Pixabay - CC0 Licence

If there's anything we learnt from this pandemic it's that being away from the people we love hurts like hell. But we've got to spare a thought for those people who have been away from their significant other for a long time, pandemic or not. Whether there's travel bans, or just a lack of finances, what can we do to cope with the distance? 

Planning Their Journey Home

The most important thing if we feel separated from our loved one is that we have to be proactive. If we are looking to bring our significant other over, we could do it on a spouse visa. Officially called a spouse visa UK, it is a type of family visa for people who want to reunite with their British spouse in the UK. When you start to plan on their journey over, this can help you to feel in control of the situation. It's hard enough when we are waiting for life to come back to normal, but what we can do in the meantime is prepare for when life is going to be better. That way, we're not just sitting around twiddling our thumbs and feeling worse for it. 

Considering the Other People Outside of the Equation

This is something that we need to give thought to, but surprisingly, many don’t. If you are living separately from your partner, and either of you is living with family members or roommates, you've got to consider their needs, but also their safety. In the age of the pandemic, it's important to have the vaccines, but you still need to consider the people you live with, even if you are double-jabbed. It is hard not being with the people you care about, but you also need to consider the safety of others. 

View Technology Differently

Yes, you might be getting sick to death of using Zoom, but there are many ways for you to have those moments of connection, and you can use these to maintain some of your routines, whether it's cooking dinner or watching television. 

Talking About What the Future Holds

There are naturally many things you can discuss with regard to the future, but if you are struggling in terms of the physical sensations, there's no good substitute for it, but what you can do is talk to each other about the way you'd like to touch when you are together again. It may seem somewhat silly to talk about your favourite cuddling sessions, but it can be a very cute way to keep the connection alive. You can also work together to help each other relax, but it's also a great way to start planning the big things in your life. For example, you could start to plan the wedding and get the ball rolling with buying a home together, or just what your first weekend will consist of when you are reunited. 

No doubt, you are going through something very difficult, but it's something that everybody is experiencing in one way or another. Being separated is tough, but you can ease some of the pain by preparing for the future, and it's the hope that can keep your relationship and the spark alive.

However, there are actually a couple of good reasons to avoid fast fashion and some of them might surprise you.

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/dlxLGIy-2VU (CC0)

Many fast fashion brands exploit overseas workers

It’s become clear that fast fashion exploits overseas workers all over the world. Fast fashion is cheap because it uses inexpensive labour from overseas countries. Not only are these workers paid a very small amount for their wages, but there has been evidence in the past of gender-based violence in some factories that supply fast fashion companies with their apparel. More and more people are standing up to the shady practices that fast fashion companies engage in. They’re refusing to purchase from fast fashion brands because their processes aren’t completely transparent.

However, there are some fast fashion companies that are working to change their image. Whether or not they can completely detach themselves from exploitative processes remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the public is becoming aware of these practices and are actively avoiding fast fashion.

Slow fashion lasts longer because of high-quality products

Fast fashion tends to be made from low-quality materials, resulting in clothes that don’t last very long. They can rip and tear very easily, and they’re not exactly known to last longer than a season or two. This is why many people prefer slow fashion–it just lasts longer and is better value for your money.

Whether you’re looking for reputable traditional English boot makers or high-end fashion brands that are known for the quality of their garments, investing more in your clothes means that it’s going to last longer. Colours won’t fade, prints are better quality, the construction is superior and the designs are often timeless. If you really want to invest in fashion, then slow fashion is generally the way to go.

Fast fashion ultimately costs more in the long run

Fast fashion tries to capitalise on things like summer trends, and some of them will even collaborate with popular TV shows and cartoons to draw more people in. However, the quality of these clothes doesn’t change. No matter what fast fashion companies convince you to buy, a lot of their products just don’t last long enough, meaning you’ll need to keep buying cheap clothes over and over again.

Instead of buying a cheap pack of shirts from a fast fashion brand, you could buy one high-quality shirt from a reputable brand that will last several washes, hold its colour and design better, and even be more comfortable. Don’t get into a habit of buying cheap clothing products and then just replacing them in a few weeks–just buy better quality clothes.

Pixabay License

Free for commercial use

No attribution required

Looking for the best car insurance involves taking a number of different factors into consideration. One of the most critical factors is the level of cover the policy provides. A lot of people overlook comprehensive cover, as they deem it too expensive. Below, we reveal why upgrading to this type of insurance plan is actually a good idea.

