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Four points to consider when planning your 2020 festive party

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With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic still greatly affecting everyday life all around the world, it’s not surprising that most people will be glad to see the back of 2020. However, due to the pandemic, you might not be able to celebrate the end of the year with a huge party as you would other years. However, all is not lost as with some additional considerations, you can still host a party this festive season. Here are four points to consider when planning your 2020 festive party.

1. In-person or on Zoom

Many regions around the world have tightened restrictions in an effort to prevent a spike in infection rates over the winter period, and as a result you may not be able to host a huge number of guests at your house. Throwing your party over Zoom can be a great alternative once you get past the awkwardness of being on camera, and has the added benefit of being accessible to friends and loved ones who you wouldn’t normally be able to celebrate with due to distance. If you do decide to have your party in-person, limit the numbers to only your nearest and dearest, and ensure that there is plenty of hand sanitizer and hand washing facilities available.

 2. Food and drink

From pigs in blankets to mulled wine, most people can’t resist the smell of delicious Christmas food and drink. If you’d normally host your festive celebration at your favorite restaurant, that might not be an option for you this year. However, ongoing COVID-19 restrictions do not stop you from enjoying your favorite restaurant meals, with many establishments now offering delivery services, bringing their speciality dishes to your own front door. For instance, you could order a vegetarian meal box delivery for a delicious meat-free feast. If hosting your party online, make sure all guests are armed with their favorite tipple. You could even have some fun by trying to recreate an online cocktail recipe.

3. Decorations

Nothing says ‘Christmas’ like a Christmas tree and fairy lights, and while you no doubt take great pleasure in your annual home decoration ritual, there are additional decoration points to consider for Christmas 2020. If you are planning on hosting a lot of parties on Zoom, make sure that your recording space looks aesthetically festive. You could record next to a roaring fire, if you are lucky to have one, or with your Christmas tree in the background. Or, if your recording space also doubles as your work station, add some Christmas décor for your desk. A miniature Christmas tree will look cute and Christmassy during your Zoom calls.

4. Entertainment  

You might decide not to plan any specific entertainment for your party, instead using it as a chance for guests to chat and catch up with one another, accompanied by some festive tunes in the background. Or, you could plan to play a few rounds of classic board games, or make some festive crafts.

Updating Your Property’s Electrics: A Guide

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To maintain the safety of a property, it is necessary to carry out repair and renovation work throughout the year. The electrical installations play a unique role. Naturally, cables and switches are subject to normal wear and tear, but modern devices and other electrical consumption points place different requirements on the installations than in the past. In addition to replacing power guzzlers, renewing them can often save energy. The power grid for the household’s supply is mostly invisible. This makes a renovation all the more complex. Also, technology is becoming more and more complex. Anyone who is making changes must pay attention to many different aspects.

Refurbishing electrics: The basis for proper planning

If the electrical installations are to be renewed entirely, solid planning is essential. As a renewal involves so much effort, old cables or sockets are not replaced as they should be. What is the case for many older houses, is that the installations have not been changed since it was built and since them, circuits and electricity points could have changed. Often people are unaware that this is a significant risk, as brittle lines can lead to short circuits and cable fires.

On top of this, various new regulations have been issued today to increase security. To ensure adequate protection against overvoltage and to equip the complex system of cables and connections appropriately for today, certain principles should be observed.

Modern upgrades with the best quality products

The number of devices that we use daily has increased significantly in recent years. Private households today consume around ten times more electricity than they did 50 years ago. Especially at this point, the ancient existing pipeline system usually shows significant deficits. In addition, due to the lack of sockets in a house, using an electric lead to allow for multiple plugs to be used simulously can lead to potential danger. For example, if the maximum possible power is exceeded, a fire can occur. The quality of electrical supplies plays a vital role too. You should ensure you have thoroughly researched your supplier and make an educated decision. You can refer to powerpointelectrics.co.uk for more information.

