At the Fence

Credit Making substantial changes to your home can be very costly. While some are well worth it, adding both value and comfort to your home, perhaps even making it safer, others are a waste of money. While it can be tempting to go for everything you see, getting carried away in your attempts to improve your home, it’s important to be sensible. Only make changes that you need and that will add something to your home, just as you would when decorating . Here’s a look at some worthwhile changes to help you. New Windows Replacing your windows can help to keep your home warm and well insulated in the winter, make your house look nicer and increase its value. Over time windows can become cracked and damaged, especially if you live in an area that experiences a lot of extreme weather. We often save money by patching up, repairing seals or just replacing the windows that really need it. This can leave our windows mismatched and uneven. Replacing the whole lot can be well worth t

If you have any family or friends like mine, then sometimes shopping for holiday gifts can be a very stressful experience. Some of my family are very easy to shop for, but others require a lot of thought and decision-making on what they will and won't actually use/enjoy. While doing some shopping around online for these family members, I came across Thoughtfully, a very unique gift-shopping website. I was thrilled when they sent not only one but two of their special gift sets for inclusion in our holiday gift guide. Let me tell you, any family or friend who receives a Thoughtfully Gift Set for the holidays will love it! I received the Branded And Grilled Gift Set and the Mocha Barista Gift Set. The Branded and Grilled set I actually used for myself. I am the designated grill-master in our house, so this was a treat for me to try out. The set comes beautiful packaged and all ready for gifting. It includes a customizable branding set, grill charms, sauce basting pot, sili

In today’s world, people are spending more time staring at screens than ever before. Computers, tablets, smartphones and TVs in every room mean that it can be difficult to enjoy the family time that you want to. If you are struggling to tear your kids away from their screens, this blog post is here to give you some ideas of things that you can do. Try having at least one screen-free evening a week (or at least a couple of hours) so your family has a more balanced and healthier lifestyle . Game Night Photo Credit Even though video games have become so advanced these days, sometimes, you just can’t beat an old fashioned board game. With so many choices out there, you are bound to find at least one or two games that keep your kids interested! As well as encouraging communication, there are also problem-solving skills and strategic thinking techniques to be gained from these activities. Exercise In days gone by, you would have to force your kids to come back indoor

If you often find that you struggle more with your memory than you would strictly like to, you might also wonder how you can go about improving that. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is in thinking that memory cannot be altered, or that you are somehow stuck with the abilities you have for life. This is far from being the truth - in fact, research shows that your capacity to learn and remember actually improves with age , even until you are very old - as long as you are not affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia, that is. Knowing how to use your memory is something else altogether, as is knowing what to do to ensure your memory remains strong. Let’s take a look at both of those issues now, to see how you can improve your memory once and for all. Image Start With The Body The truth is that how good your memory is depends at least partly on how well you look after your body. If you want to be able to remember extremely well, then you need to make sure that you are l

Interior design isn’t only about looking great. To cover every base, your house has to smell the part too. No one wants to be the family in the neighbourhood whose home is known for how it smells. Anyway, dirty air is bad for your health as well as the environment. Seen as you’re an eco-warrior with a penchant for your well-being, it’s time to take scents and smells serious. These are the hacks which will make your old home smell brand new. Post Open A Window Anyone who thinks they have to turn to candles and air fresheners is wrong. The easiest and most effective way is to open a window in the autumn. Thanks to the cold weather, the air is fresher and cleaner. So, the wind should whip through the house and circulate fresh oxygen from the kitchen to the attic. Apart from smelling great, the house should feel better. Because of the higher O2 levels, your whole body will benefit and not just the home. Light A Candle Should the breeze get too cold, there are candle

Image source Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Almost everyone has a bare wall in their home, one they had big plans for when they first moved in, only to see their plans get pushed further and further down the to-do list until this blank space just became part of their decor. The worst part is, thanks to the endless rabbit hole that is Pinterest, you tend to stare at your blank canvas while all the endless style possibilities out there dance about your mind, which makes deciding on something quite overwhelming. Hopefully, we can help with that because we have pulled together a list of personal favorites. Here’s the best bit, though: our big ideas for blank walls are nice on your bank account too. Black Is More Versatile Than White The world has gone nuts for chalkboard walls with interior designers even labelling them trendy. Well, you and the rest of the world can thank the innovation that is chalkboard paint for this. Yes, technically you are just replacing your white sp

Speak to anyone that you know and chances are they’ve probably had trouble sleeping at some point in the past. Maybe they had a caffeinated cup of coffee before bed that kept them awake longer than they wanted. Perhaps they went through a stressful period in their lives and had too much to think about, making it impossible for them to fall asleep in a timely manner. Whatever the cause, no one likes the idea of staying up late at night without being able to fall asleep. To help you beat your sleep issues, here are eight handy tips. Image Credit 1. Look for possible sleep conditions Whether it’s insomnia or other similar sleeping disorders, make sure you’re not suffering from something that needs medical attention. See a doctor if you believe it’s affecting your health so you can fix these issues before they become a problem. 2. Play some soothing music on a timer At times, all it takes for someone to fall asleep is a gentle distraction. Having some gentle music

One of the things our family loves most about visiting Pigeon Forge is the dining options. For southerners who somehow ended up living in the midwest, getting "back home" for the southern style cooking is something we look forward to every year. The Pigeon Forge area has some of the best dining options in any area or region of the country I've ever visited. Of course there is a wealth of southern cooking restaurants, but that's not all they offer. One of our family's favorite restaurants in the Smokies is the Pottery House Cafe , located in the Old Mill neighborhood of Pigeon Forge. The first time we dined at this cafe, it was on a friend's recommendation. We were very thankful he mentioned Pottery House to us because it immediately became one of our favorites as well, and we visit every year. Pottery House Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day and also offer brunch on the weekends. This year, we made our plans to visit on a Sunday evening, aft

As much as you might not want to admit it, winter is right around the corner, which can only mean one thing; cold weather. Granted, the Christmas period is a magical time, but if you’re like me, and struggle with cold weather, it can be a nightmare. In an attempt to battle the big freeze, people often use way more gas and electric than is necessary, which can cost a lot of money, especially if you have a big family, and have everyone using their own appliances at once. If you need to save a little money on energy, or simply want some tips as to how to use less energy and be a little better for the environment, then keep reading. Source Shop Around This is the most obvious way to save money on your gas and electricity is to shop around for the best deals. The easiest way to do this is to search through some price comparison websites online and make a note of the cheapest or best value for money deals on your energy. You may even find it cheaper to get your gas and electric f