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Make your morning less stressful as a mom

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This blog post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Oroweat Organic Bread

If you are a mom to a toddler and you’re reading this, we’re on the same page. Mom life, especially new mom life, is full of chaos and unpredictable things. Sometimes, I found myself being washed out only at noon. And day by day, I have learned some ways to help with that and those ways work great for us. Today in this blog post, I am going to share some of the tips to make your morning less stressful as a mom. Before reading, make sure you read my previous post on How I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom. 

There are somethings to do the night before

Yes, this is key! I found cleaning the house and putting toys away the night before makes a huge difference. Trust me on this, waking up to a clean tidy home helps you to feel a lot weightless. You can also prepare things you need for making breakfast the night before and save you time in the morning. 

Easy breakfast is a game changer!

Do yourself a research and find all the easy breakfast ideas. Sandwich is never a bad idea since you can do a lot of different sandwiches and you and your little one(s) will love. My daughter loves the sandwiches I made for her using Oroweat Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread. Garlic & green onion toast, Simple toast with butter, jambon and dried shredded pork sandwich, and grape jelly sandwich are some of my daughter’s favorites. 

Be clear on playtime

If your little one is not currently in childcare or school, and is staying home with you full time, you might struggle finding time to do house work. My daughter is a clingy baby, who always asks for attention. One method I found works best is to have a talk with her about playtime-with-mommy. Morning is when I get the major of must-do-things of the day. I made a deal with my daughter that I will play with her only after this or that work is done. Meanwhile, I set a sensory play area for her to be able to play by herself. 

Find indoor activities for your kids

This is an important addition to the tips above. You know how short a kid’s patience is. Here is what you can do to “deal” with your demanding-for-attention-child. Go online and search for indoor activities you can set up for your kids. My daughter loves hunting for hidden items. I sometimes hide her small animal toys around the house and her mission is to search for them.

Cooking with your little one is another fun activity. Ask him/her to make breakfast with you and get creative on what to make. I am sure it’s one great way to give him/her the attention he/she wants while encouraging him/her to enjoy breakfast. 

Take a deep breath!

If the tips above don’t work out for that day, don’t stress! I know this is harder to do than it sounds, but take a deep deep breath and remember this: Motherhood is unpredictable. Somedays are harder than others and we’ve got this. Just forget what needs to be done (if you can) and enjoy some fun time with your little(s). And you know what, I did this sometimes, and those mornings turned out very productive surprisingly. 

Those are the simplest tips to make your morning less stressful as a mom. I am so proud to be partnered with Oroweat in this post and sharing ways to help other moms out. Their Oroweat Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread is my daughter’s favorite since it features Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. This bread is delicious and has a soft and smooth texture while also providing great nutrition for kids, and that’s why it’s perfect for picky eaters like my daughter. Plus, Oroweat breads are sustainably baked renewable wind energy. 

Xo,

Vannie

7-day-challenge TO WARM-UP YOUR RELATIONSHIP IN THIS FREEZING SEASON

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas now and the weather is changing so fast. Snow is going to visit some parts of the States and it gotta be freezing outside. Well, isn’t this kind of weather good for your warm-up plans which can make your lovelife revolutionary and more interesting during this cold season? I’ve come up with this 7-day Challenge and successfully applied this to my current relationship with my husband which resulted in such a huge positive change between us

  1. Day 1: Cook for each other and throw a private party at home

Yes, on this first day of the challenge, I would love to have an at-home private party which involves both of us in the cooking process. I have to prepare his favorite meal and he cooks my favorite as well. As we don’t have too much time for this private dinner, we just cook simple meals and sit down enjoying the food with some good wine and a short conversation about how our day has been. 

  1. Day 2: Prepare 10 questions that you want to ask each other

I love this part lol. Why is asking questions important? As we are now parents and busy most of the time taking care of our baby, we have no time to care about our partners which seriously leads to misunderstanding and nonsense arguments. That’s why this step is included in the challenge. You must list out 10 questions that you wanna ask and your partner must answer with honesty.