Safety is paramount: Refurbish electrics and plan several circuits

Shorter lines and circuits are safer than continuous cables from the basement to the point where the source of consumption is located. That is why it makes sense to install a power box on the property. Here, too, there are various points to consider:

  • Plan separate circuits: You should provide separate circuits for the individual consumption points, such as lighting, sockets, or communication lines should each be laid separately.
  • Adapt the number of circuits to your needs: Depending on the size of the property and the number of necessary consumption points, a minimum number of separate circuits has become established today.

When it comes to electrics, you should endeavour to be safe and ask professionals to step in where you can’t make the changes yourself. Even as someone with experience, electricity is a powerful force. Make those practical and beneficial changes to your home in an educated and secure way.

3 Ways You Can Add Value to Your Home

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Are you looking to up sticks and move to a new location in the foreseeable future? If you want to ensure that your prospective relocation goes off without a hitch, you need to start putting plans into place regarding the move now. The earlier you start preparing for this massive milestone in your life, the easier you will find it to avoid any problems that come your way.

There are a number of tasks that you should be performing in your attempt to prepare yourself for your move, one of the most important being to add more value to your current property. You don’t want to leave this all-important task to the last minute, simply because it might disrupt your move and, in turn, give you something else to worry about as your relocation deadline draws closer.

If you want to enjoy a stress-free move and subsequent financial freedom, you need to add more value to your current abode today. To unearth the secrets of what you must do to perform this crucial task, be sure to read on.

Enhance your bathroom

Your bathroom will have no doubt been blighted by instances of wear and tear over the years. To ensure that this damage doesn’t impact the overall market price of your property, you simply must make an effort to enhance this room in your home.

Not got any prior experience when it comes to enhancing bathrooms? Don’t worry, there are plenty of external sources of help out there that are willing to provide you with some assistance in this instance, one of which being Beautiful Bathrooms. As stated at beautifulbathroom.net, this team of specialist designers have the experience and knowhow required to transform any old bathroom into a luxurious wet room. With them by your side, you will no doubt find it easier to turn your design dreams into a reality and, as an added bonus, you will also be provided with some much-needed support when it comes to sourcing cost-effective bathroom equipment.

Add more living space

If you want to appeal to potential buyers that have big families, you should make an effort to create more living space within your property. You can introduce this additional space to your home in a number of different ways, a few of which include:

  • Converting your loft
  • Transforming your garage
  • Changing the use of your cellar
  • Building a conservatory
  • Knocking down walls that separate small rooms

Split your house into flats

Splitting your house into flats is another route that you can take in your attempt add value to your property. There are a whole host of people out there that want to rent small, compact living spaces, and embarking down this renovation pathway is the perfect way to appeal to this niche audience.

Of course, if you take this route, you will automatically become a landlord. To find out what you must do to succeed in this money-making venture, be sure to check out this helpful article on the matter.

How to Revitalize Your Home

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Whether you want to update your living space for your benefit, or you’re trying to get the house into good shape before you put it onto the market, there are many things you can do to revitalize your home. Some projects will require more time and money than others, but they could be worth it if you want to transform your house into a new and improved home. Below are some suggestions on how you can refresh your living environment and increase your property’s value.

Check for Structural Repairs

A good place to start when trying to refresh your home is checking for any structural repairs. These are essential things to look out for when you’re a homeowner, and it’s important to keep up with this kind of maintenance to make sure you and the other people living in your home are safe. Furthermore, keeping on top of these repairs will help you add to your property’s value.

Tidy Your Garden

Garden’s do take a lot of work, and if you haven’t been paying attention to yours recently it’s time to give it some TLC. The appearance of your garden can affect your property a great deal, which is why keeping the weeds at bay and your plants in good health are important. To give your home a new look, think about hiring a landscape gardener to redesign your garden, or plant some new flowers to add some more color.

Add New Features

A great way to revitalize your home is by introducing some new features to it. For example, installing a fireplace in the living room would add a new and dramatic focal point. A lot of models are easy to install, and you can even purchase reproduced fireplaces like the ones at stonewoods.co.uk. If this doesn’t sound appealing to you, then consider other features like smart tech for your kitchen or bathroom, or perhaps convert your attic or basement into a bedroom or study.

