Author Archives: lanajhawkins

Successful Spring Gardening Tips

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While you are in your garden, you are taking care of nature, helping the environment and you are even providing some organic food for your family. Moreover, you are making sure that your house looks gorgeous even on the outside. However, you should know how to properly take care of all the flowers, trees, fruits and veggies that you wish to grow and here are some useful tips for your gardening experience.

Prepare the soil

Healthy soil is your foundation for a healthy garden. It should be well drained in order for your plants not to drown, but it should also be moist enough for the plants to grow healthy. Before you plant anything, you should take care of the weeds and check the soil’s composition. The ideal composition for texture and water retention includes one-third of sand, silt and clay. In order to test the composition of the soil, you can conduct a mason jar soil test. If the soil drains quickly and it is too sandy, you should dig in compost. After you have determined the soil is ready, you should cover it with clear plastic for two or three weeks and only then start planting.

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Fertilizing

Usually, digging in rich compost is enough for most gardens. However, if your soil needs more boost or you want to make sure it stays healthy, you can use manure, homemade compost tea, seaweed and some organic fertilizers. If you decide to use manure, you have to make sure it is well composted because some manures can contain weed seeds or can burn the plants. For the seaweed usage, you should harvest it during autumn or winter in order to avoid harvesting herring eggs. When it comes to fertilizers, you should avoid some pungent fertilizers (fish or bone meal) because they can attract wildlife into your garden. Additionally, stay away from synthetic fertilizers, because they are bad for the environment; especially for waterways and oceans.

Flowers

If you have some potted bulbs indoors, move them outside. You can place them in planters, window boxes or in your garden and immediately freshen up the whole landscape and brighten up the dull areas in your garden. Before you plant them outside, you should check the moisture of the soil by grabbing a handful and gently squeezing it into a ball. If the ball breaks when you tap it, it is ready for the flowers, but if it stays intact you should wait a few days for the soil to dry. After the soil has dried, you should add two inches of manure or compost which will improve the drainage of the soil and its water retention. Put the bulbs into the soil, rake around and enjoy the fresh new look of your garden. Also, you can prepare the soil in the same manner when planting flowers from scratch and look forward to new colours and decoration. If all this might seem too slow or tedious, there are things to make it better. Of course, you will have the right equipment for the job, but you can spice things up with Peter’s of Kensington and their colourful watering cans and pink gardening tools.

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Edibles

Spring is a perfect season for planting some fruits and veggies to refresh you every day. You can plant latent bare root veggies, fruits and herbs as soon as they arrive. However, since these plants started to grow in transit, you will need to take good care of them. Plant them in containers filled with well-drained potting mix and make sure they are in any frost-free location indoors. Once the danger of frost has passed, you can transplant them outside into your garden.

If you’ve been growing and saving some plants throughout the whole year inside, now is the time to take them out. Follow these simple tips for soil preparation and planting of vegetables, and your garden will be sweet smelling and filled with mesmerizing colours in spring.

Easy Tips For Creating A Calm And Peaceful Home

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Our home is our sanctuary and we should do our best to achieve a calm and peaceful atmosphere. Sometimes that can be hard because we are constantly working and running around to provide food for our families, but nevertheless, we mustn’t neglect our home. That is why you should dedicate some time to taking care of it. Here are some easy things you can do in order to create the most relaxing atmosphere which will benefit everyone in your home.

The impact of colors

Colors are not just for show. They can actually affect us on a physical, psychological and emotional level. There were even some studies that have shown how colors can change our appetite and even our body temperature. So, if you want your mood, levels of energy, and body to be affected positively, you should choose the colors for your home wisely. Before you paint the walls, look at some different colors and think about how they affect you and your family, and you will know which colors are the right ones for you.

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Provide scents

Instead of letting odors enter the home, you should banish them and replace them with sweet scents. Pleasant smells can affect you in many ways and you should find some scented candles and oils to fill your home with harmony. See what scents your family members like and find a signature scent for your home that will make everybody happy.

Clear the air

A lack of fresh air in your home will only make you nervous and depressed. That’s why you should keep the air flowing in your house in order for it to be fresh and calming. One way to do this is by always airing out every room, which will keep the odors out and introduce some light breeze. However, during allergy seasons or when there are some other unpleasant smells coming from outside, opening your windows might not be an option. In such cases, you can rely on air-purifiers to do the job. You can even check out some of the best air-purifiers which will remove any allergens from your home so you can freely enjoy fresh air without sneezing constantly. Also, you should decorate your home with a few air-purifying plants which will also lighten up the space.

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Unplug

You should turn off and unplug anything you are not using at the moment or often. Unplug all the chargers, and turn off the TV and other devices and appliances you don’t use. This will help you save plenty of energy and downsize the bills, which alone is beneficial enough. Also, it will prevent any annoying buzzing and humming noises that could disturb you.

Get rid of bad mojo and provide positive vibes

If you have any bad memories tied to any objects in your home – get rid of them. You don’t need that bad mojo reminding you of sad times. Instead, you should fill your home with happy memories. Such change will always put you in a great mood and you will be reminded of the good times and uplifting people. Besides, such items will inspire all of you to move forward and make more beautiful, positive memories.

