LIFESTYLE: MAKE YOUR SPRING CLEAN A WHOLE LOT EASIER

It’s time for the big annual deep clean of the entire home. Some of you are already groaning, but you’ve come here because you know that it can be easier and you’re right. Here, we’re going to look at a few of the little and large ways that you can make the home a lot easier to clean.
Make your rooms easier to clean
This isn’t the easiest tip to follow, nor the cheapest. However, when it comes time to revamp the kitchen or any other part of the home, try to make “easy-to-clean” one of the priorities. For instance, if you’re choosing a new kitchen surface, granite and stainless steel are much easier to wipe off and polish than wood or laminate. For floors, having a home full of carpets and rugs is going to exponentially increase the amount of time you spend washing and vacuuming them compared to hardwood floors.
Say goodbye to clutter
Some people like to have a lot of stuff around them. Knick-knacks, décor pieces, vignettes, whatever you want to call them, it might be worth thinking about scaling them back a little. As said in The Life-Changing Art Of Tidying Up: you should surround yourself only with those items that bring you joy. What’s more, the more clutter you have, the easier it is for dust and debris to find places to nestle and the more cleaning you’re going to have to do. Keep surfaces neat and free and it’s a lot easier to simply dust and wipe. If you have a lot of stuff and you simply don’t know where to keep it, check out http://storageplus.com.au/news/clever-storage-ideas-maximise-space-every-room-house/ for some storage hack ideas.
Beware the wave of trash
The post-cleaning process can be as much of a hassle as the cleaning itself. After a deep clean, it’s not uncommon to find yourself with much more trash than you can handle. Rather than having to store trash for longer than necessary or trying to find creative ways to cram everything into one bin, you should look at services like https://www.dirtcheaprubbishremoval.com.au/Fast-Liverpool-Waste-Removal.php. It doesn’t cost too much to use a waste removal service once in a while, and it’s going to make the home much more pleasant immediately after the big clean.
Keep it healthy
Want to avoid the unpleasantness of a home filled with fumes? Common household cleaners are abrasive, not only to the nose but they can irritate your skin. Avoid overusing them by relying more often on natural cleaning products. Using one dishcloth with a natural spray is a lot more convenient than using an endless supply of cleaning wipes. It will also help reduce the amount of waste you have to get rid of after.

In future, try to think about not only how to clean better, but how to make the before and after of the clean easier. A lot of your hassle will come from trying to get rid of the garbage or having surfaces and rooms that add more hassle than necessary. The clean itself will be a lot easier with the right preparation.





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REVIEW: ECO BY NATY RANGE



USE CODE 'AMYPYT' FOR 15% OFF 

 We have recently been trying out the Eco by Naty range. We were lucky enough to get a few of their lovely products in the post so we've been giving them a go for a few weeks and I thought i'd let you know how Amelia has been getting on with them and what I think of the range. 

 First of all Naty is a biodegradable and environmentally friendly brand. They started off by creating a Eco-friendly nappy and now they have a full range products including wipes, pull on pants and bath and body care.
Let's start with their nappies, I really wanted to use re-usable nappies but as we live in a small flat I don't really have anywhere to keep them, hang them to dry etc so decided to use disposable nappies. I like the idea of using biodegradable nappies as this is a little more environmentally friendly. These nappies feel really soft and gentle on babies skin but are tough and not flimsy. They are very absorbent and haven't leaked at all. They are certified by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association. Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association is a Swedish national association working to improve the conditions and the understanding of people living with asthma, allergy, intolerance and hyper sensitivity. The only downside about these nappies is the price, they are on the pricey side and a little more than i'd like to spend on nappies however if you are in the market for a Eco-friendly, disposable nappy they are a reasonable price. 

As well as the nappies we have been using the Sensitive wipes (the unscented ones) on Amelia, I haven't tried the lightly scented ones on her yet as her skin is really really sensitive and she has had reactions to wipes in the past. The wipes are nice, not too wet or dry. They are very soft and gentle. The scented wipes smell nice and fresh, not chemically. The wipes are 98.5% water so designed to be gentle on sensitive skin. They are hypoallergenic so don't irritate the skin and prevent nappy rash. 

Another product i've been using is the Baby Bath Foam. It contains No fragrances. No parabens. No mineral oils. Which is great and means I don't have to worry about using it on Amelia's sensitive skin. It doesn't have a scent so is really gentle on baby. It leaves skin feeling clean and soft. It's so gentle you can use it everyday, it won't dry out babies skin. 

One product I was really impressed with was the nappy sacks, I tend to buy any old nappy sacks but these are such a good idea. There's no point in using a biodegradable nappy and then putting it into a plastic bag and visa versa! They are so thick and such a lovely quality, they come on a roll so easy to use. They are a nice design, cream with green leaves. 

