americans work during the weekend. This statistic is worrisome given how much most people use weekends to relax and unwind from their work week’s demands. It is important to find enjoyable activities to fill your weekend with, even if there is work to do.

In fact, a 2008 study proved that workers feel more vitalized and are in better moods during weekends. This could be because weekends aren’t as stressful or because you can spend time with your loved ones. With that being said, make sure you don’t waste your precious weekends.

There are many fun and enjoyable activities you can do to have a great weekend. These enjoyable activities can make your weekends more fulfilling.

enjoyable activities
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Enjoyable Activities for the Weekend

1. Road Trips

An OnePoll survey revealed that 64% of Americans want to take a spontaneous road trip vacation. Road trips have numerous benefits that make them worth it for your weekend to-do list. They are an inexpensive means of traveling, take your mind off work, and give you time to reflect.

These trips also present an excellent opportunity for you to adventurously explore the countryside, enjoy good music, and take a break from social media.

So, why not gather your family or friends for a classic road trip during weekends? It is a fun way of relaxing and making unforgettable memories.

2. Volunteering

Volunteering is an excellent way to spend your weekend in a fulfilling manner. Local animal shelters, homeless shelters, and soup kitchens always seek people to help with numerous activities. Therefore, consider volunteering during weekends to connect to your community and make it a better place.

Aside from helping out with little tasks to make a difference in people’s lives, community service can also be a social platform to boost your social skills, make new friends with similar values, and expand your network. Research from the London School of Economics also establishes a relationship between volunteering and happiness, so consider doing something worthwhile during weekends to give back to your community.

3. Solving a Jigsaw Puzzle

Tackling jigsaw puzzles is a fun and engaging way to pass the time. According to science, these puzzles are suitable for your brain because they engage your left brain (logical) and your right brain (intuitive and creative) simultaneously.

Puzzles also boost your short-term memory, improve your visual-spatial reasoning, relieve stress, and are an excellent meditation tool. You also benefit from increased attention to detail, increased problem-solving abilities, and a potential IQ boost. Are you up for a good challenge yet? Why not challenge yourself with the world’s hardest jigsaw puzzle for a memorable weekend experience?

4. Visit a Museum or Art Gallery

Your busy daily life leaves little room for art appreciation, so consider using weekends as an opportune time for this. Slip away to a nearby museum or art gallery to see some cool relics and art.

Visiting museums and art galleries is also pocket-friendly because many places are free to enter or require just a little fee to admit visitors. Museums and galleries engage you on a broad range of cultural and historical events, providing an effective, informal learning method that you can benefit from.

Museums and art galleries are also social centers where you can meet people with similar interests. So, consider a museum or gallery visit as part of your weekend plans.

5. DIY Projects

According to new research, the average American has about nine DIY projects that need immediate attention. Many homeowners describe their house as a work in progress, so DIY is a popular, cost-effective method for people to maintain their property.

Chances are, your busy work week robs you of time to focus on repainting your bedroom or laying that new carpet. As such, set aside weekends as a perfect time to tackle these tasks around your home.

6. Learn a New Skill

Information is abundant in this technological age, so you must use this to your advantage. You will most likely not find time to squeeze in lessons for something practical and helpful during your workweek, making weekends an excellent time for you to improve your vast knowledge.

You can learn skills like repairing cars, website design, how to start a blog, sewing, coding, etc., from YouTube videos or tutorials. Also, consider enrolling in practical online classes like the MasterClass program to improve your skills and interests in a broad range of topics.

7. Community Sports

Weekends are an opportune time to indulge in sports and recreation. Science repeatedly stresses the importance of regular exercise for maintaining your overall health and wellbeing. Therefore, joining a community sports team is a great way to engage in some physical activity for optimum health benefits.

Weekend sports and recreation also provide an avenue for self-expression because it allows you to engage in your sports interests. So, it would be best to sign up for that football, hockey, cricket, or basketball team for weekend games to exercise while also meeting new people.

8. Play Board Games

Board games remain an entertainment staple in most homes despite the internet’s influence in today’s world. Timeless classics like Snakes and Ladders, Chess, Checkers, Monopoly, and Scrabble are always available to turn to during your free time.