  1. Day 3: Change your hair cut

It’s almost Christmas and the new year is coming, we all need to do something to refresh ourselves and having a new hair cut is a good choice. You’re gonna amaze your partner with a totally different appearance with such a change in your hair. How interesting!

  1. Day 4: Camping night in your back-yard

Camping is romantic and camping in your back-yard is awesome as it costs you nothing at all. Prepare some yummy snacks and drink for this night, put up a tent then watch Netflix and spend all night together

  1. Day 5: Doing house chores together

Each of you make a task-list with all the tasks you expect your partner to handle and then just make the job done. At the end of the day, your job is to check and qualify if your partner completes all the tasks or not.

  1. Day 6: Prepare special gifts for each other

This is my most beloved part of the challenge. I love presents and I love surprises! Both of you should prepare a secret gift that you think your partner may need or love to recieve. The purpose of this challenge is to make your partner as happy as possible when he/she receives your present so think carefully and choose wisely before deciding what to give. 

  1. Day 7: Spend the evening to look back all the photos you’ve taken together

Photos capture all the good memories and it’s always good to look back at everything you’ve been through during the time being together. Relationships have ups and downs, there are goodness and flaws and all of those beautiful moments are so valuable and precious. By spending all the evening observing old pictures to remember how you guys had fallen in love before, you’re surely gonna love and respect each other more and more. 

Yes, I’ve applied this challenge to my own relationship and it makes a huge and meaningful change in our love and our lives. Hopefully that this challenge can positively refresh and warm-up your love-life, too. 

Cozy gifts for women – Best gifts for her 2020

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There are a ton of gift ideas for women but it’s never easy to choose the perfect gift out of all ideas. I personally love giving the gifts that make whoever receives them feel luxury and warm. I also want to make sure the gifts will be used for a long term or at least during this season. However, those gifts should not be too pricey. Whether you are buying a gift for your wife, girlfriend, mom, besties, or sisters, the list of Cozy gifts for women below is for you and I am sure they will be the best gifts for her in the 2020 holiday season.

The gifts she can wear

It’s winter and cozy items like holiday pajamas or beanies and gloves are always the popular choices. Holiday season is when a lot of cute designs become available. The items below are the super cute gift ideas that a woman would want to have.

AdoreMe Sleepwear – Muriel

My first pick would be this set of soft and cozy PJ since it is perfect for this holiday season. AdoreMe sleepwear and loungewear has been my favorite since they are super cute and soft.

Vera Bradley hat & gloves

Vera Bradley Cozy Hat and Convertible Gloves are my next pick. These 2 items go perfect together and would make a cute gift this holiday season. Vera Bradley always has to cutest unique designs that I am a big fan of.

Wantable E-gift card

This is another gift idea that she can wear. Even better, she can get her personal styling service and will be able to receive the items that best match her style. I also have a separate post explaining what Wantable is and how it works. Check it out and I’m sure you’ll agree this is a great gift.

Gifts for her home

Lumé Luxe Customized Candles

This gift idea will be perfect if you are buying a gift for a close friend or your mom. On Lume Luxe’s website, you will be able to customize the scents in this bundle from containers style to each of the scents based on her character.

Minky Couture throw blanket

Minky Couture has the fluffiest and softiest throw blankets ever. They also have so many cute and fun designs that I am sure a woman can find her favorite blanket from this brand. So, a Minky Couture gift card would be a thoughtful gift.

Vera Bradley Merry Mischief Mug Set

This set of mugs would be another great gift idea as it would be the cutest addition to her home. The Merry Mischief print is perfect for this holiday season. They are stackable which is perfect to save space.

The gifts of self-care

Yes, that is correct! The ideas below are the perfect gifts for the receiver to take care of her inner well being. So, giving someone this kind of gift means telling her that she deserves more self-love.

