Guest Post - 5 Ways Your Home Can Affect Your Health

How does being home make you feel? Are you anxiously avoiding the dishes in the sink, or finding yourself staring at the dust on your shelves? Or do you feel relaxed, safe, and well? If the latter sounds more like a daydream than the reality of your living space, it may be time to make a few changes for the better of your health. Here are a few simple ways to spruce up your space.

Be Quiet

Let’s face it - in today’s world, we are constantly faced with stimulation. Cell phone notifications, TV commercials, and even our own loved ones can take us out of a state of mindfulness, whether we realize it or not. Make an honest effort to instill some quiet time into your home. On the psychological side of things, it can help you relax. Physically speaking, it can help keep your blood pressure and heart rate down. Either way, enjoying a little bit of quiet time now and then is a lesser-known way you can utilize to make your house a more relaxing space. 

Humidity

Many people think that you only need to worry about humidity levels in your home when you’re sick, but the truth is, having the proper humidity in your home can actually help your immune system fight off sicknesses before you even know they’re headed your way. A study conducted by a team with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health showed that flu viruses have a harder time infecting cells when faced with a higher percentage of humidity. Another great perk that comes with higher humidity is the improvement that you will notice in your skin and hair. The dampness in the air helps your skin both absorb and retain moisture. Not only will you be able to say goodbye to germs, but also to itchy, scaly skin.

Go Green

Adding a few plants to your home is a simple way to brighten the energy and improve the overall air quality of any room. We all know that plants are wonderful for oxygenating, but they can also rid the air of toxins and other indoor pollutants. Between the mood-lifting effects a plant can have on both your space and your own personal mindset, you can foster a sense of well-being and even provide enough of a boost in mental clarity to help you become more productive. 

Mess is Stress

Mess can really creep up on you. One day, you can’t seem to find your keys. The next day, you’re procrastinating that daunting pile of laundry (again). Before you know it, your should-be safe haven is now a source of your anxiety. A messy home can be stressful. On the other hand, it can also be dangerous. It’s one thing to fret over clutter, but toys strewn about and objects left in high-traffic areas can quickly turn into a fall or other safety hazard before you know it. 

Consider a Pro

If you find yourself in a position where the current state of things means you actually avoid cleaning up at all, it might be time to seek outside guidance. Where it’s allergy-triggering dust buildup, dirty dish overload, or even just an excess of “stuff” that just doesn’t seem to have a home of its own, seeking professional help could be a great way to push the reset button on your home. 

A clean, calm home environment is not only amazing for your physical health, but your mental well-being, too. Those components go hand in hand when it comes to living your best life. Let your home be a safe haven sanctuary - not the source of your stress. Whether you decide to make a few easy changes, like adding plants or a humidifier, or overhaul into a full lifestyle shift, remember that even small adjustments can make a big impact.

Author Bio: Morgen Henderson is a Freelance Writer who focuses on home-related topics.

Worry-Free Vacation: 7 Things to Do Before You Leave Your House for Vacation

We can’t blame ourselves for getting too excited to leave the house for a vacation, especially if we have waited for it for months, sometimes even years.

The only danger about this is that we tend to forget important things that involve our household. No matter how much we hate to admit it, there are things that we take for granted just because we’re looking forward to the days we can spend a relaxing time at the beach or at a foreign city.

Picking the best-checked luggage for this trip shouldn’t be our only priority.

Of course, coming back to your neglected home after a fun vacation time has never been a good feeling. After a long day of traveling, you just want to lie on your bed and get a good night’s sleep, but that’ not going to happen if you still have a dirty home waiting to be tidied up.

To avoid ruining a good trip, make sure you pay attention to the stuff that you are going to leave behind. Here are seven things that you should do before going on vacation:

1. Clean your home

This is practically the most important thing that you should never forget. To come home to a dirty house after a wonderful trip is tantamount to a lot of disappointments.

I mean, who wouldn’t be deflated to a scene such as that?

