Storage is one of the most valuable things in our homes. This is because we all have lots of things to display or simply keep safe. Be it old books, memorabilia, souvenirs or electronics. As a result, our homes can quickly run out of storage space and before you know, we’ll be piling up boxes in the living room and other empty spaces in our home, creating a lot of useless clutter that can be difficult to get rid of.

Whether you think you’re outgrowing your one bedroom apartment or your kids are hoarding too many toys and video games, here are a couple of tips to stop the panic and get you some more valuable storage space.

[Photo courtesy of Unsplash/pexels.com]

Clear the garage

Our garages are probably one of the most underutilised rooms that we own. In fact, you might not even use it for your car because it’s usually more convenient just to keep your car in the driveway. As a result, the garage is an often forgotten part of the house that we just dump stuff in. Although it might be full now, giving it a quick cleanup and organising it can give you plenty of extra storage space for practically anything you could think of. With so much extra space that should usually be for your car, you won’t run out of storage space anytime soon after a garage cleanup.

Use your garden

If you have a decently sized garden, it means you have a lot of extra land to use as storage space. Consider some backyard sheds to store your items in, but unless it’s a high-quality shed you probably don’t want to store anything valuable in it because it could be stolen, lost or covered in cobwebs before you know it. Sheds are typically used for archival purposes or garden equipment such as spades, shovels and lawnmowers. It can be a great way to add some extra storage space, but don’t rely on it as a safe haven for all your family belongings!

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Your loft has a lot of extra storage space so don’t be afraid to use it. It might be dark and small, but some simple improvements such as adding a light could make it a lot more useable. If your loft is large enough for you to stand in, then it might be worth adding some boards to make it easier to store items or even renovating it as an extra room. This can be fairly expensive, but it’s worth the effort for the amount of extra space you get!

Declutter

Lastly, think about decluttering your home. You don’t want to leave useless junk around if it can be recycled or even sold on an auction website. Old pieces of furniture that you don’t use anymore could be worth a lot and there are times when old electronics could fetch a decent price from collectors. If you want to make a lot more space in your home, then the fastest way is going to be decluttering it and throwing out anything you really don’t need.

The entrance to our homes should, in many ways, be a priority. After all, it’s the first thing you see when you get back from a long day. And, it’s the first impression visitors, or passers-by get of your house. Yet, many of us let our entrances do what they will. At the end of the day, it’s an aspect a lot of us forget about. We already have enough work to be doing inside the house! But, you may find that all your other efforts go to waste if you don’t get this simple thing right. That’s why we’re going to look at the ways you can ensure the leadup to your home is red carpet worthy.

The Walkway

If you’re now thinking about incorporating a red carpet into your walkway, you can forget it. It would get grubby in no time! But, that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of your walkway. Some of you may already have a paving stone walkway. Others may have nothing more than a worn trail in their grass. But, now is the time to incorporate the walkway of your dreams. It may be that you love your paving stones but would like to do more with them. Plain slabs aren’t very inspiring. So, take a look at the patterned options you could replace them with. Or, perhaps you want to stay away from paving stones and opt for gravel instead. This would look amazing, though it’s worth bearing in mind that you’d need to top it up occasionally! The right option for you depends on the work you’re willing to put it. Take your time deciding down what route you would like to return home each day.

Going for a Gate?

Think, too, about whether you would like to incorporate a gate and fence around your front lawn and entrance area. This can be a fantastic way to gain a little more privacy, and it often looks amazing, too. You could opt for a metal gate or a wooden option. Bear in mind that both need special measures to ensure they stay in good condition. A metal gate will need rust prevention to ensure it stays in the best condition and looks as good as possible. A wooden option, however, will need varnish to protect it from all weathers. If you’re planning to paint it, you’ll also need to invest in a specialist paint.

