Within minutes of becoming a mom, I realized what dirty truly meant when my son’s blowout diaper leaked all over my arms and clothes. And as he gets older, the messes are evolving. From fishing toys out of the toilet, pulling blanket corners out of his mouth, and picking up the Lego landmine on the kitchen floor, cleaning after my son has become a daily chore.

A study by ASecureLife.com revealed a surprising analysis of everyday objects touched by kids aged newborn to four years old. The study found that strollers, pacifiers, and plush toys are the dirtiest kids’ items in a home, each hiding more germs than the average bathroom floor.

Yes, the germs that cause pink eye, whooping cough and pneumonia are present on the items your child uses every day.

To avoid letting those pathogenic germs get in contact with your kid, here’s a guide to cleaning children’s toys.

Cleaning 101

Before you begin decontaminating your kid’s stuff, note that there’s a key difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.

Cleaning involves wiping something clean of the visible mess—like food, dust or dirt—using soap and water.

Sanitizing happens after cleaning and involves using a chemical solution to kill the most dangerous germs. It’s generally used for surfaces that come in contact with food.

Disinfecting uses a chemical solution that is stronger and kills most germs. It’s best for nonporous surfaces.

Surfaces and toys frequently used by small hands should be cleaned often, but cleaning can expose children to harsh disinfectants. Chemical household disinfectants, like bleach, are hazardous to human health and the environment.

Instead of using those chemicals, try to look for alternatives. There are eco-friendly bleach alternatives approved by the Environmental Protection Agency that include less harmful, biodegradable ingredients. Essential oils, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar are common ingredients because they contain antimicrobial solutions that can be effective disinfectants and sanitizers if labeled as such.

This doesn’t mean you should throw out antibacterial wipes. Instead, use them sparingly and strategically. You don’t need to use them daily, but maintain a regular cleaning schedule where you focus on sanitizing and disinfecting the most used areas of your home and baby items.

See Also: The Six Best All-Natural Cleaners for Your House

Here is a list of the five germiest children’s items and a guide for how and when to clean each one.

Stroller

Your stroller is pushed across city streets, into public bathrooms, and through amusement parks. Then, when its filthy trek is complete, a stroller is stored in a car trunk or garage—hot, enclosed spaces that provide perfect conditions for germs to multiply.

Worst germ: Streptococcus, which can cause illnesses like strep throat, pink eye, and meningitis.

Quick clean: Turn the stroller on its side and give it a good shake to dump the crumbs. Then, use soap and water to clean the fabric seating area. Use a mild cleaning solution to wipe down the stroller’s handles, cup holder, and food tray.

Deep clean: Use soap and water to clean the remaining fabric areas, like the canopy and storage basket. Wipe down the frame using a mild cleaning solution and a damp cloth. Household cleaners, abrasives, solvents or strong detergents “can scratch, discolor, and weaken plastic or cause corrosion on metal surfaces,” according to stroller brand Britax.

Pacifier

Pacifiers are a parents’ best friend and their worst nightmare. Though the sucking is a huge relief for babies, pacifiers quickly attract germs around them from being dropped on the floor, shoved in diaper bags and passed between hands.

Worst germ: E. coli, which can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and even respiratory illness.

Quick clean: Generally, rinse off the pacifier or wash with soap and water.

Deep clean: Every few days, run it through a dishwasher cycle on the top rack or place it in a pot of boiling water for five minutes.

Plush Toy

Toys get dragged across grocery store floors, left in the bathroom and covered in mucus and spit-up. The fur of a soft toy absorbs any liquid and germs it comes in contact with, making stuffed animals some of the most difficult children’s toys to properly clean.

Worst germ: Listeria, which can cause listeriosis in people with weakened immune systems.

Quick clean: Make a gentle, detergent-free solution and use with a damp washcloth to quickly clean surfaces of a soiled plush toy. For greasy or oily spots, put the stuffed animal in a plastic bag, sprinkle cornstarch liberally over the toy, shake the bag and let it sit for a few minutes. Finally, vacuum it clean.

Plush toy brand Douglas advises against cleaning stuffed toys with disinfectant wipes or cleaners that have alcohol as they can alter the toy’s coloring and leave behind an unhealthy residue.

Deep clean: Throw the stuffed animal in a laundry machine on a hot water cycle. Put the stuffed animal in a white pillow case before washing to prevent matting or losing the fur. Remain conservative with the soap and don’t use fabric softeners as too much cleaner will leave a residue on the toy. Afterward, sun dry to prevent the animal from losing its shape.

See Also: 7 Tips in Choosing Perfect Toys for Your Kids

Diaper Bag

You’ve likely heard you should never place a purse on a kitchen counter because of the number of germs it carries on the bottom. Magnify that by 100 for a diaper bag. Diaper bags sit on changing tables, rest on floors and get shoved in strollers.

Worst germ: Pertussis, which can cause whooping cough.

Quick clean: Dump out any crumbs, then spot clean soiled spots with mild soap and water. Boogie Wipes—wipes made with saline to ease raw, runny noses — are great, gentle spot cleaners.

Deep clean: Follow the cleaning instructions on your diaper bag’s tag. Some diaper bags can be thrown into the washing machine by placing them in a pillowcase to avoid zippers and accessories from being ripped off. You can also wash them upside down so the bag won’t fill with water.

