Getting your first home in shape

Tags

abode, achievement, bathroom, blank canvas, boring, box, brand-new property, budget, bugs, charity shop, colour, Congratulations, conservatory, costly, decorations, dirt, disinfecting, donated, dust and cobwebs, Dusting, embrace, essential furniture, family and friends, garage, glamorous edge, gold, gold frame, High Street, home, home owner., hoovering, house, instant life, keys, light, list, marathon, mirror, mortgage, moved, mustard, new, new kitchen, paint, pale grey, pink, polishing, pop of colour, pots and pans, property, property shows, replace, rooms, save, simple steps, small fortune, social media, soft white, sold, sprint, striking statement wall, strong blue, TV, unpacked, walls

Congratulations, you are a home owner.

There is something special about taking possession of the keys to your first home and it is certainly a huge achievement.

Turning a house into a home however, can be a costly exercise, but fret not, we are here with some simple steps that will allow you to make your abode your own without doubling the mortgage.

Clean out the dirt
Even if you have bought a brand-new property, we would suggest you go in and give your new place a thorough clean before you do anything else. Dusting, hoovering, polishing and disinfecting will rid your home of any dirt and bugs and give you a totally blank canvas for the next step of your life.

Don’t blow the budget on day one
Heading straight to the High Street the moment the last box is unpacked, isn’t the best plan. It might be boring but making a list of exactly what you already have, costs nothing and could save you a small fortune. Ask yourself whether you need everything you have already got, what can be moved into other rooms and anything you don’t need can be sold, given away or donated to the charity shop.

Paint the walls
A quick lick of paint is a super easy, pretty inexpensive way to give your home an instant lift and to give it your own stamp. We would suggest going for a soft white or pale grey that can run through the entire property. If you want to make a splash in one or two rooms, go for a striking statement wall in a strong blue, mustard or pink which will offer not only a pop of colour but a glamorous edge too.

Add light with mirrors
If you want to add bursts of light to your rooms and shimmer to your walls, mirrors are the perfect solution. Strategically placing mirrors on walls will add depth and light and also give an air of sophistication if you choose ones with a gold or wooden frame.

Call in favours
If this is the first home of your own, call in the favours when it comes to essential furniture, decorations and even pots and pans. Make a list of what you need and while it might not be perfect, you will be amazed at what family and friends have in their garages and shed gathering dust and cobwebs. Start asking around, put posts on social media and go to garage sales and boot fairs and you’ll have all you need in no time and can replace with new when the time is right.

Take it one room at a time
When you are ready to do some work, take it one room at a time. As you will have seen from the TV property shows, renovation projects can be costly, stressful and often take far longer than expected. Whether you need a new kitchen, the bathroom need replacing as the current one is a ‘70s shade of avocado or the conservatory needs taking down, start at the beginning and don’t take on more than you can achieve – this is a marathon not a sprint.

Relax
Last but by no means least, please relax. You only buy your first home once, so make sure you enjoy it and realise what a massive milestone this is. One of the best parts of buying a new house is the freedom to do what you like with it, when you want, so embrace it and have fun.

Team Pure Beauty

Advertisements

Random acts of self kindness

Tags

adult colouring books, beach, beautiful sunset, body, bubbles, Busy lives, candles, chill out, coffee with a friend, cortisol, craze, cup of tea and a slice of cake, drawing, drinks, easy, emotional wellbeing, facial, family and friends, feel good, feel good serotonin, feel-good boost, focus, grateful, gratitude, guilt, happy, investing, issues, just say no, light, list, listen to your body, love, magazine, manicure, massage, mediate, mental health, perk, phone, plans, pretty notebook, pub, quiet café, random acts, random acts of self kindness, reflexology, self kindness, self-compassion, self-help book, selfish, simple things, sugary cocktail, therapist, unhelpful feelings, week, weekend, worry, write

We all know that being kind to others can give you a feel-good boost, but what about turning the goodness in on yourself once in a while? Far from being selfish, random acts of self-kindness can give your body some much-needed love, a little self-compassion releases a dose of feel-good serotonin and the chance to sit back and take your foot off the cortisol pedal can only be a good thing?

