Stay at Home Wife and Mother

Home and Family from a SAHWM's Perspective

What to Do Before Starting a Business

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Being your own boss comes with many benefits. You no longer have to worry about anyone micromanaging you and telling you how to do your job all day. However, it also comes with a lot of responsibility. While owning your own business isn’t easy, it can be very rewarding. Before you decide to quit your job and take the leap though, here are a few things you need to check off your list.

Decide What You Want to Do

The first step to owning your own business is deciding what you want it to be. Do you want to provide a service or a product? If you’re creative, you may want to have your own store selling your goods. You can always wander around the craft store Long Beach CA to get ideas.

Create a Workspace

Decide where you want to work. If you plan to run your business from your house, you’ll need to create a home office. You can also choose to rent an office space, or you may need to find somewhere to rent if you are going to have a storefront.

Get the Right Permits

The type of permits you’ll need for your business depend on what you are going to be selling, whether you have employees and where you live. Laws vary by state, so be sure to find out what your area requires. You’ll need to acquire an Employer Identification Number to keep up with, as you’ll be required to pay taxes no matter what state you live in.

While these will help get you on the right path, there is so much more to be done. Make a list of everything that needs to be done and then take one step at a time. If you get overwhelmed, just remember that getting started is the hardest part. Put in the work and you’ll start to reap the rewards before you know it.

Ways to Help a Sick Friend

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If your partner in crime has been stuck at home because she feels under the weather, find a way to cheer her up until she feels better. Whether she’s just missing one evening out or confined to her bed for several days, consider different types of support that can make her feel content until she’s back to her old self again.

Provide Sustenance

Help your friend keep her strength up by offering to cook her a homemade breakfast, lunch or dinner. If she’d prefer to prepare her own food, offer to go grocery shopping for the ingredients or give her meal gift baskets that provide recipes and components for easy-to-make dishes that she can enjoy. Consider including extras in the package such as energy bars, nuts, fruit, cheese and crackers so she’ll have something to snack on if she doesn’t have an appetite for a full meal.

Bring Diversions

When your friend has exhausted all of the possible activities while home sick, stop by with a variety of entertaining distractions. Bring a basket filled with your favorite novels, adult coloring books and markers and a jigsaw puzzle, for instance. If she only has enough energy to relax on the couch, however, discuss attention-grabbing movies that she can see on a streaming service and offer to bring some popcorn to watch with her.

Offer Assistance

If you notice your friend feeling stressed because she’s unable to check items off her to-do list, offer to take care of her errands for her. Do some housework, pick up files from work, babysit, finish the laundry or pick up the dry cleaning, for instance.

Kind gestures, no matter how small, can greatly brighten someone’s day. Helping your friend through an illness with help – or distractions – will lift her spirits as she recuperates and let her know how much you care.

Creating a Home Office on a Budget

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Whether you are working from home or just want a workspace for paying bills and other home tasks, creating a comfortable and functional spot is important. While dedicating an entire room for a home office might be ideal, setting aside some space in almost any room is a viable option, and it does not have to break the bank.

Basic Components of a Work Space

One of the most important items to consider for a home office is a desk. To save money, pre owned desks are a good alternative to buying new. Often, a high-quality desk in great condition can be found for much less money. A comfortable chair is equally important since you could be spending hours at your desk every day. Skimping on quality is probably not a good idea. Good and affordable new or used chairs are usually not difficult to find.

Another home office essential is a computer with internet service. Instead of a PC and a separate monitor, consider using a laptop or similar device. With a laptop, there is less need for a large desk or bulky wires and connections.

Adequate Lighting Is Important

Good lighting is an important consideration for a home office space. If planning on working primarily during the day, placing your desk near a window may be adequate. However, investing in a good lamp is usually a good idea and can add style to your home office décor.

Other Things to Consider

Whether to place your desk near a phone jack depends on if you plan to use a landline or mobile phone. Shelves or a bookcase may be other items worth considering when setting up a workspace. Once all the basics are in place, it is time to decorate to personalize your office. Placing plants or hanging pictures can add inspiration.

Creating a comfortable and functional working space in the home does not have to be difficult, and it does not require a lot of space or money. Just a few essential items along with a little creativity can go a long way.

3 Tips on Choosing the Best Products for Sensitive Skin Types

cream-woman-smilingIf you have sensitive skin, you may be familiar with the struggle of finding products that help keep your skin looking healthy without causing additional damage or irritation. To help refine your search for beauty products that will treat your skin well, consider implementing some of the tips listed below.

Know What to Look For

Go out of your way to look for products that cater to needs often specific to sensitive skin, such as hypoallergenic moisturizers and mild cleansers that help prevent the potential of irritation. If you are keen on avoiding the potential of harsh chemicals, you can look into organic skin care for sensitive skin that can provide all-natural options for keeping your face looking fresh.