Other diaper bags can only be tended to with a cloth covered in soap and water. Dry the bag in the sun inside out to prevent the color from fading.

Board Book

Board books are resilient to the aggressive play of toddlers. However, they’re not resistant to the germs that can grow on them as they get in contact with dirty mouths, hands, and floors.

Worst germ: Moraxella, which can cause sinusitis, ear infections or pneumonia.

Quick clean: Use a cloth lightly moistened with soap and water to clean any soiled spots.

Deep clean: Mix a cup of water to a ¼ cup vinegar and use the natural solution to rub down board books. Never scrub board books as this could rub away the page’s color. When cleaning board books, using less moisture is best as the pages will warp if they become too wet.

Prevention

As a general rule, you should clean toys that don’t go in a child’s mouth monthly. There are exceptions, though, where a children’s item should be cleaned immediately, according to Fisher-Price:

When soiled. If food has been spilled on it, get rid of the mess as soon as possible with a soapy water scrub.

Post-sickness. If your child is recovering from an illness, like flu, diarrhea or a cold, disinfect any item that came in contact with your child during their sickness.

Post-play date. You never know what sickness or bacteria other children are carrying, so disinfect the toys that another child played with, especially if they put it in their mouth.

Although it may seem obvious, prevention is a caregiver’s first line of defense. Frequent hand washing for you and your kids is a good first step.

While it’s impossible to completely avoid germs, being aware of what you should regularly clean can help keep your child safe and healthy. Use this list to focus on the germiest objects your child comes in contact with and be sure to regularly clean your child’s other toys throughout your home.

The post Easy Cleaning Hacks For The 5 Dirtiest Kids’ Items In Your House appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Buying food for toy breeds is not as straightforward as just choosing the most popular at the pet store and taking it home. Small dogs have special dietary requirements as they tend to be sensitive to certain food. It’s also more difficult to feed them due to their small size and high metabolism.

Toy breed dogs can only eat small amounts at a time so they need to eat several times a day to keep their blood sugar within normal range. The food needs to be packed with nutrients and calories to ensure that your little dog is getting enough of the things it needs to stay healthy.

While this may sound daunting, here are some guidelines on what to look for when buying the best dog food for small dogs.

Ingredients To Look For

Quality ingredients are the most important thing when deciding which food to buy. Just like with human food, you want the ingredients to be as natural as possible so that they can provide the best nutrition available. The main things to check for in dog food for small breeds are protein, fat and carbohydrates.

Protein

When checking what’s in the food you’re considering, protein is the first thing to look for. Protein should be the main ingredient so it should be first on the list. It should also be a high-quality source of protein and something you can recognize. Look for chicken, turkey, or lamb.

Sometimes, game meats will also be used, such as bison or venison. These are good as they are not usually inflammatory and they can be tolerated by dogs with sensitive tummies.

Anything ambiguous, like “by-product”, should be avoided. This is often what’s left over and considered unfit for human consumption after butchering the best meat off of an animal. It can also be a mix of animals from various sources.

Meat meals are also a good protein source. Meal is meat that has been dried to remove the water but still contains the same protein content.

Fat

Dogs are unlike humans in their digestion and they can take a quite high-fat diet and still be healthy. Just like with protein, you should look for reliable fat sources. Chicken fat is a good one but any recognizable source would be acceptable.

Fats that are not defined, such as “animal fat”, can be accumulated from all over the place and from various sources so the quality cannot be verified. Preservatives are often added to them to make them last longer as fat turns rancid when exposed to air.

Along with fat, the food you buy for toy dog breeds should also include fatty acids, such as Omega 3 and Omega 6. Some of the vitamins small dogs require are fat soluble, which means they need to have these fatty acids in order to absorb them.

As a general rule, there should be 1g of fat for 2g of protein in good dog food for small dogs.

Carbohydrates

In dog food, carbohydrates are often used as fillers to add bulk and calories. These are often referred to as vague descriptions, such as “grain by-products” or “cereals”. There are also some grains that small dogs, like Shih Tzus, are often allergic to. Examples include corn, wheat, and soy.

However, there are nutrients in high-quality carbohydrates. So, look for lists of vegetables, preferably fibrous ones, like potatoes, squashes, turnips and whole grains like oats.

Things To Avoid When Looking For Food For Toy Dogs

Apart from knowing what to look for in a good dog food, you should also know what should be avoided as much as possible.

As previously mentioned, wheat, soy, and corn are common allergens. They can cause upset stomachs and skin irritations. Along with these, look out for artificial preservatives, like ethoxyquin, BHT, and BHA.

Of course, some preservatives are needed or else the food would go off in storage and transport, but these can be in the form of Vitamin E and Vitamin C substrates known as tocopherols or ascorbates.

There are also some ingredients that must not be given to small dogs and Shih Tzu. These are toxic and can cause organ damage and even death in some cases. These include anything with caffeine, such as tea or coffee, chocolate, onions, fruit seeds or pips, grapes or raisins and macadamia nuts.

Size and Shape Of Dog Food For Small Dogs

Small dogs have small mouths and jaws to match. This means that you can’t give them big chunks of food as they’ll struggle to bite and chew properly. A lot of toy breeds also have compressed snouts and flat faces, like the Shih Tzu, and this makes eating messy and not so easy.

