Family

11 Ways You Can Make Your Baby’s Sleeping Space as Safe as Possible

11 Ways You Can Make Your Baby's Sleeping Space as Safe as Possible

Sleeping toddler – Pixabay

As a parent of a baby, it can seem like babies never sleep. It can be especially hard for new parents, but you will soon develop a routine as you get used to it. First, however, you should also make sure your baby’s sleeping space is as safe as possible. Of course, the room itself plays a significant role in this, but you can help by installing new tech, securing the area, and good crib habits.

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DIY

Should I DIY My Asbestos Removal?

asbestos removal

So, your house has asbestos – you can just take it out right? Surely, there are some DIY instructions out there on the internet somewhere.

Well, while there probably are some of these sort of instructions, the last thing you want to be doing is removing asbestos from your home yourself. It’s a job best left to the professionals.

But, how do you even know if you home has asbestos, and what is asbestos for that matter? Keep reading to learn more about what asbestos actually is and why it should be removed in the first place.

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Adulting · Family

4 Practical Tips for Hosting a Teen Party at Home

4 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR HOSTING A TEEN PARTY AT HOMEHosting a teen party at home is both fun and challenging. Fun because it is your teen’s party. You want this to be memorable for him and his guests. On the other hand, it is challenging (on your part) because of the planning and the after-cleaning you must do, especially if you hosted a large crowd of youngsters.

Here are practical tips to consider before hosting one for your teen.

Set a theme

Parties are more fun when there’s a theme to follow. Plus, it’s easier to choose the decoration, menus, party supplies, and party favors when there’s a theme to guide you. Let your teen choose the theme for their party.

Make the party more fun and interesting by asking everyone to come in costumes according to the theme. Teens can be incredibly creative, and it will be so much fun to see them interpret the theme in their costumes. Of course, your own teen should agree with the costume party. Help them find or make their costume. It’s their moment to shine, so make sure they have the best costume for their party.

Use visual effects

Visual effects like lasers and mood lights can add more life to the party and you can rent them, risk free, from a company like dj finance. It can lend a disco party vibe. On the other hand, smoke machines are also a fun addition to any party. These machines can enhance your lighting effects. You will have an instant light show that will stun your guests. Do you know that bubble machines are not for kids only. Liven up your party. Floating bubbles paired with lasers and colored lights will produce a stunning effect. Consider giving out non-toxic, multi-colored glow sticks among your guests. It is a cheap visual effect that is handy and glows for about six hours of use.

Keep guests outdoors

While it may look rude to prevent guests from entering your home, keeping guests out, and planning for an outdoor teen party may still come out more practical than ever. The pros far outweigh the cons. You do not have to worry too much about after-party cleaning and scrubbing. You save your couches and carpets from possible spills that can leave heavy stains. It costs more to steam-clean furniture than to pick up trash from the garden or mop the garage or patio floor.

If you are hiring party services like photo booth rental ny, you will have to disclose that you are planning an outdoor party. In this case, they will require clients like you to ensure that the booth is under a shade. They may also offer an outdoor canopy as added protection. Some are specifically made for outdoor use and are waterproof. It is best to choose this type of equipment. Ask installers to put it in a pretty obvious area. It will avoid the need to announce or remind guests to have their photos or selfies taken.

You might want to hire a portaloo to ensure that all guests don’t have to go into your house to use the bathroom. However, if you have a bathroom that’s accessible to guests without necessarily passing through your main living area, you do not have to rent one.

Friends or neighbors might have a garden marquee or party tents that you can borrow for the night. It will save you unwanted stress in case an unexpected drizzle happens on the night of your teen’s party.

Holding your teen’s party outdoors can be both fun and stress-free, especially after the last guest has gone. You don’t have to worry much about cleaning or accidental damage to indoor property and accessories.

Regulate background music

Parties aren’t complete without background music. Let your teen choose the music he would love to hear playing during the party. Most teens love alternative or classic rock music. While he will love to play them all aloud, you must remain considerate of your neighbors at the same time.

Know when to play music at its peak and when to tame it. Usually, you can have it downplayed when everyone is seated and conversing. When making a short speech or announcements about food and drinks, have the music turned to a low volume. Turn it to high once the guests are ready to hop in on the makeshift dance floor.

Discuss entertainment options

Get your teen involved in party planning. If your teen is a movie buff, why not help him download movies of his choice or those that he thinks his peers will enjoy. Of course, you are there to screen his movie choices. Ask for a list and assist him by compiling them. It won’t hurt to filter the list if you think there is inappropriate content in one or two movies he selected.

Does he love indoor games? Why not put up a dartboard. Bring out your pool table or card table. The party could look like a mini pub. Include pizzas and snacks to complete the pub ambiance.

If he is fond of music and loves to listen to DJs, offer to bring one in. There are a lot of disc jockeys you can hire if you are around New York. Ask him to search for dj buffalo. It is cool to be around while he is surveying the list. Remember, stay, and get involved. He will appreciate you hanging around and making yourself available when he seeks your opinion on which ones to hire.

