Category Archives: Life

Hooded Eyes Do’s and Don’ts

Hooded eyes can often be confused with droopy eyes. Droopy eyelids or just one droopy eyelid can affect a person’s ability to keep their eye/eyes open all the way, which in turn affects their vision and this could point to a condition called ptosis. Hooded eyes are a normal hereditary trait where a person has excess skin folding down from the brow bone to the lash line.

The lack of eyelid space and a hidden crease can make all sorts of eye makeup looks extra difficult for those of us with hooded eyes. But this does not mean you have to be restricted with what you can achieve. Here are some tips to help you work with your hooded lids.

Portrait, Beauty, Make-Up, Woman, Girl, Model, Brunet

  • Don’t use shimmery or satin eyeshadows as the shimmer reflects the light and can make your eyelids look larger and puffier. Do use matte colors that absorb the light and make the hood look like it is receding.
  • Don’t use liquid eyeliner. Do use pencil eyeliner.
  • Don’t try a winged eyeliner, the hood of your eye will likely cover up the liner anyway and can make your eyes look more hooded. Do apply eyeliner to the lashline, but no further.
  • Don’t apply eyeliner above your waterline as this will take up valuable space on your lid and make your eyes look smaller. Do apply it thinly on your eyelash waterline.
  • Do apply a highlight as close to the arch of your eyebrow as you can get, far away from your hood. Don’t apply the highlighter too low down as it will then highlight your hooded lid and make it appear bigger.
  • Don’t draw attention to the undereye areas and this can drag your eyes down. Do apply a minimal about of eyeshadow to the lower lash line to balance out your hooded eye.
  • Don’t get stingy with the mascara! Do use mascara to build up your lashes as much as possible or use false lashes to make your eyes look much bigger. 
  • Don’t forget to blend your shadow upwards. When applying your eyeshadow color do not smudge it along the bottom-most part of your lid as this will emphasize your hood. Do blend it higher to cover the entirety of your mobile lid, into the crease and up on to the hood of your eye. There is nothing worse than spending time creating a beautiful eyeshadow look only to have it completely disappear when you open your eyes! Moving the color higher will make it more visible and creature the illusion of a higher crease.

Cosmetics, Makeup, Woman, Eye, Applying Makeup

However, the most important thing about makeup is to have fun. These are some tips to help you get a more traditional look and give you the chance to embrace current makeup trends but, in the end, you should just do whatever makes you happy. Practice your makeup technique and experiment with what looks good on you and what makes you feel confident and beautiful.

Makeup Brush, Cosmetics, Makeup, Make Up, Eye Shadow

This is a collaborative post. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.


Leave a Comment

Filed under Health, Home & Garden, Life

The Hidden Dangers Of Not Taking Care Of Your Dental Health

Woman, Smile, Tooth, Health, Mouth, Dental Care

Good oral health is not just about having a pretty smile. Most people understand they should take care of their teeth so they don’t become chipped or decayed which would look terrible. However, there is a more important reason to make sure your teeth are in good health.

Oral health is totally linked to your overall health. In other words, if you have bad teeth, you are increasing the odds of having other health problems down the line. It may seem like a stretch of the imagination, but when your teeth are in bad shape, you can end up with a myriad of illnesses. These illnesses could really impact your quality of life and possibly worse. In this article, I will go over several of the things to keep in mind about your dental health so you can avoid other health problems later on.

Dentist, Dentist'S Office, Dentist Chair, Dental Chair
Cardiovascular disease

Our gums have a lot of small capillary veins very close to the surface. This is why taking oral medication under the tongue is so effective. The medication gets absorbed quickly into the blood which acts as a sort of high speed delivery system. This is great when you need quick relief from pain or other things, but bad news if you have a tooth infection. This infected tooth is full of bacteria which is easily brought into your circulatory system and can grow to be a major problem.

A blood infection can be very serious and cause heart problems. Over time, this bacteria can cause plaque to build up on the arteries which increases the chance of heart attack or stroke. If you have been putting off getting that toothache checked out, this is the time to make an appointment with smilovitsdds.com or whoever else is your local dentist. You shouldn’t wait until the problem gets worse.

