Category Archives: ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Caring For Yourself As A Carer

Caring For Yourself As A Carer

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When providing care for somebody else, it’s very easy to neglect your own care. Here are several tips for looking after yourself when taking on the care of someone else.

Know what you’re financially entitled to

Caring for someone else can be financially difficult – especially if you have to give up work to provide the care that they need.

You should do some research into government benefits to ensure that you and the person you’re caring for are both getting the financial support that you need. It’s possible that you may be entitled to a carer’s allowance, which could help you to fund yourself. There may also be disability-related home improvements such as stairlifts and grab bars that you can get grants for so that you don’t have to dig into your own pockets.

Alternatively, you may be able to get help from local charities if you are struggling financially. There are charities out there that are aimed specifically at assisting carers with the financial support they need.

Share the care with someone else

Getting a helping hand could give you the break you need so that you don’t feel you’re constantly on call. This could be time to relax at home or time to go out and meet friends or partake in social activities.

Home hospice care could be an option to look into. Even if it’s only a few hours a week, it will give you the break you need. A lot of carers may hire help in the mornings and evenings when it comes to washing and dressing loved ones. You could also consider a couple days of respite care if you need a couple days’ break.

Don’t forget to also consider help from friends and family. Even if they don’t feel comfortable helping with the physical care, they may be able to help with other jobs around the home which could help to lift the burden.

Don’t neglect your own health

A lot of carers can also ignore health problems of their own, which can cause these problems to become serious. If you get ill, it could not only affect you, but your ability to care for loved one. For this reason, looking after your health should be a priority.

Make sure you’re seeing the doctor when you have a health concern and watch out for signs of health problems. Chronic stress can often trigger health problems ranging from muscle cramps to heart disease – which is why sharing out the care is so important so that you can relax. Make sure that you’re also getting enough sleep and eating healthily. Above all, try to laugh and have fun. 

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Always Invest In These 4 Areas When Renovating Your Home

Always Invest In These 4 Areas When Renovating Your Home

When it comes to renovating your home, cost will always be an issue. After all, unless you are working with an unlimited budget, you will always have to be careful that the amount you spend doesn’t get out of hand. However, it is crucial to remember that things that are cheap now aren’t always the best option in the long run. In fact, there are also things you should always invest in, no matter how small your budget. Read on to find out more. 

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Roof 

It makes sense to invest in a good roof when renovating your home. After all, it needs to be as sturdy as possible, so it is not a safety risk for those living inside the property. 

Additionally, poorly installed roofs often leak, and this can be a real nightmare for any homeowner. The reason being that when water comes in, it can easily damage your possessions, as well as the structure and decoration of the home. Something that will cost you a fortune to repair.

To that end, ensuring your roof is secure, watertight, and installed by quality contractors is something you always need to invest in when renovating a home. 

Floors 

Next, when it comes to renovating, flooring isn’t something that you should ever try and cut corners on to save money. Yes, it can be tempting as a cheap lino option can seem a smart way to save a few bucks. However, what you need to remember is the floor is the part of the room that will get more use and wear than any other. 

What that means is it’s well worth your money and time to install a more heavy-duty solution. The good news here is that you can now get residential epoxy flooring in some pretty luxe finishes. Something that will allow you to achieve an opulent, but incredibly hard-wearing look that should last for years. 

Windows 

Windows are nearly always expensive, and it’s not just the frames you have to pay for, but the glass and fitting as well. However, scrimping on the cost of the windows for your home renovation can be disastrous. The reason being that poorly fitting or performing windows will let out too much heat. Therefore you will have to spend more money on heating and cooling your home daily to ensure that it is livable. 

Of course, this isn’t just bad for you pocket long term, but terrible for the environment as well. Something that means investing in the best quality and fitting for your windows in the first place will save you money and energy in the long run.

Worktops 

Finally, if you are renovating a kitchen or bathroom, or even a utility room, you will likely want to install worktops. You will, of course, find some super cheap MDF options, that are coated with plastic that seem like a great idea. 

