| How to Feel Better After a Breakup Posted: 26 Jan 2022 12:00 AM PST Breakups are hard, and after a breakup you might feel like you will never be happy again. These feelings are common and completely normal, but this is simply not true. You will feel better with time. However, if you are looking for ways to feel better now, there are several things you can do to work through your emotions, boost your mood, and move forward in your life. [Edit]Processing Your Feelings After a Breakup - Give yourself time to grieve and work through your emotions. Don't force yourself to move on if you don't feel ready. It is perfectly fine to take your time and allow yourself to feel bad for a while. It may only take you a couple of weeks to feel better or you may need months or longer to work through your emotions. Don't rush it![1]
- The longer the relationship was, the longer it may take to work through your emotions. For example, you will likely recover from a 2-month relationship much more quickly than a 2-year relationship.
- Accept your feelings as a normal part of the process. After a breakup, you will likely go through a gamut of emotions, such as sadness, anger, and anxiety. While it may seem like you will never feel better, these feelings are temporary and they will pass. Remind yourself of this any time you start to feel overwhelmed or hopeless.[2]
- Try saying or writing something like, "I am angry that my relationship ended, and that is totally normal. Everyone who has been through a breakup has experienced something similar. They survived and so will I."
- Feeling unmoored and foggy-headed are natural and normal reactions to being apart from someone when you're used to having them around all the time. It takes time for your brain to adjust to the absence of the other person.
- Acknowledge and react to your feelings. Name the feeling, accept it, and let the feelings take over for a little while. Take a moment to say to yourself, "I feel sad right now," and then allow yourself to feel sad. This is a great way to work through your feelings. Do what feels natural to you in these moments, such as crying, writing about how you feel, or talking about your feelings with someone you trust.[3]
- Try writing in a journal as a way to acknowledge and express your feelings. Spend 15 minutes or longer daily writing about your feelings.
- If you wish you could speak directly to your ex, then write them letter that you don't send. Say everything you want to say to them, and then tear up the letter and throw it away.
- Keep in mind that even if you deny how you feel, you will still feel that way. It is better to acknowledge what you are feeling, and then let the feelings wash over you like a wave. This may be intense for a few minutes, but you will likely feel better afterwards.
- Talk to people you trust about what you are going through. Sharing with a close friend, loved one, or someone else who you trust is an excellent way to vent and work through your emotions. You may even look into a support group or therapist if you are struggling to feel better.[4]
- If you don't have a close friend or family member to talk to, reach out to an acquaintance. Ask the coworker or classmate that you have chatted with a few times if they would like to join you for lunch. You can begin a friendship by opening up to someone new.[5]
- Take a break from work or other responsibilities if possible. If you were in a serious, long-term, relationship, the end of that relationship can be a devastating blow. You may not be able to perform your usual work responsibilities as efficiently as you normally would, so taking a break from work may be necessary. If you feel comfortable, talk to your supervisor about what you are going through. Otherwise, look into sick time or vacation time that you may be able to use.[6]
- If you are in high school or college, consider telling your teacher what you are going through. Keep in mind that you will still need to submit the required work, but your teacher may be willing to give you an extension if you have fallen behind.
[Edit]Making Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Mental State - Exercise for 30 minutes daily. Exercise causes your brain to release endorphins, which are feel-good hormones. By getting regular exercise, you can help yourself to feel better on a daily basis. Start slow if you have not exercised in a while, such as by going for a walk around your neighborhood, swimming, or riding a bike on flat terrain.[7]
- Find a type of exercise that you enjoy to make it easier to stick with it. Try dancing, kickboxing, or spinning for some fun class options.
- You can find lots of free workout videos on Youtube. Check out fitness channels with workouts that are at your physical fitness level, such as beginner if you are new to exercise or advanced if you are an exercise enthusiast.
- Nourish your body with healthy foods and beverages. The old trope of eating a pint of full-fat ice cream after a breakup exists for a reason. People tend to reach for junk food as a quick distraction from negative emotions. However, this will make you feel worse in the long run. Instead of reaching for junk, eat whole foods that will nourish your body, such as fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. Drink lots of water, too![8]
- Avoid drinking alcohol, using drugs, and smoking. These will only produce a temporary change in your emotional state. You will feel much worse after the substance wears off.
- Get plenty of rest to feel alert during the day. Being well-rested will help to make you feel better overall as you go through your day. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. If you have a habit of staying up late, start turning in 30 to 60 minutes earlier than usual to ensure that you are getting enough sleep.[9]
- Make sure that your bedroom is a relaxing place that you only use for sleep! Invest in some nice sheets and blankets to make your bed feel cozy. Block out outside noise with a fan or white noise machine. Make your bedroom dark and cool to promote deep sleep.
