Minimalistic setup

Small Changes, Big Impact: Minor Makeovers That Can Completely Transform Your Home

The decade is almost over, which for some people means it’s time for a change. Whether that’s in your personal life or goals, the closing of one year and beginning of the other can have you hankering for a fresh start.

Others, though, focus on home-related resolutions. After all, what better way to ring in the New Year and the new decade than by redecorating your space? And while it’s tempting to do a large-scale renovation project, you may not have enough time, money, and professional skills to pull it off.

Fortunately, this New Year, you don’t have to stare at the same bland walls and walk by the same framed pictures you’ve had since the start of the decade. The list of quick and inexpensive makeovers below is guaranteed to have a big impact on the look of your home.

1. Deck the Walls

Forget repainting your entire wall or putting up new wallpaper; one of the most effortless changes you can make in any room is the addition of wall art. Replace your years-old wedding photo with a triptych photograph of your favorite city’s skyline. Breathe fresh life into a space by pairing a timeless work of art with a piece by a contemporary painter. You can even go a step farther and install 3-D wall art made from readily-available items inside your home.

2. Replace Ragged Rugs

Area rugs are to your floors as paintings are to your wall: they’re creative pieces that can instantly transform an otherwise boring surface. However, because they’re usually in high-traffic areas like the living room, they can look ragged after a while. Instead of simply cleaning your old area rugs up, why not replace them with handmade rugs that look more modern? It’s a quick and easy trick that can immediately change how a room looks.

3. Throw in Some Throw Pillows

Picture a plain-colored couch sitting against a plain-colored wall. Now, imagine that couch again but now with a bunch of bold-colored throw pillows. Makes a world of difference, right? Throw pillows add color and texture to any room. In addition, they can be the finishing touches that pull together the look and aesthetic of a room. Just make sure to choose pillows with colors that match other accents in the room to create a cohesive look.

4. Let There Be Light

Well lit room

The look and mood of a room bathed in white overhead lighting are vastly different from those of a room lit by the muted orange glow of a desk lamp. That is why you should consider changing up your lighting scheme.

Lamps are especially great at bringing softer, more focused lighting to a room while also adding an element of style. You also have the option of using scented candles, not only to set a more romantic mood but also if you want to make your room smell like your favorite scent.

These minor makeovers show that you don’t have to invest too much time, money, or effort to transform your living space. With a few bucks and a dash of creativity, these tiny changes can make your interiors look and feel new.

Corporate Event

Pro Tips for Corporate Event Planners

Organizing a big corporate event with so many things to worry about is a daunting task.

For one, you must find a suitable corporate event space that could accommodate all the expected guests and participants. There’s also the question of how much budget you should request from the management to cover all the expenses for the event.

You have to do many things and you’re already feeling quite exhausted just thinking about all of them. Here are 10 tips to help lighten your load and ensure a hassle-free corporate event.

Give Yourself Time to Plan

Someone once said that those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Having mentioned this, make sure that you plan for the event months ahead. This will give you enough legroom to work on the myriad tasks you have to accomplish.

Form an Event Management Team

During your planning phase, you should form and find people who will be part of the event management team. This is to offload from you the different tasks required to hold the event. Your team should consist of the following

  • Event planner
  • Client service event manager
  • Event manager
  • Event assistant
  • Event coordinator

You may add other roles, depending on your needs.

Itemize and Delegate Tasks

Another step during your planning is itemizing and delegating tasks to your team members. This will ensure accountability on each task, as well as a smooth preparation leading to, during, and following the event.

Canvass for Vendors

From all the tasks you’ll identify, you should know which one you would have to outsource to vendors or service providers. You may include events publicity materials, catering (if the venue doesn’t have an in-house caterer), loot bags (if needed), and the event venue itself. The more vendors you could ask for a price quote, the better.

Create a Budget

Once you have canvassed from different vendors, you must create an event budget and present it to your big bosses for approval. Make sure to leave a small wriggle room in the budget to serve as your emergency fund for unforeseen expenses.

