Blog Posts

How Cleaning Improves Your Mental Health

22/8/2018

Even if you’re not a clean freak, a rabbit organiser, or a germaphobe - a clean home means that your mind will be a bit tidier as well. It’s just what we need in the middle of a hectic week but, although we know very well that cleaning is good for us, it’s not always that easy to get

Here is a quick and easy guide to exactly how cleaning benefits your mental health both while and after you’re done cleaning.

It might not be any fun right now, but the feeling of kicking back with a cup of coffee in a home that smells like laundry should be enough to drive you forward.

While cleaning: Meditation
When we’re upset, it can sometimes feel better to just do something. Going for a run, starting to cook that dinner to feed those ungrateful mouths, doing the dishes, etc - it really helps because we’re no longer focusing on what made us upset, in the first place.

It’s kind of like meditation since you’re chaotic mind is able to focus on the single task in front of you, even if you’re still upset while doing it.

Keeping busy and avoiding those negative thoughts is key to getting over something a little bit faster, so put those running shoes on or start to organise that drawer finally.
Or you can do a massive clean and get that garage emptied once and for all; visit this site https://www.samedayrubbishremoval.com.au/Rubbish-Removal-Baulkham-Hills-District-Sydney-NSW.php for some good prices if you’d like to remove that rubbish.

It gets you moving
Any activity is better than sitting down and flicking through Netflix, at least when you’ve been sitting most of the day. Cleaning and organising mean that you’re up on your feet, even if it means that you’re just standing in the kitchen and loading the dishwasher.

It doesn’t matter - you’re moving, standing, doing something, and it’s actually good for your body.

After cleaning: Clearing your mind
A clean and tidy home can have a massive impact on your mental health. It’s not just some mumbo-jumbo either - physical order makes you more likely to eat healthier as well, a study shows. Read more about it here if you don’t believe it https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d5fe/684c51db2f8e263cf15b3d7db5a808e263dc.pdf, and get started organising your space right away.

Being in a messy environment can even be quite stressful, which leads to more stress-eating and unhealthy behaviour to calm our nerves.

A clean home can certainly do quite a lot for us both while and after the chore is over, so make a habit out of cleaning a little bit every day. That way, it’s more like a small task than a chore - and you get to enjoy all the benefits nonetheless.

I know that cleaning really helps me, so I hope it helps you too!

*collaborative post*

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Getting Your Home Ready For Inspection

21/8/2018

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More and more people than ever before are relying on rental properties to be able to find somewhere to live. Often being contract-based, both yourself and the landlord will have a range of different responsibilities when this work is being done, and you have to work hard to hold up your end of the bargain. A large part of this will involve keeping the place in good condition. Most landlords will want to verify this, and will expect you to let them in to do regular inspections. To help you out with this part of your home experience, this post will be exploring some of the areas you need to consider before they pay you visit, along with some easy ways to go over and above.

The Cleaning: Cleaning your place will be the biggest part of a job like this. If you haven’t kept on top of this for a long time, you will have a lot to do, and it will be hard to get it done nice and quickly. To make it a little bit easier, there are loads of companies out there which offer incredibly fast cleaning services, as long as you’re able to book them a little bit ahead of time. Of course, though, you could also consider simply keeping on top of the cleaning work you have to do. It will only take a couple of hours each week to make sure that the place is in tip top condition, impressing your landlord when they come for their inspection.

Damage & Repairs: When someone is living in their property, a landlord will expect to see a certain level of wear and tear. It’s impossible to spend time in a place like this without one or two things breaking or showing signs of use, and you will be able to get away with the little things. Broken windows, burnt carpets, and other issues which aren’t normal, though, should be repaired before the landlord comes to visit. Failing to do this could result in money being taken from the deposit you payed for the place and even possible eviction.

Going The Extra Mile: Aiming to give the landlord their property back in better shape than when you took it on is a great approach to take when you’re renting. It doesn’t take much to do something which will make them very happy, often making up for any other issues you had along the way. Sorting out blocked drains, mowing the lawns, and handling other regular jobs can be a great way to do this. Things like redecoration are worth avoiding, unless you can confidently replicate the old styles and themes which were there before.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder on the time you put into your rented property. As time goes on, more and more people are using this method to secure their home, and this is making landlords stricter. They have the pick of the litter, and it will be much easier for them to replace you than it will for you to find somewhere new.