- Use relaxation techniques to help yourself feel calmer and happier. Relaxation techniques can also help to improve your mood and promote a higher quality of life. Devote at least 15 minutes daily to relaxation. Some techniques you might try include:[10]
- Meditation
- Deep breathing
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Yoga
[Edit]Using Fun Activities to Boost Your Mood - Work on your favorite hobby or learn something new. Doing something you love or finding a new favorite hobby is a great way to get your mind off of your breakup and start feeling happier. Whether you like to read, cook, sew, dance, or paint miniatures, take some time out for yourself every day to engage in this hobby. If you don't have a hobby, then look into something that you can learn how to do and get into right away. Some great options include:[11]
- Knitting or crocheting
- Gardening
- Cooking or baking
- Painting
- Watch or listen to something funny to make yourself happy. Even if laughing is the furthest thing from your mind, watching something funny or listening to a comedy podcast can help you to laugh a little and feel a little better as a result. Turn on a favorite comedy movie or show, watch some standup, or download a comedy podcast and immerse yourself in it.[12]
- See what comedies are available to watch on Netflix or on another streaming service that you have.
- Check Youtube for short clips and full standup routines.
- Search for comedy podcasts online or ask friends for recommendations.
- Focus on other areas of your life to improve. While you may be tempted to dissect your relationship, try to revive it, or seek out a new relationship, now is a great time to focus on other areas of your life. Consider what you might do to improve your career or grades, physical fitness, spirituality, or other relationships, such as with your friends and family.[13]
- Meet with a supervisor or teacher and ask for feedback on your performance to find out what you can do to excel.
- Join a gym or get involved with an inter-mural sports team to develop your physical strength and endurance.
- Look into churches, meditation centers, or other spiritual resources in your community.
- Call up a friend or family member who you haven't seen in a while and invite them to coffee or lunch.
- Do activities that boost your self-esteem. When you've been close with someone for a while, it's easy to start linking your sense of self-worth with the relationship. After the breakup, take time to remind yourself of who you are as a person and seek out other ways to find validation. For example, you might:
- Make a list of your strengths and accomplishments
- Challenge yourself to learn a new skill
- Do activities that help you feel good about yourself (e.g., a sport or a creative activity in which you excel)
- Surround yourself with positive people who respect and uplift you
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Play Jenga Posted: 25 Jan 2022 04:00 PM PST Jenga is a Parker Brothers game of skill and strategy. First, stack the wooden blocks to build a tower. Then, take turns moving pieces until the tower falls over. Try to keep your hand steady! [Edit]Setting Up the Game - Set up the tower. First, shake the Jenga blocks out onto a flat surface. Then, stack the blocks in sets of three until you have built a tower that is 18 blocks high. Each new layer of three parallel blocks should be rotated 90° along the horizontal axis from the last layer.[1]
- Your Jenga set should include 54 blocks. However, if you are missing blocks, you can still play the game! Just build the tower as usual.
- Straighten out the tower. Before you play, make sure that the structure is sturdy. The block layers should interlock so that the tower stands tall without any external support. Use your hands or a flat, solid object to smooth out the sides. Push in any pieces that jut out.
- Gather players around the tower. Make sure that you have at least two players. Have everyone sit in a circle around the block structure. If you are only playing with one other person, then sit facing each other from opposite sides of the tower.[2]
- There is no strict maximum amount of players. However, it might be more fun with fewer people so that you get more turns.
- Consider writing on the blocks. This is an optional variation of Jenga. Before you stack the tower, write something on each block: a question, or a "dare," or some other directive. Then, shuffle the blocks and stack the Jenga tower as usual. When each person pulls a block from the tower, he or she must do the thing that is written on the block.
- Questions: When someone pulls a question from the tower, he or she must answer that question. Questions might be flirtatious ("Who do you most want to kiss in this room?), thoughtful ("When was a time that you felt small?"), or humorous ("What is your most embarrassing moment?")
- Dares: When someone pulls a dare from the tower, he or she must perform the action on the block. Dares might be anything from "Trade one item of clothing with the person beside you," to "Drink a shot of hot sauce," to "Make a scary face."
[Edit]Playing the Game - Pick a person to pull the first block. This can be the person who built the tower, or the person with the next birthday, or the person who most wants to start.
- Remove a block. Carefully take one block out from any level of the tower except the top. Look for the block that is the loosest, or the easiest to remove, or that will least disturb the stability of the tower. You can push the block or pull the block, depending on the angle and the location in the stack.
