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  • Tips for a Relaxing and Restful Environment At Home

    Tips for a Relaxing and Restful Environment At Home

    There are a number of things that can help us create a relaxing environment in our home. Here we break the daily stress, we rebuild the energy and we live the most beautiful moments of our lives, with family, friends and loved ones, and here we have to find the highest level of comfort daily.

    The need to create a warm and calm environment must become a priority. To stay healthy, a relaxing atmosphere in the house can help a lot.

    Small changes in the house can create a relaxing corner such as reordering the furniture, choosing the colors that soothe and relax, closing the unnecessary lights or put a vase with fresh and colorful flowers. The house must be clean, neat and provide a sense of well-being.

    One of the important aspects of our lives is the sleep hygiene and the sleep environment needs also attention from us.

    We sleep one-third of our lives and sleep is necessary just like food, air, and water.  If we have a good sleep we are cheerful, full of vitality, with a bright and relaxed face, a clear and creative mind.

    The sleep hygiene like keeping a bedtime routine, exercising regularly, relaxing before bedtime, eating sleep-friendly foods can positively impact our daily lives.

    Plants and flowers in the house

    Plants and fresh flowers in the room help us relax and breathe fresh air. When choosing plants and flowers, opt for those that have a pleasant smell and flood all the rooms. In addition, plants that attract toxins and negative energies in the house are recommended.

    Keep the House Clean and Cool

    Our environment must be clean and bedding should be changed regularly. Also, maintaining a moderate to cool temperature is important to a restful sleep. Keeping in the room a temperature between 60-67 degrees can increase the chances for a comfortably and soundly sleep.

    Make the Bed Comfortable

    A relaxed mind allows us to deal with the high volume of work every day. But to have a restful sleep, we need a Rest Right Mattress, soft pillows, and fine linens. Thus, we avoid waking up with sore throats , feeling stiff, numb, or tired.  As we may see, sleeping on a confortable bed is very important. Sleeping or just relaxing is required after a hard working day, the Leggett and Platt Prodigy 2.0 has the best solution for confort.

    Use Aromatherapy and Scented Candles

    What can be more enjoyable than entering a house surrounded by a relaxing fragrance that will make us forget about the accumulated stress of the day?

    Using Aromatherapy creates a relaxing and calming atmosphere, which can help wind down to sleep. Among the Using Aromatherapy creates a relaxing and calming atmosphere, which can help wind down to sleep. You can use scented candles for that ambient effect. But you can also get electric diffusers. They are widely available in online shops like Kumi. They have an available diffuser and essential oils set that you can quickly purchase online.

    Paint the Bedroom

    Experts in interior design and color psychology think that the chromatic shades in which we paint our house say something about our personality and influence us at the same time more than we think.

    There are also studies that show that the color of our bedroom can impact the amount of sleep we get. The colors blue, green and yellow are often associated with calmness and relaxation and can help put our mind at ease as we rest.

  • How to Maximize The Space of Your Small Bathroom

    How to Maximize The Space of Your Small Bathroom

    When building your own home, you get to have the luxury of deciding what size of bathroom you want, but if you’re buying, it’s a whole different story. While small bathrooms may be a deal-breaker for some, are you going to turn down every good quality home you find just because the bathroom is on the smaller side? Of course not! Instead, you can use this to negotiate a lower buying price then pour yourself into a remodel that will leave you with a functional yet luxurious bathroom space. Below are ideas on how to work with what you have to get what you want.

    1. Hung toilets with in-wall cisterns

    Instead of your traditional floor-standing toilet and cistern which takes a little more space, you can have a wall-hung loo with the cistern installed inside the wall. This is not only remarkably edgy; it frees valuable space in a small bathroom. You can also choose to have corner toilets within your bathroom that occupies small space.

    2. Bathtubs

    If you really want to have a bathtub in a small shower, shop around to find out what options there are apart from the standard five-foot tub length. You can order one to fit your own measurements, but remember that this will take more time so start searching early. A frameless glass panel can help to keep splashes away, and because it’s completely transparent, does so without taking valuable visual space.