There are specialized foods, mainly dry food, that’s made up of small, bite-sized pieces called kibbles. They’re the perfect size and shape to fit into small mouths and small jaws. Size and shape should be a consideration when picking out the best dog food for small dogs.

Snacks and Treats

The recommendations for food should also apply to the treats that you give your small dogs. Since they can only take in small amounts of food at a time, they are often prone to hypoglycemia. You need to give them a couple of snacks between meals to keep their blood sugar normal. These should be small snacks that your dog can eat quickly and are full of nutrients and calories to keep them going. Just like with meals, avoid snacks that have lots of chemicals, preservatives, and allergens in them.

Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)

For extra peace of mind, look out for the AAFCO stamp of approval. The AAFCO test and monitor animal food to make sure that it has the right composition of nutrients and can provide your dog with everything it needs and everything the food claims to provide. It also ensures that there is nothing harmful in there so you can feed your dog with confidence.

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In a world of mass production and сhеар commodities, mаnу products, including bаbу clothes and bаbу ассеѕѕоrіеѕ, аrе produced frоm ѕуnthеtіс mаtеrіаlѕ that аrе mаdе frоm tоxіс сhеmісаlѕ. Thеѕе tоxіn-rіddеn products роѕе health rіѕkѕ fоr еvеrуоnе who uѕеѕ thеm. Bаbіеѕ, obviously, аrе especially vulnerable to these risks.

In аn еffоrt tо gеt аwау frоm these toxic products and аlѕо tо preserve the environment, mаnу соmраnіеѕ сhооѕе tо gо grееn bу producing organic products. This includes organic baby clothes and organic bаbу ассеѕѕоrіеѕ.

Orgаnіс products dо nоt роѕе аnу health rіѕk tо аnуоnе who uses them as they аrе mаdе frоm аll natural mаtеrіаlѕ. They are frее оf ѕуnthеtіс tоxіс сhеmісаlѕ, ѕuсh аѕ hоrmоnеѕ and реѕtісіdеѕ. Thе drawback of organic products, however, іѕ that they аrе vеrу costly соmраrеd tо their nоn-organic counterparts.

Thе health riskѕ оf ѕуnthеtіс products and the high cost of organic products lеаvе a lоt оf реорlе, еѕресіаllу the parents of newborn bаbіеѕ, іn a ѕtаtе of dіlеmmа. Thеу hаvе tо mаkе the сhоісе оf either ignoring the rіѕkѕ оf ѕуnthеtіс products or figure out wауѕ tо gеt the extra money theу nееd tо purchase organic products.

In this ріесе, we’ll give you great tips оn hоw tо solve this dilemma.

Should Yоu Buу Orgаnіс Bаbу Clothes and Orgаnіс Bаbу Aссеѕѕоrіеѕ?

Mаnу реорlе аrе willing tо рау еxtrа mоnеу tо buу оrgаnіс bаbу food tо gеt аwау frоm thе hоrmоnеѕ аnd реѕtісіdеѕ соntаіnеd іn ѕуnthеtіс fооd рrоduсtѕ. Mаnу аrе аlѕо rеаdу tо uѕе nоn-ѕуnthеtіс ѕkіn саrе рrоduсtѕ fоr thеіr kіdѕ аѕ оvеr 60% оf thе skin саrе рrоduсtѕ аррlіеd оn thе bоdу аrе аbѕоrbеd іntо thе blооdѕtrеаm.

When it comes to choosing between organic and non-organic baby clothes and accessories, however, many people pause to consider the pros and cons of the decision.

Those who choose to go for non-synthetic clothes and accessories for babies believe that because a baby’s skin is far more sensitive than that of an adult, babies are more prone to allergic reactions from toxic chemicals.

See Also: Have a Child with Skin Sensitivities? Here’s How to Deal with it

Other people argue that organic baby clothing is a mere “status symbol” as baby clothes and accessories produced from 100% cotton fabric make very good alternatives. Both points are legitimate so the choice of buying organic and non-organic products is left for parents to make.

What to Avoid When Choosing Bаbу Clothes and Bаbу Aссеѕѕоrіеѕ

When choosing kids’ clothes and accessories, avoid those made largely from polyester and those that have very dark colors because they contain a lot of dyes. Do not buy baby clothes that are made from fabrics that have been treated with formaldehyde-based resins as that could cause allergic skin reaction. It’s also a good idea to always wash your baby’s clothes before putting them on your baby for the first time.

Choosing The Right Bedding for Your Bаbу’ѕ Crіb

It іѕ needless tо ѕау that organic products аrе muсh ѕаfеr than the non-organic оnеѕ аѕ organic products contain lеѕѕ (іf аnу) harmful ѕуnthеtіс сhеmісаlѕ. Unfortunately, nоt еvеrуоnе саn аffоrd organic products bесаuѕе they аrе vеrу еxреnѕіvе.

Orgаnіс bаbу mattresses, fоr еxаmрlе, аrе vеrу рrісеу. Thеrеfоrе, a mоrе соѕt еffесtіvе alternative tо nоn-ѕуnthеtіс mattresses fоr your bаbу’ѕ сrіb іѕ tо buy organic bаbу mattress раdѕ, ѕhееtѕ, оr duvet соvеrѕ. Always ensure your bаbу’ѕ сrіb bedding is flаmе resistant and mаkе sure tо аіr the non-organic mattress out wеll bеfоrе іt іѕ uѕеd.