- Remember: you can only touch the tower with one hand a time. This rule keeps players from holding the tower steady while they pull their blocks.[3]
- Place each pulled block atop the tower. The player that pulled the block puts it back on top of the tower to continue the pattern of layering-by-threes. Try to stack them neatly so that the tower stays strong. As the game goes on, the tower will grow higher and higher until it teeters, unstable, and falls.
- Play until the tower falls. The "loser" of the game is the person who makes the tower topple. Rebuild the tower to play again![4]
[Edit]Strategizing - Be patient. Do not rush Jenga! Carefully and intentionally take your time to pull the right block when your turn comes around. If you try to go too quickly, you will be more likely to topple the tower.
- Take the easy blocks. Gently poke your way around the tower to find the pieces that are safest to remove. Look for the loose blocks and the blocks that are already sticking out of the tower. Be careful as you go, and always keep an eye on the overall stability of the structure. Make sure to maintain the balance.[5]
- Each layer of the tower has three parallel blocks: two on the outside, and one in the center. If you go for a block in the middle, you will generally be less likely to set the tower off-kilter.
- Take blocks from the top or the middle of the stack. The blocks at the bottom of the tower can be hard to remove without dangerously destabilizing the structure. The blocks near the very top can be so loose that they pull other blocks apart with them.
- Push or pull. If you're taking a block from the middle, try gently poking it through the tower from one side. If you are taking a block from the outside edge, try pinching the ends between your thumb and forefinger, then wiggling the piece back and forth until it comes loose. Use a combination of tapping and wiggling to take out difficult blocks.
- Place pulled blocks to keep balance. Notice which way the tower is tilting after you have removed your block from the stack. Then, carefully arrange your block on top so that the extra top-heavy weight won't send the tower toppling down.[6]
- Alternately: if you think you can get away with it, try placing your block on the weaker "leaning" side so that it is that much harder for the next player to pull a block.
- Play to win. If you care about the competitive aspect of the game, then you don't want the tower to fall on your turn. Try planning out your moves to destabilize the structure so that it will topple on someone else. Remove important pieces from near the bottom of the stack, and generally try to pick the best piece that you can.
- Try to be a good sport. Respect other players, and do not go out of your way to mess them up while they're taking their turns. If you make the game less fun for everyone else, then they may not want to play with you again!
- Most of the time, the blocks in either the middle or the outsides are loose, take those first! If you try to take a block that is not loose, the chances are you will make it fall.
- Try to get the blocks in the middle so there is a lower chance of the tower falling.
- Remember that you are not allowed to take a block from the top layer.
- The name of the game, Jenga, comes from the Swahili word for "to build."[7]
[Edit]Warnings - Avoid playing on a glass table! It might not stand up well to a bunch of falling blocks.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - A set of Jenga blocks
- Skill
- People to play with (unless you play solo)
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References
[Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Hang Sweaters Posted: 25 Jan 2022 08:00 AM PST When it's time to wear your bulky sweaters and delicate cardigans, you might notice that they're looking stretched out or they have bumps on the shoulders. These things are due to gravity pulling the thick fibers as the sweater hangs on the hanger, causing the fibers to stretch and press against one another. To prevent stretching, hanger bumps, and wrinkles, you can hang your sweaters by folding them around the hanger or over the bar of the hanger. [Edit]Hanging to Prevent Stretching - Fold the sweater in half vertically, with both arms facing the same direction. Hold the sweater up by the shoulders and fold it down the center. Make sure the arms of the sweater are lined up, and then lay the sweater onto a flat surface.[1]
- To reduce wrinkles, you can smooth the sweater with your hands after you fold it.
- This method can be used for both cardigans and pullovers.
- Place the hanger on top of the sweater with the hook under the armpit. Lay the hanger down on the folded sweater. Then, move the hanger so that the hook of the hanger is situated in the open space between the sleeves and the torso of the sweater. Depending on which way you placed your sweater, this might be on the left or the right side.[2]
- The open part of the hook can be facing upwards or downwards, as long as the hook part of the hanger is in the right place.
- Fold the sleeves over the shoulder of the hanger. You can fold them both together at the same time, or do them one at a time to make them easier to maneuver. Make sure the sleeves are as close to the hook as possible when they're folded.[3]
- If you're using a hanger with a bottom bar, you can tuck the sleeves through the hanger and under the bar once you fold them over the shoulder. This will help keep the sleeves in place while you hang the rest of the sweater.