*collaborative post*

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Fashion Tips for the Successful Modern Woman

14/8/2018

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As a successful modern woman, it is pretty clear that you need to make sure you take steps toward success in every aspect of your life. There are a lot of things that can contribute toward successful fashion tips, and if you are killing it in your life, you want to make sure you are looking epic every single day. This is why it is important to have some stunning fashion hacks to help with this.

Successful modern women like to look and feel the part at all times, and this is essential for helping you get in the zone as a world beater. Fashion is so important because it can boost self-esteem and improve your image as a woman. Combining this with a professional aesthetic and appeal is so crucial, and these are some of the tips you need to use to help you with that.

Dress to Kill
Running a global brand is not something to be taken lightly, and this is why you need to make sure you are dressed the part at all times. Dress to kill, and you will certainly improve the way you look and feel. Getting the right sort of outfit for each day at the office is really important, and this is something you have to get right as much as possible. Choosing the perfect dress or skirt for a particular day of the week is so important for boosting your fashion ideas.

Think Hard About Your Jewelry
Jewelry also plays a hugely important role in helping to shape your current fashion direction. When you are trying outfits on and picking out clothes for a particular day, you also have to give some thought to your jewelry. That engagement ring you got from https://www.whiteflash.com/tacori/ might look awesome, but it’s also important to look at what it links with. Your jewelry will have a major impact on the rest of your look and image.

Shoes are Essential
Never overlook just how important shoes are in defining a woman’s fashion choices. There are some pretty amazing heels you can get these days, and any excuse to buy more shoes is a good thing, right? Your shoes play a major role in helping your personal image and style improve. They link very closely to the fashion decisions you need to be making for the future.

Accessorize Properly
It is important to make sure you are accessorizing properly to enhance your fashion and image these days. There are so many different things you can do that will help you to boost your appearance and confidence. You need to figure out how to accessorize boss woman style because this is going to help you a lot when it comes to improving the way you look and contributing to your role as a successful modern woman.

When you are a successful modern woman, it is important that you look at the best way of boosting your personal appearance and aesthetics. These link to your professional and personal successes in a big way, and this is something you need to spend a lot of time with. Getting your personal fashion right is so important for the future and for helping you be more successful.

*collaborative post*

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August 2018 Pink Parcel Review

10/8/2018

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August 2018 Pink Parcel Review lifeappears.com

I always know a new month has started when my Pink Parcel turns up and August's box is themed around your holiday essentials. 5 of the products are full-sized and there's everything from skincare to fragrance, makeup to munchies!

Here's what was included and what I thought:

