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Revamp Your Decor the Green Way

July 5, 2023 By Anne

Decor and sustainability don’t always go hand in hand, but it is possible to revamp your home in a way that is green and sustainable. As we become more conscious of our impact on the environment, it’s not just about recycling, reducing, and reusing; it’s about rethinking our approach to home decor.

By making sustainable and eco-friendly decor choices, we can create spaces that not only look beautiful but are also kinder to our planet. In this post, then, we will take a look at a few things you can do to revamp your decor in a way that contributes positively to the environment, without compromising on style and aesthetics.

Incorporate natural materials

One of the simplest ways to revamp your decor in a greener way is to incorporate more natural materials into your space whenever you can. Unlike synthetic materials, which often involve harmful manufacturing processes and aren’t biodegradable, natural materials are renewable and have a much lower environmental impact, and can often be recycled by you or someone else when you decide to makekeover your dcor once again.

Take, for instance, the rustic charm of an interior barn door. Crafted from solid wood, these doors bring a warm, organic feel to your space, all while being eco-friendly. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, they are durable and can be sourced from sustainable wood, making them a green choice for interior design.

But the options don’t end there. Other eco-friendly materials include bamboo, which is a fast-growing renewable resource, and natural stone, which requires little processing. Cork and rattan are also excellent choices, being renewable and biodegradable. Natural textiles such as organic cotton, hemp, or linen are great for upholstery, rugs, and throws. Even reclaimed materials like recycled glass, metal, or reclaimed wood can be creatively used in your decor. By choosing materials that are responsibly sourced and have minimal impact on the environment, you can create a home that’s not only stylish but also sustainable.

Choose eco-friendly furniture

Furniture plays a critical role in any home decor – it is the thing that not only make sthe home look attractive, but that also makes it a comfortable space to spend time in too. However, not all furniture is created equal, especially when it comes to environmental impact. Many mainstream furniture items are made using non-renewable resources and may contain harmful substances like formaldehyde or flame retardants. That’s why choosing eco-friendly furniture is an important step in creating a greener home.

When shopping for furniture, it is a good idea to look for pieces made from sustainable materials like FSC-certified wood, recycled metal, or reclaimed wood if being green and sustainable is important to you. Also, consider the durability of the furniture. A well-crafted piece may initially cost more, but its longevity can make it more cost-effective and eco-friendly in the long run.

Additionally, buying second-hand is a great way to reduce waste and find unique, quality pieces because you will not be contributing to the use of finite resources. Visit local thrift stores, antique markets, or online platforms that sell pre-loved furniture, and you are sure to find an intereting piece of two that will probably have ore character than the new furniture you can buy right now, too. Finally, consider companies that adopt sustainable practices, such as using recycled materials, reducing emissions in their production process, or participating in tree-planting initiatives.

Opt for low-VOC paints

When revamping your decor, painting can dramatically transform a space. owever, traditional paints often contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), chemicals that can have harmful effects on both human health and the environment. These compounds can cause headaches, dizziness, and can even lead to kidney and liver damage. They also contribute to air pollution and the formation of smog.

To minimize these risks, opt for low-VOC or VOC-free paints and finishes. These eco-friendly alternatives have reduced amounts of harmful chemicals, making them a safer choice for your health and the environment. They perform just as well as traditional paints and are available in a wide range of colors and finishes. Make sure to check the labels when purchasing paint, looking for certifications that verify the product’s low-VOC or VOC-free status. This simple switch can significantly reduce the environmental footprint of your home makeover.

Maximize natural light

One of the most eco-friendly ways to brighten your space is to maximize natural light. Natural light not only reduces the need for artificial lighting but also creates a warm and welcoming environment. It can make your space look bigger and can even improve your mood and productivity.

To maximize natural light, consider the layout of your furniture. Arrange your space in a way that doesn’t block light from windows. Opt for light and sheer window treatments that allow light in while still providing privacy. Installing mirrors can also help to reflect light and illuminate dark corners.

For rooms that don’t have windows or lack sufficient natural light, consider installing a solar tube or skylight. These options can bring in natural light while also serving as a unique design feature.

