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A luxurious and well-kept lawn is always going to attract attention from buyers and guests. As artificial grass requires no cutting and trimming around the borders, it is always in a presentable state. If you want to add value to your home then one thing you can do is to invest in your outdoor space. Homes which are well landscaped can add up to 10% value compared to those which don’t and aside from that, it will definitely increase the appeal when it comes to potential buyers viewing your property.

Lawn

Out with the real stuff and in with the artificial grass. Many people like a low maintenance garden so they can spend more time doing things that they enjoy. Your lawn will always look immaculate and well landscaped so if you have a big garden or a garden with many features, then potential buyers will know that they won’t have to spend all their weekends in the summer months cutting and trimming the grass. It is also great for pets and children as it is extremely durable and hard wearing and you won’t have to worry about muddy feet wondering into your home after it has rained. It is also hygienic and easy to clean which is great, especially for busy households.

Privacy Landscaping

A lot of people want privacy in their garden. It is a sought-after feature and you can see why. The last thing you want is for people to look into your garden when you are out there and seeing what you are getting up to. This is even more attractive in busier areas where more people are passing by. There are a few options to make your garden more private. You could add a fence or if you want a more natural look then thick hedges or shrubs could be better suited. This will enable you to potter about and relax in your garden knowing that people won’t be able to look in.

Plants

Whilst plants and flowers add volume and appeal to a garden, make sure you pick ones which are low maintenance. You don’t want plants which drop leaves all the time as it will detract from your garden. Just like you don’t want plants which grow too quickly so you are always having to cut them back. Pick flowers which smell nice and attract wildlife as it shows that you have a well-kept garden. It will also add pops of colour to your garden to break up the greenery.

There is no doubt about it that investing in artificial grass will bring your garden together. It will create a well landscaped outside space so although it will require a little maintenance like brushing it every now and again, it will look as though you are a keen gardener and take pride in the appearance of your garden. However, like everything, it might put some potential buyers off if they enjoy the gardening aspect and prefer to have a real lawn.

 

Most people have heard that when you’re expecting a baby, you get to create a baby registry. Generous friends and family will choose what to purchase from the list, taking off some of the financial pressure associated with having a newborn.

However, if you’ve never had a baby before, it can be overwhelming to know what to include on the list.

After all, how can you know what you need if you’ve never done it before? Fear not; we’re here to help take some of the pressure out of this seemingly big job. Take a look at some of the most important must-have items that you should make sure to include on your baby registry list.

A Baby Monitor

At the beginning of your baby’s life, it can be difficult to step away. You might be worried about their sleep positioning or whether they are in danger somehow if you leave the room. A baby monitor makes it possible to help you keep an eye on your baby even if you’re not there. Some monitors have special smartphone apps that allow you to look at your baby anywhere, anytime. Others even have movement detectors that alert you should your baby even flinch a muscle.

A Stroller

A stroller is a definite must-have since your baby won’t be walking anytime soon. Ideally, you should choose one based on your particular family’s needs. If you’re having twins, you should consider a double stroller. Whereas, if you’re a jogger, you might want to look at options specifically targeted towards running. Above all, make sure that it’s collapsible since you’ll want to take it in the back of your car.

Car Seat

From the minute you leave the hospital, you’re going to need a car seat. Make sure that you choose a car seat that means all safety standards and is fairly simple to install. Remember, car seats aren’t something you want to buy second hand. Always purchase them brand new to ensure that your baby is as safe as possible.

Crib

Even though you may choose to co-sleep with your baby or use a bassinet in the beginning, a crib is necessary for the day you choose to move them to their bed at night time. Make sure that you choose a crib that is sturdy and brand new, following all safety measures.

Diapers and Supplies

When it comes to babies, you can never have too many diapers. In the beginning babies can need up to twelve changes a day. Make sure to add diapers to your baby registry so that your friends know that you’ll take all that you can get.

In addition to the actual diapers, you should also include wipes and a diaper bag to carry it all around in. While you’re at it, consider an odor-proof diaper garbage can. They seal off the poopy diaper smell so that your home doesn’t smell like the last thing your baby ate.

This year, more people than ever have been made aware of how fragile life is. And while no one wants to think about someone they love dying, the fact of the matter is that death is a part of life.

Especially if the person who has died is someone close to you, you will likely have some kind of responsibilities to and for them following their death. But amid your grief and shock, it can be hard to know how to navigate this unchartered water. So to help you with this, here are three things to take care of after the death of a loved one.

Plan For Laying Your Loved One To Rest

One of the first things that you’ll have to consider after a loved one dies is how you’ll go about laying them to rest. The options for this vary, so you’ll likely want to look back at what your loved one would have wanted for themselves or speak to other loved ones to get their opinion on the matter.