Vera Bradley Weekender Travel bag

Travel is another type of self-care since it’s very well made and looks high-end. The Cozy Plaid Neutral design is perfect for winter. Giving someone this weekender bag would be a great idea. Because it can be a gym bag as well.

Foreo UFO 2

This luxury mask applicator is on the wish list of many women. I have one myself and I swear by it. Winter is when skin is getting dry. Gifting the gift of skin care is another thoughtful idea.

And that is all! Those 8 products above are my top picks for Cozy gifts for women / Best gifts for her in 2020. By sharing this gift guide, I hope you will find the perfect gift for the important woman in your life. Lastly, Happy Holidays!

A NEW WAY TO SHOP CLOTHES

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This blog post is sponsored by Wantable

I’m gonna start with the traditional way of shopping and how it started to change since becoming a mom. I spent hours and days walking around malls just to browse around. I used to try on clothes at stores without having to rush. Of course, this was before my daughter Misa was born. Being a mom honestly means less time for activities that require time like shopping. Eventually, my clothing choices narrow down as I have no time to walk around the malls or even scrolling the online stores. While I’m trying to find more time for myself, I would appreciate convenient services like Wantable – a new way to shop clothes.

What is Wantable?

Wantable is a new interesting brand that comes up with a whole new way of shopping. This way would save you hours to search for your styles either in-store or online. Wantable offers you a quick quiz to make which results in styles that match you best. You get to try on the items they handpick for you for free, then only pay for what you’d like to keep.

How does Wantable work?

After you complete the style quiz, they will send a box right to your front door. This box is filled with 7 items which are 100% handpicked by their professional stylists based on the report of your quiz. You don’t have to traditionally choose your clothes anymore, let the experts do it for you. 

When the items arrive, you have 5 days to try them on. Tips: mix and match them however you like. Mixing them with the items you have in your wardrobe is even better. Then, keep what you love and return the rest. If 5 or more items are kept, you’ll get a 10% discount.

Here are the reasons I love when shopping with Wantable:
  • This is a new way to shop clothes and I think it’s so cool.
  • Time-saving is what I love the most. My time is limited and I love to have Wantable as my personal stylist.
  • The style quiz makes me feel special since it’s very detailed and personalized to myself.
  • The purchasing process is quick, convenient and well-serviced. 
  • The items they send are in amazing quality and the styles are cute.

They embrace and respect your difference

By scrolling their website and instagram, I completely fall in love at my first glance. Wantable embraces the difference as they respect your own individuality. After giving birth to my baby, I gain a lot of weight. The changes in my body is not the problem with my family; they love me just the way I am. However, it’s my big problem when it comes to choosing outfits. I have to change the way I wear as most of my old clothes do not fit me anymore. The styles I love don’t even look good on me anymore to be honest.

Having a personal stylist like Wantable makes me feel less of a problem my body is when it comes to clothing. They send the items that suit me well. They lift up my confidence with all the quotes about ‘be unique, don’t be perfect’ on their social sites. This brand wins my heart completely with the value of their styling service, the items they sent, and their message. 

What are you waiting for?

I hope this post inspires you on a new way to shop clothes. What better for a busy parent to shop clothes than a try-before-you-buy service like Wantable? Moreover, with the current situation, this way of shopping would save you a trip to stores. You’ll get to shop without leaving the comfort of your home. Holidays are approaching, that’s another reason to spoil yourself. Speaking of Holidays, check out my list for 20 under $100 Amazon Gift Ideas. Now let Wantable surprise you with their holiday styled box.

This dress is my favorite
This necklace is cute but not my fave, so I’m returning it.
Cute mini backpack for a quick run

Look your best while being a busy mom

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This blog post is sponsored by Remington

Being a mom means having no time for yourself as it’s the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had. If you want to look your best while being a fully responsible/busy mom at the same time, this article is a must-read. 