Bursting with Color

We all want to make a colorful entrance, don’t we? Make sure you get one every day by incorporating flowers into your entrance. You may want to border your walkway with flowerbeds. This would look amazing, though bear in mind that it could easily get out of control if you don’t take care. An easier option may be to incorporate plant pots along the way. These will be easy to keep neat, while still injecting that splash of color you’re after. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s an option you’re willing to keep neat!

Homes are like hairstyles- something that once worked perfectly can become outdated no longer suit you later down the line. For example many young couples and professionals start out in small, one bedroom apartments. They’re cheaper to live in which is useful when you’re first starting out- especially if you work in the city and don’t want too much of a commute. When you’re young and out a lot, you don’t need masses of space at home. If you’re simply after somewhere to shower, sleep and eat then, it will do the job perfectly. However things can change as we go through life, and eventually, you might find yourself wishing for somewhere you can put down roots. Somewhere with a bit more space perhaps? If you want to do any of the following, chances are it’s time to start thinking about a bigger home!

[Photo courtesy of George Becker/pexels.com]

You Want To Start a Family

One of the biggest reasons people move to a more spacious home is because they want their family to grow. If you moved into an apartment before having children, the multiple flights of stairs in the building and lack of outside space probably didn’t bother you. It’s unlikely you looked into things like parks and schools. Having kids changes everything, you will become concerned over things that you never gave a second thought to before. How busy the road you live on is, what facilities are nearby for children. You probably looked into the crime rate before, but it’s even more of a deciding factor now. If your current home is unsuitable, it’s time to start looking for a new property for when you have children. If you don’t plan on moving right away, you could always rent a self storage unit and put things like a crib, baby furniture, pram and other large purchases in there. That way you could spread the cost, and you have everything ready for when you move, but without cluttering up your tiny apartment in the process.

You Love Entertaining Friends

In your younger years, socializing is all about bars, nightclubs, and parties. But as you get older, things change a little. Wine and cheese nights, dinner parties and afternoon tea at home become far more appealing than the sticky floors of your local haunt. However, entertaining in a tiny apartment can be difficult. Chances are you don’t have much of a kitchen or a dining space- perhaps just a breakfast bar or bistro set for two people. If you want to start hosting regular events at your place, it could be a sign that your home needs to be upgraded.

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You Want To Start Gardening

Gardening is a wonderful hobby to have. Growing something from essentially nothing and watching your garden bloom is always satisfying. By growing a mixture of fruit, vegetables, and herbs you can cut down on your weekly grocery bill, plus you’ll keep fit and it’s generally a fun and productive way to spend your time. If you dream of tending your garden, or sitting outside relaxing on a summer’s day, surrounded by flowers with a drink in your hand- a one bedroom apartment simply won’t do. Have a look at houses in your local area that have a good garden!

Green living is not just for hippies. Anyone can do it, and more and more people are choosing to do it these days. You just need to change a few simple things in your living arrangements to get started. And once you start to live the green way, you’ll never look back. So, here are some ways in which you should start to run your home in a manner that’s more environmentally friendly.

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Replace Bulbs with LEDs and Make Outdoor Lighting Solar-Powered

The way you use lights will have a big impact on how environmentally friendly your home is. You should do what you can to replace the bulbs in your home with LED bulbs. They last for decades, and this means that you will spend a lot less on replacing them. But most importantly, they are very energy efficient, meaning that your home will instantly become greener. They’re pretty cheap to buy, so there’s nothing stopping you from replacing all the bulbs in your home with LEDs. You should also replace the outdoor lights with lights that absorb solar energy during the day that can then be used at night.

Buy Efficient Bathroom Fixtures

Your use of water is also a green issue, and you should address this problem directly. You will be having a massively negative impact on your home if you are currently responsible for wasting too much water. The first thing you should do is replace the fixtures in your bathroom with water efficient fixtures. These are easy to get from most mainstream bathroom retailers. You can also change your kitchen faucets to make them water efficient too. When you start to use less water, your impact on the environment will lessen. It’s another step towards a green living future.