- Wrap the body over the other shoulder of the hanger. Hold the torso of the sweater, and fold it over the other shoulder of the hanger so that it lays over top of the sleeves. This will create a sort of triangular shape, with the sweater wrapped around the hanger.[4]
- You can also tuck the torso of the sweater under the bottom bar of the hanger if it has one to help keep the sweater on the hanger.
- Hang the sweater in your closet. Lift the hanger by the hook, and carefully transfer the sweater to the closet. When you hang it up, make sure the sleeves and torso of the sweater are still in place and not scrunched up.[5]
- If you're using a plastic or wooden hanger, be aware that the sweater might slip off of the hanger, especially if the sleeves and torso aren't tucked into the bottom bar of the hanger.
- To prevent slippage, you can use a felt-coated or velvet-coated hanger which will hold the sweater in place.
[Edit]Preventing Hanger Bumps and Wrinkles - Lay the sweater face-down and place a piece of tissue paper along the back. Place the sweater on a flat surface, and use your hand to smooth any wrinkles along the back of the sweater. Remember to cut or fold the tissue paper so that it fits on the back of the sweater with no overhang.[6]
- The tissue paper keeps the fibers of the sweater from molding to the hanger, which causes bumps and hanger marks. Additionally the paper prevents the fibers from catching on each other and bunching, which can cause wrinkles.
- The tissue paper should touch just below the collar and reach all the way to the bottom hem of the sweater.
- Fold the sleeves in on the paper so they're crossing over each other. Take one sleeve and place it across the back of the sweater so that the cuff touches the opposite side of the sweater. Do the same with the other sleeve, forming an "X" on the back of the sweater with the sleeves.[7]
- Be sure to smooth the sleeves as well to keep them from creasing when you hang the sweater.
- Place the hanger upside down at the bottom hem of the sweater. Use a hanger that has a bar across the bottom connecting the two sides. Position it so that the bar is on top of the bottom hem of the sweater, with the hook facing away from the sweater.[8]
- Make sure the tissue paper is also under the bar, as this will also be folded and hung up with the sweater to keep the fibers from rubbing against each other and molding to the hanger.
- Pull the bottom of the sweater through the hanger, stopping in the middle. Grasp the bottom hem and work it through the middle of the hanger, under the bar. Make sure the sleeves move through the hanger, and then position the hanger in the middle of the sweater, with the hook on the front side of the sweater.[9]
- Once the bottom hems and the sleeves are through the hanger, it may be easier to slide the hanger up to the center of the sweater, rather than pulling it through. Test both techniques to see which one works best for you.
- Fold the sweater in half over the bar and hang it in your closet. Lift the bottom hem of the sweater and the sleeves, and fold them over the bar to rest on the top half of the sweater. Then, lift the hanger by the hook and carefully place it in your closet.[10]
- Make sure the sweater doesn't become wrinkled when you put it in the closet.
- Avoid hanging your sweaters by the shoulders like you would a regular shirt. This can cause shoulder dents in the fabric which are quite difficult to remove.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Pay It Forward Posted: 25 Jan 2022 12:00 AM PST The world can sometimes seem like an unfriendly, threatening place. But by recognizing acts of kindness and doing something kind for someone else, you can kick-start a chain reaction of generosity and thoughtful behavior, brightening the mood of friends, neighbors, and strangers alike. Paying it forward in this way will feel good and make someone else feel good, too. [Edit]Starting a Chain Reaction - Use pay it forward cards to tell people what you're doing. A pay it forward card is a small card that explains the idea behind paying it forward and encourages recipients to continue the process. Download pay it forward cards from the web and print them out. When paying it forward, leave a pay it forward card behind to ensure that the person who benefits from your kindness understands your motivation and pays it forward in their own way.[1]
- Pay for the person behind you in a drive-through lane. When you arrive at the drive-through window to pay for your order, tell the cashier that you'd like to pay for the order behind yours as well. You can use this trick at fast food restaurants, coffee shops, and any other franchise that offers a drive-through option.[2]
- You can also do this when driving through a toll booth if the toll rate is the same for all automobiles.
- Leave quarters at the laundromat. Choose an unused washer or dryer at the laundromat and place 2 or 3 low stacks of coins on it, totaling about $3 USD (the average price of using the washer or dryer). This generous act is easiest if you do your laundry at the laundromat, since you can just leave the coins there next time you do the wash. But even if you don't do your laundry at the laundromat, you could stop by just to leave the quarters for some lucky person.[3]
- Give someone a dollar by pretending they dropped it. Choose one random person from a crowd and approach them from behind. Tap them on the shoulder and when they turn around, give them a dollar. Say, "Here, I think you dropped this." If they protest, insist that you saw it fall from their pocket.
