Keys to a Healthy Home

By the start of the new year, you were probably tired of seeing articles about winterizing your home. Although preparing your home for winter is important, it’s not quite as exciting as the thought of Easter just around the corner. If you want to enjoy this spring to the fullest, there are a few things you should do around the house as winter winds down.

Check for Winter Damage

Start by inspecting your home for damage caused by snow, ice, and other winter hazards, then repair any you find. For instance, cracks in cement steps may have developed or widened as melted snow seeped through, froze, and expanded. You should also check your roof, gutters, trim, chimney, and hose faucets.

Protect Your Foundation

Between melting winter snow and fresh spring rains, your foundation can all too easily fall victim to water damage. To protect your foundation, clear any debris from your gutters and make sure they drain away from the house. Walk around the outside of your home and look for places where water might pool. Fill in lower areas and level out your yard as much as possible, and avoid planting anything too close to your foundation. Also make sure that any flower beds slope away from the house and do not cover the foundation.

Guard Against Pests

If there is one upside to the chill of winter, it’s that it usually means fewer problems with bugs and other pests. As spring approaches, you will need to take steps to ensure that new life doesn’t make its way into your home. For instance, you should move any firewood or junk off the ground and away from your house. As snow and ice melt, the damp wood will become the perfect breeding ground for insects. The same can be said of the aforementioned puddles that threaten your foundation.

Boost Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is one of the biggest keys to a healthy home — and one of the most neglected. Many symptoms of poor indoor air resemble those of a typical winter cold and can easily pass unnoticed. Getting an indoor air quality assessment can help you pinpoint problems before allergy season hits, allowing your family to breathe easier this spring.

Clean, Organize, and Decorate

Image via Flickr by A_Peach

During the transition from winter to spring, don’t forget to give the inside of your home some love. Incorporate any tasks you’ve been putting off, such as wiping down fan blades or washing your windows, into your spring cleaning. While you’re deep cleaning, declutter and reorganize any messy areas in your home. Top it all off with pops of spring color in the form of new linens, seasonal decoration, and fresh bouquets of flowers.

While you may have been ready for spring weeks ago, your home may need a little work to get it on the same page. Follow the guide above to shake off the last vestiges of winter and bring your home into the new season. Whether you decide to block off an entire weekend or tackle one task at a time, your home is sure to be spring-ready by Easter.

The Best Advice To Help You Pay Your Bills On Time, Every Time

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Everyone seems to worry about their bills nowadays. It feels like as the world gets older, we start getting more and more bills that need paying. The costs rack up, and it can become difficult for some to pay all their bills on time.

Well, I’ve got some words of wisdom that will help you pay your bills on time, every time. Check out what I have to say, down below:

4 Useful Financial Habits For The New Year

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If you are like most people, you often find that your finances are not quite in the great position you want them to be in. This can happen, unfortunately, all too easily. What’s more, it can often be much harder to get out of such a situation than it was to get into it. However, there is no such thing as a lost cause, and you can always do something to improve your situation. More often than not, improving your finances is a simple matter of developing some key financial habits which will last. What these are might again depend somewhat on your situation. But here are four which almost everyone could easily get behind.

Take Note Of Any Expenses

Budgeting sounds like a grand thing which is hard to keep up with. But if you instead just try to take note of anything that you spend, you might find it a lot easier to deal with. Most of us overspend without even noticing most of the time, and that is bad enough - but it is worse if you are not also aware of just how much it amounts to. The simple act of making a note of any purchases you make for a month will enlighten you as to where your money really goes. All of us spend money on unnecessary items, and this can be a surprisingly powerful method to snap you out of bad spending habits fast. More on this method can be found at http://www.developgoodhabits.com/good-financial-habits/.

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Invest Whatever You Can

Chances are, you know that investment is a good idea, but you are not convinced that you know how to go about it, or how much to actually put aside. If that sounds familiar, then don’t worry - you are not alone. However, you might find that you will find the whole process of investing significantly easier if you seek the advice of an investment counsel such as the one found at https://www.carnegieinvest.com/. With professional help on board, it really can make all the difference to your finances. Investing is a vital part of ensuring a strong financial future, so make sure that you get this right.

Reduce Impulse Buying

If you followed the first method, you would have no doubt found plenty of examples of when you bought something on a whim. Doing this occasionally is not necessarily going to be a problem, of course. But if you find you are impulse buying all the time, then you might want to minimise it a little. If you have trouble with this, try to find a way to remind yourself of the financial toll of buying things you don’t need. If you remind yourself constantly, you should soon find yourself being much less tempted to buy things of that nature. It might also help if you try to only pay using cash, rather than card. Card payments often make it feel as though you are not really spending any money. As a result, it becomes much easier to spend a great deal.

