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Any parent worries a lot about keeping their children safe. But, although you might worry about things like stranger danger or accidents, you might not give much thought to what your kids are doing online. Keeping your kids safe online is one of the most important things that you need to do if you want them to be happy and healthy. There are so many things that can go wrong, from fraud to grooming. However, the internet is also very useful for both fun and education. So how do you keep your kids safe without banning them from using the internet altogether?

Supervise Their Device Use

Banning your children from going online isn’t the answer if you want them to be safe. However, what you can do is make sure that you supervise them when they are online. When they are using any device that connects to the internet, whether it’s a computer, phone, or something else, make sure you’re in the same room. You can also set parental controls on different devices and on the apps or websites that they use. This ensures you know what they’re doing and prevents them from doing anything that you don’t approve of.

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Talk to Your Children

Open communication with your children is essential if you want them to be safe online. You need to talk to them about how to be safe online, and they also need to feel able to come to you if they have any concerns. You don’t want them to do anything in secret or be afraid to tell you about any issues. You can look for age-appropriate resources that will help you to start the conversation and continue talking about online safety as they get older. There are various issues you might want to discuss, from how to stay safe to being online in a healthy way.

Educate Yourself

If you grew up with the internet, you might feel like you know everything there is to know about using it safely. However, things can change quickly, and you can discover that it’s a different landscape compared to when the world wide web was still in its infancy. You might need to learn things like what an SMP Minecraft server is or how to use Discord, not just to help keep your kids safe but also to help them when they’re trying to do something. Be sure to keep educating yourself and learning what it looks like to be online as a child today.

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Spot the Signs of Problems

Being able to spot the signs of potential issues is important if you want to keep your children safe online. You might look for changes in your child’s behavior, both when they are online and at other times. Perhaps they are more anxious, sad, or angry than usual. You might feel like they are trying to hide something or you might notice inappropriate behavior. These could all be signs that you need to talk to them about what they are doing online.

Keeping your kids safe online can be challenging, but it’s important to teach them how to stay safe so they can learn healthy behaviors.

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If you enjoy making crafts, why not consider selling a few of your creations? Selling crafts could be a fun way to make some extra money on the side. It could even be a full time business venture. Below is a guide on how to sell crafts successfully. 

Types of crafts you can sell

There are so many different types of crafts you can sell. Some of the most common examples include:

• Jewelry
• Ceramics
• Artwork
• Blankets
• Rugs
• Clothing
• Furniture
• Ornaments
• Clocks
• Bath bombs
• Pet products

Signs you should sell your crafts

There are a few signs that it could be time to sell your crafts. You should consider selling your crafts if any of the following are true:

• Multiple people have told you that you should sell your crafts
• You’ve looked at crafts online, in stores or at markets and thought to yourself ‘I can do better than that!’
• You feel fairly proficient when it comes to your craft. You’ve mastered the basics and are often looking for new challenges.
• You’ve started to develop a distinct style that other people have complimented you on. Your creations have their own personality and they stand out from the crowd.

Know where to sell them

There are so many different places to sell crafts. It’s worth trying a few different avenues to see what works best for you. A few different ways to sell your crafts are included below:

• You could consider the old-school method of attending a craft fair. These are fairs where you rent a stall and get to sell your crafts in person. They’re great opportunities not just to sell your crafts, but to meet other crafts sellers and gain exposure locally.
• You could try setting up your own market stall at a general local market. This is generally the next step beyond a craft fair and will require you to constantly keep making creations to sell on your stall.
• You could set up an Etsy account and start selling your crafts online. This is probably the most popular option nowadays. Etsy is just one site for doing this – Amazon Homemade, Zibbet, iCraft and Folksy are other sites worth trying.
• You could try setting up your own social media pages and website to sell through. This is ideal if you want to set up a business and build an official brand.

Know how to price them

Your crafts need to be priced accurately – particularly if you’re thinking of turning your hobby into a full time business. This involves factoring the cost of supplies into the price, as well as the amount of hours poured into your crafts. This guide explains more on how to price your crafts.

