3 Things You Need to Make Maintaining Your Pool Easy

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When you’ve got a pool, you don't want to spend all your time maintaining it - you want to be doing lengths or splashing around with the kids! Luckily, keeping your pool hygienic and warm with minimal effort doesn't have to cost a lot. In fact, there are a few gadgets that are ideal for those chores you don't want to do. 

You might already know about using bicarbonate of soda (which seems to do everything!) to balance the pH levels of your pool, but have you considered these pool maintenance magic tricks? 

Robotic Pool Cleaners

Okay, so admittedly a robotic pool cleaner is on the expensive side, but once you’ve made the investment it will quickly become apparent that you’ve spent your money well. Robotic pool cleaners are generally energy efficient, low maintenance and will just get on with the job. 

You will probably need to be there to set up the robot so that it can analyse the dimensions of your pool and you can decide on how intensely you want it cleaned. But after that, all you need to do is put it in the water and press go. It will do the rest for you. Your robotic pool cleaner will scrub the walls and floor of your pool and removing dirt and bacteria. This will mean that not only will your pool look better, it will also be safer to swim in and require fewer chemicals. 

Pool Cover

If you have a heated pool or find that you get a lot of leaves and other debris in the water, pool covers are just what you need. It will protect the water and will even retain some heat over night. This means that you will spend less on heating the pool up again in the morning - much more energy efficient!

There are all sorts of pool covers to choose from and what you decide should be based on your needs. For example, you might want a pool cover that is easy to put on and take off each day to protect the pool overnight, or you might be looking for something to let your pool hibernate over the winter months. Compare all the different types before you choose the one for you. 

A Tennis Ball

This might come as a surprise but when you think about it, the reasoning is pretty good. Your pool is probably full of suntan lotion and sunblock after a full day of swimming. These oils are harmless, but they don’t belong in the pool and will make it look dirty if they aren't dealt with. This is where your tennis ball comes in. Leave it bobbing around on the surface of your pool all the time to slowly collect up the oils on top of the water. And when it’s not looking so good, chuck it in the washing machine. It will come out as new, ready to go back to floating about on your pool again.

With these 3 magical maintenance tricks, you can go back to topping up your tan and keeping up your fitness. After all, that’s what the pool is really for. 

Pro Tips For Easy Ways To Improve Your Home

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We all lead busy lives, and this can sometimes mean that we struggle to find the time to work on home improvements. Sometimes a job seems too daunting or time-consuming to be worth doing.Whether you want to jazz up your house before selling and moving on or you just want your home to feel nicer, it can feel like a big task. Fortunately, there are some simple methods that everyone can follow to help refresh their home.

Repaint Inside

Adding a fresh lick of paint to your walls is a great way to breath new life into a room. The current walls don’t need to look old and tatty for this to have a significant effect. Sometimes just changing things up and doing something different is enough to help a room feel refreshed. If you have wallpaper and would prefer not to replace it (as this can get expensive), then instead consider hanging some paintings or wall prints. This can have a similar effect to repainting a room. When painting a room don’t forget to think about what colors you are using. Bathrooms enjoy blues due to their relationship to water and bedrooms prefer warm, comforting colors. Living rooms and dining areas often have bright, welcoming colors used as this makes them an enjoyable place to sit and relax. However, don’t be afraid to experiment and go with a color scheme that you enjoy not one that someone on the internet told you was best.

Repaint Outside

When painting, people often neglect the outside of their house. A lot of homes include some paint outdoors. Whether that is on the garage, a specific wall or their shingles, over time this paint will fade. This is only natural due to the paint continually dealing with varying weather. However, you can make your home look new again by merely repainting those areas. It is usually best to stick to the same color that came before and not to rock the boat too much. However, it is your house, so go with whatever color you prefer. Remember that you will need to buy specialist paint depending on what you are painting. When painting high off the ground be sure to have a second person around to hold the ladder to avoid any falls or dangerous situations.

Fix Broken Things

This might seem obvious, but broken things are often left that way for a while before fixing. Sometimes you just learn to live with it in its damaged state. This is entirely understandable since getting them fixed is hardly going to be the highlight of your week. However, taking some time to get them sorted will help your house feel better, and it will be one less thing that you need to worry about. For example, you might have learned how to live with a broken garage door and have adapted merely around it.If you just take some time to hire a garage door repair company to fix it for you, then it will make your life that much more comfortable.

New Furniture

Replacing old furniture goes a long way towards helping your house feel nicer. Whether you have had that same bed for years or are in need of a new couch, buying a new one will help to lift the room and make your home feel fresher. When picking new furniture make sure that it goes with your current fittings otherwise your room might start to look mismatched. However, if you are feeling adventurous, then you might decide to replace a lot of furniture. This means that you can change the entire feel of your rooms.

New Light Fittings

Getting new light fittings can change the entire feeling of a room. This could include getting some extra free-standing lamps for your sitting room. The additional light that these give in an evening help the room to stay bright and cozy especially on those dark, winter nights. However, you might elect to purchase some new light shades for your fitted lights. This can help to jazz up a room as they are often one of the centerpieces of a room. If you decide to change your current fitted lighting, then getting something like a dimmer can help set the mood during romantic dinners or while snuggling up watching a movie. It can be a simple change that won’t take long to be fitted, but the effect on the room can be massive.

Image Credit: Pixabay

New Roof

One of the first things you will see about your house is its roof. It sets the tone for a house, and an old tatty looking roof can reflect poorly on you. This could mean that it is an excellent time to reroof your home or at the very least have some maintenance done. Often it won’t need much more than a clean and a few broken tiles replacing. If this is done, then it can prevent worse issues such as leaking or damp. This isn’t only an aesthetic choice but also one that will help increase the value and longevity of your home. It is an investment that is well worth it. Be sure to get professionals for this kind of thing as if you try to DIY then you might do more harm than good, plus this will leave you time to work on other projects.

