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How To Get Your Home Spring Ready

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Spring is often one of the most loved and longed-for seasons. It’s the season where the world begins to wake up from its hibernation, flowers, and plants burst back into color and everywhere nature is blooming. After a long, cold winter, almost everyone welcomes the warmer months, and we often find ourselves full of the joys of spring. Below are four ways to get your home ready for the new season.

Refresh Your Linens

In the depths of winter, it’s comforting for us to snuggle under thick duvets with plush, dark covers. However, now the days are becoming warmer, it’s time to retire the winter linens and the heavy duvet to the cabinet and welcome back a lighter comforter, adorned with bright colors. You should also switch your bed sheets to breathable cotton which will keep you cooler as the nights warm up.

Spring Clean

We are all familiar with the term ‘Spring Clean,’ and there’s no better time to prepare your house for a brand-new season than by having a thorough clean of all the rooms in your home. During the dark winter months, it may be difficult to motivate ourselves to tackle the tricky cleaning jobs, such as washing your windows and cleaning your kitchen cabinets. However, performing a thorough spring clean will leave you feeling energized and ready for the upcoming months. You could also clean your interior carpets and any wooden floors which may have seen extra wear during the wet, cold winter. Why not create a schedule for each deep cleaning job and tick them off day-by-day?

Not only does ‘spring clean’ refer to your home interiors, but you should also undertake any pressing maintenance jobs. It’s possible that during the winter months you didn’t use your air conditioning. Therefore, you should ensure you have checked the unit, ready for the new season. If you do find you need air conditioner repair, you can search online and find specialized companies which will often even visit your home on the same day.

Welcome Plants Inside

What better time to bring beautiful colorful flowers inside than spring? Adding flowers to your décor will not only bring some freshness into your home and a new burst of color, but they will also help purify the air. There are a variety of flowers which you can grow inside, including the beautiful Peace Lily which is easy to care for and grows white flowers. You could also choose to grow Jasmine inside, which will bloom pink and white flowers and fill your home with an inviting and soothing fragrance.

Rearrange Furniture

During winter, you may have rearranged your furniture to accommodate the Christmas tree or to move closer to the warmth of your heating system. Therefore, when spring comes around, it’s time to rearrange your furniture. It’s the perfect time to open up your windows to allow as much natural light to filter inside as you can. If you have previously had a chair or sofa in front of your windows, consider moving them to a different part of the room and keeping the curtains open. You could even opt for lighter, brighter curtains to really make use of the window area.

Feeling Like A Girl Boss

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If you’ve recently secured a new job, congratulations; you’ve achieved something to be really proud of, and the next few months will be an exciting whirlwind of learning and developing as an employee. However, it can sometimes be a little nerve-wracking when your the new girl at work and your confidence might need a little boost so that you feel like a girl boss. Feeling great on the outside will always filter through to your inner wellbeing, so investing some time to treat and pamper yourself before your first day in your new role, could be just what you need for a positive start. Therefore, it’s worth thinking about the things that you want to improve, update, or change regarding your appearance, daily routine, and style. It’s often the little things that can make all the difference to how you feel, so it’s worth making an effort to discover what and how you can make positive changes.

You don’t need to change who you are; you’ve already secured the job because you’ve impressed the right people and you’re a great fit for your new company. You should take that on board, and gain plenty of confidence when you strut into the office on Monday morning. However, there’s no harm in giving yourself another boost so that your first week feels supercharged, and you be ready to take on all the challenges ahead. Ensuring that you feel great on the outside will allow you to focus on what’s important, and you’ll be able to put extra thought and care to every assignment and task that’s thrown your way. A confident woman is a force to be reckoned with, so you should do all you can to impress on every level. The following are some ideas, inspiration, and advice for those about to start their new job, and who want to stand tall and walk proudly into their new environment for a successful career ahead.

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Hair And Makeup

The key to looking great in your work environment is to ensure that you can achieve a put-together and considered look every morning so that you don’t turn up looking disheveled. Therefore, you don’t want a radical new hairstyle or decide to follow a random makeup tutorial on the morning of your first day. Head to your salon and discuss getting something cut that will give you plenty of easy style options, or that’s easy to maintain within a busy schedule. Take some time looking into haircuts for women and discover where the trends are heading this year, and what is going to suit your face shape and lifestyle. You don’t want to look like a fashion victim; timeless style, and subtly are the perfect way to ooze confidence when you’re working. Perhaps you could spend some time on a weekend learning and practising different updos suitable for work. There will always be rushed mornings where you have even less time than usual, so it’s worth having a repertoire up your sleeve regarding an array of quick looks to make you look put-together and composed.