[Photo courtesy of Karolina Grabowska/pexels.com]

Update Your Backup Generator

If you have a backup generator that you sometimes have to rely on, it could be damaging the environment a lot. Most of these old generators are not particularly green. And by switching yours for a newer model, you can ensure you never waste more energy than necessary. Online generac reviews will help guide you as you search for a new and more energy efficient generator. Read as many reviews of all the potential products as you can. That way, you can get a clear picture of what the best option for you is.

Invest in Better Home Insulation

Finally, think about the way in which you heat your home. If you have the heating on a lot, it might be because there are problems with your home insulation setup. Heat will just escape from the home immediately if the insulation you have in place is inadequate and not doing a good enough job for you. It’s a good idea to invest in better and more up to date insulation if you think this might be the case for you and your home. It’s simple and not too expensive to get insulation fitted. And then you will have to use less energy keeping your home warm.

There is always something we need to do to our home to make it better. While we think about improving our home or making it more stylish, we very rarely think about the safety aspect of our homes. There are so many little problems that are potential fire hazards that it’s probably easier for most of us to not think about it. But there are some simple things to do that can cut down the chances of getting a fire at home…

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Candles

Between 2009 and 2013, on average there were 25 candle fires per day in the US. Although that doesn’t sound like much, it totaled 86 deaths, 127 injuries, and $374 million in damaged property. So make sure you do the following:

1.    Keep candles 12 inches away from anything that could burn.
2.    Use candle holders that are sturdy.
3.    Blow out all the candles before leaving a room or going to bed.
4.    Don’t use candles in the bedroom.

Cooking

Hopefully, everyone has some common sense when it comes to cooking, but here are some tips.

1.    Wear close fitted clothing while cooking.
2.    Don’t leave food unattended.
3.    If you get a grease fire, smother the fire in a pan. DON’T put it out with water.

Dryers & Washing Machines

Washers and dryers catch fire because of a failure to clean them.

1.    Don’t overload the dryer.
2.    Clean the lint filter after every use, and don’t use the dryer without one.
3.    Don’t restrict the air exhaust pipe and make sure the outdoor vent flap is open while the dryer is on.

If You Have A Fire…

Firstly, don’t try and be a hero. Call the fire department as soon as you can, but make sure that you get to safety. As fires are such a common hazard, the best idea is to have a plan in mind should this ever occur. Know all your escape routes from your home blindfolded because you won’t be able to see when there is thick smoke. Stay low, and get out as quick as you can because you may only have seconds. Staying as low as possible means you will get the most oxygen out of the air.

After The Fire…

Once the fire has been put out, you will need to stay somewhere else. In the meantime, if you have updated your insurance policy, you will have to put in a claim for all the items damaged. If there are parts of the home that haven’t been damaged, you can hire a restoration company to start the cleanup. There are companies like Pro Restoration who specialize in clearing up homes after house fires and help to restore your property. Once your home is back to its former glory, it’s time to take notes of what potential hazards there are, and minimize them as much as you can.

Preventing a fire is very much about common sense as it is about safety, and in your home, you need to make sure that you are sensible by not obstructing doors, cooking safely, and generally being vigilant.

If you love your home, but it’s starting to feel a bit cramped, what do you do? Moving seems like the obvious option, but there are lots of reasons why that might not be possible. Maybe time or money restrictions prevent you from doing so, or perhaps you’re near good schools, your work or loved ones and don’t want to be too far away. Maybe you just don’t want to move as you adore your home? Either way, there are other solutions to the problem that don’t involve upping sticks and moving to pastures new. Making the most of all of the available room is one way to go about it, and chances are you have a ton of unused space that you can work with. Here are a few options.