According to Consumer Reports, a burial or cremation should take place within a few days after the death has taken place. While it can be longer, getting things taken care of quicker is usually advised. Once you pick a mortuary, they can assist you in figuring out the details of everything. And because you can be given a lot of information and requested to make a lot of decisions, it can be helpful to have someone come along with you to help.

Figure Out The Will With Probate Court

After your loved one has been laid to rest in whatever way you decide, you’ll then have to deal with more of the administrative side of having a loved one pass away.

Depending on the type of assets your loved one left behind, the extent of handling their will will vary. According to Leanne Potts, a contributor to AARP, unless you’re the executor of the estate, you will likely be taking a back seat in this process. But if you are the executor, you’ll likely need to contact an attorney, a CPA, and deal with probate court.

Contact All Necessary People Or Entities

As you go about taking care of things for your loved one after they have passed away, you’ll find that you’ll need to make a lot of phone calls and contact a large number of people or entities to inform them of the passing. Some of the people you’ll need to call, according to Angela Morrow, a contributor to Very Well Health, include your loved one employer, the social security office, life insurance companies, creditors, any household utility providers, the IRS, and more. This can take a lot of time and energy, so try to delegate certain tasks if you can.

If you’re going to be handling things after the death of a loved one, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you take care of things.

 

When you first welcomed your baby into your home, you may have spent days and weeks putting the nursery together until it was just perfect. But if you’re like many parents, you didn’t spend too much time thinking about what you’d do in the room after your baby was no longer a baby and was well on their way to becoming a full-fledged kid.

If you currently find yourself in this situation, or if you’re wanting to get ahead of the game by planning for the future while your little one is still little, here are three tips for changing your child’s room from a nursery to a bedroom.

Get A Transitional Bed

As your baby grows, their bed is going to have to grow with them. While you can get a brand new bed for each stage in life, Parents.com recommends saving yourself some trouble here by simply buying a transitional bed.

With a transitional bed, your child will have a crib while they’re a baby, a toddler bed once they outgrow the need for a fully-enclosed crib, and, in some instances, a day bed for future use as well. With just a few little tweaks, most transitional beds can easily be changed from one form to the other, which means you can have your child’s new bed ready for them as soon as they need it. So if you’re still looking for the right crib for your baby’s nursery, consider getting a transitional bed to save you from any future purchases for a few years.

Think Ahead For Storage

While babies require a lot of stuff despite being so small, the amount of stuff your child has will just grow as they do. Knowing this, it’s wise to think ahead for storage even when setting up their nursery.

According to Amanda Blakley, a contributor to the Huffington Post, you should try to have a lot of different options for storage with the furniture you put in your child’s nursery. This could include things like bookshelves, floor baskets, dressers, closet organizers and more.

Drop The Nursery Theme

Many nurseries have a very present theme when it comes to their design and decor. But while this may be cute when your child is still a little baby, as soon as they get old enough to have their own interests, Kaitlin Stanford, a contributor to WhatToExpect.com, recommends that any strong theme should be dropped.

Regardless of how much your child may like something right now, with the speed at which kids change their minds about things, it’s going to be easier for you to use a much more generic theme for the bigger items in your child’s room rather than having everything fit with a very specific theme.

If you’re wanting to make things easier on yourself as your child grows from needing a nursery to being in their very own room, consider implementing some of the tips mentioned above.

Moving home is a stressful and chaotic time for everyone.  More so if you have a pet and let’s be honest here – pet relocation which you may face won’t be a walk in the park either.  Moving house can have a big impact on your dog. Our lives are based around routines and our animal friends too feed very much off our emotions.  Any disruption to you and your routine can also be a difficult time for your dog.

Special care has to be taken when transporting your furry family member to another home whether across country or across the border. Simple strategies can help make moving house with your dog easier and safer for the both of you.  The preparation period before moving is crucial for the success of the entire relocation. It is even more important to make the right decisions as far as arranging the proper pet transport.

The easiest way to ship a pet across country is  to have the pet with you in your car as you embark on a cross country journey to your new place.  Your presence next to you pet will have a calming effect on your pet’s nerves and this will lessen the stress, anxiety and fear  of the  sudden changes in their life. Your dog will know that you will protect it no matter what happens and that reassurance can contribute to a largely problem-free move for all of you.

However, if this option is not possible, there is no need to panic. You may need to contact specialized pet shipping services such as Shiply to connect you to reliable and reputable pet transportation companies that can transport your dog.