But after all, what would you expect? You left it brimming with dirt and dust so don’t expect it to magically clean itself while you’re away for vacation.

After you pack your stuff, the next thing that you should do is to start tidying up your place. I’m sure after you’ve picked out your outfits, you would need to do a lot of reorganizing. Don’t leave a sad pile of clothes lying on your bed.

2. Take out the trash

No one wants to come back to a bad-smelling home. The simple gesture of putting out your trash before you leave your house is one sign that you’re a responsible homeowner ‒ not that we’re judging those who forget to do it.

Besides, leaving your trash swarming with flies and other pests could be a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses — and that’s not what you would want to expect after a relaxing getaway.

Don’t expect someone else to do the job for you. Do it on your own, and you can enjoy the rest of your vacation without worrying about it.

3. Wash the dishes

Now, another thing that you should pay attention to before turning all the lights off inside your house is whether your sink is clean and empty.

Why? Because leaving dirty dishes on your sink for a couple of days is downright icky and a complete turnoff.

Would you really reuse a plate that’s been left out rotting with remains of the last meal you ate before you leave your house? Honestly, that’s not very hygienic.

Making an effort to schedule household chores like this can save you from the unwanted smell and annoyance that will welcome you right back when you come home.

4. Unplug your electronics

To unplug your electronics before stepping out of your house is not only an energy-efficient move, but it also saves you from the worry of burning your house down while you are miles away.

Spare yourself from the sinking feeling of worrying whether you’ve unplugged a certain appliance in your home or not.

5. Turn off the water supply

Aside from saving electricity and making sure that you don’t turn your house into ashes, you must also pay attention to your water supply.

If you’re going away for a week, turning your main water supply off is another way to conserve it.

There might be leaks within your home that you know nothing about, so as a safety measure, you must make sure that it is turned off.

6. Store valuables in a safe deposit

And since you can’t bring all your valuables during a vacation, keeping them safe while you’re away is a must-do.

If you have a bundle of cold cash sitting around your house, your pieces of jewelry, or anything of value, don’t just leave it as if someone is going to guard it.

Burglars will sweep your house clean with no mercy. This isn’t a Home Alone movie set where Kevin is witty enough to shoo the bad guys away.

A safe deposit will be your trusty friend that will watch over your belongings while you explore a new city in a faraway country.

7. Make sure doors are locked

Lastly, don’t give anyone free access inside your house by leaving it open. I’m pretty sure no one is on that level of absent-mindedness to leave their home wide open for strangers to come in.

Double-check, triple-check if you must, that all your doors and windows are locked, and your alarm system is up and going.

Conclusion

These are all just stern reminders on the things that you should do before jet setting across the globe. These tips are also a guarantee that you still have a house to go home to when you come back.

While most of them may sound obvious, you should never take them for granted. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself after you’ve accomplished all the items mentioned above.

Now, if you’ve got everything covered, you can finally wish yourself a good vacation ahead!

Author Bio:Kate Manning is passionate about home improvement and interior decoration. When not at work, you'll see her running around the neighborhood to prepare for any upcoming local marathon.    

Guest Post - 6 Simple Ways to Sell Items Before You Move Out

Before you move out one of the first things that you have to plan out is the items you plan on bringing with you to your new home. Moving to a new home always feels like a fresh start but if you bring your clutter with you to that new place then it can feel like just the opposite of a fresh start. Therefore, you might want to get rid of them. 

One of the best ways you can get rid of your old items to make way for new ones as you move out of your old home is by selling them. Selling your items before you move out will not only lessen the items you have to bring with you, but it also has the additional perk of getting money out of it.

On that note, here are several simple ways you can sell items before you move out. Try them out for yourself if you plan on selling your items.

1. Garage sale

The simplest way you can sell your items is by organizing a garage sale. It’s a tried and tested method of selling off any household items that you no longer find a use for. Of course, not every community might allow you to get a garage sale going so make sure that you check the rules from where you live to make sure you aren’t breaking any.

