The Shaker of Salt

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There’s lots to think about when you’re moving home. Whether you’re moving a few blogs away, interstate or to another country completely, you will need to think about getting your current property ready to sell/ hand back to the landlord, and you’re new property ready to live in. Not only that, but you’ll need to prepare the kids for the move, then there’s the whole business of packing and safely transporting the contents of your home too. 

If you have a cat, well, that’s just another thing to add to your stress, but it’s important that you do think about it because moving can be very stressful for your beloved pet. Cats are very territorial, and they form deep attachments to their environment so that a move can be particularly tough on them. Here are some things you can do to make your move easier on the moggy in your life:

Keep Your Cat in One Room

On moving day, when you’re looking for a removalist van to arrive, take the time to secure your cat safely in one room, ideally a bedroom, so that he or she feels safe and secure, and is unable to escape as the removal men do their thing. When doing this, you should think carefully about what furniture is present in that room, because your cat might start to associate it with safety, and become attached to it when you move and may need access to it until things settle down at the new place.

You should also place a sign on the door of this room, which should be filled with food, water, and a litter tray, to ensure that the removal men don’t open the door and let your cat out or upset her unduly.

Use a Cat Carrier
When the time comes to empty the room which is being used as your cat’s safe haven, you will want to place your cat in a secure pet carrier, which she can be safely transported to your new home in.

Take the Cat with You

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You shouldn’t move your cat in the removal van, or even the boot of the car, where he could become distresses, ideally, he should be taken in the car with you, so that he doesn’t feel alone.
Stop Regularly
If you’re traveling a fair distance to your new home, you should stop to offer water, and perhaps food, to your cat on a regular basis to ensure that she is comfortable.

When You Get There
When you get there, you should first unpack the furniture that was left in the room with your cat before moving and again confine your cat to one room. Then, you should plug in a feline pheromone diffuser, like Feliway, to help calm your cat down. Ideally, you or another family member should spend some time with the cat as she settles in.

Keep it Closed

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During the first days at your new home, you should keep all doors and windows closed and keep your cat inside so that she does not end up getting lost. Your cat should remain indoors for at least two weeks, after which she can be let out, providing she has a collar with your phone number and address attached, or even better a microchip.

Chances are your cat will be stressed out by your move, but if you do all of the above, stress will be minimized and your cat should be safe.

Young and old, we all like a good party from time to time. We can have lots of fun with our friends, and just hang out in a good atmosphere with food and music. However, what should you cook up for the best kind of party food? Your nibbles don’t have to be boring or rushed, you can mix and match up whatever you want with finger foods such as these. Whether you left it to the last minute or are struggling for quick and easy food ideas, here are a few timeless classics that everyone will enjoy.

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Salad or Fruit Sticks

Fruit is a great snack, especially at parties. You can even get your little ones to eat some more of their five a day when it’s presented so lovely! Pop a few marshmallows or chocolate drops in between each piece and you’ve got yourself the perfect food cocktail.

A good fruit kebab means you can pair whatever you have left over and make it look as creative as a gourmet restaurant. If you’ve made up foods that need chilling to stay in their perfect conditions, you can keep your snacks cool in these. Mini fridges are so useful, and portable to boot!

Popcorn

Peanut butter popcorn is a popular flavour and is easy to whip up. You can also pair it with some melted chocolate for a special treat! Just drizzle the chocolate over the bowl and allow to set, and you’ve got yourself a great tasting snack that can be done in 5 minutes.

Salted caramel popcorn also pairs some ready made salted popcorn with an easy make ingredient. To cut out the amount of sugar you need to whip up some caramel, you can use maple syrup instead. This can be done in about 30 minutes, which once again won’t take too much patience.

Hummus and Dipping Foods

Hummus can sometimes be an acquired taste, but the majority of people like it. It also means you can collect together some dips as you’ll already have the finger foods to use them up.

Hummus and avocado is a great taster, and can even be eaten alone it’s that strong a contender. Hummus also goes well with pizza, who knew! It’s a good alternative to the tomato sauce base if anyone is averse to the strong and sweet taste of that. Don’t worry, a good sprinkling of cheese can still go on top and it still only takes 10 minutes in the oven.

If you like the usual, you can cut up some peppers or carrot sticks for both a healthy and delicious snack. A lot of people underestimate how good these snacks can be, however they’re often the first plate to run out!

Parties not only help us stay happy and let loose, they also mean we can indulge in some good food that doesn’t break a diet or routine. Try out a few of these recommendations and your own, and branch out with the usual choices.

