Tag Archives: family

Minimalist Home Decor: Simplify Your Life

This movement has been around since the early 1960’s. Like a lot of past trends, this one is making its way back into our modern lifestyle. Both in fashion, and in home decor. For some, it’s a lifestyle they decide to adapt for several different reasons; be it less clutter, cleanliness, or even because they just simply like it.

Several young couples today opt to buy a house, rather than rent. As we know, rent prices are steadily increasing while wages are not. However, that is material for another blog. Therefore, investing in real estate becomes the best choice.  With this is money-saving mentality, it’s only normal millennials seek out modern lifestyle choices that can be economical yet trendy.

Now that we’ve answered as to why this movement has become a new setting trend, we’ll now give you some examples, and tips on how become a minimalist yourself. Or at least decorate your house like one.

Tip #1: One room at a time.

The purpose is to get rid of clutter. Odds are you’ll have a lot of it in several rooms. Don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to figure out what you’ll be doing with every tiny little thing in every single room of your house. After all you’re trying to change to a perhaps different lifestyle, and doing that won’t happen overnight. It’s a process, don’t rush into it.

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Tip #2: Furniture.

If you’re moving into a new house than this might be easier for you, if you’re redecorating than there is some serious thinking to be done. What goes? What stays? Without compromising comfort or livability the essential question to always ask yourself is: “Do I need it?”. Think that sometimes less, is more. Whatever you find yourself thinking could be tossed/donated and don’t need, then do so.

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Photo by: Cyril Caton / Flickr: Creative Comons

 

 

Tip #3: Clean surfaces, walls, and floors.

Think of it as starting new. Don’t clean the floors and put everything “you think you will need in the future” in storage. Decluttering means getting rid of it entirely. This also means storage itself. Other than perhaps winter gear, there shouldn’t be too much in there. This goes with wall decor too. If you’re into art, then try to think of your living room as an outfit. Does everything match? It is too much? If there the answer for the latter is yes, then donate it or toss it. Keep it simple, and even cleaning will become easier and less of a hassle.

Photo by: Tom Baugis / Flickr: Creative Commons

Photo by: Tom Baugis / Flickr: Creative Commons

 

Tip #4: It’s not all black and white.

Although some people go with the classic white minimalistic type of decor, you don’t have to. The point is for your home to look clean and neat. Solid colors can help you do that. Same goes with the windows, for instance. Many people like to go for the floral, patterned window curtains. But, if you’re trying to stick to the decluttered look, go with clean, neat patterns. Or just one solid, simple color. Going with no curtains at all is also an option. Natural light is great, anyways.

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Photo by Jeremy Levine / Flickr: Creative Commons

 

Well dear reader this is where we end our post. Tell us in the comment section below what you thought, and if you see yourself in the near future being a minimalist or decorating your house like one.

 Find the original article here.

5 Hacks to Make Your Studio Apartment Look Bigger

Do you live in a loft? studio apartment? Do you see yourself living there for a while, or do you just like that style and can’t see yourself leaving it? Well, we totally understand, and we’ve got tips for you to make every square footage of that room count. Here are five hacks to make your studio apartment look bigger than it actually is:

 

1. Lighten up the floors

Yep, that’s right. Make your floors a lighter color. Paint them, or if you’re renting the place  and your lease won’t allow it, then a wide bright rug will do the trick just fine, as well.

 

2.  Clear it up

By this we mean, clear, see-through furniture is your best choice. Side tables with see-through legs. All these help into making it seem there is less space, or clutter. Try it out and tell us what you think!

3. Two-for-One

To some people this idea never seems like fun, but then again some people love the efficiency of it. Think of buying one furniture that doubles into something else. For example, your side table could also double as a bar. These not only save you space, but also keeps you and almost forces you to keep the space less cluttered  and more organized.

 

4. The walls are your friends

Well, it might sound silly but they are! They become extra space you can occupy. For example, hang your necklaces, towels, etc. Have that become another space that you can use. Here’s a tip: make sure everything has at least 5-8 inches of space between each other. The trick is to never make it seem like it’s cluttered.

 

5. Higher Up

Ok, so now we’ve used up your walls, floor, and even doubled-up some furniture use. Now, look up. Yes, the ceilings. No, we’re not hanging anything from there today (although we recommend you do—some interior decorators suggest hanging plants gives it a sense of more space to a room), but we will be painting it. If you are lucky enough to have a high ceiling, then feel free to paint it! We suggest you do the same color as your floor to lighten up the place even more.

 

Well reader, here is where we end our post. Hopefully, you’ve find it informative! Feel free to tell us if you’ve tried any of this and it’s worked! Or, if you’d like to add some more tips, feel free to do so in the comments below!

 

 

Find the original article here.

10 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Real Estate Agent

It’s not easy buying or selling a house. You’re full-time job is work enough. Imagine putting the pressure, stress, and extra work that comes with selling or buying a house. Cue real estate agent. Not only do they advise you on what’s best to their knowledge, but the best are experienced, and can help you get the best for your budget. Don’t stress and call a real estate agent. You won’t regret it! The top 10 Reasons To Hire a Real Estate Agent can be found on this infographic:

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Source: Keeping Current Matters. Find their website here. 

House Cleaning Facts: Men vs. Women

As homeowners, couples often get into arguments about who does the most cleaning? Often times people want to divide it 50/50 but it’s not always the case. Here are some numbers that finally tell us the truth. Take a look.

house-cleaning-facts_50290cdcd0213_w1500So dear reader, after looking at these numbers, would you say you agree? Do you do most of the cleaning or the least? Let us know!