Use energy-efficient lighting too

While maximizing natural light is a key part of green decor, it’s also important to choose energy-efficient artificial lighting for when the sun goes down. LED lights, for example, use significantly less energy and last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.

Consider also using dimmer switches or smart lighting systems, which can adjust light levels to suit your needs, thereby reducing energy consumption. Even small changes like turning off lights when you leave a room or utilizing task lighting can contribute to energy efficiency.

Embracing eco-friendly decor not only contributes to preserving our planet, but it can also create a space that’s uniquely beautiful and healthy. It’s fair to say that each and every choice you make has a dramatic impact on the world around you, as well as youe home, so be suerw to chosoe wisely, but remember, creating a green home isn’t about perfection; it’s about making more conscious, sustainable choices one step at a time.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Key Lessons That You Can Teach Your Child From An Early Age

July 5, 2023 By Anne

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A child’s formative years are arguably the most important in their life. Given that they constantly look to you for guidance, it’s vital that you give them the support that they need.

While you will naturally teach your child a host of valuable lessons, you must make a conscious effort to focus on key areas. Use the following checklist for guidance, and you won’t go far wrong.

A Love Of Education

A love of learning is truly one of the greatest gifts you can give any child. Finding the right preschool is a great starting point. After all, developing a better relationship with school before they’ve even started kindergarten can only serve them well. However, you can also make learning fun at home. Exploring local wildlife, reading books at home, and visiting places with an educational twist are all great ideas.

If your child loves learning from an early age, it will shine through in later years.

The Value Of Hard Work

Knowledge is vital, but it counts for very little without a strong work ethic. Any opportunity to teach your child the value of hard work and perseverance should be grabbed with both hands. You can lead by example by running your home-based business in a professional way. However, you can also achieve great results in leisure activities. Encouraging them to keep training until they learn the new soccer move or dance routine can work wonders.

A strong work ethic will truly follow your child for life.

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A Love Of Healthy Living

Every parent knows that they need to help their child stay healthy. Not least in today’s climate where childhood obesity is a massive problem. However, forcing them will only lead to resentment. You need to make healthy living fun. Cooking with children is a great way to teach nutrition in a positive way. Meanwhile, finding fun sports and physical activities will have an immensely positive impact. Once kids start choosing those activities, you’ve won.

Besides, it’s a great incentive to actively improve your approach to healthy living.

The Importance Of Online Safety

Children now spend more time online than any previous generation. So, you need to actively keep them safe. While adding parental controls is an essential starting point, you mustn’t end your commitment here. Providing age-appropriate advice on the dangers of online connections is crucial. Otherwise, your child could become a victim of various scams or forms of online bullying. Frankly, this is the last thing that you want your child to face.

At an early age, it’s probably best to supervise your child.

Love & Kindness

It may sound corny. But teaching your child love and kindness is truly the greatest thing you can ever do. From loving a pet to showing kindness to people from different backgrounds, it takes many forms. Most importantly, you need to show your child love on a daily basis and give them the confidence to love themselves. Feeling comfortable in their skin will have a telling impact on their overall health and happiness.

Their world will be a far better place as a result.

Anne

How to Run a Professional Home Business

June 29, 2023 By Anne

Many parents have taken on the task of setting up and running a home business. This is a great option, as it allows you the flexibility you need to look after your family, while still earning an income. You can even scale up your business as your children get older and go to school.

However, juggling a home business with family life can be difficult. If you want to run a successful business, you may have to make some changes to ensure that you can focus on your work. One thing that can make a huge difference to your business is professionalism.

Image Credit.

What is Professionalism?

Simply put, professionalism is a way to display competence. A professional person is someone who you can trust to get the job done correctly and within their deadlines. It should influence how you dress and speak, and can have a huge impact on your clients.

Professionalism also influences the people working, whether you work alone or with a team. If you have a professional mindset, then you will be more focused on the job at hand. It’s an important quality to have, both for your own benefit and for your clients.

