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Let’s face it. The state of our home is directly linked to our happiness. That is why so many people try to improve theirs. They think if they can fix their home their mind will be sorted too. This is not always the case. But we can run with that idea for the moment. Your home may need some improvement. Nothing big. Just small things that can make a huge difference. For instance, before you start reading this article look around. Is your house even tidy? A tidy house means a tidy mind, so they say. We suggest this as your starting point and then have a look at the improvements below.

New Water Storage System

There are a number of reasons you should consider this. One, the population is growing, and a water storage system will be something everyone needs in the future. It may sound crazy but what you hear is true. In the not too distant future water will be as rare and expensive as oil. Two, clean water is the best kind for you and your family. Water that has chemicals added to it has been linked to everything from bad skin to low IQ. Three, having a separate water source will reduce your bills. You can find fantastic systems from businesses such as The Tank Factory. If you live in a rural area with a hot climate, you may want to consider buying a rainwater tank.

Better Insulation

Another energy saver this one. If you have poor insulation your house will be colder and the heat already inside will escape. You can look into getting windows with extra glazing or improving your walls. Windows are easier and cheaper to replace than fixing your house’s entire insulation. But there are simpler things you can do. Keep doors shut to keep the heat in.

Home Farming

Try the simple life by using your backyard as a place to grow some vegetables. Growing your food is a great hobby or pastime. But there is another advantage. You will know exactly what you and your family are eating. Remember, farmers regularly use chemicals on the crops you buy. Scientists are still researching whether these are harmful to our health.

Renovation

The classic option. This will not make your family healthier, but it will make your home beautiful. Renovating a room usually costs around five thousand. But it does depend on how intensive the renovation is. If you are just buying new tech, it will be far more affordable. But if you are redoing the floors and furniture, expect a substantial bill.

Solar Power

Finally, what would this list be without a way to go greener? The world is changing faster than you can imagine. You need to be prepared with a resource of keeping your house in power. But please note, solar power is not strong enough to run everything in your house. Even on a sunny day you will be reliant on other sources of energy. But it will certainly put a dent in that large bill you receive.

A well organized closet is the key to an organized mind – for some, anyway! When the contents of your closet is all in order, you will feel so much better about it. It takes such a weight off the shoulders! Use these top tips to help you get yours in check:

1. Get Rid of Items You Don’t Wear

Be vigilant and get rid of the items you don’t wear. This will make organizing your closet so much easier. If you haven’t used or worn something in a while, then sell it or give it to charity. You’ll either be doing a good deed or making a little extra cash for yourself. As a general rule, if you haven’t worn it in 6 months, you should get rid of it. Having a capsule wardrobe helps keep things compact!

2. Make it Practical

Make sure your closet is as practical as possible. You want to make it easy to access your clothes. I like putting things I use the most at eye level, and things I use the least higher up. Other things can go on a lower level. If there’s room, consider installing somewhere to hang all of your jewellery so you can see everything you have and accessorize easily.

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3. Co-ordinate Your Clothes Hangers

It’s a really simple thing to do, but it makes a world of difference. Co-ordinate your clothes hangers so everything looks more uniformed in your wardrobe. Having mixed hangers just doesn’t look great, so invest in some sturdy matching hangers to make everything look perfect.

4. Install Lights

You want to be able to see in your closet properly, so install some lights. You’ll be able to see everything clearer, and you can even get changed in there if there’s room – you’ll need a mirror too, of course.

5. Decorate it

Why not treat your closet like a small room? Decorate it and it’ll look so much more chic. Consider painting it a nice color or using wallpaper to decorate it a little. You might not need to decorate it if you invest in one of the popular custom closets you see these days. A custom closet will make it so easy to organize your stuff as it’s tailored specifically to you. It all depends on your budget.

6. Stack Your Shoes

If you have a lot of shoes, they can quickly get in the way. Stack them up by buying some square boxes and you’ll make the most of your vertical space rather than taking up too much floor space. You’ll be better prepared if you ever move home then, too!

Keep on top of the things in your closet and tidy things up as you go along. You’ll have a much better time in there, and you’ll find putting your outfits together a much nicer experience. If you have any tips on organizing your closet, feel free to leave a comment below with what’s worked for you. Thanks for reading and we’ll see you again soon!

Sometimes relocation is a fact of life. It doesn’t matter how much you love the country. Cities have too much draw and power to them to stay away forever. With work arrangements, you might need to be in a city more often than you’d like.

So how can you maintain your life in the country without sacrificing your job in the city?

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First of all, we’ve got commuting. For some people, this works out fine. There’s a great history of commuting to work. Years ago small towns and villages were set up in industrial centers. These were commuter towns. They had great public transport connections, and sometimes work buses to take employees to and from their job.

These days those towns aren’t quite as common. Development has spread out, and the connections haven’t changed to accommodate. So what can you do? Drive for one. If the city you’re heading to has a parking problem or you just want to be eco-friendly, driving might not be the best option.

If you’re fortunate to live near public transport links, by all means use them. If not, you may have just to swallow the bitter pill and take multiple methods of transport just to reach work.

If you’re working in a major city like New York, commuting in can be a real pain. The size of the city slows the commute to a crawl. All the stops can make getting from one side to the other a real ordeal. That’s when you have to think more long term.