Secure the venue

People at an event

You have to book your chosen venue months in advance, especially if your target date falls on a peak season. This will also allow you to determine the facilities of the venue that are readily available and to work out possible freebies or discounts.

Create an Events Tracker

Aside from merely organizing an event management team, you should also create a shared events tracker your team members could access anywhere. This will help everyone stay on top of your team’s overall progress.

Do Follow-Ups

Make sure you’ll follow-up on your speakers, guests, and vendors to see if you’re on the same page days before the big event. This will guarantee that all the people involved in the event know their responsibilities to avoid last-minute surprises.

Do a Dry-Run

It’s also critical to have a dry-run at least one day before the actual event. This will involve the flow of the event, sound system, seating arrangement, lighting, and the like. A dry-run will also help you identify potential problems so you could make quick adjustments.

Have a Contingency

Never be caught unprepared and without a back-up plan.

What if Speaker A accidentally got lost on the way to the event? Who will fetch him or her?

Be sure to picture out all worst-case scenarios and have solutions ready for them.

With these tips, you should be fairly prepared for the big event. Success now lies in how well you would execute your game plan.

stressed working man

Stressed Out: Reduce Stress without Pharmaceuticals

Stress is everywhere. In the UK, more than 75 percent of the nation has experienced overwhelming stress over a year, and politics isn’t entirely to blame. While the ongoing debacle over Brexit and the recent elections were undoubtedly stressful for some, most people are more concerned about work issues, their health, and their financial situation. Stress can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to turn to pharmaceuticals to get relief.

Sleep Right

A night of sleeping is your body’s way of recovering from the physical, emotional, and mental stress accumulated throughout the day. Too little sleep puts pressure on your body and mind, reducing your efficiency, whether performing physical tasks or mental calculations. A good night’s sleep makes you feel refreshed and capable of overcoming the obstacles of the day, but getting one can be a bit difficult. Artificial light from light bulbs, the television, laptops, and smartphones mess up your body’s biological clock and keep you up at night. Caffeine also plays a significant factor, especially if you drink sodas, tea, or coffee late in the afternoon, as the effects of caffeine can last for more than 6 hours. Stick to water, wine, or milk before going to bed.

Get Some Sun

Sunlight makes everyone happy; it brightens up your day. A little bit of sun during the morning will stimulate the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that balances your mood and lifts your spirits. Regular exposure to early morning sunlight resets and fortifies your body’s natural circadian rhythm, giving you more energy and boosting your thought processes. Take short walks in the mornings and soak in the sunlight. Just 10 minutes of sun exposure every day can keep your bones healthy, lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of Type II diabetes, and fortify your immune system. Just don’t soak in too much sun as too much ultraviolet radiation can be harmful.

Meditate

meditation with butterfly

Do some yoga and practice a few breathing exercises. It might surprise you that just breathing properly can significantly reduce stress. Take short sessions to reflect on your life and your goals. Meditation is about finding your center or your self and maybe making it better. Grasp your prayer beads and chant a few life-affirming mantras. You don’t have to be religious; focus on your goals, and believe you can succeed. Meditation can help you deal with anxiety and depression or give you a clear mind for a relaxing rest. A few minutes of meditation a day will increase your ability to concentrate and promote your self-esteem.

Socialize

Meet up with people you care about. Subconsciously affirming connections and strengthening bonds produces the hormone oxytocin. Given the moniker “the love hormone,” oxytocin produces the overwhelming feelings of being accepted and loved. Actual proximity and physical contact prompt the production of oxytocin, reducing or eliminating feelings of doubt, depression, and loneliness.

Stress is a reality of life, but you don’t have to let it consume you. Take the time to focus on yourself and allow your mind and body to relax and recover.

two men holding hands

How to Date as a Gay Introvert

Most people seem to assume that all gay people are extroverts. They always seem to be the life of the party, and the ones in your group of friends who always have a hilarious joke to tell. However, not all gay people are extroverts, and for most introverted ones, dating can be pretty tricky.

This is the reason why today, we will discuss how you can date as a gay introvert. From joining a London gay elite dating website to knowing the right dating etiquette, we got you covered.

