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Can Remote Work Be Your Retirement Alternative?

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The retirement used to mark the end of someone’s career. This was a happy occasion, where people would throw a party, eat cake, drink and then watch their retired coworker ride off into the sunset where hobbies, family, free time and travel were waiting for them. A pretty picture, isn’t it? And in theory, this is what the retirement should be. However, the reality is much different than the dream.

The quality of life has improved and people live much longer into their retirement. While this should be a good thing, financial troubles are mounting and making retirement really unrealistic for people. Many professionals don’t consider pension the adequate amount of money for a good and healthy lifestyle in the senior years. In fact, Social Security has become mainly a supplement income than a central source of income. Adding to this, lines between the private life and the business, professional life are blurring. More employees are adapting their schedules to make them more flexible and work arrangements are much different now than they used to be. Often there is no need for people to come into an office, they can work from home and do so comfortably. People also think that all of the retirement activities can happen along with work – seeing the world, spending time with your family or doing hobbies.

“Retirement is no longer that shiny thing waiting for us at the end of the road. It’s something most people fear or dislike. We want to keep working, especially if we love our careers and enjoy our work. So, how can the market change to fit these new requirements of aging professionals.”, says Zara Fox, employment agency specialist at EliteAssignmentHelp and Revieweal.

Remote work is one option that could fit many older people looking to still earn an income and have fun with their work. Here are some of the options that you should consider before you retire:

Part-Time Jobs

As a start, if you have some technical skills and some familiarity with technology, you can go from working full time in an office to working part-time from home. Your experience and abilities could still benefit your team well into the senior years. You can bring new values and knowledge to your team. Plus, you have the free time to enjoy new activities and learn more about your industry. As  a rule, the money is never the only bonus when it comes to the job. If you remain socially and mentally engaged, you are less likely to develop dementia and other cognitive issues.

Project based work

“You probably have a vast number of contacts and your network is probably huge because you have spent so many years in your industry. This gives you plenty of opportunities for contract work and project based work which you can do remotely while travelling or being at home. It’s much easier to find options through your own private networks than through any other channel.”, says Ezra Holmes, HR representative at UKWritings and Essay Services.

You can also get more profit and higher pay this way. Plus, the competition is much lower this way.

You can advise people

Professionals that are retiring have plenty of experience and knowledge that can give them the right to the position of advisor, specialist or consultant. They have seen, led and experienced many things which makes them the perfect person for this position. They can remain in their workplace as a remote advisor or on-call advisor. They can also apply to be specialists in startups or new and small companies which need someone more experienced to help them. It can provide a secure income and allow seniors to use their expertise for good.

Coach employees or teams

Another interesting opportunity to use your expertise is to coach teams in your industry or niche. Many professionals need strategic guidance and they need someone to help them map out their careers. If you have decades of experience in the industry, you can easily find this kind of work which can also be done remotely, through video conferences, chatting, phone calls and so on. It can also be done in person. As a bonus, you are making a positive impact.

People who retire don’t have to stop working. Of course, some people will enjoy their sunset years but most will want to stay social and aware of their industry. They will also want to continue improving, growing and learning new things. However, the industry has to support them as well, by hiring them and respecting their expertise. In addition to this, they could have speaking opportunities as well as some alternatives like blogging, writing a book, having a Youtube channel where they can share their advice and so on. You don’t have to retire if you don’t want to – stay updated on new opportunities.



Madeline Miller works as a career coach, tutor and writer at Dissertation writing service and Custom Assignment. She enjoys helping people find their dream job as well as creating articles about things that excite her for Best essay writing services.

 

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5 Gorgeous Gifts For The Interior Design Fanatic In Your Life

When you visit a person’s home and stand in awe of the immaculately detailed decoration of their living space, you can safely assume that this person loves anything and everything related to interior design.

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If you have such a person in your life who often redesigns their rooms and is always on the lookout for unique home furniture and decor, you should appreciate their aesthetic sensibility. When it’s time to give that person a present, it’s a no-brainer that you should give them an interior decor item. But what?