Comprehensive car insurance is the most complete type of insurance plan you can find for your vehicle. While it can often be the most expensive type of policy, you need to consider how much money it can save you in the long run. Opting for the cheapest insurance plan you can find is often a false economy. If you find yourself in a situation whereby your policy does not cover you, you will end up spending much, much more than you would on comprehensive cover. With this type of insurance, you can even claim for accidents that are your fault. Insurance companies will also pay out when the fault of an accident cannot be proven, i.e. if you have been at work and come out to the car park to find your vehicle has been damaged. You will have the peace of mind you need, as you won’t have the worry of unexpected repair expenses. There are great companies out there for second-hand vehicles and parts like Ford car parts, but if you don’t have a good insurance plan in place, all of these savings could go to waste. Also, third-party cover isn’t always as cheap as it seems. This is because a lot of high-risk drivers go for this cover in order to reduce costs. This results in more claims, which means overall cover goes up. 

Should you take out a plan with a new insurer?

When it comes to insurance companies, opting for an experienced firm seems like the most sensible approach. However, new insurance companies can be enticing, as they often offer great deals to try and get people to take out a policy with them. Plus, if you need a specific or peculiar type of insurance, you may only have a limited choice of insurers to select from, which is another reason why you may be leaning towards a new insurance firm. Of course, when determining whether to choose the insurer in question or not, you cannot conduct the traditional search, i.e. you can’t look at their history, read reviews from past clients, or look for any news articles about the firm. However, this does not mean you should abandon due diligence altogether. You can research the people that have set up the insurance firm to ensure they are reputable and have experience. Also, your conversations with the insurance firm should be telling. If they are right for you, you will feel like their priority and you will feel at ease. Finally, you can still conduct the necessary assessments when evaluating the actual policy, i.e. looking at the level of cover. 

Image credit.

Did you know that the air quality in your home or office can be worse than outside? Many people don't know what they're breathing is making them sick. Air pollution levels are much higher indoors, and many pollutants are created by our own activities. In this blog post, we'll discuss how you can improve indoor air quality so that you and everyone else at your house or office have a healthier place to work!

invest in indoor plants

The plants in your house or office can help filter the air and improve its quality. Plants are great natural filters, so they'll remove some of those bad chemicals from the air! You may want to invest in some plants for your home if you don't already have any. 

You may be wondering, what are the best indoor plants for air quality? This is a bit difficult to answer because there's such a wide variety! You should just go and explore your local grocery store or plant nursery. With so many options, you're sure to find the perfect one soon enough if you don't know where to start. However, some popular choices include spider plants , bamboo palms, and English ivy.

control air humidity

Humidity is another important factor in air quality. When the humidity level rises, it can make allergies and asthma much worse. You may be able to control your local climate by opening or closing vents for a more even-temperature throughout the day. Or you could go with an electric humidifier if that's not possible!

You should also pay attention to how often you're running your heating unit--the heat will increase moisture levels indoors which makes things worse...especially on really dry days when there are no plants around to filter out some of those chemicals too! In addition, try not showering right before bed because doing so means extra water vapor being released into the bedroom overnight where our bodies breathe them faster than they would otherwise.

invest in cooking vents

Cooking is a major source of pollution indoors. If you're cooking inside, make sure to invest in some high-quality cooking vent filters so that all the chemicals don't linger around and get into your air!

The best type of filter will depend on what you use for fuel--whether it's electric or gas. You may need different filters depending on how often you cook.So before buying anything do research about what type of cooker you have at home/office because this will affect which kind of filter would suit your needs best...and then you can find out more about the different types of filters available on the market.

keep rugs and carpets clean

The last thing to discuss is keeping your carpets and rugs clean. This can be difficult because you may not know what type of material it is--but as long as it's not a natural fiber, then you should put some effort into getting those allergens out!

Carpet cleaning services are great for this--they have the right equipment that will make sure all the dust and pet dander doesn't get back inside the carpet when they're done. Although if your home has wool or silk carpets, then you'll need to use something like an air purifier instead (or vacuum them yourself). There are also certain types of flooring which come with pre-installed anti-allergen features too so make sure to look into that!

maintain a clean home

Moreover, make sure you maintain a clean home. It's important to keep your house and/or office as sanitary as possible so that the air quality is better! Make sure you stay on top of things like vacuuming regularly and wiping down surfaces with anti-microbial wipes once in a while--it'll help minimize those bad chemicals from lingering around for too long which means less respiratory problems and other such health effects later on.

