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We all have days where we do not seem to have enough time to get everything done, but how do you manage if your life if like that all the time? It does not matter whether you work full-time or are a stay-at-home parent, most people could do with a few more hours in each day. Sometimes it is s case of managing your time better, and here are a few tips to help you do that.

Be Organized

Being organized can save you a lot of time. Just think how much time is wasted looking for keys, important papers or phones numbers. If your home is awash with things these items, and others can be difficult to find. Have a place for everything and keep your home organized.

Pick Your Time

You will get more done when you are most alert. For many people, this is in the morning, but it could be any time of the day. Pick this time to do the most time-consuming tasks and you will find they do not take quite so long.

Outsource Some Of Your Tasks

Outsourcing is not just for businesses. Anyone can get help from other people to take some of the burdens from their shoulders. For instance, you could hire a dog walker or employ a cleaner. There is no end of people experienced in these types of tasks who would be willing to help make your life simpler.

Make A To-Do List The Night Before

Make a list of all you need to accomplish the night before. Prioritize them in order of importance and you will start your day focused on what needs to be done. However, even the best made plans can go wrong sometimes because of unexpected events, and you should not beat yourself up if there are a few things that do not get done on a particular day. They can be added to the list for another day.

You can also schedule things for particular days. You could deal with your online banking every Monday for instance, and if times runs out you can move it to the Tuesday list for that week.

Find More Time

There are so many little jobs we all have to do that can feel like a waste of time, but we still have to do them.  Make extra time in your day by getting up an hour earlier. Make yourself a coffee and do things such as answering your emails or updating your social media. This can save you more time later in the day when you have other tasks and the family to deal with.

You will still need to get enough sleep though, so you may have to go to bed a little earlier to achieve this. The peace and quiet can mean you get much more done in that hour though and it is well worth considering.

Don’t Take On Too Much

If you are already short of time in your life you have to learn to say no sometimes. Please or offend, you should not take on too much, as it will just make the problem worse and cause you extra stress.

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Do you have life insurance? 59% of adults already do, yet that still means 41% don’t and it’s a huge percentage. It’s not that people fail to see the relevance – it’s hard to miss when you ponder your mortality. It’s more that there are excuses that take precedent. The significant minority that believes in them let them impact their decision making to the point where they don’t invest whatsoever.

Sadly, this method is a massive gamble as the excuses are baloney and they don’t make sense. For the non-believers, here are the things to remember the next time you put off buying a life insurance policy.

It’s Too Expensive

With the rest of your bills piled up on top, an insurance policy feels as if it’s an indulgence. You’re barely going to need it so there’s no point in forking out when the percentages are in your favor. Number one: everything can happen at any time so this isn’t always the case. Number two: a comprehensive policy doesn’t have to come at a premium. For those who can’t keep up with the payments, treat it like a credit card and pay the monthly minimum. Usually, this is the cost of a week’s worth of coffee.

It’s Included With My Job

Employers are interested in their employees and provide extensive incentives. Life insurance is just one of the many perks that you might receive with your contract. However, it’s only a basic policy and won’t safeguard your family’s finances for the long-term. Remember that they have to do this for every worker and it costs them a fortune. Therefore, it’s a wise move to start a separate agreement outside of the office. That way, you can contribute and ensure the length or level of payout is adequate for your loved ones.

I’m Fit And Healthy

Anyway, it’s a waste of money because you’re fit and healthy and in great shape. You eat right, go to the gym, and attend regular checkups with your physician. Even the medical expert agrees – you’re going to live for a long time. Protecting rights of family members is about more than what you can predict – it’s about the unpredictable. There’s no way to tell when a slip or a fall or a crash on the highway will lead to a fatality. And, if you’re not properly covered, there is no backup plan. Insurance companies won’t accept applications from people with injuries as it increases the likelihood of a payout.

I’m Unattached

It’s not as if you’re a loner without any responsibilities, but you’re not married and don’t have kids. Some people see this as an excuse because there’s nothing to leave behind. Plus, it’s tough for non-spouses to get paid. In reality, this isn’t the case as partners and family members will receive help after your passing. Friends are eligible too. Anyone confirmed as a beneficiary in the policy will stand to benefit regardless of your marital status.

There are no excuses – life insurance is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle.