    3. Mirrors

    The magic of mirrors in small spaces has been long known and applied to many rooms of the house. Consider installing medicine cabinets similar in length to your vanity/counter, with mirrors installed on all the doors. Having mirrors along that length can make the room seem larger, and help you deal with the feeling of cramped-ness in the space.

    If you don’t have cabinets, using mirrored walls will give the same effect, as well as enhance the charm of the space. Do not install mirrors too close to the shower area to avoid unsightly splashes – or the work that comes with removing them.

    4. Smaller showers

     

    Shower doors are a complete faux-pas if you have small bathrooms. Slightly bigger showers can still have the glass shower screen fitted with sliding doors that occupy less space. However, if you space if extra-small, do away with the screen completely in favour of a curtain rod and attractive shower curtain or a frameless glass panel. The effect is mostly visual: making a cordoned-off shower area disappear allows the eye to see the room as being much larger. The curtain/panel will still protect the area from shower splashes.

    5. In-wall storage

    If you have only enough room for a pedestal sink (no vanity), you have to get creative with storage. Consider getting in-wall shelves which are not only beautiful but can also provide the storage you need without eating into your bathroom space. These can be done in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on what you want. You can have sliding glass doors to protect whatever you store on the inside, if you want. Tile them to make them more attractive and easier to clean.

    Bathrooms are usually small rooms in most houses. Good thing about it is that it is mostly used by one person at a time and you can always maximize the space by proper arrangement. If the rest of the house is spacious enough, you can go for it and work on your bathroom.

  • Some Play to Make It Work: How Millennials Impact Office Design Today

    Some Play to Make It Work: How Millennials Impact Office Design Today

    Office designs are not only made to look good: they are influenced by the office culture a company wants to cultivate, the furniture, architecture and designs put forward; and the generation of workers that encompass the space. Millennials entering the workforce over the past decade means the way offices look and operate are a result of how Millennials made offices a place of their own.

    Image Source: https://www.globalfurnituregroup.com/us/insight/beanbags-in-the-office

    Despite what the rumors say about Millennials seeking whimsy, joy and play in their lives and work, the stats don’t lie. According to Millennial Branding report, 45% of millennials will choose workplace flexibility over pay, meaning a top salary can be trumped by the ability to get out, socialize—or even just get to an appointment when they need to go. This also means workspaces have adopted a more relaxed look and feel to retain Millennial talent, with the same report noting 71% of surveyed companies felt “increased workload and stress” when Millennial talent left.

    The Millennial Look

    Aesthetics heavily influence a Millennial’s impression of a company, with 76% of Millennials being influenced by office design. WeWork is an example of a leading co-working company and startup that has perfectly captured the Millennial id. Whether it’s Beijing, Brazil, Chile, Spain, WeWork’s open concept, common working areas for teamwork and collaboration, comfy couches, and coffee shop design themes seem to pull at the collective heartstring of a stereotypical urban Millennial.

    With places like WeWork, the Millennial office is no longer changing based on global location, but constant no matter your culture or geography. WeWork offices around the world—from Milan to Israel—don’t vary. This comes with Millennials, once known as the “young” generation, finding themselves in positions of clout, such as junior or senior management. Also, many Millennials have entered the world of architecture and design, fuelling the Millennial design theory even further.

    A WeWork office common area in Belo Horizonte, Brazil puts an emphasis on collaborative workspaces rather than individual offices. IMAGE Source: https://www.wework.com/buildings/eloy-gonzalo-27–madrid

    This design theory isn’t just for coworking spaces. Offices around the world are falling in line to Millennial design; adding couches, bean bag chairs or “rec rooms” that could look just as good in living rooms across the country. Workstations without walls or barriers, and barista bars that make getting an Americano between meetings très easy are also hallmarks of this design.

    In Fact, in LinkedIn’ San Francisco offices, all three of these characteristics meet into one office space. With a casual meeting room containing a turquoise couch and purple accents, an equipped kitchen area with a state-of-the-art espresso machine, and plenty of coworking spaces, LinkedIn’s offices take Millennial design theory to the far end of the spectrum.

    IMAGE Source: https://officesnapshots.com/2018/05/07/linkedin-offices-san-francisco/

    Mosaic, a fast-growing marketing agency in North America, is also an example that shows the same attributes, if not taking a more subdued approach in their Dallas, Texas location.

