Renovations That Aren't Worth the Investment

Luxuries are nice, but unless you plan on remaining in your current residence for more than a few years, you should pick and choose upgrades wisely. Most Realtors and contractors know the best ways to spruce up before putting a home on the market, but what are the absolute worst renovation ideas if want to sell the place you dwell? These are the top renovations that are only nice to have if you don't expect to regain the cost.

Sunrooms or Solariums

These fall into the category of “nice if you already have one,” and potential buyers will ooh and ahh when viewing your home. However, they are cost-prohibitive as an investment. A good-quality custom sunroom can cost as much as $75,000, and you'll likely recover less than half that amount on resale. This is something that should only be added to your home if you're planning on enjoying it yourself.

Almost Interviewed for The TODAY Show, Bringing Confidence in my 40s, Quitting WW Because of Oprah? No Way!

So this happened today, and I'll share my Facebook post (you can find me on FB here!)  ...

ARGH! Had a chance to be interviewed on camera for TODAY show about my Weight Watchers annoyance (they found me through the blog!) ... but they asked last-minute and we were at the nature center and now on to religious ed. #allaboutthekids

while I was doing this ...

Ernie Miller Nature Center

and then I had to rush home to make some sort of thing that resembled dinner before rushing the three youngest kids to religious education class, where I volunteer as the English translator (learning so much more Spanish and loving it) so I can get it half price.

Was I freaked out about the prospect of being on television? Yep. It's not the first time I've had the chance to be on TV. I was actually interviewed in Downtown KC once when I was in my 20s about the decline of Downtown and did I remember how cool it used to be and all that? Yes, I do remember how cool it used to be and I miss the 1950s and 1960s and 1970s charm of it. I just looked at the reporter and spoke. No big.

But lately when I have been asked by ANYONE, including 18-year-old phenom Elijah Wright, I kind of freak out. I feel like my ADD brain is going to start stuttering and won't be able to focus on the question and will look like a full-on doofus.

TODAY was different, though. Get it? It happened today and also it was TODAY, a show I LOVE. Anyway, I'm 45 now and I have fewer craps to give. I'm caring more about what REALLY matters and that does not include me looking like a moron on television. If anything, I like to be the comic relief so why not give it a shot? I'm teaching my kids that the only failure is in not trying.

Also I am realizing that I am not horrible at winging it. Don't tell anyone, but I pretty much wing it every week at co-op so far this school year and it's always awesome! The kids have a great time and I just have a of pages of stuff and a lot of ideas and we just go with it. (doesn't hurt in PE that I have a helper who is actually knowledgeable about sports but surrounding yourself with awesome people never hurts in your journey)

Curious about what made me quit Weight Watchers? Read the post here. This post got a lot of attention, probably because of the inflammatory title. I don't mince words, usually. I used to LOVE them and now I won't go back. I got a FitBit One last week (free through Aron's work ... thank you, FMC!) and it replaces my ActiveLink quite nicely!

Anyway, when I thought maybe I could get away with doing an email interview (hahaha!), here is the response I gave the reporter:

Hi there! I apologize, but I am driving with the kids and won't be able to call anytime soon today. But I would love to weigh in on your piece. Oprah did not have anything to do with my decision. I grew up on Oprah starting in the 80s and always loved her so she didn't factor into my leaving decision at all. What I hated was that they kept changing the plan every single year to keep it fresh. I know a lot of people would like that but I don't understand why they couldn't still somehow offer the old options for older members from years back and then start new options to bring in new members. I think that someone could have figured out a better way to accommodate more people rather than alienating the longtime members. Around the same time their contract with Phillips ended so there went my active link, which is a clip onto your bra fit bit type thing. Please forgive me if any of this doesn't make sense like I said I'm driving.

Yes so basically I was left with no fitness monitor and a brand-new plan that was telling me that I was eating a six point yogurt instead of a three point yogurt and it was just frustrating. I have been off and on the plan since 2005 or 2006 so I feel like I know what I'm talking about as far as knowing the different changes.

I did go to an app called Lose It! but I find that I am not really tracking my food ever. And my phone does a crappy job of tracking my steps. Last week I got a fit bit one free through my husband's work, and I am loving that it is counting my actual steps and even keeps track of sleep.

I don't really see myself going back to Weight Watchers ever because $50 a month is too high for us and I can track certain aspects of my diet in a free app that works just fine. 

Please feel free to write me back for any clarification. If you really need to do some sort of interview over the phone I am happy to do that and we can figure out some sort of time for that! I hope this helped and I'm looking forward to your piece.