It’s perfectly possible to create a beautiful home, without having to break the bank. The best way to tackle the job is to know where to save and find bargains, and where to splurge a little. With some things, it’s worth spending a little more for better quality and have pieces that will perform better or last for longer.

But where exactly should you make savings, and where should you get a little spendy without feeling bad about it? Here are some ideas when it comes to your bedroom.

Save: bedroom furniture

Bedroom furniture can be incredibly pricey, and when you’re revamping the room could quite easily be your biggest cost. While expensive furniture is gorgeous, there’s actually some really good quality mass produced pieces out there these days which allow you to kit out the space on a budget.

Take Ikea for example, they have lots of budget ranges in different styles which allow you to replace your furniture without spending thousands. Just make sure everything is put together properly, so it stays sturdy for longer. Another option if you want more solid pieces is to upcycle.

Get yourself some solid wood furniture from a junk shop or a local classifieds site, and bring it up to scratch with a coat of paint and some new handles.

Splurge: the mattress

When it comes to furniture you can buy cheap or upcycle- but of course you can’t do this when it comes to your bed and mattress. It’s always worth buying the best you can afford, even if it means saving up for a while. You’ll get a much better sleep and it will last you for longer.

Don’t be afraid to check out deals and reductions- you might find the perfect bedroom design king size bed for example from certain stockists much cheaper than on the high street. But do your research, make sure the mattress you’re buying is high quality.

So much of our health relies on getting a good night’s sleep, so it makes no sense to try and scrimp here.

Save: the paint and wallpaper

There’s no need to buy really expensive paint and wallpaper. Most DIY stores have a massive range of budget paint in all colours, and there are numerous discount wallpaper stores online. Wallpaper can be pricey if you buy from a high street decor or DIY store, but there are plenty of options if you shop around.

Once it’s hung on the wall, any paper can look good providing it’s been put up correctly.

Don’t feel like you need to go for the most expensive rolls to make your bedroom look good. While of course there are some stunning pricey options out there, do make sure you check what’s on the market.

Wallpapering a feature wall and painting the other three can be a good way to keep the cost of paint down.

Splurge: the curtains and blinds

The curtains and blinds are worth spending a little more on, just because cheaper options aren’t usually as good. To get a good night’s sleep, it’s important to block out light from the street as well as the sun coming up in the morning and so blackout curtains and blinds are the way to go.

These do tend to be on the pricier side, but once they’re up you won’t need to change them again for a long time.

Choose a neutral colour and plain design, and that way even if you update the rest of the room, you can keep the curtains. Whatever you pick, make sure that you go with a good blackout material so you’re able to get the best night’s sleep possible!

Save: rescue the existing carpet

Instead of ripping up the carpet and replacing with new (which can cost a bomb!) can it be revived? Powerful carpet cleaners like the rug doctor can be hired really cheaply and can remove all kinds of marks and stains from carpets making them look new again.

Laying down a rug over the top is another option, it freshens up the space adding colour and texture and can prevent you from needing to buy a whole new carpet in some cases.

If it’s threadbare, badly stained or past reviving then you will have no choice but to replace. But it’s worth knowing that you can bring it back up to scratch in some cases.

Splurge: bedding

Cheap bedding might look nice, but in general it tends to feel cheap. When this is touching your skin, it can affect your comfort levels and even your sleep. Cheaper bedding tends to be mixed cotton with manmade materials, these materials aren’t always that breathable and aren’t good for regulating your temperature.

Splash out if you can, buy sheets and duvet covers in cotton with a high thread count. If you can only find plain bedding that you like, you can always add some throws and pillows to spruce it up.

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Save: accessories

Speaking of throws and pillows, accessories are one area where you really don’t need to spend much. Vases of flowers, plants, photo frames, candles and other bits and pieces will make your room feel homely and comfortable but can be found cheaply. Look on ebay and in Supermarkets.

Check out end of line clearances, and even consider making your own items.

If you’re a talented artist for example, why not paint something and frame it to hang on your wall? If you’re a dab hand with a sewing machine, you could make some cushions. These things will add colour, texture, style and personality to the space.

Knowing where to splurge and where to save can really help to keep down costs when you’re redecorating your room, but ensuring it looks the best it possibly can. Some places it’s worth spending a little extra, whereas others can be done on a dime. Bear this in mind next time you plan on renovating!

Where would you splurge and where would you save when decorating your bedroom?