If you have a job that pays expenses, you could ask to be put up in a hotel for your working week. Many people do this, but if you have a family at home, it can be quite tough to deal with. Likewise, a hotel can often not be the best solution if you are working long-term, especially not in an expensive city like New York.

An alternative for you and your employer would be corporate housing in New York instead. It’ll just be like renting an apartment. Overall it should work out cheaper than a hotel for five nights a week. It also means that your family has a place to come visit if they miss you while you’re working.

If none of these is working out, you have three more options. First, try working from home. Some employers will allow this. If you’re self-employed, it can be very easy to arrange. Though, occasional trips to the city for business meetings may be needed.

Second, change jobs to something more local. This can be a tough one. You may not be giving up your career, but it might send you a step back. Only do this if you’re sure you can’t do any more commuting.

Finally, the nuclear option. Move to the city. This is your absolute last case scenario. This is only if you have to make a decision between your life and your job, and the job wins out. Living in a city isn’t so bad, but it just isn’t country living.

When it comes to moving or relocating there’s always stress involved. But you need to come up with ways to make the process less intense. Of course, planning is the best way to help with this. You’ve got to think about what’s involved in a move, and what the most essential elements are. If you focus on these, everything else should fall into place. Here are some fantastic ideas that will help you negotiate the relocation process.

Set a Budget

The first thing you’re going to need to do is set yourself a budget. This is one of the most important steps in the process because everything else will be determined by it. So you’ve got to sit down and go through your finances. Then you need to draw up a prospective budget based on what you think you can afford. Now, you’ve got to be sensible about this. It’s no good trying to live beyond your means. The amount you budget for needs to be sustainable, and you need to be able to meet payments every month. You need to try to select something under budget.

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Choose Where to Move To

The next important consideration is going to be where to move to. Now, you’re probably a little sick of city life, and perhaps you see yourself as more of a country mouse. The quiet serenity of the countryside is very appealing. So, you need to start looking for places to move to in the country. You’ll need to have decided whether you’re going to buy or not. Though this involves a lot of upfront costs and is expensive. So renting might well be the best bet. You’ll want to have a look at the furnished apartment rentals that are available in the area you’re looking at. This provides you with somewhere nice to live and saves you having to worry about furnishing the place – which is an added expense.

Be Organised

It’s important that you try to stay as organised as you can throughout the moving process. The best way to avoid stress and mishaps is to be as organised as possible. This means you need to sort out the packing so that it runs smoothly. You’ve got to make sure you start with plenty of time to spare. Try to sort everything into relevant sections and group similar things together. Also, make sure that all of the documentation and paperwork for the move is kept together somewhere safe. You should maintain a checklist of everything you’ll need to do in the build up to the move so you can make sure you keep on top of it.

Moving can be a stressful experience, so you need to make it as stress-free as possible. The best way to do this is to make sure you prepare before doing anything. You need to try to be calm and collected. It will be easy for you to get stressed and agitated by the experience. But, if you use the ideas on this post you’ll find yourself in a much more advantageous position than you would be otherwise.

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In today’s world, a growing number of people desire a more eco-friendly home. As humans, we are aware of the damage being done to our planet and turning our property into an environmentally agreeable location ranks highly on many people’s list of priorities.

However, turning that dream into reality can be frustrating and expensive. Many of us simply don’t know where to start. Is the investment worthwhile or not? And is it going to break my bank balance?

Here are some great tips on making sound investments for your environment as well as yourself:

Make The Sun Work For You

The sun is fundamental to mother nature. If you want to make your home truly eco-friendly then utilising the sun’s energy to help power your property is definitely one of the best investments possible.

By converting the sun’s rays to electric energy, your property will help the environment while also knocking a healthy percentage off your annual electricity bills. Better still, you should also see a healthy boost to the value of your property.

As a one-off investment, solar panels aren’t overly expensive and the more DIY competent homeowner should be able to install them with relative ease, although those less capable might want to hire professional help. As a long-term gain, though, the benefits will be great for both you and the environment.

Small Changes Make A Telling Difference

Big gestures are all very well, but sometimes it’s the small alterations that bring the best results. By making a few changes to your daily habits, you can really start to notice a difference.

Making the home green is largely about cutting the damage you’re causing. Simple changes like switching to energy-saving light bulbs or using floor care that is eco friendly might appear to be minor steps but they can create a huge improvement.

Going green isn’t just about the occasional action, it’s about changing your everyday mindset. Improve your daily habits and the rest will soon follow.

Keep The Heat In

Staying warm is a basic human requirement. While we all need to turn the radiators on from time to time, it’s crazy to think just how many people waste money and energy needless through poor insulation.

Not letting heat escape will benefit your bank balance as much as the environment. Taking a short-term hit will save you bags of money in the long run. From a selfish point of view, this is the one eco-friendly advice that every homeowner should employ.

Loft insulation and double glazed windows are a must.

Furniture

A home is your castle and it should be comfortable. Interior design has a huge impact on that. However, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the best of both worlds by making it eco-friendly too.

Furniture is one of the main areas that can become green, especially when it comes to rooms like kitchen design. Make the most of natural resources to create a luxury vibe whilst additionally providing the satisfaction of being eco-friendly.

A healthy home is a happy home. Stylish eco-friendly furniture will make you happy too.