Ecg, Electrocardiogram, Medical, Heartbeat, Heart

Diabetes

Diabetes is a growing concern all across the Western world. From a poor diet to a sedentary lifestyle, the number of people with diabetes is growing. We aren’t doing ourselves any favors by adding to the problem due to poor dental health.

Gum disease is easy to get when we aren’t taking good care of your teeth. And this leads to higher than normal sugar levels in the blood. Not only that, but infections are far more serious for people with diabetes than people without. It is very hard for the body to ward off infections.

Diabetes, Blood Sugar, Diabetic, Medicine, Insulin
Pregnancy complications

Pregnancy can make it very difficult to take care of your teeth even when you do everything right. The changes in the body can take away a lot of the minerals and nutrients that your teeth need to stay healthy. As a result many pregnant women lose teeth. Gingivitis has been shown to be a cause of premature birth so the issue isn’t just a less than perfect smile. It can have serious side effects. Even low birth weight can sometimes be attributed to gum disease or tooth infections.

Pregnant, Pregnancy, Gestation, Pregnant Woman, Baby

This is a collaborative guest post. The views in this article do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Health, Life

That Call – The One That Changed My Life

It will be 7-weeks in a few hours that I got that life-changing call. The call that separated my life into the before and after. That call that made me a member in a club no one wants to be a member of. The call that forever changed our family, our dynamic, our existence and our faith. The call that gives me chills whenever I think of it. The call that made my body go into a state of numbness that scared me then, and scares me still. The call that no mother should ever get. The call that broke my heart. The call that shattered my world.

Apple, Close-Up, Electronics, Gadget, Iphone

In the past week, things hit me that I was totally numb for. I think back to the funeral home. When it was time to close the casket and prepare to go to church, I did not yell, scream or cry for them not to close it. Now, I have terror thinking of that. I am screaming in my mind now, don’t take him away, don’t close the casket. My beautiful boy, my baby, my son, don’t take him away.

Don’t deny me the opportunity to touch his hand, stroke his thick hair, kiss his face. Don’t deny me the chance to gaze on the dimple in his chin, don’t deny me the feeling of putting my hand over his. I should not have to do this. At times it haunts me as I try to remember the small café au lait spot on his leg or what his feet looked like.  I search for photos or my mind to remember. I should not have to do this. My son should be here. It is so unfair, so unjust.

The numbness lifts for minutes at a time, I can not handle more. I am thankful for that blanket of numbness that covers me and shields me from the unbearable pain.  Time goes on, it is a painful reminder of  the last time I heard my son tell me he loved me.  That was 7-weeks ago when he said that to me. I tell him every day how much I love him.

I will never stop loving him, never stop missing him, never stop looking for signs of him. I will never be ungrateful for all the signs he sends. The things he is making the Eagle and the cardinal do are nothing short of miraculous. I will never take them for granted. I pray he sends them to me.


2 Comments

Filed under Child Loss, Grief, Life, Life Stages

It Does Not Get Easier

It has been 4 weeks and 2 days since that terrible call. It does not get easier. Yes, I can laugh. Yes, I can love. Yes, I can find joy. However, there is still a numbness that protects me from the overwhelming sadness and brokenness of losing my oldest son. It comes in waves and I never know when the waves of raw grief will hit. They may be triggered by a conversation or seeing something he loved. I never know, all I know is my journey through this life without him, has only just begun.

I have been reading many books about the unbearable grief of losing a child. Parents who have gone through this unbearable loss describe so much of what I am feeling. There is a kinship in connecting with those parents. In them, we see that God did not punish us by taking our child. We see they are great people, with great families. This horrid loss does not discriminate. It happens to parents from all walks of life and we never know when or if it will happen to us, until it does.

Desperate, Sad, Depressed, Feet, Hands, Folded

I never wanted to be in this club, but those other members are my greatest comfort. How can someone with an intact family truly console me? Please don’t misconstrue what I am saying. I am not saying, not to console someone who has lost a child because you have not. I am saying, there are things you should never say.