New Windows

Windows, like anything else, can start to get old and sometimes need replacing. This might be a pragmatic decision based on wanting better glazing to keep your home warm in winter. Or it might be a design based decision as you want some windows that will help you home to look fantastic. Whatever your reasons or decision, getting new windows can help your house look brilliant. They are something that you use daily without even really noticing and they are also one of the first things people see when they visit your home. High quality, well-maintained windows reflect well on their owner, and this is another decision that will help boost the value of your home.

Read This and Get The Best Night's Sleep Ever

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It’s a fact that sleeplessness is on the rise, with more adults than ever admitting to not getting the recommended eight hours or not feeling refreshed when they wake up. An epidemic of insomnia seems to have swept the country, with all sorts of factors keeping us awake at night. So how do we make sure we maximise the chances of dropping off – and of staying asleep? Here are some easy to follow tips that will give you the best night’s sleep ever…

Sync it Up

Have you heard of a Circadian Rhythm? The name refers to your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, where a complex mix of hormones, brain waves, and temperature fluctuations dictates when we need to sleep. For best results, you need to make sure that your periods of rest coincide with these natural patterns of sleep in the body. The best method of syncing up is to ensure that you stick to a consistent time of waking up and going to bed each day, even over the weekends, Exposure to daylight in the morning is also an important factor, so try to fit in an outdoor AM stroll.

Ban Tech from the Bedroom

You’ve probably heard it before, but if you’re serious about improving sleep quality, you need to ban phones, tablets, and televisions from the boudoir. The reason? These devices emit blue light, which signals to the brain that it's time to rise and shine. If you’re trying to go to sleep as these signals are being sent out, you’re reducing the quality of sleep you get thanks to this low-level interference. Not to mention that any noise from television will cause subliminal disruption. The old trick of reading a (paper) book before bed is the ideal way to let the brain unwind for an hour or so before sleep.

Optimize your Environment

Restorative sleep depends on a restful environment, so check all the factors here – consider investing in blackout blinds if your room gets a lot of sun, ensure you have a good quality single size mattresses and get fresh bed linen. Also try and minimize clutter in the bedroom so that it’s a quiet, relaxing and clean space focused on getting to sleep.

Try a Bath or Shower

Many of us take a shower in the morning, but science points to the fact it’s more beneficial to take your bath or shower in the evening before bed. Studies have shown this prompts a temperature drop in the body that gears it up for sleep and leads to a more restful night overall. Adding in a bit of aromatherapy in the form of a lavender bath oil or pillow spray can also help to boost relaxation.

Take Regular Exercise

Getting a daily dose of exercise has been shown to be more effective than insomnia drugs, so it’s important to get some form of physical activity in – but not too close to bedtime, as that can throw sleep off balance. Time your sessions at least 3-4 hours before you are planning to sleep for the best results.

Protecting Your Garden From Frost And Bitter Cold

The back garden of our homes is one of the safe havens all family members like to retreat to. We can simply be with our thoughts, get out of a stuffy home that may be too hot for us, or too populated, and we can also share family moments as well. As the colder months are sure to set in and take over the landscape, this is the time of the year, which preparations need to be made just as the animals are doing, making sure life after winter is the same as it was. The frost of midnight is one of the key points that every homeowner should be wary about as it can essentially freeze everything. Even the water inside plants can be frozen to the points that the roots become dry and start to die. Your garden equipment can become brittle and especially if it's something electrical, extra care and protection are needed. 

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Plants 

Nature is a wonderful fighter, but your plants do need help to survive the winter. Of course, flowers and trees will shed, wilt and most of them will in fact die, but if you have plants, you care about, such as vegetable plants you need to take some precautions. Get a metal chicken net made out of wire and wrap it around the plant or you could also get plant wiring if you want. Stuff the edges of the inside, around with hay. This will give the plant dexterity and make sure that water is absorbed slowly, which of course will freeze during the night, hence the extra layer of protection. You can also wrap the plant itself in plastic, which will protect it further from the cold.

Image by Paul Brennan

Garden equipment

If you have your lawn mowers, weed whackers laying around the back of your home, and don’t have a shed to store them in, it's vital you also wrap these in sheets of plastic. The air will become cooler during the night, freezing onto the surfaces, and when midday comes around, will begin to melt. As the water melts it will seep into cracks and thus, ruin your electrical equipment. Winter’s breath can also freeze, contract and eventually crack wires, and then the process previously mentioned is repeated, causing dangerous hazards. It's a good idea to take care of your grill as well, and you should look for something like a heavy duty cover for a Genesis. The extra thickness and the quality of the material will keep the sensitive parts of your summer barbecue grill, away and out of harm’s way of rain and snow. 

Grass 

Overfeeding the grass at this time of year is actually a nominal thing to do. During the day you can feed the grass to helpings of lawn feeder and therefore keep the green, healthy color somewhat alive and kicking. Watering the grass during the daytime is also a good idea if you want the lawn to maintain it’s thickness.

Protecting your garden from the frost and bitterness of winter is something that could end up saving you a lot of money. The maintenance issues are merely temporary as you’ll soon be able to get into a habit of doing things. 

International Investment: Buying Your Ideal Property Abroad

There are a few reasons you might decide to buy a property abroad. Perhaps you're making a big move, and you're going to start your new life in another country. You might have fallen in love with a favorite destination for vacationing, and you've decided you want a base for your future trips. Maybe you want to make an investment, or you're looking for a home you will eventually retire to. Whatever your reasons for buying property abroad, you need to take the right approach to get something that works for you. Start with these steps to discover the best options for your wants and needs.

Image taken from Pexels

Check the Rules on Foreigners Buying

Don't do anything before you check what the laws are surrounding non-citizens or permanent residents buying property. Some countries have rules about who can and can't buy property so that foreign investors aren't able to snatch up all the good real estate and drive prices up. Even if there's no country-wide rule, there might be some regional stipulations that will limit where you're allowed to buy. In some places, you might be allowed to buy property, but that won't make it easy. Some examples of where things might be difficult include Vietnam, Mexico, and Thailand. See http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1011/4-difficult-places-for-foreigners-to-buy-real-estate.aspx for some more in-depth information.