New Décor

Even a new coat of paint can make a big difference, and this is the most common option for people who are looking to update their living space. If you have the budget and want a professional finish, think about hiring a decorator to do this for you. If you want to be even more glamorous, an interior designer could help you revitalize your entire house for a fee!

Declutter

For a simpler way to refresh your home, take on the task of decluttering. It’s easy to gather a lot of unwanted or useless items over the years, and eventually, they will start to take over and leave your home feeling messy all the time. You can sell your unwanted clutter online if you want to make some extra money or donate it to a local charity store. Once you get rid of your clutter, you will be surprised at how much space you have at home!

There are many things you can do to revitalize your home whether you have a big budget or not. If you think your house could do with a few changes, consider the points above for your next home improvement project.

Home Management: Efficient Ways of Keeping a House Squeaky Clean

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Not too many homeowners are enthusiastic about cleaning their homes, and for a good reason. When you consider cleaning your house in its entirety, it can feel somewhat overwhelming. It is typically the reason why some homeowners prefer to neglect household duties, especially if they happen to spend a lot of time working in an office.

That said, dealing with household cleaning does not have to be a miserable experience! With the right mindset and a bit of preparation, it is more than possible to deal with household cleaning without too much trouble. Here are a few efficient ways of keeping a house squeaky clean!

Start with cleaning supplies

When it comes to keeping a home clean, it is all about being well prepared. For example, even if you might be motivated to work toward cleaning your house, it can take far too much time to accomplish without the necessary supplies. It would be a good idea to stock up on everything you need to ensure that things go smoothly.

You do not have to worry about tackling everything at once. All you have to do is purchase the supplies you need, and you can start working out how you want to handle the task at hand.

Without a plan of attack, cleaning a home can be tedious

If you do not plan how you intend to clean your home, you will end up with a disorganized mess – and you will not know where to start. In such situations, planning out your attack by setting a schedule would be the best way to deal with your house. A particularly good tactic would be to start with where you keep your cleaning supplies. Typically, cleaning supplies are kept in bathrooms, which is an excellent place to get things started.

For those who happen to be too busy to spend a substantial amount of time cleaning, you can set aside some time before bed to deal with your home’s clutter. If you pace yourself, you will accomplish so much more than you think.

What about the junk around the yard?

While cleaning your home and keeping things squeaky clean is all well and good, the heavier junk around your house is a different story entirely. It would not be a good idea to try to remove it on your own, especially if they happen to be junk vehicles. Fortunately, you can call professionals to help get the job done for you. When it comes to getting rid of junk, a professional junk hauling service is often more than enough. If you need help cleaning the interior of your home as well, you can hire professionals to aid you as well.

There is no denying that cleaning your home can be a tedious endeavor, especially if you do not have a set schedule or plan. Even if it might not be particularly fun, the tips above will help you deal with household responsibilities without pulling your hair out!

Keeping Your Family Home in Tip-Top Condition

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Source: Unsplash | Paige Cody

Are you tired of your home being a madhouse? Wish you could find things the second you need them and not two days later? If so, then it sounds like you need to get your home in tip-top condition.

Read on to find out how you can run a tighter ship in your family home.

Draw up a weekly to-do list

You need to get on with various tasks throughout the duration of each week to ensure that your home remains in ship-shape condition. Life does tend to throw the odd curveball from time to time, though, and most of the time, these curveballs are distracting enough to make you forget all about your chores.

With a to-do list to fall back on and check regularly, you wouldn’t have to worry about forgetting about your important tasks and chores. This plan will act as a constant reminder of your responsibilities, and, even if your chores aren’t set in stone, it will be sure to keep you on the straight and narrow with regards to what needs to be done by Friday each week.

Your weekly to-do list can be used as a way of ensuring that everybody in your household is pulling their weight. Once everybody is aware of their responsibilities, they can set about completing their individual tasks.

Do a bit of de-cluttering

Your home cannot be in ship-shape condition if it looks like a hoarder’s paradise. Quite simply, especially if you haven’t done so for a while, you need to partake in a spot of de-cluttering!