Don’t be intimidated by the business admin

Some people are put off selling their crafts because they don’t understand the business admin that comes with it. However, there are so many online guides and advisors that can help with these admin tasks including application for a federal tax ID number and obtaining necessary licenses. Setting up a business bank account and downloading accounting software can meanwhile make bookkeeping easy. 

Maintain your passion

It’s so important to maintain your passion for craft if you decide to turn it into an income. Craft hobbies may be better suited as a side hustle rather than a main source of income for many people – having a main job to support you could allow you to sell crafts in your own time so that you don’t feel that you’re having to meet targets. If you do decide to turn your craft business into a full time business, make sure that you don’t lose your passion by creating things you don’t want to create – it’s important to vary up your crafts and still challenge yourself to make new things.

Are you tired of the same old food week in and week out? If so, it might be time to change things up in the kitchen. Cooking can be a lot of fun, but it can also get a bit boring if you don’t switch things up occasionally. Here are a few ways that you can change up your cooking and keep things interesting:

Try New Ingredients

One of the best ways to keep things interesting in the kitchen is to try new ingredients. This can be as simple as buying a new type of cheese or trying a new spice. Or, you can go all out and buy an entirely new ingredient that you’ve never used before. Either way, adding something new to your recipes is a great way to keep things interesting.

There are a variety of ingredients that you can choose from. For example, you may want to buy a new type of meat, such as chicken or fish. Or, you could try a new vegetable, fruit, or grain. Whatever you choose, be sure to look up some recipes that use the ingredient so that you know how to properly incorporate them into your cooking.

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Try New Recipes

Another great way to keep things interesting in the kitchen is to try new recipes. This is similar to trying new ingredients, but it takes things a step further. Instead of just adding something new to an existing recipe, you’re starting from scratch with an entirely new dish.

You can find new recipes in a few ways. You can look online, in cookbooks, or even ask friends and family for their favorite recipes. Once you have a few recipes in mind, be sure to give them a try. You may find that you love them or hate them. But either way, you’ll be glad that you tried something new.

When you are trying a new recipe, be sure to take your time. Read through the entire recipe before you start cooking. This will help you understand all the steps involved and give you a chance to gather all the necessary ingredients. For example, if you want to try a new crockpot garlic potatoes recipe, have everything you need on hand before you start cooking. This will make the process a lot smoother and prevent any setbacks.

Try New Techniques

In addition to trying new recipes, you may also want to try new cooking techniques. This could involve anything from using a different cooking method to trying a new ingredient preparation technique. For example, you could try baking your chicken instead of frying it. Or, you could try grilling your vegetables instead of steaming them.

If you’re interested in trying something new in the kitchen, there are numerous cooking techniques to explore. And the best way to find new techniques is to simply experiment in the kitchen. Don’t be afraid to try something new. You never know what you might like or how easy it is to do.

If you’re tired of the same old food week in and week out, it might be time to change things up in the kitchen. You can keep things interesting in several ways, such as by trying new ingredients, recipes, or techniques. So, get out there and start exploring the wonderful world of cooking!

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There is so much to do when moving houses, which explains the need for ample time to accommodate the processes involved. Unfortunately, it is not always the case, especially when circumstances beyond your control demand a short-notice move. It might be a new job out of state, a new city, or a sudden offer for your house that you couldn’t ignore. Moving on short notice is double the stress. The average person has moved 11.7 times in their lifetime, and if you find yourself in this situation suddenly, these suggestions can help.

• Focus more on speed than the organization of belongings.

Being organized will be your priority when you have enough time to move. On the other hand, being fast is usually more important when you have short notice. This allows you to meet tight deadlines and schedules. After all, when you finally move into the new house, there will be enough time to focus on organizing your items. This is not to say that your packing should be lackadaisical. You can prioritize the most important things, pack them carefully, and do the others later. 

