Category Archives: ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Tips from fixing the room to finding health remedies in the kitchen.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME, SEX & LIFE

Supporting A Friend With Mental Health Issues

Supporting A Friend With Mental Health Issues

Despite a reduction in the stigma around it, there is still no shortage of mental health struggles and mental health conditions.

Worldwide, depression is the leading cause of disability. In the US, nearly 1 in 5 adults struggles with a mental illness.

How can I support a loved one who is struggling with their mental health? is a question often asked. With multiple crises we are currently living through, it is feeling like a lot more people are in pain.

Perhaps your friend or family member has been struggling with anxiety lately, and you might be noticing some changes in their behavior and demeanor. If this is the case, it is a sign that they might really need some support.

Here, we look at what you can do to support a friend with mental health struggles.

Royalty-free image via Pexels

Listen to and acknowledge their issues

If someone close to you is experiencing a difficult time, it can be hard not to jump in and help. Let them take their time and gauge how they would like for you to offer support.

Open-ended questions work well when talking to someone, especially when you are asking about their life situation. These types of questions are helpful in getting a better understanding of what they are going through.

Whenever you get a response, say supportive or affirming things that can help them feel heard.

Many people who struggle with their mental health may often blame or judge themselves about what they are going through. Some may feel that their struggles are not valid because they are mental rather than physical.

It can be hard to understand or relate to someone else’s feelings. However, it may be important to let your loved one know that they are doing a good job and you are proud of them.

Ask them what they want you to do

Rather than assuming what would be beneficial to your loved one, ask them directly: “How can I support you?” or “What would be beneficial to you right now?” Remember that everyone’s definition of support is different, and what you need when you are struggling may not be the same as what someone else requires when they are going through a difficult period. For some people, it might just be continuing to be a shoulder to cry on. For others, it may entail you arranging support from Sunshine Behavioral Health.

Offer support with everyday tasks

Many people who are dealing with mental health issues may find it extremely difficult to make fundamental decisions or complete even seemingly little tasks. Other than saying, “I am here if you need me,” be precise about what you are offering so your friend does not have to worry about reaching out or figuring out what they need in the first place.

If you pay them a visit, have a look around and see what they need help with, such as dishwashing, weeding, vacuuming, or folding laundry. If you speak with them, offer to drive them to a doctor’s appointment or to run them to the shop or make them some meals. 

Celebrate the small achievements

Every day might be difficult for someone who is battling with their mental health. So congratulate them on their achievements and successes. This can help them feel more empowered and capable. Thanking them for being so open and vulnerable with you, or complimenting them on going to work or walking their dog on a daily basis, are examples of this.

Do explore what they are struggling with

You can also relieve them of another significant burden: having to educate you about mental illness. Instead, study more about what they are going through — for example, read more about depression, panic attacks, or anxiety — so you can comprehend their lived experience and be aware of any extreme or risky behaviors or symptoms to watch for.

There are a plethora of resources available online nowadays, ranging from peer-reviewed journals and papers by mental health specialists to blog posts and personal writings by people who understand your loved one’s mental health struggles.

Check in with them regularly

Many people who are struggling with their mental health are already guilty of wasting other people’s time, energy, and mental space. Check in with them on a regular basis – even if it is just a quick message or call, keep them company when you can, and tell them that you love them and are on their team.

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

Increase the Value of Your Home in 7 Simple Steps

Increase the Value of Your Home in 7 Simple Steps

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A home is one of the investments with the best-assured returns one can have. However, this investment can go down the drain quickly if it is not improved regularly.

A well-maintained house can appreciate faster than its actual market value. Many homeowners apply different methods to keep improving the value of their homes.

Have you thought of ways you can increase the value of your home without breaking the bank? These easy steps should guide you to enhance your home to ensure you’re getting the best price on the market:

Improve The Front Yard

The first thing that is noticeable about a home is the front yard. If you have a lawn, consider improving it by laying new sod. 

You can also spruce up the lawn by seeding any empty patches. A full-appearing lawn gives the impression that the property is well maintained and instantly raises the value of your home.

Regularly mowing your lawn is a good way to maintain the appearance of your home. Ensure that it is watered as well to keep a fresh look. 

Besides, poor landscaping can also reduce the value of a property by up to 30%. You want to pay extra attention to how your front yard looks.

Change The Windows

New windows can give an ordinary-looking house a dramatic improvement. Consider the aesthetic appeal and factors like improved natural lighting and air circulation that new windows can bring about.

The advantage of choosing windows/doors is you do not have to re-do all the rooms, and you can select one room you wish to change, like the sitting room or the master bedroom. You can also find window and door replacement experts here to help you with the services. You want to take advantage of this improvement to make sure it is noticeable and adds value to your property.

Re-do The Bathroom

Bathrooms are hard to miss when deciding on whether a house is worth it or not. You can choose to change anything about the bathroom, and its value will improve.

Add floor-length mirrors to create the illusion of a large bathroom. Go for glass partitions instead of walls to give the bathroom a modern look and spacious.

