Advice For Upgrading Your WFH Station In 2022

 The past two years have caused major changes in all parts of our lives, from day-to-day issues like mask wearing and social distancing, to larger changes such as not being able to go on holidays or see all your family. 

But, one of the biggest changes to our lives seems to be one which people seem quite happy to continue with and that is working from home. As more and more people have been working from home, many have discovered that they prefer to work from home rather than commute into an office.

For many workers who are working from home, their work from home set ups isn’t ideal. Due to the short notice behind from work from home, lot’s of workers have impromptu work stations set up in their home. 

So as we’re approaching 2022, lots of people see the perfect opportunity to upgrade their work from home set up, whether changing their home office décor for a nicer work environment or making practical changes to be more comfortable and productive. So, let’s find out some ways you can upgrade your work from home set up for 2022!

Have A Work Only Room If Possible

First things first, with so many impromptu work from home stations set up in living rooms and kitchens, we have to acknowledge that this isn’t ideal. Spending all day working in an area of your home then having to relax in that same room can have negative effects on your productivity and mental health.

So, if it’s possible, you should look at relocating your work from home station into a room dedicated just for work. While not everyone has this luxury, if you have a guest room or other room going unused you should use that exclusively for your working, allowing you to separate your personal time from working time easier and not face distractions at work.

Buy A Proper Desk & Office Chair

Again, as most of us started working from home we didn’t have much time to prepare which has lead many people to use their dining tables, sofas and beds as an impromptu office space. While this is okay for a few days or weeks of working, none of these spaces are designed for work and can lead you to develop issues with your posture and be more susceptible to RSIs.

So getting a proper desk and office chair should be a priority, your spine will thank you! With a proper ergonomic set up, you won’t be having back pain after spending a day at your PC and when you’re more comfortable at work, you are in turn more happy as you aren’t dealing with the physical impacts of a poor work station.

Get A Smart Speaker Assistant

Smart speakers have been all the rage for the past few years now for personal use at home, but did you also know that they make handy personal assistants for office work too? Smart speaker devices like Google Assistant or Amazon Echo Dot can be used as a great way to streamline your work days.

With a smart speaker you can set up your work calendar or schedule, allowing it to notify you of upcoming meetings or calls; control other devices allowing you to use them without leaving your desk; give you work alerts, notify you of emails and even assist in making calls. Of course with a smart speaker you also get all the usual functionality like being able to play music or the news whilst working.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Bars

What could be better than a sugar cookie bar? This recipe is made with cream cheese and creates such a tender and tasty bar cookie! 

My family loves sugar cookies, but I don't love to make cut out cookies. I feel they are a lot of tedious work. I compromise with them whenever they have a craving by making this fantastic cream cheese sugar cookie bars recipe. This is such an easy recipe and it creates the best sugar cookie bars ever. Enjoy step by step pictures and find the recipe below!

Ingredients:

1 cup of unsalted butter; softened

3 cups of flour

A pinch of salt

1 pack of cream cheese, room temperature

1 ½ cup of sugar

1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line an 8”x8” baking dish with parchment paper.

Blend butter and cream cheese until fluffy.

Mix in sugar, until well blended.

Add vanilla and egg.

Mix until blended.

Add ½ of the flour and the salt, continue mixing, adding the remaining flour gradually.

With a rubber spatula spread the batter into the prepared baking dish, smooth it out evenly.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Be careful to not overbake. To test for doneness, stick a butter knife into the center. You want just a little crumb cling on the knife.

Cool on a wire rack for a half hour.

By lifting the parchment paper by the edges, pop the cookie bars out of the pan.

Frost them once they are cool.

Cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container.

 

You can find more recipes here

Some of my favorites include:

Fool Proof 3 Ingredient Biscuits

INTERSTATE MOVING – 5 TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW

 INTERSTATE MOVING – 5 TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Long-distance moving can be an exceedingly strenuous process. From deciding your budget to choosing what items to pack, there are numerous things to consider for interstate travel.

But what if we told you it doesn’t have to be this way? That with a few golden tips and tricks, your life can be made much simpler. Continue reading to know a few of those tricks and the secrets to a stress-free interstate move:

·  Declutter

Arguably, one of the most stressful parts of a move is deciding what’s worth keeping in your new home. Especially considering the cost of interstate moving, you’d want to reduce clutter and unnecessary objects as much as possible.

Therefore, we recommend looking through all your current possessions. This includes checking through all your kitchenware, computer accessories, clothes, equipment, and other items. Then selectively choose to sort them into one of three piles: sell, toss, or donate.

When an item has marketable value, you can add it to the "sell" pile and use apps like Facebook Marketplace and eBay to get some extra cash.

·  Be Prepared

Interstate travel is definitely not something to be left to the last minute. It requires a minimum of weeks or months of planning. And, aside from initial decluttering and planning, the day or the week of the shift also requires a series of tasks.

.  These could include the following:

·  Defrost your freezer a couple of days before the move

·  Watering any house plants in advance, as they could end up without water or sunlight for several days

·  Ensure that fragile objects are appropriately packed in the original packaging they came in, or you can ask your movers for a specialized plasma carton to ensure their safe transit.

·  If you have the appropriate tools, get a head-start on dismantling heavy furniture, such as tables, bed frames, or couches.