In addition, try not to smoke inside or use toxic products because they will only add to the issues we're discussing here. Better yet, buy an air purifier or two if it can't be helped--they should filter out most of the dangerous toxins before they get into your lungs.

check air ducts

You should check your air ducts. If they're dirty then that can lead to increased levels of allergens which will make things worse if you have allergies and asthma! You may want to hire a professional service or clean them yourself--you just need the right tools for this (a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment is good enough) so don't feel intimidated by it. Either way, removing dust from those ducts is an important step in combating indoor air pollution!

change HVAC filters regularly

Make sure you change HVAC filters regularly. If the air inside your home or office is stagnant then that will make it harder for those chemicals to get out--and as a result more of them will stay indoors which means they'll be breathed in by everyone!

For example, if you're not changing your filter every month then the dust and allergens from outside will build up over time until there's too much left to breathe; but on top of this, the heated indoor air only exacerbates things because it speeds up chemical reactions so everything gets worse faster than before. This type of filter should be replaced at least once per season (every four months) so take some time each weekend and check whether yours needs to be changed or not.

let in fresh air

Furthermore, let in fresh air. This is one of the most important things you can do to improve your home's or office's indoor air quality--just make sure it bypasses any filters so as not to add more allergens into the mix!

For example, if you live near a busy street then try and open up windows every once in awhile; but for those who have allergies, just don't take risks because there are other ways to get that fresh outdoor air without opening them too much (for instance with an AirScrubber). If this isn't possible then aim for at least 15 minutes per day where these doors/windows are opened wide enough for some fresh air inside--it'll help freshen up your house and remove any stale odors.

Avoid odors

Additionally, you should avoid odors. One of the worst things to do for indoor air quality is smoke inside because it has been proven that breathing in second hand cigarette smoke can be just as bad (if not worse) than smoking a cigarette yourself! Luckily there are ways around this--such as getting an air purifier or simply using another room when someone is smoking indoors which will decrease your exposure levels and make them more bearable.

Furthermore, try not to use strong-smelling cleaners or chemicals so they don't give off those toxic fumes into the surrounding area; but if you must then open up windows afterwards so fresh outdoor air can get inside too. And lastly, remember that candles have their own risks since some of them are made of paraffin which can lead to increased levels of benzene.

regularly clean the pets

You should also regularly clean your pets. There's a lot of fur to dust and the air in homes with multiple furry creatures can sometimes be bad for our health; but more importantly, you'll need that pet hair removed too because it gets deep into fabrics which means allergens will grow from there!

This is one reason why I recommend using a vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment--that way any loose animal hairs (which may have accumulated over time) are easily sucked away so they don't make things worse by releasing allergy-causing proteins. And if you're not sure how often this needs done then just think about what type(s) of animals live inside: do cats shed every day? Do dogs require a bath every few weeks? Then you'll want to do the same with your own pets.

In conclusion, this post has covered how to improve your indoor air quality by swapping out HVAC filters regularly, opening up doors/windows for 15 minutes per day and avoiding strong odours. This is important because the more you know about improving IAQ then the better off you'll be--so make sure these steps are followed as closely as possible!

Photo by Curtis Adams from Pexels

Upgraded Security

Times are changing, and you need to stay aware of your surroundings and ensure that your family is safe and sound at night. Consider your security at the moment; is it adequate? Do you feel safe if you're home alone? If not, you may want to consider looking at different options regarding security systems. You can either go with an alarm, floodlights that light up the entire property upon sensing movement, or maybe even beams in the backyard to trigger your security systems. You can also get in touch with an emergency locksmith to have the locks changed if you feel too many people have a spare key by now. 

Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the house, and revamping it would mean your entire home would get an instant facelift. The kitchen is also where a family spends most of its time cooking, eating, and sharing some good conversation. To renovate a kitchen, you'll need to look at some inspiration to determine the look and feel you're going for - there are many styles for you to choose from, but be sure it matches the rest of your home! You definitely don't want a super modern kitchen if your house's overall feel is more farmhouse oriented. Try looking at different materials for the countertop, new cupboards, and maybe even a feature or two you've always wanted in your kitchen - now is your chance!

Exterior

While many people spend thousands of dollars renovating the inside of their home, few really think about the outside. However, there's a lot you can do to spruce up your home's exterior and make it look like it was built yesterday - one example would be giving the house a fresh coat of paint; maybe even two! If you're choosing to paint the house, ensure you buy a pigment fit for exterior use and withstand harsh weather conditions; otherwise, you'll be painting the house every other year! Another idea you can try out to enhance your home's curb appeal is by giving the front lawn a little manicure with some leafy greens and flowers - your front yard is just as crucial as your garden and should also receive some tender love and care from time to time!

These are just three of the many home improvements you can try out. But, security is always the most important, so be sure to take care of that before turning to the more aesthetic renovations! 