The future is a topic that very few people enjoy talking about. Sure, the immediate future is fun. For example, maybe you plan to go on a trip with your kids soon, or perhaps there’s an upcoming party that you can’t wait to attend. That’s fun and games, but when we talk about the distant future, our mood can quickly shoot down when we realise how much work we’ve got ahead of us.

Our homes are one of the few things that we’ll leave behind with our children once we retire. Perhaps we might stay in the same home as our children, or maybe we’ll move to another location—either way, it’s never a bad idea to future-proof our homes so that our children have less work when it comes to managing and improving it.

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Here are a couple of long-term improvements that’ll make your home more comfortable to live in, and ways to improve your house for the future when your children grow up and take over.

Protecting Against Disaster

If you live in an area that’s prone to weather disasters, then you’ve probably thought about installing anti-flooding measures, hurricane panels and possibly even a generator in the basement in case your power goes out. These are just the tip of the iceberg too. When it comes to making your house a castle and preparing for all kinds of incidents, you also might want to consider build and stocking up a disaster shelter.

Most disaster shelters are built underground so that they’re immune to the effects of weather and radioactive fallout. It might seem a little cliche to have an underground bunker with years worth of supplies, but survivalists swear by it and, at the end of the day, they’re going to be the ones with an advantage of something was to happen to your city or local area.

However, a disaster shelter is a very time-consuming job. In the meantime, you can invest in protecting your home from things such as hurricanes, storms and power outages by utilising several home improvements. You won’t want large objects to slam through your windows during a storm, and you don’t want power cuts to interrupt your cooking or crucial work.

Extensions for the Family

If you plan to turn your home into a mansion capable of housing your grandchildren as well, then you need to start thinking about a house extension. Most extensions require permission from local authorities, but once you’ve got confirmation you can pretty much build whatever you want. You can extend existing bedrooms, build another floor onto the house, increase the basement area or even build an entirely separate building if you have a lot of space in the back yard.

You might also want to consider building additional bathrooms, studies and changing rooms. It can be costly to rewire your home and extend plumbing, but it’s worth the investment if your children plan to grow old and stay in their current home. It’s also a good opportunity to reinforce the structure of your home if it’s suffered damage in the past.

If your family has started to outgrow your home, but your budget won’t allow you to move at the moment, you might be feeling trapped. Living in a space that’s overcrowded is never going to be enjoyable, so you need to find simple ways to making your home look and feel more spacious. Something that, believe it or not, is much easier than you would think to do.

Have a read of the tips and ideas below, and you should be able to make your home feel a little less crowded and more spacious, making it a nicer place to live.

Declutter

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The first step to making your home look and feel less crowded is to declutter. Admittedly, decluttering isn’t always easy or enjoyable, but if you want a nice home, then it needs to be done. Don’t attempt to rush the process, declutter when you have the time. Set aside one day on the weekend to purely focus on decluttering. Go through everything and organize as you go. Anything that you don’t want bag up ready to take to the dump to get rid of.

Utilize unused space

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A lot of families make the mistake of failing to utilize unused space, such as the attic and basement. However, if you want to make your home look and feel less crowded, it’s a good idea to utilize any spare space that you have. For instance, say you have an attic that barely gets used, consider transforming it into an extra living space. It could be used as a bedroom, a bathroom, or even a playroom for your little ones. It doesn’t matter what you use the additional space for, just as long as it makes your home feel less crowded. If you’re going to add a bedroom to your attic, how about adding an ensuite as well? That way, there would be fewer of you using one bathroom. To keep costs low, how about looking into bathroom pods instead of building a bathroom from scratch?

Be smart about storage

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One of the main reasons that family homes feel overcrowded is simply because there’s a lack of storage. Ask yourself, does your home have adequate storage space? If the answer is yes, ask yourself whether you’re taking full advantage of it. Perhaps you’re not using your storage space in a smart way. To get some tips and ideas for making the most of your storage space, take the time to browse Pinterest – there are some incredible ideas on there! If your home doesn’t have enough storage space, the chances are that’s the problem. The best storage space is built-in storage. However, if that’s not an option, then there are plenty of other storage options, it’s just a case of getting a little creative with it, that’s all.

So there you have it, ideas for making your home look and feel less overcrowded. Take note of the above ideas, and you can revamp your home, making it a much less crowded space.