ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

So You’ve Had A Windfall: What To Splash Out On In Your Home

So You’ve Had A Windfall: What To Splash Out On In Your Home

pexels-photo-121537Image source

If you’ve had a windfall, congratulations! Hopefully you’re saving most of it for a rainy day, or for your kids’ college educations or – more excitingly – the vacation of a lifetime. But when a lot of us get windfalls, we often think of improving our homes. Sure, there are debts to pay off, and things to save for – but our homes seem like worthwhile investments. Here are some changes you could possibly make to your home with your new windfall…

A New Couch

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Pros: We all spend a pretty sizeable amount of our lives on our couches, so why not make it as superhumanly comfortably as we possibly can? After all, you get what you pay for, and if you spend more than you usually would on a couch, you’ll probably get it back in how much comfort and happiness it gives you.

Cons: How much money should you spend on a couch really? It won’t increase the value of your house in any way, and it might encourage you to stay in too much and watch TV instead of going out and being active.

Air Conditioning

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Pros: In the summer, good air conditioning is something that will turn your life from a nightmare into a dream. When it’s boiling outside, stepping into a cool house is truly balm for the soul. Being able to control the temperature of your home with the aid of a company like acpulse.com feels like a real privilege, especially when it’s uncomfortably warm outside and your windfall won’t quite stretch to installing a pool.

Cons: It’s still January, for starters. Do you really want to spend all your money on something that’s only going to be useful for part of the year?

A Bathroom Renovation

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Pros: It will be heaven. Very little is more enjoyable than a perfect hot shower and a bathroom renovation can help to get you there. Plus, bathroom renovations are very appealing to people looking to buy houses – it could help you if you want to move onto a new place.

Cons: A lot of us have more than one bathroom, and if you only upgrade one of them then the rest of your family members might just get annoyed with you. Still, it might be worth it for your new twin sinks and shiny new shower with its perfect water pressure.

A New Bed

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Pros: There’s nothing that will improve your health better than getting a good night’s sleep as often as you can. A new bed – and new linens as well, with a considerably higher thread count – will make your back and neck less sore and achy, and will help you tackle life more easily after you’ve slept better at night.

Cons: Will you ever get out of your bed again if it’s even more comfortable than it already is? Being late for work might become the norm instead of the exception. More seriously, if you want to use your windfall to raise the value of your house, buying a new bed isn’t the solution.

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, QUICKIES

Don’t Forget These Essential Items When Moving In (A Must For The First Day!)

Don’t Forget These Essential Items When Moving In (A Must For The First Day!)

Moving can be one of the most stressful times of your life. And the actual day itself can be a day of woes. But as long as you pack correctly and label all your boxes, it doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, check out my previous blog to minimize moving stress. But as well as being organized, you need to ensure you have some vital items with you. After all, there will be some things you need to do straight away that won’t wait until you open all your boxes. Therefore, here are some essential items you need when moving in which are a must on the first day.

A set of tools

When you move into your new home, you will want to start building important items like the bed straight away. And unless you have the tools to do it, you won’t be able to do it during the first day. But it’s never fun to sleep on a mattress on the floor during your first night in a new home. And it can take forever to find your tools in one of the millions of boxes now sitting in your new home. Therefore, make sure you take a separate bag with vital tools that you can start using straight away!

pexels-photo-175039  Pexels

Light bulbs

It’s also important that you go to the house as soon as you get the keys to check if there are any missing light bulbs. After all, you don’t want to end up in darkness during your first night in your new home. If there any missing, make sure you write down exactly what kind of bulbs you require. That way, you can go quickly to the shop to find some new bulbs. You might want to consider going for Household LED Bulbs which will ensure your home is flooded with light when you move in. And these type of bulbs can help you to save money on your energy bills! Therefore, it might be worth paying a little extra and going for LED’s for your property.

