The Dos And Don'ts Of Planning Child-Friendly City Breaks

When you think of city breaks, you may imagine trendy bars and restaurants and designer boutiques. But city breaks aren’t just for adults. This is a fantastic type of holiday for families. If you’re looking for a change from the usual sunshine break by the sea, why not start planning an urban escape? Here are some dos and don’ts to help you eliminate any stress and design a perfect itinerary.

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Do

Research where to go

It’s all well and good being spontaneous. But when it comes to traveling with kids, it’s often best to plan ahead. Don’t just book flights on a whim because you like the sound of an exotic city, or you’ve seen photos on Instagram. Look into possible locations for your vacation and do some homework. What is there to do? Is it an affordable option? Is there enough going on to keep the kids entertained?

Create an itinerary

You don’t have to plan a minute by minute timetable, but a rough itinerary will help to make sure you don’t miss anything. If you’re going to Rome or Paris, for example, there are so many things to see. If you’re wasting time wandering around, you may miss out on some of the main attractions. Once you’ve chosen your destination, read some guidebooks and blogs to help you decide what you want to do. It’s also worth getting a map out so that you can see where attractions are in relation to each other.

Find out the best ways to get around

There’s nothing worse than getting lost in an unfamiliar place. Before you go, make sure you know how to get from A to B. Use the Internet to research the metro or underground lines you need. Find out about local buses or trains. It’s also wise to look into potential savings you can make while you’re traveling. You could get an Oyster Card if you’re traveling in London, for example, or make use of discount codes like an Uber first ride offer.

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Don’ts

Stick to the tourist zones

Of course, you want to see the sights. But don’t spend all your time in the tourist zones. Try to avoid visiting bars and restaurants next to attractions as they tend to be very expensive. It’s also worthwhile living like a local. Your experience of a city is likely to be very different as a tourist, so take time to get off the beaten track. Ask friends to show you around, or look for recommendations online.

Assume that hotels are your only option

Your first thought when you’re looking for accommodation in a city may be a hotel, but don’t rule out other options. Hiring an apartment, for example, may be cheaper and more practical. You can come and go as you wish, and cook your own meals. Home swaps may also be an idea.

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If you’re interested in taking the kids on a city break, some people may think you’re mad. But visiting large cities offers an incredible experience for youngsters. There’s so much to see and do, and no risk of getting bored. Bear these tips in mind, and hopefully, you’ll have a wonderful time.

The Household Cleaning Items You Didn't Know You Needed

In years gone by, it was considered the role of the women to stay at home and clean. Obviously, times have changed drastically since then. Many women these days have high-powered, busy careers while also raising children and maintaining some kind of social life. Unfortunately, though, cleaning your home is something that still needs to be done. Finding the time to do a full house clean can be difficult, and doing the clean itself can be exhausting. After all, cleaning is hard manual labor! That's why new technology is being designed with the busy parent in mind, to help you keep your house spotless even when you can't remember what day it is. Here are some of the handy pieces of tech you may have never considered getting, but won't be able to do without.

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Floor mopping robot

You may have seen these handy little things in videos on social media - usually being ridden by a cat or another pet! In reality however, there is much more to these robots than simply being good entertainment/a car for your cat. Most are designed with a rough pad underneath which loosens dirt and grime. Then, the robot will deposit a stream of water as it starts to 'mop' the floor. Simply set it on a certain program, press start and your floor will be freshly mopped in minutes. There are varying robots for different room sizes and for different types of floor, so do some research before jumping in and buying one.

Pressure washer.

When you think of pressure washers, you may conjure up images of the neighborhood dads out pressure washing their driveways. But, there are actually multiple uses for a pressure washer - ones you might not even be aware of. Providing it is sturdy enough, try washing your fence with a pressure washer to remove any excess grime or the growth of things like moss. Pressure washers are also ideal for washing the sides of your home, garage doors and any outdoor furniture. It is also a great piece of equipment for dealing with pests, as you can use a pressure washer to knock down spider webs or wasp nests. Take a look at reviews like this Karcher K2 Home & Car Pressure Washer Review before buying so you know exactly what you are looking for.

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Self-cleaning litter tray

We are a nation that loves our pets. After dogs, cats are the most popular domestic animal in the world. But unfortunately, they do come at a cost. Cat litter trays smell, and your guests may notice the odor when they come to your home. Investing in a self-cleaning litter tray for your kitty can be the perfect solution for this. It uses motion sensors to know when you cat has entered the litter tray to use it, and to know when it leaves. Once your cat has left the tray, the advanced mechanism removes the waste and puts it into a sealed container. You will still need to empty this every few days, but it's better than your cat's mess being laid out for all the household to see.

Caring Is Sharing: Why A Care Home Job Could Be The Making Of You

Nurses are, by and large, the most wonderful people. They sacrifice and strive to make their patients feel more like themselves again. It could even be argued that, although it is the doctors who cure the patients, it is the nurses who make them better. And yet nurses are often neglected and forgotten about – which seems a crying shame.

Some nurses choose to leave the hospital environment and instead look for care home jobs. This choice surprises many people as it is often seen that the hospital is where nurses have the best chance of success. However, working a care home could be the most ideal job choice for many people – here are our reasons why.

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There Are Plenty Of Jobs

Within the care home sector there are always jobs. It is the ‘forgotten’ relative of the hospital, so when most nurses apply for hospital or clinic jobs, positions are care homes stay vacant. Therefore, if you think that a care home could be the making of you in your career, you should apply straight away. An interview could be yours before you know it. Add to this the fact that not as many nurses are qualifying today as in the past due to funding cuts, and you can – with the right qualifications – find employment quickly and relatively easily within the nursing home sector.