- Top up expired parking meters. Walk down the street and look for expired parking meters. Drop a few coins in the meter to help out a random person who has accidentally overstayed their allotted time.[4]
- Wash your neighbor's car if you're out washing your own. Since you're going to the trouble of gathering a pail of water, soap, and sponges or rags anyhow, it's easy to go a step further and help your neighbor out at the same time. Be sure to ask them before you get started, though－some people are particular about who touches or washes their automobile.[5]
- Similarly, if you're out raking your yard or mowing the grass, do the same for your neighbor. Again, be sure to ask before getting started.
- Clean up your neighborhood. Walk around your block and pick up any cans or trash that might be littering your streets. This will beautify the neighborhood not only for you, but for your whole community. If you want some help or companionship while you clean up, invite your neighbors and friends to join you.[6]
- Listen to someone's story or problem. Lots of people feel isolated and alone. If you know that someone－a student, an elderly neighbor, or a friend going through a divorce－needs someone to lean on and talk to, be that person. Often, these situations arise on their own, but you could be proactive and let the person you're concerned for know that you're always there if they want to talk.[7]
- Many hospices and nursing homes have programs that match volunteers to people who have few or no visitors. Contact nursing homes and hospices in your area and ask if they offer such a program.
- Compliment someone sincerely when they deserve praise. For instance, if you see someone who has a really unique or sophisticated style, say "Wow, you're really well-dressed. I wish I was so stylish!" Or, if you see a parent with a young child who waits patiently with them in line, compliment the parent on their superior child-rearing skills. Say, for instance, "Your child is so well-behaved. You must be an excellent parent!"[8]
- There are countless ways to compliment others. Keep an eye out for opportunities to do so throughout the day.
- Publish positive reviews about businesses you like online. Lots of people only bother to review businesses online when they have negative experiences. Pay it forward and help restore balance to the world of online reviews by writing a glowing review for your favorite comic book store, restaurant, carpentry shop, or auto repair center.[9]
[Edit]Doing Larger Deeds - Give an umbrella to someone who doesn't have one when it's raining. If it starts raining and you see someone stuck beneath the eaves of a shop because they were not expecting the storm, duck inside a convenience store and purchase an umbrella for them, if possible (and one for you, if necessary). Give them the umbrella so they can go on their way.[10]
- Ask for donations instead of gifts on birthdays and holidays. When your birthday or holidays draw near, your friends and family might start asking you what you want. Ask them to make a charitable contribution to an organization of their choice (or of your choice) instead of getting you a gift.[11]
- Become a mentor to a child. There are many ways to become a mentor. For instance, if you're a strong reader and writer, you could help out a young person who you know needs help writing an essay for school. If you know a teen neighbor needs help finding a job but their parents are too busy, you could teach them how to browse classifieds, develop a resume, and dress properly for an interview.[12]
- Offer your professional services for free. If you have a valuable skill set, you could put your abilities to work as a volunteer with an organization. For instance, if you're a lawyer, you might offer to help out at a nonprofit that needs help with a legal matter. If you're an electrician, you might be able to help fix electrical problems at your local homeless shelter or soup kitchen.[13]
- Drive a stranger home. If you see someone waiting at the bus stop or trying in vain to hail a taxi, pull over and offer them a ride to their destination. The stranger is even more likely to appreciate and accept your offer if the weather is poor.
- Host a music festival and donate the proceeds to charity. Contact local music venues and ask if they would be willing to host an event for a charity. Once you've secured a venue, contact some local musicians and ask if they would be interested in performing in a charity concert. Once you have three or four bands or musicians available, advertise the event on social media and in local papers. Donate the ticket sales to a worthy charity.
- Encourage musicians and music venues to participate in your event by reminding them that while they won't make money directly from ticket sales of the event, they will get positive exposure.
- Music venues, additionally, will earn money from the sale of food and drinks during the concert, while musicians can sell their records and other merchandise.
- Make a charitable donation. Identify charities that match your interests, then research each to ensure they are legitimate. Check each organization's website for a clear mission statement and lists of its programs, board of directors, and accomplishments. Find out how you can make a donation by checking the organization's website.[14]
- The easiest way will probably be to use a credit card, PayPal, or another digital payment service.
- Many charities also accept checks or money orders.
- If you can't find information online about how to make a donation, call the charity's offices directly and inquire about how to do so.
- Use a third-party site like CharityWatch or GuideStar to identify charities and nonprofits that are legitimate.
