Category: Spring

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Decor For the Home Home How To Spring

Use These 6 Affordable Tips to Spruce Up Your Living Room This Spring

If you’re like me, you often get the urge to rearrange and redecorate your living room. However, it’s not possible to always spend a ton of money to make huge changes. If your home is looking a little drab and in major need of a refurb this year, it can be a great idea to find affordable ways to spruce up your living room.

Your living room is the gathering place in your family home and likely where you spend the most time, so making some much-needed upgrades is necessary sometimes. Luckily, there are ways you can spruce up your living room without breaking the bank. Here are some of the best ways to freshen up the room without spending too much money.

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Spruce Up Your Living Room
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Tips to Spruce Up Your Living Room

Rearrange Your Room

When planning a decorating project, the first thing you will likely do is head to a furniture store. However, there might not be any need to buy new items because your current furniture can make a room feel refreshed when moved. Take a look around your house.

There might be chairs, cushions, blankets, artwork, and plants that you can bring into the living room to brighten it up. Think of how you can move furniture around in the room to change your viewpoint.

It can create a whole new look without spending a penny. But, if rearranging your furniture doesn’t work, try looking for new pieces at local furniture stores. If you’re in Sydney, you can find affordable couches to finish off your newly redecorated living room look. But do your research and find couches for sale sydney if you want to save money without sacrificing style.

Paint a Feature Wall

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on your project paint one wall. A feature wall is a common way of adding some fun to a room, and it can change the whole design. Choose a bright color and paint a wall you will often face, and enjoy the new lease of life it brings.

You can also choose a wallpaper for your feature wall. There are many styles and designs to choose from, so you can create whatever aesthetic you want.

Install New Windows 

One of the features in a living room that can often get overlooked is the windows. They don’t take up space in the room, so you may not notice your windows until they get dirty. However, consider installing new windows from Wilmington Window this year to help you breathe new life back into your living room. There will be a cost here, but once you have installed new windows, you won’t have to change them again. 

Once the windows are in, consider getting some new roller blinds that will not overtake the window space and make it look cramped. Opening up your living room this way is a great way to let natural light in, as well as make it look fresh.

Update Your Soft Furnishings

The concept of minimalist design might not be for everyone. But, there are many merits to having a home painted in neutral colors. If you have a neutral living room, it is easy to change your design without painting the walls. All you need to do is update your soft furnishings, including blankets and cushions. As soon as you add new cushions to the sofa, you’ll create a color scheme. The beauty is that you can change it throughout the year to suit the season.

Add Artwork to Spruce Up Your Living Room

One of the best ways to upgrade a room without spending too much money is to hang art on the wall. If you have plain walls in the living room, colorful art can change the dynamic in no time. Whether you decide to go for a stunning landscape photograph, a trio of watercolor paintings, or your favorite movie posters – this change will breathe life and personality into your living room. Choose a fun piece or multiple pieces, and rotate them now and again to refresh the space.

Add Some Greenery

Sometimes all a room needs is a touch of green. If your home is decorated in a plain color scheme, the addition of green and red can be amazing. Adding a connection to nature is good to bring some vibrance into the room and help your stress levels. Plants such as begonias, aloe veras, and herbs can add color and depth to the living room design without costing much money.

Recap: Spruce Up Your Living Room

 Use some of these simple tips and tricks to help you to spruce up your living room this year.

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Adulting For the Home Home Spring

4 Practical Spring Cleaning Tasks You Shouldn’t Miss This Year

Spring is coming, and it will soon be time for spring cleaning. Getting your home ready for spring is a great way to let some air in after keeping the house closed over the winter. It will help get the house clean and fresh for the new season. Here are some spring cleaning tasks you shouldn’t skip this year. 

Spring Cleaning Tasks
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Spring Cleaning Tasks You Shouldn’t Skip

Have Your HVAC System Cleaned

Your HVAC system has been working hard all winter, keeping your house warm during the colder months. Now, it has another season of hard work coming up in the summer, keeping the house cool. Check when its service is due, and get it checked over and cleaned to make sure it will be ready for summer. A company like DUCTZ can change and clean the filters to improve the air quality in your home. If you want a fresher home ready for spring, this is an ideal first step. 

