Tips

A clean home is a happy home, but some of your cleaning tricks may be spreading dirt around rather than making it a germ-free space. Did you know that the average household in this country has more than 7,000 different types of bacteria floating around? It’s no wonder people get sick so frequently these days.

You may be worried about picking up germs outside, but you can catch a virus or infection from your sweet abode. There are ways that you can cut the bacteria and other germs that lurk inside your home. Get ready; you’re going to be shocked how some of your traditional cleaning methods and supplies are doing more harm than good.

If you want to make a change in your family’s life and health, start by adapting new cleaning methods first. Here are the top ten cleaning fails that make your home dirty.

1. Feather Dusters

If any cleaning item should be thrown out the window, it’s the feather duster. This invention was famous in the 1970s to quickly remove dust. The only problem with this device is that it scatters the dust everywhere. Sure, a bit of the debris gets trapped among the feathers, but most of it just gets transferred into the atmosphere.

You’re doing little good for your family when you spread the dust around. However, if you want to trap the dirt and remove it from your space, you need a wet cloth. A damp rag will trap the dirt into the fabric and doesn’t redistribute it.

You’re not cleaning if you use this old-fashioned duster, and your home will still be dirty. Someone with asthma or allergies in your family needs you to get rid of as much dirt as possible.

2. Dirty Vacuum Filters

In the age where people can use a bagless vacuum, why are people still using bags? A bag collects all the crud it picks up from your floors and keeps it in reserve. Have you ever turned on your vacuum cleaner, and it blew dust everywhere? Bags are not full proof.

Another problem is those dirty filters. Many people don’t even check their vacuum filters, so it can’t effectively clean because it’s clogged. The dirty vacuum filter won’t stop it from operating, but it won’t work as efficiently to clean your home.

3. Toilet Brush

Is there anything nastier than a toilet brush that is reused? It sits on a stand and collects water, fecal matter, and urine for everyone to breathe. These brushes are a magnet for harmful bacteria and diseases.

Thankfully, there are new one-use brushes on the market that you don’t have to store anything other than a wand. You clean your commode, release a lever, and the pad falls into the trash. You will have better luck keeping your bathroom germ free when you get rid of those disgustedly dirty toilet brushes.

4. Kitchen Sink

You wouldn’t think that your kitchen sink would be a place where dirt and debris harbor, oh, but it’s one place that needs some bleach. Do you know how many people let dirty dishes sit for days? What about the people who bathe their kids and animals in the sink? All these things are causing a build-up of germs in a commonly used area.

The sink is one place where you need to keep the germs down because you will eat from dishes cleansed here. Make sure that after each time you use your sink, you wipe it down with bleach or scrub it down with detergent. Bleach and soap will kill any germs that harbor on the surface and keep your home cleaner.

5. Using the Same Cleaning Cloth

The cleaning cloth you use for dishes wipe down the table, clean your child’s dirty hands, and wipe down the stove, should only be used for one purpose. You can’t keep using the same cleaning cloth and not expect to spread germs around.

It would help if you had a dedicated rag that you can use for each surface, and it needs to be washed when you’re done. Never let a dishcloth sit out on the sink to dry and then use it again the next day. If you want to cut down germs in your dirty home, then stop using the same rag for multiple purposes.

6. Not Cleaning the Register Vents

Your register vents are one place that is out of sight and out of mind. However, you drop things down in these vents all the time. Some may be more of a “hot spot” than others. Your children also drop things into these holes.

The real problem is when your furnace or AC system kicks on. It spreads these germs all-around your home. Bits of food can mold and spread fungi all over the place, making your home’s air quality lackluster.

Take a vacuum hose and clean as far back into the duct as you can. If you find that the area is really dirty, then you should call in a professional for duct cleaning.

7. Washing Machine

No one would dream that their washing machine would be dirty. It has soap, bleach, and fabric softener running through it all the time. Yet, if your clothes come out smelling not so fresh, then this appliance and its bacteria levels could be to blame.

When the new front-loader style washer came to the forefront, it changed everything. All these rubber seals to keep the water inside while turning on its side made things tricky. Unlike a top loader, which can easily have the lid opened to keep it fresh, it’s a bit more challenging with the new models.

The wet atmosphere and closed-door make it the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Many people complain that their washer stinks as well as their clothes are coming out with a smell. It would help if you cleaned your washer with a bleach and baking soda combination. If you don’t do this routine clean, then your washer’s seals will become full of mold and bacteria that will get redeposited on your clothes.

8. Remote Controls

If there is one item in the household that most people forget to clean, it’s the remote control. Think of how many times the remote is touched daily. Now, consider how many people sneeze, wipe their nose, cough, and then toss the remote on the couch; it’s dirty.

It collects germs from almost every member of the household, and it also gathers surface germs. You must wipe down this handy device at least once a week with an antibacterial wipe. Just remember to remove the battery before doing this routine clean.

9. Shower Curtain

The shower is the place you go to get clean. All the dirt and grime your body picks up during the day is washed down the drain. Naturally, it would be best to clean your shower and bathtub regularly to keep germs at bay.

However, when is the last time that you’ve washed your shower curtain? The curtain encounters your body both before and after it’s passed. Additionally, your body isn’t the only one it’s touching.

Chances are there is a lot of dirt that fungi that harbor on this curtain, and it should be washed frequently.

10. Light Switches, Doorknobs, and Handles

You can sit back and kick your feet up after a routine clean. You’ve got the important stuff that seems to have germs and dirt cleaned, but have you got everything? Light switches, doorknobs, and handles are often overlooked as no one thinks to clean these unless the dirt is apparent.

However, dozens of times, people in your home touch these items and bring outside germs inside your home. Think of all the times your children go to the bathroom and forget to wash their hands, or there are numerous occasions that a cough or sneeze will encounter them.

When you do your routine household cleaning, you need to remember to include the Light switches, doorknobs, and handles on the list. Your family could easily pass around the flu or other viruses on such items, and you might not be any the wiser.

Final Thoughts on Whisking Away Those Dirty Cleaning Habits

Do you still use the old mop and bucket when you clean your floors? You pick up dirt and redistribute it to other areas of the home. So many old cleaning methods can’t get rid of the germs and infectious diseases that you fight today. You can never be too careful when it comes to the cleanliness of your home.