Know the Terminology

When you start looking for property abroad, things can quickly get confusing. Different countries can use different terminology to talk about property, and that's before you start learning words and phrases in another language. For example, in many countries in Europe, listings will refer to the number of total rooms in the property, instead of saying how many bedrooms. This often means how many there are excluding the kitchen and any bathrooms. However, in the UK, you'll see properties listed by how many bedrooms they have. Don't forget that you'll need to know how the purchasing process works too. It can vary dramatically from country to country.

Understand What You Can Get for Your Money

Maybe you've already decided where to buy your property, or perhaps you're still looking. Either way, you need to know what your money is going to get you. Property prices can vary hugely in different countries and even in various regions in the same country. The same amount of money is likely to get you a lot more in the north of England than in the south. Start doing some research on property prices in different areas so you can work out how far your budget is going to get you. Do you have a mansion budget, or is it more like a cottage budget?

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Outline Your Need and Wants

Of course, you need to think about what you need from your property and what you want from this. This is definitely going to depend on what the property is for. Is it for personal use only or property you want to rent out? Is it an investment property or one you intend to keep for the rest of your life? There are plenty of things to think about, from how many rooms you need to location and amenities. Remember to prioritize your needs, but don't forget about the things you want. Your wants might be a little less important for investment properties, though.

Start with Sites for Expats and Vacationers

If you're not sure where to begin your search, you can try starting with real estate sites that cater to expats and vacation home buyers. These can help to make buying on the foreign market easier and will often mean you're buying from another foreigner. There are often lots of tips on purchasing property as a non-citizen, so you don't miss out on anything. These sites are also often in English, which can help. However, you can find there are some downsides, such as perhaps not having as great a choice of properties.

Use Sites and Resources for Locals

If you're not finding what you're looking for on sites for foreign buyers, you can turn to local resources. Sometimes this means having to navigate a site in a foreign language, but you can use Google Translate to make it easier. Take a look at http://rumahdijual.com/jakarta-utara/sewa-apartemen to see the kind of thing you might be looking at. Even if you don't speak the language, you can quickly pick up a few key terms. If you find yourself dealing with a seller who doesn't speak English, there are a few things you can do. Hiring a translator is one option, or enlisting the help of a friend who speaks the language. Another possibility is to find a specialist service that helps foreigners buy property.

Image from Pexels

Consider Your Property's Purpose

Remember to think carefully about what you're buying your property for. It will influence various decisions, such as where to buy, how much you want to spend, and what facilities and amenities you want. If you're moving permanently, you want to focus on finding a home that works for you. You might want to be close to your job and make sure the home has everything you need for your family. If you're buying a property to rent out to travelers, you should consider which areas are most popular with visitors. You might want to think about buying an apartment or house within a community that offers private amenities to use.

Think About the Neighborhood

You'll need to know all about the neighborhood where you buy your property. You don't want to end up buying somewhere too rough or where you won't feel at home. When you've chosen which city, town or region you want to live in, you can usually find neighborhood guides online. Some people want to buy property in an area where there are lots of other foreigners, but others want to live among the locals. You might want to be somewhere quiet and family-oriented, or perhaps you want to be near the center of all the action. Or maybe you want to choose an up-and-coming neighborhood for your investment property.

Buying property abroad can be complicated, but it's also an exciting thing to do. Just make sure you get your priorities right.

When Running A Business, Know Where Every Penny Is

The financial side of business is about knowing a lot more than what’s currently in your bank account. To get a full understanding of where your money is, it’s a good idea to figure out both your net worth and your cash flow. That way you can understand how much cash is truly locked up in things like your assets as well as your expenses. From there, it’s a matter of learning how to free up that cash when you need to.

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Enough demand to meet the supply

You should always aim to spend only as much on resources as you need to meet their current demand when running a business. Spending too little and having too few resources is going to mean you’re missing out on potential business and thus potential profit. However, spending too much on certain resources, inventory, and parts can be just as limiting to your profit potential. It means ending up spending money on things the business doesn’t need. It may go even further if, for instance, you’re buying goods that need to be refrigerated or kept in dry conditions, meaning you have to pay for the storage methods used to keep them in good condition. If your money is being spent on resources you don’t need, it’s financially healthy to take more care collecting data on your business’s trends and learning what the demand really is.

 

Waste not, want not

The same goes for the resources that you use internally. Become more efficient will always benefit your balance directly. If you truly need certain resources then, by all means, you should spend on them. Again, it’s about figuring out your needs and not exceeding them. For instance, becoming more sustainable with your energy use is rarely going to leave your business in need. Just as switching to a paperless storage system and cutting on printing costs rarely proves a serious issue to businesses. If it doesn’t hurt to reduce your waste, then it’s important you do so.

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Get to know the tax man

Current base tax rates for businesses will give entrepreneurs a lot to complain about. However, the truth is that no business should be paying those tax levels in the first place. You don’t have to do anything dishonest to reduce how much taxes you’re paying. You simply have to be aware of the many deductions you could make in your tax return that you’re entitled to. Deductions for things like banking fees, equipment and repairs, office supplies, consultation fees, and much more. If you’re not sure how to safely navigate the work expense deductions, it’s worth hiring a CPA who can help you do it.

 

Conjure up some credit

Looking for new funding should never be treated as a cut and dry as getting access to more of “your money”. It has to be paid back and means it will impact the future of your business finances until it’s fully paid off. However, that’s not to say you can’t benefit monetarily from being more particular about the loans you take. The better your payment terms and interest rates, the more of your money you get to keep while paying them back. To that end, taking steps to improve your business’ credit will always open access up to the loans that allow you to save more. However, keeping a close eye on reports, making regular use of affordable credit arrangements, and staying up to date with all creditors does a lot more than improve the loans you have access to. If your business gets a bad credit rating, it can have other effects such as suppliers suddenly demanding you pay in cash rather than credit.