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Conquer the clutter

Clutter is the biggest enemy of harmony and peace. It doesn’t only disturb your living space, but it also creates chaos in your head. That’s why you need to learn how to conquer it. Start by organizing everything in your home and throw out everything you don’t need. After you have managed to downsize your clutter, you should make a plan of organizing and keeping the remaining items. Find a place for everything and make sure you always put everything back in place. This way, you won’t have to spend hours on cleaning your home and you will be significantly less stressed out.

Surround yourself with all the things you love. Handle the clutter, keep your home clean, and you will never have troubles creating a calm and peaceful environment for your family.

How To Fuse Your Bedroom And Workspace Together In A Stylish And Functional Manner

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Image source: decoist.com

A lot of people work from home these days. If you’re one of the home-based workers, you know how important the workspace actually is when it comes to your productivity and efficiency. But what happens when you simply don’t have any extra space for your own home office? Setting up your work corner in the kitchen or dining room is out of the question. The living room may be an acceptable choice, but things can get pretty busy and hectic there, which can disturb your concentration. In that respect, the bedroom is definitely the most plausible option. If you want to learn how to functionally fuse your bedroom with workspace, check out the following ideas.

1. Keep these areas separated

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Image source: apartmenttherapy.com

The most important issue to address when setting up your workspace in the bedroom is to avoid these two different aspects of your life clashing with each other. Not only does this look messy and awkward, but you won’t be able to utilize the best of your work productivity or rest comfortably when it’s time for sleep. If your bedroom is not divided into several areas, you can separate your workspace from the rest of your bedroom with curtains, screen doors and other interesting dividing techniques.

2. Smart desk positioning

It’s not only enough to create a physical separation between your bedroom and workspace. If you can see your bed from where you’re sitting during your working hours, you will still struggle with work efficiency. In that respect, the best option is to position your desk so that it looks at the wall or window. Whatever position you find suitable for your needs, it’s essential that you have your back to your bed all the time.

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 Image source: byrneseyeview.com

3. Create more space

If you’re experiencing some trouble regarding the really limited space you have in your bedroom, then create more of it! One interesting way to add more space for your working area as well as separate yourself from the rest of the room is by setting up your desk, computer and other work essentials into your wardrobe. This means that you will have to reorganize your clothes so that they could fit in another wardrobe, but if you manage to do that, you’ll be all set up. Once you’re done with work, you can just close the wardrobe doors and relax in your sleep chamber.

4. Use the right décor

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 Image source: houzz.com.au

Apart from functionality, you should also consider the stylish aspect of both your bedroom and workspace. While you shouldn’t overstuff your working area with decorative pieces and mementos, it shouldn’t be completely plain either. Still, even though you should do your best to separate the workspace from the rest of your bedroom, the items and décor details that you use shouldn’t look mismatched. In that respect, try to introduce some individuality to your workspace with self-adhesive wallpaper, plants, shelves and other details that would still keep the harmony of the overall décor style you have in your bedroom.

5. Don’t neglect your bedroom

The desire to make your workspace as functional as possible can make you unaware of the fact that your bedroom comfort is equally important. If you want to make this arrangement work, you need to be satisfied with both your bedroom and workspace. Therefore, make sure that your bed offers proper support. You can look into Bedworks quality mattresses online if you feel pain after waking up, declutter your bedroom of unused clothes and excess detail, put up motivational paintings, and use cushion and bed covers that suit your personal taste. Of course, don’t forget to introduce a bit of greenery to this area for some added benefits.

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 Image source: celinachurches.org

As long as you don’t favor one aspect over the other, keep the two areas separated, but hold onto the same style and décor technique, you can effectively fuse your bedroom and workspace together. You’re doing all of this for yourself, so make sure that you always keep in mind the things that inspire, motivate and soothe you the best.

Top 7 Tips To Make Your Home A Safer Place For Your Family

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Your home is the place where you and your family should feel completely safe and protected from possible accidents and potential intruders. The truth is that you cannot safeguard your home against everything, but you can bring its safety close to perfection with just a few simple steps. You shouldn’t worry about leaving your children at home, so you should do everything in your power to protect and provide them with a safe environment.

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Make Your Home Healthier

The safety of your children doesn’t depend solely on alarm systems and other burglar-proof measures. You also need to provide them with a healthy and toxin-free home that will be a stimulating and enjoyable environment. Thus, you need to reduce the indoor air pollution by adding houseplants and high-quality air purifiers and use chemical-free cleaning products thus turning your home into a greener, more sustainable and, therefore, healthier environment.

Install a Security System

The statistics show that houses with security systems are an effective deterrent to burglars, reducing the risk of burglary. In order to maximise the safety of your home, you should consider installing an alarm system, as well as surveillance cameras or motion-sensor cameras. Certain areas, such as dark passages or backdoor entrances, are weak spots, so installing surveillance cameras here will make them much safer.

Additionally, you should place warning signs to send the message to potential burglars that your home is protected, but make sure not to reveal which type of security system you have. Even homes with only mock security systems are less likely to be broken into, because burglars won’t test their luck.