 

5 Winter Activities to do in Minnesota

Skiing, ice-skating, and snowboarding are all famous activities to do in the winter. But, what else is there to do? Minnesota can be really cold during the winter, (understatement of the year?) and it’s normal to think that there’s not much to do other than sit around and read books. So, for those eager to go out and explore snowy Minnesota here’s a compiled list of 5 Winter Activities to do In Minnesota.

1. Visit the Holidazzle Village

Located in Downtown Minneapolis the Holidazzle starts off on November 28th with a parade, fireworks, lights, and a whole lot of singing. Although the parade only happens, to open up the festivities, the celebration continues. Take a stroll down Nicolette Avenue with family and friends, and you will come across the Holidazzle Village. It’s free of charge, and takes place from November 28th to December 21st. We bet we’ll be “dazzled”!

2. Go to Bentleyville,”Tour of Lights”

A successful and annual event in Duluth, MN. Be ready to be really cold!! Due to the Lake Effect Duluth is always a bit chillier than the Twin Cities.

If you decide to go to Bentleyville (which we totally recommend you do), put on extra layers and be ready to have fun! It takes about an hour to go through all the tour. But, people usually take up more time to stop for hot cocoa and cookies served throughout the tour. There is also the option of getting marshmallows, which you can enjoy over a fire with some hot cider. However, don’t take our word for it! Go, and let us know what you think!

3. Snowmobiling

After doing some research on where to do this, we came up that Ely, MN was one of the best places to go snowmobiling in. The trails seem to be famous, and one of them cross over three state forests! There are several options as to how long you can decide to go. For example, the 170 mile Taconite Trail, or the 80 mile Tomahawk Trail, both of them providing amazing scenic routes. There are other several options to choose from, of course, but those two seem to be the most famous ones.

4. Skijoring and Dog Sledding

What is Skijoring you ask? Well, if you’ve ski or dog sled before, you probably already have a good idea. Basically, Skijoring is skiing while you have a dog pull on you. Almost like a mix of dog sledding and skiing, if you will. There are six different parks at which you can do this at. All of them are under the link provided by the Three Rivers Park District. All six of them have different trails, and distances you can choose from.

5. Participate in the Saint Paul Winter Carnaval

This Carnival takes on a little later in the year. Starting off on January 22nd and resuming on February 1st, the Carnival is filled with family-fun, day-to-day activities. Mostly all taking place in Rice Park, you can expect a day with up to 23 different events all going on throughout the day. So, you can pick and choose whichever you want to go to!

The story behind the St. Paul Winter Carnival stars with a New York journalist describing St.Paul as “another Siberia, unfit for human habitation” during winter. Offended by the journalist’s remark, the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce decided to prove otherwise, thus the Saint Paul Winter Carnival.

So, dear reader that’s where we end our post. Have you done or are thinking about doing any of these activities? Let us know, and until next time!

Different Thanksgiving Traditions Around the U.S.

1. The Turkey Trot

It’s possible that most of us will be in a food coma after Thanksgiving dinner. Yet, there will be a few ambitious people out there who will want to enjoy a good run before the evening festivities even begin. Lucky for you the Turkey Trot is held nationwide. You have two options to either run the 5K, or if you’re feeling extra sporty you can choose to run the 10K. If you live in the Twin Cities and you’d like to burn those extra calories for the night’s upcoming feasts, then sign up here for Minneapolis or here for St. Paul!

2. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 

Now in its 88th year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become one of the most televised and most anticipated events of the holiday season. Held in New York City and attended by more than 3 million people, it is certainly one of the most popular events of the year. Worry not reader, if you can’t make it and join the other 3.5 million people in the Big Apple, there will be over 50 million tuning in to watch the parade on TV alone!

3. Plimoth Plantation (Plymouth, Massachusetts)

Serving as fun way to learn about history, the Plimoth Plantation offers various options from workshops for kids and adults alike to showcase what the 17th century celebrations might have resembled. We think a nice trip down memory lane would be an exciting new Thanksgiving tradition!

4. 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade

Parades are huge during Thanksgiving, both literally and figuratively! The 6abc- Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade is the oldest parade in the U.S., and has been widely known to have Disney stars performing in it. Can’t wait to see who’s performing this year!

5. Jamestown Settlement, Virginia 

If you’re all about history, you’ll love this place! The Jamestown Settlement has historical reenactments and shows, but also takes time to highlight the importance of the military’s involvement through U.S. history. Not to mention they have exact replicas of the settler’s ships – pretty cool!

6. Volunteering

This is of course a nationwide occurrence. Many philanthropists and do-gooders around the nation celebrate Turkey Day by either donating or volunteering to charities and special causes. If you’re one of them, then we have one more thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

7. Blessing of The Hounds  (Aiken, South Carolina)

Aiken’s century long tradition is filled with history – the annual event dates back to almost the 8th century! This tradition gathers hundreds of foxhounds and huntsmen that are all blessed under one priest. It’s definitely different than any tradition we’re familiar with – let us know what you think!

8. Wine County Thanksgiving  (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Are you all about that wine? Then you should definitely take a trip to Oregon! This vineyard opens its doors to families and friends, all gathered to celebrate the completion of another harvest!

9. Uptown Holiday Lighting  (Houston, Texas)

Are you a fan of pretty, twinkling lights? Then this is the place for you! This ceremony combines all the Christmas and Thanksgiving sprit in one big event. Fireworks, live music, and an exclusive Santa appearance makes this a great new potential Thanksgiving tradition!

10. The Hollywood Christmas Parade 

Want to be starstruck? Then you have to come to this event! This parade takes place the Sunday after Thanksgiving. So after all your Black Friday shopping is done, take a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard in your new outfit and you might get to see some of your favorite singers!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? We’d be thankful if you share them with us in the comments! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!