Home safety is something we sometimes take for granted, right? I mean, I lock my doors at night and keep the batteries in our smoke alarms, but I don’t always think much more about it. We tend to worry a bit more about making sure our homes have a little wow factor, right? But the stuff that actually keeps your house from going up in flames or flooding the kitchen isn’t always obvious. It’s little chores that can easily be forgotten that can actually keep your home safe.

Here are a few simple things that are easily overlooked but actually make a big impact on your home’s safety:

Heavy Furniture that’s Waiting to Tip

If you have kids, especially smaller kids, dont’ neglect this one. After all, your furniture looks solid until a kid decides to climb on it or someone slams a door a bit too hard. While securing furniture sounds like a DIY project you’d rather put off, it takes all of five minutes and stops you from worrying about your TV stand collapsing. 

What Are Your Vents Collecting?

Lint is a huge fire hazard. While I always fuss at my kids to clear the fluff trap in the dryer, that’s not where the real mess hides. Lint builds up in the vents, and when the machine overheats, it’s a dangerous situation. If you can’t do it yourself, you can look into a dryer vent cleaning service. Just keep those vents clean.

How Old is Your Water Heater?

I’ll be honest, I don’t think much about my water heater. I just turn on the tap and believe the hot water will flow. Until it doesn’t. And the thing is when they go out, you could have a lot more than cold showers to deal with: flooded basements and high repair costs, just to name a couple. So, keep those water heaters checked on a regular basis!

Everyday Clutter

Let’s face it: almost all of us have that corner. The one stacked with cardboard boxes, half-sorted donation bags, or the pile of papers you swear you’ll deal with “this weekend.” It looks harmless, but where is it? Is there an electrical socket nearby? Papers are flammable, y’all.  Are they in the closet? Lack of ventilation could cause them to mold. And, there’s a reason they call us “packrats.” Rodents love to nest in clutter, so when we leave it out, we’re extending an open invitation for mice to make themselves at home.

Taking care of these simple things will create a safer and healthier home for you and your family.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post Simple Chores that Make Your Home Much Safer first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

There’s no way around it. One of the hardest things about having a home is maintaining it. There’s always something to do. There’s always something to fix. Things happen. Pipes burst. Toilets overflow. Kids take markers to freshly painted walls. 

Homeowners’ to-do lists stay long.

So, how can we make it a little easier to maintain our homes? Here are a few simple suggestions:

Learn some DIY

One of the first things you can do is take the time to learn some DIY. Your home WILL have issues from time to time, and being able to address some of them on your own will save you a lot of time and money. Being able to do stay on top of the little things as they come up will prevent small problems from becoming big ones.  

Declutter

One thing that can be overwhelming in your home is clutter.  Just because our homes have space, doesn’t mean we should fill all of it. Clutter not only makes us feel overwhelmed in our homes, but it can also keep us from noticing problems that need to be addressed. Make a plan to declutter twice a year. Summer and winter are good times to do it, but daily decluttering of things like papers, receipts, mail, and kids’ doodles will help keep the clutter down.

Maintaining Your Appliances

Let’s face it: new appliances are expensive, and they don’t seem to last as long as they used to. Recently we had to replace our washer, dryer, refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher all within a few months, and I do not want to have to do that again! There are some simple ways to keep your appliances in good repair, and one of them is having some washing machine cleaner on hand. Dishwasher cleaning tablets also help prevent limescale and build-up. Not only will things like this help your appliances last longer, they’ll work better, too.

Organization

Organization is everything when you have a home that always seems to be messy. You know what they say, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” I just wish I was better at keeping things in their place, but I will say this after 20 years of parenting: if things have a defined place, it’s much easier to get your kids to help clean up. There’s no confusion about what they need to do when you say, “Put the toys away.” They know exactly where the toys should go. And, organization can be beautiful. There are so many lovely things you can use for storage. Labels for your pantry are a great place to start. Keeping things organized allows you to spend just a few minutes tidying because you know where everything is going to go, as opposed to having to spend an hour or two tidying because you have to figure out where to put everything.

