Archives for April 2018

7 Great Ways Stay-At-Home Moms (And Dads) Can Make Extra Money

April 18, 2018 By
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There is nothing easy about being a full-time parent. In fact, it’s a full-time job, just without the full-time paycheck to match. When one parent has to stay at home to take care of the baby, it can put a financial strain on the family, because there’s only one income for the entire household. Thankfully, there are loads of ways for you to make some extra money, even if you can’t leave your house to go to work. If your family is struggling, or you just want to give yourself more of a financial cushion, then here are seven ways for you to make money while still taking care of your children.

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Become A Mommy (Or Daddy) Blogger

Blogging is a fun and creative way to earn some extra cash for you and your family. Of course, you won’t start making money right away, but once you’ve published a few posts and have started to build your audience, you could receive a fair wage each month. If parenting advice isn’t a passion of yours, then write about something that is. There are millions of blogs out there, so be as unique as you can if you want to get noticed.

Take Online Surveys

If you’re searching for a quick and easy way to earn a few extra bucks, then you should consider taking online surveys. Each online survey website is slightly different, but most generally reward you with points for completing surveys, which usually take between five and thirty minutes to complete. Then, once you’ve collected enough points, you can exchange them, for gift vouchers that can be used at different retailers.

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Look After Other Children

If you’ve got any friends or family members that need child care throughout the week, why not offer to look after their children while you’re at home with your own. They’ll probably be grateful to have someone they know and trust looking after their child, and this way your child will have someone besides you to play with all day, while you also have a bit more money to play with. Just make sure that you stick to two or three extra children at most, or you might not be able to cope.

Cater For Parties

If you love baking and cooking, then why not offer your catering services to your family and friends. Depending on how much time you have on your hands, and your skill set, you could make anything from a single birthday cake to an entire buffet, and will earn a decent amount of money while you’re doing it. Just make sure that you don’t take on too many orders at once, or it’ll quickly turn into a full-time job, which is something you probably don’t have time for.

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Sell Your Baby Clothes

First-time parents tend to stock up on adorable outfits, and although these are incredibly cute, there is one big problem – Babies grow fast. Most babies grow out of clothes before you have the chance to blink, so you’ve probably got a whole pile of baby grows that have barely been used. Rather than waste these outfits, sell them online, along with any shoes, books, and toys you no longer need or use.

Make Your Own Jewelry

If you’re particularly creative, why not create your own metal stamped jewelry and sell it online, on websites like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon. You’ll need to buy the necessary tools to do this, as well as the blank bracelets and necklaces, but you can get all of this from ImpressArt at CraftDirect. Once you’ve got what you need, you can start making a few simple designs, to begin with, and slowly get more creative and extravagant.

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Tutor Struggling Students

If you have experience in teaching and have a few hours spare each week, there’s no reason why having a child should stop you from helping students. You can find struggling students through you own children’s school, in local newspapers, and through online ads, who can come to your home and be taught there. You could also tutor students via webcam, using one of the many online tutoring websites that pay you by the hour.

You may have to stay at home and look after your children, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t support your family financially too. There are lots of ways for you to make some extra money from home, so if none of these takes your fancy, you can do some more research and find something that does.

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Make First Impressions Count On Your Next House Viewing

April 16, 2018 By
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In life, we’re told not to judge books by their covers. After all, first impressions are often based on personal bias. As such, they’re rarely a reflection on what’s in front of us. But, when you’re buying a house, first impressions are more crucial than you realize. In fact, the majority of homeowners refuse to put an offer in without that ‘gut feeling’ a house is the one. And, guess what? The gut feeling they speak about is often nothing more than a favorable first impression.

As such, it’s worth considering this when you view your next house. While you may know by now what to look for when viewing properties, it’s less likely you’re aware of things to look out for from a first impression standpoint. Which is why we’re going to consider the three main pointers here.