It’s Rewarding

Even the long-term ill will eventually leave a hospital, and it is unlikely that the nurses who cared for them will ever hear from them again. That’s not the case with care homes. The people who live in these homes are long-term residents who will stay in their home for many years. Nurses are therefore able to get to know their charges well. It makes going to work more enjoyable, and more rewarding. If you know you are truly helping someone get the most out of their life then it is all worth it.

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Think For Yourself

As a nurse in a care home, you will need additional skills to get through every day in a happy, healthy manner. One of those skills is the ability to use your own initiative. There may not be many people around to help you, and fast thinking could be the difference between life and death. This is why nursing in a care home can be so much more exhilarating than anyone might imagine. It is a lot of responsibility, but that’s surely one of the reasons for applying?

It’s Not Just Nursing

Nursing is a major component of the day to day activities within a care home, but it is different to the working ways of a hospital. In a hospital everyone is unwell and needs treating. In a care home the residents may be perfectly healthy, and it could be age rather than illness that affects their everyday lives. Nursing in this case can mean a number of different things from sitting and having a chat to helping your patients clean up their own rooms. No matter what, it should be about ensuring that their quality of life is enhanced.

Working in a care home can be the best decision you’ve ever made – and it could indeed be the making of you.

Simple Tips For A Super Clean Home

Maintaining a clean and tidy home doesn't just happen overnight. We tend to spend a good few hours a week cleaning our houses in order to keep them habitable and welcoming enough for guests. However, having a clean home can also be beneficial to your health, not just your aesthetics. There are, in fact, many places in your home that are harboring unseen dirt and grime that you could be missing.

The bathmat

Bath mats are a classic example of somewhere that can get extremely dirty, but we don't clean them enough. As they are located in the hottest and steamiest room in the house, they are in the perfect environment for bacteria to breed. You also have plenty of dirty feet, and even shoes, stepping on it day in day out. There are two ways you can tackle this problem. Either buy a number of bathmats which you can rotate easily - for example, one whilst another one is in use. Or, consider investing in a rubber bath mat, which you can easily clean with various products.

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The kitchen sink

We would never consider not disinfecting our toilet. But you may be surprised to learn that the average kitchen sink can contain even more bacteria than a family toilet. Food debris that is left in there can start to mold and dangerous bacterial viruses such as E.coli can arise as a result. Most of us just tend to wash our sink out with regular water a few times every week - but, it can actually be worth properly disinfecting your sink every so often too.

The air

This is one most people don't really think about that often. But, do you really know how clean the air is in your home? Many of us now live in large, industrialized cities, where the air quality is lower. If this sounds like you, it can be worth buying something to fight the smog as inevitably, it will get into your home. Be careful about what you leave around the home too, as certain products can give off dangerous fumes. Paint and solvents are a classic example of this, so make sure you keep any products like this in your garage.

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Your keyboard

Your computer keyboard may be your own, or it may be a family computer. Either way, it may be harboring germs and diseases that you had no idea about. In fact, a study from the University of Arizona found that some keyboards actually had more bacteria on them than a toilet seat. A separate study also found that MRSA is able to live and thrive on keyboards. Therefore, it is imperative to your and your family's health to keep your keyboards sanitized. Shaking them upside down over a bin once a week can help remove any dust and dirt debris that could have gotten between the keys. Wipe with an antibacterial cloth every week too to help kill any bacteria that could be lurking on there. Or, if you want to be able to clean your keyboard more thoroughly, consider buying a sealed keyboard, as they are much easier to clean.

Looking After Children Doesn't Have To Cost A Fortune With These Top Tips

We all know that starting a family is expensive. Children need a fair bit. Somewhere to sleep, something to wear. It starts when they are born and carries right through to adulthood. But raising a family doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are some simple things you can do to keep those inevitable costs down. I thought I would share with you some of the top tips to consider. Whether you are just starting out or in the full throws of parenthood, I’m sure some of these will help.

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Circulate their toys

From birth through to starting out the teen years you accumulate a lot of toys. Be that gifts throughout the year, toys from meals out or just general stuff. It piles up, and you find that you have boxes of toys, and no one seems to be playing with them. So instead of investing in new toys you should circulate your existing ones. It require a lot of time and effort but once you have organized everything it makes a huge difference. Keep some toys around and put others away. When your children are getting a little bored, then switch them around. Keep on with this cycle and you will find yourself spending a lot less throughout the year. It also enables your children to use their imagination more.

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Be savvy when clothes shopping

Children grow at an alarming rate, so it’s inevitable that there is a cost to keeping them in clothes that fit. However, changing your shopping habits could help keep the cost down. A great tip is to utilize shopping codes and coupon. Things like Amazon coupons and reductions can help. A versatile site like that could allow you to stock up on a lot of essentials without it costing nearly as much. Another crucial tip is to utilize store sales. You can stock up on the next size ahead for up and coming seasons. Making sure you always have a stockpile of clothing that will fit in the next age category.

Utilize birthdays and Christmas

Christmas and birthdays are a great time for you to refresh your children's toys or get them things they want and need. A lot of family and friends will ask you what they should gift your children. So make sure, if you, of course, want them to buy a gift, that you let them know something they want or need. This helps keep the costs down. While it’s not all about gifts, it’s important to make sure your children are aware that these occasions are special. Gifts are not something that they should expect throughout the year.

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Eat as a family

Food bills are one of the biggest outgoings a family can have, especially if you find yourself cooking different meals. Or even buying different food items for each member of the household. Children specifically can develop bad eating habits and fussiness in their early years. An excellent way to combat those spiralling food costs is to eat the same thing as a family. Cooking one meal to feed everyone instead of several can save you quite a lot on your food shopping bill.

I hope this helps you bring those costs down.