Sure, your schedule is busy, and the last thing you have time for is to be sick. Sadly, many people aren’t cleaning their houses well enough, or they forget germy hot spots that make them ill. Engage the whole family in making the home a cleaner space.

Cleaning your remotes, washing machines, kitchen sink, as well as your light switches, doorknobs, and handles, should be a routine part of your week. You want to encourage a haven for your family where they can rest easy and won’t get sick. Are you guilty of these epic cleaning failures? Now is the time to cast toxins from your living space.

Technology is present in every aspect of our lives in one way or another, and while this is a great thing, technology certainly doesn’t come cheap. We have everything from high-powered home tech items to small but mighty portable or even wearable tech that we have on hand at any given moment.

So, how can you protect your gadgets and keep them safe? Here are our top three tips to help you do just that.

Reasonable Care

One of the most obvious and yet, somehow, most overlooked, ways of keeping your gadgets safe is to exercise reasonable care. Now, what is reasonable care? Well, reasonable care is the process of making sure you are using common sense when it comes to the care of your gadgets, and not being irresponsible.

Reasonable care varies from gadget to gadget by maybe things like:

• Not carrying a mobile phone in your hand, back pocket, or an unzipped handbag
• Always carrying a secure laptop or tablet case
• Ensuring cameras or video equipment have hand or neck straps
• Having a password on your devices
• Ensuring wearable tech is fastened tightly
• Not leaving doors or window in your home unlocked
• Not leaving items where they can be seen through car windows.

Insurances

Outside of reasonable care, there are also some various insurances you can look into to ensure that your tech is kept safe. This would be a good option for anyone who relies heavily on their gadgets and needs them to be functioning at all times.

Most gadgets, when sold, will come with the option of adding insurance to your order. Most often with items such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets, etc., these individual policies will cover you for that item. This type of insurance has its pros and cons. It is a great choice if you are only looking to cover one high-value item, but this can end up costly if you end up with multiple policies because you want to cover various items.

If this is the case, consider instead investing in home contents insurance or personal possessions insurance. Your home contents policy will be able to cover larger tech items that don’t leave your home, for example, TVs, games consoles, desktop computers, sound systems, etc. In contrast, personal possessions insurance will protect items that you regularly take out and about with you, such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and smartwatches, etc.

Built-In and Added Safety Measures

Most of the tech items we use every day, such as phones and laptops, etc., all have built-in safety measures that you should ensure you are using to keep your tech safe.

For example, almost all smartphones and tablets come with the ability to add a numeric or text password, a fingerprint or facial recognition in order to keep your phone or tablet phone locked. Some devices also come with the option to wipe the device after a pre-determined number of wrong passwords. iPhones also have a built-in feature called ‘Find My iPhone’ which can be used to help you locate a lost or stolen device.

Also, it is important to protect your items not only from theft but from damage. Consider purchasing protective cases for any items that you carry day to day as well as tempered glass screen protectors for mobile phones, tablets, and smartwatches.

Regardless of what type of devices you have, it is important that you protect them. For some people, their technology is extremely important. Some people use it for health reasons, and others need it for their job. Others simply love their devices and want to be responsible and take good care of them – after all, some devices cost a substantial amount of money.

By taking some time to follow these tips, you will also be able to show more responsibility when it comes to your beloved gadgets.

8 Tips for Safe Web Browsing and Accessing the Internet

Hackers make an attempt at breaking into a system every 39 seconds. The last thing that you would want is for them to make your system the one that they break into. 

Safe web browsing is essential if you want to avoid having your personal details and money stolen. Once a hacker has access to your device, they can wreak havoc on your life. 

But what can you do to ensure you don’t fall prey to an attack? Our handy guide to internet safety will help you.  

Here are eight tips for browsing the internet safely. 

1. Keep Your Operating System, Browser, and Plugins Updated

Hackers are always on the hunt for new ways to get into people’s computer systems. Whenever a vulnerability is spotted in a browser, plugin, or operating system, an update will be released to prevent hackers from getting in. 

It is essential that you stay up-to-date with these changes and download any new updates. 

2. Block Pop-ups 

While most pop-ups are just annoying ads trying to get you to buy something, some can be more malicious. 

To avoid malicious attempts at getting you to accidentally click on links, install a pop-up blocker. 

3. Use Antivirus Software

It should go without saying that to stop viruses and malware attacks, you should have antivirus software installed on your system. 

There are plenty of different free options available. Here are some suggestions. 

4. Use a Firewall

Hackers are trying to get into your system. One of the best ways of stopping them is by having a firewall installed. If your computer has a firewall already installed, make sure it is turned on and is up-to-date. 

5. Use Strong Passwords

Whenever you access any website with a password, you should make sure that it is unique. Using strong passwords will mean that they won’t be easily guessed. Use a mixture of letters and numbers and change your passwords often. 

6. Use Bookmarks

To avoid making a mistake when typing the name of a website that you commonly visit, you should always bookmark your pages. A bookmarked link will always take you to the right page every time.

Consider using a browser that lets you access bookmarks across all devices. 

7. Consider Where You’re Accessing the Web From

If you’re using your device to access the internet in public spaces such as coffee shops and airports, consider the safety of the network that you’re connected to. 

In addition to being cautious of public networks, consider using a safe charging datablocker to protect your device when plugged into a public USB socket. 

8. Avoid Clicking Links in Emails

Viruses and malware can be spread via emails easily. All it takes is for you to click a rogue link in an email and your device may become infected. Even if you know who an email is from, you should always regard links as being suspicious. 

Safe Web Browsing

Now that you know some of the best tips for safe web browsing, you can protect yourself from attack. Remember to always keep your browser, antivirus, and your operating system up-to-date and avoid clicking on links in emails. 

For more great articles, please check out the rest of our site.  

Going through menopause can be an incredibly difficult challenge, so it’s essential to observe some menopause self care tips. From the hot flashes to the loss of skin elasticity, and even the anxiety that comes along with everything, it can feel like your whole life is changing involuntarily. It may leave you wondering what your body will be like when it’s over.

The good news is that it’s manageable. Women everywhere have dealt with menopause and continued having an active and productive life despite the symptoms. You can be one of those women!

With a little effort and a lot of self-love, you’ll get through menopause like a pro if you take care of yourself. Here are ten menopause self care tips you should never ignore.