·  Get Several Estimates

When undergoing long-distance moving, you’d want to ensure that you can trust the team that’s transporting your beloved belongings over hundreds of miles.

Thus, a rule of thumb is to never settle on your first recommendation. Ask various friends and family members for references. And then, when you have around 3-4 trustworthy and reputable options, you can start comparing quotes.

Similarly, you should ensure that the quotes are detailed and well-written from a fully insured and licensed mover. The last thing you'd want for any move is to go over the budget at the last minute; be sure to account for any unconsidered expenses such as those from bulky items, extra packaging, or transit duration costs.

·  Have Insurance For All Items

As brushed upon earlier, you need to exclusively opt for movers that offer insurance on items. Though it may be pricier, it's definitely worth it, considering how easily deliverables can get damaged during long-distance moving.

Moving insurance works by guaranteeing that you’re always fully reimbursed for unexpected loss or damage, ensuring ease of mind for safe transit and storage. Usually, there are additional charges. However, they vary depending on the items you'd be paying insurance for. If the mover you opt for is professional and reputable, they'd happily provide an honest quote for an item’s insurance and information regarding its exact coverage.

·  Leave It All To The Movers

There’s no doubt that moving is stressful, especially when it’s done across states. So, why put yourself through the trouble of worrying? After packaging everything and getting the right item insurance from a trustworthy moving company, simply leave the work to the movers.

Most professional services take everything into account to ensure the safety of your deliverables. They usually cover a variety of services, from including safe packaging of vehicles to the care and maintenance of pets.

With all that being said, if you follow all of these simple tips, we guarantee that you wouldn’t need to worry about moving ever again. So what are you waiting for? Go forth and enjoy the pleasures of a stress-free move!

Christmas Tree Process Art

 This is such a fun way for kids to paint, without using any brushes! It creates a lovely work of art that adds just the right touch of kid made cheer to your space!

My youngest and I love to paint together. We are always thinking of things to paint, without turning to a paint brush. We came up with this adorable process art using only a cork, a pencil eraser, and some paint. This is the perfect seasonal art project for kids.

Supplies:

Paint in green, red, yellow and brown

A pencil with an eraser

A paper plate

A cork

Paper

Directions:

Pour a little squirt of each color of paint on a paper plate.

Offer your child a pencil with an eraser and a cork.

Encourage your child to form the tree shape by stamping in the green paint, then adding one stamp to the paper.

On the next line, make two stamps.

On the third line, stamp 3 times. You get the idea.

After the tree is formed, using the eraser, dip into the other colors of paint, and start decorating the tree.

                     Use whatever colors you like for the ornaments. We used red, blue and yellow.

                                          Next form the tree trunk with brown paint.

                                         Allow to dry and display.

Isn't this such a cute holiday process art idea? Preschoolers and toddlers might enjoy this too!

You can find all of our Christmas crafts here.

Reader favorites include:

Gnome ornaments

Finding Boys’ Gifts to Match Your Child’s Interests

 

If you’re low on inspiration when buying presents for the boys in your family, it’s not as difficult as it seems. By basing the gifts around their interests and the latest trending gifts, you can get them something they’ll love.

Finding Inspiration

Before you choose a gift, looking online can help. You can make sure your gift is right for your child’s age. So, if you search for toys for 8 year old boys, you will find suggestions, from fashionable odd socks and interactive glow t-shirts to logic-based games such as Dog Crimes. This presents the players with ‘crimes’ such as who ate the homework and lets them work out which dog is the culprit.

Science gifts

Science has become more popular with boys, so recent gift recommendations can reflect that. Kidzlabs Kitchen Science has six child-friendly experiments which can be carried out at home. Alternatively, if your child prefers to read about science, The Science and Inventions Creativity Book still has plenty of activities to help him learn and be creative at the same time.

Science gifts can spark an interest that stays with your child as they get older and have to decide what subjects they want to pursue. If nothing else, they can show him science doesn’t have to be boring and can cover a variety of topics. So, he will enjoy learning about or trying out different things.

Drawing or Crafting gifts

If your child prefers to focus on being creative, How to Draw Animals – Made Easy, does what the name suggests and can help him draw animals by following simple instructions. It’s also a fun activity for the whole family to try.

Or you could combine science and creativity, with Archi.Tech Smart House. This lets your child use his creativity to carry out experiments and design a house, equipped with various gadgets and accessories.

It’s important for your child to explore his creativity and for you to encourage any educational interests he has. These can benefit his education, or help with problem-solving skills later in life. Creativity may not always be encouraged in schools, but it’s important to develop.

Outdoor gifts

For outdoor and sporty types, the ideal gift is something that encourages them to pursue their favorite activities outside. Dodgetag is a less aggressive version of dodgeball. Wearing vests with a target on, players have to try to dodge the soft balls from the other players. These are much smaller than those used in dodgeball.

Alternatively, Smart Ball is great if your child wants to practice his skills and improve his sporting stamina and skill.

These and other sporting gifts can help your child improve social skills. Many sports are team games, so by practicing they’re more likely to build up their skills and get chosen for school sports teams if they want to try out. If not, it’s still a good way for him to get exercise and spend time with friends.

If you find the right gift, your child can learn to improve his social skills or learn something useful from it, while having fun at the same time.