It’s been over a month since we moved into our new place and we don’t have a single picture up on the walls yet! Yes, we’ve had all sorts of issues of a more pressing nature, but…. It’s not like we have to buy pictures – since we brought a few with us and my brother has offered us some as well.

Home Is Where The Heart Is?

So what’s keeping us from hanging up the pictures, besides our good old friend, procrastination? I was wondering about this when I came across an article from Laura Benko , a holistic design expert.

Laura’s article  examines whether your home decor reveals your anxieties.  She says that our anxieties manifest themselves in our surroundings. Interesting? I thought so.

Here’s what she has to say:

Fear of Success/Low Self-Esteem – is manifested in having artwork and mirrors hung very high. The feeling? You can never measure up.

Uncertainty – leads to surrounding yourself with loads of things, hoarding.

Fear of commitment – procrastination on buying more expensive stuff, hanging pictures etc.

Fear of change – you never update the decor – it’s been there since you first moved in.

Fear of losing control – being over-meticulous with order in your home. Anything out of place leads to anxiety.

Fear of failure – procrastinating on everything, leading to clutter.

Does this resonate with you in any way? Read the article to see what she suggests one can do to deal with these issues.

Photo credit: Free Images

Your bathroom is one of the most used rooms in your home. Whether it is designed for family use or as a place for relaxing in, it is important that your bathroom is tailored to cater for your needs. As the focal point in the bathroom, your choice of bath will be a critical success factor in achieving a bathroom you can love. Not only that, but your bath occupies a vital part in your daily life by helping you to get yourself ready for the day ahead and can also provide a haven for you to rejuvenate and invigorate the body and spirit after a stressful day.

Getting the Right Bath for Your Bathroom

However, choosing the right bath for your bathroom is not as easy as it you might think it is! These days, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to the selection of baths available to select from and as a result, all considerations must be carefully thought out before you make that purchase.

1. Size

Before you view any baths, be sure to measure the space that’s available in your bathroom so that you can choose the correct size bath for your bathroom. There are different sizes of baths for all bathrooms – both small and large – so don’t be put off choosing a bath if your bathroom is small. In addition, make sure that the size of bath you choose fits you too! Take the time to ensure that the bath offers adequate support to your head, neck and back.

2. Shape & Design

Baths come in a variety of shapes and designs, and your choice will be dictated by a combination of both the size of your bathroom and your personal preference. From traditional, rectangular baths to corner baths, Jacuzzi baths and free standing baths, there is a wide selection for you to choose from.

Consider what you will use the bath for – bathing, relaxing, washing children etc. A combined bath and shower may be the best choice for a more functional bath while a deeper, double ended bath that has taps and overflow in the center of the bath may be batter for soaking and relaxing in.

3. Material

You must also give some thought to the material from which your bath is made of. Baths can be acrylic, cast iron, porcelain, marble and fiberglass. The material you choose will depend primarily on your budget as baths made from marble and cast iron will be much more expensive than their acrylic or fiberglass counterparts. How often you intend to use the bath, its durability and how easy it is to maintain will also factor into your decision. What type of tiles or other materials you use on your bathroom floor and walls will also play a major factor in your choice of material so make sure to keep this in mind too.

4. Features

Nowadays, baths can come with a variety of features, but be warned that additional features will warrant additional cost so be careful that you don’t get carried away. You can choose baths that incorporate light and music with inbuilt digital controls.

Jacuzzi style baths are fitted with whirlpool systems, heating elements and water jets, which when combined offer you a luxurious spa-like bathing experience in your own home.

José and I enjoy the luxury of working from home. There’s something wonderful about being your own boss and having the flexibility to work when your energy levels are high.

Working from home is better for the environment as you don’t have to travel to an office on a daily basis. However, if you work from home you might find your energy bills go up. You still need to be conscious of your energy consumption if you want to save money and reduce your impact on the environment.

There are lots of ways to reduce your energy footprint when working from you. All it takes is a little thought, preparation and an awareness of the energy you are consuming on a daily basis. Here are 14 ways to save energy when working from home.

1. Switch your laptop off
Turn off your laptop and any appliances when you are not using them. Constantly leaving your computer or laptop on standby, as well as other electrical devices can drain a huge amount of energy. When you finish working for the day getting into the habit of turning everything off.

2. Use LED lighting
Check the lightbulbs in your office at home and if they are old replace them with LED bulbs. Paul at Saving Light Bulbs says “LED light bulbs are far more energy efficient and will last for years”.

3. Wrap up warm
Instead of turning the heating up when you work from home put some layers on. Your heating bills will go through the roof if you have the heating on during the day when you work from home all the time.

4. Only boil the water you need
Remember you are only making tea for yourself, not the entire office at work. Every time you make yourself a cuppa be aware of how much you fill up the kettle. Don’t constantly boil more water than you need.

5. Recycle paper
Have a recycle bin in your office at home and make a conscious effort to recycle as much as possible. Use both sides of each piece of paper if possible to reduce the amount of paper you use.

6. Have video meetings
Instead of having someone come and visit you at home, or travelling long distances to visit clients try and have video meetings instead.

7. Let the sunshine in
Don’t forget to open your windows and blinds in the morning, this will let more natural light in. The sunlight will keep your house warmer so you want need the heating on as much. According to the Channel 4 website “Daylight energises us, affects our mood and breathes life into the interiors of our homes”

8. Make sure your home is well insulated
Check that your home is well insulated so that it retains as much heat as possible. A drafty house with poor insulation will lose a lot heat and require far more energy to stay warm.

9. Buy energy-efficient office equipment
When you stock up on office equipment try and buy eco friendly products. Go for equipment that is energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

10. Be aware of your energy usage
One of the best ways to save energy is simply to be aware of your energy usage. Be considerate and only use what you need.

11. Be productive and work smarter
The more productive you are the less amount of time you will have to work each day. Work smarter not harder and organise your time effectively.

12. Condense your gadgets
Do you really need 15 different gadgets for work? Go through your numerous smart phones, tablets, laptops, computers and work equipment and review what you actually need.

13. Work in a cafe
Working from home all day every day can sometimes get a bit much. You can go a bit house crazy, sometimes it’s good to change your environment. Spend a few days a month working in a nearby cafe and you will also save yourself a few days worth of energy.