It’s all the rage now, going gluten free. The amount of people that have a gluten sensitivity, as opposed to being a celiac, has risen a lot in the last few years, which can be evidenced by the amount of gluten free products on supermarket shelves, and a big interest in healthy living. For a lot of people, the wheat you find in many staples, like toast, form part of the perfect breakfast in the Western world. But the main thing about being gluten-free a lot of people can’t get their heads around is that there are plenty of fantastic meals you can make that don’t need to have flour or wheat, and here is one!

Chicken Curry With Spinach And Coconut Lime Rice

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This can be prepared in 30 minutes and serves 8, of course, if you want it to go a long way you can double or triple the amount. The important thing with this meal is to make sure the chicken is diced finely, and if you are looking for a worthy implement of slicing chicken into small pieces, it’s worth looking at the chef’s knives on sale. You can find them that place is like on http://www.cutitfine.com/, you can also find a various amount of kitchen knives on that site. If there are vegetarians among you, you can simply leave the chicken out, and still get the fantastic flavor of this zingy curry dish.

Ingredients

For the curry:

• 2.5 lbs. of diced chicken breast
• 1 chopped red onion
• 3 cups of fresh spinach
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon of curry paste
• 3 teaspoons of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 14 oz. can of coconut milk
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Some fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)

For the rice:

• 2 ½ cups of brown or white rice
• 3 lime (the juice)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• ½ cup frozen peas

 

Directions

1. In a saucepan, add all the rice ingredients (except for the peas and lime juice).
2. To cook the curry, add the oil and onions to a skillet or frying pan, and cook over a medium to high heat for around 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are nicely browned. Add garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for another minute.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, and add the spices and the salt. Stir until the mixture is nice and fragrant.
4. Stir the diced chicken and the fresh tomatoes into the mix. Add the coconut milk, tomato paste, and stir until the mixture sets in. Let it all cook for 8 to 10 minutes at medium-low heat to let it accrue flavor.
5. Turn the heat off when the chicken is cooked and add the spinach, sprinkle the cilantro over the curry.
6. Once the rice is cooked, add the frozen peas and lime juice. Stir it all in, put a lid on the saucepan and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

You can also have a good look at https://www.glutenfreeliving.com/ to get a good idea about living without wheat if you’re really interested, but every great curry is naturally gluten free!

Everyone knows that using too much clean water at home is a bad thing. Not only does it inflate the price of those monthly water bills, but it also means reservoirs and the systems around them have to work harder than is necessary. So, readers probably want some tips that will assist them in getting on with their lives while also reducing their water consumption at home, right? Well, contrary to popular belief, that task is much easier than most folks imagine. Just select one or more of these ideas.

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Keep empty plastic drums in the garden

Lots of people like to water their plants and gardens whenever they get the opportunity. Most of those individuals will fill their watering can from a tap inside or outside the home. Experts from the Water Management website say that is a terrible idea because those folks often use liters of water unnecessarily. Instead, it makes sense to keep some old plastic drums in the garden to collect rainwater. If it’s good enough for the flowers when it falls from the sky, the water is still suitable after sitting for awhile. It’s possible to purchase containers of that nature for next to nothing if people shop around. Use the collected water for any purpose in the garden.

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Get rid of that water heater tank

Most Americans like the idea of upgrading their home. However, they don’t know that they can get rid of their hot water tank and save themselves a lot of money. According to Fred Rader’s website and similar resources, homeowners in Europe have used tankless water heaters for many years. The devices are excellent because they only heat the water the person plans to use. That means there aren’t fifty liters just sitting there wasting energy. As well as saving water, tankless heaters will:

• Provide hot water at any time of the day or night
• Use less energy to heat the water
• Stay in working order for more than ten years

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Invest in some specialist taps

We are living in the digital age, and so it should come as no shock to homeowners that some innovators are attempting to solve the wasted water issue once and for all. They’ve done that by creating specialist tap products that turn themselves off when not in use. Indeed, some readers might encounter similar designs in the bathrooms of upmarket hotels. People have to place their hand under the tap before the water begins to pour. The flow then stops the second the individual moves their hand away. Installing items like that at home is a wise more if there are children in the house.

As anyone can see from reading this post, there are many ways in which homeowners could change their habits and save water at home. Put some of those ideas into practice alongside other green living strategies for the best outcomes. With a bit of luck, people who do that will help to protect the planet and ensure it remains in good conditions for future generations. When all’s said and done, our unborn grandkids shouldn’t suffer due to the bad choices of relatives they’ve never met, right?