Chооѕіng Yоur Bаbу’ѕ Dіареrѕ

Every family with a nеwborn baby іѕ always fасеd with the сhоісе оf using cloth diapers that rеԛuіrе dumping and washing, paying the hеаvу рrісе fоr organic dіареrѕ оr rіѕking the health of their newborn babies with non-organic dіѕроѕаblе dіареrѕ. If your fаmіlу орtѕ fоr disposable dіареrѕ, іt wіll bе a gооd іdеа tо gо fоr dіѕроѕаblе dіареrѕ that are chlorine frее.

When shopping for baby clothes and items, it’s so easy to simply get caught up in the aesthetic of children’s clothing and how cute our kids would look in certain outfits. However, always consider material, origin, and what these baby products underwent during the manufacturing process. Keep our tips in mind when shopping in order to keep your child’s exposure to harmful substances to a minimum.

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Millennials are having a bigger impact on the housing market than you might expect. They are the largest and most diverse generation since the Baby Boomers and despite their financial struggles with student loans and stagnating wages, they are managing to save up for down payments and buy houses. There are, however, some key differences in what Millennial home buyers want, compared with the previous generations.

Millennials Want To Own Homes

While the previous generations had the American Dream, Millennials consider having their own homes as their biggest dream. This is in great contrast to what most people think of Millennials.

Millennials are often thought to be forever dependent on their parents, living off of their parents’ basement, renting forever or getting a share of everything without giving or buying anything.

The key difference between Millennials and other generations is that they don’t see home ownership as permanent. They plan to move on sooner than the average homeowner in 6 years, instead of 10.

Millennials Shop For Homes Differently

The Internet has changed things for a lot of people. Digital native Millennials have become far more comfortable with using the Internet than previous generations.

These are the folks who research a pair of shoes online extensively before committing to buy. And as expected, they’ll use the same diligence in purchasing a home.

Almost all Millennials search for homes online while 58% find homes on their mobile devices. Three-quarters of millennials will actually drive by a home because of the photos they see online while over two thirds will do a walk-through after finding a home on the internet. Good online listings with professional photos are the biggest hurdle to getting millennials through the door.

Millennials are also more likely to trust real estate agents. They want someone who can guide them through the process and trusting the professionals is the Millennial answer.

See Also: Changing Trends in the Way Families Buy Homes

Still, Millennials Are Broke

With mountains of student loan debt and stagnating wages, 23% of Millennials report that saving for a down payment is the most difficult part of the home buying process. Nearly half of Millennials owe $25,000 in student loan debt.

Saving up for that down payment is a tough road for many Millennials and their struggles are reflected in what they want in a first-time home. Fixer uppers are out as Millennials don’t have the cash or the time to fix up a home. They want turnkey homes that are completely updated and ready to go.

What Millennial Home Buyers Want

Millennials have a long list of demands when it comes to finally making that first home purchase. They don’t have a lot of extra cash to spend making it their own, so everything needs to be just right before they sign the contract.

Millennials want:

An open floor plan – They are broke so they want a space where they can entertain.
An updated luxury kitchen – They are going to be making their own avocado toast for the foreseeable future and they want to do it in style.
Updated bathrooms – There’s no money left over to do renovations.
A home office – More Millennials are telecommuting and they want a dedicated space.
Energy efficiency – The environment is important as is saving on utility bills so things like energy-efficient windows and appliances, as well as solar features, can be major selling points.
Technology access – Cell reception and high-speed internet are deal makers
Location – Millennials still want to be in the suburbs, close enough to work and entertainment but far enough away to relax

See Also: 10 Important Home Features That Home Buyers Want

Millennials Are Dominating The Real Estate Landscape

Currently, Millennials make up 34% of all home buyers and 66% of all first-time home buyers. Because of their sheer number, they are changing the course of real estate — from what sells houses to the level of professional involvement in the process. If you are selling a home or working in the real estate market, take note.

Discounting Millennials’ purchasing power because of the constant chatter in the media labeling them as “sharers and not owners” or simply “broke and in debt” is not going to be an effective strategy. Millennials want to own homes and they are going to do it by any means necessary.

Learn more about Millennial home buyers from this infographic.

SOURCE

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No matter where you go, how you go or how many days your stay will be, you can easily spend more cash than you thought you would when traveling. Unexpected travel expenses can cost you more than you would spend if you just stay at home.

Expenses for airplane tickets and hotel rooms are obvious. But, what if you end up losing your baggage? Or someone gets sick?

There are several unexpected travel expenses that can fast spike the total price of your trip to an uncomfortable height. Thankfully, there are some effective and easy ways to cover them. Below are great tips you can use when planning your next trip.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is not really common among people. But, it only takes a bad fall on your trip or a motorbike accident to make you regret your decision of not getting a travel insurance.

Policies are available for a cost as low as a night’s lodging. If you have more money, you can consider increasing your deductible and just use your insurance for real calamities.