Bedroom Cupboard

Having a large cupboard in the bedroom is always handy. To keep it simple you could keep it as a storage cupboard. Add plenty of shelves and drawers to make the most of every inch, that way your wardrobe isn’t bursting at the seams, and it’s easier to stay organized. If you have a lot of books, you could turn it into your own little mini library! Another option is you could turn it into a walk-in wardrobe if it’s large enough add hanging rails at the sides and a large mirror so you can get dressed. Finally, you could consider an ensuite bathroom. Speak to a plumber such as http://www.plumberstives.com.au to find out if having the correct pipes installed would be within your budget. If you’re bored of fighting for the bathroom every morning, this is ideal. Your own space to get ready in and shower in peace without kids banging on the door- bliss!

[Photo courtesy of ParentRap/pixabay.com]

Attic Space

Attics in most homes are absolutely huge, and when you’re struggling for space in the rest of the home, it’s a shame to waste this. A full loft conversion with a proper staircase to turn it into a functioning bedroom is pricey, but worth the cost if you need the space and have the budget. Otherwise, having a basic loft conversion could give you a whole lot of extra storage space. You wouldn’t need to worry about having windows installed up there or a proper set of stairs, a folding loft ladder would do the trick. Have a company come and secure the floor, and an electrician fit a light, and you can turn it into the storage space of dreams. Instead of miscellaneous boxes everywhere, buy some drawers and shelving units and set everything up neatly. No more rummaging around in the dark or walking on beams every time you need something from the attic. All of your decorations for celebrations in the year can be put away neatly ready for use. You could have decor in the home for autumn/ winter and another lot for spring/ summer, and keep the off season stuff in the attic. You could even store your out of season clothes and footwear up there giving you far more space in your wardrobe and bedroom in general.

Cupboard Under The Stairs

The cupboard under the stairs is a great little storage area but often gets wasted. If yours is full of junk, clear everything out and repurpose it. It’s a handy place to keep things like your vacuum cleaner, mop, iron, ironing board and cleaning essentials. Install a couple of shelves to maximize the room. Alternatively, you could turn it into a cupboard for coats and shoes. It gives you somewhere to take them off when you come home without them cluttering up the hall. Again on shelves, you could have baskets of hats, scarves, and gloves. Have a light fitted in there making it easy to access. Depending on the size you’re working with, you could even have a downstairs bathroom installed. Most families will be looking for two bathrooms in the home when buying, so if you come to sell later down the line, you’ll add value to the property too.

[Photo courtesy of ErikaWittlieb/pixabay.com]

Kitchen Corner

If you have a corner of your kitchen that’s empty space, why not consider creating a pantry? You could have some stud walls put up, or even find a suitable shelving unit and attach doors. A pantry is so handy in the home, it allows you to neatly store all of your dry ingredients and makes it easy to stockpile. Digging through kitchen cabinets can be a pain, with everything neatly laid out it makes it far easier to find what you need. You’ll probably find yourself cooking more, and will save yourself some money too. Having some handy store cupboard recipes on hand using dry ingredients and flavored with herbs and spices is handy between grocery shops or during leaner times.

Unused Garden Space

If you have a large garden, you’re incredibly lucky, although most of us only use them for a few months of the year. To make the most of it, having a conservatory or garden room built means you utilize the space all year round. Since they’re fully insulated, they’re just like any other room in the house and are handy if you’re running out of space. You could create a dining room in the conservatory, freeing up space in the dining room or living room. These could then be used for something else. You could turn a garden room into a home office or a guest suite. Either way, stealing a bit of space from the garden to use as an additional room is a good move in many cases.

Basement

Another potentially huge space that’s being wasted in your home is the cellar or basement area. They often end up as dank and dingy storage areas full of spiders and miscellaneous boxes. But a basement could be transformed into another living area, a teenager’s hangout, a games room or even a wine cellar. As with a loft conversion, you could go all out to transform it into a proper, usable room. Or just do a simple conversion but turn it into a storage space you will actually use. Get a proper light fitting installed down there, kill off the pests and spiders and put up some storage shelves, cupboards, and units.