You can even sell some baked goods if you make some during the garage sale. Try and create an ad for your garage sale on the local newspaper so that people are notified and would be able to go to your garage sale. 

2. Car-boot sale

A car boot sale also known as a flea market is another place where you can set up shop and sell your goods. You can connect with a couple of other individuals who are interested in selling their own goods and then create a stall for yourself. Of course, your products should have a little more value to make your time there worthwhile.

Also, a key part of car-boot sales or garage sales is that you can haggle with the sellers so you should be open to that option as well. While you’re there, make sure you aren’t tempted yourself to snag some goodies while at the flea market. Otherwise, you might be losing some items but then adding some more with you.

3. Sell online

According to Moving Pros Sydney removalists, selling online is an excellent way of getting rid of some of your unwanted items. The great thing about selling online is that you can sell anything and everything. However, since you’re selling items that are second-hand goods, you should indicate that when you’re selling.

There are plenty of selling platforms available to you and they are quite simple to use for both buyers and sellers. Here are three of them that you can check out.

LetGo

LetGo is a mobile app that serves as classified ads for people who are looking to buy and sell any items in their local area. This app makes it a lot easier for people to post up items that they want to get rid of and it’s more convenient to talk to buyers through their app.

Gone

Gone is a platform that shows you what the best selling price is for your chosen item that you want to sell. Aside from that, they’ll handle your packing and shipping for you. Once everything is done, they’ll pay each sale through your PayPal, debit card, or Amazon gift card.

Facebook

Facebook is also a popular social media platform and one of their features is that they have a Facebook Marketplace where users can list some of their items for sale. It’s very useful and if you already have a Facebook account, quite convenient for you too.

4. Flea market

Flea markets are a popular place to find all sorts of goods for interested buyers so your unwanted household items should feel right at home. Of course, you will need a certain amount of time to be able to set up a stall and bring your items in but you’ll get more foot traffic for people to notice your products.

5. Consignment store

If you’re planning on letting go of old furniture that you have lying around, then you can go to a consignment store or a used furniture store and they can hook you up. The great thing about selling your used furniture to them is that you don’t have to worry about peddling your goods. The store will sell it instead.

Do note that for some places, instead of cash, they give you store credit depending on the furniture that you bring in. At the very least, you get to choose new furniture to put into your new home.

6. Reach out to friends

Some of your friends might want what you don’t want to keep, so first things first, try and reach out to family and friends. They might be able to buy some of the stuff you have on-hand. Of course, they will expect a lower price than if you would sell to strangers so don’t expect too much.

Before you move out, make sure that you get rid of any unwanted items by selling them. Although it will require much more time and it’s not something you can do the day before you move out, it will at least give you monetary compensation by the end of it.

Author Bio:
Kate Manning is passionate about home improvement and interior decoration. When not at work, you'll see her running around the neighborhood to prepare for any upcoming local marathon.    

Guest Post - What’s Your Money Love Language?

We all give and receive love differently. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s nice to revisit, or learn, how you and those close to you like to receive love, and even see what that may mean when spending money. 

The majority of people now know about the famous relationship guru, Gary Chapman, who discovered the five major love languages and how to navigate them. Oddly enough, these love languages have something to say about you and your loved ones relationship with money. 

The five categories in which the majority of people prefer to express and receive love are: 

1. Acts of Service: Any action carried out to help someone else. 

2. Quality Time: Setting aside time to spend together without any interruptions or distractions. 

3. Physical Touch: Being physically close to reinforce your connection to one another.

4. Words of Affirmation: Verbal or written statements that ensure your love and appreciation for one another.

5. Receiving Gifts: Tangible and thoughtful proof of your love and support. 

Whether you are spending Valentine’s Day with your closest friends, or your life partner in crime, I challenge you to discover your loved language (if you haven’t already). Follow Mint’s flowchart to see how love languages may be affecting your finances.