I haven't tried the nappy cream yet, Amelia doesn't suffer with a sore bottom (hasn't yet) so haven't needed to try this yet but the nappy cream is Hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested and again suitable for everyday use. It's a healing organic rash cream with tried and tested natural ingredients that will soothe irritated skin and reduce redness often caused by trapped moisture.  


I have been really impressed with the Naty products and would love to try some of their other products, especially more of their Bath and Body care range. I would really reccommend their nappies if you are looking for a Eco-Diaper. 










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REVIEW: HAPE BABY DRUM




A few weeks ago Amelia was sent this lovely Hape Baby Drum in the post. We've been loving it so I thought i'd feature it in a full review.

Hape are the worlds largest producer of wooden toys! They have a huge range of toys for all age groups!

The Hape baby drum is such a lovely product, it is made from quality materials so is super strong and has passed vigorous testing so is really safe for babies from 6 months.

The Drum has some really cool features. It flashes bright colourful lights when used. You can bang it like a normal drum and it makes a loud drum noise or if you roll it, it will play a funky beat which is supposed to engage your baby and encourage them to crawl after the drum!

Amelia has just started crawling and loves following her drum around the living room! She loves rolling it and dancing along to the little tune that it plays, she can bang the drum but she much prefers the funky tune. She can pick it up really easily because it's light, she likes rolling around the floor with it. It's bright and a fun toy to play with! It would make a lovely gift or perfect for your own little one! 





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LIFESTYLE: LEARNING ON VACATION: WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY ABROAD EDUCATIONAL FOR YOUR CHILD.





Family holiday season is upon us, now that the school summer holidays have begun. But even though your child is, or children are, out of the classroom for six-plus weeks, it doesn’t mean they have to stop learning. You can help keep educating them on your family holiday, especially if you’re going abroad. 

Whether they go to a stateside school or are learning at a private institute, here are some ways to make your family holiday abroad educational for your children.   

Travelling to your destination   

Making your holiday educational doesn’t have to start when you arrive at your destination. It can start when you get to the airport, harbour, or train station – however you’re travelling. It’s not every day that a child gets to experience the excitement of flying on a plane or sailing on a large ship, so you should make the most of it when they’re likely to be particularly engaged. From flight departures to train arrival times, you can keep your child learning about things like time, distance and the world clock. Together, you can also find out how fast your transport is travelling and how much weight it can carry, as well as how many passengers are on board.  

Your accommodation 

The place that you’re staying in for your holiday can also be educational for your child. If your accommodation is a hotel, for instance, this could include looking at how it’s set out, how many floors and rooms it has, and learning about the people that work there and their roles. On a cruise ship, this could be the size of the boat and the number of decks and cabins it has, and how it stays afloat. It could also involve watching how it sails in and out of a port, and the number and types of people that work on board the vessel. Before you go away, it’s worth doing a bit of research and reading up on your choice of accommodation with your child, so they can learn about such statistics. 

Seeing the sights  

This is where you can really educate your child into understanding more about everything from a country’s history and religion, to its celebrated people and famous architecture. Depending on your destination, this could involve visiting famous landmarks like buildings and monuments, historical ruins and battlefields, or tombs and temples. Before you go away, you could buy a guidebook about your chosen destination and read about its tourist attractions with your child. As a family, you could then look out for those landmarks on your holiday, which you might have previously read about together. 

Experiencing nature  

This is a good chance for your child to really experience nature at its best, so make the most of it. They can see, learn about, and appreciate all sorts of creatures, from the types of marine life in the sea and wildlife on the beach, to the birds that fly the skies and the types of coastlines they inhabit. You can go on nature walks with them and observe the landscapes and terrain, the plants and flowers that grow in the area, and the insects that live there. You can also see the types of creatures that might be found around where you’re staying. As mentioned earlier, to really get to grips with nature in your chosen destination, it’s worth buying a guidebook about the country you’re visiting before you go away. This is bound to include a section on the creatures and wildlife you’re likely to see.     

Understanding culture  

Finally, holidaying is also a good opportunity for a child to see a country’s culture and way of life, helping them to understand interesting factors, such as foreign language and the customs it celebrates. This can involve observing the locals, how they dress and speak, where they live and their housing, as well as the types of food they eat, the markets they buy from, and the music they listen to.  

Depending on your child’s age, you could buy a language book before you go on your holiday, which teaches them about the language of the country you’re visiting. You can then allow them to have a go at learning the basics of that language while you’re out and about. If it’s something they appear to enjoy, they can continue studying the language when they get home. This means they’ll likely to be more skilled and have more knowledge when they return to school in September.    


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