The neighborhood

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Your first impressions should start before you even set eyes on the house. The neighborhood you choose to live in will have more of an impact on your quality of life than you could imagine. As such, pay attention to what’s outside as you drive to your viewing. Are there local amenities? Are there kids playing in the street? These and more are signifiers of whether an area is suited to your needs. It might even be worth driving around before arriving and getting the best feel for the place. Take some time, too, to stroll around the local park and get a feel for the people. All this can add towards your overall impression of the property.

The roof

The exterior appearance of a property is the most notable thing when it comes to a first impression. But, what you might not realize is that the roof is also worth appraisal. So, as you drive up to that property, get into the habit of looking up. More properties than you realize have roofing problems, and that could be a major-no go. Missing shingles can cause leaks which do untold damage. Instead, look out for ship-shape roofs, or options which use architectural shingles. You can head to sites like Wildwood Roofing to read more about the benefits of options like these. Needless to say; it doesn’t get much better in the first impression roofing stakes.

The entrance hall

And, the game isn’t up once you enter the property, either. The entrance hall is an area far too often neglected on house viewings. After all, you want to see what the rest of the property has to offer. As such, many of us fall into the habit of skipping this essential factor. But, slow it down and consider your first impression of the space. Of course, you can change decor and such, so try to look past that. Instead, pay attention to the general feeling you get. Is the area dark or light? Does it feel welcoming or claustrophobic? Given that this is the first room any guest will see in your house, it’s essential you spend time considering this.

Filed Under: For The Home
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5 Easy Ways to Improve the Atmosphere in Your House

April 14, 2018 By
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Your house may look good on the outside and it may also be well-furnished inside, but how does it make you feel when you step in? What’s the atmosphere in your home like? If the first couple of things that come to your mind are the words ‘stressed’ and ‘tired’, then you need to fix the atmosphere of your house straight away. Here are some easy ways to do it.

  1. Install a water fountain. Installing an indoor fountain can do wonders for the atmosphere of your home. It’s beautiful, it’s relaxing to see and hear, and it can serve as an air purifier and humidifier. There’s also the fact that your guests and visitors will not be able to stop themselves from being bowled over by its impressive look, especially if you go for a particularly fancy wall fountain model, where the fountain itself is integrated into one of the walls of your house. This type of fountain saves space and appears as an art piece rather than a simple humidifier or air purifier.
  2. Use scented candles and scent diffusers. Improving the atmosphere of your house can also be as simple as giving it a new and refreshing scent, one that’s light enough to be pleasant but also strong enough to mask any mustiness that any house usually gets. One great way to do this is by keeping a couple of scented candles or scent diffusers in key places inside your house, such as the living room and some bedrooms. This will keep the scent circulating in your house without it being too overpowering. Scents that are perfect for improving moods and masking stuffiness and mustiness include citrus and subtle floral scents. For your safety, never leave burning candles unattended.
  3. Control or modulate your lighting. Bright overhead lighting can help employees focus in an office setting, but it’s terrible at setting a relaxing atmosphere in your home. Either set up your indoor lighting so that you can adjust its brightness, or replace your harsh fluorescent bulbs with those that can output softer, warmer light. You can also look at light diffusing fixtures if you want to keep your existing lamps and bulbs.
  4. Eradicate dust. Houses naturally gather dust over time, especially if they have a lot of belongings and furnishings that clutter up the place. Excessive dust not only affects people with dust allergies, but it also drastically lowers the air quality inside a house. There’s also the fact that keeping your home interior dusty makes you look lazy and neglectful. To resolve this, dedicate a day every week to dusting surface tops and cleaning your home. You can also set aside an entire weekend to de-clutter your house. Having less clutter means having less things to dust! Finally, if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, replace it with wood, cork or tile; these are not only easier to clean but they don’t harbor dust the same way that carpets do.
  5. Open your windows. Sometimes, all it takes to get some good air inside your house is to open your windows and let the air circulate. Not only does this ensure that fresh air will always be flowing into your house, but it also prevents your home from having that hot, stuffy feeling that houses tend to have when air has no way of escaping from it. Your lungs will thank you, just as your family and guests will!