If you know all too well how unbearable it can be once summer hits you’ll already be looking at ways to keep your bills down and your air supply up! Depending on where you live, temperatures can quickly reach 90 Degrees Fahrenheit and it’s much harder to concentrate, sleep and eat when the sun’s at its zenith. One of the best ways to keep cool during the summer months is to stay hydrated. You should also always make sure you carry sunglasses, as even on cloudy days the sun can be powerful, and our eyes are incredibly sensitive.

It may also be worth keeping your curtains open at night, that way the cold air will alleviate the stuffiness in your house once the sun’s gone down. Try to get as much fresh air blowing through your home as possible by opening windows, doors, using fans to circulate and blasting the AC for a few hours so the filters to trap any dirt and debris that may be floating around. You may also have noticed a greater abundance of insects appearing, summer is often where you see the most wasps, bees, flies and beetles. Take precautions by putting up fly screens even if you don’t live in a rural area and check food is never allowed to sit out in the heat, not only will this spoil the flavor and texture but it could make you quite ill. While bees and wasps may look pretty buzzing around your flowerbeds, they have a nasty sting so always know where your tweezers, antiseptic insect bite cream and plasters are!

[Photo courtesy of nastya/pexels.com]

Take Cover

Parasols are great but if you want to make a real difference to the temperature in your home why not buy yourself an awning? The Department of Energy has stated awnings, or shaded covers can reduce heat by 30% simply because the sun rises and the linen cover takes the brunt of the heat while rays bounce off. While awnings aren’t as fashionable as they used to be; they do add a certain charm to your property as well as allowing you to sit outside comfortably. Before buying an awning always check to see if your property is suitable, maintain both the mechanism and fabric to stop cracks or holes appearing and never let children pull or raise awnings themselves as they could get their fingers trapped. Avoid any accidents by using an awning pole, a device similar to a loft pole which attaches to the hook on the underside and lets you pull down the striped sail from a safe distance.

Get Planting!

If you’re very lucky, you’ll live somewhere with lots of trees which isn’t just good for your health because trees take in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen, but they also act as a natural barrier and so quite often the temperature in the shade is at least ten degrees cooler than out in the open! However, lots of us believe that as long as there are trees somewhere nearby, we’ll automatically stay much cooler! Sadly, that’s not always the case as depending on where those trees are placed, that’ll decide how much shade you get. If you have no trees close to the house, it may be worth thinking about planting some young saplings now. Choose trees that grow quite quickly like poplars, maples, birches, and willows as well as those that are famed for their leafy, green appearance, so they’ll give you plenty of shade.

To save a significant amount of energy, or at least figure that’ll be noticeable on your next bill plant trees on the south and west-facing sides of your property. Everyone knows that south facing gardens tend to get the most sun, so by creating a tree line there you’ll reduce the heat dramatically. Remember, trees are a natural way to cool down your entire home as well as encouraging wildlife into the neighborhood. When planting always check the property boundaries before you start digging and as long as you don’t cross over onto your neighbor’s land you’re fine.

However, we do suggest being courteous as not only do you not want to start a turf war but it means if you block their beautiful view now they could do the same thing to you later on.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Have A Ceiling Fan

It may seem a bit old-fashioned, almost colonial, but high ceiling fans do a fantastic job of keeping the air moving while cooling down rooms you spend the most time in. In fact, the more people you put somewhere small the hotter the overall room temperature gets. This is because we each have our own perfect temperature! Some people feel much colder than others but in a big group heat becomes the dominant force and as it rises things then get fairly uncomfortable quite quickly as people begin to sweat.

Ceiling fans aren’t as ugly as they used to be and now come in a variety of shapes and sizes they’re also quieter than you’d expect. Remember, these fans are designed to keep you from melting so if you’re going out turn the fan off! If you really need your AC on, and let’s face it in mid-summer plenty of us see it as a lifesaver try to look for one that’s as silent as possible. There are also some great quiet ac units out there that won’t make you feel like you’re standing in the middle of an airfield instead of your living room every time you turn on the remote control!