Focus on Convenience

Another thing you can do is focus on convenience. There is no way to get around the fact that floors need thorough mopping, but to keep on top of things, having a spray mop available for quick cleanup is also a good idea. The same concept applies to your vacuum cleaner. You don’t necessarily have to haul out your vacuum cleaner every time there’s a little something like crushed goldfish on your rug. Simply use a handheld vacuum instead. It’ll make it easier to get crumbs vacuumed up instantly and can also make it easier to get rid of the cobwebs that might be around your home, too. 

Brush your Pets

Take it from someone who suddenly has cats inside my house: pet hair is a constant problem. To help control it, you have to brush them on a regular basis. Not only does this help keep hair from accumulating, but it also helps your vacuum because I don’t care if it says it’s good for pet hair. It can’t keep up.

Get some help if you need it.

Finally, remember: if you are having a hard time keeping things clean, you can always hire a cleaner. They don’t have to come every week. Maybe you just need help preparing to host your family for the holidays. Maybe you just need someone to clea out a closet and organize it for you. You know, to do the thing that’s overwhelming you. Let them.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post Simple Ways to Make your Home Easier to Maintain first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

It’s a modern mystery: with all of the helpful gadgets we have, we should have more free time than ever, yet actually, the opposite is true. Perhaps it’s because we have to spend more time driving to work than people did in the past, or perhaps it’s because smartphones have led to an always-on culture that can make you feel like you’re kind of at work even when you’re out of the office.

Whatever it is, the result is that many of us perceive that we have less free time than ever. You can’t magically shorten your commute, but there are things you can do that’ll give you more free time at home once your workday has finished. A few simple strategies might help you gain multiple hours of leisure time every single week. 

Get Smart About Meals 

It’s sometimes nice to spend an hour or two cooking up a delicious meal, but being in the kitchen is also sometimes the last thing that you want to do, especially after a long day at work. One way to get around this issue without either going hungry or relying on fast food is to spend some time batch cooking meals and storing them in your freezer. You can get an entire week’s worth of meals from just a couple of hours’ worth of work. It requires a bit of effort, but you’ll thank yourself when you arrive home after a busy day and all you need to do is heat up the food. 

Hire a Cleaner

Everyone wants to have a clean home. But here’s the thing: while you absolutely want to have a clean home, no law says that it has to be you who cleans it. Hiring a cleaner offers a convenient and, as Sparkly Maid points out, affordable way to keep your property looking its best without you having to lift a finger. If hiring a cleaner isn’t an option, then you can optimize your cleaning by spending ten minutes a day wiping down surfaces and tidying things up — you’ll still need to spend some time cleaning, but it’ll feel a lot more manageable than spending 2 – 3 hours tidying up because things got a little out of hand. 

Get Your Groceries Delivered

If you are like most Americans, you need to get behind the wheel and drive a few miles to go grocery shopping, then it’s possible that you’re spending a lot more time than you’d like ensuring your fridge is full. One convenient way to get around this is to have your groceries delivered. All you’ll need to do is make your order and wait for the food to turn up — and just like that, you’ll have saved yourself plenty of time, which you can then use to spend time with family, catch up on TV shows, or enoy your hobbies…whatever they may be!

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post 3 Simple Ways to Have More Free Time At Home first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

Let me let you in on a little secret: you don’t have to have a perfectly styled home for it to feel good. 

What’s important is that it is a reflection of you. Adding in the right details and a touch of personality can make it lovely and comfortable, and you don’t even have to totally redecorate. 

Here are a few easy ways to add personality to your home without a lot of effort or expense.

Mix Old and New Pieces 

You don’t need to start buying everything brand new or stick to one aesthetic when it comes to designing your home. Adding a vintage chair next to our modern sofa can help to bring balance to your home and create an interesting space. Adding a classic rug under a nice dining table can also make your room come together a little bit more.

Mixing old with new helps to bring depth into your home, so rather than looking like a show home, it looks like something that grew with you over time. This helps to add personality, too. 