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The “back to school” existence you had all but forgotten about is just around the corner and that means you’re going to have to get back into the morning routine again. We know. Getting an entire family up, dressed, fed and out of the door is no easy feat and, for twenty days a month, your mornings seem to be the more stressful than moving house. Not only is it an organisational disaster most of the time, the meltdowns and lack of cooperation is so severe it is almost laughable.

Of course, this isn’t good for anyone involved because a smooth and happy morning is the key to a smooth and happy day. That is where we hope to help a little bit. So, without further ado, read on to see our top tips, tricks and little pieces of advice that will see your Get Ready For School morning routine could become the dream you always wished it would be.

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Get Up Before The Kids

The secret ingredient to a successful morning routine falls on your shoulders because the earlier you get up the less rush there will be and thus less stress too. So, get up first, get yourself sorted – coffee, breakfast, shower, dressed – and then set everything up for the kids so that a smooth process is encouraged and at your exit through the front door hits as few hurdles as possible.

Healthy Breakfasts Only

Just because something is nutritious doesn’t mean it can’t be delicious, and that is something you need to learn and cherish. Breakfast the most important day for the simple fact it gives you energy, but if you want your kids to do well each day then you need to make sure they are refreshed, energised and ready to concentrate. A great way to do this is to buy in lots of lemon or cucumber flavored water, as these are two of the most refreshing flavours, ideal to wake up to. As for breakfast itself, lay out the usual culprits (by which mean cereal) but put some chopped fruit out for them to add pop in with their cereal too. Oh and low-fat yogurt too. It is just about transforming your fussy eater. What’s more, if you get up early enough, you could even offer eggs. Either way, a healthy breakfast is a must-have on the morning routine.

Music Feeds The Soul

If you want a stress free morning where everyone is in high spirits and no tantrums are bubbling away under the surface then a good, fun playlist is the answer. The right music just has a way of speeding up a slow morning. You could even use different tracks to signal the start of different tasks that need doing. Such as Pharrell’s Happy could signal that the dishes need to be cleared away, Best Day of My Life could be the song they brush their teeth too and Stand Up by The Prodigy could be the song they get dressed and out the door to. Whatever you decide, music could take your grizzly mornings and make them magical.

Plan Out The Week

The more organised you can get the easier each day will be. So, when you are doing your Sunday chores, such as the weekly food shop or the laundry, try planning out the whole week. Lay out the clothes that your kids will wear on each day (with labels), as well as what you will pop into each packed lunch for the next five days too. Not only will this make the mornings less stressy, it will also mean you have a chance to be a little more creative with what you create.

When your home business really starts to take off, panic can quickly set in too. After all, you got into entrepreneurship because you wanted to fill a few hours while the kids were at school. You might have wanted something in the evenings to bring in a few extra bucks while your children were asleep. Maybe you were looking for something for fun, and you didn’t care about the cash at all?

Now you’re doing well – really well. It’s probably too late to put the brakes on now. You have customers to consider and all those orders to fulfill. The trouble is, you can’t do it all on your own, and you have, without a doubt, outgrown your little home office. It’s time to consider a commercial property. If you don’t know where to start, don’t panic. It’s easier than you think:

Rent or Buy

Most commercial property is rented. When you’re just starting out, you might be better off hot-desking at your local business center. For a small monthly fee, you get calls answered and messages taken. You can book a desk to suit your hours, and even schedule in some time in the conference room if you need it. Simply bring a laptop, log in to the center’s wifi, and you’re off. Sharing like this brings the cost down.

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Of course, you might be selling products, not services. You’ll need at least a garage for storage. It’s probably better you make use of a secure commercial space though. If you have some capital, you might prefer to build an office and mini-warehouse on your own land. You’ll have to seek permission from your local governing body. Whether you rent or buy, you should consider researching commercial property insurance rates to ensure you can afford to cover yourself, your equipment and your stock.

Hiring Help

You can hire agency staff for a set contract period with a set fee. But if you’re looking for reliable, motivated and long term employees, then it might be better to swallow the cost of hiring someone permanently. You’ll need to cover their pension and benefits package, as well as their salary. If you can offer a good package, you’re more likely to attract the best talent. Don’t forget – the working environment is just as important as the money.

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When you’re just setting up, it’s important to clearly define the role you’re hiring for and stick with it. You will undoubtedly need some help moving things, and setting up office space. Make sure those types of duties are detailed in the job description. It’s unfair to categorize them as ‘other things.’ Finally, consider the long term future for your employee from day one. Chances are they’re in it for a career move.