[Photo courtesy of Tookapic/pexels.com]

White Out!

Do you recall your eighth-grade science lessons and how your teacher told you how snow reflects the heat instead of absorbing it due to it’s lighter color? The same principal applies to our roofs so if you want to lower the temperature below you should mix it up above! It’s often why you’ll find buildings and roofs painted white or yellow in hotter countries so that the encroaching heat doesn’t seep inside. Believe it or not, a report by Climate Change Research suggested that if all buildings and roads in the US were painted white the energy saved could run into millIons of dollars.

We all have those oops moments when we realize that we’ve forgotten something quite important! Unfortunately, as you get older, these will happen much more often. As our brains age, it is ever so easy for things to slip out mind. These forgetful moments can range from not being too important to things that can ruin our daily plans! However, there are certain ways you can make sure that these moments don’t cause too much trouble. In this blog post, I’ve written about some of the things we all commonly forget. There are also some great tips that can help you out of the various sticky situations!

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Online Passwords

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These days, most of us use computers and mobile tablets every single day. And you will hopefully have put a password on them to protect them. You will also need passwords to access your social media accounts, emails, and any other online accounts that you may have. Ideally, you need to have a different password every time. That way, if someone finds out one password, they won’t be able to access all your accounts. Unfortunately, that means that you will have a lot of passwords to remember, which can make it ever so easy to forget them! So what do you do if you forget a password and can’t access your laptop of online accounts? There should be a link on the website you’re trying to get into to request a password reset link to be sent to you via email or SMS. Can’t get into your computer? You can always take it to a computer service store; they can usually offer password recovery services.

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Keys

There is nothing worse than getting home to find out you don’t have your front door keys with you and are locked out! Most of the time, we don’t pick them up on the way out because we have misplaced them. But you never have to worry about misplacing them again, as you can now connect your keys to your phone. That’s right! There are now key trackers available that you stick onto your keys and then connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone. That way, next time you can’t find your keys, you just need to open the tracker app, and it will tell you exactly where they are! Some scientific studies show that getting stressed once you realize you’ve lost something actually makes it harder to find them. So, next time you don’t have a clue where your keys are, take some deep breaths so that you can stay calm and find them in no time at all!

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Birthdays

Birthdays seem to come around so often, and at times it can be very difficult trying to keep up with them all. Only just realized that it’s your relative or friend’s birthday tomorrow and don’t have any time to go shopping for a gift? No problem! One way around this is to always keep a stash of birthday cards at home in a drawer. That way, you always have a card ready for birthdays. Do you often buy the birthday boy or girl a gift? Just because you’ve left things so late this year, doesn’t mean that it should be any different. You might want to find an online florist who offers next day delivery like https://www.flowerbud.com/calla-lilies. Simply order a bouquet online, and you can relax knowing that your friend or relative will receive them in twenty-four hours. Of course, if you realize that you have completely missed the birthday altogether, there are ways you can make up for it. A belated birthday gift will always go down well as it gives the receiver a chance to extend their birthday celebrations! This can be something as little as a box of their favorite chocolates to a more extravagant gesture such as taking them out for a meal in a chic restaurant. It’s probably best to go that extra mile with their belated gift, as you did forget their birthday!

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Daily Medicine

Lots of us take medicine on a daily business. This may be for a long-term health condition, such as taking beta blockers for high blood pressure. It could also be for something less life-threatening but equally important, like the contraceptive pill or an everyday vitamin supplement. Whatever tablets you may need to take, it’s important that you don’t forget. Forgetting to take even just one dose of medication could weaken its effect and leave you at risk of certain health conditions getting worse. The best way to remember about your daily dose is to set a reminder on your phone. This is especially useful for women who take the contraceptive pill, as it needs to be taken at a similar time each day. You can also buy a seven-day pill box. This is split into seven sections so that you can put in all your medication for the week ahead. You can find them on sites like http://www.rehabmart.com/category/medication_helpers.htm. Leave this somewhere visible, such as in the kitchen or on your bedside table, so that you will always see it and remember to take the tablets.