Unplanned Upgrades

There will be times when the train you expect to take you from one spot to another gets delayed for 12 hours. There will be times when you miss your bus and have to buy a nicer class ticket so you can stay on your schedule. In some cases, getting tour buses will be so difficult that you’ll need to spend your last $50 to buy a one-way flight back instead of waiting.

The best way to cover such unexpected travel expenses is to find reasonable offers online for cab or taxi services or get cash advance online.

Baggage problems

A lot of travelers just do not pay attention to their free checked baggage allowance once they find tickets with amazing prices. They’ll only realize the problem when they are hit with excess baggage fees.

To avoid this, always double check your airline’s website before packing your suitcase. This will keep you away from extra charges.

Lost luggage problems are a very common scenario today, too. If your baggage doesn’t show up, go to the airline counter to file a report. They may provide you a bag of essentials and ask you to share your contact details. Remember that the longer your luggage is lost, the more compensation the airline will provide. A payday loan could cover this travel problem.

See Also: Things You Didn’t Know That Occur While Traveling

Medicine and doctors

When traveling, your routine changes tremendously. You’ll eat and drink a lot of new things, too. So, you have to go see your attending physician and consult him about your travel plans. If you don’t, you can end up spending tons of cash for expensive medicines, like antiseptics, sunscreen and allergy pills.

To cover these expenses, you can pack a few medicines in your baggage. If your airline won’t allow it, look for discounts and buy extra packs whenever you see a good deal on your way. A small town without any drugstore can sell these essentials at a high price.

Lodging Fees

And finally, you should be ready for certain fees connected with lodging that are frequently hidden and unexpected for many travelers. Before signing your final payment, ensure that you have a clear understanding of how much you are going to pay for the whole stay.

Ask the hotel management to provide the list of extra payments that are not included in your stay rate. Also, be ready to cover extra charges, like open bar, internet and room service fees.

To avoid all those inconveniences and prevent awkward situations during the arrival, include those expenses in your travel budget.

Conclusion

Every time we plan a trip, we often forget the smaller, less pressing stuff. Just keep the above-mentioned points in mind next time you are planning or saving for an overseas trip.

When taking a trip anywhere in the world, you must be prepared for unexpected travel expenses. This way, if something comes up, you won’t end up feeling stressed, frustrated and broke.

See Also: 5 Important Tips Before Traveling Overseas

 

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There it sits. The very full, nearly over-flowing garbage can. You see it there. You know your partner has seen it there, so now the stand-off begins. Will you take it out, or will your partner? You ask yourself, “why am I the only one who does this?” “Doesn’t he/she notice it?”

Inequity in household duties can cause stress and resentment in an otherwise happy relationship. While each of you are perfectly capable of handling all the many things that need to be done, the bulk of the daily duties often falls on the shoulders of one partner more than the other.

So how do you combat a lopsided division of responsibilities? Below are 5 strategies to assist in dividing up household chores.

Begin by making a master list of all chores. You can include things like grocery shopping and dog-walking or any other dreaded duties. To ensure that nothing is overlooked, the list should have the input of both partners.

Consider Timing

Do your work schedules differ? Maybe one of you is an early riser and the other a night owl. Look at your list of the regular chores and see when things typically need to happen. Which day does the garbage go to the curb and who is home earliest to do that? Some things can be done more easily in the morning than in the evening.

Laundry, for instance, can be started in the morning before work and finished in the evening when the first person is home. So perhaps one of you can collect and put clothes in, and the other can take out and deliver to the appropriate rooms.

Particulars

Do you like the towels folded a certain way? Will your partner get frustrated when you load the dishwasher wrong? If so, then divide out chores by the ones that you each have opinions about.

If you can’t stand the way he/she handles a particular chore then you really should do it yourself. If you would like to see the vacuum marks go diagonally then you should be the one to do the vacuuming. Same principal applies to your partner.

If/Then Method

Balance it all out by using the if/then method. If I cook, then you clean. If I wash, then you dry. If I clean the bathroom, then you clean the kitchen, etc.

This can work wonderfully for many couples because it also plays into each other’s strengths. Often one partner likes to cook, so it’s only fair that the other cleans. It also creates an atmosphere of fairness and collaboration. You are working as a team in a yin and yang manner.

Old Fashioned Calendar

Do you each hate cleaning the bathroom? Is taking out the trash a stumbling block? Then, much like the chore charts of youth, set a calendar with the days or weeks that you each take turns for those responsibilities.

Perhaps you can take the trash to the curb on the week the recycle goes out and your partner takes it down on the green waste weeks. Or, bathroom duty falls to each of you every other week (or day depending upon your level of tidiness).

Keeping a calendar also ensures things get done. It is very easy to forget that the top of the refrigerator needs cleaning, or that the air conditioning filters should be changed. Writing these things down will help make sure they happen.

Division by Room

If none of the other strategies are working well, consider each of you taking responsibility for a room. For instance, if you have more than one bathroom, you can each take one. One of you can take kitchen duty and the other laundry room and laundry. Then, like it or not, those spaces and all that goes with them are the responsibility of one person. This method, however, should probably be kept track of on a calendar to ensure that who is responsible for what is clear.

Having a system to get household items handled can take stress off of each of you. Most of the day-to-day responsibilities are mundane and therefore easy to avoid. But avoiding the garbage does not mean it doesn’t need to be emptied. By working together, you are likely to find these things get done more quickly and without much additional thought. And, you will no longer have to play chicken with the garbage.