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Look at all that stuff

Your net worth is calculated not only through your cash but through the assets currently in the business. This might mean property, vehicles, computers, specialist equipment, and much more. You might think these assets are of little benefit beyond selling if you need to, but that’s not necessarily true. Look at Equify for details on how those assets can be used to help you secure funding at a better rate, to begin with. By using said assets as collateral on a loan, you can give your business more options financially when things like bank loans aren’t an option.

 

Get an offer you can’t refuse

When cutting expenses, you should look beyond just how you can save in things like energy and printing costs. You should also look at the services and goods you get from your suppliers. With suppliers, the guaranteed satisfaction and repeat custom of a business can often be more lucrative than charging higher prices, so there is often some wiggle room for negotiations. Look at Computer Weekly for an example, with tips on how to negotiate a lower price with data center providers.

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Reinvest for return, not a nicer chair

When you make money, you must always be pouring some back into the business. Beyond paying off creditors, it can help you make some real improvements. However, for your sake financially, you need to carefully consider where you invest that money. It may be tempting to get a new chair for the office or a better business trip for your staff. But where is the return on that investment? Instead, think of return above all else when spending in the business. Market research, hiring an accountant, marketing, branding, customer service, better equipment and software. These are all areas that can make a direct and measurable impact on how much your business is able to profit, so they deserve your attention first. If things keep going well, you might one day be able to afford that new chair without worrying about the return. Until then, be smart with reinvestment.

 

A business owner has to be savvy with their money. In particular, there are times when business is lean or when you want to scale and you find you need more than the bank account tells you that you have. For those moments, the tips above can be exactly what you need. The money’s there, and it’s yours. You just have to learn how to reach out and take it.

The Secrets To Our Long Lasting Relationship

I met my husband 11 years ago to this day. 

Like many others, both of us were survivors of past tumultuous relationships. We talked about our experiences openly, and we soon found out that these conversations led us to heal. Ours was not the usual "first date getting to know each other" kind of thing. We started out as with a long distance relationship for a year until my husband decided to fly in and establish residence here.

How did we make it work? Of course there is trust and respect for each other. In addition to that, we never had any intent to change each other. Acceptance was what made this relationship strong.

Let me share our secrets to a long lasting relationship. Take a deep breath. Here goes...

Accept each other's uniqueness

My husband is American. I am Filipino. Two people from vastly different cultures living under one roof. It took a whole lot of adjustment for both of us. He could not understand the Filipinos' need to eat rice with every meal, and I could not imagine having native Filipino dishes without it. Pork sisig with mashed potatoes? Nah. I don't think so.

I have written an article a few years ago about how me and my husband are complete opposites and yet somehow manage to keep our relationship healthy. How different are we from one another? Well, for the record, he's handsome and I'm gorgeous. Ha ha.

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Communicate and compromise

Relationships are not always full of the joys of spring every day. In reality, couples disagree and have their "moments" from time to time. Just like we do. I am a tinderbox ready to explode when I am swamped with work, and he is a crabby patty when he's in pain. Through the years, we have learned to avoid getting on each other's nerves during these "moments." The trick is to communicate your need and if it cannot be met, then settle for a compromise.

Learn from each other

It is very important for us to never stop learning from each other. My husband is like my very own Google. I don't need to do a search for something, I simply ask him and he knows! Whenever I compliment him and say, "Oh goodness, you're so smart!" He'd just reply with, "No, I'm not. My brain is just full of useless information."

He is trying to learn to understand Filipino, but after more than a decade, he only understands a few words. That's okay. I never grow tired of trying how to teach him how to properly pronounce the names of the cities or municipalities when he reads a news item about it. Our cultural differences are our bridge of learning. We are like toddlers, always curious about anything and everything related to being American and being Filipino.

Find humor in everything

Both me and my husband suffer from chronic illnesses. Although these are not life-threatening, there are days when things go bad. There's the back pains, the joint pains, the fluctuating blood sugar levels, the migraine headaches. During those bad days, we make it a point to find ways to distract our attention away from the pain. I greet my husband with, "Hello, Stephen!" when his joints are stiff. He says, "You're so sweet" when my blood sugar reading is high.

Our bodies are no longer the same ones when we first met. Eleven years ago I was fit and slim and he was fit and strong. Now, we don't look anything like we did before. Does that matter? Nope, not one bit. We may be old, but we are still in shape. He is now shaped like a long rectangle, and I am shaped like a trapezoid.

Keep the Faith

Putting God in the center of the relationship strengthens the bond between couples. My husband and I are both Christians. Although he's Protestant and I'm Catholic, we still believe in the same God. He reads the Bible almost every day and it is such an admirable trait.  He encourages me to read the Bible, and lets me know what to read when I encounter trials, need guidance or to praise and thank God for blessings received.

One of the biggest blessings I received is having my Poppa bear in my life. And I thank God immensely for that.

Little things are important to keep the spark alive

Simple, heartfelt tokens of affection go a long way. A warm hug as we  pass each other on the way to the kitchen, a kiss on the forehead to wake one up, or even just holding hands while watching a silly sitcom means a lot to us. Couples have terms of endearment for each other. Well, we do too, and we call each other "Poppa bear" and "Momma bear." We live in a "bear cave," and our kids are the "bear cubs."

Doing housework may be the most mundane task, however, the efforts we put in is enough to show how much we care for each other, and for our family.

The bears go through a huge pile of clothes in a week and laundry day means back-breaking labor for me. I know how important it is to keep choose the right laundry products for our clothes to be clean, fresh smelling and if possible, bacteria free too. So, I do not scrimp on laundry detergent. I also choose a good fabric conditioner that will give our clothes a long lasting fragrance.

