Christmas Gift Guide For Women In Their 30s

Hello everyone!  I won't say happy Christmas, as it isn't December yet but Christmas is now all around us; with trees in shop windows, cards in the stores and the list of presents that we need to buy our loved ones, which seems to increase every year.

Today I thought that I would do a Christmas Gift Guide for women who are in their 30s.  My demographic (just about, don't say 40s, I have another 2 years to go yet!).  These are some of the things that I would love to receive in my stocking this year.

Everything I have chosen could be bought by a family member, close friend or even an acquaintance or work associate for their Secret Santa.

1.  Little Book of Cocktails £4.57

2.  Microwavable Slippers £13.99

3.  Folklore Hand Cream £6.00

4.  The Book of Everyone £32.90 (hardcover version)

My favourites from this section are the Little Book of Cocktails (find me a woman in her thirties who doesn't like cocktails, an impossible feat) and the Book of Everyone.  This book is a great gift to give to a family member or close friend as it is completely personalised to them and the day they were born.

 1.  Mermaid Makeup Bag £9.00

2.  Cowshed Bath & Body Oil Set £20.00

3.  Leather Goals Journal £36.99

4.  Compact Mirror £14.99

5.  Crazy Cat Lady Mug £12.50

My favourites from this section are the Mermaid make up bag, perfectly sized and a great design; and the goals journal.  Whether you are writing your future goals or planning times ahead with family and friends, this is a beautiful notebook to have on your desk.

I hope you like my gift guide and find something for the person in your life this Christmas!

To Parquet Or Not To Parquet?

Do you remember that zig zag shaped flooring you used to find in your grandparents house? That is parquet flooring, and parquet is back on the comeback trail. Its distinctive geometric shapes are what makes it stand out from the crowd and give it its own identity.

It’s unsurprising to hear that traditional, old school flooring is back on the up, as vintage is a current trend as is incredibly popular, not just in the flooring market, but in the home and clothing market, and even the re-emergence of vinyl records. Today’s parquet has been given a contemporary twist to modernise it for the present day homes.

There is an incredibly broad range of parquet flooring on offer, so there truly is something to suit everyone. They come in fixed length, individual tiles, so can pretty much be shaped into any design that you like. It is important to ensure you have a specific design in mind before going into the fitting process as they can look a little cluttered and chaotic if proper planning is not put into place beforehand.

Parquet is incredibly durable, so is perfect for homes with high levels of footfall and heavy traffic. It won’t damage as easily as solid and engineered wood, so is a perfect option if you’re not only looking for a flooring that looks great, but that’s also incredibly reliable as well. It’s a long term solution for your home, as opposed to a short term solution that won’t last long. It’s also incredibly easy to clean, if you spill something simply wipe it up, it’s that easy.

The above are examples of just two of the different options you get with parquet. They come in lighter and darker shades, and in a range of species such as oak and walnut. These examples show you Engineered Walnut flooring (left), and the stunning Engineered Grey Oak (right), patters such as these truly add something different to a room. Darker colours add a warm aesthetic, whereas lighter colours create the illusion of space, and add a brighter glow. You can see in this photo the distinctive zig-zag shapes that make parquet as unique as it is.

This truly could be a perfect addition to any modernised home looking for a traditional twist. Not only does it looks amazing, and lasts you a long time, it’s incredibly cost effective. The warm colours can add a natural warmth to your home as the winter months roll in. We hope our guide has helped you to see how beneficial parquet can be to your home, good luck making the all important decision! 

Unexpected Factors That Shape Your Home

(Image Source)

In the modern world, your home has never been a more important place. With the hectic and chaotic nature of life, a lot of people will use this place as a refuge against the stress of life, and this means that it has to be perfect. There are loads of aspects which will impact this. But, of course, there is one which people will often ignore. To help you out with this, this post will be going through this factor, while also helping you to decide if a home is right for you.

The Location:

The factor you have to be considering is, of course, the location. Most people will choose this simply based on their job, where they currently live, or where they grew up. This doesn’t make sense, though, as there is almost certainly other aspects which you’ll want to consider. Below, you can find some examples of these, along with some ways to make an improvement.

The Facilities:

A place is only as good as the facilities and services it has to offer you. For example, if you have kids, good schools will be essential, and living somewhere with one close by will make things easier. Of course, though, there will be loads of things you can make use of. So, it’s worth thinking about as many as possible, along with researching some you may not have heard of.

The Climate:

Over the last few years, more and more research has been done to determine correlations between climate and happiness. In most cases, it has been found that warmer weather makes people feel better. So, it could be worth using a company like https://www.mybekins.com/ to find a warmer place to call home. Of course, though, you’ll have to think very hard before making a move like this.

The Culture:

Although it may seem pedantic, a lot of people will consider things like crime rates, nightlife, and other local culture when they’re thinking about a location to live. These sorts of metrics can be found all over the internet and can be very useful when you’re trying to find the place for you.

The Price:

In most cases, the price of the land a house sits on will dictate most of its value. This means that a move a very short distance away could make a house of the same size a lot cheaper. As long as this doesn’t impact the other aspects of your location, a change like this could be a very good decision.

The Building Itself:

Finally, it’s time to think about the building itself, and how the location might impact it. In different places, there are loads of varying construction and architecture styles. Having a home which embodies a look you don’t like will make it feel bad. This means that it could be well worth moving to find a home which better matches the aesthetic you want to cultivate.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start considering location when you’re looking for your next home. A lot of people will ignore areas like this, choosing to use budget or size as their guide. Of course, though, there are loads of things at play here, and you need to be able to balance them all.

*Collaborative post