1. Be prepared for hot flashes.

A hot flash is the most recognized symptom of menopause. They can be brutal. The constant sweating, overheating, and pink/reddish skin can be embarrassing and can send your anxiety through the roof.

According to Harvard Health, about 75 percent of women in menopause experience hot flashes. If you’re lucky, you’ll be in the remaining 25 percent. However, if you’re in the majority, the good news is that there are some things you can do to minimize the effects of the flashes.

The first thing you can do is learn what triggers them. Common triggers include hot drinks, warm outdoor temperatures, medications, and stress. Once you identify your triggers (they aren’t the same for everyone), you can try to avoid them. At the very least, you’ll know the hot flash is coming.

You can attempt to keep your environment cool. Examples are lowering the temperature on your AC, putting cool sheets on your bed, and wearing thin, breathable layers of clothing. Finally, if you do have a hot flash, don’t panic.

2. Get regular checkups.

Performing menopause self care tips doesn’t mean to do everything yourself. Regular checkups with your doctor can ensure that your body is functioning correctly. After all, your body is going through a lot of changes during menopause.

The changes that happen in your body, particularly a lowered level of estrogen, can put you at risk for specific medical conditions. These can include stroke, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Getting regular checkups will allow your doctor to identify these conditions early if they happen so that you can fix them.

Even after menopause, you should continue to get regular checkups. You’ll find that your medical needs are different during this stage of your life. Your health is more important than ever at that point, so don’t leave anything to chance.

3. Take care of your mental health.

Menopause is stressful. The constant changes in your mood, temperature, weight, and other bodily functions can drive your anxiety through the roof. On top of that, you may be dealing with embarrassment from the flashes.

You are not alone in your feelings. It’s important to remember that what’s happening to you is regular and that you can talk to someone about it. You may not need a professional counselor but confide in a loved one or a close friend.

You should also do things that help to reduce your stress level. Yoga is an excellent activity for reducing stress. Meditation is another one. Whatever relieves stress for you, make that a regular part of your life.

4. Don’t be embarrassed to admit when you’re not feeling your best.

Women are tough, resilient humans. It’s not uncommon to find “superwomen” all over the place. Many women pride themselves on being able to juggle everything that life throws at them.

Because of this, it can be difficult for a woman to admit when she isn’t feeling her best. During menopause, this can happen often. You simply may not be feeling as energized or motivated, and accepting this might be hard for you.

However, one of the biggest menopause self care tips you can follow is to listen to your body. If you’re not feeling up to tackling all the tasks of the day, give yourself a break. It doesn’t make you any less of a person or any less of a woman.

Women can be incredibly hard on themselves when they aren’t feeling like being intimate with their partner. However, you must talk with your partner about these feelings. Otherwise, they won’t know (unless they are a woman who is also going through menopause). Don’t be afraid to admit when you need a “me day.”

5. Take care of your sexual health/sex life.

Vaginal health can take a big hit during menopause. The vagina gets drier than usual, and the vaginal walls get thinner. There may even be a loss of skin elasticity in the vagina. This can result in painful sex plus vaginal health problems.

For a lot of women, the stress of having an ill-functioning vagina makes them feel like their sex life is on the line. However, that’s not what you should be focusing on. If your partner loves you, they will understand that you may have to put a hold on sex and intimacy until you get your vaginal health under control.

This doesn’t mean that your sex life has to take a back seat. There are lubricants and medicines that can help. You need to visit your gynecologist (#2, regular checkups!) and discuss the problems you’re having.

6. Get enough sleep.

Insomnia is a common problem for women during perimenopause and can continue all the way through menopause. While the exact cause for insomnia issues is unknown, medical experts speculate that a hot flash can interrupt deep sleep cycles. Even if you sleep through the hot flash, the quality of your sleep is being affected.

This can mean that you find yourself being more tired throughout the day. It could also lead to irritability and health problems. Get more sleep is a simple menopause self care tip, but not always an easy tip without some help. You may need to see your doctor if you can’t figure out how to sleep on your own.

7. Be aware of your mood changes.

Unfortunately, your menopause symptoms don’t only affect you. Since menopause affects your hormones, it also affects your emotions. This can manifest in the form of bizarre mood changes, which means that everyone around you must deal with it too.

Managing your mood changes is one menopause self care tip that can help everyone in your household. While you probably can’t stop the mood changes, you can at least be aware of them. Being mindful, along with a lot of understanding from your loved ones, will help you get through it in one piece.

8. Take care of your skin.

Menopause can wreak havoc on your skin. If you’ve never had a solid skincare regimen, now is the time to get one. If you don’t, you might become unrecognizable.

Menopause can cause your skin to get dry and thin. You can develop age spots and larger patches of dark skin. You may begin growing facial hair while the hair on your head thins out. There is even a possibility of skin growths and skin cancer.

This all sounds extreme, but you can significantly reduce skin problems by implementing a great skincare regimen. Don’t take this menopause self care tip with a grain of salt. Start taking care of your skin as early as possible.

9. Eat healthily and exercise.

Weight gain is another side effect of menopause. Even if you’ve always been at a healthy weight all your life, you can expect to put on a few pounds during menopause. Many women gain extra weight around their midsection.

There are several factors that cause weight gain. Genetics, lack of sleep, and hormonal changes can all play a role. However, eating right and exercising is a way to combat this. Living a healthy lifestyle can help you fight those extra calories and, in the process, combat many weight-related diseases that you can get as you get older.

10. Exercise your brain.

Unfortunately, the efficiency of your brain can take a hit during menopause. Many women suffer from memory problems and concentration issues. You could even go as far as calling these problems brain fog.

Some of this brain fog is due to other problems you may be having from menopause. Sleep problems, mental health problems, and even frequent mood changes can all play a part. If you manage these, you can reduce or even prevent brain fog.

The best thing you can do is to incorporate brain-stimulating activities in your life. Challenge yourself and do things that make you use your mind. Anything that makes you think and remember things is welcomed.

Final Thoughts on Menopause Self Care Tips

Menopause is a challenging time for any woman, and taking care of yourself during this time is essential. As your body goes through these inevitable changes, comfort becomes your primary concern. Don’t be afraid to be a little selfish as you deal with the effects of menopause.