Del is my fabric conditioner of choice for the longest time now. When I learned they had two new variants, Del Forever Joy and Del Forever Love. I just had to get some and try it!

My take on them? I give them a 10 out of 10! It does make our clothes smell fresher, longer! I just love opening my closet and discovering that my clothes still smell fresh and fragrant, even after two weeks have passed! It is true that Del Forever Joy and Love now has 15x longer lasting bangooooo versus a regular detergent brand based on consumer test in Metro Manila. Fantastic!

I also found out that Team Kramer, an adorable celebrity family with three active kids, also trusts Del to keep their clothes smelling mabango the whole day! Now that I am using Del too, I can be sure that  my sons won't smell stinky and sweaty when they come home from sports practice. My daughter will smell like she just came out of the shower even after her long commute to work. For me and my husband? We enjoy this new scent! More hugs, more closeness, more love!

Give no less than 100% in everything you do.

Whatever you do to keep the relationship strong, give it your best and give it 100%. Give your full attention and really listen to what your spouse is saying. It means a lot to a person when they know you are actively listening to them.

From cooking, to cleaning the house, to running the business, do it out of the goodness of your heart. Things done haphazardly will only be reason for misunderstanding.

I used to hate doing the laundry, however, I have found an hassle free way to get the task done. I soak the clothes overnight, run the wash cycle in the morning and finish off with Del fabric conditioner. I am hooked on their two new scents! I used Del Forever Love last week when I washed our beddings and curtains. Now our bedroom smells like a flower garden in full bloom! I love it! Check out Del's Facebook page and read about how people are raving about their products. You just have to believe in Forever!

For the record, I am not a marriage counselor or a psychologist. The secrets to our long lasting relationship are simple and come naturally. What works for us may be different from yours, as we all know that every relationship is unique.

Now that I have shared with you the secrets to our long lasting relationship, I would love to hear about yours. Share them in the comments below.

Live. Love. Stay Blessed.

One Room to Rule Them All: A Bathroom That Lasts

You want any room in your home to last for a while before you need to redecorate. But there are two rooms where it's even more important because redoing them could involve a lot more than a quick paint job. Both the kitchen and the bathroom need to serve you well for years to come. If you've decided that you need a new bathroom, a design that's going to hold up for the next ten years will help to give you peace of mind. There are a few things you should do to make sure that your bathroom still looks great in a few years' time.

Timeless Design

Firstly, you should think about the style of your bathroom. If you choose badly, you could end up with a room that looks dated in a few years. Instead, you want a timeless bathroom design that will still look up to date a year, two years, or even ten years from now. While you might think that the trick is to go ultra modern, sometimes it's best to go with classic features. The design trends that keep coming back around or never truly go out of style are best to rely on. They include features like free standing, roll-top bathtubs, washstands, and metro tiles. Your bathroom can look modern and trendy while still having a classic look.

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Choose Products With Long Guarantees

When you're choosing products to install in your bathroom, look for those that offer solid guarantees. This is more about how long things will physically last, rather than whether they look good. Stores like Bathroom Takeaway offer 10-year guarantees on their products so that you don't have to worry about whether something is going to break. A good guarantee usually means you can get free repairs or replacements during the period it covers. Some brands even offer lifetime guarantees, but they do tend to offer more expensive products. So make sure you balance price with how long the guarantee lasts.

Design a Bathroom That's Easy to Clean

Cleaning the bathroom isn't exactly fun, but you need to do it. To make it easier and to help your bathroom last longer, think about ease of cleaning when you design it. You can consider the layout and the products you choose to decide whether they're going to create more effort for you. Some things will be harder to clean, with tiny spaces to get into. Leaving awkward spaces in your layout will make it difficult to get into them too.

Protect Everything Using the Right Methods

Protecting your bathroom will help it to last longer too. Bathrooms naturally have a lot of moisture in them, so you need to protect them from mildew and mold. It's essential to protect the areas around your bath and shower using cement board, caulk and grout. It's always better to prevent any problems occurring than to try and solve them later. An extractor fan in your bathroom is a great idea too.

If you want your bathroom to last forever, be smart about its design. Think carefully about your choices to design a solid bathroom.

Dodge Decorating Disasters With These Tips

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Interior decorating can be a fun project, whether you're painting a room or taking on a more taxing task. It gives you a chance to be creative and try out some DIY skills, even if you've never done it before. If you're gearing up to change your interiors, you need to be careful if you want everything to go well. You might be surprised by how easy it is to have a disaster on your hands. One small mistake could end up getting bigger and ruin your whole plan. It could be a pain to clean up or, worse, you might have something that's expensive to fix. To avoid interior design disaster, follow these steps.

Plan, Plan, Plan

Don't do anything without having a solid plan in place first. It's good to have a "give it a go" attitude, but you need to avoid rushing into anything. If you're decorating or renovating a particular room, find a guide that will help you. http://homespaselect.com gives you a step-by-step guide to renovating a bathroom. You can find similar resources that will help you plan out any project. You need to know everything from your budget to a breakdown of all the tasks that you need to complete. Think both creatively and practically to create a solid plan you can follow.

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Know What You Are (Not) Capable Of

Before you pick up a drill, hammer or paintbrush, you need to think about what you can and can't do. There are some things you can easily do yourself, without the need for any professional help. However, there are other tasks you absolutely can't do without professional experience. It's best not to touch anything electrical, and you might not want to do any plumbing yourself. There are also some tasks that you might technically be able to do yourself, but that would be much neater and more professional if you hired a contractor instead.

Always Put Safety First

Safety is always important whenever you do any kind of interior design. Even if you're just painting a room, you should make sure that it's well-ventilated before you start painting. The worst kind of disaster isn't a hole in the wall, but someone getting ill or injured because you weren't safe. So before you do anything, you should make sure you're aware of any potential dangers and how you can protect yourself. You might benefit from wearing a mask or using gloves, among other things.

