How To Give Your Home A Great First Impression

Every single homeowner on this planet wants to live in the perfect place but I think we can all agree that there is no such thing as perfection, especially in a busy family home, however, we can all do our best to make our home comfortable, stylish and less cluttered.  One of the best ways to do this is by putting in as much work as we can, when we can. No home will ever look beautiful on its own, like anything it requires constant maintenance and work. Saying that, when it comes to first impressions, my best advice is to not overthink things. It's better to try and keep things simple and in the long run this also means less stress and work for you.  Keeping the outside of your home in good condition, no peeling paint or overgrown hedges, will go a long way when it comes to first impressions. Here are a few more actionable tips when it comes to creating a home that is welcoming to visitors.  Work On The Fundamentals And Foundations Your home will not look good at all if i......

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How to Prepare For a Cross-Country Move without the Stress?

*This post contains affiliate links I have been lucky enough to live in a few different countries and locations in my lifetime and I know one thing for sure, moving can be stressful, especially if it's cross country or even overseas and can easily become overwhelming. It goes without saying that even with the nerves there is also excitement and you get to explore a whole new destination. On the other hand, leaving your known neighbourhood, friends and comfort can at times be hard to handle. Well, with such a mixed emotional feeling, you can’t sit idle without doing anything productive. You have a lot to do as moving for the long-distance consists of several associated moving tasks that are needed to be done perfectly. Yes, you can hire one of the best LA movers in the network of Moving Apt to make your move smooth. Hiring professionals can perform the job with ease. However, only hiring a reputed moving company may not control your mind from getting stressed. So, what’s the way th......

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6 ways to create the earthy minimalist look in your home

More and more people are turning their backs on stuff, decluttering their homes and minds to create a more relaxed and calm space and getting back to more natural inspired living spaces. This is something I personally have been working on and having travelled a lot over the past few years and I've noticed this trend follow through in many hotels and Airbnb's we have stayed in as creating a place that both looks and feels good and becomes a haven is really key. As the world seems to be more and more manic than ever by simplifying your home you can detach yourself from that a little and can have a positive impact on your wellbeing. Reminding ourselves of your earthly connect with nature is important as we live in an increasing digital world is really important. Here are 6 tips on simplifying your home as well as bring more earthing, organic and natural elements into your home 1. Set aside time to do a big declutter The best way to have a quick impact on your home is ......

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Change Your Wardrobe Change Your Life? Clothes Can Make A Difference

Can dressing better improve your life? Personally when I feel good in the clothes I am wearing whether it's just casual attire or a little bit more dressed up for an evening out I do feel better. The way you dress influences perceptions, and in certain situations that count, like work, it may create a more positive impression. Often, dressing well also changes how you feel about yourself and make you feel empowered, for example if you go to work  dressed in a sharp and stylish way it can make you feel more confident, which can translate into more productivity, especially when it comes to speaking up at a meeting, or negotiating a contract. The same can be said during the school run or in social circumstances. Of course this isn't always possible if your a busy parent, things do slip, I know they do for me anyway so decluttering your wardrobe and developing a capsule wardrobe is key for being able to put outfits together quickly and on the go that you know are goi......

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Moving? Here are some budget saving tips

Moving at the best of times can become quite expensive, especially if you are moving to a new part of the country. Having done a fair amount of moves myself, including moving fro Edinburgh to Cornwall in my pre-child days I have learnt a few things along the way. The good news is that you don't have to settle for the originally calculated price tag. There are many ways to reduce the cost of your move by using substitutes, doing price comparisons or doing some of the work on your own. Lighten the Load For many people, just the thought of emptying their house can bring on a feeling of anxiety as it's simply such a big task. If you've lived in your house for a number of years chances are good that you've acquired a lot of items along the way. In order to get a written estimate from movers that's as accurate as possible you need to decide what you want to keep and what you're willing to part with. If your new home is in a different style or era to your......

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How To Create a Minimalist Inspired Kids room

As some of you may know as part of my Minimalist challenge I'm currently working my way through each room in our house, decluttering with the clear aim of a creating a simpler home filled with all the things we truly love and that contribute towards our lives in a positive way. I have been leaving the kids rooms to last as I first needed to get on top of my own things before addressing theirs. It can be a little harder when it comes to children and them learning to let go, re-sorting and decluttering because they see things differently to us when it comes to sentimentality.  It's certainly not impossible to strike that balance between redesigning, simplifying and keeping the kids happy. Since the start of the year I have been inspired by the minimalist movement to make changes to our home and I have learnt a lot along the way so I thought I would share a few tips and ideas of creating a minimalist kids room and what I have found to work for us. 1. Take it slow - we......

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Recreating that hotel feel at home

I don't think it's hard to dispute that once you become parents a relaxing break away every now and then is very much welcomed. To stay in a hotel where you don't have to worry about making the bed and a lie-in on a comfortable king-sized bed is a given. Of course due to time and expense it's not something many of us can afford to do as much as we would like which got me thinking why not inject a little bit of that luxurious feeling into your home and create a bedroom that is a haven for calm and relaxation? I thought I would share easy, simple and cost-efficient ways to bring that luxury feel into your home when you don't have a massive budget. Here are my top 5 1. Declutter - edit your living, bedroom and bathroom spaces and by streamlining and making full use of any storage space you have will instantly make you feel more relaxed and make the room look more spacious. Go with a white or a more neutral palette to create a crisp luxurious feel that you g......

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My Minimalist Challenge

As all the New Year resolutions have rolled out, everyone is juicing their food and trying to live clean I decided this year instead of any resolutions I was going to give myself a challenge for the whole year because it's simply the type of challenge that cannot be done overnight and will take time.  When it's come to living I have always swayed towards a more sustainable and ethical choices although these can be hard when we live in an age of instant gratification and disposable goods. The thing is I have always preferred to spend my hard earned money on experiences rather than stuff but when you go from living as one person to two then three then four things quickly change and suddenly you find yourself surrounding by so much stuff that at times you actually feel like your drowning in a plastic sea of toys, useless baby items and beauty products that are never going to get rid of those dark sleep deprived circles. Of course in life we need to replace thing......

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Why decluttering your home is good for the soul

I know it's not spring yet but after all the excess and mania of Christmas I feel the urge to simplify and reorganise our home and life. As I get older I have become more and more minimalistic although it can be hard when children come along and have felt the past few years we have built up too many things that we simply don't need. I was brought up in an un-materialistic household where less was always more and if you did need to buy something going with quality over quantity was key. I personally find having a more simplified household, which is in turn is easier to organise, much better for the mind and soul as clutter in your home can also clutter your thoughts. Of course it's much easier said than done and I too am all about sentimentality but if it's not useful, practical or atheistically pleasing then one should rethink about wether they really need it. The thing is I am not alone in feeling this way - experts actually say that disorganised people and t......

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