• Avoid packing immaterial things or junk

Not having enough time means being fast over being organized. However, you would have to avoid moving with junk. Immaterial belongings can increase the cost of transportation. It also causes a delay in the packing process. These are your belongings, and you instinctively will know what’s good and what’s not. The best way to clear out junk is to make on-the-spot decisions concerning what goes to the removal services. Statistics show that many things considered junk in homes are belongings people attach emotions to. However, all they do is create clutter. Moving with the same items equals transferring clutter from one point to the next. You can reach companies like Evergreen Junk Removal services on short notice to remove your junk.

• Enlist help from your support network

There is strength in numbers. Getting friends and family involved in the moving process can help reduce the number of tasks you would have performed alone. Packing up an entire house or apartment can be overwhelming. Moreover, the short notice does not help in the stress department. Therefore, enlisting help from your network can ensure that the move happens in a limited timeframe.

A trusted support network can greatly help, especially when you have pets or young kids. When you must move at short notice, having an extra set of eyes on your young kids and pets would be helpful. The last thing you want is to deal with an overactive child or a pet rummaging through your packed boxes.

• Find an expert removal company

This is the most important part of the moving process. It can be tedious to convey your boxes in your car without them. Even when friends help, they may not have the appropriate vehicle designed for the desired purpose. An expert removal company will therefore come in handy for your move. The tip here is to contact companies who offer short-notice services.

That may help reduce costs compared to regular moving companies requiring booking in advance. Another thing to keep in mind is availability. Even with short-notice movers, it is important to know their availability on the same day you need them. When you assume they would be available on any day, you risk getting disappointed. This should be the first thing you do when you know there is limited time to move.

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The success of every business relies heavily on its ability to attract customers. However, it is arguably even more significant for restaurants. Without diners, you will not gain any revenue. Worse still, a large percentage of your stock will be perishable foods that would cause further financial waste.

Consequently, then, there is no choice but to find ways of increasing the number of bookings you gain. While new signs and a revamped interior design can help, you first need to get diners into the building. Here’s how.

Rebuild your website

A strong website may not seem overly important for restaurants. However, modern diners will start researching their options ahead of a date night or catch up with friends. A dedicated restaurant website design company can help you take advantage of this fact. An attractive site that offers easy navigation, viewable menus, and tasty photos of your recipes will work wonders.

When the website looks appealing, it can significantly boost the excitement that diners feel. In turn, this can lead to more bookings – especially if you incorporate a bookings page onto the site.

Focus on gaining local awareness

In the same way that a great restaurant counts for little if nobody visits, a website is pointless without traffic. Therefore, it’s vital that you focus heavily on the local SEO aspects. This will ensure that the restaurant ranks prominently when people run searches for places to eat in the area. Gaining your inclusion to online directories can be another key step. After all, many diners still look there.

One of the big mistakes that restaurateurs make is that they opt for organic search. The key is to focus on local audiences as this is where most of your diners will come from. Even PPC ads should target people in your city.

Connect to online deliveries

If your business model has previously focused solely on dining in, you may want to branch out. Offering take out will solve two issues. Firstly, many people feel that eating at home is cheaper as they can avoid drinks and travel costs. Secondly, if your restaurant is full, it means you can continue to make sales. In many cases, you’ll see far more customers who never visit the venue.

Thanks to online tech, people can order food from the comfort of their smartphones. Partnering with the food delivery companies and services can transform your venture. And you won’t need to hire drivers yourself.

Embrace the power of recommendation

We have all tried at least one restaurant following the recommendation of a friend. Or after seeing a video online. Your business can use this powerful marketing strategy by running an affiliate scheme. Or gaining testimonials. As long as you show diners your appreciation, they will respond. You could offer a 10% discount on their next visit in return for a review. It will get them to come back too.

Another option is to consider influencer marketers. They can tell their audience about your great food through articles or social media clips. If their audience comes from the local area, your bookings should soar.