The good news is that the phase won’t last forever. Eventually, your body will become your friend again, and you can get back to a healthy, everyday life. How healthy it is will depend on how good you are a menopause self care, so make sure you put yourself first and take care of all those menopause needs.

Financial problems cause emotional suffering and lots of turmoil in your life. When you have a spending habit that is out of control, it can cause anxiety, depression, and even relationship issues. Impulse spending is the worst type because it’s as powerful a drug and just as addictive.

You may become a serial shopper or someone who shops to fill that void in your life. This type of impulse spending happens more than you think. Do you find that you are wasteful with money? Think of all the savings you could have right now if you just started conserving when you were younger?

Even if your bank account has more zeros than the national deficit, there’s no time like the present to make some changes. If your mindset is “Carpe Diem,” and you have no thought for tomorrow, then it’s time to alter your thinking.

Here are ten easy ways to stop your impulse spending and stash cash into a savings account.

1. Return Products You Might Have Sitting Around (Don’t Live with Your Buyer’s Remorse)

Most people have things sitting around their homes that they have every intention of returning, but they never make it to the store. It could be things that you order from a catalog, which are inconvenient to return.

The sad fact is that you probably have a lot of money sitting around in those returns, and you could put that cash into a savings account. If you waited so long that you are past the return period, no worry. Post your unused items on a local Facebook yardsale page, sell it on eBay, or host a tag sale.

So, reject your buyer’s remorse–return those items and stash that cash for a rainy day.

2. Wait 24 Hours Before You Make Purchases

How many times have you bought something on an impulse, and it sits at your home unused? What about those designer boots you had to have but live in a tropical climate? Sure, you had the best of intentions, but you didn’t give much thought to your purchase.

If you feel that you need those new shoes, a purse, or a wallet, you should think about all your purchases before you spend the money. The chances are if you go home and think about it for 24 hours, you will change your mind.

Think and rethink each purchase, and you will see a big difference in your checking account. Buying on impulse is a dangerous habit.

3. Seek Counseling

Do you know there are support groups and counseling specifically for those who have impulse spending problems? Spending money can be addictive, so you may need a therapist to help you make better choices regarding your money.

If you cannot find local support groups, then you can find some online help. Many times, there is an underlying mental health issue like anxiety or depression that can fuel the fires of impulse spending.

4. Start Eating and Drinking at Home

One of the biggest money wasters is eating out. Do you grab a gourmet coffee on the way to work each day? If you spend $5 for a large frosted cappuccino, and you did that for five days a week, you would spend approximately $1,300.

Now, think of all the things that you could do with an extra $1,300 each year? If you got a coffee maker at home, then you could make coffee and save. Coffee savings is just the tip of the iceberg; think of all the other ways you can conserve.

Stop giving your money to fast food establishments. You pay $2.49 for a soda at a drive-through, but you can get a whole 24 pack for less than $8.00. Do the math, and you will see how much you waste by eating and drinking out.

5. Set a Household Budget and Stick with It

Do you have a household budget? Did you know that more than 33 percent of the population doesn’t maintain a budget? Budgeting is important because it’s like a financial roadmap from where you are today and where you want to be in the upcoming months.

So, the best thing that you can do is to plan for tomorrow. If you want to buy a new home or a car, you must start setting money aside. It’s better than waiting until the time comes and having no money to put down. Sadly, you will get higher payment amounts because of the lack of cash.

6. Start a Savings Account and Make Automatic Deposits

Do you have a savings account? Did you know that the average person only has about $4,000 in their savings? While that may seem like a nice chunk of change, it’s barely enough to survive one month without income.

If something should happen that you lose your job, have a major medical setback, or have other financial hardships, small savings like that could be depleted overnight. Try having money taken out of your check and put into a savings or money market account.

Even better, why not start a 401K where your money is waiting for you when you retire, and you can always borrow from these funds if you need it.

7. Do The Envelope Method

Most people don’t like to use cash these days, and with safety concerns, it’s not advisable. However, for those who have impulse spending issues, a credit card is deceptive. Many people spend cash more frivolously because they can’t tangibly see it.

The envelope method is an old trick where you put so much cash that you allow yourself to spend in each envelope. Once the money is gone, you can’t spend anymore. Some people prefer money because they feel they can keep a better handle on their finances with it.

You can also do this method electronically if you have a bank or accounting program that tracks your spending and separates it into categories.

8. Talk to a Financial Advisor

A financial advisor can look at your income and tell you the best ways to make your money work. They will look at your current standing and how your retirement will be if you don’t change your ways. With the instability in the Social Security system, it’s not safe to take bets on this program for retirement.

It usually doesn’t cost anything for an evaluation. When you learn how to invest your money correctly, it can net you some serious change.

9. Make a Menu and Meal Plan

One of the greatest expenses you will face each month outside of your mortgage is your grocery bill. Did you know that the average family of four spends over $1,287 each month in groceries? Thankfully, you can reduce that bill by a few hundred dollars by learning how to meal plan.

Remember the old Adam Sandler song, “Lunch Lady?” The song states that yesterday’s meatloaf is today’s sloppy joe. You need to develop that mindset and repurpose leftovers. Do you think these restaurants that you patronize don’t recycle?

Take, for instance, the legendary chain you love called Wendy’s. Their famous chili is made from the hamburger leftover from the day before. If you’re shocked, you shouldn’t be as all eateries do things like this to save.

Those hamburgers sit in the warming drawer for a certain amount of time. When the time limit expires, they move them to a container to save in their walk-in cooler. The next day, they use them to make their soup.

It’s a considerable saving to them because they would throw away all that meat if they didn’t have such a plan. Now, you need to implement the same kind of philosophy.

You can take leftover hamburgers and turn them into a soup, tacos, or delicious shepherd’s pie. Just think of all the food that goes to waste that you could repurpose.

10. Learn How to Effectively Grocery Shop

If you run into the grocery store when you’re hungry and shop for the things you need for the day, you will probably do some impulse spending. Did you know that there is a right and a wrong way to go to the supermarket? Here are some tips that you should follow.