Make Use of Color 

Neutral palettes have often been all the rage, but adding in subtle pops of color can change how your room feels. Simply adding in a few bright  throw pillows or a deep-toned blanket to your sofa is an easy and safe place to start. Color can change the mood of your home without overwhelming it, which is a great way to dip your toes into the colorful end of the proverbial pool.

Accent walls are another simple way to bring color to a space without going all in. For example, painting just one wall a darker shade can help to add drama but keeps the rest of the room feeling bright and allows light to travel around the room. Some people like to use removable wallpaper as it can give you the same effect but can be easily removed. 

Add Greenery Without the Maintenance 

Plants can bring life into any space, but not everybody has the time to look after them properly. Fortunately, there are some really beautiful artificial options out there. Buying bulk silk flowers is one of the easiest ways you can add greenery and color to your home without worrying about whether they’re getting enough sunlight or having to water them all the time. 

Silk flowers have certainly come a long way, and when they are arranged well, they can still look natural and last for many years. Buying them in bulk helps keep the cost down, while giving you options for different seasons as well.

Here’s the thing: You don’t have to follow all the latest trends to keep your home looking good and feeling personal. Take ideas from others, for sure, but also own your space and create something that is uniquely yours.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post Easy Ways to Add Personality to Your Home first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

If you are looking for a great way to spend quality time with your family, planning a movie night is one of the easiest and least expensive ways for the whole family to have a great time. It can even become a weekly ritual, but it never has to be boring or mundane, just because it’s easy. You just to elevate the experience a little bit to make it more memorable. Themed snacks, matching pj’s, or blanket forts are simple ways to do it.

Of course, there’s also a lot to be said for keeping it simple, and the suggestions below can help you do just that.

Picking a Movie

You can’t have a movie night without a great movie. For some families, picking a movie takes almost as much time as actually watching it. But there are a few methods to make this much easier and less stressful.

For starters, pick the movie in advance. Don’t wait until you’re ready to watch because it could take ages to choose one and, honestly, you’re just asking for conflict if you wait until the last minute. If there are arguments about what to watch, get your kids to take turns choosing a movie. There might still be an argument, but at least it gives you a good way to shut it down.

If your family can’t decide, create a shortlist of the favorite movie options and either pick names out of a hat, do a vote, or work through the list over a few movie nights. You could also introduce them to some of your favorite movies from your childhood. The stories will still resonate with them, and the lackluster effects will make them laugh sometimes.

You should also look through different streaming services to make sure that the movies your kids want to watch are listed. Try to avoid the same movies over and over again, so if necessary, give your kids a list of movies you’ve selected for them to pick out.

Preparing Snacks

Okay, the movie is picked and ready to go. What next?

Well, you can’t have a cinema experience without movie snacks. You can always buy snacks like popcorn, chips, sweets, and soft drinks so that you’re ready to watch in the evening. Make sure everyone can easily reach the snacks so there are no fights during the movie. You can get cute popcorn buckets for everyone at the dollar store or on Amazon.

Another option is to make movie snacks at home. These range from popcorn you pop and flavor at home, to nachos, to pizza, to whatever else you fancy. You can also make some healthier options so that, while it’s still a treat, it’s not something you can’t do more often. For really special nights (maybe when there’s a movie everyone’s been waiting to watch), consider themed snacks. Butterbeer for a Harry Potter marathon or gummy worms for How to Eat Fried Worms, etc.

Setting the Scene

The movie is set, the snacks are prepped, now all you need to do is set the scene. Dimmer lights are a great option for this because they let you create a cinema atmosphere while still making sure you’re not plunged into complete darkness. 

Blankets and duvets can be a great addition to an especially cozy evening and can really add to the sleepover experience. 

If you’re having more of an event, you can even have a themed movie night where you invite people over, and you might wear costumes, play games before the movie, and eat snacks that suit the film you’re watching.