When you have a family to look after, you’ll always want to know that they are going to be as happy as possible with the communal home. As long as that is the case, it is normally going to indicate that they are much more likely to enjoy being there, which is obviously a really important thing to be aware of here. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the ways you can hope to ensure that your family is genuinely happy with the home. As long as you do these, that is going to be much easier.

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Having Fun

One of the main things you can do to ensure that your family is much happier with the home is simply to ensure that you are all having plenty of fun there as much as possible. As long as you do that, it’s going to mean that the family unit is a lot more likely to be happy as a unit and also as individuals, which is obviously important in all of this. So make sure that you are spending lots of quality time together in the home, and you will find that it helps you out a lot in this regard.

Moving Home

Sometimes, it’s necessary to simply move home in order to make sure that you are going to find the best possible home for your needs. You might be surprised at how much this can actually help, and it’s important that you are always at least keeping this in mind, because it might be something you want to fall back on from time to time at least. Click here to see examples of the kinds of properties that you might want to consider for your family home, so you at least know what’s out there.

Keeping It Clean

The cleaner that you can keep the home, the more likely it is that you are going to have an effective and happy home, so this too is something that you should think about – and luckily it’s the kind of thing you can work together on as a family to help ensure that it is going to work. As long as you are cleaning up behind yourselves, and carrying out a deep clean every now and then too, you should find that it is relatively simple and easy to keep everyone happy at home as well.

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Minimalising

On top of all that, there is also much to be said for simply making sure that you keep it as minimal as you can too. If you are able to do that, it’s going to mean that you’re much more likely to have a happy home, because the more you have, the more complex it becomes trying to keep yourself and everyone around you perfectly happy. This really does make a huge difference, so it’s something you should make sure you are focused on as best as you can be at all times.

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Now might be the ideal moment to start planning that relocation because the property market is busier than it has been in a long time. With so many potential buyers, you want to ensure that your house stands out while also getting the best price. If you feel you are ready to sell your home then there are some things you want to put in place to make sure it sells quickly and isn’t sat with a for sale sign outside for months and months. These are some great tips to help your property stand out. 

Deep-clean the home

Initial impressions are important. Don’t let unpleasant odours, filthy flooring, or dusty surfaces have a negative impact on potential buyers. Give your home a thorough cleaning before advertising it (and continue to do so during the selling process). This entails scrubbing bathrooms, wiping down counters, mopping floors, washing rugs, and cleaning the toilets. To make certain that your house is in tip-top shape, think about hiring experts. 

Set a fair price 

Don’t let the agent who promises to sell your house for the highest price influence you. Although it could be alluring, overpricing the property will just drag out the process and force you to lower the price at a later date. According to a recent study we conducted, your chances of selling your house were doubled if you sold it for the initially published asking price. Also look at what others think, so looking at these ratings may want you to sell with top-reviewed people who will be able to get you a good and fair price. 

Establish Curb Appeal 

Your house needs to leave a strong first impression. You want potential buyers to believe certain things when they approach your house “Wow! I could live right here!” Make sure the outside of your property is kept up, clean, and appealing to encourage purchasers to check out the interior. Maintaining the yard includes keeping the grass mowed, edging the pathways and paths, maintaining the flowers and plants, and touching up or totally repainting the trim. You never know when interested shoppers will pass by.

Let the light in

Upgrade your light fixtures, install more fixtures, and leave all lights on during viewings because the light is very important to purchasers. More light may be brought in by simply cleaning the windows and making sure that the blinds and drapes are drawn all the way back and not blocking the sun. Cut, remove, or prune any trees or plants that cast too much shade. Light-reflecting finishes like light-coloured walls, floors, and ceilings help give the impression that a space is larger.

Protect valuables 

Keep your possessions hidden, whether they are works of art or jewels, by locking them away or storing them elsewhere. Even when you’re trying to sell your home, you can’t always trust the people that come in. There isn’t much a seller can do to recover items that have disappeared during an open house. Be careful to conceal your valuables or to relocate them to a secure location outside of your home.

Windows have more functions than just allowing outdoor air and light to enter a building. They can be a striking design feature and add to your home’s architectural aesthetic if you choose carefully. 