To be quick and effective when it comes to de-cluttering your home, you should:

  • Devote a whole weekend to your de-cluttering operation
  • Visualize your desired result before you start
  • Designate a spot for both incoming and outgoing papers (if you’re not careful, paper will account for most of your clutter)
  • Teach your children about where things belong
  • Don’t be afraid to get rid of things you no longer have any use for

Fix problems as soon as they occur

The longer you leave problems to fester, the worse they get, and subsequently, the harder it gets for you to keep your home in ship-shape condition. You should seek to fix problems whenever they occur within your home, regardless of the effort, time, or cost it requires for you to do so.

The task of fixing every little problem that occurs in your home doesn’t necessarily have to be your responsibility. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be your partner’s responsibility, either. No matter where you live in the world, there will always be people out there who can keep your home in tip-top condition for you. When it comes to finding a trained professional, or any other trained tradesperson for that matter, be sure to use Porch — this extensive tradesperson database will allow you to find and hire a handyman quickly and easily.

Embrace KonMari when it comes to organizing

When you have kids, keeping your home organized is an all but impossible task. Toys, clothes, games; you name it, and your little ones have probably left it lying around on the floor in the last hour alone.

Fear not, however, as all hope is not lost just yet. There’s still one organization method that will be sure to help you keep your home in ship-shape condition, and that’s the KonMari method. This advocates a category approach to organizing rather than a room-by-room one. It entails cleaning up items based on their function, not based on where they belong. Should you embrace this method, you would be tasked with, say, cleaning up all the toys in your home, then all the clothes, and then all the games. It would see you clean the entirety of your home without losing the motivation to do so, rather than cleaning one room from top to bottom before realizing that you can’t be bothered to do any more.

If you really want to stay on top of your keeping your home organized, you should resolve to clean as you go. That way, there won’t ever be any mess for you to tidy up.

Once you put the above advice into practice and your home is finally in ship-shape condition, your standard of living will be sure to improve. Things won’t go missing half as much, everybody in your household will have started pulling their weight, and you will no longer find yourself stepping on pieces of Lego every five steps that you take!

Ultimate Eclectic Dining Room: Create a Modern, Organic, and Industrial Interior For All Tastes

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Eclecticism in interior means combining contrasting styles to create uniquely warm and versatile settings. If you’re furnishing your dining room, eclectic is the way to go; Here’s how to create a perfectly universal dining room with mid century modern furniture:

Le Corbusier Dining Table

This 1929 mid-century modern furniture example is a masterpiece that blends the mathematical structure of the aeronautical base with a simplistic, fresh appeal of the glass tabletop. Why you must have it? First of all, the Le Corbusier dining table will never go out of style, and its quality manufacturing will outlast all of its predecessors. In terms of design, the Le Corbusier dining table appeals to the eye thanks to both intricate and robust design. The artistic layout of the steel rods ensures it’ll easily conform with your overall interior, be it rustic, classic, or industrial. The endurant glass tabletop will handle all of your dining, spills, and daily stress gracefully, requiring nothing more than a daily wipe-down to restore its glaze.

Herman Miller’s 1950 DAW Chair

Herman Miller’s 1950 DAW Chair will perfectly complement your Le Corbusier dining table. With this design, Miller didn’t only create a rounded, comfortable chair made to make every meal feel like a royal dinner. He also created an eclectic blend of three contrasting designs to ensure ultimate versatility when combined with other furnishings. This chair features an organic-styled soft-contoured, rounded seat, rustic, wooden legs, and intersecting metal rods that add industrial charm to the design. The result is a soft, comfortable appeal of the chair with an upscale vibe of the polished metal elements. With three styles blended in a single design, rest assured that there’s no single furniture piece that won’t get along with the DAW chair.

Now, which upholstery style to choose? This mid-century modern furniture piece goes so well with the Le Corbusier dining table that virtually any color or upholstery choice creates a balanced look. If you want a more formal appearance, definitely go for a deep black. A choice of white color will introduce lightness and freshness into your ambiance if you’re going for a more relaxed, casual vibe.