As such, you can gather the family or invite your friends over for an engaging board game marathon over the weekend. Board games reduce stress, boost brain function, and strengthens relationships.

Also, board games provide an excellent alternative to digital distractions like your phone, so these games should always feature in your weekend to-do list.

For board game ideas for kids, check out this blog post: https://momwifewine.com/2020/08/02/12-of-the-best-games-for-kids/

9. Read a Book

Reading is a pastime most people say they want to engage more in but lack the time for. A hectic work week typically interferes with your ability to find the time and mental freedom to enjoy good reads.

Reading provides mental stimulation, reduces stress, increases your knowledge, and expands your vocabulary. Reading’s engaging nature also improves your concentration and develops your analytical thinking skills.

As such, prioritize re-reading your favorite classics and new recommendations from fellow readers as an excellent way to relax and enjoy your weekends. There are also many books to read with your kids that you will all enjoy.

enjoyable activities

While many people work on weekends, these should be the times to enjoy life and relax. Find something you love to do and spend time with those you love. Don’t let your weekends get away from you without creating everlasting memories.

What enjoyable activities do you like to do on the weekend? Tell me about it in the comments!

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Adulting For the Home Home Life Mental Health Organization

What Are The Benefits Of A Minimalist Lifestyle?

What Are The Benefits Of A Minimalist Lifestyle?

‘Stuff’ can get very tiring after a while. It only adds complications to a life that really should be simple and easy to live enjoyably. It’s little wonder that some people choose to remove this added issue and live a much more minimalist lifestyle.

If you like the idea of doing this but you’re not sure if it’s going to help you, keep reading. There are many benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle. 

Minimalist Lifestyle
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Benefits of Living a Minimalist Lifestyle 

You Will Declutter and Keep It That Way

The idea behind living a more minimalist life is to have fewer possessions around you. You’ll only have the things you actually need, and nothing more.

To get to this point, you will need to declutter your home and remove anything that is no longer going to serve you. This is an excellent thing to do even if you’re not becoming minimal – it gives you more space, it’s good for your mental health, and it makes your home more comfortable to live in – but whatever your reason, it’s a job that needs to be done carefully. 

Of course, there will be some items, often more sentimental ones, that you don’t want to throw out but you can’t keep if you choose to be more minimal. The best option here is to compromise and rent a storage unit for anything you can’t bear to take to the dump or donate to charity. 

You Will Refocus on What Matters

When you become more minimal in your life, you will be able to truly focus on what matters. There will be far fewer things around to distract you from taking the time to think about your life and ensure you are on the right path, and to reassess if you know you’re not. 

You might want to think about your:

  • home
  • career
  • finances
  • family and relationships 
  • happiness 

By having fewer distractions around you and worrying less about material things, you can really think about the important things in life (and work out what those important things are in the first place). 

You’ll Save Money 

In the most practical sense, being minimalist means you will save money. If you want to clear debts faster, save up for something specific, or you just want to be able to have an emergency fund in place should you need it for something, the more minimal you are in your life, the more money you can save.

When you add up everything you spend over the course of a single month, you might be surprised – and not in a good way – at the amount of money you spend on ‘stuff’ that is either not used or wasn’t needed. Put that money into a savings account instead, and it will soon add up. 

Spending money can quickly become a bad habit. The idea of instant gratification and retail therapy as a means to making yourself feel better is a problematic one. It is something that many people rely on to boost their mental health. Break away from this trend, and you’ll quickly understand that these material items don’t matter at all. 

What Are The Benefits Of A Minimalist Lifestyle?

The benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle are amazing, and ones that everyone could benefit from. Do you have any benefits you would add to this list? Tell me about them in the comments!

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Life Parenting

Top Things To Do After Giving Birth

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No matter how prepared you are, giving birth will take a lot out of you. Even after giving birth a couple of times, nothing will prepare you for the moments you get home with your little one and the emotions that follow.

You’ll feel drained and tired, but also want to spend as much time with your baby as you can. That said, remember it’s ok to rest. You do need to look after yourself and help with your recovery. Below are four things to think about after birthing your beautiful baby. 

what to do after giving birth, postpartum tips, tips for after birth, newborn, new mom
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What to do After Giving Birth

Make Time to Rest

Giving birth is extremely exciting, and you’ll want to spend as much time as you can with your newborn. After all, you have been carrying them for nine-months! But it is also important that you rest and give yourself some you time to recover.

