All posts by Tia

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

From Run-Down To Ravishing: How To Make Your Renovation Project A Success

From Run-Down To Ravishing: How To Make Your Renovation Project A Success

There are some incredible old properties on the market but sadly, some of them have seen better days, but this doesn’t mean that they no longer serve a purpose. A growing number of adventurous investors and creative buyers are looking for a project. When you’re buying a house, it’s not always pristine showhomes that catch your eye. With a renovation project, there’s potential to create the home of your dreams. If you’re hoping to turn a run-down wreck into a ravishing retreat, here are some tips:

Plan carefully

Renovation work is often time-consuming, and it requires careful planning. Before you buy a house, you’ll need to know how much the build will cost, how much value you could add, and whether it’s viable to do what you want to do. It’s wise to consult with planning officers, architects, and building firms. It’s not enough to have a vision and a rough budget in mind. You need proper plans in place to make sure that you’re making the right decision.

Investing in older properties can be incredibly lucrative, but it can also end up draining your resources. It’s essential that you select the right people for the job ahead. Prioritize the work from most important and most costly to least important. For example, you may want to hire a roofing contractor like National Home Improvement to look at the integrity of the roof before anything else, as this is a larger project than most. 

Don’t shirk on expert help

It may seem relatively straightforward to come up with design ideas, especially if you’re blessed with creative talents. However, there’s an awful lot of work that goes into rebuilding and restoring a house. You’ll need to make sure that your plans satisfy building regulations, and seek planning permission for any structural changes you want to make, or extensions you wish to add. Calling in expert help may be costly, but it could save you significant sums in the long-run. If you get it wrong, you’ll end up paying experienced professionals to sort out a mess, which could have been prevented in the first place. You can help out with the odd job on-site, but you need people with the relevant expertise on board. Roofing jobs, for example, may look simple enough. But there’s a lot of skill that goes into fixing loose tiles, fitting a polycarbonate sheet or tending to leaks. Other jobs you might want to call the professionals out for include clearing a blocked drain, other plumbing work and electrical jobs.

Some people sail through the process of restoring an old house without any major hiccups, but it’s always a good idea to make contingency plans. You may encounter problems that have implications for the timeframe and budget. If you’ve set aside some money, and you have somewhere to stay while work is underway, this will save you stress and hassle if you do hit 

Be original

If you’re renovating a house, seize the opportunity to inject your style and personality, and be original. It can be tough to see past the decor and style in a brand new home. But with a project, you have free reign to celebrate your taste and design your ideal home. Look online and flick through some magazines for inspiration and ideas.

If you’ve bought an old home in need of some TLC, there’s probably a lot of work to do. This is an exciting time, but it can also be stressful. Plan ahead, work with experts, and always have contingency plans in place, just in case. Once you’ve got the major jobs sorted, start thinking about the interior, and be original with your ideas. This is your chance to create the home of your dreams!

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.

SEX & LIFE

What Not to Do After a Car Accident

What Not to Do After a Car Accident

Car accidents are horrible. Whether you were driving or the passenger, whether it was your fault or someone else’s, it’s awful. It’s scary, even if it’s a relatively minor incident where there’s not much damage, and no one is injured, having to get out of the car, speak to the other party and assess the situation is frightening. It’s not something that any of us are ever prepared for, and it’s never taught in driving school. It can be terrifying, and most of us just want to get home and find some comfort. 

Of course, if you are injured, your next steps might be dictated. But, in most cases, the incident is minor, and we can just carry on. But, because of the scariness of the situation, many people don’t do the right things. They panic, and they make mistakes. Here are some of the things that you SHOULDN’T do after a road accident. 

Drive Off

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You should never just drive away from an accident. Even if no one has seen and everything seems fine, you need to stop the car. If another party is involved, you need to swap license and insurance details and if necessary call the police and an ambulance. It can be a good idea to call the police even if you don’t think it’s that bad, just in case. Failing to stop the car after an accident is a crime, and the punishment can be severe, depending on the nature and results of the crash. It’s always best to stop!

