If you own a home and like to entertain, you may be extra conscious of the way the interior of your home looks. It needs to be aesthetically pleasing and fit your tastes while also being functional both for daily life as well as for having groups of people over. There are lots of changes both small and large you can make to your home to make it work better for all of your entertaining needs. Here are 4 interior design tips for people like you!

Bookshelf Feature

Much like a fireplace, a large bookshelf feature can serve as the centerpiece of any room you choose to entertain in. Bookshelf designs vary widely so you’ll have no trouble finding one that fits your tastes perfectly. You can even build one yourself. As for filling it with books, that is the most fun part! You can choose to organize them by size, color, topic, author, or any other way that is aesthetically pleasing to you. The right bookshelf is sure to dazzle all of the guests at your next house party.

Fireplace

Consider adding a fireplace as a central feature in a large room as an alternative to a television. Aside from being functional and adding warmth to your home in the colder months, fireplaces are great places to sit and chat with friends and family over a nightcap. There are many DIY tutorials online that will show you how to build a realistic looking fireplace around an electric one, or you can take the stress free route and have a professional install it for you.

Water Feature

The addition of a water feature such as a pond or waterfall inside your home is a great conversation starter. They are calming, unique, and eye-catching. When people step into your home, a water feature will be one of the first things they notice and ask about. You can choose to install something very small or very large depending on how much space you have and how much time and money you are willing to put in.

Extra Seating

Of course, if you plan on having large groups of people over on a regular basis, you are going to need enough extra seating to accommodate everyone comfortably. If you like to have dinner parties, you will also need a large enough table for everyone to sit at. It may be wise for you to consider purchasing seats that fold or come apart and can be stored easily so that you can free up space when not entertaining.

Entertaining can be a lot of work but it’s worth it to see everyone you love having a great time in your home. Putting a few extra touches on its interior design is sure to help you be an even better host.

With the amount of people who are retiring and getting into the older stages of life, many people who are currently in the workforce or raising families of their own are starting to become responsible for the added care of their own parents. And while taking on this responsibility can be a blessing and make sense for some, balancing this new part of life along with everything else can be a challenge.

If this is something that you’re starting to have to come to terms with, here are three tips for balancing caring for an aging parent with your other responsibilities.

Start Off With Clear Boundaries

For those who are just beginning on this journey, Carol Bradley Bursack, a contributor to AgingCare.com, recommends that you start off with clear boundaries for yourself, your parent, and anyone else who will be assisting in their care. Without this having these clear boundaries from the get-go, it can often be very hard to later place healthy boundaries once your parent or other caregivers have gotten used to the way things are going.

As part of these boundaries, make sure you prioritize the aspects of your life that need your attention. This should include your own spouse and children or other important people in your life. You’ll also want to allow yourself the time and ability to continue doing things that make you happy, even if that means spending some time away from caring for your aging parent. This can help you maintain a healthy balance in your life.

Speak With Your Work

If you’re still working while taking care of your aging parent, WebMD.com suggests that you speak with those at your work about your situation.

When caring for an aging parent, there might be times when you need to adjust your work schedule in order to be there for your parent when needed. By giving your work a heads-up about these kinds of things, you may find it easier to meet both of these responsibilities.

Know Your Limits

While you might have the best of intentions when it comes to caring for an aging parent, there may come a point where you can’t be the majority caregiver anymore. To help you when you reach this stage, it’s good to know where your limits are and what you intend to do if and when you reach those limits, like looking into assisted living facilities.

To help you with this, Kathleen Kelly, a contributor to PBS.org, suggests that you make a list of things you can do and things you can’t do for your elderly parent. Then, when something that you can’t do becomes something that’s necessary for them, you should start looking into other options for their care.

If you’re worried about how you’ll balance caring for your aging parent with all the other parts of your life, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you figure this out.

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Love is A-MA-ZING but as great as it can be, putting it into words isn’t the easiest thing in the world. When you truly love someone, you are often captivated (and distracted) by their charm, beauty, and kindness. That’s the best type of love, but being able to tell your partner just how heart-eyes-emoji you are for them is pretty cool too – if anything, it’s necessary.

Below is a list of our 20 favorite love quotes to inspire more romance in your relationship. Try texting these to them, writing them down on a post-it note and leaving it on their mirror, or simply reciting them to them. They’ll love it.