The trick is to choose one noticeable feature and improve on it dramatically. A well-finished bathroom is an attractive quality in any home and one of the keys to increasing the overall value.

Make Creative Use of Space

Cluttered homes appear small and unappealing to most people. Make creative use of space to add more room for storage and leave the floors free from clutter.

Areas like the space under staircases make for a good storage area. Create shelves in strategic places for additional storage space.

New Appliances 

No one wants to buy a home with old, malfunctioning appliances. Choose an instrument you consider essential in the house and replace it with a better, modern version.

A new washer and drier or a modern kitchen stove adds value to the home. You could also invest in a more efficient home heating/cooling system depending on what you think needs the most improvement and is likely to get noticed.

Change The Kitchen 

Given the importance of ensuring that the kitchen is able to not only meet your aesthetic and stylistic demands but to stay practical, you need to be careful in your choice of professional when changing it. Good kitchen renovations require highly skilled and qualified teams behind them. They also require a priority, whether you’re simply looking to update the style, to put in new appliances, open up new space, or otherwise.

The kitchen is one of the high-ranking areas of value in the home. You do not have to re-do the whole kitchen to increase its value.

Noticeable areas in the kitchen are the floor and storage space. Re-doing the floor to a more efficient and safe design will increase the value of your home.

If the kitchen is spacious, adding an island that serves as an eating area and storage space is a creative way to spruce the kitchen. Additional modern features that offer convenience, like a garbage drainer, make it more attractive and valuable.

Repaint The Outside

The general view of the house from the outside gives a first glance of how your home looks. A new paint coat is an excellent way to increase the value of your home.

A new repaint will make your house stand out from other houses in the neighbourhood. Consider doing this at least once every two years.

Decorate

One of the easiest ways to improve the value of your house is to decorate tastefully. Adding features like quality artwork will make the home appealing.

Decorations like art appreciate with time. Consider it a worthwhile addition to your house that complements its value.

Furnishings like chandeliers are also another way to make your house more attractive while improving the value at the same time. Whichever furnishings and decorations you choose to improve, go for timeless pieces.

Conclusion

As the housing market continues to rise in the USA, take advantage and position yourself to benefit from your investment. These simple steps should help you improve the value of your home in the market and put you in a better position financially.

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

Easy Ways To Make Your Home Feel Brand New

Easy Ways To Make Your Home Feel Brand New

Are you thinking about making some changes to your home? This doesn’t need to be as complicated as you might imagine. Here are some simple choices that could definitely be worth exploring here. 

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Change The Flooring 

First, you should consider changing the flooring of your home to make it look incredible. You might think that this means that you need to lay down new flooring. However, we’re delighted to say that this is not the case. Instead, it’s possible that you can get a new look simply by refinishing hardwood floors. Floor refinishing will give the floor a new brilliant shade that is sure to stand out and look incredible. Alternatively, you could just add some new rugs to the floor. This is a great way to add additional texture to the overall design of the room. 

Add New Life To The Walls 

Next, you could think about bringing new life to the walls. The right choices here can help invigorate different spaces around your property. The choices you make here don’t have to be tremendously expensive. For instance, you can think about adding decals to the different spaces around your home. Decals can look incredible while easily being removed or added as you see fit. This gives you complete freedom to design the ideal space for you as well as the rest of your family. 

Buy Fresh Furniture 


Alternatively, you might want to think about buying new furniture for your home. Investing in new furniture is a fun way to ensure that your home looks and feels completely different. You can even choose different types of furniture that are going to help areas of your property stand out due to the shapes and shades used. If you are interested in adding new furniture to your home, we recommend that you think about exploring the sales. Some of the best sales will allow you to keep costs low here while gaining exactly what you were hoping for. You should also explore interior design blogs to find on trend pieces that will match your home. 


Change The Lighting 


Finally, you might want to think about changing the lighting of different rooms in your home. The lighting can have a huge impact on the way a room in your home looks and feels. To handle this, you should think about altering the fixtures. New fixtures can have tremendous impact and there are lots of different choices that could be worth exploring here. For instance, you might want to explore contemporary lighting fixtures or go more retro with your design options. 


We hope this helps you understand some of the easy steps that you can take to ensure that your home feels fresh and exciting. By exploring the right options here, you can guarantee that you love the look and feel of your home once more. The best part is that a lot of these possibilities won’t break the bank. You can make awesome changes to your home even if you are working with a tight budget.

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

Car Maintenance: It Should Be Important To You!

Car Maintenance: It Should Be Important To You!

The car that you invest in is going to get you where you want to go, to work, to school. Your car is your key to freedom and without it, you can often be stuck in one place for much longer than you ever intended to be. The car you buy is going to carry you for what should be many years, so the most important thing that you do is ensure that you are taking care of it. The last thing that you need is your car breaking down on you and preventing you from completing your errands or preventing you from getting to work. It’s for this reason alone that car maintenance should be important to you and your family.