A generic decor item won’t do. You have to ensure your gift suits their style and their home. Here are five home design gift ideas to please anyone’s interior design tastebuds.

1. Classic Wall Clock

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A nice big clock is elegant and practical for any room of the house. A wall clock can serve as a decorative accent to fill up any empty wall space. Although we have the convenience of checking the time on our electronic screens, it doesn’t compare with a grand, artistic display of time.

There are a few aspects to consider, first the size of the clock. For an accent piece, choose something smaller, within the 10-18 inch range, but for a statement piece, go for a larger clock, between 24-30 inches. When it comes to materials, you can go the less expensive route with plastic, or choose a higher quality and price tag material like wood or metal.

The material you choose affects the styles available. You can select something modern with a metallic frame or something traditional with a natural design. Try to choose a color that will blend with the decor of any room. Neutral colors like white, beige, gray, and black are best. Natural colors of wood and metal are also safe choices.

2. Intriguing Showpieces

A showpiece can be the perfect gift for someone who has shelves and cabinets decorated with quirky items. Unique and interesting showpieces add a touch of detail and character to a place and reveal the interests of the homeowner.

One home decor tip when shopping for a showpiece for someone else is to buy something that matches a showpiece they already have. For instance, if someone is into animal figurines, you should get them a similar kind of showpiece. That way, you can be sure that they’ll like your gift and it will fit with the rest of their decor.

3. A Unique Vase

Displaying fresh (or artificial) flowers in a vase can enliven any room. But vases are not just for bouquets anymore. According to modern home decor conventions, a unique vase can also serve the function of a showpiece. It can fill up empty surfaces, draw the eye to a piece of furniture, and add charm to the space.

There are several vase shapes available, from bottleneck to flared, footed to cube, centerpiece to minimalist and more. Before picking out a vase, take a look at the decor styles already in the home and make sure your choice will compliment them.

4. Photo Frame with a Personal Memory

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Nothing makes the heart grow fonder of a gift than a touch of personalization. A photo frame with a picture of the two of you can be a personalized housewarming gift that will remain timeless. The best part of a framed photo is that the picture takes the center stage. If you choose a picture that has captured a memory both of you cherish or simply a picture you know they will like, the gift immediately becomes valuable, no matter which kind of frame you put it in.

Having said that, it’s still necessary to go with a frame that complements the picture. An easy way to do this is to match the color and tone of your frame with the color palette of the picture. Go for a simple, understated style if you are unsure about opting for something more bold. The perfect gift is a personal thing, so consider getting the frame engraved with the date of the photo within.

5. Meaningful Antiques

This is a bit of a niche choice of gift, but it can be a treasure trove for someone who is into antiques. Including antique pieces in your living space adds an archaic aesthetic to a modern home. For some people with more traditional and rustic homes, antiques will complement the home well.

There are multiple considerations to be made while buying antiques, especially if you are making an expensive purchase. Since these will be used, vintage items, you might have to do some restoration as well. Buy something small and manageable if this is your first time.

Make Each Gift Count

There are only two rules for buying interior design gifts for someone—know the person’s taste and know their home. If you can look at a gift and immediately tell whether it will fit into their home and their general style, you’re on the right track! If not, the best way to find out is to experiment. Either way, what makes your gift valuable is how much thought you put into it.

The Modern Rules Of Choosing A Style For A Rug

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With spring bringing in a new wave of good, sunny vibes to your day-to-day, you’re ready to add those same vibes to your favorite place—your home sweet home. And a new rug can go a long way in chasing out those winter blues and making your retreat space look and feel brand new.

Not so fast, though.

Not all rugs are perfect for every home situation. You don’t want to buy a huge rug that you’ll have trouble placing in your living room. And the last thing you want is a rug that adds an unwanted aesthetic to your space. On the contrary, the right rug can instantly add definition and color to your established decor, whether it’s a captivating modern one or an elegant traditional one.

The question is, with the wide range of rug materials, colors, and styles available today, how can you go about choosing the right rug style for your home?

