Mommy Blog

If you are about to embark on a spell of spring cleaning then you might be dreading the sheer amount of work it’s going to take. Instead of simply taking everything down to the junkyard though, take a moment to think about whether or not you might be able to get some cash for your trash.

Hold a yard sale

It’s a simple but effective idea that has worked for many people over of the years. You might find a lot of old toys, exercise equipment, artwork, or old records that you don’t want anymore when you’re clearing out your storage space. While these items might no longer mean anything to you, you’d be surprised at how many other people might be interested them. Holding a yard sale is a good way to try and make a bit of extra cash from your old belongings before throwing them out.

Identify antiques

Before you get rid of your belongings or put them up for sale, make sure that you haven’t stumbled across anything of value. There might be some hidden antiques in your attic that could make you some serious money. Antiques come in many forms, for example, a typewriter, a piece of furniture, even a rug could be worth a lot of money. Somewhere like the Orientalist Rug shop can provide cleaning and valuation services, and may even be a potential buyer of your unwanted rugs, and there are many other antique dealerships that can help you to find a good price for your other items.

Cash in on scrap metal

If you come across any pieces of metal that are otherwise useless to you, taking it to your local scrap yard could make you a few dollars. Different metals have different values. It also depends on the weight of your metal as to how much you get paid, so if you don’t have a lot it might not be worth it; but if you do, it could pay a nice sum.

Revamp it

If you’re a hands-on or skilled craftsperson, you might want to consider whether you can fix up that old item yourself and reuse it in the house. Can a broken chair leg be fixed so that the chair can be used again? Or could that dull table be sanded down and given a new coat of paint? If you’re no stranger to a sewing machine, are there any old drapes or clothing that could be fixed? It might be more of an effort to carry out these tasks, yet if you find the time and you have the skills, it could save you a lot of money rather than having to purchase new items for the house. Even if you don’t want to keeps these items for yourself, revamping them will mean you can make more money if you choose to sell them.

Take these points into consideration next time you have a big clean out of your home, you’d be surprised at what your old possessions are worth!

 

Christmas is one of the best times but it is also one of the most stressful. In order to survive the festive holiday period, be sure to take note of the top ten tips for surviving Christmas.

• Make A Budget

Everyone knows that Christmas can be an expensive time of year; the best thing you can do to keep the costs low is to be organized by creating a budget. Write down a list of the people you need to buy for and write how much you plan to spend on them next to their names. Refer back to your list when looking for presents to make sure you’re staying on budget.

• Keep It Simple

You don’t need to spend a fortune to make Christmas special. It can be easy to get caught up in what you should be buying in terms of food, presents, and decorations. Keep it simple.

• Write A List

Make the most of to-buy and to-do lists. Write a list of all the things you need to get done over the holiday period in order of importance and tick off what you can. This takes the stress away by making your mind a little less jumbled.

• Take A Break

Remember that it is your Christmas too, take some time for yourself. Whether this is going out for lunch with your friends or doing something by yourself, make sure you give yourself a much-needed break.

• Treat Yourself

Christmas is all about giving, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself while you’re buying for other people. F Jewellery is a good place to start, choose something that will brighten up your day too.

• Not Everything Has to Be Perfect

With the rise of social media, you are bombarded with photos of extravagant Christmas decorations and glamorously dressed tables. However, you don’t have to match these standards. Try to remind yourself that everyone posts what they want other people to see, no one will be posting photos of the mess after opening presents or all the dirty dishes in the sink. Don’t compare your day to someone else’s highlight reel.

• Say ‘No’

You’ll be bombarded with invitations to go to parties, dinners, and gatherings. If you haven’t got the time or the mental space, you can say ‘no.’ Don’t feel obliged to partake in everything that you’re invited to. Everyone will understand as it is one of the busiest times of the year.

• Indulge

Stop thinking about the diet and treat yourself this Christmas. Enjoy eating without feeling guilty; the diet can start another time!

• Exercise

While it’s amazing to indulge over the holidays, remember to take care of your body too. You don’t have to do a full-body workout but have a walk with your family to get outside and get your body moving. It’s not about losing weight; it’s about keeping your body happy and ready for the day.

• Just Have Fun!

Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t stress. Relax and have fun! Christmas should be about spending time with your loved ones, so don’t get so wrapped up in trying to make everything perfect that you forget what’s really important.

 

Every marriage has issues. But for those marriages that last, the couple has found a way to discuss and move through their issues in a positive and helpful way.

However, this isn’t something that comes naturally to all couples. Usually, a couple is going to have to put in some hard work in order to get to a point where they can work through any issues in their marriage without resorting to divorce.

So to help you and your spouse get to this point, here are three tips for talking with your spouse about issues in your marriage.

Show Respect Through Your Body Language

Before you and your spouse even begin having a verbal conversation, it’s worth mentioning that you need to begin by showing respect to your spouse through your non-verbal cues and your body language.

According to Sheri Stritof, a contributor to Very Well Mind, what your body is conveying to your partner is just as important as the actual words you’re speaking to one another. If you’re not showing respect through your body language, it can be hard to have a frank and productive conversation. To do this, make sure you’re maintaining eye contact with your partner and that you’re acknowledging that you hear what’s being said to you.

Don’t Be Afraid Of Being Vulnerable

Many times in a marriage, it’s hard for the couple to speak about difficult issues together because they individually haven’t been able to tap into their emotions surrounding the problems they’re having. Because of this, everyone might feel much more defensive than they should.