Don’t ever say you know how we feel because you have lost your mother or father or anyone other than your child. There is no word for the parent who has lost a child, because IT IS NOT NATURAL, it is not supposed to happen. I have lost my mother and father and I grieve them still, but the death of our parents is something expected. Our parents are supposed to pass on before us. Our children are not supposed to pass before us. You can never know the way it feels unless you have experienced it.

Heart, Broken, Nature Love, Shape, Leaf, Autumn, Fall

Instead, be a friend, bring a meal, offer a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on. Ask the person what they need. If they want to talk about their child, let them. If they want to talk about everything else, let them. If there are other children in the family, do something nice for them. They are seeing their parents in unbearable pain. The have lost their sibling. Their world is shattered too.

Don’t ever tell someone that has lost a child that they are laughing too soon or not soon enough. Don’t assume because someone is not walking around weeping, that they are okay. Trust me, they are not okay. Be mindful, don’t say you had the worst day of your life because you spilled coffee on your shirt. You don’t know about the worst day of your life, unless you have lost your child. A stained blouse can be replaced, you cannot replace your child.

Understand that a person who has lost a child may grow angry and lash out. They are struggling with the deepest hurt and pain. These emotions may rise up and need to be directed at something. Let them get it out, let them vent. Try not to get angry, but be more understanding of where it stems from.  If they tell you that they screamed in their car alone, don’t say they should not do that or that it could have hurt someone else. I know how hurtful that is, because someone said it to me.

The Road, Beams, Path, Forest, Nature, Silence, Calm

In one of my grief books, parents remembered how they screamed in the car and in the shower. Don’t tell me or any other grieving parent what we should or should not be doing. You have no idea unless it happens to you, and pray it doesn’t. I can tell you, you will probably be screaming in the car and shower if it does. Stop with your judgement. You do not know the broken heart of someone that has lost a child unless you have. There but for the grace of God go you. Be thankful, not judgmental.

Remember, no one knows what the next moment brings better than someone who has lost a child. We were all like you. In one moment, our lives changed forever. We will never be normal, nothing will ever be alright every again. We are changed, and our lives are changed forever. A hole in our heart will NEVER HEAL. Our lives will be measured by before and after our loss. Never take one moment for granted, because in one second you could be the newest member of this club. We were not born members.

The members of this club seem to bond almost instantly. The thing we share in common is so great, we know the pain and that fosters the connection between us. We validate each other’s feelings. We know what is like to be angry at God. We know what it is like to feel like we do not want to go on without our child. We understand we will grieve forever for the dreams that died with our child. We know how hard it is to see our child’s friends reach milestones that our child will not. We know what it feels like when someone says something that hurts us. We know what it feels like to know we will grieve this loss forever. We understand our grief is something will will manage, but it will be with us until the end of our days. We know what it feels like to be changed forever. We know what it is like to be a grieving parent.

Plant, Garden, Broken Hearts, Rose, Flowers, Nature

We also regale each other with stories of dreams, signs and other things that tell us our child is still here, still with us. We need to believe and have faith we will see our child again. We need to hear the stories of others who have had profound, undeniable signs of their child’s presence. It is what we seek the most in my opinion. It brings me comfort more than anything else.

It does not get easier. Some days are harder than others. We never know when the waves of raw grief will hit. Even if we have a good day, it does not mean tomorrow will not be bad. It will never get easier. We know that, you need to know that.

Sunset, Dawn, Nature, Mountains, Landscape, Kaçkars


6 Comments

Filed under Child Loss, Grief, Life, Life Stages

Did God Take My Son To Increase My Faith?

For some time now I have struggled with my faith. I believe in God, but at times, I feel insecure. What if there is really nothing more out there? The idea of never seeing my parents and other relatives again is too much to bear. I would pray for signs from my parents and I received many. I prayed for God to increase my faith. Now, in the wake of my son’s death, my faith is stronger. However, I am  left wondering if my prayers led to my son’s death.

I know it is not the case. God would not take a young man in the prime of his life just to increase his mother’s faith. Yet, I still feel guilty. Truth be told, I believe as I prayed for that increased faith, I did ask God not to do something devastating to achieve that outcome. Now, facing the rest of my life with the most devastating loss one can suffer, I keep thinking back to those prayers.