Improving the atmosphere in your house may seem like a tricky and expensive project, but with these 5 ways to help you get started, you should be well on your way to making your house feel like a home again.

Filed Under: For The Home
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Home Is Where The Heart Is

April 12, 2018 By
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Whether you live in America or China, we all have a very personal and unique idea of what “home” looks like.  Indeed, when we travel to faraway countries and set up a new life, the concept and moreover, the feeling, of home is particularly important.

The saying “tidy house tidy mind” describes this well, but the concept shouldn’t be limited to cleanliness or home organisation.  Like the engine room of a ship, there are a number of things that need to be taken into consideration when trying to ensure a consistent feeling of “home” within your abode, which is particularly important if you have children, and are living abroad; as this sense of stability can have a profound effect on their emotional development.

This article looks at how to ensure a consistent feeling of “home” no matter where you live in the world, as unless you’re a property developer, focused purely on the financials and spending your time looking into things such as lendinghome reviews, a home is much more than the bricks and mortar that keep the four walls and a roof above your head.  Home is where the heart is yet there are some very practical things needed to create a happy harmonious home whether you live in China, America or anywhere else in the world.

  1. STAY ON TOP OF THE BILLS

Keeping up with household bills can be stressful if money is tight, but you want your home to feel like your castle – a sanctuary from financial stress – not a situation where each time you go past the mailbox you dread receiving another bill.

  1. GARDENING

If you have a garden it’s important to keep it well maintained as if you come home each day to an overgrown garden or paint peeling off the fences it creates a feeling of chaos and things being out of control.

  1. ORGANIZATION

If you live in physical clutter and chaos, it affects your mental state, and creates an inner sense of clutter and chaos too.  Keep things organised within your home so that you can feel more at peace and calm within yourself.

  1. CLEAN & TIDY

Keeping your home clean and tidy sounds simple enough, but often, this can snowball out of control when left for a few days, becoming such a chaotic mess, that you don’t know where to begin.  The trick here, is to either employ a cleaner that undertakes a moderately deep clean, each week, or for you to do it yourself, little and often.

  1. NEIGHBORS

No matter how hard you try, not everyone is getting to get on with you, particularly if you’re living as an expat from another culture.  However, if you can get on with your neighbours to the point there’s a sense of warmth and community between you, this will pay dividends on facilitating the feeling of “home” you crave.

In summary, no matter where you live in the world the idea of take care of your home and your home will take care of you seems true.

Filed Under: For The Home
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It’s Not Child’s Play! Bonding With Your Child Over Gaming

April 11, 2018 By
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If your experience of gaming were those retro games from at least 25 years ago, gaming has changed so much since then. If you’ve got young kids, it’s natural to feel concerned about the the type of game your kid is playing. In fact, for many kids, gaming is actually a positive thing. It’s not like when you were a kid, and you were told that playing computer games, if you had the luxury, would result in you having square eyes, and completely withdraw from society. In fact, gaming now is a very sociable pastime. There are sites like Twitch, where are you can livestream games, or you can watch someone play a game. Now, this doesn’t sound like a good thing, and in fact, might sound particularly boring, but it’s very popular! And your child might be part of this. So, if you’re trying to bond with your child, video games is one of the best options now. So, how can you do this?

Picking family games

Nowadays, there are many different options for family oriented games. The Nintendo Switch is something that is specifically targeted towards multiplayer scenarios, so if your child has been hinting for a Nintendo Switch for so long, buying it for them might be the perfect in. And while there is a physical aspect to a lot of these consoles now, namely the Nintendo Wii, it doesn’t have to be all about the physical aspect. So, you want your child to get out an exercise, but if the goal is bonding with them, you’re going to have to make a few sacrifices, and not think about the overall impact on their physical state. We can discuss exercising further down the line, but for now, if you’re trying to instigate more communication with your child, multiplayer games are your way in.