    With murals, graffiti art and a large neon sign that reads #DownForWhatever, this agency still keeps the color theme in blacks, woods and charcoal greys for a more sophisticated edge; with a common bar area to entertain clients, or an employee happy hour.

    IMAGE Source: https://www.globalfurnituregroup.com/us/workplace/resources/projects#project-100

    Keeping in mind the middle-ground of professional-meets-colorful, Bank of New York’s offices in Manchester, London does just that. While the coffee shop office—or coffice—isn’t mimicked exactly here, coworking space is aplenty. Plus, with an invigorating and perky color theory of blues, yellows and whites, the space is injected with vitality; even having many boardrooms meet as half living-room, half conference room.

    IMAGE Source: https://officesnapshots.com/2018/05/07/bank-of-new-york-mellon-offices-manchester/

    Workspaces of the Future

    While workspaces that put collaboration at the forefront appear as the hallmark of Millennials, this doesn’t mean we can expect all future offices to look, or stay this way. In fact, we can expect more companies to take a step back from typical trends and adopt workplace designs that are tailored to their corporate culture and values. Plus, as we expect Generation Z to enter the workforce—a generation that values independent work over coworking or spaces designed with collaboration in mind—a shift in design is only expected to happen again.

    To accomodate all generations and working styles, this might involve having different kinds of office furniture or a unique floor plan, depending on the organization’s needs. Workplace designs are not only made to look good, but serve a functional purpose. Whatever happens, we can only hope the hallmarks or amenities of barista bars and comfy couches stay a little longer. No matter how we work, or the generation we come from, we can all use a little coffee break.

  • Woodworking: 5 Tricky Hinges

    Woodworking: 5 Tricky Hinges

    A hinge is an essential part of almost every item of furniture. It is often underrated despite being a fundamental part. What you may be surprised about is the sheer number of hinges available on the market!

    This article takes a look at 5 of the more difficult hinges to install and how you can do it successfully. Of course it is advisable to have the right tools to hand before you start creating any item. Perhaps the most important tools are a good quality table saw, drill, chisels and screwdriver.

    If you haven’t already got a table saw take a look at these price comparison on table saws and select the right one for your needs.

    • 95° Stop Hinge

    As the name suggests this allows a lid or door to open 95° and no more, that’s enough for a chest to open and stay open without a stay.

    The best approach with a 95° hinge is to align the back of the chest with the lid.

    You’ll then need to mortise the lid and the chest to accommodate the hinge. Recessing the hinge like this will ensure that the lid fits snugly and is as strong as possible.

    • Barrel Hinge

    This hinge actually looks like a barrel and is very effective for gates, cupboard doors and anything which does not have a high load on it.

    You’ll need to drill a hole in the door and the mount. This hole must be the same diameter as the barrel hinge and same depth. You can then slot the hinge in and screw it into position.

    At the same time it is essential to keep the hinge close enough to the edge of your material to ensure it can reach the mount side and work correctly.

    This hinge is not that difficult to install; the trick is in getting the positioning right.

    • The Piano Hinge

    These are exceptionally long hinges names after the piano as they run along the whole length of the lid. This allows the lid to be opened and the keys exposed.

    It’s a great hinge to use when creating a toolbox, folding walls or doors and even for shower cubicles.

    However, when installing it is imperative that you get the hinge situated correctly before you start putting the screws in. The tiniest of errors at one end can result in a big gap at the other!

    • Butterfly Hinges

    These are generally used as a feature as they add a nice touch to any item. The hinge should still be functional though!

    It is possible to mortise these hinges but it is difficult and time consuming to remove just enough wood to allow the butterfly to fit. This is why most people simply add them to the outside of the item.

    However, taking your time to draw round the hinge and remove the necessary wood is worthwhile; the effect is much more dramatic.

    • Pivot Hinges

    You’ll need these if you want a door to open in both directions. They must be mounted on the bottom of the door and the top.

    It will need to be mortised into the door and into the wall; creating a concealed hinge and a door which opens in both directions.

    The most difficult part of this is getting the height right when positioning the hinges. Careful measurement is essential.