See Also: The Six Best All-Natural Cleaners for Your House

 

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Just as there are so many types of houses, there are also just as many types of roof. Materials, design and quality vary from one roof to another. In fact, roofs can differ from one country to another.

Japanese people like edgy and pointed tiled roofs that elicit an elite vibe. There are straw roofs in the Philippines as well that can help regulate room temperature in spite of the scorching heat in the country.

In some areas of South America, some houses use the old roofing method with clay tiles. Meanwhile, Great Britain and Ireland have so many gabled roofs that look elegant.

Each roof requires different materials and these materials have distinct maintenance needs.

Roofs may be difficult to maintain because, for one, you need to climb the top of your house just to fix it. On the other hand, for some types, you have to call for a roof repairing shop and pay them just to get your roof done.

Maintaining a roof may be quite a bane but, as homeowners, we should know how to find out when it is damaged and what we need to do to keep it in good shape. If you think asphalt shingle and tiled-roof are easy to maintain, think again.

Metal roofing is currently a name to remember in the roofing industry, and this article is proof that it is much better than Asphalt Shingles and Tiles. Below, we break down the advantages of metal roof.

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles are very common to single houses and other small residential properties. It is almost one of the standard roof materials in all of America. Shingles may vary in color, texture and type, depending on the customer request and the manufacturer.

There are namely two kinds of Asphalt Shingles: organic and fiberglass.

Papers coated with asphalt are the basic composition of the organic shingles. Because of the asphalt, it becomes waterproof. Fiberglass shingles, on the other hand, can provide better protection, being fireproof and waterproof at the same time.

Just like the organic shingle, asphalt also coats the fiberglass shingle, which makes it waterproof, while its fiberglass nature made it fireproof.

Asphalts are very budget-friendly at $90 per square meter. In maintaining the roof, just check the roof flashings, shingle and the gutters and watch out for the decayed parts. Asphalt shingles are not that sturdy to withstand changing climates.

Tile

Tile is another competitive material in the field of roof materializing. It is one of the oldest materials for roofing. It is so old that archaeologists found out that Greek people in the third Millennium BC first used it.

One of its most famous kinds is the traditional clay tile that is still in the market. Nevertheless, the traditional clay tile evolved which caused the birth of other types of tiles for roofing. The list includes metal, slate, concrete and other synthetic creations.

It is undeniable that tile roofs are attractive and have many aesthetics. Traditional houses in Japan, for example, use tile flooring which makes the structure of the house appealing to the public. However, despite the aesthetic, its durability against the storms and other natural calamities may be questionable.

High winds, cyclones and tornadoes can most probably blow the tiles away if they are not as heavy as they need to be. Needless to say, tiles are weighty. With this heaviness, the foundation supporting the weight must be sturdy enough to support them. A strong base sufficient to support a tiled-roof might be costly.

The maintenance of a tiled-roof is also just as expensive as the makeup of it. You cannot clean the roof on your own since it is very fragile and you cannot walk over it. To be able to clean a tiled-roof, you may need to seek the help of experts that can do the job efficiently.

Metal

 

One of the rising names in the roofing industry is Metal. Houses exposed to harsh climates should have metal roofing to help them stand against calamities.

Metal is one of the safest materials to use for roofing purposes. Metal, unlike the asphalt shingle, can stand stronger against cyclones and tornadoes. Experts call the metal roof weatherproof, knowing that it can stand against almost all odds.

Metal roofing is also highly customizable. There are varieties of metal roofing designs that can fit the uniqueness of your house. Aside from these advantages of metal roof, it is also energy-efficient and affordable.

Metal roofing’s life expectancy is around 30 to 50 years, that is more than thrice the durability of asphalt shingles. As for maintenance, you have to check the roof and clean it annually. You have to make sure that the gutters are clean and there are no clusters on it. If there are some troubles, call someone who does metal roof repair so you can get satisfying services.

Takeaway

Highly consider the type of materials you’re going to use for the roof of your house. The roof is more than just a shade for your home. It serves as the ozone layer of your humble abode.

Asphalt shingles are cheap roofing materials with a life expectancy of around 16 years or less. This type of roof is also not very advisable in places with unstable climates. Tiles, on the other hand, can add some aesthetic to your house and can last to at least 50 years. However, this roof cannot assure the life expectancy of your wallet since it is very hard and expensive to maintain.

Metal roofing is the best choice among the three materials presented. Most residents should consider it, knowing that the life expectancy of metal roofing is also enough to witness your kids transcend from infancy to the adulthood, at least. Other than that, it is weatherproof, energy-efficient and affordable.

Cities that experience cyclones, most often, must consider metal roofing. Therefore, it is safe to say that metal roofing is the best choice to protect your home from the savage of nature.

See Also: Simple Guide To A Green Roof

 

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Almost everything in our daily life revolves around money. We go to work to earn money and we use that money to pay for food, gas, our homes and all our necessities. It can seem like a never-ending cycle, especially if you are still trying to establish yourself.

However, there are some smart financial choices that you can make that will allow you to make money from your money without having to do much at all. Investing your money carefully can help you increase your income substantially with only a little oversight on your part.