Get yourself a good hair dryer

A good hair dryer will not only save you time after a shower, it should also save your hair from frizz. I’m currently in deep love with the REMINGTON® Pro Wet2Style™ collection which I started using a week ago. The Remington Pro Wes2Style Dryer has Ceramic + Ionic Technology to protect your hair from frizz and heat damage. It comes with a Detangler for straightening and smoothing; a Blowout Boost works with a round brush; a Diffuser helps define curls; and a Slipstream™ for pre-straightening. With those 4 included attachments, it will help you to prep your hair for faster styling afterward.

Make your wardrobe basic

With your limited time budget, clothes with basic colors like black, white and nude can be easily mixed together. They won’t cost you any minutes to consider back and forth. A white dress can go with any color of shoes and jackets. You can put on your nude heels everyday no matter what types of outfit you’re wearing. Don’t forget to own a couple of bottoms (skirts, pants, etc) that are made of jeans. Denim keeps you stylish and never out-of-date. 

Scent yourself with the right perfume

Fragrance tells a lot about a woman. Place your perfume at the most reachable position which can be taken every time you need to. You do not have to wear makeup everyday but putting on the right smell is definitely a must. 

Have a careful skincare habit

Take advantage of your babies’ sleeping time. Carefully do the skincare every day before going to bed. If your skin is in a good condition, you won’t have to waste time putting a lot of makeup on to gain confidence. Your bright smooth skin needs nothing rather than a thin layer of sunscreen. And it does not take you hours in front of the mirror. Moreover, choosing the right lipstick that perfectly matches your skin tone is crucial as well. Understand your facial look and choose wisely!

Get a time-saving hair styling tools

The key to look good while being a busy mom is save-time. Shout out to the REMINGTON® Pro Wet2Style™ 1 1/4 Hot Air Curling iron and the 1 3/4 Flat Iron. This set of products is a game changer. It took me only 15 minutes a day to get my hair ready for going out.

The tools allow you to style and dry your hair at the same time. That means you only need half of the time styling your hair without having to dry it first with a dryer. The Hot Air Curling Iron uses powerful airflow and optimized heat to dry and style at the same time. While the Flat Iron features a unique venting system that removes excess water as you style. 

Surprisingly, my hair looks smoother with a radiant after using the hair tools from Remington Wet2Style collection. They offer ceramic and titanium covering so you are totally worried-free about heating damage. This collection allows you to experience such a good time playing with your precious hair.

  • Curling while hair is still damp
    Curling while hair is still damp
  • After
    After
  • Before
    Before
  • After
    After

You know what, your hair worth investing as it’s the only crown you’ll never take off. Give this REMINGTON® Pro Wet2Style™ collection a try and see how it changes your life without costing you hours having your hair done. They are available at Walmart.

Keeping yourself to look good while being a busy fulltime mom may be challenging, but it’s time for you to make it possible. Your babies will surely be proud of their healthy, balanced and stylish mom. I also shared a blog post on how to stay productive while working from home, make sure you read it as well. 

6 simple ways to have a better sleep

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This blog post is sponsored by Centrum

Uneven sleep quality results in tons of physical and mental problems. Therefore, having a good night’s rest plays an important role in having a better mood, more energy, and general wellbeing. Those who are having a hard time sleeping at night can improve the situation. In partnership with Centrum, I’m sharing 6 simple ways to have a better sleep.

Stay productive during the day

Being able to get a good amount of work done for the day will help you be able to relax your mind to prepare to fall asleep. At night, set your tasks for the next day. Make sure you get yourself ready for a busy ahead. Taking vitamins is a great way to support you during the day.

Shout out to Centrum Whole Food Multivitamin Women’s & Men’s Multivitamins. They are uniquely made with a natural blend of organic whole food fruits and vegetables. I have a separate blog post sharing How to stay productive working from home, you might want to check it out.

Sleep-inducing music 

As music has a strong power to heal your soul and relax your mind, some kinds of rhythm can actually sing you to sleep in seconds. 