Image Credit

Pregnancy is a fascinating journey! It is a beautiful experience coupled with numerous bodily and emotional changes. And, it is a lot of hard work! You would be practically living for you and your baby. This is why you must ensure that your physical, mental, and emotional well-being is in excellent condition during this journey. For this reason, it’s imperative to practise self-care for a smoother pregnancy. The occasional foot rub.s are heavenly and necessary, but what other self-care practices can you adopt during your pregnancy? Here are a few self-care tips to help new and expecting mums during pregnancy. 

Move around frequently

It is usual for you to gain heavy legs during pregnancy, and looking at your swollen legs, moving around may not be your ideal way of practising self-care. However, exercising during your pregnancy is beneficial to both you and your unborn baby’s health. Don’t worry, no need to engage in anything strenuous. You can go for a 20-minute walk or follow a prenatal workout video at home. You can also consider joining prenatal yoga classes or go swimming occasionally. It is crucial to consult your doctor for advice on which activities are safe for you based on the stage of your pregnancy.

Visit a prenatal massage therapist

There are kinks and knots you get from a stressful week of work, but those are entirely different from what you experience during your pregnancy. This is why you need a prenatal massage therapist with the right skill set to give you relief. Prenatal massages help reduce stress, promote relaxation, and ease the mental strain. A study showed that women who receive prenatal massages regularly experience several benefits during labour and delivery. These women needed fewer pain relievers during labour and had shorter deliveries. So, if you thought going to the spa for a massage wasn’t a big deal before, you might want to reconsider your decision while you’re pregnant.

Watch what you eat

Another self-care practice you should consider during your pregnancy is nourishing your body. Although this is a self-care habit you should have every day, it is crucial to implement this practice during your pregnancy because it affects your unborn child. Be sure to add more fruits and vegetables to your meals. Foods such as spinach and salmon are also excellent components you should include in your meals. Since you are eating for two, you may be hungrier than you usually are when pregnant. Sustain your hunger levels by eating small portions of healthy foods and snacks throughout the day. If you need a sweet treat, don’t deny yourself some! However, it would be best if you took them in reasonable amounts to prevent any health conditions.

Learn more about your pregnancy

As a new and expecting mum, you would have so many questions about your pregnancy journey. What to do when, how to know what, do’s and don’ts of pregnancy, and so much more. A part of self-care is educating yourself. Learning more about pregnancy and what to expect is reassuring. This prevents you from being in a state of anxiety and confusion anytime you feel a kick or experience something new during your journey. 

Therefore, read about pregnancy from reputable websites and authors. It is also a good idea to seek advice from experienced mothers. Be sure to ask your doctor all your questions and concerns to get advice and rest your troubles and worries. Joining a support group is an excellent way of gaining reassuring information. These support groups are made up of expecting mums sharing the challenges and celebrations of their pregnancy journey. Being a part of the group gives you a support system you can rely on and makes your journey more relatable. 

Put yourself first

From the moment you become pregnant, most of the attention goes to the baby. Everyone is excited that you have life brewing in you, and it is indeed remarkable. However, there are so many changes you would be going through, which makes the process relatively harder on you. It is important to remember to make time for yourself too. Expecting mums usually feel terrible about putting themselves before their baby. You should think about it this way: if you are not okay physically, mentally, and emotionally, it would adversely affect your pregnancy. Therefore, once in a while, you should do something for yourself. You can go shopping, get a manicure and pedicure, or take a nice hot bath. If your social life seems to have been lost since the pregnancy, you should consider meeting your friends for coffee or a nice lunch.

Go outside

It is easy to have lazy days when you are pregnant- your body is to blame. Being cooped up indoors all the time does have adverse effects, especially mentally and physically. You can practice self-care by going outside to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air with your unborn baby. You can do this by taking a walk or simply taking a day to bask in the beauty of your backyard garden. Being outside is great for your mental and physical health. The time you spend in nature plays a significant role in reducing your cortisol levels and helps you stay calm and relaxed during your pregnancy. While you spend time outside, you can take the opportunity to engage in meditation. This allows you to practice breathing exercises while you benefit from the therapeutic ambience of nature. Spending about 15-20 minutes is all you need. Don’t forget to apply sunblock. 

Despite its beautiful and miraculous nature, pregnancy can be challenging, especially when you are new to it. However, these tips would make it easier for you to endure. Be sure to take some time during the week to put some of these points to practice. More importantly, be sure to depend on your partner, family, and friends to help you make the most out of this journey. Oh, and welcome to motherhood! Embrace the beautiful journey ahead.