One way to make your business seem more professional is by using business cards and other business media to advertise your business. This involves using printing plates to create identical, professional items. Look into “What are printing plates?” to learn more about this process and how you can create these items for your company.

Professional Appearance

Professionalism can look different in different circumstances. For example, a professional lawyer will look very different from a professional plumber, but this doesn’t mean that someone should wear a suit and tie when they’re trying to fix your pipes.

Professional attire should be appropriate for your industry. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to wear business attire when working from home. However, it is beneficial to make some effort, even if clients won’t see you.

Your clothing doesn’t just impact what people think of you, but it also influences your mindset. If you’re dressed in your PJs, then you might not be in the right mindset for work. But if you are washed and dressed, then you’re ready for the day.

Home Office

Another way to make your business more professional is to change where you work. Your workplace will directly influence your mindset and how productive you are when working. If possible, set up a home office in an isolated place in your home.

Some people are even able to set up a garden office that is separate from their homes. This has the benefit of a non-existent commute, while also giving you an office that is easily separated from the rest of your life.

If your children are old enough, make sure that they understand when you’re working. They will always take priority, but fewer distractions will allow you to work more efficiently and get back to the rest of your life sooner.

Anne

The Best Of A Bad Situation: Canceling Your Vacation

June 19, 2023 By Anne

It’s never something done with a happy heart, but there are a lot of things that can force you to cancel your vacation. It could be an injury, illness, family matters you have to attend to, or plans have changed with your travel company or even the country that you’re going to. However, while you might want to mourn your travel plans, it’s a good idea to get into gear and do what you can to salvage what you can, including the money spent on the trip so far.

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Can you reschedule?

You may not have to cancel your trip entirely if, for instance, your flight is canceled or your hotel doesn’t have the room that you were expecting. There’s a good chance that your airline will be able to get you on another flight, and you can always find another accommodation. Get what refunds you should and see if you can’t be flexible with your plans. Of course, it might mean making a call to work and letting them know you might need an extra day or two off, but most employers should be accommodating. If worst comes to worst, save the money you get back from your canceled trip and put it into the budget for your next trip, instead.

Make good use of your coverage

If you’re ever spending any significant amount of money on a vacation, then you shouldn’t do it without the necessary protection. Travel insurance providers like Generali are primarily there to help you recoup your losses if your vacation falls through. Just make sure that you’re fully aware of which reasons for trip cancellation are covered, and that you meet the requirements. If you have to cancel because you change your mind or because you have a cold, that might not get covered. More serious health issues will, as will most issues that are entirely out of your control, like issues with your flight provider. Either way, it’s better to have insurance than to not have insurance, that’s a certainty.

Keep all evidence you can

You may be able to get your insurance provider to cover everything, or you might be able to get a refund from your airline, but to do that, you should make sure that you have all the evidence you need. Keep hold of every bit of correspondence regarding your vacation and its cancellation. An itemized bill of all of your expenses, any refund promises, invoices for your accommodation, any emails or letters sent for the reason for cancellation, and the like, should all be kept. Don’t take too long to start filing your claim, either, as some providers do have a limit on how long you can file it. You need to cross your i’s and dot your t’s to get what you’re owed.

You might not be able to get absolutely everything back, and you can’t undo the pain of having to watch your plans go up in smoke, but with the tips above, you can ensure a canceled trip doesn’t take everything from you.

Anne

Practical Tips For Personalizing Your Living Space

June 11, 2023 By Anne

Acquiring a new home is a significant and exciting step. However, your new property may not always reflect your personality and preferences, as the fixtures, paint colors, and finishes were likely picked based on the previous owner’s taste. You can add your unique stamp to your new house before or after moving in. Thankfully, you don’t need a complete overhaul to do this. Below are eight helpful tips to guide you in personalizing your new home.

Get inspired

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Making many design decisions may be intimidating, especially after you’ve committed to buying a home. Fortunately, you can count on your local home builder for ideas on the personalization you seek. Walking around the property will give you a sense of its layout, so you can consider the specifics and get ideas for how you want the place to look. Choosing the right expert means you can envision how you’d live in it, as an experienced builder can show you home types and designs to illustrate alternative layouts and specification options.