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Choose Contractors Carefully

If you do use any contractors to help with your interiors, you need to choose them carefully. Even though they claim to be professionals, it doesn't mean they're all as good as each other. Some could do a terrible job or might start work and then leave you high and dry. Some might cut corners and leave things unsafe. Make sure you check their qualifications and certifications, and that you check out their reviews and reputation too.

If you don't want a disaster on your hands, don't rush into any interior work. Take your time to get it right.

Colors, Shade & Clever Techniques: A Guide To Hiding Facial Flaws

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We all have an area of our face that we’re not too keen on. In all likelihood, it’s a (perceived) flaw that only we notice, but it stands out to us like a glaring beacon. It’s the part of our face we find ourselves focusing on when we’re looking at photographs; the one thing we can’t quite see past. 

People will often say that everyone is beautiful, and you should gloss over the areas that bother you. As nice an idea as this is, it’s simply not possible for some of us-- and there’s nothing wrong with that either. If you have what you feel is a defining facial flaw, being constantly told it’s fine and to cheer up just isn’t helpful. You need practical solutions. 

If you have such a flaw, then it might come as a relief to know that there’s always something you can do about it. The most obvious solution is usually some kind of surgery to fully rectify the issue; this is a personal choice, but if you feel it might be for you then you can check out the likes of Facial Plastics for more. If you’re not looking for something so drastic, then there’s plenty you can do with makeup to ensure you’re always happy with the reflection you see in the mirror… 

You Think: Your Nose Is Too Big

There are plenty of contouring methods that can help reduce the size of your nose if this is an area of concern for you. There’s a great video here that can explain the basics; don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you. 

You Think: Your Pores Are Too Large 

Realistically, there’s not much you can do -- despite the claims of moisturizer manufacturers -- about large pores. It’s a genetic issue that tends to go hand-in-hand with oily skin. However, the fact you can’t remove the pores doesn’t mean you can’t hide them. Opt for silicone-based primers such as Benefit’s famed Porefessional; apply with a brush and then build the coverage until the pore size appears greatly reduced. 

You Think: You Have Dark Eye Circles

Again, despite the claims of most skincare manufacturers, there’s relatively little you can do about dark under-eye circles. They’re genetic; the skin is thinner in this area, meaning that it shows the shadow from your brow. So rather than spending a fortune on products to improve something that can’t be improved, learn to use a color-corrector. Yellow is the best color for under-eye circles; use it beneath your concealer and foundation for the best results. 

You Think: Your Face Is Too Red

If you suffer from facial redness, there’s various calming products you can use, but these take awhile to work. In the meantime, turn to color-correcting once more; for redness, you want to use a green-colored base. 

Ultimately, if you have a flaw, there is always something you can do to rectify it-- the above are just a few suggestions. Play with makeup, experiment, learn how to color-correct, and you’ll soon see a finished result that you love.

Don't Let Your Home Slide Downhill

Your home is probably the most expensive thing you will ever buy. It's difficult not to notice the expense too, as you can spend decades paying it off. Because it costs so much, taking good care of it is only sensible. Your home can deteriorate over time, simply due to natural wear and tear as you live in it. However, you can keep it in great condition if you know what you need to do. It can sometimes feel like a constant struggle to keep your property looking good, but it's easier if you break it down into a few different things that will prevent it going downhill.

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Invest in Quality Home Products

If you want to reduce your level of home upkeep and the amount of times you need to replace things, starting with quality products is a good move. Whether you want to get a new heating system or you're buying a dining table, you should think about how long the product is going to last. Buying something that won't last as long might mean you save money in the short-term, but you'll have to spend more later. If you choose a quality product, you won't have to replace it as soon. You might also get free repairs forever if you choose something with a lifetime guarantee.

Keep Up Maintenance

Regular maintenance for your home is important if you want to keep it looking good and functioning as it's supposed to. There are various maintenance issues you'll need to take care of, from exterior maintenance to your appliances. If you need to maintain your roof, services from Clayton Restoration and companies like them can help you out. Roof maintenance is important because it helps to protect the rest of your home too. You can prevent issues with damp and other interior problems by looking after the exterior of your home. To help yourself keep up with maintenance, try creating a yearly schedule you can follow.

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Protect Your Home

Preventing any problems will go a long way to helping you maintain your home. It's often easier to stop issues occurring than to fix them. There are various ways you could be protecting your home by weatherproofing it and choosing the right products and materials to use. For example, some paints are much better for keeping your walls clean. If they don't stain and you can simply wipe off anything that gets on them, it will prevent any problems that are more difficult to deal with.

Consider Your Lifestyle

Think about how you live your life, and how you might be able to change that to keep your home in better condition. For example, do you tend to wear shoes in the house? Taking them off could protect your floors. Perhaps you're guilt of not cleaning the bath as often as you should, which leads to the caulking deteriorating, and you could change your habits to improve things.

Looking after your home to maintain its condition will stop it from deteriorating. Keep it looking good to prevent a rundown home.

Making A Healthy Diet Taste Better

Eating a healthy and balanced diet is one of the hardest things to achieve when you’re living in the modern world. Unfortunately, while options for those looking to eat well have improved, temptation still lies everywhere. Of course, though, if you enjoyed the food you were making yourself, this wouldn’t be a problem, as there would be no reason to crave anything. There’s just one hitch; most people don’t enjoy their healthy food. So, to help you out with your own diet, this post will be exploring some of the ways you can enhance a boring diet.

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Herbs & Spices

To begin this journey of taste and smell, it’s time to think about herbs and spices. Unlike other ingredients, only a tiny amount of these items are used, keeping their calorific and nutritional impact very low. Despite this, they produce a huge amount of flavor when they’re used correctly.

• As you start to use these ingredients more and more, you will slowly realize how many meals can be enhanced using this sort of method. With the right herb or spice, you can make just about anything taste nice, whether you’re making pasta, a roast dinner, or anything in between.