Out Of Home

This is it. Are you sure you’re ready? You’ve proven yourself as an entrepreneur, but it takes on a new level of reality when you set up a workplace out of home. Juggling child care can be the toughest part of this, so reliable employees are essential if you’re needed back home. Good luck in the next phase of your venture

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Going green in your home is important. Not only does it help the environment, but it reduces waste and unnecessary chemicals that can come from plastics and other artificial materials. It also sets a good example for your children, helping them learn good habits to help the earth as they get older. There are some fantastic eco-friendly products for your home available at the moment, and you’ll find some of the best ones below.

Reusable drinks bottles

If you don’t think that using a reusable drink bottle can help the environment, these facts about how the waste plastic bottles can cause might change your mind. Having a reusable bottle to hand for each family member that they can take out with them will mean that they no longer rely on buying plastic water bottles in stores and will encourage them to stay hydrated too. You can buy metal and glass versions and those made from recycled materials which all help to reduce waste.

Eco-friendly towels

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Believe it or not, you can buy towels and other home textiles that are more eco-friendly than others. Products that use bamboo like towels are made using natural bamboo that can be grown without pesticides or other chemicals, which makes them better for the environment. These products also retain their softness, meaning you’ll need to buy new towels much less frequently.

Biodegradable waste bags

You might use waste bags much more than you’d previously thought. Between diapers, bags for dog waste and your trash, you could be using a fair number of these each week. Opting for some biodegradable bags will help reduce waste easily and are recommended for regular use in your home. Often they’ll be green colored to make them easier to spot during your next visit to the supermarket.

Cloth napkins and dish towels

Having paper napkins and towels around your home contributes to unnecessary waste, even if you recycle them. Investing in some chic cloth napkins or dish towels for your home means that you can simply wash them and reuse them instead of buying new ones all the time. They also look a bit more sophisticated for meal times if you have guests or are throwing a dinner party. Wash them separately to other products to help keep their color and condition, using an eco-friendly detergent.

Energy-saving light bulbs

There’s no denying the different benefits of switching from regular to energy-saving light bulbs. Not only do they help reduce energy emissions, but they can help you save money in your home too. They offer the same high-quality lighting that makes them a must for your home, and you’ll need to replace them far less regularly as they will light your home for longer too.

Going eco-friendly in your home can help you do your bit for the environment while also being a great way to cut down on your energy bill. Next time you go shopping, keep an eye out for eco-friendly products that you can bring into your home. The planet and your bank balance will thank you.  

So, you want to be a blogger? That’s great! All kinds of people can be bloggers now, whether you want to specialize in beauty, gadgets, or lifestyle in general. You can blog about your holidays or the things you wear. Whatever your passions are, the internet makes it easy. However, very few people want to be a mediocre bloggers. If you don’t care what sort of following you get, you can probably ignore this advice. However, if you’d really like to create a blog people want to read, you’re probably going to need a few gadgets. These gadgets will help you to make a name for yourself in the blogging industry:

Camera

Every blogger needs a camera. What is a blog without pictures? It’s fine to start off with your iPhone to begin with, but you’ll probably want to invest in a good camera pretty early on. This will allow you to learn about photography and what it takes to take good blog pictures. The Canon 5DIII is a great blogging camera, although you should be aware that it’s pretty heavy. It may not be the best option for bloggers who just want to take their camera away with them and on days out. The Olympus pen EPL7 is perfect for on the go shooting, as it’s so portable.

Ultimately, the best camera for you will differ. Make sure you know what you want!

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Photo And Video Editing Software

Taking great pictures isn’t enough. You need to have photo and editing software behind you to make these pictures more aesthetic. This doesn’t mean editing your face to look like someone else (although many people do this). It simply means getting the tones and colors right. Picmonkey is free, and great to start out with. Photoshop is great too, although you’ll need to learn how to use it properly. Lightroom is a cool in between for those who don’t like photoshop.

Laptop

Every blogger needs a laptop that they can use for blogging, photo editing, catching up with other bloggers, and taking from place to place. In general, many bloggers go for a Macbook pro. This is because it has a big screen, large memory, as well as fast & good screen resolution. That being said, it doesn’t matter which you use, as long as you’re happy with it. If you’re unsure, looking at laptop.review could help you to compare and contrast. Remember, this is an investment and will definitely make your life easier!

Mobile Phone

All bloggers need a mobile phone too. It’s like a mini computer on the go. The iPhone is great. You can use it for managing social media, making small edits, and sending emails on the go. You can even use it for quick pictures should you be without your camera.

Apps

You need lots of apps as a blogger. Buffer is a brilliant app that will help you to schedule posts, ensuring you are consistent with your blogging routine. Instagram and Twitter are a must when it comes to social media. There are even photo editing apps you can have on your phone too, like VSCO.