Add a fun outdoor feature

An outdoor feature can bring life to your new home without taking up excess space. Consider a fire pit, porch swing, alfresco dining table, hammock, or BBQ area to invite family and friends to visit. Remember to give ample shade for bright days and make room for privacy if that is a problem when freshening up your outdoor area. Installing outdoor lights also brings warmth to your patio or garden and improves the mood. Outdoor seating spaces or a customized deck provide an ideal backdrop for hosting or relaxing with your loved ones. With so many possibilities, incorporating an outdoor feature into your new home may convert it into a one-of-a-kind and personalized space that represents your personality and taste.

Install layer lighting

Recessed downlights offer excellent lighting. However, it would be best not to rely solely on them. You can go beyond that to explore other options like light layering, which will provide depth and mood, and milder lighting to provide the right ambiance. You can use several charming side lamps in your living areas and guestrooms to create interest. For instance, a pendant, stunning woven straw shade, or worn brass can produce striking patterns on your walls. If you want to define the space, why not place an island unit or hang a chandelier above the dining table to create a personal touch? Placing lights on your floors can also be terrific for adding some personality.

Treat your stairs

By painting the treads a clean white hue and applying shades of a single color, you can give your staircase a new and modern appeal. You may also alter that area using numbers, text, or wallpaper. If you have a carpeted staircase, you may refresh its appearance by laying down a new runner. Whatever your style preferences, treating your stairs can help create an inviting atmosphere in your home that is truly unique to you. So why not discover how to treat your stairs today and add some personality to your home?

Install wallpaper in your bathroom

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Suppose you are up for a more ambitious project. In that case, an eccentric statement wallpaper may make your bath your own. A less-used area like this is ideal for experimenting with strong patterns and tones. Remember that if you’re wallpapering a complete bath with a tub or shower rather than a powder room, you’ll want to choose a solution that can handle humidity and avoid applying wallpaper in the “splash zone.” If you can’t afford a full bathroom renovation, there is no need to worry, as you can still spruce up the area with minor changes. You can start by replacing the cabinet hardware, towel bars, water faucets, and lighting fixtures and installing a mirror instead of an outdated medicine cabinet. This change can provide a noticeable refreshing appeal to the bathroom’s overall aesthetic.

Take another look at your windows

Window treatments can be an excellent way to add personality and style to your new home. From customized shades and blinds to colorful curtains or stylish shutters, there are countless ways to personalize your windows and make them an essential part of your home’s decor. You can choose fabrics, textures, and patterns to match your home’s overall aesthetic and enhance any room’s look and feel. For instance, you can choose fitted textured bamboo or Roman blinds, a simple layered design, or roller shades with drapes to add a decorative element to elevate your new home. Use identical liner fabric for all windows when picking window coverings for a uniform view from the street. Meanwhile, energy efficient picture windows can be an excellent way to add versatility to both modern and traditional homes, giving you an excellent view while still allowing you to conserve energy around your home.

Add storage

If you’re short on space for storage in areas like your bathroom, replace the mirror with an elegant but functional mirrored cabinet, and build a floating shelf to maximize the wall area without sacrificing valuable floor space. Consider a standalone storage container or a bathroom ladder if you don’t mind having your toiletries on display. Many new homes lack enough bedroom storage. However, consider purchasing custom-made built-in closets to fit your specific measurements if this is your situation. You may then install the appropriate set of shelves and rails

Hang some personal memories

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Hanging a few treasured photographs on the wall is one of the most effective methods to make your new spot seem like home. If you’re worried about making holes in your walls before deciding where everything will go, buy detachable picture-hanging strips to replace nails. You can also mix and match different styles and sizes of frames for a creative and eclectic look. So, start digging through your photo albums and explore your options for displaying your pictures in your new home today. You can make this fun by involving your loved ones in the photo selection.

Are you ready to make the most of your new home and create a living place representing your distinct personality? It’s time to begin exploring the several possibilities available. While there are many options worth considering, those listed above are a few great places to start.