[Edit]Making Generosity a Habit - Increase the number of compliments you give each day. Count how many compliments you receive on a given day and try to double that amount the following day.[15]
- Reward generosity in others. Suppose you see someone do something nice for someone else. Reward that person's generosity and kindness by doing something thoughtful for them.
- For instance, suppose you're working at a restaurant and a customer spills a glass of water. If another customer helps the first one clean up the mess, you could reward their generosity by discounting their bill. Check with a manager or supervisor before doing this.
- You could also reward someone's kindness by helping them out. For instance, you could offer to carry a heavy burden for them or even just hold the door open for them.
- Volunteer with local community organizations. Volunteers are the lifeblood of any charity or nonprofit organization. Designate at least one day each month (for instance, the first day of the month) to volunteer with a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or other community organization in your area.
- Give away your old clothes or goods. If you have clothing that you don't wear, old books you don't read, or other goods that are still serviceable but are only collecting dust at home, find a way to donate them to a loving home. You could take them to your nearest thrift store, for instance, or post them for free on a digital marketplace like Craigslist. Take advantage of donation bins for books, clothes, or shoes if you live near one.[16]
- Old towels or blankets are often welcome at animal shelters.
- Books are also always welcome at your local library.
- Ask elderly neighbors if they require help with anything. Older folks often have trouble moving furniture around or cleaning out high, hard-to-reach shelves. Let your elderly neighbors know that if they need help with anything, you're available to lend a hand.[17]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Decorate on a Budget Posted: 24 Jan 2022 04:00 PM PST Decorating on a budget is a creative exercise that can be rewarding and fun. Spend a little money to change the basics in your home or office, such as your curtains, cushions, lights, and accessories. Where possible, do as much DIY work as you can to save money. Quality furniture makes a room feel homely and classy, so keep an eye out for sales and bargains or consider refurbishing your existing furniture. Add colour and personality to your walls with home-made art, feature walls, and personal photographs. Enjoy the decorating journey! [Edit]Changing the Basics - Replace the curtains and lampshades if they look tired. These items are generally inexpensive, but can make a big difference to the way that a room feels. Consider purchasing matching curtains and lampshades to give the room a sense of cohesiveness. Purchase the items new or look in second-hand shops for a bargain.[1]
- If you're a confident sewer, consider making your own curtains to save money.
- This is a great way to quickly freshen up an office, lounge, or bedroom.
- Paint or cover up your lampshades for a new look for less money.
- Remove clutter from surfaces to make the space look fresh. Minimalism is a classy and popular look that is easy to achieve. Re-home as many items as you can from all your surfaces, such as desks, countertops, tables, and shelves. Leave only a few of your favourite items on each surface. Decluttering is a great way to bring more attention to the items that you love.[2]
- For example, remove everything from your office desk except for your pen jar, a photo-frame, and a vase of flowers to create a clean and fresh look.
- Try taking items off of your coffee table and only include items that look nice or that are functional.
- Add beautiful pillows or throws to bring colour to the room. This is an inexpensive and effective way to brighten up almost any space. Choose pillows or throws that match your colour-scheme and are made from fabric that you love. Place these items on your bed, lounge-suite, office chair, or ottoman. If you are decorating your entire home, consider purchasing matching pillows for both your lounge and your bedroom.[3]
- Purchase pillows or throws from a homeware store or make your own.
- Buy pillow covers or fabric to cover existing pillows for a fraction of the cost of new ones.
- Purchase new accessories to cheaply modernise the space. Household and office accessories tend to be inexpensive and can quickly change the look of your space. Consider adding new accessories, such as placemats, door handles, light-fittings, tapware, tablecloths, vases, and coasters.[4]
- If your budget is particularly limited, simply decorate one room at a time. This will give you a sense of completion as you finish each room.
- Get a few houseplants to improve the quality of the air in your home and add fresh looking décor touches.
- Add extra lamps or lights to give the room a fresh atmosphere. Lights are a wonderful way to change the way the room looks and feels. Bring a new standing lamp into the room, add a hanging light, pick a new desk lamp, or simply replace a bulb with a high-wattage option to brighten the space.[5]
- Avoid tampering with electrical wires in your home or office, as this can lead to electrocution. If you want to install new lights into your wall, hire an electrician to do the job safely.
- String lights are also a nice way to add mood lighting to an area.
- Use DIY skills where possible to refurbish cheaply. Hiring trades-people is often one of the biggest expenses when re-decorating. If you have a few decorating skills and the necessary tools, try completing the tasks yourself. Consider building your own deck, laying wallpaper, installing vinyl or hardwood flooring, or painting the exterior of your home.[6]
- This can often save you 100's if not 1000's of dollars.