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There are lots of benefits to living clutter-free. Not only will you have more space in your home, there will also be less to clean and less organise. Decluttering is also good for our mental health, offering less distractions when trying to concentrate or get to sleep. However letting go of possessions can be difficult and it can be easy to lose motivation. For those that are determined to have a clear-out, here are some of the ways that you can declutter more creatively.

Declutter one room at a time

By going through your home one room at a time, you’ll get more of a sense of reward from the decluttering process. You could aim to take on a new room every week. Start with the messiest rooms first and work your way down to least cluttered. This should include attics, garages and sheds too as these can often become dumping grounds for unused stuff. After taking on a messy loft, a bedroom may not seem so bad and you’ll have more motivation.

Use the Oprah Winfrey coat hanger method

For tackling an out-of-control wardrobe, why not try the Oprah Winfrey coat hanger method. This involves reorganising all your clothes hangers so that the hanger is pointing towards you. Once you’ve worn an item of clothing, put it back in the wardrobe with the coat hanger facing the other way. After a few months, you’ll be able to clearly see which clothes you haven’t worn as the coat hangers will still be facing you. This will help you decide which clothes to keep and which to get rid of.

Embrace the digital age

There may be ways of cutting down on your clutter by embracing the digital age. CD collections can all be digitally ripped, allowing you to get rid of your physical albums. Books can be replaced by eBooks, saving you shelving space. You could even go so far as to digitise all your photographs. This approach of going digital isn’t for everyone, but if you’re not a keen physical collector it could help free up some space.

Don’t give yourself a chance to change your mind

You should avoid the temptation to look back through piles of clothes or bags of possessions that you’ve decided to throw out. Using a same day waste disposal service such as samedayrubbishremoval.com.au could prevent you from being able to go back on your choices. If you’re selling or donating, also aim to do this swiftly.

Know when to sell, when to donate and when to throw away

You can’t make money out of all your items – there’ll be clutter that’s pretty much useless to everyone and deserves only to go in a skip. Similarly however, you shouldn’t chuck everything, as some items could be valuable or be donated to someone who may appreciate them more. Use sites to value items so that you know what to sell, what to donate and what to scrap. For example, there are sites such as Crossbooks.com.au that are great for valuing old books.

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Keeping your house comfy and fashionable at the same time is something that a lot of people think is impossible; when they think of comfort they think of messy rooms with loads of things to jump onto and lay on, but when they think of fashion they picture clear cut and clean rooms, but this is dead wrong! Fashion and comfort go together well, you’ve just got to know the best way to do it, so read on to learn about how you make your home a comfort haven!

Paint The Walls A Friendly Colour

Anyone who knows anything about interior decor will know that the colour of the paint that you  use on the walls completely determines the feel of the room. If you paint a room with a neutral grey then it’s going to have a neutral feel, likewise if you paint a room black is will have a harsh feel and if you paint one yellow it’ll have a light feel! This goes a long way in determining how comfortable you feel in a room. You’re going to have to buy paint that is light and airy, one that is not going to make a dark feel in the room! Colours like lilac, yellow and green have this effect but there are others too, so make sure you chose something that makes the room feel as friendly as possible!

Introduce Bean Bags!

Bean bags; everyone remembers these from their childhood, no matter how old you are. They’ve been around for years, and everyone knows that, in terms of comfort, they absolutely cannot be beaten! However, the problem with beanbags is that people view them as childish, but this shouldn’t be the case! Bean bags come in a variety of different shapes, sizes, colours and materials so you can find one that totally suits the room you’re going to be putting them in. You can relax with Comfy Sacks, companies like this sell easy to buy and even easier to sit on bean bags that will suit any function, just make sure that they are the same or a complimentary colour to your walls and you’re going to be set!

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Doors

Your doors separate your home into loads of different rooms, meaning that each one is sectioned off and has it’s own purpose. They make your home navigable, you know where everything is and it’s all easy to get to, but sometimes the doors that you’re using are just too imposing! Big, wooden doors that are one harsh block colour can ruin the effect of a room, especially if the rest of the room is a different colour! This is why you’re going to want to think about replacing your doors if you find that they are too old or are the wrong style and colour. If you get the right doors then they’re going to add to the rooms effect, so think long and hard about this!

Doing all of these things is going to dramatically change the way your house looks and feels, making it more comfortable for you. Paint the walls a welcoming colour so that you enjoy being in the room, get some doors to match the feel and throw in some bean bags too, you won’t go wrong!