•Never shop when you are hungry

•Make a list and stick to it

•Shop early morning for discount prices and markdown deals

•Use the sales flyer to plan your meals

•Sign up with a service that will pay you money for trying products you use

•Do not go to the store every day or every couple of days

•Make one big trip a week and don’t keep going back

•Have a dedicated shopping day

•Buy in bulk and divide and conquer your budget

The list seems to be overwhelming, but it’s not that bad once you get the hang of it. Smart shopping can save you hundreds each month and thousands on the year.

Final Thoughts on Knowing When It Is Time to Stop the Impulse Spending

It’s important to stash money into savings for a rainy day. Those rainy days happen to everyone, whether you’re prepared for them or not. Thankfully, even if you only have a dime in your account, you can change that quickly.

It doesn’t have to be big and significant changes, just start small and start building. You will be so glad that you stopped the impulse spending once you have a nice nest egg built for your family. Who doesn’t want to stash money into savings?

Are your kids’ closets a jumbled mess? That likely scenario is not at all surprising!

No one is quite as disorganized as a child! With a little understanding of the importance of keeping things tidy, kids can create quite a mess and leave a trail of havoc wherever they go. It can be difficult for parents to keep up – and even more difficult for those kids to find what they need later!

That’s why it’s so vital to teach children to start being organized as young as possible. This way, organizing habits will come naturally to them, and they’ll learn how to keep things neat and orderly as they grow up. But with all the things kids have, how can everything be stored correctly? Here’s how pros reveal six simple tips to help you organize your kids’ closets!

1.    Hang Things Up

Hanging things up is a simple and easy way to keep things off the floor. All you have to do is make sure your children have enough hooks and hangers, and you’ll naturally have things organized in some form! Morevoer, you will help decrease morning-time stress!

Here are several easy tasks you can start with:

·         Figure Out How Hanging Things Works

Help your children create a system for their clothes. For example, their clothes can be organized by color and category. This way, they can grab and put away their clothes quickly later!

·         Use Doubler Rods

Having two rods in your child’s closet not only increases the hanging space in the closet, but they also allow smaller children to put away their clothes with ease too. This will enable them to practice organizing their closet by themselves.

·         Try Using Hooks

Putting on your child’s closet provides more organizational options for your child. They can use these hooks to hang bags, scarves, jackets, or even jewelry – which helps keep their things off the floor and their room free of clutter.

·         Invest In Good Hangers

It may seem strange, but getting the right kind of hangers can make storage easier for your child’s closet. Slimline hangers take up less space than ordinary hangers, allowing you to squeeze in more clothes onto a rack. Some of them come with non-slip designs as well, ensuring that clothes won’t slide off the hangers while in the closet.

2.    Figure Out How A Good Closet Works

To store things well, you first have to invest in a functional closet. Not just in terms of build quality, but also in terms of how usable it is from your child’s point-of-view. After all, it is much easier to encourage cleanliness and orderliness if the act of storing and retrieving their belongings is a positive experience!

·         Make Sure Everything Is Accessible

Your child needs to have a closet that they can use to its fullest. This means making sure that baskets are within reach, and things can be easily seen and retrieved from the open shelves. This lowered height makes it easier for your child to maintain and organize their own space.

·         Invest In A Working Closet System

Not all closets are designed the same. Look for one that has the right number and arrangement of shelves, cubbies, and drawers your child needs.

·         Designate Different Spaces For Different Things

Organizing is easier for your child if they know where things should go. Help your child decide on a “home” for their belongings so that they are encouraged to return the appropriate items to their respective shelves. For example, their shoes’ home can be in a drawer, and underwear can have their home on a specific shelf!

3.    Make Things Convenient

No matter how old you are, cleaning can come across as a menial chore and a drag. For children, this is understandably even worse – which can explain why they may struggle to keep their rooms and closets clean. Here are a few things you can do to help them:

·         Have A Basket Or Bin For Everything

Using a mix of bins and baskets allows you to contain and store things that won’t usually fit onto a shelf or into a drawer. It also gives your children someplace to put the bulkier stuff they love, like puzzles, books, stuffed toys, or even shoes.

·         Make Labels

Teaching your child how to label things can help them keep track of their belongings and their respective shelves. You can then teach them to match items to their labeled shelves for easy cleanup.

·         Coordinate By Color

Color-coordination can turn fixing up the closet into a fun and easy task for your child. Have them put their toys in a basket of the same color, or place their books back onto a shelf with books of similar color.

·         Use Closet Dividers

Closet dividers help divide up a closet into more spaces. This allows your child to get specific with their storage, and control the size of their shelves per their needs or wants!

4.    Unique Storage Options

Typical storage methods may be just what you need for your children. This offers them more options to keep things clean, and may make organizing their closet and space a more exciting experience!

Here are a few helpful hints you can try for your children:

·         Go For Hidden Storage

There’s nothing more exciting for children than a hidden drawer or bin. This can encourage them to put their things away while also doubling the amount of storage space for them.

·         DIY A Hanging Pegboard

A pegboard wall with hooks offers both you and your child more versatility when it comes to storage options. You can use it to store books, knick-knacks, and various miscellaneous items – whatever organizational space you need, you can configure a pegboard for the task.

· Don’t Let The Door Go to Waste

You can quickly put up a set of hooks or a hanging organizer for additional storage space. This not only utilizes an unusual space that would otherwise go to waste, but it also allows your child to easily see and store their belongings.

·         Bring Write Kitchen Shelves In

Kitchen shelves don’t have to be reserved for just your kitchen. You can also utilize them for your child’s storage, allowing you to put their belongings somewhere that’s visible. This not only leaves everything in sight and easy reach for your child but also offers plenty of vertical storage space as well.

·         Mix Laundry Baskets With Shelves

Laundry baskets don’t have to be just for laundry. You can also use them as a shelf of sorts, and have your child use it as a storage spot for all kinds of miscellaneous items they may have.

5.    Make Cleanup Easy

The simplest way to encourage your children to clean up after themselves is to make the task easy! It is often easy to forget just how difficult it can be for a child to remember to clean up after themselves. Lowering the energy and mental requirements for your children solves that issue, and it can be quickly done by:

·         Set Up A Bin Or Two For Toys

Putting down some stackable storage bins for your children creates an easily accessible place for your children’s toys. You can help your child label said containers so that they know what goes where, which further incentivizes them to put things back “home”.