Clean The Mattresses

You’ve been changing the bedding all year, but when is the last time you cleaned your mattress? Your mattress can get grubby over time, thanks to sweat and shed skin cells when you sleep, which can make it a bit smelly. A fresh, clean mattress will improve your sleep and make your bedroom smell fresher. Cleaning a mattress can be easy. Strip off all your bedding, and cover the mattress with a light layer of baking soda, to soak up any odors. Leave the baking soda for a few minutes, and then vacuum it away. 

Scrub The Oven

Your oven could be pretty filthy after all the hard work you put in to feed your family. It could likely benefit from a deep clean. Take out any trays or grills from inside the oven to make it easier to clean. To make the job even easier, you can buy kits with bags of cleaning fluid to soak the trays in, or you can hire a professional oven cleaning company to do the job for you. You might want to take the door apart, too, if dirt has got between the layers of glass.

Clean The Windows

After a winter of keeping the windows closed against the cold, you’re ready to fling them open and let the fresh air in. However, the last thing you want is to look at the spring sunshine through a grimy window pane. Give all the windows a good clean, inside and out, to get rid of grime and smears. If you have lots of windows, windows that are high up, or windows that are awkward to reach, hire someone to do it for you, rather than risking wobbling around on a ladder. Remove your curtains, blinds, or other window treatments and give those a clean too, so you can have fresh window treatments to go with your shiny new windows. 

Spring Cleaning Tasks

A good spring clean will make your home feel fresh and ready for the new season. There’s nothing more satisfying than a clean house, so it helps your feel better about your home. Are there any other areas we shouldn’t skip during our spring cleaning? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Adulting Allergies Big kid fun Family Activities Holiday How To Outside Fun Parenting Spring

Holiday Safety Tips: Don’t Let Mishaps Steal Your Spring Holiday Cheer

Holiday Safety Tips: Don't Let Mishaps Steal Your Spring Holiday Cheer

The coronavirus pandemic has lowered the possibilities of individuals enjoying the Easter holiday. Easter is a joyful celebration, and you can make it possible with a few holiday safety tips. Covid-19 isn’t the only worry, either, with food allergies and other issues being possible.

The traditional Easter activities may be an excellent way to make memories with friends and families. However, you might be worried, especially if you are hosting an egg hunt, that things will go badly. With these holiday safety tips, though, you will be well on your way to a successful Easter celebration.

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Holiday Safety Tips for Easter

Food Safety

You have to protect your family and guests from food allergies. Online shopping can come in very handy for this, as you get a wider variety of allergy-free foods. You can order some candies that are gluten, peanut, egg, and dairy-free. Additionally, you can go for snacks like popcorn, cheese crackers, or other allergy-free snacks to replace the other treats.

Food safety doesn’t stop at food allergies, and you must make sure the food is cooked and stored properly. Eggs should be thoroughly cooked and cooled before decorating them.

If you use hard-boiled eggs for the Easter egg hunt, hide them minutes before the hunt. Hard-boiled eggs should be eaten within two hours of removing them from the refrigerator. If you are concerned about the safety of hiding real eggs, switch them with plastic ones, instead.

Related Post: Living With Allergies: Our Journey to the Diagnosis

Fire Safety

Fire incidents increase drastically during the holidays. You can easily get preoccupied during big family gatherings. To prevent occurrences of fire that can ruin your holiday cheer:

  • Avoid congestion in the kitchen and try as much as possible to keep children out of the kitchen.
  • Always make sure that you are alert when in the kitchen. Don’t use the stove or oven when you are sleepy or drunk. Don’t leave anything unattended; use a timer always.
  • Whenever there is a stove fire, turn off the burners and keep the door open.
  • Be cautious when frying things. In case of a small fire, restrict the flame by gliding the lid to cover the pan and turn off the burner.

Pet Safety

The spring holiday cannot be complete without your furry friends. Ensure that they also get to enjoy their festivities by protecting them from all known toxins and dangers. As a pet owner, you know that the chemicals present in chocolate can be deadly to cats and dogs. It can cause coma, seizures, heart failure, or even death.