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Ins And Outs: Bed Picking, Positions And More

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Choosing A Bed (Frame)

Beds are some of the most important pieces of furniture in a house, because people spend a damn good percentage of their life sleeping, so you should pay close attention to all the factors when shopping for a new bed such as the material of the frame, size, and appearance. Learning about these things early on will make life a lot easier for you.

Type of Bed Frame

The main function of a bed frame is to provide support for the mattress and box spring. Not only that, a bed frame has a wonderful impact on the design of the room. Choosing a bed frame with an elaborate design or canopy is a good way to infuse life in a bedroom. Since bed frames vary significantly in style and design, it is essential to decide on the type of frame you are interested in before considering other aspects.

Four-Poster Bed Frame

This classic type of bed frame comes in a huge range of versions, in materials such as metal or wood. The frame has a post on each corner and is suitable for box springs. Four-poster bed frames come in all sizes, being suitable for almost any kind of bedroom.

Platform Bed Frame

A platform bed frame works well without a box spring because it sits low to the ground. Platform bed frames are ideal for bedrooms with contemporary looks and can be chosen them in wood or metal.

Sleigh Bed Frame

As the name states, a sleigh bed frame features outward curls at the footboard and headboard, resembling an old-fashioned sleigh. Mostly available in solid wood, these bed frames are elegant choices for traditional bedrooms.

Canopy Bed Frame

This bed frame type features tall bedposts with a top frame that allows users to attach drapes or curtains. Canopy bed frames are very decorative and work well in traditional bedrooms. This style will have you feeling regal in no time!

Correct Size

When choosing the size of your bed frame, buyers should take into account both the space they have available in their bedroom, as well as the size of the mattress. People who have a spacious bedroom may decide on a king-size bed, whereas those with a smaller bedroom would do better with a double bed instead.

Material Of The Bed Frame

Bed frames are available in a wide range of materials, with the most popular being wood, metal, and leather.

Wooden bed frames are very versatile, as they tend to work well in both traditional and contemporary environments. Some of the different types of wood used for bed frames include oak, mahogany, pine, walnut, maple, and more. Each of these types of wood comes with different textures and have multiple shades.

Metal bed frames add a touch of sophistication to bedrooms. These frames are solid and sturdy, and buyers often choose them when they want bed frames that last for the years to come. Metal bed frames are also available in a wide selection of finishes.

Leather bed frames are available in both genuine and faux leather. They are a good option for contemporary bedrooms and come in an extensive range of colors, with popular options including brown, beige, and black. But this all depends on your personal style.

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Choosing A Mattress

A great sleep starts with the best mattress out there! You cannot have an amazing sleep if you have a bad mattress. There are so many different styles out there, suited for all different people. Whether you suffer from back problems, or you just want something super comfortable, you have your choice of everything.

If the mattress is too firm, it will push on those main pressure points and take you out of alignment. If it's too soft, those pressure points won't be properly supported, so your whole body flops back. Both of these scenarios can lead to an achy body in the morning. So when choosing the right mattress - don't just look at it! Lie down, stretch out, roll around if you have to! Don't be scared to see how it feels underneath you. (And bring your own pillow!) You have to try and replicate exactly how you would sleep in it if it were in your bedroom.

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Now after you have decided on a bed, you get to sleep and have many lovely dreams. But how do you sleep? People sleep in all sorts of different ways, which can say a lot about what kind of person they are when they are awake. Studies show us that specific personality traits have been linked up to certain to sleep patterns. Which narrowed down means that the way you sleep is down to how you act. Pretty cool huh? If you would like to find out more, here are a few to get you started.

Fetal

The fetal position is probably one of the most popular among sleepers. This position is where someone sleeps on their side with their legs curled up. When said, it does seem like an uncomfortable position for people to do, but it happens to be a comfortable sleep style for the majority of people. You may not even know that you are sleeping like that, but our bodies seem to pull us back to this position, just like when we were tiny, little babies. Those who sleep this way are described as having a fairly tough exterior, but on the inside, they are very shy and sensitive.

Log

This is a pretty funny sounding position, (and looks funny too,) this sleeping style has people lying on their side, but they have their legs extended straight down and their arms by their sides. Log sleepers are apparently very sociable people who love to engage with all different kinds of individuals. They are said to be very trusting, which can sometimes leave them very gullible.

Yearner

This sleeping position is when a person is sleeping on their side with their arms stretched out in front of them. This is also a very common sleeping style for many. Studies reveal that people who choose this position are usually very open and inviting with people. Although, they can be a little suspicious of people sometimes and are may be very cynical at times. Yearners tend to be very slow at making a decision, but having said that once their mind it made up about something, they stick to it.