Sometimes I am professional and sometimes I dictate crazy emails to reporters like an insane person. Whatever. As long as the point gets across it's all good.

Please consider signing up for an email subscription when the dealy-jobber pops up. If you have signed up before using Feedburner, I already have your info and you'll be added to my MailChimp newsletter when I get that thing going weekly :-) Thanks for reading!

Cleaning a Little Deeper Every Once in a While

Cleaning. We've all got to do it, but very few of us like it. Of course, we like the results of not doing it even less. So on a daily basis, we exchange a little of our precious time in exchange for feeling comfortable and proud of our homes.

The daily maintenance of keeping a house can mean we often let the little things slip. We're so busy washing dishes, wiping down sticky surfaces and going through our kids rooms that everything else is forgotten. We clean on the surface, glance around, decide it's good enough and go on with our lives.

Then the occasion hits. Let's dip into fantasy and look at the kind of scenario that brings about The Horror. You've got a new TV. You're excited; the kids are already arguing about what to watch; your husband is talking longingly of sport. You free the new product from its box, remove the old one, and pull out the TV cabinet to get everything set up.

Image from Wikipedia

You're greeted by a cable monster. Accompanying the mass of cables is enough dust and lint to viably consider an entire Hallowe'en costume made of the stuff. While from a distance the TV and its stand looked fine, behind is another story.

Show Your Bathroom Some Love: Flirtatious Ideas To Wow Your Guests

For most of us, the bathroom is a room distinctly lacking in passion. The walls are generic. The tub is unloved. And it can feel claustrophobic. But fear not. Your bathroom needn’t be inhibited. Follow these design tips to make your bathroom flirtatious, and wow your guests with style.

Use Wood Illusions

Getting wood into the bathroom can be difficult. Wood doesn’t tend to stand up very well to the humid environment. And most people who try it usually end up with problems. But now retailers, such as Made Blinds have faux wood designs in their portfolio. These are an excellent way to get wood effect into your bathroom without any of the hassles. And they help give the room a more natural, earthy feel.

Commons.wikimedia.org

Maximise Storage Areas

Nothing is more impressive than great bathroom storage. It’s a way of making the bathroom more practical, as well as including attractive furniture. Don’t just go for a generic, white mirrored cupboard. Choose something that really stands out and is unusual. Remember, the bathroom is still a room you live in, so there’s no reason why you can’t do a little experimentation.

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The best examples of this are long, low dressers that follow one of the walls. Dressers create a big impact in the bathroom, precisely because they are so unexpected.

Make Minor Upgrades

You don’t have to spend thousands renovating your bathroom to improve it significantly. Instead, you can create the illusion of a revamp just by getting smart with minor upgrades. According to the experts, repainting the walls and replacing leaking old taps offer the best bang for the buck. But there’s nothing to stop you from upcycling old bathroom furniture. If you’ve got an old chair in your bathroom that’s looking a little worse for wear, think about ways you could improve it. Remember, you don’t have to stick with the original design. You could transform a dull, old piece of furniture into something that’s bright and looks new.

Other minor modifications also make a big difference. Swapping out old and unattractive towel bars always makes a vast improvement to bathroom aesthetics. So too does changing light fittings to something a little more contemporary.

Beautify With Accessories.

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Having a bathroom that’s clean and bright is good. But if you want to take your bathroom to the next level, you have to invest in accessories. Accessories are what truly make or break the appeal of the room, and can create a spa-like experience. There are many ways that you can accessorize, depending on the theme of your room. If you’re going for an elegant or luxurious look, you could include bottles of bath oils and natural loofahs. If you’re going for something a little softer and more relaxing, how about adding candles and scented soaps?

Use Flowers

Flowers have always been a symbol of love. And there’s no better way to show your bathroom some love than by giving it flowers. Orchids always tend to pair well with bathrooms. For starters, they’re beautiful. But they’re also suitable as indoor plants, due to their low water requirements.

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Is Following In The Footsteps of Instagram Stars A Good Way To Get Fit?

The new Instagram logo

Facebook is the social network where we dodge game requests from our Aunt and communicate with the people we know. Twitter is more personal but allows you to indulge in debates and group experiences in real time with people across the globe. Snapchat is... actually, no one really knows what Snapchat is outside of the lucrative 18-24 market it dominates.

And then there is Instagram. Launched in 2010, over the course of six years, it has become the focal point for photo sharing online. Not only does it host a million and one cat pictures, but it's now also a ruthless revenue-generating machine.