• Of course, though, before you can let yourself loose on the spice rack, it’s important to do just a little bit of learning. Recipes can help you with this, but getting some experience through experimentation with your own cooking can be very helpful. Most cooks will choose their spices very carefully. The best complimentary flavors have been discovered, so it’s also worth using online resources when you’re struggling to match tastes.

• Getting your hands on the tools you’ll need to try this is nice and easy. Most large grocery stores will stock a good range of different herbs and spices for you to choose from, and it’s just a matter of doing some shopping to find them. Always make sure you research something before you try it, as smell can be deceiving.

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The Right Preparation

During the process of cooking your food, the different preparation methods and techniques you employ will all impact the quality of the food your produce. Few realize quite how big an impact this can have on their meals. 

• Some of the best-tasting food you’ve ever eaten will have almost certainly been fried. From fast food places to fancy restaurants, chefs all over the world use the cooking method to make their food taste better. But, isn’t frying unhealthy? In a lot of cases, this technique can be very bad for you, but it doesn’t have to be this way. By simply using less fat in your meal it will be better for you, so reducing and improving the oils you use is a must.

• Along with failing to consider frying as an option, a lot of people ignore the other preparation which can be done to make their food taste better. In a lot of meals, people waste the tastes they have, saturating the food with one distinct flavor, like cheese or salt. To avoid this pitfall, it’s a good idea to base the way that you make your food on getting the best out of each component. 

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A Little Tease

Finally, it’s time to think about a method which can make any diet just a little bit easier; the tease. This doesn’t mean having an entire cheat day, as this can often be counterproductive. But, it does mean getting to enjoy a little more of the tastes you crave, without feeling any guilt.

• It may not seem obvious, but drinks are one of the key areas people struggle to nail when they’re on their diet. Unfortunately, water isn’t most people’s idea of flavorsome, and this can make it very hard to enjoy. Thankfully, by combining the health benefits of both water and fruit/vegetables, it’s impossible to overcome this issue with delicious ease. Cucumber flavored water is a great example of this sort of drink. Of course, there are loads of choose from, though.

• For other people, having to live without their favorite comfort food can be impossible. In this situation, finding an alternative is your only real option, especially if you want to enjoy part of your diet. Carob chips are a great substitute for chocolate, for instance. Finding a new top food is just a matter of doing some searching around.

• Talking of alternative foods to replace your comfort or fast food takeouts, it’s worth looking at finding supermarket options instead. Frozen Chinese food for example can still be just as good as the real thing when you buy the right products and cook it the right way.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder to make your healthy diet taste better. A lot of people struggle to maintain their good eating simply because they don’t like what they’re having to eat. This is a shame, though, as the methods to save you from this sort of mess are easy to master and use.

Do You Know The Best Way To Make A Health Decision?

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In life, there are so many different decisions that we need to make. Along with some major life choices, career choices, and even parenting choices, we also have to learn to make serious and responsible decisions when it comes to health. And this can often be the toughest of all. Because sometimes, we need to make decisions that affect not just us, but others in our families too. Some decisions will be small and won’t make much of a difference whichever way you choose to take things, but some can be significantly important. So you have to be able to figure out the best ways that you can make health-based decisions.

Ask Your Doctor

One of your first options, and sometimes the only option you need, is to speak to your doctor. Whether your health concerns are serious or not, you’ll often find that they are the best people to speak to. Not only can they provide you with all of the facts that you could need to know, no matter how trivial your decision may seem, but they may also be able to advise you during that decision making process too. And it’s that last part that can often make this option one of the best routes to consider.

Speak To Someone

Sometimes, you can get information from your doctor and still not know what you want to do. Whether it’s a decision concerning your own health or someone else's, you may benefit from discussing it with someone close to you, like your husband, mom, or best friend. Sometimes, talking things over and getting their advice can really help you to work out what the best course of action will be.

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Speak To The Pharmacist

Then, you could also think about speaking to your pharmacist. When the health decision you need to make is based on taking a certain kind of medication or knowing how to take it safely, your pharmacist is the best person to speak to. You may even find they can give you all the information you need on certain products so that you can decide for yourself which options are best.

Read Reviews

From here, you may also want to think about reading reviews. And this can be relevant for all kinds of health issues. From reading up on Advantix 2 reviews to help your dog or reviewing care center feedback before agreeing to move your elderly parents there. Reviews can really help you to choose the right course of action for everyone’s health.

Take A Trial

And, of course, you’ve always got the option of taking a trial. This can be particularly useful in lifestyle changes, like a new diet or trying to change the way you do things. Because sometimes, you’re never really going to know if something is right for you unless you try it out. And when it comes to making a decision based on your health, if you’ve tried something out, you’ll be more equipped to make that decision when the time comes to it.

Go Green With Your Cleaning Routine

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The home deep clean is something we all have to endure at some point each month, but even just a good old-fashioned regular cleaning job can leave you feeling woozy and lightheaded. Here’s where the plot thickens, this isn’t because you were overexerting yourself. That’s right. It’s got less to do with elbow grease and more to do with cleaning products. Mmmmm hmmm, it’s all about the chemicals inside that bottle. Bad, huh?

Sure, these products may be designed to make your life easier, but the harmful chemicals they chuck in them could be making your life shorter. That’s where we step in because we want people to know that there is a way to go green with your cleaning routine, while also allowing you to achieve exactly the same results of glistening awesomeness. Better for the environment, better for your health and nicer smelling - what more could a domestic goddess need? 

For those of you that aren’t crazy-scientific-let’s-mix-everyday-products-and-make-some-magic kind of people, then we recommend you visit CleanHappens.com and make the switch to cleaning products that can cut through grime, grease and dirt without compromising on safety. However, if you are excited by the prospect of unleashing your inner high school chemical student, then you really need to check out these super cleaners that are delivering on the eco-friendly side of things, as well as being epically effective. Double. Whammy. 