When hiring a DJ, expect him to give you a rundown of the types of music that are appropriate for your teen and his guests. You may also suggest titles from your son’s list. Ask the DJ for a list of his collection of music. A professional one will have a ready playlist and keeps on updating it. He knows which music is trending with teens and young adults. DJs often ask for playlists not only from the celebrator before the party begins but from guests too on the day of the event.

Hosting a teen party can be exciting. Your teen won’t be young forever. Let him experience a fun night with friends. But remember that you too have to be practical. These tips will help you come up with a fantastic party without stress.

Business · Work

How to Make Your Home Office Feel Secure

Feel Safe in a Secure HomeWorking from home has many advantages, but it can be difficult to separate home from business. If you have an office in your home, you might worry about security, especially if you keep documents containing sensitive information, cash or payment details. With new GDPR rules in place, it’s even more important to protect your client’s information, or you could land yourself a hefty fine. With that in mind, I’ve been thinking about some ways to make your home office feel more secure:

Barriers

Having barriers from Barriers Direct across your driveway might not stop people from coming onto your property, but they’ll give a clear sign that security is on your mind and that you want to keep a line between yourself and the outside world. They also stop people using your driveway as a turning circle, which can be very annoying if you live on a busy main road.

Lights

Exterior lights are proven to be a deterrent to people coming onto your property for nefarious reasons late at night, but they also give you an extra feeling of safety if you come and go when it’s dark. Use a selection of carefully placed lights to give you illumination in all of the areas you’re likely to use, once the sun goes down, for the ultimate feeling of safety, but be mindful of lights which might shine into your bedroom if a cat wanders past!

Get a Dog

While I’m not suggesting you have a team of German Shepherds patrolling your perimeter, dogs can really help to make you feel secure in your home office. When Sausage was a baby, Husband worked nights and having Chuck there made me feel so much safer as he’d let me know if someone so much as breathed in the direction of our home!

Camera ACTION

You’ve probably seen headlines about burglars being foiled by security camera footage. This is one home office security solution that works as both a deterrent and a means to get justice. You can get security cameras that are part of a complete home office security system, or you can use cameras that work on their own. Whichever way you go, we recommend using a security camera with a mobile app, so you can see footage in real time and store it if you ever need to go to the police.

Get a Safe

If you’ve got things in your house which are of serious worth, installing a safe might be a good way to feel more secure about your belongings. Safes can be good for keeping company records and payment information safe, too. If anyone does manage to break into your home office, it will be a lot more difficult for them to steal anything of value, and in a lot of cases, having a safe can make your contents insurance premiums go down. Make sure they’re installed by a reputable company and think about going for a safe which has two separate locking mechanisms for an added layer of security.

What do you do to ensure you feel safe and secure in your home office? Leave me a comment below, I’d love to hear from you.

Family

Helping an Elderly Relative to Stay Independent

There comes a time in a lot of people’s lives where they need to start making arrangements to help their elderly relatives. A lot of people get older but want to remain in the home they’ve known for decades, and that means making their environment safe and suitable for their additional needs, if they have limited mobility, sight or memory problems. There are lots of ways that you can make a home suitable again, and today we’re looking at five of them. If your budget allows, it’s also worth considering hiring someone to look after them in their own home, simply Google a phrase such as looking for companion care in Tucson? with your own home town and you’ll be sure to find a lot of places offering elderly care.

Stairlift

If your elderly relative lives in a house with more than one storey, getting up and down the stairs can be really daunting. As well as the physical effort needed to climb the stairs, the risk of a fall gets worse as they get older. This is where a stairlift could really help. It allows people to travel safely between floors without the risk of falling, or needing to expend a lot of energy to make the climb.

Alarm System

A lot of elderly people worry about having a fall in their home and not being able to call for help, so personal alarm systems can give a lot of peace of mind. They allow people to call for help in an emergency and an ambulance to be sent remotely so that they aren’t left by themselves in an emergency.

Walk-in Bath

Although showers can be built on floor level so that you don’t need to step up to get into them, many elderly people prefer the security of sitting down in a bath, although getting into one can be very tricky. A walk-in bath has a sealed door which opens and closes and allows people to sit comfortably to wash, reducing the risk of slipping and falling when you’re at your most vulnerable.

Video Doorbells

Many elderly people fear opening the door to an unknown person, especially once the sun has gone down, and this can leave them very isolated, especially in the winter. There are lots of video doorbells on the market now which allow people to see who’s at the door without needing to answer it, and this could give your elderly relative the freedom to know when it’s safe to answer the door.

Remove Obstacles

This is the simplest, and cheapest way, to make surroundings safer for your elderly relative. Thousands of accidents happen every year when elderly people, especially those with limited eyesight, trip and fall because of things like rug edges, electrical cords and low items of furniture. It could be a good idea to get an expert to come in to assess the house as they’ll spot hazards that you might miss.