Choosing the right console

Yes, the Nintendo Switch, or Nintendo Wii are good options for multiplayers, but, don’t underestimate the games that require a PC. While games like Minecraft are a solitary pursuit, there are many options to play with other people. If you are lucky enough to have a couple of PCs in the house, you can easily jump on one of them and play with your child that way. If you are struggling to get any sense of conversation out of your child, playing with then, albeit in different rooms, could be a very good start.

Have an actual interest in the game!

Kids know when you are being disingenuous. So, with something like video games, that is their own hobby, they can feel that you are hijacking it somewhat. So, instead of asking them particularly pointless questions, it’s better for you to have an actual interest in gaming, so, do your research before you sit down with them. This is going to be a much better way for you to instigate communication. And, they may be quite impressed as to how much knowledge you have as an “old person”. And you never know, it could start you onto your own unique daily habit. Don’t panic! There is nothing undignified about a parent having a healthy gaming habit. After all, gaming comes in various guys now, as well as your typical setups like Minecraft, or even games on social media, like Mafia Wars, there’s something a bit more mature, and gambling sites offer a SpinStation casino bonus so you can add that little bit more excitement and maturity to your gaming. Gaming doesn’t have to be an immature pastime, but if you’re trying to use it as a way to communicate with your child, it’s best not to put down any aspect of it. Offering comments about the game they are playing isn’t going to help. So it’s much better for you to have an active interest in the game.

Use gaming as an excuse to talk to your kids

By talking to your kids during a competitive game, such as the typical racing games, or sports games, you can take this opportunity to slip in the all-important questions. Asking them how school was, if they’ve got any issues, etc, will be a bit easier to sneak in while you’re both focused on something else. The big problem most kids have after a certain age is that they are reticent to answer anything, so this is why you have to build up their trust in your ability to be a good gamer. Once you’ve earned their trust in their domain, only then will they open up to you. But this takes a lot of time. You can’t expect to find out all their deep, dark secrets after sitting with them in front of their favourite game for a week or so. And what if they want to be alone? This is going to take even longer. If they pick games that are one player only, it’s very likely they are doing this on purpose. And because they don’t want to engage with you directly, it’s just going to take that little bit longer. But don’t lose faith, take as long as is necessary. Don’t forget, your kids will sniff out an ulterior motive right away, so it’s better for you to focus on the game playing, especially during the first few weeks. Gaming is quite an immersive experience nowadays, it’s not just a bit of fun, so it’s important for you, as the parents, not to belittle the whole process. So, if you are aiming to ask your kids questions about their school day and the like, it’s better for you to get stuck into the game and know what you doing first. This means you have to put in the hours, because if your kid is going to beat you every single time, this doesn’t pose a challenge. So, if you then build up enough skill at a certain game where you can beat your child on occasion, this is going to instigate them to come back and play again and again, so you can bond more and more!

It can take a long time, but if your child is particularly keen on video games, this could be the perfect way to build a proper bond with them. If you’ve been struggling for ways to encourage them to go out and play baseball with you, or go for a walk, or anything, video games might be the perfect option. But remember, it’s not child’s play!

 

Filed Under: Parenting
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What Happens When Those Hefty Purchases Rear Their Heads?

April 11, 2018 By
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There are few things likely to cause a lot of people to become incredibly anxious and frustrated than their finances. Let’s face it, worrying about money is just a part of adult life that we all, sadly, have to come to terms with. Of course, most of the time it’s the little things, and it’s not too difficult to get by for the vast majority of people. Then again, sometimes something happens that causes you to have to consider your finances in a way that you really don’t want to. Those kinds of hefty costs or purchases can leave you feeling incredibly anxious and worried and can even cause some pretty serious long terms problems for you further down the road. With that in mind, here are some things that you can do when those hefty costs rear their ugly heads.