The post Planning a Movie Night In With Your Family first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

Every parent wants their children to feel their absolute best and thrive. Childhood is a time of huge changes; kids grow fast and develop quickly. So, it’s important to keep track of your child’s development and address any health concerns when they arise. Ensuring that your child attends regular health checks plays a vital role in this, but knowing which health checks your child needs and why they’re important can be confusing. Here are some of the health checks that kids don’t need to miss:

Well-Child Visits

Well-child visits are periodic health checks that all kids need. These visits should be done more often when kids are very small but can be done once a year when they’re older. During the visits, your child’s health and general development will be checked. These checkups are a great opportunity to ask any questions you might have about your child’s development. Of course, if you have any immediate concerns, it’s always best to schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor than to wait for their next well-child visit. 

Hearing Tests

Hearing tests are a crucial check that your child should have regularly. There is a strong connection between pediatric development and hearing assessments. Undiagnosed hearing loss can have a major impact on children’s development. Being unable to hear can cause communication difficulties and directly affect a child’s speech and language development. 

Regular hearing tests during childhood are an excellent way to detect hearing loss quickly. When hearing loss is diagnosed early, it’s impact on the child’s general development can be reduced through interventions.

Vision Tests

Just as it’s important to have your child’s hearing tested regularly as a baby and during childhood, it’s equally important to schedule vision tests. Eye exams can help you spot vision problems and eye conditions that if left untreated could impact children throughout their lives. Some conditions such as amblyopia, better known as a lazy eye, are treated most effectively when kids are young.

It’s always crucial to notice vision problems early to avoid having them develop into bigger issues. Problems with vision can become more of an issue if they aren’t picked up until after a child has started school. Spending all day reading, writing, and looking at a board can cause kids to suffer from headaches and eyestrain if they don’t have the correct eyeglass prescription.

Dental Checkups

Lastly, it’s essential to get your kids’ teeth checked by a dentist regularly. Making sure that they’re brushing at least twice each day and doing it correctly is also vital to protect their oral health. Getting kids used to visiting the dentist from a young age is a great way to keep their teeth and gums healthy for life. Also, it will help reduce fear of dentist visits later if they have good experiences when they’re young!

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post Essential Health Checks for Your Little Ones first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

Flowers can literally breathe life into your decor. There are so many different types of flowers you can choose from and so many different ways to display them around your home. This post offers a few tips on how to spruce up your home with flowers. 

Add energy with warm colored flowers

Warm colors like red, pink, orange and yellow can add a burst of energy to a room. They are recommended in rooms where you want to encourage social activity or do physical tasks such as living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens. Make sure to consider the colors that are already used in the room and try to complement these.

Create calm with cool colored flowers

Cool colors like blue, green and purple are generally more calming. They can make better additions to bedrooms, bathrooms or home offices where you may want to encourage relaxation and concentration. As with warm colored flowers, try to match the existing hues in the room when choosing flowers. It’s worth noting that white flowers can be both cooling or energizing depending on what other colors they are paired with. How much yellow or blue undertones they carry can also impact how cool or warm they feel. 

Experiment with size

Large flowers are great for making a bold statement. They’re excellent for spicing up empty window sills or livening up the corner of a hallway. Small flowers can have their place in the home, too. They are great coffee table toppers and can also be great for adding to small dining room tables because large flowers may dominate the table and obstruct conversation. You can also decorate surfaces with multiple small flowers – either in small glass cups or pots. I love seeing these in homes…they’re like little surprises everywhere.

Choose seasonal flowers

While most flowers bloom in spring, there are plants that produce flowers throughout the year. Certain types of flowers and certain colors may reflect certain seasons. Consider choosing new flowers for each new season to add variety throughout the year. You don’t have to use real flowers. In fact, artificial fall flowers could make great ornaments for displaying each fall. Artificial flowers also have the benefit of being able to be placed anywhere without having to worry about their sunlight needs. That said, some people may prefer the scent and natural appearance of real flowers. Just be wary that natural flowers won’t last long and will need to be regularly replaced. And there are some people (like me) who have allergies that can be aggravated by fresh flowers in the home.