Spacemasks Self-Heating Eye Mask (full size - RRP £15 for a box of 5) I was a little bit wary of this because I don't like things touching my eyelids but I was still intrigued and looking forward to trying it out. The mask is really soft and fits well with little strings to hook on your ears. It heats up quickly and stays at a comfortable temperature for the 15 minute wear time. It also smells lovely thanks to it's jasmine scent and was definitely a relaxing thing to wear just before bed. It does rest on your eyelids which I don't really like but it wasn't uncomfortable. I might use one again if my eyes or sinuses really needed it but I don't think it'll become a regular for me, although I am going to look into their other products.
English Laundry No7 For Her Purse Spray (full size - RRP £60 for 50ml) I loved the smell of this, it's bright and fresh with an instant hit of summer smells! It fits perfectly into your bag so you can spray while on the go. I'm not sure I'd buy the full size just because it's not my usual scent but it's nice for a quick refresh.
Laritzy Dew Pot (full size - RRP £20 for 12ml) This is multipurpose and can be used on lips, cheeks and yes for a bit of glow. It can be built up for a more dramatic effect or left subtle. I really liked the shade of mine and liked using it on top of a matte liquid lip for a bit of shimmer and as a very light highlight on the cheekbones. I won't use it on my eyes simply because I think it would crease but I'll definitely reach for it again.
Sebamed Clear Face Mattifying Cream (RRP £5.69 for 50ml) I've actually used this before and it works ok. You apply after cleansing and it'll help to keep those breakouts away (or at least make them less noticeable). It includes aloe vera and hyaluronic acid to keep skin soothed and avoid dry patches, and while it doesn't work as well as other products I use it's nice to have as an alternative because it does reduce the size and redness of spots.
Candy Kittens Eton Mess (full size - RRP £1.00 for 54g bag) These are vegetarian and made with natural flavours and fruit juice, but they're not for me. I'm not much of a fan of sweets anyway, but I found the flavour a little too much for me personally. But I gave the rest to a friend who loved them so it's just personal preference.
Oryza Dewy Glow Skin Beauty Balm (full size - RRP £11.95 for 25ml) This was a new brand for me so I was looking forward to trying it out and it's a nice glossy balm with multiple uses. I found it nice to add to chapped bare lips and cuticles, although I wouldn't personally use this as a highlighter apparently it can be used on cheekbones. It's enriched with jojoba oil, shea butter and vitamin E so great for soothing any dry or sore patches and it fits easily into your bag or pocket, plus it has built in UVA and UVB protection.. hurray!
Lyons No3 Rich & Full Bodied Coffee Bag (RRP £2.60 for a box of 18) I'm strictly decaf so I passed this on to someone else to try and they liked it. It could be handy to take with you on a roadtrip if you just want to take a flask of hot water or to have in your bag for emergencys but not something I'd buy regularly even if they have decaf options.

Overall, I thought the August Holiday Essentials Edit was another great month from Pink Parcel. The sweets and coffee weren't for me but that's just personal preference, I'll get use out of everything else!

If you also subscribe to Pink Parcel I'd love to hear your thoughts about this month's box so please drop me a comment below.

Stay safe,x

*I pay for my Pink Parcel subscription myself and all images are my own*

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Updating Your Kitchen On A Budget: It’s Possible

9/8/2018

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When it comes to updating your home you can often be found assuming that rooms such as the bathroom, or indeed for the purpose of this article the kitchen, are two expensive renovation projects to take on. You would be right in thinking that. Renovating those rooms entirely with something new is expensive. However, you can also do them on a budget. Which is why I thought I would share with you some of the ways you can do that for your kitchen. I hope it gives you some inspiration.

Paint the kitchen cupboards
When it comes to your kitchen, replacing it completely is where some of the biggest expense will be, however, if you are happy with the layout, the look of it, then why not make just a few small changes? Painting the cupboard doors could really help you make it feel like a new kitchen with very little investment. Just paint and your time to make it look completely different.

Get the best possible price on new appliances
Part of a kitchen renovation may include getting new appliances, and while you may want to still do that there are things you can consider to help you keep the costs down. You can consider used models and pick up bargains on websites like eBay. If you like to hunt out ways to keep the costs down then vouchercloud discounts could help you buy brand new appliances for a much lower price.

Change up your colour scheme
Maybe you just want to make some simple changes to your kitchen and even looking at a different colour scheme when it comes to ornaments and accessories could be the answer you are looking for. Many people originally choose a neutral kitchen which then gives them this flexibility to change when it comes to colour. Adding a brighter colour could really enhance your work surfaces and give your kitchen a whole new look without mega expense.

Add a feature wall
Just as you are considering changing your colour scheme why not think about changing the colour of the walls. A feature wall in a kitchen can be a great addition and could transform the overall look of the space. People consider things like a chalk wall which can then be used for notes or meal plans. Or adding a colour to work alongside your new theme in other parts such as appliances and accessories on display. A feature wall could even be pictures or prints, either of you and the family or from your favourite artist.

Change one thing
Finally, if you have some budget then why not think about changing one big feature in the room instead? This could be a new flooring perhaps or tiling walls maybe. It could be a new light fitting or making more use of windows and doors. Such as installing bifold doors or making the access outside a little easier. All bigger jobs but will possibly cost less than replacing your kitchen. But all could make the space feel completely different.

I hope that this has given you some inspiration when it comes to changing your kitchen.