The Eames Walnut stool

Versatile in shape or form, and sturdy in structure, the Eames Walnut stool is the perfect mid-century modern furniture piece to complete the design. It will balance out the prominent industrial vibe of the dining room set with a natural wooden shade, and it also coordinates with the rustic legs of the DAW chair. Furthermore, the Eames Walnut Stool has a rare amount of functionality, since you can use both as a stool and as a surrogate side-table. When you don’t need extra sitting, allocate your Eames Walnut Stools to corners of the dining room and underneath your windows. They’ll serve amazingly as side tables, allowing you to store anything from books and magazines to plants and decorations.

Prominent mid century modern furniture designs persist throughout the passing decades, and not without a good reason. Ingenius artists of the mid-20th century had a rare talent to create the most beautiful, comfortable, and functional designs that were highly adaptable to all interior styles. Their creations are now found in palaces, castles, and prominent hotel salons. Needless to say, your home deserves such a value.

Enhance Your Shower Experience with These Steam Shower Features

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Bathing has certainly evolved from regular showers to something more indulging like steam bathing. These days, you no longer have to go to a spa or sauna to experience this bathing pleasure. All you need is a steam shower room. It can be just a simple self-contained enclosure with devices that can create and trap steam. However, many people opt for more and since it is now technologically possible, many other advanced features are included in modern steam showers.

Digital control panel. Modern steam showers are now using digital control panels for ease of use. Some also have remote controls so that you can operate it before entering the cubicle. Electronic controls make it easier to adjust the temperature, time and other features.

Seat. Seating is essential, so you can relax inside your steam shower. Even if you have a small enclosure or a large shower room, there are different options that suit your needs. Comfort is a top priority, so the seat must be smooth and solid.

Mood lighting. Mood lighting is a new trend in bathing that features variation in light colours for the mood-altering effect of chromatherapy. This is a kind of light therapy that experts say is good for holistic wellness. Colour psychology says that exposure to certain combinations of colours promotes health and wellness such as improving focus and feeling more relaxed. Some steam showers feature mood lighting fixtures with miniature coloured lights for a new bathing experience. Red is said to boost energy and green for calmness.

Aromatherapy. Many homeowners now incorporate aromatherapy to elevate their steam shower experience. Since aromatherapy uses essential oils to improve well-being, it is incorporated into steam showers in different ways. Some use an aroma pump that directly feeds oils into the steam line. Others install a fixture where the oil is placed.

Fog-free mirror. Some people like to have a mirror inside the shower to make shaving possible. Fogging is a major inconvenience, but fog-free mirrors offer a solution. These are specially coated mirrors for protection against extreme humidity.

Fan. Ventilation fans offer better air circulation within the enclosure. Ventilation can also help regulate humidity in the room, though it is not necessary because steam condenses and runs down the drain after every steam bath.

Music. It is now possible to shower while listening to your music playlist through built-in audio input in a steam shower. This connects to music players, CD players, and other external devices. There are remote controlled systems with waterproof speakers and in-shower remotes. Advancement in technology has certainly made many things possible including vapour-proof speakers and a radio tuner in your steam shower.

Bathing has become more personalised to fit the needs of busy people. Take advantage of the benefits of steam showers and you can have the daily indulgence of a spa-like experience right in your own home. Check out the features available, and decide on the ones that you really need. Work with professionals who have in-depth knowledge about it for a worthy investment.

Get a Portrait Painting this Season

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It is that time of the year when everybody is rushing to put things in place. Suddenly ample of things come to the mind and many a times it results in a complete breakdown.

Now I may not be able to help you with all of the festive pressures but I can surely help you to choose a suitable and perfect gift this festive season.

A portrait painting is the epitome of what a personalized gift should be.

The perfect balance of artistic ability and creativity mixed with a bit of a personal touch to it.

Go down the memory lane and imagine some great times that you have had with some even greater people.

I’m sure that in this fast progressing world where capturing a moment has become as easy as child’s play, you may possess at least one if not many pictures of times spent well.

Turn photo to painting as the perfect memoir to gift in this festive season.

The ultimate purpose of every festival and religion in the end is to bring us closer as one big family and what better way to ignite your spiritual energy by bringing family and friends closer together.