Prayer, Bible, Christian, Folded Hands, Religion, God

I am finding that parents who have lost a child go over and over anything they could have been done to prevent it. I look back on photos when my son was very little, wishing I could go back in time and never let him out of my sight. It is hard to look at photos. It is hard to open sympathy cards. In fact, I have many unopened cards because it is so difficult to open and read them. It is even harder to open the box of thank you cards from the funeral home. It is so hard for me to write thank yous and send them to the many who sent flowers and gifts. I fear people will not understand how hard it is, and instead think I am ungrateful. That is certainly not the case. It is just very difficult.

I fear that I did not even do the right things for my son’s  funeral. I think of the photos I was not able to go through. The ones I surely would have sent in to be used in the memorial slide show that played during Ray’s services. I berate myself for only requesting  one song, because I did not realize it would require 2 others. They never asked me, and I feel terrible that I fumbled that.

I know I can make many slide shows for my son, and I will, but I still feel bad. Someone said to me that I could make sure Ray’s services were perfect as a consolation, saying many parents don’t get to do that. I never wanted to do that, and it is no consolation. Beyond that, I did not have the ability, due to my state of mind, it was too difficult. Add to that the state of the world, we could not even have our extended family and friends around us thanks to this pandemic.

Heart, Love, Romance, Valentine, Harmony, Romantic

If I get lost in thought too long, my mind can go to very dark places. It is the reason that I am grateful for our live shows every night with the Mommy Ramblings Community on YouTube. It is there I can laugh and joke with so many who have always supported me. Many understand the loss because they are members of the club no one wants to be a member of. Some critics have said, that I should not be laughing or that if I am okay enough to come on and cover topics, do crafts and have fun, then I am not upset or grieving my son. Those people may one day find themselves in this club. I wonder how those words will make them feel?

I have been gardening because it is something I love and something I shared with my son Ray. I talk to him, ask him to help these plants grow strong and healthy. I see signs like the bald eagle flying so close to me I could not believe it. It was about 14 feet in front of me at eye level. I heard the tremendous sound of its flapping wings as it went by. It is a sound I have never heard and will never forget.

Yesterday, as I went to get the customer service number for Amazon, a list that had my son’s name on it was on the page. I did not even know it was there, and I am confident he made that appear. Searching for a memorial candle on the Yankee Candle website brought me instead to a candle that was named “Catching Rays”.  The cardinals have been all over the place and follow me around. We have a squirrel that makes a sound I have never heard before and a large red tail hawk that soars around the yard. A couple of weeks ago, my husband saw the biggest owl sitting in a tree outside the kitchen window. In all the years we lived here, never did we see one.

My faith is stronger. It has to be, I must believe I will see my son again. I have to believe he is with me every day I am alive on this Earth. I have to believe he will be there when my time on Earth is done. I don’t know what life would be like if I did not believe there was more out there. That we will be with our loved ones again. Some say, there is nothing out there. They say it is because people are not strong enough to accept the truth, they say this world is all there is. I struggled with my faith when bad things happened. I prayed for my faith to be strengthened. It was, in the most devastating way. Now, I feel guilt along with my grief. Did God answer my prayer by taking my son?

Trust, Faith, Encouragement


5 Comments

Filed under Child Loss, Grief, Life

I Used To Be Like You

I used to be like you. I would hear about a mother who lost her child, and I would feel for them. I would love them. I would be sad for them. I would console them. I would pray for them. Yet, I would be able to look at my family, and thank God it was not us. I can’t do that anymore. Less than 3 weeks ago, my oldest son passed away. My life is forever changed and I will never be like you again.

Sad, Depressed, Depression, Sadness, Young, Person

My life will now always be measured in before and after. Life before we lost our son Ray and after. I will constantly know how many days or weeks since our last conversation, how long it has been since that heart wrenching, life-changing call. I will think of the last birthday cake I made him, the last Christmas stocking I filled for him and the last time I heard him say he loved me.