Here’s a rundown on the top modern rules of choosing a style for a rug this spring.

Don’t Go Too Big

Size matters when you’re selecting a rug for your room. For example, if you have a tiny apartment with several pieces of statement furniture or eclectic objects in it, you don’t want a rug that will overpower your space. So, before you shop, be sure to measure the area in which you will be placing your rug.

As a general rule of thumb, your rug should cover the width and length of your furnishings if you’re placing it in your family room. A 5’ 0” x 8’ 1” rug or a 6’ 3” x 9’ 11” rug is typically a great size for clustering furniture around in an intimate space. If you wish to expand this space, choose a bigger size that will outline your area’s perimeter.

In your dining room, the rug you select needs to be big enough to provide ample space for your chairs, even after they’ve been pulled out from your table. So, measure your dining table and then add two feet to determine the best rug size for this space.

Also, in a space where your floor is wooden, try to keep between 18 and 24 inches of wooden flooring around your room’s perimeter. 

Consider Your Lifestyle

Think about how you plan to use the space where your new rug will go. Perhaps you plan to put the rug in an area that receives high traffic, like a family room or hallway. Or, maybe you have pets or young children? If so, look for luxury rugs that are simple to clean and durable, like wool rugs. And try to stick with a rug that is dark enough to hide dirt or stains.

Perhaps you’re planning to place a new rug in your home office. Create a sophisticated and classically elegant work from home space with a bamboo silk rug.

Online School Living Room Children – Free photo on Pixabay

Create the Right Mood

In addition to considering the usability of your space, think about the type of mood you want to create in your space when purchasing a rug. A rug anchors a room, so the style and color of your rug plays a major role in establishing its mood.

For instance, stick with rich, dark hues to define an intimate space. Meanwhile, choose light colors to make a tinier space look larger. Also, spicy colors—like red, yellow, or orange—add warmth to a room, whereas cool colors help to create a calm feeling, particularly in a space that is sunny.

However, as you search for rugs of certain colors, keep in mind that your target rug should ideally complement your room’s 2-3 main hues. As an example, you could choose a rug whose pattern’s secondary color matches your couch’s solid color. Then, try to make the rug’s third color match your room’s accents, like the wall, drape, or throw pillow color. This will help to tie your room’s look together.

Of course, you don’t always have to go with patterned rugs. Solid-colored rugs also work well in rooms, especially if your rooms’ primary furnishings are upholstered in patterns or feature elaborate designs.

Don’t Put a Pause on Patterns

Let’s dive into patterns a bit more. Patterned rugs are generally an excellent choice if you want to create an eclectic look in your room. Your patterns will instantly become the room’s primary focal point. For instance, feel free to choose rugs with floral or even zigzag spiral patterns. You can also choose rugs with more subtle patterns if you’d rather not harshly define the space.

Living Room Luxury House – Free photo on Pixabay

Choose the Perfect Rug for Your Space This Spring

Rugs have always been and will always be one of the most quintessential decorative accessories due to their ability to add warmth and personality to any room. But choosing the right rug—one that won’t take up an exorbitant amount of space, for example—is critical for making your dream look and vibe for your room a reality.

Consider the above-listed modern rules for choosing a rug that fits your style and your room’s layout this spring. In no time, you can bring comfort, coziness, and a chic ambiance to your living space this spring!

Author Bio:

Carolyn Mitchell is a freelance writer and content strategist with a passion for home décor. She can often be found re-painting and updating the furnishings in her home, and she is also a dedicated cat mom to two adorable kitties.

Top 10 Organization Tips For Spring Cleaning This Year

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A clean home is a happy home. Participating in spring cleaning can do wonders for opening up the space in your home, as well as provide you with mental clarity. When you’re no longer stressed about the state of your home, you can put more effort into planning activities or simply living in the moment. If you’re looking for a little divine inspiration, we have you covered. Let’s go over our top 10 organization tips for deep spring cleaning.