Whatever it is you are celebrating, make it a joyous and happy occasion by getting a portrait painting done.

This festive season reminisce about the good times that have gone by and create a happy atmosphere in your immediate surrounding.

Let us learn to value our life not by the materialistic things that we accumulate but by the relationships and moments that we create over a given lifetime.

With a great many features and mediums such as charcoal portraits, oil portraits and more to choose from PortraitFlip is your go to site for all artistic needs and wants.

Painted portraits are a great way to light up any space no matter how dull or mundane they may appear to be at first.

That is the great ability of any art form. It not only appeals visually but also emotionally and sometimes even spiritually.

It has a kind of intrinsic beauty which goes beyond the eyes and strikes a chord with your heart.

PortraitFlip also offers you the option of getting a custom portrait done which can be of any size that you wish not withholding the normal restraints with regards to your small, medium and large size portraits.

A huge custom portrait is also a sleek way to create a really great ambiance in your home.

It is a great way to capture those eye balls and make a bold fashion statement in itself.

After all your home is also an important part of yourself as it has protected and nurtured you throughout the entire span of your life.

It has and will always be your most beloved fortress of sorts.

Get a portrait painting done and ignite a spark of creativity and some royal grandeur in your home.

You may trot and trot the world around but there is no place like your home sweet home.

Turn photo to oil painting and watch as those moments that are so very close to your heart take a life of its own.

The canvas can be the screen that you use to tell important and meaningful parts of your life story.

Painting has always been known as a means to portray emotions that may otherwise be hard to put into words.

Go through the albums and photo rolls, find those pictures containing moments that you wish would go on forever and ever and turn picture into paint.

A great way to immortalize some crazy days and awesome times that you have spent.

How To Get Rid Of Mice In Your Home

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Image by Alexas via Pixabay

Getting rid of mice begins with a simple choice: whether you want to do things easily or the long-winded way. If you are looking for ways to get rid of the rodents, check out our top tips below.

1. Get rid of entry points

Rodent-proofing your home is a good way to stop mice infestations from occurring or expanding. You can do this by eliminating entry points and easy access. Mice can squeeze through the smallest of openings, so it’s not an easy task. The rule of thumb is if you can fit a normal pencil into an opening or crack, a mouse can fit through, too.

Seal off openings in walls and cracks in the foundation and don’t forget spaces where vents and utility pipes are. Caulking and steel wool work well, but do stay away from wood, rubber or plastic that mice can gnaw through. You can also get weather stripping for window and door gaps and remember the sweep on the door should create an effective seal, too.

2. Use mouse traps

One of the best ways to get rid of an ongoing infestation is with the help of mouse traps. Classic wooden traps work well enough for moderate populations, but many people tend to underestimate these things. It’s not uncommon to lay a few traps for just one mouse, or what you think is a sole mouse. Use lots.

Also, make sure you choose the best bait for the traps. You can use whatever food the mice have been getting into in your home, or even mouse-approved favourites like oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate or dried fruit.

Alternatively, Pest Free USA has an electronic mouse repellent that emits electromagnetic pulses to keep them away. It is also a more humane way to get rid of mice.

3. Bait stations

Bait stations are sealed packets that contain pellets or meal. They usually come in cellophane, paper or plastic wrapping which means the mice can easily gnaw through it to get to the fresh bait. The mice feed on the bait and it kills them. While it does prove helpful in getting rid of the mice, these products are better handled by the pest management professionals to ensure your and your family and pet’s safety.

4. Keep it clean

Mice can survive on a mere 3 grams of food per day, so even a few crumbs here and there will keep them going. Make sure you vacuum your floors and wipe down counters to get rid of residue, crumbs and access to any food sources. Always store your food in airtight or glass containers and remember to secure your garbage.

5. Tackle both indoors and outdoors

Remove any debris from your home as it provides hiding places for mice. Keep your garden weeds to a bare minimum and destroy nesting areas when you find them. You could also line your foundation with a strip of heavy gravel to prevent burrowing and nesting. The less clutter and debris around the property, the easier it is to spot and stop rodent activity.