A kettle

Moving heavy items and unpacking boxes can be thirsty work. And the worst thing can be if you can’t find a kettle to make hot drinks. After all, you will want to have a coffee to help you have energy while you are busy moving home. Therefore, keep the kettle separate so that you can easily find it to put in your new kitchen. And if you don’t want to carry your heavy kettle around, you can find a small portable one which will be brilliant to just use for a couple of days!

hand-1837042_960_720Image from Pexels

A sharp knife

When you packed your boxes, you would have ensured they were tightly taped, so your belongings stayed safe. But now you have moved, it can be a challenge to get in them. Therefore, you need to ensure you pack a sharp knife with you so that you can easily open the boxes. After all, you don’t want to spend ages trying to get into the boxes. Go for a couple of different sizes which can help you get into a range of boxes.

And keep your mobile phone with you, so that you can ring suppliers to tell them you have moved in!

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

Want To Sell Your House? 4 Tips For Inexpensive Investments To Boost Your Home’s Value

Want To Sell Your House? 4 Tips For Inexpensive Investments To Boost Your Home’s Value

For every homeowner who is planning to sell the house, there is a list of essential renovation works that need to happen to survive the house inspection. For example, making sure that your roof is weatherproof and that all problems are fixed, whether they relate to the windows, the plumbing or even the interior wiring, will only ensure that buyers are not rebuffed when they see the house. But once these are done, there is still plenty you can do on a small budget to increase the value of your home dramatically! Here is a list of the top four DIY projects that can improve your house value.

#1. Plan A Front Yard Makeover

Your front yard is the first impression that potential buyers will receive from your house. So, i the same way that most readers will tend to judge a book by its cover, most buyers will already have formed an opinion of your house when they see the front yard. Therefore it is essential that you take great care of it. Keeping it clean and mowing the lawn is the very minimum that you could do. Remember that your front yard is your way of telling buyers that you took great pride in the home. Working with edges can create clear lines that immediately make a positive impression. Have a little dig online for garden landscaping inspiration: After all the better and the most colorful your front yard will look, the more enthusiastic buyers will be about your house.

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#2. Cozy Living Room

Create a sense of coziness in the living room. For this, you will need to use warm and colorful cushions on the couch to create a feeling of being warm. Additionally, a scented candle will subtly change the ambiance of the room, so pick something soothing such as lavender or jasmine. If your house has a fireplace, do try to have a fire going during the visits as this will enhance the general coziness of the place. If you don’t have a fireplace, you might want to consider the addition of an electric alternative that will create the same impression of warmth. Check the best electric fireplace option for your house and your needs with experts online.

fireplace-1464166_960_720A cozy fire

#3. Attic Insulation

Insulating your attic can not only save you a lot of money on your energy bills, but this is a great selling argument too. You can easily follow DIY tutorials to insulate your attic and your roof with effective but inexpensive materials, and also to caulk around doors and windows. If you are new to this, you may want to count a whole weekend of work, but be assured that this will not be wasted time as buyers will appreciate the effort.

#4. Boost The Bathroom

You can visibly improve the look of your bathroom without starting a big renovation project. Re-grouting your shower for a start will have a positive impact on the room. Little touches, such as new light fixtures and a new mirror, for example, can change a room. And don’t forget to freshen it up with a new coat of paint too! Choose your color wisely as they will create the whole atmosphere for the bathroom! So make it clean and bright!

300817084_31ba59bf08_bPhoto courtesy of Axel Tregoning

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.

BEAUTY, ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME, Responses from Tips

7 Easy Everyday Drinks That Fight Inflammation

By Guest Blogger Jessica S.

7 Easy Everyday Drinks That Fight Inflammation

Chronic inflammation has affected millions of adults in recent years. Inflammation has been found to have direct links to the most common diseases causing the rising mortality rate. It may manifest in common conditions and diseases like arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory pressure. Not all inflammation are bad as this is the body’s natural signal to fight off foreign invaders. But too much-prolonged inflammation oftentimes leads to painful body conditions.

When the body’s immune response stays “on†and inflammation has persisted, the body might experience any of earlier-mentioned diseases and conditions. It is highly likely that inflammation is the root cause. It is the product of our stationary lifestyle and poor eating choices. Inflammation has led to a number of different diseases that we may not have noticed, thus accumulated over time. Luckily, experts have noted that there are anti-inflammatory foods that can help beat and help prevent inflammation and also provide relief.