Some flowers can be deadly when consumed by cats, so you must be careful with those, too. Flowers like lilies, which bloom during spring, can cause kidney failure or even death in cats. Check your cat for signs of poisoning like fatigue, lack of appetite, and vomiting. Contact a vet immediately if you suspect that your cat has consumed any of the toxic plants.

Egg-hunt Safety

When inside the house, avoid hiding eggs in light sockets, near electric outlets, and in glasses. Instead, keep them below the participants’ eye level and always count and track the eggs you hid.

When outside, avoid hiding eggs in any foliage rooms, animal homes, or play areas. Throw away any eggs that have been cracked to ensure the candy doesn’t become contaminated.

Holiday Safety Tips

The spring holiday comes with many enjoyable family activities, and as a parent or guardian, you need to make sure that you keep safety in mind. Hunt safely, keep food allergies in mind, practice egg safety, protect your pets, and avoid fire accidents.

Do you have any other Easter safety tips to add? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Adulting Decor For the Home How To Outside Fun Spring Summer

5 Easy Ways To Make The Most Of Your Balcony

Make The Most Of Your Balcony

Does your apartment or house have a balcony? By making a few improvements, you could turn this space into the ultimate outdoor retreat. You have many options when it comes to what you want to do to the space, and you can truly make the most of your balcony by implementing some new ideas.

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

Make The Most Of A Balcony
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How to Make The Most Of Your Balcony

1. Add Some Cozy Chairs

If you want to sit out on your balcony, you’ll need some chairs. An outdoor lounge suite might be out of the question if you only have a tiny balcony, however, you needn’t settle for cheap plastic chairs.

Cozy options such as these Adirondack chairs from The Best Adirondack Chair Company could be the perfect choice for reading a book or sunbathing. You may even be able to fit a loveseat on your balcony for romantic home dates with a partner. If you’re very limited for space, a pair of cozy bar stools with footrests could be an option. 

2. Add a Small Table

A small table could allow you to eat meals on your balcony or even work on a laptop. You could consider a simple rattan side table or a small glass coffee table. If you’ve got bar stools on your balcony, you may need a slightly higher table – it may be possible to fix a table to your balcony rail. Collapsible tables could be another option for saving space. 

3. Grow Some Outdoor Plants

If you want to get into gardening but don’t have a backyard, you could still use your balcony as a space for growing outdoor plants. Narrow potted plants are the best option as they don’t take up too much room.

You can also hang flower boxes from the railings or hang flower baskets on the walls. Many different colorful flowers can grow in boxes and baskets including begonias, fuchsia, and geraniums. 

4. Light it Up

If you want to enjoy your balcony in the evening, outdoor lighting is essential. You don’t want anything too bright, as your balcony is likely only to be a small space. Ambient and low lighting options could be worth looking into.

You could hang string lights across the railings or from the ceiling. Alternatively, you could add some wall lights. These lights could be battery powered or solar powered to save you energy and reduce the need for electrical wiring. If you live in a rented apartment, you may not be able to get permission to wire in lights, anyway.

5. Install Some Heating

Your balcony could start to get cool in the evening. Adding an outdoor heat source could help to keep the space warm. A fire pit is unfortunately not a possibility, but you may be able to consider an electric patio heater.

There are electric wall heaters that can be fixed to walls and tabletop electric heaters that you can buy. These outdoor heat sources don’t take up a lot of space and are perfect for keeping you warm. Some of these are solar-powered, preventing the need to wire them up.

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Make The Most Of Your Balcony

Your balcony can be the perfect place to spend time relaxing. Envision yourself reading a book or enjoying a drink at the end of a long day. Make the most of your balcony so that you can enjoy the space that you have.

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Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities Free Activities Infant/Toddler Learning Kindergarten Age Outside Fun Parenting Spring

5 Exciting Spring Activities to Enjoy with the Kids

spring activities

As the sun begins to shine and the temperature gets a little warmer, there are many activities you can start doing with your kids. While winter weather can make it tricky to get out and about, springtime opens up a wide range of possibilities. To begin planning your spring activities schedule, take a look at these five spring activities to enjoy with your kids.