Look to Heal Your Skin

Aim for products that will help protect your skin against common ailments such as inflammation. Plenty of products come with ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties such as aloe vera. You can also go out of your way to avoid beauty products that are commonly associated with inflammation and irritation, such as overly abrasive exfoliators or cleansers that take a chemically strong stance against breakouts.

Take Time to Test

When it comes down to it, selecting the best products for sensitive skin can be difficult if you don’t take the time to give them a test drive first. Look for products that will give you a sample size offering first so you can determine if it will be effective for your skin type. Test the product on less sensitive areas first before trying it on more delicate spots, like your face.

There are many ways that you can improve your process of searching for products that can help instead of harm your sensitive skin. By keeping the tips listed above in mind, you will increase your chances of finding great beauty solutions to maintaining a clear and fresh look.

3 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Automatic Blinds

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One of the hottest new trends in smart home technology is automatic blinds, also known as motorized blinds. This innovative window styling has proven to be a worthwhile investment, bringing peace of mind and cost savings to well informed homeowners. If you’ve been considering your next window treatment, here are just three of the reasons why automatic shades New York should feature on your shopping list.

More Convenient

Imagine having all the blinds in your home controlled by the switch of a button. With motorized shades, this dream of convenience can be a reality. You need never again try to work out whether a cord raises a blind up and down or opens and closes the shutters; and you certainly won’t have to spend the time moving from window to window, adjusting each blind individually. You can pre-program every blind to come up or down at the same time.

Save Energy

Automatic shades don’t just look good – they do well too by making your home more energy efficient. You can synchronize your blinds to your thermostat so that when it reaches specific temperatures, your blinds will rise or fall, either blocking sunlight or letting in more light. This natural form of temperature control means your HVAC system need not work as hard.

Safer

Dangling cords are a no-go when pets and kids are around, but automatic blinds take that worry away – you have no cables, wires, or any hanging elements that inquisitive little beings may wish to explore. Nevertheless, that’s not all. Many motorized blinds can also connect to other smart devices, including security systems and fire alarms, so if anything were to happen, the blinds would open so that emergency services can see inside your home from the outside.

If you are interested in finding out how automatic blinds will look in your own home or apartment, reach out to a window treatment specialist to discuss your options.

3 Tips for Choosing a Senior Living Community

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Watching your parents get older and deal with memory loss can be tough. It can also be difficult for them to come to terms with the fact that they’re struggling with their memory and having trouble doing things they never had issues with before. They may be at risk for certain complications. Living in their Denver home on their own can become more challenging. You may be considering a senior living community for your parents. Here are three tips for choosing the right community for them.

Tour the Community

Brochures and websites can only so much. The best way to get a feel for a senior living community is to take a tour. This way, you can see the grounds, the housing, and the other amenities in person. It can be helpful to look at a schedule and go during a time when activities your parents love are going on.

Ask Questions

Before going on a tour, prepare a list of questions relevant to your parents’ needs. When choosing memory care Denver, you want to ensure that your parents’ needs are going to be met. Find out what kind of assistance they’ll receive, what food options there are, and what kinds of social activities are available. No question is silly. You want your parents to have the best care possible and any good facility will take all of your questions seriously.

Include Your Parent in the Decision

Just because your parents are getting older, that doesn’t mean that they are incapable of making their own decisions. Include them in the search for the right community. They’ll be the ones living there, after all. Just because you like a place, that doesn’t mean that they will, too. Make sure your parents are included in every step of the way and have a say in where they go.

A senior living community can provide your aging parents with the care they need in a safe environment. At the same time, they can maintain their sense of independence and continue to enjoy life as they get older.

Keep Cool All Summer Long With the Right Pool

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Nothing reads summertime better than water activities. Whether you go to a lake, set up your swimming pool or just turn on the sprinklers to run through, water play on a hot day is the perfect combination. You can choose the right pool for your needs with a few simple steps such as determining what is right for your property and desired activities, finding a good supplier, and knowing what maintenance is needed.

Your Property and Activities

Sometimes the laws and regulations in your local area will determine what kind and size of swimming pool you can have on your property. It is also a good idea to look into what is or is not covered by your homeowner’s insurance before purchasing. You can find many different swimming pools Pittsburgh PA companies to help you find the right pool for your desired activities and your property requirements. Sometimes it is cheaper and easier to go with an above-ground pool, especially if you want the ability to move it and to take it down over the winter.

Supplies and Maintenance

There is a certain amount of supplies and maintenance that just about any pool will need. Whether you have a small plastic toddler pool or an Olympic sized facility, you will need to be able to clean your pool with the right chemicals, treat the water if necessary and keep leaks from forming. Your pool vendor should be able to supply you with everything you need to get started as well as keep cool throughout the lifetime of your unit.

Choosing the right pool can mean a summer of fun activities outside to beat the heat. This means knowing which pool types are the best for your space and desired activities as well as what supplies and maintenance you are looking at for each pool.