Look for the best deals

The first thing that you’re going to want to do when you find yourself dealing with those kinds of large costs is to see what you can do in order to minimise them. For instance, buying a house is one of the most expensive purchases that you can make so using services like homeequitylineof.credit can make life a whole lot easier. The same goes for things like finding the best finance deals on a car or looking for the best value for things like home repairs.

Be ready

If you really want to avoid falling into a financial pit when large costs crop up then the best thing that you can do is to be ready for it. This means putting money aside in a savings account rather than spending everything that you have. Just because you’re in a financially comfortable position now doesn’t mean that you’re going to be in the same position in the future and planning for that kind of eventuality is going to make your life a whole lot easier in both the long and short-term.

Make cutbacks

Of course, if you do find yourself in a position where your finances are suffering then one of the best things that you can do is to make some cutbacks in order to make the most of the money that you do have. Whether it’s simple things like cutting back on luxuries or something more significant like downsizing your home, there are always things that you can do to reduce your spending and balance out your finances when you end up having to spend a lot of money in one place. Sure, this can be pretty discouraging and upsetting but you’re not going to be in that kind of situation forever, and it’s better to downsize for a while until you’re back on your feet than to end up in a pit of debt and financial trouble.

One of the biggest problems that a lot of people run into is that, when these kinds of large costs appear, they want to hide their heads in the sand and ignore them as much as possible. However, doing this is always going to make the whole situation far worse. Trying to hide from problems, especially financial ones, is never, ever a good idea.

 

Filed Under: Money Matters
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Under The Sea Inspiration: Costumes and Crafts For A Birthday Party

April 11, 2018 By
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The time has come around again to start planning your little one’s birthday party. It seems to come round quicker and quicker every year; no matter how prepared you think you are you always seem stuck for inspiration for their special celebration. Hosting an enjoyable party for your kids has always been a hugely important tradition for you, so it is time to explore life under the sea. Choose this magical theme for your child’s next party and you are sure to have a sensationally splashing time. Use your creative flair to pull together costumes, food and decorations which will make their perfect day come true.

Magical Mermaids

Making your own costumes is one of the most thrilling parts of organizing a themed party, especially if you get your little one involved. Ask them for ideas and get a feel for what they want to wear for their magical party. A mermaid would be a perfect option for an under the sea party and this mermaid sequin fabric would be the ideal way to begin your creation. Look online for more inspiration on making your own costumes and you will find a whole load of handy hints there too.

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Dazzling Deep Sea Decor

Once you have a good idea for a costume then it’s time to get started on the decorations. Your local party store will have a tonne of fun decorative items which will make your party venue pop. Try and look for textured blues, greens and turquoises to tie the theme in beautifully. You could even have a go at making your own under the sea decorations with your children. This could also be a fun activity to do during the party!

Fabulous Fishy Food

Food is obviously a hugely important part of a birthday party and themed snacks are even more fun. Get your creative chef’s hat on and think of some cool under the theme ideas which could go hand in hand with your food. Imagine things like, green jellyfish jello and octopus cookies the options are endless!

Crabs, Coral and Cakes

The birthday cake is another really important aspect of the party so ask your little one what they’d love to see. Instead of outsourcing the baking duties to a caterer, why not try making it yourself? Take inspiration from the nature around you if you need some guidance. From sand castles to sea lions you could truly make your under the sea cake completely unique.

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Hosting a party doesn’t need to be a huge expense to you and your family. Throwing a themed party such as this means that you have the creative control to go as big or small as you prefer. Depending on where you host the party will also depend on the types of decorations you want to make, so it is all about your personal tastes. Most of all, enjoy putting together your under the sea party. You want to create happy, fond memories which are going to last a lifetime for your little one.