Be grateful you are you, you don’t want to be me. I did not want to be who I am now. I prayed every single night for my children. I prayed they would make a difference in the world and grow to a ripe old age. I prayed that they would always stay safe and healthy. I know how important that is after our second son, Michael was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I know how thankful we were when the treatment was over. We made it through that battle. I never took that for granted, I prayed. I did not want to bury my child. I wanted to live to a ripe old age and they would bury me. It did not happen like that.

Sorrow, Forgiveness, Sad, Sadness, People, Christianity

People say that most of the time the things we worry about do not happen. In my case they did. I think as parents we worry something will happen to our children. Most of the time it doesn’t. In my case, the worst possible thing did. My oldest son, my buddy, my touchstone, died. It has not even been 3 weeks.

Raindrops, Raining, Rain, Wet, Water, Weather, Nature

I sometimes feel I am dreaming, that I will just be able to go away and come back and everything will be normal. I know that is to protect me from the harsh reality. I get angry, I cry, I go numb, I laugh, I can have fun, I can enjoy things, I cry, I get angry, I go numb. This is my life after. There is a hole in my heart. There is a pain in my soul. There is nothing that will make it all better again. The rest of my life will be lived with a huge void.

Every day there are new parents that become like me. We all remember when we used to be like you. We can never be like you again. You console us, you love us, you pray for us and you hope you will never be like us. We used to be like you.


3 Comments

Filed under Child Loss, Grief, Life

Exclusive Interview with Rosemarie D’Alessandro – Mother of Joan D’Alessandro the 7-Year-Old Girl Scout Murdered by Teacher Neighbor

We had a great, nearly 3-hour interview with the inspirational Rosemarie D’Alessandro. We filmed it live and you don’t want to miss a minute. Rosemarie took unspeakable tragedy and turned it into Joan’s Joy.

Joan’s Joy Foundation was created to keep the children of today safe by remembering Joan. Rosemarie lobbied for Joan’s Law and Paula’s Law which deny parole to convicted murderers who sexually assaulted their minor victims.

Please visit JoansJoy.org to learn more. The interview below is a must see.


Leave a Comment

Filed under Life, Spiritual

How to Budget and Plan for a Major Home Renovation

House Signs

A home renovation is one of the more stressful ordeals you can go through in your life, even if you’ve done it before. It’s uncomfortable while it lasts, it can get messy if you don’t pay attention, and last but definitely not least, it can hit your bank account hard. Planning ahead can mitigate all of those factors, especially the last one – and it’s a good idea to take the time to sit down and come up with a proper plan of action if you don’t want to get caught up in a complicated situation.

Start Early

A major home renovation is not something you can plan a few days ahead of the job. This should go without saying – and yet you’d be surprised how many people put very little thought and planning into their own renovation jobs. As a result, they end up paying significantly more. There are many factors that play into this. Purchasing supplies and materials early can allow you to scout out good discounts and hundreds of deals for them. Contractors have their own schedules and contacting someone for a short-notice job is going to be more expensive. You can plan around the seasonal weather changes as well. In the end, giving yourself at least a few months – ideally half a year – before you start with the actual work is going to be very beneficial.

Extending Your Budget

After you’ve drawn the bottom line, you might come to the unpleasant realization that your budget is not actually enough to cover everything you want to do. Taking out a loan is perfectly reasonable in this situation. Just make sure that you know how you’re going to repay it, and how it will impact your budget. As long as you have a good credit score, it should be possible to get a nice extra stretch on your available funds without having to go through any uncomfortable periods later on.

Why the DIY Approach Can Be More Expensive

A big mistake you can make is to think that you’re just going to roll up your sleeves and get the job done yourself. Or at least parts of it. The problem with this is that while it may indeed save you some money in the short-term, it will very likely increase the overall cost of your project in other, unexpected ways. You will have to spend much more time on each part of the job compared to the average contractor, and you’ll also make more mistakes than them, costing you even more time and materials. Spare yourself the trouble and leave the complicated tasks in the hands of professionals.