Below are the following questions you have to ask the transport service to help evaluate your options:

The number of stops the vehicle will make for other deliveries

It is unlikely the pet shipping company will provide a direct door-to-door service. If the truck make a number of stops during the journey, it can significantly add to travel time and this could cause a high level of stress for your dog.

Are there other animals travelling at the same time?

Having a variety of pets can be extremely stressful for your dog. It is best to to avoid options where there are a number of pets in a single transport.

Is your pet travelling in a climate-controlled environment?

All shipping companies are required to provide a climate-control shipping compartment when transporting animals but not all options are the same. Remember to ask how the temperature is maintained and the type of ventilation that is present.

The type of crate used?

Be sure to inspect ahead of time the type of crates that the shipper is providing.  Make sure that it is large enough and properly ventilated. If your dog is not used to being in a crate, you may want to consider other options or spend time to get him used to being in one prior to the trip.

Feeding schedule

Check and confirm how, when and what your dog will be fed.  Do ensure that your dog receives his regular diet.

Sleeping arrangements if it is an overnight trip

Ask if the driver will be sleeping in the van with your pet in case special attention is required.

Do weigh in all possible options for shipping your pet safely and choose the safest and easiest transportation method for your four-legged pal.

 

There are more ways than one to preserve your personal health and safety. Eating healthy foods, locking the doors at night, and fastening your seatbelt on the roads are all simple ways to look after your health and safety.

Let your mind get a bit more creative on the matter, and consider taking a quick read. Check out some of the more unconventional ways to directly provide for your health and safety in life.

Understand when you need a lawyer

Sometimes you need to hire a legal professional to look after your best interests. If a family member is injured or killed by the wrongdoing of a medical professional, you need a lawyer to make certain the consequences are placed where they are due.

If you’re injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you’ll need an accident lawyer to help you get your bills paid. You shouldn’t have to be financially responsible for the damage caused by others.

Learn how to properly research a physician

The caliber of medical care you receive through the course of your lifetime makes a huge difference in the longevity of your life.

It’s important to choose a physician that fulfills your individual medical needs and pays close attention to your overall long term well-being when formulating treatment plans.

Learn what really makes a doctor good for you, and take your time researching local treatment options for your everyday health.

Invest in home security systems

You can look after the safety of your whole household by investing in a proper home security setup. You don’t have to live in a perceived “bad” area of town to fall victim to a home invasion.

Safety at home is of the utmost importance, and criminals are no respecters of territory. Research today’s most efficient and affordable home security systems, and sleep sound knowing you and your family are safe.

Play sports with your friends

Keeping your body fit is one of the well known ways to look after your health and longevity, but exercise often seems like work. Try mixing it up with a few creative ways to keep your body moving.

You don’t ever have to go to the gym if you get your exercise in other ways. Try playing sports with friends, hiking, biking, and other outdoor adventures to keep your temple healthy.

Stay open to trying new things

The ability to go with the flow is a valuable way to keep your body cool, calm, and collected. Excessive stress can be damaging to the inside and outside of your body, so it’s important to maintain a manageable level of stress in your daily life.

If your child’s birthday is fast approaching, you want to start preparing for their birthday party. Planning parties for a child can be so much fun and a project you will throw yourself into wholeheartedly. You want to make sure that your celebrant will have the time of their life and a memorable experience for both your child and yourself.

To make things easier for you, here are a few useful tips to help you prepare.

Get your child involved

If you aren’t planning a surprise party, it is an excellent idea to get your child involved in the preparations. They would love to be part of it all. Listen to what they suggest, from the theme to the food to the games. They know what they want, and you are guaranteed that they will have the best fun at their party.

Come up with a theme

Party themes are a fun way to celebrate a birthday party. It gets everyone involved, dressed up in the attire for the party motif, and ready to participate in the activities. Ask your child what they prefer. There is a wide variety of ideas, such as the carnival theme where funfair stalls for hire can provide their professional assistance. If you have a particular party theme, you can also come up with the food and other activities to complement it.

Prepare goody bags

Children always look forward to receiving goody bags. You don’t have to spend a lot of cash or time to figure out what’s in them. Kids will appreciate whatever is inside as long as they take something home. Get creative instead and come up with small fun items to add in the bag. You can even decorate the paper bags yourself.

Don’t forget the cake

The birthday cake is the focal point of the party, no matter what age you are. For a child, blowing out the candles of a unique birthday cake is a fun activity. Come up with a unique design that you know your child will appreciate and get it baked by a professional.

And the food

If you have already decided on your party theme, you can start figuring out what you will be serving your children’s guests. Avoid making complicated choices. Keep it simple, but as close to the theme as possible. The kids will be a lot more excited to start with the activities than sit down and eat.