Those meditative sounds are able to slow down your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. Listening to some soothing piece of music before bedtime is a good preparation for a nice rest. Here are my recommendations you can add to your playlist: Piano version of your favorite songs, the sound of rain or ocean, slow romantic rhythm, etc. A sleep sound machine can help too.

Relaxing bedroom

Make your bedroom feel more comfy with a high-quality mattress. Use nice bedding fabrics that give you a cozy feeling. Be sure to keep your bedroom lighting comfortably low. And don’t forget to keep all the pillows fresh and covered with a good smell.

Television and all other electrical devices such as computers, laptops, and gaming devices are better kept out of your shuteye areas. These objects can easily steal your sleep at night so don’t give them any chance. Bedroom’s temperature is also crucial. Ensure your room’s air conditioner works well at keeping your place cool enough to relax. These are my favorite tips out of these 6 simple ways to have a better sleep.

Lavender oil 

Study shows that Lavender oil does wonders to your sleeping habit. Applying some drops of lavender oil to your pillow everyday may help a lot. You can also use this oil in your laundry routine as well. 

Place an essential oil diffuser near or in your bedroom for more comfy effect. That nice smell works great at healing your anxiety and giving you a stress-free mind before shuteye.

Regular sleeping schedule 

Sticking to a good bed-time routine is more important than it seems to be. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day will boost your energy. It will activate your concentration all day long. Sleep deprivation is so harmful to your mental health. Enough sleep with a nice schedule keeps you out of negative and unpleasant emotional disorders.

A problem in your schedule of bedtime can cause insufficient work execution because of a heavy sleepy feeling. There are some apps you can download to your phone to set a regular night-time routine and evaluate your sleep quality as well. 

Proper dietary food intake

Have you ever heard that some certain kinds of drink or food can positively influence your sleep? Try a cup of hot chamomile tea mix with one teaspoon of honey before bedtime and see how amazing it works for your sleep. Kiwifruit contains a high amount of antioxidant properties. It is a supplement that may help you to have a deeper rest at night. 

You can also take supplements such as Centrum Whole Food Sleep to help you naturally fall asleep. I personally love this supplement as I obviously see the difference when using it. It is from Centrum’s new line of supplements. They are Non-GMO and free of major allergens, artificial ingredients, and synthetic dyes. They are also Vegan*, paleo, and keto friendly.

Besides, there are many other foods  that also give advantages for your sleep such as nuts. Add them to your daily eating menu and enjoy the results. Drinking water the right way can help as well.

So, the above are 6 simple things that you can do to have a better sleep. In order to avoid consequences caused by sleeplessness, start with the above tips to make it easier for a good sleeping time. Since lack of sleep will push your aging process go faster than expected, improving your night-time quality is so important unless you want to look like an auntie in your twenties.

(*The following Centrum products are vegan: Stress & Mood, Mental Focus, Natural Beauty, Sleep, and Energy)
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

5 DATE IDEAS FOR BUSY PARENTS

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Being parents is exhausted and crazy at the same time. It is also time limited to be exact. However, parents still need to warm up their relationship. Here are 5 of my favorite date ideas for busy parents. To understand our lifestyle a little more, learn more About Me here. Now let’s continue to read.  

My husband and I have been married for years. We have a 4-year-old girl who is overly active and playful. That means that we hardly make time for each other as life just drives us crazy everyday. However, to get over the boredom of a long relationship, we successfully apply all the weird but romantic activities into our busy life. Somehow they have been working well for us. Keep on reading, I’m quite sure that those things can rewind your romantic affairs too.

Switch the breakfast-making role

Okay, this is what me and my husband love to do. The rule is that my husband has to prepare breakfast on certain days of week. All the other days it is my duty. I usually tell him what I want to have for breakfast and his job is trying to cook the exact kind of meal. What makes this funny is sometimes my food demand is just far beyond his cooking ability but he must try for it. I never know if the meal comes up with a mess or a bless? Both are okay because what we love is the other’s effort. Sometimes, I let him surprise me.