  • Garage Repairs and Home Improvements To Boost Resale Value of your Home

    Garage Repairs and Home Improvements To Boost Resale Value of your Home

    Do a clean-up in your yard

    You can always increase your home value by doing a clean-up in your yard. It doesn’t have to be done in one day; you can spend some hours in there weekly to get the work done. Many people choose to ignore this, but if your yard looks negligent, this could lead to a wrong first impression. If you’re doing some work and then be proud of your house, you will definitely increase the home value.

    So make some time to rake the leaves and to remove the clutter. Boats and old cars are no-go. Let’s not even start on trash or old building materials. Also, be careful at the dirt from the outdoor furniture. Maybe even add some new cushions. If your yard looks clean, you will increase the chances of potential buyers, too.

    Get a new garage door

    The garage door is probably the most crucial aspect of your house overall. It can give it a fresh look, so you might want to think about replacing your old garage door. Many people think of it as just a detail, but they’re wrong because it’s the first thing the people see when they look at your house – it occupies a big visual space. The general cost is under $1000, and it will definitely give your home a modern style. Before buying a new garage door, don’t forget to think about the factors, from which 2 of them are the aesthetic look and safety features. Whether you’re looking for a Professional Garage Door Repair in Alpharetta Ga or any other services, it’s important to think about safety.

    Maybe finding a garage door contractor is not such a bad idea – he will also help you in installing the garage door. Or maybe look for a garage door repair service and tune-ups. This way, you’ll increase your home value more than you expect.

    Given this, you’ll also have to think about how you organize the things in that garage. Think of it as a Garage Storage – everything should be in order.

    Make some roof improvements

    Everyone knows that the roof will increase (or decrease, worst case scenario) your home value. It all depends on the condition. You cannot expect to attract buyers if your roof is cracked or even missing. They are looking for a new home, not for a home to repair themselves. You can always find a professional roofer to take care of your roof. By replacing the shingles with new ones, you’ll give a new look to your house, and there are lots of styles to choose from. When thinking about the roof, you also have to think about safety, so try to make it the best, even if the costs are high. Either way, you can expect to recoup about 63% of the price if you decide to change it all.

    Build a wooden deck

    Your house must have style, and by choosing a wooden deck, you definitely choose style. It will also increase your home’s value. Many people like a wooden deck and home buyers are crazy about them nowadays. By having one, you’re distinguishing yourself from the competition. If you choose to add a deck, you can get up to 81% cost recoup.  

  • How a Smart Office Makes Work Easier

    How a Smart Office Makes Work Easier

    Beyond automated cleaning gadgets, futuristic sensors, and sleek screens, using smart technology is more than just a fashion statement or an attempt at looking modern and “in the know”. These are practical measures taken to make sure that workers are comfortable during work while helping them increase their efficiency and productivity.

    Looking at the way business is being done these days, collaboration has become pivotal to the success of a campaign or project. One misstep in communication may mean trouble for those barely managing their respective teams. So with the advent of smart technology, work life is greatly improved by the many ways it creates a connected experience in the office.

    Let’s explore the reasons smart technology can help make office life, and indeed the way we do work, easier.

    Smart software cuts unnecessary processing time

    Certain, manual processes take an awfully long time to finish. This eats up man hours that should have been spent finishing tasks. Spending way too much time keeping records and processing billing manually affects that speed with which we close a project. That is why we often find ourselves rushing to finish them near the deadline.

    With smart software like a cloud system or an automated office system that updates records in real-time, all of these unnecessary waste of work time is eliminated. Instead we only need to bother ourselves with feeding the system with pertinent information and then allow it to organise and process it.

    Additionally, these systems are most likely going to be more accurate now that the danger of human error has been eliminated. So you can be sure that your records and billings are immaculate.

    Real-time data helps companies predict complications

    Because a smart office system collects data in real-time, companies avoid being reactionary. Instead, they will be able to anticipate complications that their campaign might experience after executing a plan. These includes analytics for website visits, conversions, and indeed, even for calculating man hours.

    A company that has set up smart systems to capture Big Data, whether it’s profit earning (business conversion) or for managing office production, is a company that can make sound decisions.

    More opportunities for collaborative work wherever you are

    Interconnectedness is at the core of smart offices. The way work is evolving, most prefer doing business when they are face-to-face with clients. Which means there is a high possibility that a team member will not be present in meetings or important huddles.