Make a list of games

Your child’s birthday party will not be fun without the games. Make a list of some favorites that have been successful in children’s parties. Ask your child for suggestions too. Prepare the special prizes for the winner and watch the party come to life.

Your child will be looking forward to their party, anticipating the happiness of being around friends, receiving gifts, and having the most enjoyable time. Every minute you spent preparing will be worth it, knowing how happy your celebrant is and how appreciated you are.

Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/birthday-cake-candles-birthday-cake-947438/

As a parent, you might start to feel like your entire life revolves around getting your kids food each day. So to give yourself more time to accomplish other things, and to teach your kids how to be more independent, it might be time for you to start teaching your little ones some kitchen skills.

To help you know where to start with this, here are three tips for teaching your kids some kitchen skills.

Focus On Cleanliness First

Before you allow your kids to start working with any food in the kitchen, you should first teach them the basics of how to keep things clean when preparing or cooking food. Not only will this help your kitchen stay cleaner, but it will also help you to keep kitchen pests away as well.

According to Sarah Klemm, a contributor to EatRight.org, some of the cleanliness issues that you should first teach your kids include washing their hands correctly before handling or eating any food, how to best keep their hair back and away when preparing food, how to clean off countertops prior to preparing food there, and how to keep from licking their fingers or kitchen utensils while preparing food. With these guidelines in place, your child should be ready to start preparing food that will be clean enough for themselves and others to eat.

Use The Right Terminology

As you teach your child how to cook or work in the kitchen, they’re likely going to come upon terms that they’ve never heard or used before.

Now, while you might be tempted to use simpler terms that might initially be easier for your child to understand, Cheryl Sternman Rule and Catherine Newman, contributors to Parents.com, advise against using the wrong terminology in the kitchen. By speaking to your kids using the right terms in the kitchen, they’ll more quickly be able to learn how to do things like read a recipe, follow cooking instructions, and instruct others on how to do things around the kitchen.

Make Them Responsible For Lunch

Once your child has learned how to do the basics in the kitchen, Hilary Meyer, a contributor to EatingWell.com, recommends that you try giving your child some more responsibility over their own food by making them in charge of preparing lunch for themselves. Especially if your child is taking lunch to school, they won’t be able to prepare anything too complicated, which makes this the perfect meal for getting some good food practice.

If you want your child to do more in the kitchen, consider using the tips mentioned above to help your kids learn some vital kitchen skills while they’re young.

 

There is no denying that home improvement can vary greatly depending on where you live. The methods for improving a small home can differ from home improvement methods for a large living space, and there is always plenty of wiggle room for creativity. That said, there are quite a few methods out there that tend to have a generally positive effect no matter the scenario.

The best part is that the methods are reasonable and entirely stress-free. It is a good way of dealing with home improvement without necessarily committing too many resources to get the job done. Not every project has to be drastic to make a difference! Here are just a few stress-free methods that can elevate any home.

The simple power of beautiful nature

If you have ever wondered how you can make your home feel more comfortable and accommodating for both yourself and any visitors, one of the ideal methods would be to invest in houseplants. Not only is it quite cheap, but there are plenty of benefits from filling your home with a splash of nature. Depending on the type of plant, you can improve the air quality around your home, and the only thing it asks for in return is a bit of maintenance in the form of watering.

That said, you do not even have to worry about watering the plants if all you care about is the aesthetic value of houseplants. You can purchase fake plants to provide the same visual impact without necessarily having to worry about maintenance.

The easiest way to improve a bedroom

No matter the type of home, the bedroom will always be one of the stars of the show. When it comes to bedrooms, there are few aspects more important than the bed. You can leave everything else alone, focusing solely on improving the bed, and it will still make a substantial impact. For those who live in smaller homes, improving the bed could very well make it the best part of your home. You can make use of resources such as www.myfittedbedroom.com to give your bed the royal treatment you deserve.

Miscellaneous methods

Aside from the addition of houseplants and the royal treatment given to your bed, there are still plenty of other ways to make stress-free improvements. For example:

• You can make use of mirrors to help improve the natural lighting in your home without necessarily having to do anything drastic. It can be a boon for those who have a dark house even during the day, as the natural light will bounce much easier thanks to the mirrors.
• You can help promote the feeling of space by focusing on rounded furniture, as well as glass surfaces. It will allow you to see more of your home without remodelling.

While it can sometimes feel overwhelming to deal with home improvement projects, the tips above will help you elevate your home without dealing with stress.

The world of dating is fickle, and it can be hard to stay motivated and engaged if it doesn’t feel like things are going your way. Meeting new people can be hard and finding people who you can have a genuine connection with or who have interests that align with yours is even harder. Not to worry though, here are six ways that you can find a date that you can put into action today.