We know this might sounds a bit ‘out there’ but bear with us and we think you will like at least one of the suggestions we have made and hope you will try it out for yourself.

Write a gratitude diary
Before you go to bed, write down your thoughts from the day and make a list of what has made you happy and those things that made you grateful. It could be having a coffee with a friend, watching a beautiful sunset or simply having a hot bath are just some of the simple things which help life look better. Buy a pretty notebook, make a list each day and you will be surprised at just how much good there is in your life.

Just say no
You might not think it, but it is OK to say no to plans from time to time. We know that people have busy lives and family and friends make constant demands but sometimes missing that party or those drinks in the pub really won’t matter and you will be surprised at how taking it easy can perk you up way more than a sugary cocktail.

Colour in
The craze for adult colouring books isn’t going away, and for good reason. Turing off from the demands of life and simply drawing in between the lines with nothing else to focus on or worry about can be really relaxing and slightly addictive.

Work on yourself
Investing in your emotional wellbeing and mental health can be one of the best things you do for yourself in the long-run. Whether you see a therapist to talk over your issues, have a reflexology session, or read a self-help book and put the ideas into practice, all of these will help you see you who are so you can be happy.

Have cake and tea
Find a quiet café, where no one knows you, take a magazine or book, order a cup of tea and a slice of cake and enjoy the moment.

Try a little retail therapy
Every once in a while, buy something just for you. This doesn’t have to be something extravagant but treating yourself to a unicorn mug, your favourite scented candle or a really soft sweater can remind you that you are worth it.

Have a massage
Every now and again, book a massage, facial or manicure and let someone else look after you for a while.

Chill out
Do a yoga class. Meditate on the beach. Be alone with your thoughts. These are ways that you can turn off from the world and listen to your body, you just need to find what works for you.

Drop the guilt
Too many of us are consumed with guilt and what other people think of us. Leave those unhelpful feelings at the door and learn to accept that you are human and perfect the way you are. Use your time for what makes you feel good and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.

Enjoy a bath
This one is super easy but often left off lists. Turn off your phone, pour bubbles into warm water, light some candles and let your worries melt away as you really let go and relax. Make Sunday night your escape night, a random act of kindness to yourself and you will end the weekend, and start the new week, looking after number one.

Team Pure Beauty

The Smart Guide to University Health

Tags

anti-depressants, antibiotics, antiseptic cream, be careful, big day, booze, cans of baked beans, chips, coffee, contraception, daunting, diabetes, epilepsy, exciting, Exeter, February half term, first aid, free and single, Fresher’s Flu, Fresher’s Week, fun, germs, halls, hangovers, health, Ibuprofen, ice, immune system, inhaler, laptop, life changing journey, long-term relationship, measles, meningitis, mum, mumps, new people, next of kin, NHS Website, NOK, Paracetamol, parties, pizza, plasters, plasters and antiseptic, pregnancies, red book, regular medication, research, safe, say cheese, shared house, St. Andrews, STIs, Student Union, taking out insurance, teeth, tetanus, UCL, University Medical Centre, Vaccinations, vitamin supplement, wash your hands, yoga mat, young

Whether it’s UCL, St. Andrews or Exeter, leaving home to go to university and making it on your own can be exciting and daunting in equal measures.

As well as taking out insurance, packing your laptop, cans of baked beans and yoga mat, we think it’s just as important to take a look at your health before you get in the car and start this life changing journey.

Life in halls or a shared house can be fun, but with mum not there to tell you to wash your hands (we know she still does) or your best mate to remind you to ‘be careful’ when you go on a date, things can soon slide, but we are here to make sure they don’t.

Vaccinations
Your red book will probably be safe in the loft, but before the big days arrives, do some research and just check that your tetanus, measles, mumps and meningitis jabs are all up to date. While you’re at it, the NHS website gives some pretty good advice on what to look for when it comes to symptoms for these illness, so grab a coffee and have a read, just to be on the safe side.

First Aid
Yes, we know this is boring, but packing a mini first aid kit might be a good idea. Paracetamol, ibuprofen, plasters and antiseptic can all be added to the family shop before you go away and you can store them in a biscuit tin and use when the need occurs.