You might think that windows are just windows and there isn’t a lot you can do to improve them, but this is not the case. There are many ways you can make the windows in your home look stylish and beautiful and still ensure they do their job – read on to find out more. 

Photo by Waldemar Brandt

Use Different Colored Window Frames

For a long time, white was the most popular color for windows, no matter what they were made of. However, since there are now more than 200 different colors of aluminum windows on the market, it seems almost a shame to stick with white when you could have something that offers you so much more in terms of your home’s overall look. Learn more about your different options here. 

Powder-coating aluminum, durable and varied external wood stains, and even paints that can be used to update uPVC windows have all led to a rise in the number of homeowners who are opting for different colored windows. Consider painting your front door the same color or in colors that go well together for a well-designed home that looks great from the street.

Change The Height And Width Of Your Curtains 

There is no hard and fast rule about how far above the frame curtains should be hung. Install long drapes just below where the ceiling meets the wall to make it look like the floor goes all the way up to the ceiling. You can also use a longer curtain rod (more on this later) and hang the drapes at each end to make the room wider. Both effects trick the eyes and make it hard to tell where the window begins and ends.

Blinds can also be used in this way. Look for blinds that are three to four inches longer on each side than the window. This method is great for windows that aren’t a standard size, especially if you want something like woven blinds that can’t be easily cut to fit.

Switch Windows For Sliding Doors

In recent years, the introduction of extra-wide bifold and sliding patio doors has revolutionized the way that natural light can be brought inside the home. One great idea to make an indoor-outdoor kitchen and terrace more social is to use these larger doors to form a “glass wall” that can be stacked or pulled back into a wall pocket.

No matter where you choose to install these doors, if you put them in place instead of windows, you will automatically change the look of things, and you’ll find that your home is more user-friendly. It’s a win-win situation that you’ll love. 

Use Layers 

What if you already have blinds, but now you’re looking for something different? Adding layers to your windows is a simple way to make them look better. For example, you may already have a window film or blinds in place, but to make the room look more elegant, add another layer of curtains. It will protect your privacy and let in as much light as possible. Adding layers always makes something look more interesting, as it offers plenty of textures and makes them look unusual. 

Remember that curtains should be made of light materials, like light cotton. Try out these ideas, and your house will look better right away.

Think About Furniture Placement 

Putting your furniture in a way that draws attention to your windows is another way to make your windows (and the rest of your home) look great. Arrange the furniture so that the window is in the middle of the arrangement. Place low pieces of furniture directly in front of the window to bring attention to it without getting in the way of the view.

You can also put furniture next to or facing the window so that you can sit down and enjoy the view. And if you have a piece of furniture that stands apart from the rest of the room, put it in front of and in the middle of the room’s main window to attract attention to both the furniture and the view outside.

You might also want to leave some space around your windows so that you can easily stand by them and look out.

Replace The Rods

If you want to dress up small windows, this tip is for you. Hang your curtain rods high and wide to make your windows look bigger than they are. Curtain rods can be made wider by adding double rods that stick out three to six inches on each side of the window frame.

Install your curtain rods four to six inches above the window frame or half the way between the frame and the ceiling to give them more height. This rod placement will make your windows look bigger and let more natural light into your home without the curtains getting in the way.

Clean Your Windows 

Check that all of your windows are spotless. Yes, it might sound as though this is an obvious piece of advice, but the fact is that we are all guilty of not cleaning our windows as often as we should (and sometimes not at all). After all, it’s not a fun job, and it’s something many of us will put off for as long as possible. 

However, if you clean your windows once a week, you’ll find that everything changes. That view you weren’t keen on suddenly becomes beautiful because you can see it better now. And more sunlight comes into your home because there isn’t a layer of dirt between it and you. 

You can hire professionals to clean your windows for you, and this can be a good idea if they are high up, but you can also do it yourself using eco-friendly homemade cleaning solutions and newspaper. The choice is yours, but if you do it, the results will be stunning.