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Meal Ingredients

Started cooking and realized you don’t have a main ingredient? Yep, that’s annoying alright! If you can’t leave your kitchen to nip to the shops, you are going to have to get creative to work around the missing ingredient. There are always some alternatives that can be used in place of certain foods. For instance, did you know that lemon juice works well as a substitute for salt? And you can always use vegetable oil instead of butter. Food bloggers are really inventive when it comes to substituting ingredients, so have a search on these blogs to see if they have any suggestions. Forgot to get some meat for your meal? Why not enjoy a vegetarian version? After all, we are all now advised to have at least one meat-free day per week.

Now, I can’t quite remember what I was going to write my next blog post about…

As a parent you want to instil all the best possible values into your kids. The importance of sharing, the importance of gentleness and kindness, the importance of respecting your elders, the importance of cherishing and looking after the world around you. A love of the natural world is something that a lot of us would like to see in our children – a respect for our beautiful green planet and an interest in learning to take care of it. Luckily there are things you can do to encourage this love.

Go For Locally Sourced Food

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Locally sourced food is fresh and delicious and it’s also great for the environment because it hasn’t travelled over vast distances to reach you. Of course not all food can be sourced locally, like tropical fruits, but whenever possible, go for local options in the grocery store. You should also try to go for organic free range meat – this is a lot kinder to the animals and it’ll also be a lot more pure for your body as well. You should also remember that you need to stop buying bottled water. Sure it’s convenient but it’s bad for the environment in pretty much every way, from the huge transportation costs to the wasted plastic bottles, so you should purchase a water filter and use that instead.

Stop Wasting Water

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We’ve all done it: we stand by the sink brushing our teeth and staring idly into space as the faucet runs. We spend too long in the shower, we use too much water when we’re washing up dishes. It’s extremely easy to waste water in general! Make sure that you cut down on this – leave post-its around to remind yourself to get out of the shower in good time and keep the water off wherever possible.

Use Natural Cleaning Products

The importance of using natural cleaning products can’t be underestimated. The truth is that in this day and age there is simply no need to keep a lot of dangerous chemicals in your home – and that applies even more when you have kids. You don’t want to have to worry about your babies ingesting anything harmful so why not go for non toxic cleaning products made from natural substances? Look online to find the best natural cleaners from companies that sell non toxic products like Jessica Alba’s Honest ranges, to cleaning solutions that you can use in your own home – did you know that you can use vinegar to unblock sinks and baking soda to clean up stains? There are a lot of natural cleaning solutions out there – put down the bleach and get researching. You know those chemicals give you a headache anyway! You’ll also find that using natural detergents will be the best possible thing for sensitive baby skin.

Lower Your Energy Bills

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

The importance of lowering your energy bills is two fold. Firstly, we all know that it’s great for your wallet, meaning that you can treat yourself at the end of the month – but we also should remember that it’s also great for the environment. Fossil fuels are being used up at a pace that’s far more rapid than they’re being created and as such we need to start using sustainable sources of energy. If your house isn’t equipped with solar panels, watermills or wind turbines then your only real solution is to cut down on your energy use. Simply, you should make sure that you turn off lights when you leave the room and that you don’t leave your electronic equipment on standby. You should also make sure that you change your lightbulbs to LED ones, which last for much longer and use considerably less energy. Ensure that your house is properly insulated to keep the heat in, thus lowering your heating bills, and put rugs down on your wooden or tiled floors, to prevent still more heat from being lost. If you can feel a draught then why not make a draught excluder?