·         Prepare A Laundry Basket

Give your children a place to put their dirty laundry. A basket with handles will not only create a logical place for dirty clothes but can also be carried by your child to the laundry room when full.

·         Have An Open Bin Ready For Quick Cleanup

Simply have a large, open bin for bulky items. Have your child toss everything into it before bedtime – pillows, stuffed toys, throw blankets, etc. No questions asked.

6.    When Losing Motivation, Remember The Benefits

No matter how much work you put in, it bears remembering that this is essentially an ongoing lesson you will have to teach them for the entirety of their childhood. That can seem like a long time on a bad day, and you might find yourself in despair instead!

It’s best to cling on tight to positive thinking, however. Research tells us that with enough time, the organizational skills you teach them scale up to other aspects of their life as well. For example, they become better at:

·         Learning To Follow Directions

It may seem simple, but trying to follow directions is a lot harder for children than you might think. This is because it requires a child to be capable of focusing on the task at hand and mentally constructing a course of action for it. These two things need mental organizational and planning skills – something a child can learn from organizing their closet.

·         Easier Location

With everything placed away from where they should be, you’ll find that it’s easier for both you and your child to find things.

·         Gaining Math Skills

Organizational skills find their place in math, a subject that is also highly organized. So it should come as no surprise that studies have pointed out the relationship between a child’s organizational skills and their mathematical academic achievement. As such, teaching your children how to organize their closet – and by extension, teaching them organizational skills – may have a positive effect on their studies later on.

·         Learning Confidence

The task of rewarding your child for cleaning up their closet may also be what helps build their confidence. Research shows that being specific about praise helps boost their child in the praised area. This means that regularly rewarding and praising your child for organizing their toys and clothing will help them increase their sense of self, their capacity for positive thinking, and their ability to organize!

·         Gaining Literacy

When a child reads a book or writes a story, they have to keep track of several things at once. For example, they’d have to keep track of plot, story concept, characters, and their relationships. This actually all requires organizational skills that they can, fortunately, learn through visually organizing their space, as research has shown.

Final Thoughts On Following These Simple Tips To Help You Organize Your Kids’ Closets

No one expects, wants, or needs children to be the perfect depictions of a filing cabinet. We all know full well that kids will be kids! Being young involves being a little messy. But that doesn’t mean that children can’t begin to learn how to keep things tidy, and what better way to start teaching organization than through their closets?

Well-adjusted kids are able to control their emotions and deal with their problems without getting overly anxious. As a parent, you hope to raise kids who become well-adjusted adults. But why does this matter so much?

Children today live in a world that can be fast-paced and overwhelming. The rapid-fire pace of life can overwhelm. As a parent, you must equip your little one to not only survive–but to thrive.

10 Tips for Raising Well-adjusted Kids

Here are 10 counselors’ helpful tips to raise happy, well-adjusted children.

1 – Be a predictable parent

Predictable parenting gives a child a sense of stability. Studies found that unpredictable actions and attitudes from parents are unsettling for kids. Kids who are raised with parents who relate to their children in a peaceful, calm way promote a child’s ability to control their own emotions and actions. Create a low-stress routine for your children with predictable mealtimes, playtimes, and sleeping times. This allows your kids to understand what their day will be like and make them feel a sense of being in control. Of course, life has its unpredictable moments. That’s okay, as long as the majority of your days, weeks, and months follow a predictable routine.

2 – Be a good example to your kids

The old saying, “do as I say and not as I do” isn’t a good parenting philosophy. Your kids watch you all the time. They watch how you treat other people, handle your stress, and how you deal with your feelings. And your kids imitate your words and actions. Have you ever heard your child talk to a sibling or a friend in a bossy parental way? You cringed when you realized they sound just like you do when you correct them. Living as a good example for your kids is essential for raising well-adjusted kids. You can’t tell them one thing but do another thing. They’ll see your hypocrisy right away.

Examples of hypocrisy in parenting:

• If you tell your kids to be kind, but you gossip about people to your kids.
• You yell at your kids, but you tell them not to yell at their siblings.
• You tell your kids to be patient, but then you get angry at the restaurant when your food doesn’t arrive quickly enough.
• You tell your kids to serve others, but you always tell your neighbors you’re too busy to help them even when you’re not.

Your kids will catch on to your lack of integrity.  They will feel it’s unfair when you correct them, but then you don’t live by the same rules.

3 – Teach your kids to respect your household rules

Every household has rules. Your kids need to understand the rules of your home and to respect them by obeying them. Kids need to know their boundaries. If you’re aren’t firm on the rules, they’ll feel like they can do whatever they want. Or if you’re too strict, they’ll feel like all you care about are the rules.

Explain your rules

Explain to your child why the rule exists. “In our house, everyone does chores because we all contribute.”

Praise when they obey

When your child attempts to do a chore, be sure to give them praise even if it’s not perfectly done. “I love the way you worked so hard to put away the dishes. Great job.”

You obey the rules

If the house rules are to clean up after yourself, be sure you do it. Don’t expect your kids to do things you don’t do.

Good conscience

If your child feels bad about not doing something that’s a sign they have a working conscience. That’s a good thing.  Emphasize that although they did make a mistake, everybody makes mistakes.

4 – Discipline your children appropriately

Discipline helps your child learn to better fit into the world. Positive and effective discipline teaches kids to obey without force. When you discipline your child, you’re telling them what unacceptable behavior looks like in a loving, firm way.

Studies on raising happy children found that discipline is one of the most important roles for parents. It requires lots of time and energy. There are no shortcuts when it comes to being a parent. What parent hasn’t had to stop what they were doing to discipline your child? It’s frustrating, exhausting, and overwhelming. But parenting reaps wonderful rewards.

When you discipline your child, be firm, but kind. If you tell your child they need a time out, stand by your decision, don’t waffle when they cry or plead. Effective discipline helps your kids learn self-control and self-discipline as they grow. Be sure you maintain a good bond with your kids, they should feel your respect. Never call them names or belittle them. No shouting, yelling or lashing out at them. This will erode their trust in you.

5 – Teach your kids to be selfless when dealing with other people

Kids aren’t born thinking about others. Everyone has heard a little kid yell, “Mine!” instead of sharing their toys. Unselfishness and being others’ oriented needs to be taught. Encourage your kids to help others, to share, and to have empathy for others. Plan opportunities for your family to help in your community homeless shelter or soup kitchen or participate in a community clean up.