Get Angry

The worst thing that you can do is get out of the car and start screaming and shouting. It could affect your passenger in car accident settlement later on, or mean that you get yourself in trouble. At the very least it will make a tense situation a lot worse. Even if the other party was clearly at fault, and you are raging, take a few seconds to breathe deeply before getting out of your car to speak with them. Be as calm as you possibly can, and if you feel your temper rising, walk away for a few moments, or wait for the police to arrive before carrying on the conversation. 

Forget to Take Details

Sometimes, accidents are very minor. Someone might crash into you in a car park, or while moving very slowly in traffic. These tend to occur during a brief lapse in concentration and don’t tend to cause much damage. You might see only a few small scratches and think it’s not worth swapping details. But, the damage might be more than you can see. You should still swap license and insurance details, even if you think it will go no further. 

Drive as Normal

Even after one of these minor bumps, you should take your car into the garage to be checked. You never know what damage you might not be able to see, which could be making your vehicle unsafe, or becoming a much more costly problem while you are driving. Get it checked out even if it seems fine. 

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

Coping with an A/C Breakdown this Summer

Coping with an A/C Breakdown this Summer

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Imagine it, a swelteringly hot summers day, you’ve been out in the sun all day, drinking with your friends, playing in the garden with kids, doing some planting or just relaxing on your own with a favorite book and a comfy chair. It’s been great. You’ve had a fantastic summers day. But then you want to cool off. You walk into your house only to find that the A/C is out. It’s broken down and needs to be repaired. You’re suddenly faced with the prospect of an evening in a boiling house. You can’t cool off, you can’t sleep, and life has just become much more uncomfortable. What do you do?

Well, first, remember that it’s not the end of the world. There are places all over the world where air conditioning isn’t standard. Where their homes are hot all summer long, and they have to find other ways to keep cool.

Get it Fixed

If you want a comfortable and healthy summer, you need your air conditioning. Calling a reputable company like Area Sheet Metal or someone more local for swift and reliable AC Repair is the best option to get you back into a cooler environment for the long run this summer.

So, if you can, getting your unit fixed as soon as possible should be a priority. Find a dependable air conditioner repair company that can get out to you quickly. Even if you have a little wait, at least you’ll know the matter is in hand. 

Invest in a Fan

In the meantime, fans are your friends. You don’t need big industrial machines for your home, small desk fans, and upright fans for bigger areas can do the job well. Some people struggle to sleep with a fan in the room, but it can still be worth it to have on for a few hours before bed. 

Freeze Your Bedding

It might sound a little dramatic, but freezing your sheets and bed clothes can be a fantastic way to cool your bed down for long enough for you to get to sleep. Sure, it will warm up again during the night, but hopefully, the air temperature will have cooled down by then. 

Fold your pillowcase, sheet and PJ’s up and seal them in an airtight freezer bag. Place them in your freezer for as long as you can (even a few minutes will help) before you need them. Your bed will be cool for long enough for you to drift off to sleep.

Chill Out

In very hot weather, and conversely, terrible snowy weather, we find ourselves saying things like “it would be fun if I didn’t have to go about my day to day life†Snow is lovely to look at and play in until you’ve got to get to work and do the shopping. The sun is the same. It’s lovely when you are chilling in the garden, but horrible when you have chores to do and a life to lead. 

While your A/C is down, do as little as you can get away with at home. Leave the chores until it’s back online. Spend time resting and relaxing, and it will be much easier to keep your body temperature down. 

Stick to Water

There’s not much more relaxing than sitting by the pool sipping a cocktail. But, in a stuffy and hot house, alcohol won’t help. You’ll have hot flushes, you’ll sweat, and it will be very hard to get comfy. Stick to iced water instead. 

​Tia and TipsfromTia.com are 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, TikTok, or Instagram.

SEX & LIFE

Are You Living A Sexually Healthy Lifestyle?

Are You Living A Sexually Healthy Lifestyle?

There are many ways you can stay fit and healthy for your body, but what about sexuality? Sex is a part of everyone, you can’t help being who you are and we all have urges. However rather than thinking about sexy only when we want it, we need to start living a more sexually healthy lifestyle as well. For example, you may not even know that there are certain things you can do to improve your sexdrive and the health of your reproductive organs. We can’t demand our respective tools to jump into life whenever we want them to and not be in some kind of discomfort. We need to have a good heart first of all as our blood pressure and heart rate massively spike when we are in the act. We also need to stay active in between each meeting and that requires some different kinds of exercises.