Most of the time (and with the help of things like OEM Lincoln repair manuals), you can complete car repairs yourself at home. Filling the oil and replacing the windshield wiper fluids are things that you can do in your own garage, but you need to know where to get the best car maintenance regardless. If you have a good mechanic on hand to help, you won’t ever have to worry about whether or not your car is going to wear out before you have a chance to fix it! So, why is car maintenance such an important part of life?

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  1. You’ll keep yourself and everyone else safe. When your car is working at its optimum ability, you’re going to ensure that you and all of your potential passengers are okay in your car. You want to maximize vehicular safety; it’s why you use seatbelts. Well, your car maintenance is just as important as using a seatbelt and if you take care of your car, you’re going to minimize the risks of any accidents occurring. You won’t need to worry about the brake pads wearing out or the brake lines being a problem. Safety first, always.
  2. Your car will continue to perform at its best. As well as increasing your safety, your car will be better performed than it would if you weren’t keeping up with maintenance services. Your car will continue to purr along the road rather than screeching as you drive, and you will have better tire traction, better steering and more reliable brakes.
  3. You’ll save money! When you are taking care of your car regularly enough, you’re going to prevent the larger issues that come along. It’s much better to pay a little now than to pay a lot later, and you can save money by booking an appointment with your mechanic at least a couple of times per year.
  4. You’ll save money on fuel. When your car is in good condition, you’re going to be able to save money on file because the car won’t be working so hard to keep moving forward. You want to be able to keep up on the maintenance services and you can do this by scheduling an appointment every six months to have your car checked over.
  5. You’re going to save time. No one wants their schedule interrupted by constant appointments at the garage. You are going to save yourself the time spent getting the car fixed and in the shop for weeks at a time because you took the time to have shorter appointments to check it’s working through the year. If you are really unlucky, you might have to deal with auto repair issues that can be huge, and you might not be able to drive your car for weeks if your car has some big issues.
  6. Your car will maintain its value. Sure, your car loses value the moment you drive it off the lot when you’ve bought a brand new one, but if you maintain your car, it’ll preserve some of the value. When you maintain and make upgrades, you can even improve the value of the car despite the original price point being lower. If you are planning to sell one day, staying on top of maintenance is a must and you’ll make for a much more pleasant driving experience when you do. 

Taking your car to regular checkups is just good sense when you are trying to keep yourself safe on the road, keep your cash in your account and not hemorrhaging it trying to constantly keep up with repairs. It’s important that you take this seriously as your safety matters. Once you notice any issues, getting your car checked is the best decision that you could make.

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

Plants are Companions

Plants are Companions

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

When I was little, I heard someone say, ‘Plants are companions’. My child-ears thought this was nuts, but as I grew into adulthood, I kind of understood what they actually meant. Plants are a living, breathing-thing that have the ability to grow and die. They need care and sustenance to survive.

Plants and Flowers are Kinda Just like You and Me

Think about it… plants and flowers need food and water, just like us. Also, they need sun, just like us. Our human bodies need minerals and vitamins to grow. A lot of those vitamins come from the ground. It’s the same with plants and flowers. If the soil is rich in vitamins and minerals, the better they will grow. Yes, we eat plants and even some flowers, but that’s part of the whole food chain lesson. Humans eat animals, too, but a large number of humans have animals as pets. So, what’s so odd about having plants as a foliage sort of pet?

Benefits of Being Friends with Flowers

Photo by Saliha from Pexels

Flowers are beautiful, aromatic and have the ability to change someone’s mood. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. It doesn’t just work on one of your senses, some plants and flowers have the ability to work on several of your five senses at the same time.

  • Taking care of a house plant can reduce stress and irritability.
  • House plants and flowers can produce cleaner air to breathe
  • House plants can help teach young-ones responsibilities
  • Colors of leaves and buds can help produce relaxing chemicals in the brain.
  • Flowers can produce an aroma therapy with fragrant scents in the office or home.

Give Yourself the Gift of Flowers

You don’t need someone to give you flowers. You are an independent human that can be in charge of your own happiness. So, why not! Decorate your home or office with some flowers and plants. Some cars even come with flower vases in the console! See flowers and plants have the power to bring happiness. So if you’re feeling like you need a boost, make daily or weekly trips to your local florist. I know it’s much easier if you’re in a big city like New York to hit best NYC florists like Plant Shed. You can check out Plant Shed New York City locations to see if you are nearby.

Talking to Your Plants

Believe it or not, there have been studies done on this for years. And it turns out, according to even the Royal Horticultural Society, founded in 1804, talking to plants will help them grow. Another fun fact they found out, plants seemed to respond faster to female voices. Go figure. But that’s not saying it doesn’t respond to a man.  So, either way, talking to the plants and flowers will help them grow.

Doesn’t that kind of prove that plants can be companions of sorts. It responds to your voice, it helps eliminate stress, it can help make you feel happier and better, as long as you’re not allergic to them. You don’t need a garden to get the benefits of plants and flowers. It is easy enough for some to visit the florist and for others, it is possible that you can order online and have delivery right to your door from some florists. So I guess I would have to say, the words I heard all those years ago, were wise words, indeed.

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.