Going Green Can Be a Money-Saver in the Long Run

As long as you’re renovating your home, now might be a good time to think about changing your approach to a greener one. This can cost a bit more in the immediate term, sure, but its impact on your budget can be significant in the long run. With a home that’s insulated better and at least partly self-sustaining in terms of energy and heating, you’ll knock off a large percentage from many of your bills. You’ll be better prepared for tomorrow too, as many of these things will likely become beneficial factors for your tax return sooner or later.

It doesn’t have to cost a great deal of money to renovate your home, at least if you give yourself enough time for the job and know what caveats to expect along the way. All things considered, it’s very likely to go smoother than you’re anticipating, and will probably not even cost you that much.

This is a collaborative guest post. The views and ideals expressed do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.


3 Comments

Filed under Home & Garden, Home Improvement, Life

How to Save Money on a Bathroom Renovation

A lіmіtеd rеnоvаtіоn budget dоеѕ nоt mеаn уоu аrе ѕtuсk living with a bathroom frоm thе ѕеvеntіеѕ. Thе еxсеllеnt nеwѕ аbоut іnvеѕting  іn bathroom rеmоdеlіng, іѕ thаt it increases the value of your home. If you plan to sell or flip your house, you can really profit from that renovation provided you dоn’t go over budget.  Whіlе going over budget is not a smart іnvеѕtmеnt, lеаvіng your outdated bаthrооm as is certainly won’t hеlр the resale value of your home. Yоu саn gіvе уоur bаthrооm a nеw lооk, аnd ѕаvе уоur bаnk ассоunt bу сhооѕіng есоnоmісаl cosmetic upgrades аnd kееріng thеѕе rеnоvаtіоn іdеаѕ іn mіnd.

Onе ѕtер аt a time

Getting some good advice when planning will help ensure thаt уоur сhоісеѕ fit уоur оvеrаll budgеt аnd  hеlр уоu achieve a соhеѕіvе ѕtуlе when remolding your bаthrооm. Mаnу hоmе rennovators аrе hampered bу аn аll оr nоthіng аррrоасh tо bаthrооm rеmоdеlіng. However, уоu dоn’t hаvе tо dо аn еxреnѕіvе mаkеоvеr tо еnjоу thе bеnеfіtѕ оf аn updated bаthrооm. Planning уоur соmрlеtе bathroom renovations in Melbourne, but tасklіng оnlу оnе оr twо рrоjесtѕ аt a time, requires patience. While it may take time,  ultіmаtеlу you will have the rеmоdеlеd bаthrооm уоu were dreaming about with a mіnіmаl impact оn уоur fіnаnсеѕ.

Fеаturеѕ wіth еnеrgу-еffісіеnt uрgrаdеѕ

Mаnу cities, ѕtаtеѕ, аnd utilities оffеr dіѕсоuntѕ, сrеdіtѕ, оr оthеr incentives tо replace toilets, faucets, оr ѕhоwеrѕ wіth lоw-flоw mоdеlѕ thаt ѕаvе wаtеr. Leveraging іnсеntіvеѕ offered thrоugh energy соnѕеrvаtіоn programs саn hеlр уоu stay wіthіn уоur remodeling budgеt. Not only will you save on your renovations, you will have the bonus of reduced utility bills each month.

Thе Puzzle Uрdаtе оr Rерlасе

Mаnу bathroom rеmоdеlіng рrоjесtѕ hаvе оnе орtіоn: upgrade оr rерlасе? Yоu саn іnvеѕt іn nеw vanity саbіnеtѕ оr раіnt your existing ones. Alternatively, уоu саn соmрrоmіѕе аnd replace оnlу thе саbіnеt fасеѕ. Bаthtubѕ аnd соuntеrtорѕ саn bе rерlасеd оr refaced tо lооk аnd funсtіоn аѕ nеw. Evеn оld раrtѕ саn bе rеfurbіѕhеd instead оf replaced. Don’t assume thаt уоu nееd tо replace еvеrуthіng іn уоur bаthrооm tо gеt thе look уоu wаnt. Wіth ѕоmе research, careful prioritization, аnd оf course, patience, уоu саn give your bathroom a ѕtуlіѕh upgrade fоr a frасtіоn оf thе соѕt оf nеw materials.