Though of course, cat photos are still popular.

Businesses can advertise directly into your feed, or promote their products through one of the big names who use the service. With a clean, inspiring aesthetic, it's easy to be hooked in.

Instagram has become about much more than random photos spotted, snapped and shared. High-end users now analyze everything to do with the service, from their reach to the overall appearance of their grid. The end result is something that it's hard to overlook: beautiful pictures of beautiful people and stunning scenery. The clothes are crisp; the workouts are punishing yet effective; the light is always bright and studio-quality.

The Instagram stars who have made it big have also brought in big revenue for themselves and the brands they promote. It's only natural to look at these seemingly perfect lives and wish yours was something similar. Don't forget how easy it is to schedule Instagram stories; it's most likely what the stars of Instagram are doing to get the most out of the app.

Fitness Inspiration Profiles: #fitspo and #transformationtuesday

Very few people look in the mirror and are happy with what they see. Therefore, the market for weight loss and inspiration products is worth literally billions. It's a lucrative market for Instagram stars, who post photos of their workouts. And they do it all seemingly without a hair out of place, a light gleam of camera-friendly sweat on their brow.

With a significant following, product lines and sponsorships follow. Yet they are not all that they seem.

The Life of Instagram Stars Is Not All It Seems

Instagram stars paint their lives to be perfect. Always in frame; always in focus; their bodies shining with beauty, health, and vigor. Yet it didn't take long for the cracks to begin to show.

Essenna O'Neill was one of the first to break rank. She had over half a million followers and used the platform as her sole income. She posted shots of her slender, toned physique along with recommendations for food, exercise, and anything else.

Yet in 2015, she declared that social media was not real life. She edited all the captions of her photos, showing what went into the "effortless" look she had portrayed. She revealed the sadness behind the photos and announced she was leaving Instagram for something more real.

She is not the first, and it is unlikely she will be the last. Julia Stakhiva presented herself as the daughter of a Russian billionaire and even appeared on a TV show called Rich Kids of Instagram. However, it's been revealed she is nothing of the sort. Meanwhile, back in the fitness land, more than a few Kayla Itsines reviews have cast doubt on the products she now promotes.

So Is Instagram All Fake?

No. Those above are isolated examples; the platform would not be able to thrive if it was all false. However, it should have a significant impact on the way you interact with Instagram.

Star Does Not Mean Expert

If you are trying to lose weight, you'll want to take advice from someone you admire. A star of Instagram might be such a person, and it seems harmless to follow their tips and advice for fitness.

Juicing: good for you, no promises on the taste.

Yet it's vital that you remember they are a lay person. Sure, they look good, but you are only going on trust. They might claim their new juicing plan, or ab workout is responsible for their physique, but you don't know for sure. They might be engaging in all manner of unhealthy behaviors when the camera is not clicking. Or they may be completely legitimate - but being skeptical is always wise.

Use Common Sense

Everyone’s a sceptic - or they should be.

It's mainly understood nowadays that crash diets don't work; healthy food does. Exercise that only focus on one area of the body doesn't work; you have to vary. So if someone is promoting a regime that flies in the face of common fact, then you have legitimate reasons to doubt them.

This is not to say everyone on Instagram is selling false dreams. We are not a world of psychopaths; some people genuinely do find a system that works for them and want to share it. As a consumer, however, it's your role to be discerning. If they cite scientific evidence, go and find the study yourself and back it up. If they recommend something outside of the societal norm, then do your research and see what people think.

It's very easy when you want to lose weight and gain fitness to be duped. Society has taught you that fat is bad, and lack of fitness is lazy, so you'll do anything to fix it. It's this desperation that marketers rely on, and the less reliable of them can stoop to low depths to try and capture you. Just because someone looks beautiful on their grid doesn't mean that they are on the inside.

Use Instagram Stars As Inspiration - Not Gurus

Be inspired, but don’t be fooled.

At the end of the day, we all want to look at pretty pictures. We all need something to aspire to, a person who we see a little of ourselves in and thus want to emulate. No one is saying that Instagram fitness and health should be dismissed. If they're the kick that you need to get your motivation going, then take it. Motivation is tough to come by, so whatever works for you.

However, don't let the stunning photographs of lean bodies be all that guides you. Do your research beforehand and always question if you are getting value for money should you decide to invest. Don't fall for the hype and don't be a cynic; just learn to see past the filter.

On a final note, remember, this is something your kids should be aware of as well. Children are highly susceptible to influence, so teach them the importance of seeing fact from fiction.

Separate online life from reality - especially for kids.