Giving birth is a big deal and takes so much energy. You will feel tired after giving birth and in the days after, so make sure you are resting so you don’t make yourself sick.

Do Your Exercises

After giving birth, you will be advised to do some Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. It is important you do these because after birth the muscle is weaker and needs to strengthen up again. You can download a pelvic floor app that will take you through multiple exercises that you can do at home.

Make Sure You Eat Enough 

Skipping meals isn’t recommended after giving birth. After giving birth, you will feel drained and tired, meaning you may be tempted not to eat much in the coming days.

It is important you eat, however, to help with your recovery and provide adequate nutrition and energy to get you through the days and nights that follow. Keep in mind, you will already be lacking energy with a baby waking you up at night, so getting energy from food is essential.

Ask For Help 

Don’t do it all on your own. It is so important to ask for help. It’s normal not to be ok after giving birth. Remember that it takes a lot out of your body and can make you feel weak until you are rested up.

Make sure you lean on your partner, friends, or family to help. They can all help with preparing dinner or picking your other children up from school. I bet they love being around and seeing the newborn, as well, and won’t mind giving you some much-needed rest. 

what to do after giving birth, postpartum tips, tips for after birth, newborn, new mom

These are only four of the things you should do after giving birth, but there are many other recommendations out there. Although you may feel stressed, it’s good to remember that this is an exciting time. Take care of yourself so that you can be at your best for your baby.

Are you due to give birth for the first time? How are you feeling about your pregnancy? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you!

For those who have already given birth, what are some tips you would give new moms? Leave a comment and let me know! 🙂

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Adulting Home Life

Top 5 Things To Do Before Moving Out of Your Home

before moving out, things to do before moving, prepare for moving

If you had to use one word to describe moving out of your home, it would more than likely be ‘stressful.’ However, it doesn’t need to be that way. There are things you can do today and in the coming weeks leading up to moving day to make your relocation much easier.

Earlier on the blog, I explained the 8 Signs That It Is The Right Time To Move Your Family and the 4 Steps You Must Not Forget When Moving Into A New Home. Well, this post explains what you should do before moving out of your current home.

before moving out, things to do before moving, prepare for moving
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Things to do Before You Move

Hire a Moving Company

Removalists offer various services to suit your budget and needs when moving home. You will want to do this as early as possible to make sure they are available on the dates you need them. Otherwise, you could be stuck figuring out another, less reliable option for moving your things.

If you think you’ll need transport and help to move and pack your things, contact reputable businesses like Two Men and A Truck to see how they can help take the stress out of your moving day.

Start Clearing Out Your Home

No matter how far away your moving date is, it’s never too early to start clearing out any unwanted or irreparable things in your home.

Cutting down the amount of stuff you own is beneficial when moving because:

  • You can hire a smaller moving truck, which will cost you less
  • There will be fewer things for you to pack and organize
  • You can make a fresh start in your new home, with less junk and clutter. 

Keep it simple by decluttering one room at a time. You may want to give things you no longer need, such as clothes or old toys, to family or friends, sell them on eBay, or donate them.

before moving out, things to do before moving, prepare for moving

Call Important Contacts

Call your bill providers to let them know you’ll either be leaving their company or want to use their services in your new home. You will want to tell them which date you need to end service in your current home, as well, so you don’t continue to get charged after moving out.

Here are a few other contacts to call when you are moving:

  • Employer
  • Bank 
  • Dentist and physician
  • Insurance provider
  • Pension
  • Tax agencies
  • Post office
  • Loan providers
  • Subscription services 
  • Social Security Administration

Making contact in advance of your move date will give you ample time to work through each provider and ensure they can process the address change on their end.

Other essential contacts to tell your moving address are your family and friends.