Hіrіng Prоfеѕѕіоnаlѕ fоr thе Rіght Jobs

If уоu аrе rеlаtіvеlу handy,  a grеаt wау tо ѕаvе money іѕ tо dо ѕоmе work yourself аnd hire a professional fоr thоѕе jobs outside уоur ѕkіll ѕеt. Mаkіng аn hоnеѕt аѕѕеѕѕmеnt оf уоur сараbіlіtіеѕ аnd time аvаіlаbіlіtу іѕ сrіtісаl tо thіѕ decision. Rushing or not doing the work correctly саn dо mоrе hаrm thаn gооd tо your hоmе. Whеn hіrіng a соntrасtоr fоr сеrtаіn areas of your renovation project, іt іѕ uѕuаllу rесоmmеndеd tо gеt аt lеаѕt thrее quotes tо fіnd a fair рrісе for thе jоb.

It іѕ оftеn ѕаіd thаt home renovations аlwауѕ соѕt mоrе аnd tаkе lоngеr thаn еxресtеd. It is best to start with realistic gоаlѕ аnd expectations fоr уоur remodeling timeline and budget. Ideally you should set aside a соntіngеnсу fund fоr unеxресtеd еxреnѕеѕ should they arise.  Following these tips can help you with that beautiful bathroom renovation in Melbourne and bring you that state of the art style you long for.

This is a collaborative guest post. The ideas and views do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.


2 Comments

Filed under Home & Garden, Life, Resources

Ground Floor or Top Floor? Pros and Cons of Choosing Either

For those  finally starting to live the independent adult life, it is time to look for some apartments. In choosing one, we often think about three things: price, location and  safety. However, there is one other factor that you must also consider when searching for the best luxury apartment, that is the apartment floor. Did you know choosing an apartment that is located on a ground floor or top floor can also contribute to the quality of life you will have in a particular part of the neighborhood?So, should you choose a ground floor apartment or a top floor one when finding luxury apartments Melbourne? Here are some things you need to consider:

  1. Money matters

In general, ground floor luxury apartments are relatively cheaper than top floor units. The price of the latter often skyrockets because you not only pay for space, you also pay for the view. If your luxury apartment is located in the heart of the city, the top floor view is surely an amazing sight to behold.

The downside of top floor apartments, is the higher price you’ll pay overall  for utilities. During summer seasons, top floor apartments tend to get hotter, which means that you will keep the air conditioner on more.  This leads to a higher electric bill. This would not be a problem with ground floor apartments since the cool air tends to stay below.

  1. Accessibility

Naturally, ground floor units are your best bet if you value accessibility. Garden or ground floor apartments are usually the first to be scooped up by senior citizens and people with disabilities.  Speaking of accessibility, moving in is easier since you don’t have to go up and down flights of stairs with your furniture.  If you prefer to live in an upper floor apartment, check the safety and accessibility of the stairs and elevators. Make sure to have the number of the building maintenance crew on your phone in case you get stuck in the elevator in the middle of the night.

  1. Safety

Each type of apartment has good and bad safety features.  Ground floor units have an advantage when it comes to escaping during disasters such as fire and earthquakes. On the other hand, these apartments are often a favorite target of burglars because they are easier to access since the windows and doors are along the street. Top floor apartments may have fewer chances of a  random break-in. However, it is still possible for your top floor apartment to be broken into because there are fewer people around.   If you plan on moving into an upper unit, check for CCTVs.

  1. Noise

Because ground floor apartments are right next to busy streets, outdoor noise from the rush hour traffic, shuffling of feet, and the busyness of the whole neighborhood can keep you  awake at night. These noises will not be a problem for top floor dwellers, but  the trade-off is that the noise from the upper floors can wake you up.

When finding luxury apartments Melbourne, you must also consider the location of the unit in itself. After all, the noise, safety, and accessibility of your apartment can also affect how well you sleep at night. If you have the opportunity to choose between the two, choose the one that would give you the best quality of life you can afford.

 

This is a collaborative guest post, the ideas and views do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.


2 Comments

Filed under Home & Garden, Life, Life Stages