There are a variety of methods that you can utilize to see a good return on your money. You should make sure that you consider what is best for you and your finances before making any major decisions.

Here are a few things that you should consider before looking for the best investment ideas.

Pay Off Your Debt

If you want your investments to succeed, you need to be making smart choices in all of your financial affairs. No matter how well you invest your money, if you are spending more than you can pay back, you are going to lose money.

Debt has a nasty way of catching up to us when we least expect it, and it is never forgiving. It would be very difficult to finally start seeing a return on your investment and then have to use all of that and more to pay off debts that you have incurred.

Additionally, no matter how well you invest, there is no guarantee that your investment will be successful. You might get a lot of money, you might only get a little or you could lose your money. Spending more than you have in anticipation of receiving money from your investments could come back to haunt you.

You could also lose your investments if you have to declare bankruptcy before you see returns. If you do end up in this position, talk to a legal professional about filing for bankruptcy to see if there is a way to protect your investments.

See Also: Staying Out Of Debt: 3 Money Habits You Should Be Doing

Keep Track of Your Money

While it might not take a lot of work, taking the time to keep track of your money is one of the most important things that you can do. Knowing where you are spending and how that money is doing will help you understand how to best manage your investments.

Gone are the days when you can keep track of everything in a notebook or on a piece of paper unless you are a financial wizard. Find a software program or spreadsheet that fits your needs and use that to keep track of your income, your expenses and your investments.

It is important that you keep your records up to date and that you regularly review how your investments are performing. Find a schedule that works for you, but make sure that you are reviewing this information at least once a month.

Buy Low

This may seem like an obvious piece of advice, but it is repeated often for a reason. If you are investing in a company, it doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money on stock in a moderately successful company when you could spend a little money on a company that is growing.

If you manage to find and invest in a company that is newer but growing strong, then you have a pretty decent chance of making a lot of money off of your investment. It may be helpful to look at companies that have had financial troubles recently but are doing well again. Their growth reassures you that your investment is sound.

Consider Mutual Funds

Mutual funds are probably one of the best and easiest investments for new investors. When investing, the more diverse your portfolio is (or the more variety you have in types of investments), the better chance you have of getting a good return on your money.

Mutual funds can provide you with a diverse portfolio with professional management. There are also many variations of mutual funds to best meet your particular needs. Make sure that you choose someone that you trust to manage your mutual fund.

See Also: 7 Common Money Mistakes to Avoid (And their easy Solution)

Wrap Up

Every investor wants to earn high returns, but that always isn’t possible. Immerse yourself in financial markets and literature well before you decide to invest or before you put all your money in your best investment ideas. Talk to a financial adviser to make sure that you are aware of what you are getting into.

It’s easy to get taken advantage of if you don’t know much about investing, not to mention fail to gain money on your investments.

 

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Each day, 2.5 million TB of data are generated. This huge quantity of data needs to be stored so that they can be easily accessed later. They are data measured in zettabytes, petabytes and exabytes, which are lesser known terms.

As companies gather rising amounts of data, requirements on infrastructure and technology have become larger. The following 3 Vs describes what Big Data is all about.

Volume

This feature represents the absolute amount of data produced by companies. It includes data from transaction information, social media created information, sensor and machine to machine data. Without technologies to accumulate such large amounts of data, storing it easily would be a problem.

Velocity

Latest technologies allow faster data processing through sensors, RFID tags and other technologies. However, structuring and storing them in real time is a big challenge.

Variety

Data come in a wide variety of formats. It can range from regular databases, unstructured video, audio and email to transaction data.

These three features of Big Data offer a challenge for the companies that need to store data in an integrated, structured, affordable and accessible way.

Facebook And Big Data

Social media assure the growth and development of innovation through mass collaboration. Across various industries, companies use social media platforms to promote products and services. They also use it to observe how people respond to brands.

See Also: 4 Good Reasons For Marketing With Facebook

One of the largest Big Data experts is Facebook. It  deals with petabytes of data on a regular basis. As the world connects through this platform, it generates algorithms to track those connections.

Whether it’s a wall post or your favorite movies and books, Facebook surveys each and every bit of your data. It does this to provide you superior services each time you log in.

Some Of The Contributors Behind Facebook’s Big Data

There is a variety of technology working behind this platform. Below are the most significant ones:

Hadoop

Facebook manages the biggest Hadoop cluster. It has beyond 4,000 machines and stores millions of gigabytes. This large-scale cluster provides some crucial skills to developers.

The developers can openly write MapReduce programs in any language.
SQL has been combined to process large data sets, as the majority of data in the Hadoop’s file system are in table format. Because of this, it becomes easier for developers to access smaller SQL subsets.

Beginning with searching, recommendation system, log processing and data warehousing, Hadoop is enabling Facebook in any way possible. In fact, its first user-facing app, Facebook Messenger, is based on Hadoop database.

Scuba

Encountering a large amount of disorganized data each day, Facebook realized that it requires a platform to speed up its analysis. It developed Scuba to help the Hadoop developers plunge into the massive data set. It also allows them to carry on an ad-hoc analysis in real-time.

Facebook wasn’t meant to run across different data centers. A single malfunction could cause the whole platform to fail.