Spring Activities
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Spring Activities For Families

1. Go on Nature Walks

Not only are nature walks a lot of fun, but they’re also suitable for kids of all ages and won’t cost you a thing. Before you set off, create a checklist of things for your kids to look out for. From different types of leaves to flowers and insects, you’ll never run out of things to search for.

Any environment can be suitable for a nature walk but, if you want to turn your walk into a whole day’s adventure, take a trip to local beauty spots, forests, or woodlands. 

2. Focus on Fitness

Encouraging your kids to be active is a great way to enhance their health and well-being. What’s more – burning off some energy can help them feel more relaxed at home, too!

Make fitness fun by incorporating age-appropriate equipment and toys, like Pony Cycle or a swingball set. When you’ve got the equipment at home, it’s easy to keep your kids entertained and active. 

There are also exercise videos for kids on YouTube for rainy days. My kids like to turn on fun kid songs that they can dance to, which is a fun way to get active, too.

3. Host a Treasure Hunt

Every kid enjoys hunting for treasure, so you can be sure that this will be hit. Hide prizes and clues around the yard and encourage your kids to find as much treasure as they can.

You can adjust the difficulty of the clues (and hiding spots!) depending on your kids’ ages but, if you have pets, make sure they don’t find the treasure first. If the weather lets you down, it’s easy to host a treasure hunt indoors too, so keep this in mind for rainy days. 

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4. Make a Birdhouse

If you have an outdoor space, you can inspire your kids by helping them to make a birdhouse this spring. If you’re into crafts, then you might have what it takes to design and produce a birdhouse from scratch.

Alternatively, you can buy a pre-prepared kit and help your kids put it together and decorate it. Once it’s in place, you can have endless fun putting food out and watching the birds that come to visit. 

5. Create a Fairy Garden

Let your kids unleash their imagination and create their very own fairy garden. If you have a spare flowerpot or even a plastic container, you can help your kids fill it with soil and plant flowers and seeds. With a few sprinkles of glitter and some optional extras like rocks, paperchains, and ornaments, your kids can create the ultimate fairy garden. 

Spring Activities for Kids 2021

With so many great activities to enjoy, springtime can be an exciting time for kids and parents. By keeping things fresh and introducing new activities regularly, you can ensure that your kids will be entertained right through to the summer. 

What spring activities do you have planned for your kids? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Big Kid Big kid fun Family Activities For the Home Home How To Kindergarten Age Outside Fun Parenting Sensory Play Spring Summer Toddler and Preschool Age Fun

5 Easy Ways to Get Your Kids Outside in the Yard

Get Kids Outside

Spending time outside is very beneficial for people of all ages. Sometimes children may lack interest in going outside, however, and be more into electronics and indoor games. If you’re finding it challenging to get the kids away from those screens and out in the fresh air, there are plenty of ways to get your kids outside.

Spring is the best time of year to plant a few vegetables or even welcome wildlife. You can create a sensory, exciting space outside that will entice even the most indoorsy children. Here are five easy ways to get kids out in the yard.

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Get Kids Outside
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How to Get Your Kids Outside

1. Yard Games

Invest in a couple of yard games. You can play these together as a family, or your children can invite friends over. Add a personal touch with these custom cornhole bags, for example, https://www.cornholeworldwide.com/products/cornhole-bags/custom-cornhole-bags/. You can have them personalized with the name or message of your choice. They make great gifts and just might incentivize kids to play more outside.

2. Grow Your Own

Growing your own vegetables is a fun way to get children interested in gardening as well as healthy eating. There are plenty of easy vegetables to grow with kids, such as carrots and potatoes, so you don’t need to be expertly green-thumbed. It’s one of the best ways to encourage kids to be productive and happy.

3. Start Seeds Inside

If you want to gauge your child’s interest beforehand, you could start seeds off inside. Plant seeds in glass jars so they can see the roots growing, which will engage their curiosity. You can then move the plants outside.

If you don’t have much yard space but would still like to get your kids interested in gardening, here are some low-maintenance indoor plants. You could even set up window boxes or a small balcony garden.

4. Welcome Wildlife

With a few quick upgrades, you can turn your yard into a wildlife habitat. The children will enjoy spotting and naming the wild visitors that come your way.