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3 Tips For a Healthy Mind

April 8, 2018 By
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The importance of mental health and the challenges that some people have in this area are being recognized more today than, perhaps, any time in human history.  No longer is society viewing mental health conditions as something people should be able to just ‘shake off’ or a condition that afflicts only the weak or vulnerable.

We’re also becoming more aware of brain related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia that tend to have the effect of robbing the person of who they are.  With such awareness, and perhaps first hand experience of such conditions we’re all looking for ways to optimise our mental health and brain function.

It’s important to remember that everyone has the occasional moment of forgetfulness, where they might go upstairs but then can’t quite remember why.  These memory lapses can occur at any age, yet interestingly, we associate this forgetfulness with aging yet aging alone does not make someone forgetful – it’s usually a slippery slope of cognitive decline due to an organic disorder, brain injury or underlying neurological illness.

According to Harvard University, a number of studies have shown that you can reduce the risk of dementia with some basic habits:

  • staying physically active
  • getting enough sleep
  • not smoking
  • having good social connections
  • limiting alcohol to one drink a day
  • eating a balanced diet low in saturated and trans fats.

In addition to these basic health habits, you might want to consider the following prophylactic suggestions that are all scientifically proven to slow down cognitive decline and/or avoid it all together.

SUPPLEMENT

There are a number of supplements such as Ginkgo Biloba and certain oils (e.g. Omega 3, 6 and 9) that are well known for keeping the brain (and in particular one’s memory) functioning healthily.  Equally important is that you keep yourself hydrated, as your brain’s composition is predominantly water – which is why people often feel so hazy in their head after too many drinks the night before.

MANAGE STRESS

This might seem like a no brainer, but managing stress, is absolutely essential to your mental health.  Indeed, many people end up having to visit a cardiologist due to the damaging psychological effects of stress.  

Think of it this way, each time you have a particularly stressful incident that puts your psyche through emotional stress – this creates physiological stress in your body that can take its toll over time.  Indeed, you can see the effects of long term stress on people’s faces and bodies. If you want to have optimal mental health you need to find a way to manage your stress.

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

There are a lot of ways you can keep your brain active, and the saying “use it or lose it” couldn’t be more true.  There are app based games such as Peak that are developed to stimulate a variety of brain performance attributes such as mental agility and memory.  That said, doing a simple crossword can be just as effective in terms of keeping the mind active.

The other consideration is that anytime you learn something new and expand your mind, the brain is like a muscle in that it gets stronger the more you use it.  Learning a language, for instance, is a great way to holistically train your brain.

Filed Under: Health, Fitness, Weightloss, and Wellness
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Speed Up Household Chores With These Cleaning Hacks

April 5, 2018 By
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Wish you had more time to spend on yourself and with your family? I’m sure that there are a few ways you can make a bit more time for yourself. For instance, why not think about cutting back on the amount of time you spend on your household chores?! Even if you think that you are always busy with the cleaning and laundry, I’m sure that there are a few hacks and tricks you can use to get things done a lot quicker. Here are some to get you started.

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Create A Schedule

Do you just take care of all your cleaning whenever you have a spare hour or so? That’s quite unorganized and you might find that you start spending too much time on your chores. Instead, you should create a set schedule. Plan your chores around your other tasks and make sure that you stick to this plan. That way, you can efficiently split up your time so that you leave enough time for your family and socializing.

Use Baking Soda

Are you sick of spending hours trying to remove all manner of stains from different surfaces and materials? If so, you might be pleased to hear that there is a nice little solution you might want to start using – baking soda. If you make a solution using equal parts baking soda and water, you can apply this to most stains. The soda will lift the dirt and grime right the material!

Use Vinegar

Baking soda isn’t the only wonder ingredient that you might have in your store cupboard. Vinegar is also useful in cleaning as well! It’s a great stain remover just like baking soda, but it can also really freshen up your work tops and surfaces as well. Use some fresh lemon juice afterwards to add a pleasant fragrance to the surface so that it doesn’t just smell of vinegar!