    But because opportunities for growth have evolved as well, we cannot afford to miss any of these discussions. It seems that there is a need for each member of the company to be constantly connected, to be updated by everything that is happening in the team. This is where The Internet of Things (IoT) come in.

    Simply refers to connection of different devices to the Internet, whether these are your smartphones, laptops, even cars or various office appliances. When you cannot avoid but work remotely, the inter-networking provided by IoT will allow you to manage both your work and other members of the team.

    Technology that allows you to do all of these are already in the market

    If you are worried about installing different types of software to create a smart office, then you must take a look at Google Home.

    More than just a voice-activated digital assistant, Google Home can actually be used as a messaging center (queuing up calls and texts, or scan emails), edit documents (sync it to Gmail and edit documents via voice prompts), automate your whole office (control lighting, air conditioning, and so on), or use it to organise your office schedule.

    You can even create your own AI-powered skill to address a gap in productivity in our office. For instance, you can develop skill where Google Home’s Alexa can answer customer inquiry all on its own.

    You can check out Google Home deals from Harvey Norman, and expect to see significant changes in how you and your colleagues do work.

  • Five Thought-Changes To Keep Your Home Spring-Clean All Year Long

    Five Thought-Changes To Keep Your Home Spring-Clean All Year Long

    It’s time to change the way you think about cleaning. Yes, springtime is here and life is renewed; thoughts are bright and the weather is changing. But you don’t need to see the 1st robin to apply these next thought-changes to your life … and house … for the entire year! These five “Thought-Changes” will help you keep your home spring-clean all year round.

    The 1st Thought-Change: Don’t Delay

    It’s just a piece of cereal, right? It’s just one drop of oil or spaghetti sauce, no? The common thought is to “get to it later.” You’re busy cooking, feeding hungry kids and wondering how you’re ever going to get that work project turned in by the morning. But not taking the time now inevitably forces you to have to take more time later. It’s not like you’re going to take a huge, mental note to return to the spot of the spill. But sure enough you’ll be reminded of it when you suddenly have ants or other bugs crawling around your kitchen floor or counter. What could have been a few seconds of effort becomes a larger task that takes up more of your time – time you already didn’t have enough of. Change your thinking and clean up splashes and spills instantly. You can apply this new thinking to other rooms and areas of your home as well. Dirty clothing can go into the hamper as opposed to on the floor. Every time you brush your teeth you can wipe off the sink counter. The empty milk container on the counter can go instantly into the trash. Taking care of little things straight away can prevent them from becoming bigger, more time-consuming ones later. Change your thinking and make cleaning your home easier all year long, giving yourself more time to take a deep breath than you realized you could have.

    The 2nd Thought-Change: Hit The Spot

    Let’s face it: you have more things than you need lying around the house. When it’s time to clean, they’re not only dusty but they’re in the way or on top of other things you have to clean. De-clutter your home and spend less time cleaning by de-cluttering your mind and changing your thoughts-about-things. There’s no reason to clean around excess clutter. Remove items not being used in your rooms and store them appropriately or discard them. You can’t “hit the spot” until you can get to it, so removing excess items is a huge time-saver. Then, take a top-down approach to avoid backtracking over areas you thought you cleaned the 1st time. The floors are obvious sore-spots because they are more visible to us than the ceiling fan blades or the top corners of your walls. But if you start with the floor you’re just going to have to clean it again once you get to those higher places. Change your thoughts from the obvious to a top-down mentality. This applies to walls, doors, mirrors and windows as well. Go top-down with your sprays and wipe in an s-motion to avoid drips and streaks.

    The 3rd Thought-Change: The Right Tools for the Trade

    Who as time to read labels? You do, trust me. Just like the parade of ants marching into your home to lay claim to that unattended-to splash of spaghetti sauce, the wrong cleaning products can absorb more of your time than they do dirt. Change your thinking and make reading labels on your sprays, detergents and powders to make use they’re the right tools for the trade. If you’re already green-conscious you’ll want to make sure the ingredients you’re using to clean your home fit the mold of your lifestyle choice. Some laundry detergents simply don’t cut-the-mustard for heavy stains. And using something like Comet Powder might be great for your tub but can destroy your stone counters or cabinet doors. Read the labels. The time it takes to do so will save you both time and aggravation in the end.