Sadly, they rarely last over the long term and can be hard to maintain and keep clean as well. Something that means worktops made from stone or solid wood are often a much smarter investment choice for your renovation. 

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

How To Create The Rustic Chic Look In Your Home

How To Create The Rustic Chic Look In Your Home

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If you want a refreshing new look for your home, that offers character and charm at an affordable price, then why not consider the rustic look? 

Giving your home a rustic makeover is all about finding old and interesting items and putting them to a new purpose. Often it can involve upcycling, and it is a look that celebrates imperfection. 

Often, when looking for items for your home, you will find them when you least expect them. So having a long-term plan to create the look you want is critical. You can scout car-boot sales, yard-sales, second-hand stores, antique shops, charity stores or reclamation yards. If you are crafty, you can modify pieces that you find to help them fit the exact style, or even merge parts of one item and another.

Look for natural colours such as greens, tan or brown. When looking at the wood finish, look at darker woods such as oak and mahogany. Don’t worry if an item is slightly damaged, or is scruffy; this adds to the character of the piece. Look for things that look as though they have a story to tell. 

Buying Readymade

One shortcut to the rustic look is buying readymade pieces. Anteks Home Furnishings stock a range of beautiful rustic pieces that will create the desired look. With many items in one store, you can create an aesthetic that runs through your whole house.

This is particularly useful if you don’t have the time to find items, or do not feel confident in creating anything yourself. 

Buying Second Hand

Often when you look at a second-hand item, you don’t immediately see its potential. Maybe the item isn’t old enough or has a more modern look. 

With sandpaper and chalk paint, you can create some fascinating looks by sanding back the wood and painting over it. You’ll get some effortless bohemian looks going on very quickly. 

Pallets

Old pallets are often discarded around industrial units or warehouses. These can make unique items of furniture with minimal effort. You can use them for creating sofas, or futons. Make sure and smooth the wood down before using it, as pallets can often give you splinters, and you won’t want that from your sofa!

Wicker Baskets

Nothing says rustic home more than anything made of wicker. Wicker baskets can be great for storing all of your things away and creating a tidier home. They also really look the part too. 

Having a mixed selection of different sizes, colours and shaped baskets can make everything look a lot more interesting. 

Rustic Decor

When it comes to decorating your home, look for ways to bring out any exposed brickwork. If you have an older property, this will be great as there are probably lots of original design features that have been covered over during the years. You might find that under your carpets you have beautiful tiles, or behind plasterboard, there are interesting beams. Replacing door handles for iron can really add character to quite a plain door. 

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Three Essential Considerations Before You Buy a Fixer Upper

Three Essential Considerations Before You Buy a Fixer Upper

With housing prices through the roof these days, it’s not easy to get a foothold on the property ladder. Many enterprising young buyers are grabbing what they can afford and putting the work in themselves.

Whether your goal is to create your dream home or flip your property for a profit, renovating a fixer-upper isn’t as easy as you might hope. Before you put in an offer on a house that needs some love, be sure to consider these important factors that could determine the success of your renovation project. 

Photo by LoboStudio Hamburg on Unsplash

Are You a Happy Camper?

When you first lay eyes on your fixer-upper, you may be blown away by its potential. Before you buy, it’s worth asking yourself how long you’d be prepared to live in this house without the planned renovations taking place. If you’re buying a property that needs help, you may not have the ready cash to mend and upgrade everything right away. If you’re planning to do the work in your spare time, you’re unlikely to rival a builder for speed, no matter how excellent your DIY skills are. Some projects will be more urgent than others. While you may be able to live with those outdated bathroom tiles, you might want to call the roofing company right away to deal with that leak above your bed. If you’re not prepared to rough-it indefinitely, it makes sense to have a clear work plan and budget laid out before you sign that dotted line. 