6 – Teach your kids problem-solving skills

Your kids need to learn how to solve their problems. Your three-year-old son may need to learn to have self-control by not screaming when his big brother wants to play with his toy, but your thirteen-year-old daughter may need to learn how to compromise during an argument with her best friend. Here are three strategies to help your kids learn how to solve their own problems.

Give your child choices

Let your younger kids choose clothing, food, or what activities they want to do. Give them a choice of ‘this or that’ rather than open-ended choices.

As they learn how to make small decisions, then you can begin to give them choices in problem-solving situations. When your younger daughter is screaming at her little brother, ask her, “What would be a better way to solve this instead of screaming at your brother grabbed your toy?”

 Teach them to not give up

Encourage them to work hard to solve their problems whether it’s how to clean up their toys or put away their clean clothes.

 Let them think

When your child asks you a question about how to do something, don’t just tell them, ask them what they would do. This forces them to think about how to solve problems.

 7 – Teach your children to be kindhearted

Praise your kids when they show kindness to people or animals. Encourage their efforts even if they aren’t received well or aren’t well thought out.  Give them pointers on what kindness looks like. Be a good model for your kids of being kind to those around you.

8 – Teach your kids gratitude

Teach your child to say thank you and show gratitude to adults or other kids. Encourage them to look for the good even in difficult situations in their life. Congratulate your child when they express gratitude. Make it a regular conversation to point out what you’re grateful. Ask them what they’re thankful for.

9 – Teach your kids good health habits

Teach your kids the value of being healthy. Eating good foods, exercise, and taking care of your body are important things for a parent to teach their kids. Set an example at home by serving healthy meals and doing family outside activities like hiking, going to the beach or to the park. Stay active with your kids in the backyard playing soccer or basketball.

10 – Teach your kids how to express their emotions

As a parent, you understand we need to feed, clothe, and educate your children. That’s the easy stuff. The more difficult thing you’ll face is training your kids to express themselves. Kids are a bundle of emotions. They express themselves through crying, angry outbursts, or fear.

It’s difficult to untangle what’s really going on when your three- year son suddenly refuses to go to bed at night because of the dark. But as hard as it is, it’s critically important that you stay engaged with your kids in spite of their messy emotions.

Being a lax parent can cause emotional and mental harm to your child. Don’t try to address every emotional outburst, pick one, and work with your child on it. Teach them better ways to communicate. Give them some simple instructions on how to express their emotions such as,  “I’m sad about….” or “I don’t like it when..” or “I get afraid when…”

Final Thoughts on Raising Well-adjusted Kids in a Fast-Paced World

Parenting well-adjusted kids take thoughtful engagement on your part. Staying consistent in your words and actions is extremely important for raising happy kids. When you live out what you ask their kids to do, they’ll follow your example. So hang in their parents. Stay strong and keep working to help your kids become happy, well-adjusted adults.

Fashion Frenzy: Retail Marketing Tips for New Boutique Owners

Did you know that the fashion industry gets $20 billion in revenue annually? This revenue comes from online shopping and retail shopping in boutiques and malls.

As of 2020, there are 74,007 clothing boutique businesses in the United States. Keep reading, and we will guide you through retail marketing tips to help grow your business.

Independent Fashion Boutiques

People say that online shopping’s success is the “death of retail,” but this is not correct. Independent retailers are on the rise, and boutiques have been building multimillion-dollar companies.

They are building such successful empires by using online shopping and e-commerce. They are also having less than three physical locations across the country. The digital media community helps develop these businesses.

There are a few takeaways for boutiques to help set them apart from major retail corporations.

1. Embrace the Experience: Create an online and offline experience through your brand. Think about how the product is delivered, and how it makes you feel, make this experience more personalized. Help inspire people with the latest styles and fashion trends.
2. Business with People: Customers don’t want to do business with large corporations with a chatbot to answer questions; they want to talk to a person. Create this customer experience that allows for their experience to be more personalized.

There are other ways you can make your business soar. Now we will dig into the marketing strategies that can help make your boutique successful.

Retail Marketing Techniques

You can create a community or follow through social media and other marketing techniques. We will walk you through a few tips that can help you develop your strategy.

1. Identify Your Target Audience

Find the target audience for your marketing campaign. Think about the characteristics they might have, including: are they male or female, what is the age range of your customers, what is their income bracket, and if you’re targeting specific geographical locations.

2. Branding

You need to develop your boutique’s brand and messaging before you start a marketing campaign. You need to create a logo, color scheme, and more. You want to make sure you’re consistent. From social media to emails to direct mail to your website, everything should work together. You can also enhance your brand by developing a loyalty program for your best customers, so they get deals and learn about sales first.

3. Physical Displays

Window displays are essential marketing tools for the boutique because if they catch someone’s eye, you can attract new and loyal customers. You can promote a sale or upcoming event with a countertop sign holder.

4. Social Media

You can use social media to build a community for your boutique. Use it as a forum for people to get involved. Post giveaways and sales and engage with your followers. Make a part of the giveaway for them to post about your boutique.

Start Working On Your Marketing Strategy

Get started on your retail marketing. You can establish your target audience and brand and then build from there.

There are plenty of paid and free marketing strategies, from social media to email to direct mail, and you should use multiple channels to reach as much as your target audience as you can.

ArticleCity can help you work on your inbound marketing. Read more about their services on their website today.

Wake up and Work: 7 Tips for Setting up a Home Office for Remote Work

You’re thinking of setting up a home office for remote work and you don’t know where to start. Whether you’re working remotely due to the pandemic or decided to pick up a side hustle to make some extra money, working from home provides many benefits.

You’ll save money on gas. Avoid the rush hour commute. Eat lunch in the luxury of your home. And spend more time with your family.

But setting up a home office takes more than working on your laptop on the couch or kitchen table. Here are seven important tips to consider when setting up your home office.

1. Choosing Furniture

When purchasing home office furniture, you want to keep a few things in mind. First, you need the right-sized space to do your work. Will you be working on a laptop? You could get away with a small desk.

But if you need room to spread paperwork around, you may need something larger. Do you have room for an executive desk? Or does your desk space only afford you forty-eight inches?