It is imperative that you make drastic measures to change your lifestyle. As you age, these common diseases will hinder your daily activities and might cost you thousands in hospital bills and medication. By finding out more about the all-natural healing foods, you can get a head start on fighting the root cause of the cited diseases.

We have compiled the powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients in a colorful infographic below.  The graphic details drinkable solutions that can be made using the common household names such as green tea and ginger.

With the graphic below, you can finally put an end to inflammation even before it becomes a bigger problem.

7 Easy Everyday Drinks That Fight Inflammation

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.

BEAUTY

The Power of Mint on Your Face and Body

By Guest Blogger Alize C.

The Power of Mint on Your Face and Body

thIn a previous post on Tips from Tia, the benefits of lavender oil was tackled but today, the spotlight is on mint. You may know this essence best as a flavour of tea, gum or Tic-Tac considering that it gives off a natural soothing sensation and fragrance. That’s also why it’s commonly used in toothpaste. According to Tooth Wisdom U, the usual toothpaste being mint flavoured doesn’t necessarily affect its mouth cleaning properties and even mentioned several other flavours of toothpaste. It’s just that mint really has that soothing and refreshing taste which feels nicer after every brush. The ‘coolness’ attached to mint not only applies orally, but visually as well.

Everyone knows mint as a popular colour given that it’s ‘cool’ to look at and not heavy on the eyes. A blog post from Tootsa highlighted how nice it appears when paired with melon and few will argue against the intrinsically appealing colour combination. With all that being said, this familiar extract has so much more other uses than just a breath freshener or for a colour basis in fashion. Mint has numerous beneficial properties which is why it’s used by many self-conscious individuals in their beauty regimes. In this tips sharing session, let’s learn about the power of mint when applied to your face and body. Let’s start with your hair. Did you know that mint can make your hair stronger?

Photo provided by Guest Blogger Ken Thomas
Photo provided by Guest Blogger Ken Thomas

The Experts’ Column enumerated several benefits of mint and mentioned that a solution made of boiled mint leaves together with celery will strengthen your locks and even help in preventing hair loss. Create your own minty hair wash by boiling the leaves in water for 20 minutes, straining the herbs, and rinsing your hair with the liquid after it becomes lukewarm. If you or someone you know has head lice, it’s also worth noting that mint can help solve the problem given that it acts as a natural insect repellent. Depending on the degree of infestation, apply mint oil on your hair for up to four times each week, gradually lessening the frequency as the condition gets better.

Moving down to the face, you can use mint paste to get rid of blackheads. Style Craze explained how and stated that you should apply the paste and let it stay on your face for at least 15 minutes. Afterwards, wash it completely with warm water. For those suffering from acne, mint will also serve as natural remedy. A paste made from mint leaves and rose water applied regularly to the face for 20 minutes will help treat the condition or prevent it from returning. If you’re face just needs maintenance for that youthful glow, create a mint-based toner or astringent by boiling mint leaves in water.

Additionally, mint essence has components that can tighten pores and you can achieve this effect by scrubbing your face with a mixture recommended by India Times which is made of crushed mint leaves and honey. Face masks containing the ingredient will help keep your face feeling cool and soft as well. Bride Everyday shared different methods of making your own mint face mask which varies depending on your skin type.

As for the body, one surefire way to hydrate and moisturise your skin is to mix oats in mint juice and using the concoction as a body scrub. The combination of oats which brushes off dead skin cells and mint which soothes your skin will leave you revitalized after each bath!

“Slippers†by winnond FreeDigitalPhotos.net
“Slippers†by winnond
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Lastly, you can eliminate cracked heels through mixing boiled mint leaves in a tub of warm water and soaking your feet in it. Notice how soft the soles of your feet feel after doing this ritual. Now that you know several benefits of mint from head to toe, it’s time to consider this ingredient more when choosing your beauty products. Seeing as it’s all natural, it’s a bonus not having to worry about any side effects.

These are just some of the benefits of mint on your face and body, and there are so much more you can do with this essence. If you have additional tips to share regarding mint, do share your beauty regimen through your comments!

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.

NOTES SECTION: Image: https://pixabay.com/en/mint-peppermint-leaves-green-herb-1433826/ Written by Alize Cherry Exclusive for tipsfromtia.com

Everyday Tips from Tia