Much like your hair; your makeup routine needs to enhance your natural beauty, and the quicker it is to apply, the better. You don’t want to look like you’re off to a bar or club; workplace makeup should be subtle, but you can still have a little fun and add personality. The more you look and feel like yourself with your cosmetics on your face, the more confidence you’ll feel, and those first presentations and meetings will feel far less daunting. If you want to wear makeup, but feel like you don’t have the skills to make the most of it; head to a beauty counter, and ask for assistance. Makeup artists will be able to match your shades and products correctly, and they’ll also be able to teach you some quick techniques so that getting ready in the morning becomes a breeze. You can switch up colors and styles with lipstick and glosses, and keep everything else pretty simple and neutral so that you’re not risking any potential disasters. Practice over the weekend until you’re happy with what you can achieve in the time you have in the morning, pop your lip color in your handbag and apply it on your way to work or when you get there so that you arrive at your desk with a smile and looking fabulous.

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Your Wardrobe

Having a capsule work wardrobe, that’s separate from the rest of your casual and leisure clothes, is the best way to look sharp, professional, and stylish when you head into your new job. It’s unlikely that you’ll have the spare money to go out and purchase an entirely new wardrobe full of clothes, and don’t worry; that’s fine. You’ll need to invest in some key pieces, and work out what you already own that will become staple parts of your attire during the working week. Again, timeless style will never go out of fashion, so, whether you’re into pants, dresses, or skirts; don’t spend a fortune on crazy prints and silhouettes just because they’re fresh off the catwalk (unless your new job is at Vogue). It’s worth investing in pieces that can be matched with a variety of other garments; therefore, go with clean and simple silhouettes, and neutral or monochrome colors. These items will allow you to add on-trend patterns, colors, and prints to an outfit with ease, and you won’t look like you’re wearing a uniform each day.

Treat yourself to quality accessories; you’ll be using these far more than your casual and weekend items, so think about spending a little more on your new bag and shoes. You could get a great deal or two from online auction sites; as long as they’re great quality leather, in neutral colors; they’ll last you for the months, and even years ahead. Always lay out your outfit, and the cosmetics you’re going to use the night before so that getting ready is as straightforward and simple as possible. You’ll be walking into your new job like you’ve been there for years!

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The Netflix Vs Cable Debate: Why Netflix May Not Be The Clear Winner

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It’s a rainy Saturday afternoon and you need to entertain the kids. You want to relax and enjoy a little rare time to yourself. It’s been a long and demanding day and you want to immerse yourself in a fictional fantasy world. Your brain is exhausted from your studies and you need to switch your brain off for a while. Whatever your reason for switching on the TV, it’s safe to say that today’s TV enthusiasts face an embarrassment of riches when it comes to choice. Over the past 20 years cable TV has become more and more interactive and tailored to a unique user experience. With the advent of DVR, users are no longer beholden to the whims of the networks and can watch content at their convenience. On the other hand, the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime have allowed users to watch new and exclusive content streamed into their homes via the internet.

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This golden age of entertainment technology has led to furious debate over whether cable TV or streaming services offer a better experience. It would seem that streaming has won the battle as Netflix alone now has more subscribers than cable TV. However, the debate is far from over as there are some intrinsic disadvantages to the subscription service model that muddy the waters of debate a little further…

You can have too much choice

There’s nothing, absolutely nothing more frustrating than cycling through screen after screen after screen of cover art and blurbs, perusing ridiculously obscure categories (“SouthWest Indian Movies With Tragicomic Overtones Featuring A Strong Female Lead”) as you and your partner heatedly debate what to watch. Before you know it the browsing process has eaten into your sparse free time and eroded your relationship. Choice is a fine thing, but too much choice can be more hassle than it’s worth.

Netflix giveth, Netflix taketh away

There’s nothing more frustrating than when your favorite streaming service plays host to season after season of a show you love, only to inexplicably take that show off the menu when you’re half way through. Plot threads are left dangling, character arcs are left unresolved and you’re left angry and frustrated and wishing you’d never bothered in the first place. Cable providers like optimum.com offer a wealth of choice without taking away your content at a moment’s notice. Plus your DVRd content can be stored locally.  

