Archives for March 2021

Multigenerational Households Lead to Family Bonds That Last a Lifetime

Multigenerational living may seem daunting to any family used to having their own space and the freedom to come and go as they please, however, multigenerational households can provide a unique living experience to individuals of all ages. If you’re ready to take the plunge and invite Mom, Dad, your grown children or even grandchildren to live under your roof, it’s important to make sure everyone’s ready.

The following tips from AARP will ensure that your multigenerational household provides a positive experience for everyone.

-Whether you’re making room for your parents, grown children or even grandchildren to move in, take everyone’s needs into consideration. While needs will differ depending on the age of the individual, there are steps you can take to ensure that everyone is both safe and comfortable.

-Bring the entire family together before you’re all under the same roof to establish guidelines that everyone is comfortable adhering to. By talking about potential problem areas beforehand, you’ll avoid confrontation once everyone is sharing the same living space.

-While the kitchen and living room will undoubtedly function as shared space, it’s crucial that everyone have their own space as well. Living with extended family can be a great experience, but it’s important to remember that family members still need privacy.

-If you’re in the process of opening up your home to your parents, be sure to give them the opportunity to do things on their own. Filling their schedules with activities that you love may be overwhelming, so carve out time for them to make their own plans.

-As your household continues to grow, it becomes increasingly important to stick to a schedule. By establishing a sense of consistency with a normal routine, you’ll ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to the daily routine.

-Don’t get so caught up in your day-to-day routine that you neglect to let everyone interact. Schedule time for everyone to do things together and you’ll be on your way toward creating family bonds that will last a lifetime.

-When living in a multigenerational household, there are bound to be some bumps along the way. Instead of trying to plan for every possible situation, start off with a solid game and then tweak it as you go.

Source: AARP.org

Packing a Storage Unit? Don’t Forget to Strategize

Are you in the process of downsizing or looking to open up your home a bit? Self-storage units could be the answer you’re looking for. If you’re looking to move some belongings to storage, don’t forget—there’s an art to packing a storage unit! 

Use the Space Wisely. If you’re storing bigger items, take the time to break them down (if possible) in order to get the most use out of the space. This means disassembling tables, workout equipment, kitchen carts, etc.

Take Inventory. Good memory or not, you’re bound to forget every last item stored in the unit. Even if it only makes an appearance once every few years, you’ll want to remember where your fine china from Great Aunt Gertrude is when she comes calling.

Label Everything. If you plan to fill your storage unit up with boxes, be sure to label them so that you can quickly and easily identify what’s inside. It’s also important to make sure all labels are facing the same way.

Map It Out. In addition to making note of everything that’s stored in your storage unit, it’s a good idea to map out where everything is located. This way you can easily grab something when needed.

Place Items Strategically. Keeping like items together (or packing things according to which room or family member they belong to) is a simple way to add a level of organization to the process.

Leave a Walkway. For those renting a large self-storage unit, don’t forget to leave a walkway down the middle when filling the space with your belongings. Not only will this make it easy to grab things when you need them, it will keep you from having to climb over boxes and other items when you need to grab something from the back of the unit.

3 Misconceptions about Multivitamins

A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that Americans aren’t making the nutrition grade, with children and adults scoring 56 out of a possible 100 (equivalent to an “F” grade) in studies comparing what people say they eat to the USDA recommended dietary guidelines. One of the best ways to combat nutritional gaps is to take a multivitamin. Not convinced? Check out these facts on three multivitamin misconceptions from VitaminsInMotion.com.

Misconception #1: It’s realistic to obtain all essential nutrients from food.
Even experienced nutritionists have a hard time designing a diet that provides all the essential nutrients for one day, and busy Americans often struggle to follow a highly regimented diet. That’s not to say it’s impossible, but the best approach is to focus on eating nutrient-rich foods while supplementing with a daily multivitamin.

Misconception #2: Multivitamins have no health benefits.  Although recent studies report that vitamin and mineral supplements do not lower one’s risk of heart disease or cancer, they are still proven to be beneficial to one’s health overall.

Misconception #3: Multivitamins are a waste of money.
Multivitamins are relatively inexpensive ways to achieve proper nutrition, when taking it account all of the possible health expenses incurred over a lifetime!