Match your vase to the flower

When it comes to placing flowers in vases, the appearance of the vase can be just as important as the appearance of the flower. Start by thinking about the size of your flowers – larger arrangements will require larger and sturdier vases. Then consider the color – as to not distract from colorful arrangements, choose a clear or white vase, whereas a white flower may be perfect in a colorful vase. Texture is important too – elegant and fragile flowers are best paired with a smooth glass vase, whereas more messy and rugged arrangements can pair well with more heavily textured vases.

What are your best tips for decorating your home with flowers?

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post Flower Power: 5 Tips For Decorating Your Home With Flowers first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

Whether you’re trying to boost your home’s curb appeal or need to switch things up a little inside, there are many changes and modifications that you can make that will create the wow factor for your home.

Ditch the clutter. Ditching clutter and embracing the art of minimalism is a great (and relatively simple) way to give your home the WOW factor. This is because it means that your attention is drawn toward the interior design or interesting architectural features, as opposed to whatever it is that you’ve left on the counter the day before.

Tackling clutter also makes your day-to-day cleaning tasks a little easier, which is always a win.

Install glass doors. Installing glass doors, especially into your garden or outdoor space, is another great way to elevate your home’s appearance because they allow more natural light to enter the space, which can even make a room feel much bigger than it actually is.

Choose one stand-out feature for each room. When it comes to bringing the wow factor, it’s important to note that you don’t need multiple wow factor items or features in each room. In fact, too many features tend to fight each other for attention and actually the opposite of the desired effect, leaving the space feeling overly cluttered and chaotic. Instead, choose one stand-out feature for each room, whether that’s an interesting peice of art, some furniture, or even a photo collage. 

Either way, try to build the rest of the design around this feature. This will help ensure that it is the very first thing you see when you enter the room, while also creating a space that feels incredibly cohesive and stylish.

Shop for high-end items second-hand. If you’re looking to introduce a touch of luxury into your home, but don’t necessarily have the budget for this, don’t discount shopping second-hand, both online and at local thrift stores. You’d be surprised what you can find if you’re willing to invest your time and energy into searching as opposed to giving these spaces a cursory glance and giving up. Remember, you can always upcycle something that is looking a little worse for wear! 

Remember that it’s YOUR home. It’s important to note that we’re all wowed by different things. Something which might take your breath away might not be someone else’s cup of tea, so don’t be afraid to really express yourself when decorating your home, as you are the person who is going to be spending the most time there. If you find something that wows you, but may be a little unconventional, don’t be afraid to go for it! 

Final thoughts. No matter what your long-term goals are, there are plenty of ways in which you can add the wow factor to your home, from expressing your personality through design to installing glass doors.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post How To Give Your Home The WOW Factor first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

One of the best things about living in the South is the fact that we can enjoy an oudoor entertainment area well into the fall months. Let’s be honest: outdoor entertainment is actually much more pleasant in October than July around here, especially if you don’t have a pool. As my sister in Houston says, during the summer, “If we’re outside, we’re in water.” It’s just too hot to do anything else.

So, when we think of entertaining outdoors, we’re thinking past the summer months, and planning an outdoor entertaining space needs to take that into account. Here are a few things to consider as you plan yours:

Patio or Decking

I’m sure your lawn is beautiful, but if you’re going to entertain outside, you need the perfect patio or deck. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to the materials you build with, but I would definitely suggest considering the maintainance of what you build and not just the aesthetics when you choose. Also, consider the location carefully. Some people go for sunlight, but I think a little shade is always a good thing. Finally, don’t forget about practical features such as landscape drainage.

Lighting

If you want to keep entertaining after the sun goes down, you need to choose the right lighting, something that sets the mood and keeps people from safe from bumbling about in the dark. You can choose between solar or electrical options and find anything that suits your style. Ultimately, you want lighting to be effective without being too dazzling or overpowering.

