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Indoor Plants for Your Home
Not everyone can have a garden especially if you live in an apartment. The best alternative is to buy indoor plants. They are a great decoration but some plants also have beneficial properties.
Here are tips to get you started.
Care for Indoor Plants
- Know the type of plant you bought. Plants require different amounts of sunlight, water and nutrition to survive. Too much water can make the roots of some plants rot. Too much sunlight will make some wilt easily, but others need a lot of sunlight.
- Inspect plants before buying. Check the plants for pests and diseases before you purchase them. It’s difficult to stop the spread of plant diseases once they enter your home.
- Plant in healthy soil. If you want to plant it yourself, make sure that the soil is fungus-free. Buy from reputable shops. You can place decorations in the pots or jars too.
- Water your plants accordingly. Just because they can be grown indoors does not mean they don’t need water. Some plants however don’t need to be watered every day.
- Provide right amount of sunlight. Make sure you place plants that require a lot of sunlight near windows that get a lot of light. Rosemary is one example of a plant that needs a lot of sunlight.
- Don’t place plants near air conditioners. This will dry out the soil and leaves. Placing them near other appliances can also damage the plants. If you have kids at home, place them where they can’t be reached easily. Don’t use breakable pots or jars too to avoid accidents.
- Keep pests away. Pests and fungus can spread quickly. The best way to stop this is through early prevention by not bringing infected indoor plants into your home.
Types of Indoor Plants
There are a lot of indoor plants to choose from. Pick those that suit your lifestyle and needs.
- Money plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight. They can also grow big so don’t pick these if you have a small apartment.
- Aloe looks great as a decorative plant. Its leaves also have a gel useful for a lot of things.
- Rosemary can be used as a herb for cooking. You can place it near a window for direct sunlight. It needs less water too.
- Succulents look great and don’t need a lot of water. You can spray them with water once a week to keep them healthy.
- Bamboo can be placed in a water-filled container. They don’t need a lot of sunlight and they make a perfect ornament for your living area.
- Air plants don’t require soil to grow. As the name implies, air plants need an open room to thrive. They don’t need a lot of water as well.
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Basic Bag Care and Maintenance
Bags are a fashion investment like clothes and shoes. Unlike clothes however, you can’t just throw your designer bags in a washing machine and expect it to look new. Like shoes, they need special care and cleaning procedures. There are bag cleaning services available in Singapore, but what if you want to do it yourself?
This is a guide on what you need to do before you begin.
Bag Styles and Materials
Bag styles refer to the item’s function and look. Some of the most common are backpacks, clutches, convertible bags, pouches, satchels, shoulder bags and tote bags. A good cleaning procedure involves maintaining the shape of the bag.
Some bags are made of different types of material and accessories. Consider these before cleaning. Some materials might expand or the colors could fade if cleaning is not done properly. The straps, buckles and zippers could also rust. The straps might crack and flake. Unfortunately not all bags come with a label of the materials used so if you’re not sure of the item, ask the shop.
Care for Leather Bags
There are many types of leather. You can usually find out what the type is by asking for details when you purchase the bag. Leather also has different types of finishes that create color and texture. Imitation leather may be made of vinyl, polyurethane, PVC or plastic.
To clean leather bags, wipe the surface using a cleaner made for leather. It should not be washed and soaked in water as it could damage the material. Some brands recommend a specific cleaner for their bags. You can ask the store for details about the cleaning formula. However, the best way to prevent damage and to keep leather bags clean is to rub leather conditioner at least once a month. Let it dry for a few minutes before using. You can also use a spray protectant to keep it from the harsh weather.
Care for Fabrics and Synthetics
Some bags are made of canvas, corduroy, velvet, linen, satin, paperboard, other skins and more.
Some materials can be washed and soaked in water and soap like canvas. Backpacks can be machine washed too but always check the label. Make sure to empty all the pockets and remove metals and straps before you start cleaning. Then place it in a laundry bag to protect it from damage while in the washing machine. Then rinse and let it dry naturally. Don’t place it in direct sunlight.
Storing Your Bags Properly
Your leather bags usually come with their own storage bags or boxes with silica gel. Remove all the contents before storing. To keep its original shape, stuff the bag with tissue or paper. Store them vertically so they don’t get damaged by other bags on top of the stack. Don’t hang them by their straps because it can distort or damage them.
Keep them in good condition by using them. It’s important to air them out so that molds don’t develop.
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3 Money Mistakes Students Often Make—and How to Avoid Them
For many people, student life is probably the best years of their lives. Freedom from parental restrictions, weekend parties, study marathons and a host of other unforgettable moments all form an integral part of college life.
Unfortunately, financial mistakes also play a significant role in many of today’s college students—mistakes that takes years or even a decade to rectify. Here’s a list of the most common money mistakes committed by those seeking higher education.
- Forgoing Proper Budgeting of Finances
Without creating a budget, lump sum finances such as savings accounts, student scholarships and loans may cause you a false sense of financial security. This could lead to excessive initial spending, and a depleted bank account before even the school term ends. Not only will this lead to problems with paying your tuition fees and books, but it can also lead to dependence on loans and credit cards or inability to pay for necessities like bills and food.
For a realistic budget, create a budget before the term starts, and then revise it later on after getting a clear idea of your expenditure during your first month. Cut back, learn to be more frugal or find additional source of income if you think you will need more money to support your day-to-day needs.