Having late night stay-at-home movies

A late movie night requires a good movies, home-made popcorn, delicious coke and a loving partner. You can make your own tasteful popcorn by following some online recipes and enjoy your movie night after your baby has fallen asleep. Choosing what type of movies to watch is also important. We love romantic and psychological movies. You can find so many movies of this type on Netflix, hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, etc.

Go on a day trip or have a picnic

Neither of them is a date night but we consider it a dating idea. A family day trip or picnic is much more enjoyable than you think. Why do I love these ideas? It’s because my daughter just has great affection for a road trip. And guess what? While we are blending in the nature and have some fun together as a complete family, I get to see my partner’s responsibility. It’s the sweetest feeling when your partner is on the same page with you when it comes to taking care of your family outside the house. I often want to show my hubby how much I appreciate him especially for taking us on amazing trips or perfecting our picnics.

Let your partner choose your #ootd

We often do this on weekends when our family has an outdoor playing day. We choose outfits for the other and take some photos during the day to memorize every sweet moment we spend together. My husband hates wearing pastel colored shirts but I take them as a top priority whenever it comes to weekends. He hates it but sometime he has to agree that they look good on him. That’s also when he makes me feel so proud (which he probably doesn’t even know).

Surprised gifts

I love preparing presents for my husband when there is no special occasion at all. Surprising is always fun, right? And in return, he loves to give me surprise “gifts” as well, which is a quick getaway or simply a cup of my favorite milk tea. And that all little things just melt my heart!

Trying to refresh your relationship is more crucial than you think it should be. Long-term husbands and wives seem to lose interest in each other. That’s why many families are sadly broken apart. Don’t let that sadness happen to your life. Try to do something new and enjoy family life together! I hope those 5 date ideas above are helpful for busy parents like ourselves.

HOW TO STAY PRODUCTIVE WORKING FROM HOME

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Working from home has been my pleasure since I get to stay home with my daughter at the same time. Working from home gives you more flexible time. It won’t cost you a fortune for commuting fees. However, it’s challenging to stay productive and have good work execution when you’re surrounded with a relax-inducing place called “home”. Here are some trust-worthy tips to show you how to stay focused and productive even when working from home. 

Create a work corner

No one wants to work on their beds or sofas. That’s why you need to create your own working place. It should be bright and wide enough for your best mood whenever you have to spend hours focusing on your business projects. A home office needs to be airy and open instead of crowded with useless furniture. 

Working environment has great impacts on your motivation and attentive ability. A wisely designed home office can definitely upgrade your mood of working. You may need to invest in a really comfy chair for your space to avoid back hurt due to hours of on-the-job concentration. I personally have 2 work corners which are my office space with my computer, and my kitchen island with my laptop as it’s a bright comfy area.

Make working a daily habit

Working from home means there is no check-in and check-out time. You may need to schedule your own working plan on a daily basis. Set your alarm at the same time everyday and ensure you strictly follow your working routine. Remember, planning is the fastest way to get the job done on time. Planning ahead allows you to prioritize all the tasks and stay organized and use your time logically. You may need to build both a short-term and a long-term plan for your work in the most effective way. Think about it and adjust your plan niftily. Plus, do not work harder, try to work smarter and plan wiser.

Have your morning coffee

Serving myself a cup of coffee is what I do every morning to energize my frame of mind before starting to turn on my laptop. Coffee does an amazing job in waking up my brain, boosting my inner energy  and helps me to remain clear-headed all day long. My favorite coffee is the Nespresso Dark Roast.

Regularly tidy up your home

Handling your job in the middle of a messy area is the worst idea. Keeping your house clean and tidy everyday can surely lift up your working mood. In other words, the surrounding environment heavily influences your performance, that’s why you might need your home office to be as clean and clear as possible. 