Overnight Essentials

Before your moving date, pack one bag to keep with you during the move. This bag will have essentials to see you and your family through the first night and following day. These essentials include:

  • Non-perishable snacks and water
  • Pajamas
  • Change of clothes
  • Toiletries and towels
  • Toothbrushes and toothpaste
  • Clean bed sheets
  • Phone and phone charger
  • Purse with money and cards
  • A couple small toys for the kids

Keeping a bag on you with everything you’ll need will save you from searching through endless boxes on moving day. 

before moving out, things to do before moving, prepare for moving

Arrange Child Care

Moving is a lot more challenging to do when you have little ones around. For this reason, asking a family member or friend to take care of them while you move everything will be extremely helpful. Alongside the kids, if you have any pets, it may be worth thinking about finding a sitter for them, too.

By following the tips above, there will be no important mail sent to your old address. Plus, you’ll have a moving company ready and waiting on your moving day. Taking time to plan for your move will make a world of difference and make what is likely to be a busy day much more manageable.

Categories
Adulting How To Life

Improve Your Life With These Simple Changes

Improve Your Life With These Simple Changes, changes to make your life better
Improve Your Life With These Simple Changes, changes to make your life better
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Life may be going okay for you right now, but you might feel a bit uneasy knowing there’s more out there for you. You don’t have to settle for mediocre, and the power to improve your life for the better is in your hands.

There are simple changes you can make that will improve your life and put a smile on your face. You can have it all when you put your mind to it and are committed to finding happiness.

Let these ideas inspire you to want more and to be more so you can rest easy knowing you’re giving it your all each day. Enjoy the newfound freedom that comes when you realize you’re in the driver’s seat and control the outcome.

Learn A New Skill

You can improve your life by learning a new skill. You’ll be challenging your mind and body and may even be able to start a new career from it. At the very minimum, you’ll have a fun hobby to do in your free time.

It’s an opportunity to stretch yourself and step outside your comfort zone. It’ll provide you with a fresh perspective and get you out of your normal routine. Think about what you’ve always wanted to learn but have never made the time for in the past.

Save up to Purchase A New Home

Improve your life by saving up your money to buy or build a new home. It’s especially important if where you live currently isn’t suitable. You want to feel comfortable and happy at home.

While moving is a big undertaking, you’ll be glad you did it once you’re settled into your new space. Consider using moving storage services so you can keep your belongings safe and protected as you make the transition. It’s also your chance to declutter your life and belongings and start fresh.

Improve Your Life With These Simple Changes, changes to make your life better

Cook for Yourself & Commit to Exercising More

Take better care of yourself, and you’ll be on your way to improving your life. Practice self-care, and you’ll soon experience a boost in your health and happiness. Cook for yourself at home so you can control the ingredients you use and the portion sizes.

In addition to eating healthier, also commit to exercising more frequently and shedding unwanted pounds. You’ll have fewer health issues to deal with, and your clothes will fit better.

You’ll love who you see in the mirror and will have more natural energy. Plus, you will experience less anxiety when you eat well and exercise.

Have A Positive Mindset & Attitude

Your mindset and attitude also play a role in your health and happiness. Improve your life by changing your outlook and the way you react to situations.

Embrace the unknown and learn to go with the flow instead of trying to control all that happens in your life. Focus on the bright side when things don’t go your way, or you face obstacles and challenges in your daily life. Avoid always being the victim and learn from your mistakes and mishaps to do better the next time around.

Improve Your Life With These Simple Changes, changes to make your life better

Even when your life is going great, you should still work to improve it. By simply picking up a new hobby, you will be opening new doors for yourself. Don’t limit yourself just because you’re happy, instead make yourself happier by pursuing further opportunities.

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Adulting Life

What To Do if Your Parent Loses Their Independence

What To Do if Your Parent Can No Longer Be Independent, care options for the elderly, home health options, round the clock care, Parent Loses Their Independence

Although you may be a busy parent, there may come a time when you have to help your parents, too. Many of us are going to face the decision of how we help our parents when they can no longer fully look after their needs. While there are things to consider when your parent loses their independence, there are options for everyone.

What To Do if Your Parent Can No Longer Be Independent, care options for the elderly, home health options, round the clock care, Parent Loses Their Independence
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How Much Care Do They Need?

There are different factors that can lead to someone losing their independence as they grow older. They might have conditions that could make them more liable to suffer injury, such as advanced arthritis.