- Charging Everything to Credit Card
The trouble often arises when you use your credit card to cover the gaps in your budget or to splurge. Since most students are new to credit cards, your ‘starter credit card’ tends to have higher interest rate than those people with better credit card score, making your debt easily spiral out of control.
If you choose to get a credit card, make sure not to use it like it’s ‘free money.’ Responsible use of credit card entails keeping your balances low (ideally 10% lower of your credit limit) or paying your bill on time and in full every month.
- Peer Pressure
Peer pressure may be tough in middle school, but in college it can take on a whole new level. You don’t have your parents around to control your spending or help you out in case you run out of resource. Depending on your group of friends, you might be pressured to dine out more often, go out on weekends, go shopping or go on costly vacations. That spending caused by peer pressure can quickly add up and may lead you to financial troubles.
It’s important that you know how to handle peer pressure. Learn how to decline friends’ invites, get an extra job, which are usually plenty in many Singapore universities, or look for low-cost alternatives.
Avoiding these mistakes is not easy. Temptations are everywhere, and many do not fully understand the long-term effects of these financial mistakes. It’s important to listen to your parents’ advices and talk to a financial advisor or student loan officer.
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6 Items That You Should Never Be Thrown Away
Nobody likes clutter, and we’re often tempted to just toss in the bin everything that’s seemingly useless, but you will be surprised to find out how much you can reuse some of these things. Of course, it’s not okay to hoard, but you can find good uses for some objects that many usually throw in the trash. Here are six things that are worth re-using around your home.
- Binder Clips
If you are cleaning your office and came across a few of these butterfly-winged tools, don’t even think of tossing them in the trash. In the life-hacker community, these clips are essential tools for DIY household solutions.
- Plastic Spray Bottles
If you have finished your all-purpose suds, save the spray bottle and use it for your green cleaners. Combine ingredients like water, vinegar and castile soap in a spray bottle. You’ll save money and keep your home clean, while being green.
- Eyeglasses
There are so many people in developing countries without access or who can’t afford prescription glasses. Poor eyesight renders them uneducated and unemployed, driving them deeper into poverty. There are quite a number of charitable institutions out there that accept donations of second-hand glasses, sort them by grade and ship them to places where majority of the population cannot afford the luxury of a decent vision.
- Broken Tiles
You may think that anything broken is unusable, but not your floor tiles. If you have broken bits of tiles, use them to elevate your potted plants. When potted plants have seated on the soil for too long, mold may grow and rot the plant. Improve drainage and elevate the roots by adding a layer of broken tiles.
- Food Jars
Use those baby food jars as salt and pepper shakers. These are great alternatives to plastic containers, since glass keeps the flavour better and the moisture at bay. If you have a lot of mini jars to re-use, convert your entire spice cabinet for a uniform look.
- Electronics
TVs, computers and cell phones easily go out of fashion, so fast that some people have collections of non-defective gadgets that are just collecting dust in the basement. If you’re tempted to toss yesterday’s technology to the curb, realize that recycling one million laptops will save as much electricity as 3,000 homes in Singapore consume in a year.
These are just a few of the many items you commonly see around the house that you can surely find a second life for. What other things have you find in your home? What other uses have you found for these items?
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App-Grade Your Fashion Sense
5 Fashion Mobile Applications worth Trying Out
Getting a quick fashion fix on your phone is quite easy, but it’s an entirely different story when it comes to having a full sartorial experience. Fortunately, there are some mobile applications out there that can help in making your life easier. So whether you’re a fashion-forward woman or someone who could use some help in the styling department, downloading the following apps will definitely prove to be of some great use.
- PS Dept
In need of a personal stylist for free? Then PS Dept or Personal Styling Department is the app for you. Whether you’re looking for the perfect pair of boots or is in search for a wedding outfit, PS Dept will help you search for that specific fashion piece. The app partnered with an array of well-known stylists to give their users access to expert fashion tips that can help them conquering the fashion department.
- Like to Know It
Another cult-favourite app among fashionistas, Like to Know It makes it possible to track down the most stylish clothing pieces and accessories available on Instagram. By signing in on this mobile app, any Instagram photo that you like using the shopping link directly emails the product info to you – allowing you to create a wardrobe wish list based on your favourite Instagram feed.
- Pose
Unlike the other fashion mobile applications, Pose allows you to see what other people are wearing based on your location and the weather of the place. The app also provides you with a daily weather report while giving you an outfit inspiration based on the weather forecast. What’s more amazing is you can further filter your search by simply browsing through outfit ideas based on the occasion that you’ll be attending.
- Stylect
Considered as the Tinder for shoes, Stylect will help you find the footwear that perfectly fits your needs. From designers ranging from Nike to Christian Louboutin, simply search through 50,000 shoe styles available on the mobile app. Aside from its wide array of footwear to choose from, Stylect also allows its users to filter their search based on style, price or colour. If you want, you can even create a shoe wish-list and make direct purchases from the app.
- ClosetSpace
ClosetSpace allows its users to have a virtual closet where you get to organize all your purchases. Other than that, the app also provides the latest trends and news on fashion based on the clothing brands that you purchased. What’s more amazing about this app is it also offers weather-based outfit suggestions to keep you looking fashion-forward be it a rainy or sunny day.
Being stylish doesn’t need to be difficult. With the help of any of these fashion applications, you’ll be able get closer to your glammed up self each day. So make sure that you download one of these apps now, and enjoy a more fashionable day ahead.