You can also add pleasant smell into your place by using oil diffuser or fragrance candles to improve the comfy and stressed-free feeling during your work-time. 

Play concentration music

Yes, music is outstandingly amazing! There are so many concentration rhythm playlists on Youtube which can be played as a motivation for home-based workers. 

Prepare your instant stress-relievers

Stress comes unexpectedly and undeniably when working is overloaded, preparing yourself to deal with stress is important unless you want to lose commitment in your working process. Some stress-relievers which are instantly effective can be including chocolate, tea, a piece of relaxing music or some good moments with your loved ones. People have their own different ways to relax and soothe their anxiety as their brains work individually differently. So, find your own stress-relief method, apply it effectively to your situation, and back to work again. 

Those above are my tips on how to stay productive working from home. I also shared “How I stay sane being a full-time stay at home mom”, be sure to read it. The benefits of home-based working comes along with the disadvantages as well. It’s your job to stay balanced and gain effectiveness for your work execution. No matter where your job takes place, all occupations require efforts. Self-motivation and well-organized ability are the two key factors for successful home-based workers.

7 TIPS TO RENEW YOUR HOME / APARTMENT

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As your living environment can heavily affect your mood, your mind, your habits and even your work performance, renewing your same old home with a completely different stylish interior is never a bad idea. But the point is how to make such a change without hurting your wallet? If you’re in need of modernizing your living accommodation, these 7 tips on how to renew your home may help.

Re-paint and decorate your front door

This first tips is going to be for home owners only since renters might not have the ability to re-paint doors or walls. A beautiful door-way gives a clear impression about a home. If your front door looks old and ill-favoured, it’s time to give it a change with a new refreshing color (white or wooden color is highly recommended). 

You can also decorate your entrance with some green wreaths and mini outdoor trees or some hanging plants. A refreshing greener look will absolutely blow new air to your home. 

Replace all the light bulbs and add more light if possible

Never underestimate the power of lighting, new lighting design will bring out a huge difference to your living habitat. Replacing your old light bulbs with new dimmable led ones not only help reduce your bills but also provide a whiter and cooler space. 

Adding more light with some led string lights may warm up your home in such a romantic way. Using smart color changing bulbs would also be a great tips to renew your home.

Use wall decals and canvas paintings

This third tip is also renter friendly, which is changing the walls by wallpaper or decals. Let the new walls with tastefully modern designs speak your own style! Choosing the right wall decals and paintings will add aesthetic pleasure to your living atmosphere. There are tons of wallpaper or decals that are removable and I highly recommend those.

Since wall decals are fairly cheap and easy to use or remove, they’re commonly used in homes and offices for highlighting purposes. More importantly, your house (or apartment) will encounter such a big change thanks to canvas paintings. Use them wisely to upgrade your interior design! A wall decor can make a difference as well. I shared a DIY Wall decor TUTORIAL which costs me only under $25. Check it out.

Grow some indoor plants

There are several kinds of houseplants which popularly appear as interior decorations. Houses with natural green indoor trees are at no doubts more lively and full of energy. 

Researches also show that adding more green to your living environment leads to better work execution and brighter frame of mind. This tip is my most favorite tip because it is the easiest way to renew your home in my opinion.

Rearrange the furniture 

Re-arranging all the furniture helps a lot in giving your house a new look. However, this task requires much time and effort. 

Furniture must be placed by the way that meets both practical and aesthetically pleasing purposes. Based on the size of your room, there are several rules of interior stuff placement which can be found easily on some household designing websites. 

Change the curtains’ color

The color of curtains should match the whole design of your house. Nice ‘mix and match’ window treatments can impressively help to pull a room together. 

Curtains with dark-colors suit well with bright walls. However, it depends on the room and window styles, selecting curtains color can be varied. 

Completely clean out house junk

Throw away all the unnecessary stuff with no mercy! If you have stuffs that take space in your house from years to years, it’s time to clear them out. You can also sell your old stuffs on second hand markets like Offer Up or Craigslist.