Discovery can be easier with cable

It can be hard to discover a movie or TV show when all you have to go on is a small rectangle of cover art and a 2 or 3 sentence blurb. When watching cable and flicking through channels you can get a feel for a movie or TV show in progress and choose to either stick with it or not depending on how you feel about it. It’s not so easy on a streaming service.

The subscription bandwagon has not yet begun to roll

At the moment Netflix, Amazon and Hulu have a cosy triopoly but it seems like more providers will be getting on the subscription bandwagon over the next few years. As Disney, Warner Bros. and Paramount all launch their own streaming services with their own exclusive content you can expect them to hoover up the content currently exhibited by other providers. So, if you love the Daredevil series on Netflix your days of watching it may be numbered unless you subscribe to Disney’s app.

 

Tips For Planning A Baby Shower

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If you have the task (or perhaps the honor!) of planning a baby shower for a loved one, then you’ll probably go through a few different emotions. You’ll be ecstatic to start with; then you’ll be worried about getting it right. However, if you plan in advance, then you should be able to pull off a beautiful party and enjoy it at the same time.

Choose The Place

Picking the right location is the best thing to start with. Once you know where you are going to host your baby shower, you can arrange the date, the décor, and who to invite. So the location has to be at the top of the list. Places to consider include your home, or the home of the mom-to-be, a restaurant, a local hall, or even an outside venue such as a park. It will depend on the time of year, and how many people you’re hoping to invite, as well as the entertainment you’re planning.

Décor

If you buy your invitations and your decorations in bulk, you’ll save a lot of money, plus it means you’ll have more than enough to decorate the party venue. Look online for some great deals but remember to buy the items in plenty of time so that you aren’t worrying that nothing has arrived the closer you get to the date of the big day. You’ll need to allocate time on the morning of the baby shower to decorate, as well as to be ready for when guests arrive, so don’t leave yourself short.

Games

Party games are always a big hit at a baby shower, and if you prepare them in advance, you can fill in as much time as possible when people aren’t eating or enjoying the other entertainment that you have organized. It’s easiest to stick to games that only need you to hand out a pen and some paper; then you don’t have to add lots of equipment on top of all the other things you have to get ready. You could run a quiz (factsd.com has a lot of information on its site that is perfect for quiz questions), play Baby Bucket List (guests write down one thing that the new mother needs to do in the first year of her child’s life), and Name That Nursery Rhyme. There are many more.

Food And Drink

If you want to save money then making the food yourself is the best option. Buy in bulk again for the best bargains and see if you can enlist some help in the kitchen. Even if you’ve never cooked before you can still make sandwiches and put fruit, cheese, crackers, and other finger food onto a central table for everyone to pick on. Alternatives include ordering take out or hiring caterers. One thing that you really should include is a cake. This could even be a special baby reveal cake (the sponge inside is made either pink or blue, depending on the baby’s sex) if you have the parents’ permission to let everyone know.

Full Hearts Can’t Lose #Giveaway Hop{ends 2/28}

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Welcome To Our Full Hearts Giveaway Hop~

Hosted By Mama the Fox

Valentine’s Day has become one of my favorite Holidays. I love thinking of things to give to my family and friends.I have found that homemade items have gotten the greatest response but gift cards are also well received and that is why Tammie’s Reviews, Giveaway and More is excited to be offering a $25 Fandango gift card in this giveaway hop~

ONTO THE GIVEAWAY~

  • 1 READER WILL WIN $25 FANDANGO GC

  • THIS GIVEAWAY IS ONLY OPEN TO THE U.S ONLY

  • THIS GIVEAWAY IS LIVE AND WILL END ON 2/28 AT 11:59 P.M.

  • WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM, NOTIFIED WITHIN 48 HOURS AND HAVE 24 HOURS TO RESPOND TO THE EMAIL TO CLAIM THEIR PRIZE OR ANOTHER WILL BE CHOSEN

  • MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE TO ENTER

  • VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

ENTER BELOW AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU~

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN AND HOP TO ALL THE OTHER BLOGGERS WHO ARE OFFERING AMAZING PRIZES~

Disclosure- The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per IP address. All entries will be verified. Void where prohibited by law. Winner will be contacted by email; Please add pankuch1605@hotmail.com to your whitelist. This giveaway is in no way administered, sponsored, endorsed by, or associated with Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest, or any other social media platform. Please contact Tammie at info@tpankuch.com to see your product promoted here in a giveaway.