- Search online for DIY tutorials for almost any type of project. Ask professionals at a hardware store for tips as well.
[Edit]Finding Bargain Furniture - Search second-hand stores and auctions for a bargain. Nice furniture helps to set the tone for the entire room, so it is worth searching for great items. This is an easy way to find quality pieces of furniture at a good price. Make sure to hunt around for furniture that is made from quality materials, as it pointless buying items that will quickly wear out or break. Opt for solid wood instead of laminate coatings and real leather instead of leather look-alikes.[7]
- Keep an eye out in your local paper for garage sales.
- Search online for auction sites, such as Craigslist, eBay, and Gumtree. These sites often have furniture for sale.
- Check to see if people in your area are selling items. If they are, you may be able to negotiate a great price on something that you can pick up right in your neighborhood.
- Refurbish your existing furniture to cheaply upgrade its look. This is a great option if you are looking to spend very little and have some DIY skills. Sand the varnish off your wooden furniture and re-stain it or paint it. If the furniture has fabric, reupholster it or purchase new cushions. This will help to give it a fresh new look.[8]
- Sanding wooden tables and desks and painting them white is a popular decorating trend.
- Search online for DIY tutorials to help you complete your refurbishments.
- Buy unvarnished furniture and then stain it yourself to save money. Many furniture warehouses and stores will sell furniture that doesn't have a top coat of stain or varnish on for a cheaper price than what you would pay on the store floor. Ask the manufacturer what kind of stain or varnish they recommend to use on the furniture. Apply the stain with even brush strokes and apply at least 2 coats.[9]
- This furniture is often higher quality than display models, as scratches can't be hidden by varnish.
- Desks and tables are easy items to stain yourself.
- The display piece in furniture stores is often an unfinished piece that you can buy for less.
- Keep an eye out for bargains to get quality items at a good price. Head to the stores during the big annual sales, such as Easter, Boxing Day, New Years, and Black Friday. Large furniture stores will often slash their prices by up to 75% during these sales. Also, keep an eye out for closing down and birthday sales for extra deals throughout the year. If you are willing to be patient, this is a great way to find furniture that you love that is within your budget.[10]
- Search online for sales in your area to quickly check the local deals.
[Edit]Decorating the Walls - Decorate the walls with your own photographs to add personality. This is a great way to personalise your home and add colour to your walls at a very low cost. Frame your photos or print them onto a canvas. This can generally be done for less than $50. Search online for a photo printing service or contact your local printing shop.[11]
- For a modern and fun look, use sticky-tak to stick polaroids or small photographs onto your walls. Assemble them in a square, rectangle, or heart shape.
- If you have a large wall, consider placing a few photos next to each other to make the wall look less bare.
- Try printing stock photos from websites and framing them for an inexpensive way to add pictures and art to your home.
- Upcycle old items into wall hangings to give a vintage look. This is a great way to reduce your waste and also create beautiful decorations. Try turning old planks of wood into floating wall shelves. Alternatively, make origami creations out of an old piece of paper and hang them on the wall. Another option is to use chipped plates to make a piece of mosaic artwork.[12]
- Be creative and express your own personal style!
- Paint 1 wall an accent colour to change the atmosphere of the room. Painting is an incredibly inexpensive way to quickly and dramatically change the look of any room. Choose a colour that complements the existing wall colour and looks nice with your furniture.[13]
- White walls and a deep-blue feature wall are a beautiful combination. Light-grey walls and a pale-pink feature wall is another calming and pretty combination.
- Hold different coloured paint cards up to your existing walls to help determine which colours will look good together.
- Stencil 1 wall or cover 1 wall in wallpaper to create an accent wall.
- Display your own art to showcase your unique style. Art makes your home feel extra homely and makes the space feel more interesting. Consider painting a picture, framing a completed puzzle, doing some embroidery, or simply hanging a piece of fabric that you love.[14]
- If you don't feel confident making your own art, consider asking a friend or family member to design you a piece.
- Hang your art on the walls or lean it on a desk or mantelpiece.
- Purchase cheap artwork from thrift stores. This is a wonderful way to add artwork to your walls without breaking the bank. Keep an eye out at different thrift stores for art that you like. If you spot a piece that you like that has a bad frame, consider re-framing it, as this much cheaper than buying new art.[15]
- If there are no thrift stores in your area, search for online thrift stores.
[Edit]Related wikiHows - Create a budget before you start decorating so that you can prioritise what you are going to spend money on.