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Baking Soda Is The Best

There are tons of different sodas that are great at doing different things. You’ve got bicarbonate soda that you can clean silver and rust with, washing soda that is ace at removing stains and descaling appliances, and club soda that is equally talented on the stain removal front (especially from organic products). However, our favourite is baking soda because it is insane when it comes to cleaning, as this list by allyou.com will confirm. Pour some down a drain, add an equal amount of vinegar and then just watch as they react, creating a gorgeous foam that cleans drains and leaves them smelling impossibly better. If you’ve got kids then this is one that you really want them to watch. It proves science is the best. 

A Sexy Little Thing Called Salt

Every household from here to Timbuktu has salt hidden away in one of the cupboards. What you may not realise, though, is that this salt can be used to clean, disinfect and deodorize a bunch of different parts of your home. Add salt and lemon juice together and you can battle back any rust. Turn it into a paste and you can clean your pots and pans, even the ones that you have managed to burn some stuff onto. Add salt to vinegar and flour and you will be able to shine up almost anything from stainless steel to pewter, gold to silver. That’s not all, either. You can also use salt to keep your other cleaning bits and bobs (read: sponges) germ-free and stench-free by simply leaving them to soak when not in use. 

Vinegar Is Very, Very Good

We’ve mentioned vinegar a couple of times already, which is a testament to its powers as an accomplice. But that isn’t all. Oh no. This little household gem is a diamond in the rough because it is an all-rounder up there with the likes of Freddie Flintoff. Its secret weapon is its ability to cut through grease like a hot machete through butter. How you go about applying it is up to you, though. You could put it in a spray bottle - half and half with water - and then use it to clean mirrors, glass, windows or anything else that falls within that bell curve. You can use it on wood flooring to spruce up a bit or use it on food containers to disinfect. The winner of all winners though is using it to clean your shower heads and faucets. All that rust and stubborn mold will fall away like people leaving a concert. In short, vinegar is that gentle giant that could transform the way you cleaning - gentle for the home and tough on the areas you need to clean. It’s a win-win. 

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When Life Gives You Lemons

When life gives you lemons, forget about lemonade for a second and use this wondrous fruit to eliminate smells, clean surfaces and polish items. That’s right, this gorgeous, yellow beauty can do more than just make your face scrunch up. There isn’t too much to delve into, but it is great at eliminating grease, killing nasty little germs and leaving your place smelling fresher. Like a summer orchard in the south of Spain. 

Olive Oil Is The Original Polisher

If you don’t have olive oil in your cupboards then who even are you? It is a must have for delicious cooking, and even a little bit of beauty work. But, more appropriately to our blog, it is also great for home cleaning. Mmmm hmmm. The best way to use it is for polishing things. Wood, metals, anything really. The point is it will bring up a nice shine that you can’t ignore or hate on. The other thing it is great for is leather. So if you have any leather products that are cracked a bit, worn a lot or just looking a tad dry then it is time to slap some olive oil on. It is also great for removing chewing gum, which could address an issue you are currently facing with your teenager, or it could make buying secondhand furniture a lot easier, who knows? Just make sure you add a little squeeze of lemon so that you get a nice aroma going. 

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Vodka Is Vital For A Lot Of Things

The Russians have been telling us that vodka is invaluable for centuries. But would we listen? No. Well, we recently decided to and, guess what, we’re kicking ourselves slightly. It is amazing, especially when it comes to removing stains and odors from your laundry. Seriously. It will get rid of all those odors that no amount of washes seems to be able to cure. It is also great for polishing glass, and it does so without leaving any streaks, which is what we’ve always wanted. You can also polish metals and even porcelain too, as well as the stresses in your mind by just dropping an olive in and sipping on it frequently. Soon enough you’ll forget you had any cleaning to do whatsoever, which is a total bonus. 

Super-Soap To The Rescue

So long as you choose a natural soap, the kind that is made from oils or fats (yup, just like in Fight Club) with an added dash of alkali, then you will be able to break down all those nasty, dirty greases that seem to be taking over your home. That’s its biggest superpower: it can be used on pretty much every surface in every room of your home - kitchen through to bedroom, office and bathroom. Even more epic is the fact it comes in a plethora of different forms. We’re talking powders, liquids, flakes and, every shower’s favourite, bars. 

Hydrogen Peroxide Isn’t Just Hype

The reason why people tend to use hydrogen peroxide is that it is a safe alternative for bleach (which is something that comes with a whole host of health concerns). As for what to use hydrogen peroxide on, you can use it to deal with stains, mold, mildew and anything else of this ilk. The other thing it is used for is cleaning kitchens and bathrooms - but mainly kitchens - simply because it crushes germs and bacteria - especially that nasty sucker, Salmonella - quicker than life crushes dreams (joking!). It is basically an antiseptic cleaner that doesn’t have any of the harsh chemicals you are clearly worried about or else you wouldn’t be reading this blog. 

And that is pretty much it. 

Now whether or not you use all, some or none of these natural cleaning products is your prerogative, as Britney would say. The important thing to understand is that you don’t have to worry about your kid's health and safety, your pet’s allergies, or about pulling on a pair of elbow high yellow gloves, or wearing science-lab goggles out of fear of what the chemicals may do to your lifespan. Instead, you can clean every inch of your home using things you already have in your cupboards; things that will do a grand job and leave a great smell too. Vinegar. Salt. Lemon. Olive oil. Baking soda. Vodka. Each of these is epic at cleaning, disinfecting and deodorizing. But beyond that, they are also great for the environment and even better for your wallet. Oh, yeah, we haven’t mentioned that. Well, not to beat around the metaphorical bush, these things cost cents, not dollars (except Vodka, maybe), which means you will have more money to spend on the finer things in life. 

We do hope we’ve piqued your curiosity enough to see you give it a go, and we would really love for you to send some pics in to prove they are amazing alternatives.