1.    Plan Ahead For Springtime Pests

When spring arrives, so do the bugs. Enjoy your sunshine-filled days to the fullest without the stress of bug bites or home infestations. Keep unwanted visitors out of your home with preventative DIY pest control. Combat all your common pest problems without the hassle or expenses of booking an exterminator. Secure your entire property line with easy-to-use pest control spray equipment. Bask in the beauty of spring with the comfort of knowing your home is safe from household pests.

2.    Switch Out Your Wardrobe

Out with the winter and in with the spring! As the days get warmer, will you really be wearing that turtleneck? It’s an important question to ask when you’re trying to emulate that clean-slate, spring-clean feeling. Be sure to use space-saving containers that can easily fit in any storage area, so your winter clothes are out of sight and out of mind. Plus, going through your wardrobe is an excellent excuse for another key spring organizational tactic.

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3.    Donate What Doesn’t Bring You Joy

It can be easy to let your collection of clothes build up over the years. Rather than continue to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of clothes you have accumulated, take time to sort through your seasonal wardrobes and create a donation pile. You’ll feel a lot better, lighter, and more inclined to enter the next chapter of your style. And don’t forget that clothing donations qualify for a tax deduction.

4.    Create A Cleaning Plan

In a perfect world, a complete spring cleaning can happen in a day. Most of the time, this isn’t an option. And that’s okay! Plan ahead for the effort it takes to clean your home. Schedule out a week-long or multi-week cleaning plan checklist that you can refer to as you work room by room. It’s entirely up to you, your schedule, and your preferred cleaning methods. If you need some inspiration, there are plenty of spring cleaning resources online.

5.    Find Functional Storage Hacks

The internet is ripe with tips and tricks for creating usable storage in the smallest spaces. Think your situation is helpless? Think again! There are plenty of online organization experts ready and willing to share their secrets. Check out creative storage hacks for immediate improvements to your home’s organizational system.

6.    Put Effort Into Your Kitchen

Your fridge, pantry, and kitchen cabinets should bring you peace amidst life’s chaos. The last thing you want to do is come home to a disorganized kitchen that brings stress before meal planning. Craft the kitchen of your dreams with a spice organizer. Deep clean remnants of old produce and eliminate expired condiments from the fridge. You will feel the weight of stress lift off your shoulders in no time. A clean kitchen should feel like a weekly fresh start and not a constant chore looming over your head.

7.    Deep Clean Your Mattress

When’s the last time you did this? Many people skip their mattress entirely when it comes to an annual spring clean, but it deserves some TLC. Get rid of dust, bacteria, and sweat with an easy sprayable cleaning solution made of dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and a little baking soda. This also may give your mattress a longer life expectancy. Pro tip: flip your mattress twice a year for maximum comfort and even use!

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8.    Take A Crack At The Garage

Ah, the garage. To many people, this is the no-fly zone when it comes to cleaning. The overwhelming feeling of staring into a disorganized garage is not for the faint of heart. Give yourself a day during your spring cleaning journey to do some damage. Starting is half the battle. Sometimes all it takes is just a mindless clean to give yourself a future organization game plan that you can stick to all year long.

9.    Create a Calming Atmosphere

Create a calming atmosphere in your home with house plants, essential oils, or even a decorative candle or two. Your home is your sanctuary and it deserves to be treated as such. Create a clean atmosphere that you look forward to entering every day. Try a citrus-scented air freshener for a natural odor eliminator that smells delightful or experiment with seasonal scents you can’t get enough of.

10. Keep It Sustainable

If you decide on a super complicated organizational system for your fridge, how likely are you to stick with it? Be honest with yourself. The goal of spring cleaning is to set yourself up for success, but make sure your system is maintainable for you and your family. A realistic cleaning organizational system will keep your house in great shape and give you the opportunity to focus on other parts of life.

Let’s Get Cleaning

However you decide to start your spring cleaning process, be sure to plan ahead. Set intentions and goals, and try your best to see them through. Giving your home a well-deserved deep clean is an awesome way to enter springtime feeling like you’ve turned a new leaf.