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Safeguard Your Home Against Fire

Another essential home safety measure is fireproofing your living space. This step is of utmost importance, especially if you have children at the age of five or younger since they cannot escape on their own. You should install smoke alarms on every floor and have a multipurpose fire extinguisher. In addition, you should outline an emergency escape plan in case of fire and have a contact number of an emergency service within your reach.

Get to Know Your Neighbours

Your neighbours can be a huge help when it comes to protecting your home against burglars, so you should get to know them, especially if you’ve just moved to a new neighbourhood. They can watch over your house while you’re away, check it from time to time or pick up your newspapers to help you create an illusion of occupancy. Of course, you should return the favour and watch over their house when they need it. You can also join or start a neighbourhood watch program and keep your area safe together.

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Secure Your Doors and Windows

Locking your doors and windows isn’t enough, so you’ll need to apply some additional security measures. You can opt for security doors with a peephole and deadbolts or place a metal bar at the bottom of sliding doors and windows. When it comes to windows, you should reinforce them with security screens, films or roller shutters. Additionally, you can install lockable windows in order to maximise the safety.

Illuminate Your Home

In the majority of cases, burglars will attempt to break into a home when no one’s there, and lighting is a major indicator of occupancy. A possible solution is leaving several lights on when you’re not home, but many burglars observe a house before breaking in, so they might recognise the pattern. A more efficient solution is installing outdoor motion sensor lights and indoor lights on timer that will turn on and off randomly in order to create an illusion of occupancy.

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Keep Your Doors and Windows Locked

Although this tip might seem banal, the estimates show that in approximately 30% of burglaries, intruders enter through an unlocked door or window. This is the simplest security measure that anyone can apply. Therefore, it’s of utmost importance that you teach your children not to leave external doors unlocked even when you’re home. Before leaving your home, check whether you’ve locked all the doors and windows.

Protecting your home against burglaries and home fires, and making it toxin-free is of utmost importance for your family’s safety. With the help of these simple steps, you can quickly turn your home into a healthy, safe environment.

Cool Ideas for a Family-Friendly Backyard

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As cold and harsh weather gives way to soothing spring temperatures, we feel the magnetic pull of the outside world. The rejuvenating greenery of grass and trees is always there to greet us, but why not go the extra mile? No matter how big or small the yard is there is most likely a way to transform this outdoor space into a family oasis infused with homey comfort. This is an opportunity to achieve an active lifestyle brimming with utter fun and joy.

A central stage

The first thing to consider is how you want to utilize the space. Also, you have to ask yourself how many people will use it and how often. That should give you an idea about the features to be included. They can encompass everything from a fireplace and a dining area to a cocktail patio. Just note that strangely-shaped backyards provide special challenges in design. Hence, it is of the utmost importance to plan ahead of time.

A spacious patio is a must-have. It makes large family gatherings possible and establishes a seamless connection between interior and the backyard. A massive fireplace with a mural is a perfect focal point, making it a spot where one can unwind and melt the stress away after a long day. On the other hand, there is no need to spend a truckload of money on décor. Get your creative juices flowing and take on exciting DIY projects.

Make sure to invest in outdoor furniture sets to provide comfortable seating. Of course, weather-resistant pieces are highly recommended when putting together a durable outdoor area. The weather, though, is not the only natural enemy. I had to rely on professional services to identify potential timber damage as well as the presence of pests such as termites in furniture and decks.

Child’s play

Furthermore, create a space for kids. It might be a good idea to section it off with screens made from lattice fencing attached to posts. A row of brightly-colored plants like sunflowers can play the same role and add playful charm to the space. Likewise, there are many landscaping tricks to separate spaces within the yard. For instance, beds planted with tall plants and evergreen serve as handy natural borders and dividers.

A playhouse or a tree house could be just what the children need. Still, if you opt for plastic playing equipment, try to introduce more of the natural presence around. A sandbox is a nice addition as it can be converted into a raised vegetable garden. Vegetables always bring benefits for the family as they invite them to plant, tend, and harvest together. Oh, and do not forget to plant a plenty of grass for a soft surface for outdoor activities and sports.

Footloose and fancy-free

Once the kids have a place to enjoy their escapades, turn the attention to the set-apart space reserved for adults. A game room or pavilion is a chance to engage in favorite activities while the breeze fondles you. A waterproof pool table is a common sight in many entertainment areas, and curtains can be utilized to protect the players from the elements. A daybed positioned between container planters, on the other hand, is the perfect place to recharge the batteries.

Outdoor lighting allows everyone to stay outdoors even as the night beckons and snuggles the yard. It keeps the party going and ensures the much-needed functionality. What is more, it highlights landscaping and architectural features. Feel free to follow your taste. Lighting is the final piece of the puzzle you’ll need to assemble a backyard family refuge where you can curl up together and spend some quality time.

Make the magic happen

A magical backyard sanctuary brings the family closer together. In order to make the most of it, strive to summon a homelike atmosphere and give everyone something to enjoy. A hangout spot is paramount, but so are secluded areas for a more private chilling out. So, get inspired and roll up your sleeves. Merge prime functionality with swell aesthetics and immerse in the great outdoors with your family members for months to come.