Identifying what should be removed and sorting out all the unwanted junk are 2 first steps of your junk cleaning process. Old newspapers, old CDs, empty shoe boxes, etc. are all useless and should be thrown away immediately to make room for a new airy space. 

All of the above recommendations are somehow practical and useful which may likely bring your home back to life again. Just follow these 7 tips to renew your home and enjoy that same place but completely new refurbished conditions. 

How I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom

Posted in Parenting, Selfcare, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , 1 Comment

Having kids literally is not easy. It’s even harder and crazier sometimes especially being a full-time mom. After such a while being a mom of my beloved daughter, I’ve finally got some experiences to tell now. I’m gonna share some survival tips for all the moms out there who are struggling with your motherhood problems. In this post I’m going to share how I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom?

Stay organized and make peace with the mess

A house with kids is surely messier than it was before so what you have to do is being prepared to face the situation. You should set up a certain cleaning schedule on a daily basis so as not to see all the clothes piled up or a sink full of dishes waiting for you to wash them all. Cleaning every day is needed and it helps a lot. 

As your home is where you and your kids spend most of the time in, keeping it clean and fresh can make your mind more relieved and stress-free. 

Ask for help if you need to

You may want to surround yourself with all the supportive people who are always ready to give you a hand whenever you ask for. Raising a child, especially a newborn, requires so much effort and sacrifice, so do not hesitate to ask for help if you feel tired and exhausted. Don’t push yourself so hard. You totally can share all the work with your husband or your mom. This is an important tip to stay sane being a full time stay at home mom.

Listen to your favorite music every day

Music is magic, it’s amazing in healing your inside soul and boosting your mood positively. That’s why I advise you to listen to music every day. A piece of your favorite rhythm can wash away all the unhappy feelings and replace them with happiness again. Let the music fill your entire house with positive vibes, believe me, it can change your life. 

Stay away from negative people

Avoid those negative people who don’t have your back. They have problems in everything you do and don’t allow them to drain your energy. Being a stay-at-home mom makes you more sensitive to others’ opinions and comments about how you raise your child or how to take care of the house. What you have to do is to keep yourself calm and just turn a deaf ear to all that toxic unhelpful comments. 

Do not isolated yourself

A stressed mommy often stays alone thinking about all the bad things that have happened. Don’t ever do that. Share your feelings with a friend or someone you trust and look for a solution. Socialize yourself in a group of people or a small community where you feel comfortable to share things with, you can hang out once a week having dinner with friends and get space for yourself. Or you can just walk your baby around in a stroller to get some fresh air outside and that’s enough. 

Consider yourself as top priority

If you put your kids above yourself, you’re totally wrong. Taking care of yourself is most important. Remember this, you can’t love anyone else if you don’t even know how to love yourself right. Make time to nurture your soul and take good care of your body, take part in some social activities or do regular exercise to keep yourself healthy and balanced. 

You love your kids, I know, who doesn’t. However, you have to be happy, healthy and mentally positive first to give the best to your children. 

Seek for a home-based job

This is my biggest tip on how I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom. Being able to make money from my blog (as well as my Instagram) is such a blessing.

Money is crucial. I know how it feels when you can’t make your own money and live dependently on your spouse’ income, that’s bad. During the time being a stay-at-home mom, why don’t you try to seek for some home-based job such as content writer or work-from-home customer service or some other positions which allow you to work for a living and be mom at the same time. Getting yourself busy with work can also keep you away from stress and mental illness. And of course, spending the money made by your own strengthens your courage and confidence as well. 

You know what, motherhood is wonderful. Your home may be filled with toys and your hair may be a mess every day, but some couple of years later, what you and your child remember is not that messy house or dirty hair, what stays in your mind is all the happy time you’ve spent together. Life has its highs and lows, keep your head straight and never give up. God has plan for you and he saves the best for last.