Turn Your Home Green

[Photo courtesy of Tima Miroshnichenko/pexels.com]

No, we don’t mean that you have to paint all your walls green – although admittedly it’s a very peaceful and natural colour that your whole family would enjoy, so you could probably consider it. Rather, you should try to be as green at home as you possibly can. When you’re redecorating, use non toxic paints and paste, and make sure that you use sustainable materials wherever possible – if you’re redecorating a baby’s room, for example, go for a felt mobile instead of a plastic one. It’ll be just as pretty and it’ll be a whole lot better for good old Planet Earth. Go for good quality furniture made from recyclable materials that will last you for a long time instead of the homeware equivalent of disposable fashion, and remember that there’s no better home decoration than plants. Not only do they look extremely pretty, but they also produce oxygen and improve your home’s atmosphere. They’ll provide your kids with an example of having something to learn to look after, and they’ll bring a little piece of nature inside. You could go for a small herb garden on your kitchen windowsill – it’ll look good, smell fragrant and gorgeous, and you’ll feel incredible when you can use homegrown herbs in your cooking.

Lead By Example

Probably the most important parenting tip of them all is to lead by example. You probably already know this all too well – if you’ve ever let a single curse word slip past your lips in front of your kids after stubbing your toe then you’re probably aware that they pick up on everything way too quickly sometimes! If your kids see you recycling and walking instead of driving and respecting the natural world then they’ll learn to do the same thing and you’ll end up with an environmentally conscious family that you’re incredibly proud of. Take your kids hiking with your dog, send them on treasure hunts in your back yard and teach them to be gentle with insects like snails and spiders (even if you’re scared of them!). That way they’ll grow up with a real appreciation of this beautiful world that we’re lucky enough to live in.

There’s a lot of things that we know are harmful to our families – bad food won’t help with health or weight. A lack of exercise is going to zap their energy and turn us all into couch potatoes. Too much screen-time can result in headaches. We know all of that.

While a ninja blender can cut up your fruit for a smoothy and a treadmill can get us running – there’s one piece of furniture that might be overlooked in our pursuit of health in the home.

It’s the bed. There are plenty of health benefits to owning a good bed, and on the flipside, a lack of sleep or interrupted sleep could be disastrous for the health of you and your family. BedTimes Magazine took a look at the benefits of a new bed:

“Through our research, we found that new bedding improved sleep quality by 62% and sleep comfort by 70.8%, and reduced back pain by 55.3% and back stiffness by 50.7% over a four–week period. We also found that lower back pain was much more prominent for those sleeping on cheaper beds and older beds. But regardless of their personal bedding systems, participants experienced immediate reduction in pain and stiffness and improvement of sleep comfort and quality when sleeping on new mattresses. The reduction in pain and improvement in sleep became more prominent over time, and participants improved regardless of age, weight, height or body–mass index. Moreover, when participants were assigned to high and low pain groups based on initial evaluation, both groups experienced a significant reduction in pain when sleeping on new mattresses. Even those who reported minor problems sleeping showed significant improvements in sleep quality and comfort—at levels similar to those who were poor sleepers.”

[Photo courtesy of Jennifer C./flickr.com]

They did the hard work, so we don’t have to, and it’s clear that new bedding or a new bed entirely is going to have immediate benefits to our health as well as our sleeping habits.

What do we look for in a good bed then? Firstly – it needs to be solid and stable. Your mattress needs a good support so it can support you! A creaky and shaky bed isn’t going to help, and you may feel like you’re napping on a sinking ship! As for the perfect bed? It doesn’t exist – you simply need the right one for you. A good mattress goes a long way, and this is the Best Memory Foam Mattress – a good mattress is going to gift you an hour of sleep that a lesser mattress will take away. Most mattress types have their cons as well, so try to get a mattress that you can try out as everyone is different.

[Photo courtesy of  Didriks/flickr.com]

Of course, you need pillows that keep your neck and head in line with your body for comfort and some breathable bedding is a good idea. A number of sets for different temperatures will help.

A good bed – it could do wonders for your health and for your bedroom!