The size of the room you have to work with will dictate the furniture you need to purchase such as a desk, bookcases, filing cabinets, and additional tables. Make sure to use a comfortable chair at the appropriate height to work comfortably. Or find one that’s adjustable.

2. Create a Healthy Work Environment

When setting up a home office for remote work, your environment should be a healthy one. Consider placing plants around the room to get additional oxygen.

Don’t work in a room where people smoke if there are smokers in your home. Another idea is to have sufficient task lighting. Enough to see your workspace, but not too bright causing eye strain and squinting.

If you work at the computer for many hours, consider adjusting the blue light on your display. Blue light is harmful to the eyes when you’re exposed to it for long periods of time. You can pick up a pair of blue light glasses if your computer doesn’t have the ability to use the night vision mode.

3. Set Yourself Up to Be Productive

It’s easy to get sidetracked when you’re at home. The phone rings. You receive emails. Your Twitter feed and social media apps never end. Consider turning off the alerts or using a program that limits the use of social media.

Some apps actually block social media. But don’t worry if you have a social program for work such as Slack. You can set up the preferences in the apps to tell them which sites you want to block and leave others alone.

Another way to be productive is to create a schedule. Especially if your boss isn’t tracking the time you spend doing your work on a company portal.

Plan work times with appropriate breaks, time for lunch, and stick to your schedule. You’ll be surprised at how much work you get done. Plus, you won’t need to attend all those impromptu meetings held at the office lasting half the day.

4. Separate Your Workspace from Shared Areas

Don’t have a private room to do your work? Well, don’t set up your space in the middle of the kitchen or the living room.

Your family may want to watch TV, do their homework on the sofa or the kitchen table. Choose a quiet, peaceful space where you can concentrate. Additionally, an area designated for your work will make you feel more like a professional.

5. Designing and Decorating Your Space

When you’re setting up a home office for remote work, you may want to make your space appear like it’s an office. Find a style that suits your taste. Maybe even paint the room.

If your room has bright red walls, you may want to tone it down. You may want to choose a color more conducive to working in an office environment. To coordinate the space, pick up some accessories.

Want to do a gold theme? Pick up a pencil case and a container for paper clips. You can even buy gold paper clips. These kinds of touches make a great way to personalize your space and make it more productive.

6. Minimize Family Distractions

If you live with your family, let them know in advance that you don’t want to be disturbed. If you have an extra room to use as an office, consider putting a “do not disturb” sign on the door and keep the door closed to minimize interruptions. 

While that won’t guarantee you’ll never get an occasional (hopefully occasional) knock on the door, it will help to make interruptions less frequent than keeping the door open and family members walking into your office to ask a question every hour.

If you live with roommates, ask them to keep the noise down while you’re working if they raise the volume beyond a level you can bear.

7. Keep Your Work Area Positive

It’s important to maintain a positive state of mind when you’re working remotely as well as any time of the day. Unexpected problems occur at work and at home. Clients go with other companies. Your boss loses their temper.

Your child gets sick. The principal calls you because your kiddo has acted up inappropriately. Many situations can put you in a bad mood. 

Try to roll with the punches. Don’t let mishaps and obstacles get you down. They’re often unavoidable. You can deal with them after work if they’re not emergencies. A good way to feel positive is to listen to soft music or meditation tapes while you’re working.

Of course, if this distracts you, think of some other options. One possibility is to place posters with positive sayings you like on the wall. Or positive quotes in frames on your desk. Have a few post-it notes with positive affirmations in front of you.

Is there a painting that lifts your spirits such as lovely Monet oil painting? An Andrew Wyeth watercolor? Hang it on the wall for some creative, positive inspiration. Color and nature affect our state of mine.

7 Helpful Tips Revisited: Setting Up A Home Office for Remote Work

Follow these proven tips for setting up a home office for remote work. These home office ideas will help you create a positive, productive work environment, achieve your goals, and earn an income.

Need more helpful tips career tips and more? Explore our extensive collection of articles.

3 Tips for Creating a Contact Us Page for Small Businesses

Starting a business is easy. The hard part is keeping your business alive, especially in times of crisis like right now. One of the biggest reasons new small businesses fail is that they don’t know how to get repeat business from clients.

A well-designed, easy-to-navigate contact us page is vital to drawing customers in and bringing them back. If you’re not the most design-savvy and are worried about communicating with customers, don’t worry. Here are three helpful tips for creating a small business contact us page.

1. Getting International Attention

If you write, sell internationally, or do other intercontinental work, contact us pages can present difficulty. If you’re based in the United States, a Canadian caller might be turned off from your business if they don’t have a way to call you without incurring long-distance charges.

Luckily, virtual calling services eliminate this problem. It’s simple to get a Canadian phone number and other international numbers. Taking a moment to add this feature to the list of emails and phone numbers on your site helps you expand your business to other countries.

2. Making Your Contact Us Page Accessible to All

One commonly overlooked aspect of making a contact us page is that not every client has the same physical ability to see, read, and process information.

The accessibility features you know from your computer’s settings can only do so much, leaving blind and vision-impaired computer users, people with sensitivities to bright and clashing colors, and others in a difficult position. Images without alternate text are impossible to parse with screen readers, and certain fonts are confusing to dyslexics and others.

Disabled people need to use services like yours as much as any others do, but when websites are hard to read, they’re forced to go elsewhere to find information, goods, and services. Following accessibility guidelines and using a template is a good way to ensure that everyone can get in touch without issue.

3. Think Professional Design

Throwing together a contact us page might seem like easy work. After all, it’s just your company building address, an email and phone number, and maybe an embedded contact form. You can make one in five minutes, right?

Sure, you can, but a contact us page that looks like a middle schooler made it in Microsoft Word isn’t going to get the most value out of your contact us page. If you don’t have design experience, it’s a good idea to invest in hiring a web designer to do the work.

Aesthetics matter more than you might think, and a sleek and professional contact us page gives customers confidence in your business.

Improve Business With Marketing Articles and Advice

Now that you’ve read these three great tips for creating a contact us page, you can improve your website and draw in more business. Once you’ve perfected your contact us page, take a look at our other articles to keep improving your website and other aspects of your business.

In these lean times, it’s important to jump on all the business opportunities you can. Lucky for you, we have all the business news that matters right now lined up right here. Get to reading and get on top of your game.