To combat these issues, Brittany Wong, a contributor to the Huffington Post, recommends that you learn how to open up about your own vulnerabilities when speaking with your spouse. Although this can be hard to do, speaking from a place of vulnerability will help both you and your spouse to see each other’s points of view more clearly and understanding the feelings that are behind your concerns.

Know The Best Ways To Express Your Concerns

Knowing the right ways to start a conversation with your spouse about any marital concerns you’re having can have a big impact on how the entire conversation goes.

To show you how this is best done, Dr. Susan Heitler, a contributor to Psychology Today, recommends that you start by saying how you feel, what your concerns are, or what you’d like. By using words that focus on yourself, you will be less likely to place blame on your spouse. And since the only person you can change is yourself, starting the conversation focused on yourself is ideal.

If you’ve been having problems talking to your spouse about issues in your marriage, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you work through this together.

 

Eating out at a pub or restaurant with family can be a luxury, with the chance to take a night off from the stove and indulge in your favorite cuisines. However, eating out with both the kids and the adults in your family does not always run smoothly. There are many problems that can occur, especially if you have a fussy eater or a hyperactive toddler on your hands.

Luckily, here are some of the best tips that you can try to ensure that your dinner out goes well and that you have the chance to sample the delicacies on offer.

Choose the Right Restaurant

The first step to eating out stress-free is to choose the right restaurant for you and your family’s appetites. If you have kids, some cafes cater specifically for children, with bright pastel environments, toy areas, and lots of available highchairs to keep kids happy. Rather than choose chains which kids might not frequent often, and which might be too busy for you and your family to enjoy yourselves, you should also consider looking at the independent restaurants in your area. These can often cater specifically to your needs, whether that be menu changes or a high chair.

Find a Varied Menu

To ensure that everyone is happy with the restaurant that you have chosen, you should also make sure that its menu appeals to everyone in your family, especially if you are choosing foreign cuisines with unusual flavorings. You should make sure that the restaurant in question has a varied menu from which everyone can pick something that they like. You can often find menus online to peruse before you head out to the restaurant itself. Pubs and restaurants also often have special menus for children or exclusive menus for different occasions, with pubs in Chichester providing a range of menus that include Sunday roasts and vegetarian options.

Provide Entertainment

To stop teenagers from becoming fixated on their phones or kids from getting bored, why not consider entertainment for the younger members of your family while you eat? While many pubs and restaurants provide activities such as coloring and puzzles for younger children, it is also possible to bring your own entertainment in the form of good restaurant games. You should also make sure that every member of the family is engaged in the conversation, which can both help to make eating out a chance to get to know each other, as well as keep your minds off your hunger while you wait for the food to arrive.

Pick the Right Time

Picking the right time for both the adults and the kids in your party to eat is also important. For instance, when you have kids with you, it is vital that you stick to their routine as much as possible, such as eating around naps or bedtime, and ensuring that they do not stay up too late or become tired. However, picking the right time is also important for adults, and you should check that the time is suitable for everyone, so that no-one needs to rush their food for prior commitments that are in conflict with the meal.

 

Many people who feel sad or depressed frequently keep their problems to themselves. They are ashamed that people will find out what they are going through. Also, they do not want to be judged. However, keeping your emotions bottled up will not help you solve your problems. It is best to talk to someone you trust like a family member or a close friend. Mental health should be important, so here are some tips worth sharing to overcome depression and anxiety.

Engage in an active lifestyle

Studies say that regular exercise will help improve your mental health. Exercise can help your brain release happy hormones known as endorphins. You may enrol in your local gym and start a regular exercise regimen with your trainer. Another option is to engage in outdoor hobbies like camping, mountain climbing, and biking, which will keep you moving. People who regularly exercise are known to have better moods as compared to those who live a sedentary lifestyle.

Eat healthy foods

Watch what you eat. Foods like pizza, fries, burgers and soda should be avoided as much as possible. Fill your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Healthy food choices will make you feel lighter rather than sluggish.

Spend more time with the people you love

Give yourself time to enjoy and relax. Organize a small get-together by having dinner with the family during Sundays. You can set a date with your best friend to have coffee and watch a movie together. Doing this will help you forget your problems in the meantime.

Get quality sleep every day

People who are going through a lot of problems frequently experience insomnia. Despite what you are going through, make it a point to take good care of yourself. Sleep eight hours a day so you will have enough energy to face your problems the next day.

Have a positive mindset

Being optimistic can affect your mental health in many ways. It fights off all the negative thoughts that are lurking at the back of your head. This kind of emotion can cause so much stress to the point that you could suffer from depression and anxiety. If you are going through this situation, it is best to shift your mindset and be thankful for what you have.

Clean your space regularly

If you are diagnosed with an obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD, you are prone to experience anxiety whenever you see clutter. Investing in a fitted wardrobe inside your bedroom can help you organize your stuff appropriately. Doing this will help you handle your health condition. Besides, studies say that having a clean and organized bedroom can promote relaxation and help you manage stress.

Lastly, make an effort to seek advice from a professional. Depression and anxiety are both mental health issues that need attention. A licensed psychiatrist can make a proper diagnosis and create a treatment plan. You could be advised to undergo therapy and counselling for a couple of months until you start feeling better about yourself.