1. “Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don’t know how to replenish its source.” -Anaïs Nin
2. “You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.” –Gone With The Wind
3. “Your kisses lift me higher… like the sweet song of a choir. You light my morning sky, with burning love.” -Elvis Presley
4. “Love is when you meet someone who tells you something new about yourself.” -André Breton
5. “I love you without knowing how, why, or even from where.” -Patch Adams
6. “We are most alive when we’re in love.” -John Updike
7. “Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
8. “Love is a friendship that has caught fire.” -Ann Landers
9. “Immature love says: ‘I love you because I need you.’ Mature love says ‘I need you because I love you.'” -Erich Fromm
10. “You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.” –It’s A Wonderful Life
11. “I think I’d miss you even if we never met.” –The Wedding Date
12. “The only thing we never get enough of is love, and the only thing we never give enough of is love.” -Henry Miller
13. “They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops, and that’s true.” –Big Fish
14. “You had me at hello.” –Jerry Maguire
15. “I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.” –The Fault In Our Stars
16. “To feel the love of people whom we love is a fire that feeds our life.” -Pablo Neruda
17. “Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” -Robert Heinlein
18. “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.” – Victor Hugo
19. “I swear I couldn’t love you more than I do right now, and yet I know I will tomorrow.” -Leo Christopher
20. “If I know what love is, it is because of you.” -Hermann Hesse

Your skin reveals more than you would sometimes like it to. Following a good skincare regime is necessary because this is what can help you look like you’re in your twenties even once you’ve crossed the thirty plus mark. Whether it’s drinking more water every day, eating better, using good skincare products or investing in gadgets for skincare, here’s a list of some skincare regimes you can consider this year.

A Skincare Routine

If you want your skin to stay healthy and youthful, following an effective skincare routine is vital. Your skincare routine should be a combination of moisturizers, antioxidants, vitamins, sunscreens, and serums. When choosing these products, take your time investing in the ones that are gentle and effective in the long run. The vitamin c and e serum is highly recommended. This serum helps nourish your skin and maintains a healthy glow.

Exfoliating masks are also essential since these help to get rid of the dead cells and dirt settled on your skin. It’s a gentler method in comparison to harsh scrubbing. No matter what skincare routine you follow, the one step you should never miss is cleansing your skin at night and moisturizing it before heading to bed.

Once you cross the twenty-five year mark, you should also consider investing in good quality anti-aging skincare products. When teamed with a good diet, the right product can help your skin look a lot younger. A highly recommended anti-aging skincare serum is the matrixyl serum. Use this serum regularly to reduce fine lines and early signs of aging.

Use Products That Are Tried And Tested

The market is loaded with established skincare brands along with emerging brands that are gaining a lot of popularity. When it comes to skincare, it’s best to avoid ‘trial and error’ and stick to products that are recommended by dermatologists. Products that have fewer chemicals and are known to be gentle on the skin should always be preferred over products loaded with chemicals.

There are also some effective skincare gadgets you can invest in. If you want your skin to look flawless and pore-free then the 0.5 derma roller is an excellent tool to invest in. Regular use of this roller can help you cut down the layers of foundation needed to hide the uneven skin on your face.

When using good skincare products, you also need to consider investing in products that suit your skin. If you have oily skin and purchase products designed for dry skin, it will make matters worse and vice versa. Similarly, if you have sensitive or hypoallergenic skin, always consider investing in products designed for your skin type.

Your skincare regime does not need to be overly complicated, fancy or expensive. Investing in a few good quality skincare products that suit your skin is all it takes to have youthful, radiant, and glowing skin. No one knows your skin better than you so choose wisely and pick products you know your skin will benefit from.

Getting older doesn’t have to mean that you’ll require a home caregiver by the age of 65. Age doesn’t determine your ability to take care of yourself unless you allow it to. Today, more and more seniors are remaining self-sufficient well into their 80’s and even into their 90’s. It’s all about taking care of yourself throughout the earlier years of your life.

Even though it can be tempting to play the role of the grasshopper and enjoy the moment without thinking about the future, it’s the ant who ends up surviving the winter by thinking ahead.

Here are some of the best tips for staying healthy in your older years.

Eat Well

What you eat plays a significant role in how well you feel. Certain foods not only affect your physical well-being but also your mental well-being. Eating plenty of vegetables and whole-grain foods will result in better mental performance and sustained energy.

One of the biggest causes of health issues in people over 65 is dehydration. Be sure to get into the habit early on of drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Water doesn’t just help you stay healthier, but it can do wonders for keeping your skin young and hydrated!

Visit Your Doctor Regularly

It’s essential to see your doctor regularly, not only for bringing up any concerns you have, but also so that they can perform screenings and other preventative care measures. The trick to living longer is often to catch things as early on as possible. Letting things slide under the radar can lead to them worsening before you even have the chance to catch them.

Attend Vision Screenings

Senior’s eyes aren’t what they used to be when they were in their 20’s and 30’s. It’s crucial to attend screenings and check for changes every year. When you can’t see correctly, you risk falling or getting into a car accident.

The longer you go without the right prescription, the more that your eyes will deteriorate.

Get Out Of The House

Your health isn’t only a matter of how good your body feels. It’s also essential to take care of your mental health. One of the best ways to ensure that you stay healthy and happy is to get out of the house and stay social as much as possible.

The type of social life you lead will depend on your personal preferences. For some people being social may mean joining a sports team, while others may love to go out dancing. Whatever you choose to do to get your social kicks, make sure that you do it often with people that you care about. Staying young in your heart means staying young in your body!