Your Skills

When you imagine saving loads of cash by picking up a fixer-upper on the cheap, remember that the labour required to do the work is going to cost you one way or another. If you have enviable DIY skills and experience, you may be able to get the bulk of the work done on your own, but remember: time is money. Is affixing skirting boards the best use of your time, or are you losing income by devoting hours to this project? Likewise, the cost of hiring professionals should be incorporated into your overall budget. If you buy a fixer-upper without factoring in labour costs, you may end up shelling out more than you would have to buy a house that has already been renovated to a high standard. 

Photo by Nikolay Draganov from Pexels

Location (Location, Location)

That old adage still holds true: while you stand to make a good profit on a fixer-upper in an up-and-coming neighbourhood, sinking money into a renovation project in the wrong location could be throwing good money after bad. You can renovate until you’re blue in the face—install crystal chandeliers and a basketball hoop—but you can’t move your house any closer to the school you’d like your child to attend, or any further from the noisy train station. It’s really easy to get swept up in enthusiasm when a house ticks most of your boxes except for the area it’s in. If you’re infatuated with a fixer-upper of your dreams in the wrong sort of place, go home and take a cold shower and tell yourself: no. Another gem in a perfect location will come along. 

Whether this is your first home or you’re buying to let, give some thought to these important considerations before you invest your money, time and DIY magic in a fixer-upper. 

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

FOR THE GUYS, ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Do You Exercise Too Much?

Do You Exercise Too Much?

Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. It has a vast range of benefits from helping you to maintain a healthy weight, to boosting your immunity and fighting off disease. Regular exercise can improve your mental health, increase your circulation, improve your social life and mood, and help you to sleep. Your skin might be brighter following exercise, your muscles will be stronger, and your overall fitness will be improved. Even better, there’s no right way of doing it. Some people enjoy running, others hate it and would prefer to do an hour in the gym. Some people struggle to make time to exercise and so focus on YouTube workouts or fitting more walking into their day to day life. But, however you choose to exercise, have you ever considered that you might be doing too much?

Many people have the opposite problem, they find it hard to make the time to exercise, and they have trouble staying motivated long term. But, not everyone. Some of us are going to the gym too often, pushing ourselves too hard. Exercising too much could damage your heart, your muscles, your mind, and even leave you with a frightening exercise addiction. Too much exercise can mean that after sustaining an injury and seeking help from a personal injury lawyer, you struggle to get back to normal and fully recover. 

Do You Exercise Every Day?

Exercising every day can seem like a great idea. You’ll burn more calories and see faster results, right? Well, maybe. It really depends on what you are doing. If you are hitting the gym and working out at an intense level, you should have a day off between workouts to give your muscles the chance to repair and strengthen. If you don’t want to take entire days off, use rest days to practice yoga or go for a long walk.

Do You Ache All of the Time?

It’s normal for your muscles to ache after a tough workout, it’s good even. But, you shouldn’t feel like this all of the time. If you constantly hurt, even following days off, then you might be pushing yourself too hard. 

Chronic pain isn’t the objective when working out. It’s a good idea to treat the muscles kindly after a workout. Take a steam or hot shower to relax those strained muscles. Also maybe you want to try a gentle massage or maybe even consider taking some cbd for pain relief, as this helps to calm the muscles. Relaxed muscles can heal quicker to where you will recover and be ready for the next workout day session sooner.

Have the Results Stopped Coming?

Have you reached the point where you are in the gym everyday but seeing no results? Has your progress plateaued? When this happens, it’s tempting to push harder, and add an extra workout. But, it’s often because your body has got used to the same routine. Instead of working out for longer, try something new. Change your routine, and you might find that you get better results even if you drop a workout or two. 

Are You Tired?

We all get tired sometimes, it usually just means that you are working hard and need a good night’s sleep. The tiredness that you get from exercising too much is a little different. If you feel like you are always tired like you can’t concentrate and even walking to the car is a considerable strain on your body, it’s time to cut down and give yourself a break. 

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.