Outdoor Furnishings 

Of course, no outdoor entertaining space is complete without a little furniture. You can choose to purchase a matching set or mix and match things that you like and fit the vibe you’re going for. When you arrange it, consider creating different areas for dining and relaxation. Shrubbery and paved walkways can be used to create easy access to this area. Finally, think about decorative elements like vases, water features and sculptures to bring the area to life. 

Choose a Colour Scheme

Though decoration may seem less important than the actual practical elements of the space, it does help to provide the finishing touches. Colourful furniture may look good to start off with, but it can fade quickly when it starts getting battered by the elements. As an alternative, you could go for plainer furniture that you then compliment with more lively touches like cushions or vases. 

Create a Natural Look

Since you are creating an outdoor space, it makes sense to use natural elements that will really enhance its overall look and style. Colourful potted plants look great and they also have the added bonus of not requiring all that much maintenance. If you are looking to give yourself a little privacy, you could create a walled off area using a trellis and some creeping plants. A beautiful screen can do the same thing.

The most important thing, I think, is to see the space as an extension of your home and make it fit. Look for the easiest access from where you entertain inside so things flow naturally to the outside.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post Outdoor Entertainment Area Essentials first appeared on MississippiMom.com.

I’m going to start this post with a disclaimer: there is nothing minimalist about my home. It’s older and filled with extras. Just ask one of the people who had to paint all of the dental molding in the living room. I also have many antiques that have been handed down through my family. It can be a little much. Then, there’s my propensity to save things. With the new school year starting, and all the extra things I need to do and have to think about, I’m longing for a little less.

That’s what minimalism is really about, right? Living almost entirely with what matters most. It’s not a case of removing everything but seriously considering what doesn’t improve your life and getting rid of it. For a lot of people, the real attraction to this lifestyle is the clarity that it brings. Minimalism allows you to strip away unnecessary extras until you are left with exclusively purposeful things. 

I am interested in that and am looking at my home through new eyes with minimalism in mind.

But how can I get there and find the right balance? First, I’m going to consider what we actually use and what we truly value. We’re going to look at certain items and consider whether they are just filling space. By answering these questions and removing items accordingly, I think our space will feel more defined, and we will carve out room for peace and focus. If you want to make your new house a home, minimalism gives you a solid starting point, so let’s talk a little about the art of minimalism and why less might mean so much more.

Intentional Negative Space 

It’s common to think that empty space is wasted and bland, but it can actually feel like much-needed breathing room. Instead of rushing to fill every space, it’s okay to allow a few visual pauses. These blank areas allow the items you do have to stand out even more. It’s wise to have a balance between presence and absence, as it only makes the presence more beautiful. When done properly, your negative space will actually make you feel calm. High-quality minimalist rooms possess a quiet and confident elegance in this way. 

Tactical, Smart Storage Options 

The minimalist attitude might involve hiding things from time to time, but this isn’t the whole story. It’s mainly about letting the essential things shine. Open shelving with your favourite items will help turn function into form. The same can be said about a sculptural rack. When your choices reflect your daily routine and rhythm, the space becomes something that works for you. It doesn’t have to be picture-perfect in every department, but you will be surrounded by aspects that have earned their place. 

Intelligent Disposal 

It can be difficult to get rid of some things even when you don’t really care about them. Sometimes, you might harbor a sense of guilt about getting rid of things, but living as a minimalist doesn’t mean you should live wastefully. You could give many items a second life by donating thoughtfully. You could also engage in sustainable practices such as metal recycling for worn-out fixtures. It becomes easier to let go when you know that your discards are going somewhere purposeful. 

Appreciate Clear Surfaces 

An empty entryway or a clear tabletop might seem boring to many. The same might be said about a desk that contains only necessary items. Fortunately, blank surfaces can act like rest notes in music, as they allow your space to breathe. You don’t need to bombard your environment. If you leave enough space, you will have more energy for what actually matters, and let’s face it: a clean counter is always calming.

Disclosure: this is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links.

The post Less Is Perfect: The Art of Minimalist Living first appeared on MississippiMom.com.