Others may have factors like dementia that might need the kind of specialized care described at https://www.alzheimers.net/caring-for-someone-with-dementia/.

You need to consider what your parent’s needs are. Then, determine whether you can fill them yourself, or whether you need help with them.

Can They Move in With You?

If your parent doesn’t need specialized care, then perhaps having them move in with your family would be an option. Of course, this has to be discussed with all the family first.

Plus, you need to seriously consider if you can accommodate them. Even if you’re happy to welcome them, could you do it in your current home or is it time to move?

Would They Be Better With Round the Clock Care?

If a parent’s needs are more demanding than you can handle yourself, then professional help is a better option. There are care centers like https://catholiccarecenter.org/ that can work with you to offer compassionate, personalized care to your loved ones.

You will be allowed to visit and still be part of their lives as often as you’d like. Professional care helps ensure that all the crucial standards of living are being met, giving you peace of mind.

Can They Stay in Their Own Home?

Your parent would most likely prefer to stay in their home if possible. However, most of the options that would allow for this, such as round-the-clock care, tend to be expensive. Because of the cost, these services aren’t accessible to too many people.

However, if you do have the ability, then you can invest in making their home more accessible. You can put safety features in the bathroom and kitchen that help reduce the chances of injury due to slips, trips, and falls.

parent loses independence, What To Do if Your Parent Can No Longer Be Independent, care options for the elderly, home health options, round the clock care, Parent Loses Their Independence

The question of how to help when a parent loses their independence is not an easy one to answer. However, there are some options for you to consider. By knowing your options ahead of time, you’ll have more time to think of what would be best.

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Adulting For the Home Home How To Life

4 Steps You Must Not Forget When Moving Into A New Home

don't forget when moving, moving to a new home, things to do when moving

Are you about to move into your new home? This is an exciting time and there’s probably going to be a lot on your mind. However, it’s important to ensure that you are not making any key mistakes here. There are quite a few mistakes that you need to be aware of as precautions that you should take. 

new home
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Things to Do When You Move Into a New Home

Change The Locks 

When you move into a new property, the previous owner should give back all the keys. This includes any copies that they have made. However, it’s easy to forget to give back all the keys and still end up with a few from a previous property.

That’s why it’s worth changing the locks. Even if you trust the previous property owner, a key that they kept could still ultimately end up in the wrong hands and leave you in a difficult situation. 

It’s better to just play it safe and change the locks. Then, you will know without a doubt that no one has keys to your home except your family.

Clean It Up

Make sure that you clean the property when you move in. This does provide a psychological benefit. By cleaning it up you are going to send the message that this is a new property rather than someone else’s home.

It’s immediately going to feel fresher to you and that will be important when you are aiming to get the best experience possible from this move. If you are anxious to clean it, you could consider hiring professional carpet cleaners. This will save you a lot of time and effort, and you will know it is done thoroughly.

Completing A Survey

Ideally, you should have completed a survey before you chose to move into the property. However, this isn’t always an option, especially with a rushed move.

Sometimes a seller is going to be anxious to get the whole process completed without delay. If that’s the case, you should be ready to complete a survey after you move in.

This is going to reveal any issues that you might be dealing with and that you perhaps aren’t fully prepared for. It can save you from any unexpected headaches further down the line. 

Check Problem Areas

If you’re not completing a survey, you should at the very least check some of the problem areas with your home quite thoroughly. The key areas to consider are the basement and the attic.

If there is an issue with your home, this is where they will be lurking. You must inspect every part of these sections of your home and ensure that there aren’t any nasty issues that are only going to grow.

With most home issues, if you catch them early, they are going to be far easier to handle. Plus, you’ll likely be able to avoid some expensive costs, too. The sooner you find out what’s causing an issue and get it taken care of, the better off you and your home will be.

During the home-buying process, it may be difficult to survey a home or even find problem areas, especially if it’s a long-distance move where the house was purchased online. For more information on remotely buying your house, check out the infographic below!


Infographic provided by Master Movers, a residential moving company

Things to Remember Before Moving into a New Home

Remember these important things to do before moving into your new home. Some home buyers get so caught up in the excitement that they forget some of these steps. It’s essential that you do them all, however, so the moving process can be easier and more enjoyable.

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