Scuba enables the developers to store in-memory data in bulk. It’s supposed to help speed up the informational analysis. It executes small software agents to collect data from data centers and compress them into log data pattern. The compressed data are further compressed by Scuba into smaller memory systems which can be promptly assessed.

Hive

After the launch of Hadoop by Yahoo for its search engine, Facebook also decided to empower its data scientists. It needed help in storing huge amount of data in the Oracle data warehouse. Thus, Hive came into existence.

This tool enhanced the query capability of Hadoop by using a part of SQL. Eventually, it became popular in the unstructured world. Nearly thousands of jobs are running using this system today.

Prism

As Facebook doesn’t run on multiple data centers, it needed the help of Prism. It’s a platform that brings out several namespaces. It helps in developing many logical clusters, too.

Corona

It was getting difficult to manage the task trackers and cluster resources. As pull-based scheduling model was causing a delay in handling small jobs, MapReduce came to existence. Hadoop was restricted by its slot-based resource management model. It wasted the slot every time the cluster size was unable to fit the configuration.

Developing and executing Corona helped in establishing a new scheduling framework. It helped distinguish resource management from job coordination.

Today, Facebook has become one of the substantial corporations in the world. It’s all thanks to its considerable data on over 1.5 Billion people on earth. However, security and privacy concerns remain as it isn’t sure whether Facebook will just save its big data on its server or use them in order to make money.

But, one thing is for sure. It’s the Big Data that pushed Facebook, a small-time startup in Harvard, into becoming one of the large corporations of all times.

See Also: The Facebook Organic Growth Tactic that Everybody Forgets

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Music has been with us since prehistoric times in one form or another, growing with human society and culture, and taking new shapes one century after another. Humans have become so accustomed to it that listening to music has become second nature. We take music in our lives so much for granted that we rarely stop to think how it influences our mood or daily actions.

For example, did you know that listening to music at the office can make you more productive?

Here’s how.

Music and business – an unexpected match

Listening to music is not an activity reserved for free time and parties only. In fact, according to the latest surveys, more than half of employees listen to music at work.

Compared to people who do not listen to music, those who do are 90% more productive and, more than that, they provide more accurate work. The habit of listening to music at the office isn’t looked down upon by managers either. Around 77% of them agree that music gives employees a morale boost and almost half believe that it improves their performance in sectors such as sales.

The science behind it all

Scientific studies back up what people already instinctively know: music influences the human brain. When listening to music, multiple areas of our brains are activated. This includes the motor cortex (responsible for movement), the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and cerebellum (responsible for stimulating emotion). The hippocampus (stimulates memories), Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas (language processing) also get stimulated.

When listening to music, the brain releases dopamine, the same chemical released when we eat our favorite food. Apart from making us feel pleasure, dopamine also improves focus. Which leads us to…

Music and productivity

Listening to music is a powerful productivity tool. Whether you have an office station or you just put on your headphones, once you hit play, you are bound to work better, faster and make less mistakes. Music helps you focus, blocking external distractions and allowing you to tackle difficult tasks with more motivation. In addition, your favorite tunes can also reduce stress and anxiety. So, for example, if you are coping with personal issues, music could protect your work performance.

Those who work in a challenging, stressful office environment can keep things under control by listening to music. Music produces the same amount of relaxation as a massage, so this is the simplest way to reduce anxiety and overcome negative emotions.

Aside from using music to increase productivity, scientists also say that this activity can increase memory. It’s one of the main reasons why students are constantly recommended to study for exams while listening to music.

The benefits of listening to music at work don’t just apply to the office environment. Workers in just about any field can benefit from these effects.

Other benefits of listening to music

Apart from boosting performance and productivity, listening to music has been scientifically proven to offer additional health benefits, including:

• decreasing pain
• improving insomnia
• increasing physical endurance
• speeding up recovery
• relieving symptoms of depression and other mental health issues

See Also: 4 Ways To Overcome Depression Naturally

Apart from these, several studies have also suggested that listening to music while eating could make people consume smaller food portions and have increased blood flow. However, more research is needed.

What genre of music should you listen to for a productivity boost?

Not all music influences you in the same way. Some genres are recommended for certain office activities:

• Ambient music seems to be the most effective. According to research, it improves focus, so it’s perfect for tasks that require attention to details, such as data entry. Ambient music is quite neutral, so it doesn’t distract you.

• Pop music is happy and upbeat, so it makes you work faster. One study showed that people who were listening to pop music while doing data entry were 58% faster. Pop music also reduces mistakes by 14%.

• Dance music also helps you work faster, but not just in data entry. For example, if you have a proofreading task, you can complete it 20% faster by listening to dance beats.

• Classical music has a great impact on work accuracy. Pick a classical radio station and your work will be 12% more accurate!

Of course, these are just general studies about the influence of music genres on productivity and results may vary depending on what kind of music you normally listen to. Broadly speaking, scientists recommend workers to listen to music without lyrics if they are doing something that involves linguistic processing. Otherwise, lyrics will become a distraction.

Also, while discovering new music is always fun, the workplace is probably not the best place to explore songs. Discovering new music interferes with your ability to process new information. For improved performance and focus, scientists recommend that we stick to familiar songs we know and love.

See Also: Get “In the Zone” on Command with a Focus Song

Check out this infographic to know more about how music can increase your productivity.

 

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