Let’s Talk About Sex
Whether you are in a long-term relationship or are young, free and single, it is worth having a chat with your practise nurse about contraception for when you are away. There will lots of parties, and booze, when you hit Fresher’s Week and while hangovers go away STIs and pregnancies will last for longer, so be safe.

Regular Medication
If you take any other regular medication, maybe anti-depressants or you have an inhaler, make sure you get a supply of these before you leave and then find out who your local GP is or sign up with the University Medical Centre and store their numbers in your phone. Now, if you do have a long-term condition, such as diabetes or epilepsy, you don’t need to broadcast it to the world, but it might be worth giving your flatmates the low down and letting them know where any vital medicines are kept.

Say Cheese
Your teeth are important so have a check up and get any treatment done before you go to uni. You can also use this as a chance to book your next appointment for February half term and if you don’t think you’ll be back, ask your Student Union about local dentists and register, fast, and do the say with the local GP or

Get the Digits Down
Keep a number for next of kin in your mobile phone under NOK or ICE (‘next of kin’ or ‘in case of emergency’) and find out where the local A&E and drop-in health centres are and make a note of the numbers because you never know when you might need them.

Fresher’s Flu
You’ve probably heard the rumours about this one but many freshers go down with a cold type virus in the first half term simply because they are coming into contact with lots of new people and their germs. Try to eat a good diet (not just pizza and chips at midnight), drink plenty of water, take a vitamin supplement and if you can, do get some sleep as all of this will help keep your immune system strong. If you fall ill with a virus, antibiotics won’t help, so wrap up, get some rest and head to that first aid box you thought we were making a fuss about.

Whatever else you do, have fun and enjoy!

Team Pure-Beauty

First Date Rules

Tags

100%, airs and graces, alcohol, app, attention, authenticity, babysitter, bad joke, bar, bargain, be present, best friend, blushes, bowling alley, call, caution, charity shop, chemistry, cocktail, compare, crying, dangers, dating game, designer clothes, despondent, disappointed, drink, ex, expectations, first date, friends, fun, good impression, gory details, high-flying career, honesty, hurt, leave, longterm relationship, love at first sight, magic, nerve-wracking experience, nervous, new friend, one that got away, person, pressure, proposal, public place, respect, restaurant, romance, safety, set up, smile, stutter, text, texting, Tiffany, Tweeting, website, wedding speech

Whether you are meeting up as the result of an app, website or are being set up by friends, going on a first date can be a nerve-wracking experience.

We know it can be tough, so have put together some tips on how to get things right so you can save your blushes, and get away with your respect intact if things aren’t working out the way you hoped they would.

Manage Your Expectations
Even before you agree to a time and place to meet, it is a good idea to just take stock of the situation. While love, at first sight, can happen, in many cases you aren’t going to a proposal over that initial cocktail. High expectations are great, but they can create pressure and if the desired connection isn’t made, you can feel disappointed and despondent. See each date as the chance to meet someone new and take it from there and don’t have the Tiffany website on your phone just in case.

Think of Your Safety
We know your date is all about having fun, but you do need to think about safety, so plan to meet for the first time in a public place be that a bar, restaurant or bowling alley. Let a friend you trust know about your plans and call or text them when you are back home. It is easy to get carried away with the romance of a first date but there can be dangers out there so there is no harm in exercising caution at the beginning of something new. You might also want to have a friend who can phone you at a set time which can give you a reason to leave if you want to and don’t drink too much alcohol as you want to be aware of what is happening around you.

Keep the Ex Chat to a Minimum
If you don’t want to put the other person off, you probably don’t want to spend the entire time talking about your ex and don’t compare them to your date. If you are back in the dating game after the end of a longterm relationship, yes it’s fine to talk about that, but going into all the gory details, or even worse crying over the one that got away, won’t do you any favours.

Be Yourself
If you want to find someone who is right for, then you need to be yourself. There is no point in putting on airs and graces to impress someone, wearing designer clothes if you love a bargain from the charity shop, or pretending to have a high-flying career and huge home if that isn’t the case. People want authenticity and honesty and even if the chemistry isn’t sizzling by the end of the evening, by being you, you might end up with a new best friend who likes you just the way you are.