Author Bio:

Carolyn Mitchell is a freelance writer and content strategist with a passion for home décor. She can often be found re-painting and updating the furnishings in her home, and she is also a dedicated cat mom to two adorable kitties.

Interior Design As A Form Of Expression

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Your home can be a reflection of your personality and who you are, even if you don’t put any thought into the interior design consciously. Some people like to take control of this creative pursuit to develop an even more cohesive narration of their self-expression. If you think that you’d like to take your interior design to the next level with a more personalized, thoughtful perspective, it might be time to consider how exactly your home decor choices can make a difference. Check out this exploration of interior design as a form of expression and integrate some of these ideas into your space.

Colors Can Change Your Mind

Many people already know that color can affect them on a psychological level. Businesses use this tactic all the time to entice people to utilize their services. Have you ever noticed that fast food places use yellow and red because it makes you hungry, security firms use blue to enhance their authority, and hospitals use green for its soothing aura? These are just some of the ways that colors change your mind.

Wondering what different colors mean to your brain? Here’s some basic color theory to get you started:

  • Red: Energy, Action, Excitement
  • Orange: Uplifting, Friendly, Fun
  • Yellow: Happiness, Confidence, Optimism
  • Green: Hope, Balance, Revitalization
  • Blue: Trust, Authority, Serenity, Intelligence
  • Purple: Creativity, Individuality, Spirituality

Incorporating color into your home can be subtle or showstopping. Use home decor accessories in the colors you love to accent your space and add life to your home. Looking for something bolder? Consider painting one of your walls in an accent color to change the whole feel of the space.

Display Your Hobbies

Changing the colors in your home is a big deal, but it can still feel a little impersonal. So what are the things that really express your personality? Hobbies and passions, of course! Do you love reading? A bookshelf display can showcase your passion, create a cozy reading nook, and ensure your books are accessible at all times. Love crochet? Use your own designs to decorate your space with sofa covers, doilies, and more. From gardening and painting to woodcraft and music, you can use tables, walls, and cabinets to decorate with meaningful accessories and collectibles.

Personalized Rooms

If you have multiple people living in your home, they probably each have their own room. When it comes to kids, especially, you want to help them express themselves within their space by putting up their artwork, asking for their input, and exploring a variety of options for everything from doorknobs and cabinet handles to curtains and bedsheets.

Furniture Made for You

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You might think that you should buy furniture based on fashion trends you find on Instagram or Pinterest, but that’s not the way to express who you truly are. Pick things that make sense in your space, make you happy, and work cohesively to create a stunning design that you can’t wait to use. Don’t forget that mounted light fixtures and chandeliers also have their part to play in your furniture design!

Showcasing Your Past

While you might have spent a lot of time organizing decor accents that show off your hobbies and passions, don’t forget to do the same for your favorite memories. If you have any blank spaces on your walls or empty surfaces on your tables, you can fill them in with framed photos of the most important people in your life. Whether it’s family photos on snaps from adventures with friends, complete your design with souvenirs of places you visited together!

Spotlight Your History

Everyone’s family is different, but if yours is one that passes down special objects through the generations, you might want to make them part of your home decor. Whether it’s a cookbook or a music box, these items deserve a unique display. You can even start your own collection of heirlooms to pass down to future descendants for them to restore or upcycle when the time comes.

Transforming Your Home

All of these home decor techniques are different ways you may choose to express yourself. Whether you do them all or just choose one or two that really speak to you, these changes aren’t made overnight. Take your time deciding which accents, colors, and focal points make sense to you, and consider how they relate and express your personality.

As you embrace every aspect of who you are, from the most quirky to the most mainstream, you’ll find that you feel much more comfortable in your space. When you use your home as your canvas, you’re acting as an artist with control over every element and decision. You might make a conscious effort to bare every part of who you are, or you may choose to limit your self-expression to one or two rooms. Just make sure that whatever direction you go takes into account your entire lifestyle, family, and everyday activities.