    The 4th Thought-Change: Clean With Clean Cleaning-Products

    This thought-change might not be so crystal clear to many homeowners but it’s an important one. You have to clean your leaning products. Granted, this does not need to be a daily practice, but it still needs to be entered into your thoughts and actions as a semi-regular priority. Washing machines, vacuum cleaners, dish-rags and sponges, all accumulate filth and bacteria every time they’re used. It is strongly suggested you replace your cleaning items with each new task, and to clean out your washing machine and vacuum cleaners semi-regularly to avoid smelly clothing and puffs of dust and dirt wafting up into the air. Visit https://www.vacuumjudge.com/ to find out more about vacuum cleaners. If you’re not interested in using a new sponge or rag each time you do the dishes, you can also try thoroughly washing and rinsing them out and putting them into the microwave for a short amount of time. Oh yes…and clean out your microwave every week to avoid nasty food buildups!

    The 5th Thought-Change: Kids Are Cleaners Too!

    I’m sure you know how impressionable children can be. You do what you can to guard them from bad influences and guide them to being the best little people they can be. Well, you can positively affect your available time and their thinking by changing yours! Give them simple tasks that help you do the larger, more complicated ones. Teach them fold towels and take trash from their rooms each day instead of letting it pile up. You can give them non-toxic cleaners and let them help you with the lower areas in need of cleaning after you get done with the ceilings and walls, etc. By changing your thinking you can gradually get your children accustomed to the regularity of cleaning your home. Talk to them about positive energy and space, and how it makes life more fun. And if you keep a simple chore list visible with applicable rewards and the general approval of a job-well-done, any resistance to cleaning will quickly dissolve away and create more time for you in which to enjoy your clean home!

  • You Don’t Need The Biggest Closet In The World

    You Don’t Need The Biggest Closet In The World

    You don’t need the biggest closet in the world to find space for all of your clothes. Housing in North America is getting smaller, especially in cities where real estate values are so high that most young people can only ever hope to buy a condo. But even full-sized houses are smaller than they have been in the past, a trend that analysts believe will continue as lot sizes decrease and cities around the world rein in sprawl.

    Luxuries like spacious closets are some of the first things to go when space is at a premium. With fewer and fewer houses, condos, and apartments offering the kind of space you need for your clothes, it might be time to look into a wardrobe. They’re portable, flexible storage solutions made for clothes that you need to hang.

    Wardrobes can feel like a blast from the past for a lot of people, especially Millennials. In North America, their only exposure to a wardrobe may have been in their parents’ room or from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Many grew up with dressers but not a wardrobe or an armoire. What’s the difference between a wardrobe and a dresser?

    Your wardrobe probably isn’t going to turn into a door into Narnia, but it does give you way more closet space. The difference between a wardrobe and a dresser is vertical space. Most wardrobes will, like a dresser, have several drawers at the base where you can store socks, underwear, pants, T-shirts, or anything you can fold up. But a wardrobe has standing space where you can hang dresses, blazers, ties, dress shirts and pants, and anything else that needs to hang. That also means there’s room at the bottom for shoes.

    Plus, you can take it with you, which makes it perfect when you’re still moving from apartment to apartment, each with its own uniquely annoying closet. With rent going up in cities across the world, it’s tough to go apartment hunting.You can never be sure where you’re going to live next. Making compromises on features like closet space is inevitable.

    Wardrobes come in many different shapes and sizes that can fit your storage needs. Some wardrobes stand tall and thin without any shelves on the bottom. You can find others that have additional storage space on top, making it great for towels or linens. Most come with doors though you can also find open wardrobes. No matter how much space you have in your bedroom and whatever style the decoration, there’s a wardrobe that will fit.

    Living in smaller spaces is a new reality for anyone who lives in a metro area in North America. That doesn’t mean you need to become a minimalist just to keep living in the city. At least, not yet anyway. But it does mean you should open your mind up to alternative storage solutions like wardrobes. They can save your clothes from getting ruined in an over-stuffed closet.

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