Don’t Fake It

Never try to mask your personality and try to come off as an extrovert when you’re really not. This will seem totally fake, and your date will notice sooner or later. Always let your real personality shine through, and if they like it, then good. If not, then that is their loss.

You must remember that there is nothing wrong with being an introvert, and you should always be proud of who you are and what your real personality is.

Make It Simple

Don’t make your date too complicated, especially if it’s your first one. You should keep things simple. For instance, you can have dinner or watch a movie. Don’t go too far by inviting them to go hiking or rock climbing, especially if extreme sports and adventure are not your passion.

Know what your prospect wants in advance and make sure that they will be comfortable with the date that you are preparing. If you’re going to surprise them, then make sure to ask them some questions beforehand so that you can be sure that they will like the surprise.

gay couple with their adoptive child

Decide Whom You’d Like to Date

You might like dating introverts like yourself, or you might want to go for someone who’s got the opposite personality. Whatever it is, make sure that you’ve figured it out before going out with a guy.

Some introverts simply love dating like-minded people as they get along pretty well. On the other hand, some want to date extroverts so that they can have someone else do the work.

Don’t Be Scared to Go Out There

If you are having a hard time finding the right guy for you, then go ahead and let the guys in your area know that you are available. There is ultimately nothing wrong with signing up for online dating or matchmaking websites, as this has become quite the norm nowadays.

There are lots of success stories when it comes to online dating, and who knows, you might even meet the love of your life here! Just make sure that you are joining a legitimate and well-known website so that you will not be scammed.

Dating doesn’t have to be difficult for introverts. As long as you know what you like and what you need to do, then you are good to go. Don’t waste your time waiting for the right guy to come and sweep you off your feet; do something about it today and meet the love of your life!

couple holding hands

Is it Still Important to Celebrate Your Wedding Anniversary?

You might think that an anniversary is just another reason to give your partner a gift or take them out for dinner, but isn’t it what you’ve been doing on a regular date all this time? Should anniversaries be any different? Of course. The importance of anniversaries isn’t only limited to gifts and greeting cards. In fact, there’s so much more to it than you think, especially for your relationship.

Celebrating your wedding anniversary

An anniversary is an exceptional time for every couple to reimagine everything that happened during their wedding day. It’s that time of the year when they can look back at how everything transpired and how happy they were to celebrate their union. Maybe some funny instances happened during the wedding that the couple might recall.

An anniversary should be a celebration of two people committing to spending a lifetime together. It’s a celebration of their new life as a couple and how they will develop the family that they’ve always wanted. It’s also a time for families to bond with one another and get to know each other, too.

Meanwhile, other couples look at anniversaries as the time to assess their relationship. It’s also when you ask the importance of marriage and how you plan on spending more years together. But, with all these things in mind, how can you ensure that your upcoming wedding anniversary will be something worth remembering?

couple embracing each other

Planning a wedding anniversary

When a couple has been together for quite some time, the value of anniversaries often gets forgotten. Knowing the importance of anniversaries, it’s about time to change your perception about it. Let these ideas inspire you to plan something that your partner will surely find memorable:

  • One way to get back to your roots as a couple is by planning a vacation. Although preparing for one can be expensive, you can always set up a simple getaway trip over the weekend to make things more exceptional.
  • You can consider celebrating your anniversary with your family and friends, too. Get a list of all the catering companies in Abu Dhabi and choose which one can turn your ideas into reality and execute them well. Spending time with your entire family can help you get connected with everyone.
  • Another way to get everyone involved is by making an anniversary scavenger hunt party with your kids. You can create a fun map and encourage everyone to join. Take your kids where you went out during your first date or even where you proposed to your partner. It can be a fun activity for everyone, especially your children. It’s also a great way of showing your kids how you value your relationship with your partner.

A wedding anniversary shouldn’t be mundane or expensive. All you need is a little bit of creativity to make it something worth remembering. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on your celebration. What matters is that you’re still together as a couple and are spending quality time together. So, try to be creative and think of ways to make this coming anniversary a time to remember.