- Develop a clear idea of what you are going for before you go out to buy items. This will help to keep you on track.
[Edit]References |
| How to Humidify Your Room Posted: 24 Jan 2022 08:00 AM PST Dry air can have a big impact on your nasal passages, your skin, and even the wood fixtures in your home. Luckily, it's simple to add extra humidity to the air, even if you don't have a humidifier! [Edit]Using a Humidifier - Select a humidifier for your room size. There are a number of humidifiers available. To humidify your room, the most important thing is getting one that is an appropriate capacity for the room in which you want it. Look on the box to check the square footage or square meter rating for the humidifier. Invest in a model that most closely matches your room's size.[1]
- A humidifier's size rating might not exactly match your room, but you want to buy the closest size possible. For example, if your room is 500 square feet, opt for a humidifier that covers up to 600 square feet. Going too small could leave your room too dry.[2]
- Generally, a compact humidifier or tabletop humidifier will work in most bedrooms, while a tower humidifier will work in an office, living room, or other shared spaces.
- Assemble your humidifier. Every humidifier has slightly different directions for assembly, so take a look at your model's manual first. Typically, you will need to connect your reservoir to the base, add the filter, and add any additional components such as wheels.[3]
- Typically, you won't need any tools to assemble your humidifier, but this could vary from model to model.
- Be sure to keep the humidifier on a flat surface when you're using it, and monitor the humidity in the room so you'll know when to turn it off.[4]
- Fill your humidifier. Once your humidifier is assembled, you will need to fill the reservoir before turning it on. Fill it up to the designated fill line with clean, fresh water. Then, turn the unit on and set it to your desired humidity level.[5]
- Some people choose to use distilled or demineralized water in their humidifier, rather than tap water, to help keep it cleaner longer.[6]
- Replace the water each time you use your humidifier.[7]
- Clean your humidifier regularly. The exact frequency at which you should clean your humidifier depends on a number of things, including the size of the unit and how often you use it. Look over the manufacturer recommendations regarding cleaning.[8] Wash out the reservoir with soap and warm water frequently, and change the filter as recommended in the model instructions.[9]
- As a general rule, do a light cleaning every week, and deep-clean and sanitize your humidifier about once a month.[10]
[Edit]Getting Rid of the Causes of Dry Air - Turn down the thermostat. Heating the room when it's cold zaps moisture out of the air. Turn the heat down by three to five degrees and layer up in sweaters and blankets to help conserve some of the air's natural moisture.[11]
- Seal up your doors and windows. Leaks around doors and windows can pull both warm air and moisture out of your home. Recaulk your windows, or add weather stripping around your windows and doors to seal up leaks.[12]
- Weather stripping typically has an adhesive backing and can easily be applied simply by pressing it around door and window frames.
- Minimize your use of heated appliances. Your dryer and your oven both dry out the air in the room around them. So do appliances like space heaters. Take a look at your room and see if there are any heated appliances that could be sucking out the moisture. If you find any, aim to use them less.[13]
- If an oven is the problem, consider trying something like meal prep where you only have to use it once or twice a week.
- If a dryer is the problem, try line-drying your clothes, or tumble drying on a no-heat setting.
- Avoid using small beauty tools like hair dryers and flat irons in the room you're trying to humidify.
[Edit]Adding Moisturizing Elements - Cook with boiling water. When you do cook, try to make dishes that use boiling water. Pasta, rice, and potatoes are all good options. When you boil water, some of it will evaporate into the air, adding moisture to the surrounding areas.[14]
- Leave the bathroom door open when you shower. If your room is attached to or located near the bathroom, try leaving the door open when you shower. The steam from your shower will permeate throughout the room and add some water to dry air.[15]
- Place bowls of water throughout the room. Adding bowls of water around a room works kind of like a humidifier, but at a slower speed. Place a few bowls of water around the perimeter of the room you want to humidify and leave them there to allow the moisture to evaporate into the air.[16]
- If you have a radiator, you could place a ceramic or glass bowl of water on top to heat up the water and speed up the evaporation process. Placing the bowls in direct sunlight can also help.
- Add houseplants to the area. Plants release moisture through a process called transpiration, which can help bring some moisture back into your room.[17] Boston ferns, in particular, are recommended for their air moisturizing and purifying properties. Plant a few houseplants and keep them in a cluster in your room to get the greatest benefit.[18]
- Dampen your curtains. Use a spray bottle to mist your curtains with fresh water. Then, open your curtains enough to let light come through. The sunlight will help evaporate the water, which will add moisture into the area around the windows and in the room.[19]
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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