Touch Up Woodwork

Many people think that they need to spend hours fixing up their worn-and-torn wooden furniture and any other wood work in their home. However, that isn’t always the case. There are lots of materials and tools that can help you clean up wood and remove any scratches in just a matter of minutes. You can learn more by clicking the link. Touching up your woodwork in this way will save you a lot of money that you would have otherwise spent on expensive and unnecessary maintenance processes.

Add Dryer Sheets To Your Laundry

Are you sick of cleaning hairs and dust from your skirting boards? If you have a problem with this, then it could be worth adding dryer sheets to your laundry. These are mainly used for removing static from dried clothing, but they can also remove any hairs and particles that got caught up the wash. These will cling to the sheets and won’t end up being blown throughout your home.

You won’t be spending too much time on your chores and cleaning once you start to use these hacks in your home!

Filed Under: For The Home
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Common Mistakes When Communicating with the Hard of Hearing

April 5, 2018 By
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When someone suffers hearing loss, it is not only difficult for him or her to adapt, but it can be a challenge for everyone around the person. You need to find different ways to communicate with that individual. It can be a bit of a learning curve, and the last thing you want to do is offend the person or try to communicate with them in a manner that is completely ineffective. With that in mind, read on to discover some of the most common mistakes that people make when communicating with the hard of hearing, so you can avoid making them.

Assuming loudness is the most important factor when communicating – This is undoubtedly one of the biggest mistakes people make when communicating with people that are hard of hearing. Do you assume that you should simply shout at the person and they will be able to hear you better? This is an understandable assumption. After all, it seems logical. However, speaking forcefully or yelling is not as vital as speaking clearly and at a slow pace. When someone suffers from hearing loss symptoms, it does not mean that they hear everything at a lower volume so to speak. In fact, if you talk louder, you may end up throwing the person off. Instead, focus on how you pronounce your words in terms of speed and clarity, as the person is, most likely, going to be doing a lot of lip reading.

Assuming that you are annoying the other person – Communicating with someone that has hearing loss can be frustrating for both parties. However, you should not simply assume that you are annoying the other person. A lot of people assume they are being irritating by repeating themselves, and so they give up. However, hard of hearing individuals simply need a little bit more clarification at times, so do not let this discourage you from saying things several times. If you give up, it will be more upsetting for the other person than if you have to say something a number of times.

Assuming age is always a factor – A lot of people assume that hearing loss is something that only happens to older people. Nevertheless, age is not the only contributing factor. There are many different reasons why someone may suffer hearing loss. It could be because of the environment they work in, for example, such as a nightclub or a farm.

Assuming that hearing aids will fix everything – There is no denying that hearing aids can be incredibly useful for people that have hearing loss. It is no exaggeration to say that in a lot of cases they can be life changing. But this does not mean that they are a miracle cure. They can be incredibly effective for some people, and not so effective for others. Each person has a different maximum hearing ability. Plus, people suffer from different types of hearing loss. Also, you need to consider the fact that while these devices assist in terms of enhancing the decibel level of sound, they cannot do anything in terms of improving the clarity of the conversation. This further highlights why it is so important to think about how you are speaking, rather than how loud.

Assuming that all hard of hearing people speak sign language – Last but not least, we all have a tendency to assume that if someone cannot hear properly they will no sign language. However, this is not always the case. People choose to go down different paths when coping with hearing loss. Some people will rely on lip reading, others will use hearing aids and assistive listening devices (ALDs), and there are, of course, those that learn sign language. This will largely depend on the level of hearing loss and the person’s own preference, so you should never assume they will know sign language.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding regarding some of the most common errors that people make when they communicate with the hard of hearing. If you can avoid the errors that have been mentioned above, you can give yourself the greatest chance of communicating the person successfully while also ensuring you do not offend them or make things more complicated for them in the process.

 

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