Starfish

The starfish isn't a very common sleep style, but it does exist. Sleepers in this style lie on their backs with their legs stretched out, and their arms stretch up by their head. People who prefer this position usually have an unconventional style are very loyal friends, and make their friends a huge priority in their lives. They love hearing the problems of others and go out their way to help then any way then can.

Soldier

This is a kind of military stance sleep style, which is characterized by a person who sleeps on their back with their arms straight down at their side. While this may not be the most popular of the sleeping styles, quite a few sleep patrons have said that this is a position they get the most sleep in. Soldier sleepers live up to their name; they are mostly people who tend to take themselves very seriously and are very structured. They most likely have high expectations for themselves and others around them.

Soldier-Starfish

Some sleepers resemble the Soldier or Starfish sleepers, since they sleep on their backs, but don't keep the rigidity of the Soldier or the sprawling of the Starfish. These hybrid sleepers are characterized by an attitude of flexibility and an easy go-with-the-flow nature. They tend to be easily persuaded by others.

Freefall

Freefall sleepers spend most of their time resting on their stomach, usually with their head turned to either side and hands near their pillow, as if the were freefalling from an aeroplane. As the name says, freefall sleepers have very free personality types. They can be very sociable people and can also be brash at times. Although they show such a free spirit, freefall sleepers are secretly nervous on the inside and maybe a little too over sensitive towards criticism.

Pillow Hugger

While not really a sleep position in itself, the sleeper can be in any sort of position, but hugging their pillow, this action does reveal the nature of the person. As you might expect, Pillow Huggers place high importance on the bonds in their lives, regarding family, friendships, and relationships. They can be real people-pleasers and may attempt to help others instead of themselves first.

Snorer

Again, this is not a sleep position, but whether you actually snore or not can reveal something about you. Researchers have found that people who snore are more likely to have extreme emotions, which manifest into hyperactivity, aggression, or depression. Snorers are known for their passion and their ability to live each moment to its fullest.

How Healthy Is The Air You Breathe?...

Most people today try their best to maintain their health by eating healthily and getting some exercise in here and there. We all know about the dangers of eating unhealthily and lazing around too much, but there are certain, more subtle dangers facing modern people, such as substances in the air we breathe! Here are some of the most toxic chemicals that you may be exposed to.

Tobacco Smoke

From Wikimedia

There’s no debate anymore: smoking is bad for your health. Tobacco consumption has been attributed to thousands of deaths over the years, and remains one of the leading causes of cancer, coronary heart disease, and a range of other terrible conditions. Even if you’ve quit, or never smoked in your life, you don’t need to put a cigarette in your mouth to be affected by the severe toxicity in tobacco smoke. Second-hand smoke is a very real problem, and one which countless non-smokers are being affected by every day. When you passively inhale smoke, the polyps of the lung become irritated and enlarged. The larger a person’s polyps, the greater the risk is of them metastasizing into cancer. Try to cut down your exposure to secondhand smoke by asking your partner or other family members to take it outside, standing up-wind from smokers, and avoiding bars that don’t have a smoking ban in place.

Exhaust Fumes

Exhaust fumes are another major health hazard which countless people breathe in every day, and to make matters worse it’s something that you can never really cut out altogether. There are a lot of dangerous chemicals found in car exhaust, but the main chemical is carbon monoxide, which is also among the cancer-causing ingredients in tobacco smoke. As if this wasn’t enough, exhaust fumes are also brimming with nitrogen oxide, benzene, sulfur dioxide, and a range of other chemicals. Each of these substances are pathogens, and have the potential for very severe health effects, both immediately after exposure and in the long term. Benzene exposure in particular has even given rise to a lot of niche legal firms, which specialize in benzene lawsuit resolution. Unless you want to live in the woods, you can’t avoid exhaust fumes entirely. However, you can make a point of avoiding enclosed spaces with running cars, or supporting the gradual shift towards hybrid and fully electric vehicles.

Paint Fumes

From Wikimedia

At one time, it was normal for paints to contain poisonous substances such as lead and mercury. The glaring health risks associated with this have been addressed, and these substances have been banned in most of the developed world. However, modern paint formulas still contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which are harmful when inhaled. Without the right protective equipment like respirators and face masks, people who work around paint for extended periods of time can experience a build-up of toxins, leading to liver damage and severe migraines. The best way to avoid exposure to these kinds of chemicals is to shop around whenever you’re buying paint, varnish, lacquer, or anything else that’s been known to contain VOCs, and find products with low or no concentrations.