Be Present
There is nothing worse than spending time with someone who isn’t present and interested. While you might need your phone for safety reasons, or to keep an eye on calls from the babysitter, why not put it in your bag and give your date 100% of your attention. Leave the texting, Tweeting, and Instagramming for later on and be in the moment while you are on your date because hopefully, that is where the magic is going to be!

Remember, They Will Be Nervous Too
Let’s be honest here and say that we know that dating can be scary, especially if you’ve been hurt in the past. Dates with someone new can be a gamble for both of you, so if they stutter or tell a bad joke, give them a chance because they might be trying to make a good impression and that bad joke may well be part of their wedding speech one day!

We hope these ideas will help ease your nerves and make you see that you need to go out with an open mind and a smile and you may just be surprised at how your first date turns out.

Pure Beauty

Make the Most of Your Space

Tags

armchair, bigger, bold prints and stripe, books, bookshelves, bottles of wine, brilliant, cables, candles, cash, chalk paint, charity shop, cheap, clear out, coats and scarves, contracts, contrasting colour, cool coffee table, costs, deposits, desk, doors, dressing gowns and hoodies, dust, easy, expensive, furniture bible, hanging, hats, home, home decor style statement, inches, kid’s toys, kitchen cupboards, linen basket, lotions and potions, magazines, mortgage, moving house, newspapers, on-trend bookcase, packing boxes, paintings, plant pots, removal companies, rubbish, ruthless, small price, sofa, space savers, student, studio flat, the clothes airer, tidier, towels, Vacum bags, wardrobe, wooden step ladder, yoga mats

Moving house to simply get more space is extremely common, but it is also very expensive.

From deposits and contracts to removal companies and packing boxes, the costs soon add up. Rather than making a big move, we think that you might have more room than you imagines. Whether you are a student in a studio flat, sharing a maisonette with mates or doing the full monty and paying a mortgage, we have some ideas to help you make the most of the space, and the cash, you do have.

Be Ruthless
Before you do anything else, have a good old clear out. Go room by room and work out what you want to keep, what is gathering dust and can go to the charity shops and what is just rubbish and needs to go. You will be amazed at the number of newspapers, books, cables and pairs of shoes you have held onto for all the wrong reasons and are just cluttering up your space, and life too.

Push It High
You might look at the space in front of you, but what about the pockets of air in high places that are left to gather dust? The top of bookshelves, kitchen cupboards and bathroom cabinets are all potential space savers, but we don’t always think about using them. These are great places to stack your books, photo albums (if you still have them) and even store those winter jumpers you never really have room for. Vacuum bags are good for clothing storage and you can buy some pretty cool boxes that look good and hide a multitude of space sins. Win, win.

Use All the Spaces
People often talk about dead space, but you don’t want to think about things in this way. Whether it is the few inches under the sofa, the top of wardrobes or the beside your kitchen cupboards, this can all be used for tucking away magazines, yoga mats, the clothes airer and a many other things that need a home, but currently don’t have one.

Don’t Forget Doors
Doors aren’t just made to be opened and closed, they are also made for hanging things on. Investing in a few over the door hocks can give you a lot of space, for a small price. Think hats, coats and scarves as well as towels, dressing gowns and hoodies, and your home suddenly become a bigger, better, brighter place.

Get a Basket
Or two. Baskets are a brilliant, easy, cheap way to store things that don’t have a place right now, but that you want to keep. Magazines, kid’s toys, bottles of wine, shoes and so much more can all be put in a basket, and if you go for a contrasting colour to your walls, or find bold prints and stripes, you will make a home decor style statement too.

Think Out of the Box
That chest you have in the living room, as well as being a cool coffee table, it can also be home to your bulky winter coats. The linen basket can double up as a handy table for your lotions and potions, and a wooden step-ladder becomes an on-trend bookcase after a lick of grey chalk paint.

Be Inventive
Yes, bookcases were made for books, but they are also the perfect resting place for plant pots, paintings, candles and those trinkets you want to keep for sentimental reasons. At the same time, you can have a desk in the kitchen, an armchair in the bedroom and a chest of drawers in the study.

So, rip up the furniture bible of the past and go your own way to make more space in the home you live in and love.

Team Pure Beauty