For your benefit

The fat distribution for men and women is very different. Men store most of their fat on their upper body. Usually it’s all around their stomach and on the waist. For women however it’s mostly in the lower body such as in the hips, buttocks and legs. So to help your body be more ready for sex, you should workout these areas the more often. You don’t need to do weight training as this will burn off a lot of fat which you need. Instead you should do aerobics that focus on your buttocks and legs. This can be things like standing bodyweight squats, calf toning exercises and lunges to improve your rear. Overall this helps your joints as well, making you more flexible and improving your overall stamina too. 

On the go

You’d be surprised at how many couples have spontaneous sex. It’s not all about pre-planned meals with candlelights and romantic music. Many people would prefer to just have sex when they want it no matter where it is than have it planned. It’s just more exciting that way, but don’t forget you don’t want any unplanned mishaps. The benefit of pre-planned sex is that you can plan it out; obviously. So if you’re on the go, don’t make the unfortunate mistake of not carrying contraception options. You have many different contraceptive measures for men but also for women. It’s not just the pill, but things like the femidom and the ring. These things will help you and your partner have safer sex and prevent diseases from spreading or any unwanted pregnancies from occuring.

Engage in fantasy

Believe it not, sex can get boring. If it’s just too predictable it becomes a chore rather than a pleasure. So engage in fantasy. Talk about your sexual desires, secrets and fantasies with your partner. But don’t just talk about them, act them out. You can fulfill each other’s fantasies and mix it up a bit. Keep sex fun, adventurous and indulge in your guilty pleasures.

Many of us aren’t worried about sex until we need it. You should work to have a better, healthier sex life by keeping your body is tip top shape. Engage in fantasies and spontaneous sex, but always be careful and be safe as well.

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, SEX & LIFE

Beat Summertime Blues

Beat Summertime Blues


The summer is usually a time to shed the winter funk. The sun shines brighter. The weather is warmer. Birds are always singing a song. But for some, those feelings of depression are hard to shake, no matter how beautiful the day is.

Here’s some ideas on how to quash those summertime blues.

It’s okay to take a break


Summer is the most widely acceptable time to take a vacation. Vacations can be expensive, stressful and above all give you the need to have a vacation after your vacation. Plan accordingly. Give yourself a day of rest after you get back.

If you don’t have the funds to go away, plan a few days of a staycation. Sure, use a few days to get things done on your to-do list, but remember to have time to rest as well as have fun.

Keep a journal

Keeping a journal is a great way to release the everyday stress and low thoughts going on. Write down what’s bothering you. But here’s a twist, finish your thoughts with positive goals. List options of how to fix the situation or write out positive quotes to balance your mindset.

Plan for the future

We all have dreams and goals. Planning for the future allows you to look past the hopelessness of a bad moment. Write out a five-year plan. After that, write down a one-year plan. This will help give you realistic steps on how to accomplish your dream-worthy goals. This might take a couple hours, days or weeks, but write down things that you look forward to achieving.

You’re not alone

Summer can bring on emotions of feeling alone. Friends are on vacation. Perhaps, you and your partner have parted ways for the summer. Use this time to focus on yourself. Get healthy. Mental health is just as important as physical health.

Take an exercise class. Start walking. Being active releases positive brain chemicals to fight off depression.

Next, find someone to talk to. There’s plenty of great ways to approach this. Ask your doctor to refer a therapist. Or, talk to a therapist or counselor online. Sometimes, we as humans get lonely. But know this, you are not alone.  There are many outlets to remind us of that if we just take a second to look beyond ourselves.

Find your joy

You can make this task easy or difficult. Think back to when you were a child. Simple things made you happy. Yes, some we’re material things. However, there were plenty of things that put a smile on your face without costing a thing. I’m not saying live in the past. Move forward with child-like eyes. Enjoy the simple things in life. Enjoy that sunset. Enjoy taking off your shoes and walking in the grass. Enjoy sitting by the city fountain on a hot day and feeling the cool spray of the water.

Your best days are ahead of you. Just remember to rest, get healthy, find your peace and learn what makes you happy.

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.