Create zones in your yard for critters to forage and hide. Let your lawn grow wilder, or build a rock garden. Add a water source and a bit of food and you’ll easily attract a variety of wildlife.

You could make your own bird feeders from recycled materials, or for a bigger project, build a bee hotel from old wood and bamboo. Another idea is to simply drill a few holes into some untreated wood for a basic home for insects.

5. Create a Sensory Space

Turn your garden into a treat for all the senses by adding plenty of textures, sights, and smells for your children to explore. Create a sensory garden by adding colorful and fragrant flowers which will also attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

An amazing sensory space can be from a swimming pool that is specifically designed with little ones in mind. There is nothing more exciting than splashing in the water on a hot summer’s day. Work with a reputable company like CaliforniaPools.com, so you get the best pool for little water explorers. 

You could even consider a water feature such as a pond or fountain. The sound of the water is incredibly relaxing and it will make a nice home for fish and amphibians. With sensory stimulation and fun activities, your children will love being out in the yard.

Get Kids Outside, how to get kids outside, kids, parenting, outside

Get Your Kids Outside

It is so important to get your kids outside, and it doesn’t have to be a struggle. By setting your yard up specifically for the kids, your kids will be eager to get outside every day.

What have you done to your yard to get your kids outside? Leave a comment and let me know!

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Adulting For the Home Home How To Spring

6 Effective Ways to Make Sure Your Home is Ready For Spring

Home is Ready For Spring

With temperatures already getting warmer and the sunset coming later, it won’t be long until spring is upon us. Making the most of it means you should make sure your home is ready for spring. You don’t want to wait until the warmer weather is here to get started or you’ll miss out on some of the beautiful days.

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How to Ensure Your Home is Ready For Spring

1. Redesign Your Yard and Garden

Home is Ready For Spring
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It’s tricky to keep your yard and garden well-maintained when it’s raining or there’s snow on the ground, so you’ll probably have a few outdoor tasks to complete before spring arrives. Once you’ve raked the leaves, weeded the flowerbeds, and pruned overhanging branches, why not take the opportunity to redesign?

Changing the layout, resealing paving, and adding some new features can breathe new life into your space. What’s more – revamping outdoor furniture, adding some patio heaters, or installing sunken seating will ensure you can make the most of your yard this spring.

2. Purify the Air 

Spring can be the most troublesome time of year for allergy-sufferers, so you’ll want to do everything you can to keep your home free from contaminants. Adding an air purifier or air scrubber to your home, or changing the filters on existing appliances can have a big impact on the quality of the air inside your home. By removing pollutants, you can minimize allergy symptoms and truly enjoy the fresh air. 

3. Tackle Pests

Pests can affect your property at any time of year, but a change of season can mean that different pests emerge. Fortunately, a local pest control company can provide all the help you need.

Instead of waiting for an infestation to occur, be proactive when it comes to pest control. A qualified exterminator will be able to tell you which areas of your home are most at risk, which means you can take preventative action to stop pests from taking up residence. 

4. Update Window Dressings

Home is Ready For Spring
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Changing curtains and blinds is an easy way to update your décor with minimal effort. Switching to a lighter color is the perfect way to reflect the changing seasons and a lighter color scheme will be perfect for springtime.

However, you may want to ensure that blinds and curtains are fitted with blackout fabric by the time spring arrives. When the sun rises earlier, it can affect your sleep schedule, but blackout blinds and curtains will ensure you get the rest you need. 

5. Clear Gutters

Gutters fill up quickly during fall and winter, which increases the risk of leaks and damage. When leaves block the gutters, water can easily overflow and cause damage to your property. Taking the time to clean out the gutters, or hiring a gutter cleaning service, will ensure the outdoor drainage system is working perfectly. 

6. Create a Home Maintenance Schedule

Keeping your property in great condition is a year-round commitment, and there are lots of different jobs to consider. To make things easier, why not create your own custom home maintenance schedule? This will ensure you’ve got time to plan, protect your property, and make the most of every season.

Home is Ready For Spring

What are some of the ways you get your home ready for spring? Did I forget anything important?! Let me know in the comments! 🙂