Notepad Corner

To be a proud possessor of your own home has its great advantages. You can plan freely your favourite activities, without taking into consideration the plans of other people or, in two words, you can organize your schedule depending on your personal preferences. If you are communicative and open minded type of person you will certainly want to welcome guests in your place of living. Whether it comes to relatives or to more closer friends, guests are always a good reason to think about the comfort and cosiness of the living premises. Especially when it comes to sleepover guests you need to prepare more things that you could imagine. Despite the fact that these may be your sister or brother and you may think that sleepover party is a child's play there are many things that you need to plan if you are soon expecting your sleepover guests. We will introduce to your attention some of the basic things that you need to take into account before you decide to welcome your g

Throwing a party is no easy task, although many seem to think that it’s a breeze. Sure, maybe a “Bring Your Own” style student ramble in the garden doesn’t take too much effort (other than the clearing up post-debauchery) but to throw a show that will have your friends talking for ages, especially on a budget, can be quite the challenge. However, who ever said that challenges can’t be fun? Image:flickr.com/photos/nomadic_lass The first ports of call are the following: guest list, invitations and theme. The latter can be almost anything, but it’s important to remember to stick with it. You can’t go for a theme of “An Evening in Paris” only to send out a load of invites with palm trees and stretching beaches to your guests. Think carefully about your resources, you personal style, and your friends’ tastes. Are you all massive movie nuts? Or is it a love of baking that brings you all together? Do your research and form a theme around that. Next, think realistically about how

My homeland, the Philippines is not only a typhoon magnet, but it is also located in the Pacific Ring of Fire. As my country is perched on the Pacific Ring of Fire, it is very much at risk to tectonic shifts that could cause strong and devastating earthquakes. Last year, a tectonic origin earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck Region VII specifically in most cities and towns of Bohol, and Cebu City. The ground shook and trembled so strong and hard which caused casualties and structural damages. The recent quake has been recorded as one of the deadliest in the Philippine history.  There is no accurate tool that can predict nor forecast when a seismic activity can occur and we can never stop it from happening. In most situations we can reduce the chance of injury if we are prepared and well-equipped to handle this kind of destructive disaster. Below is an Earthquake Preparedness Guide provided by PHIVOLCS (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology)

Choosing the right colour scheme for your house can be a daunting task as you will have to live with your decisions for a long time! While colour is very much a matter of personal taste, there are some important guidelines to help you create a palette that you will love. Here are some tips to help you make the perfect choice for your home. PoshSurfside.com on Flickr About Colour A colour wheel is a great starting pointing when choosing a desirable scheme. There are four types of colour schemes: monochromatic, analogous, contrast, and complementary. A monochromatic scheme uses the same colour and adds either white or black to lighten or darken the shades. An analogous scheme is one that uses colours that appear next to each other on the wheel, like green and blue, or pink and purple. Mixing these kinds of colours is known to create a soothing effect. Although if you want to create a vibrant and energetic feel, you are best to choose a contrasting scheme. This palette use

Adding a patio to your home is a fantastic and affordable way to increase your living space, and take advantage of warm days for outdoor entertaining and relaxation. There are so many different ways to create a patio that blends with your existing house and takes advantage of other features of your property. Let’s have a look at some creative tips that help make your new patio a real feature of your home that you will not only love to use, but will also add value to your home. For more ideas on how to create your dream patio, it is well worth having a chat to an experienced patio builder such as Additions Building , who can take you through the myriad of styles and materials available to find one that suits you. Create a feature point Creating a focal point for your patio can help make it unique and attractive. A water feature, such as a fountain or a goldfish pond, can help create real sense of tranquillity. You could also create a fire place or pit, which can help you enj

Finding the best spot to set-up a workstation in your house is as important as choosing the best ergonomic chair to pair with your office table as it will make your workspace safer and healthier. Over long sitting sessions can lead to many health problems, thus choosing a comfortable desk chair will not only bring great comfort but can really help  promote blood circulation,  improve your posture,  and provide a great sense of stability as well. Ergonomic chairs are intended to maximize work productivity by reducing worker discomfort and fatigue. Being a work-at-home mom spending long hours at my desk definitely need a sturdy and customizable chair with ergonomic design to make sure my whole back is supported. A great seat can really make a lot of difference.  It is the key component of my home office area. There are many ergonomically designed chairs being sold in furniture and office equipment stores.  It is important to choose the best when buying one. Features of a g

Image by Benjamin Thompson on Flickr Taking the leap to work for yourself can be as exciting as it is daunting. Working from home is a pleasure that more people than ever can afford to do , with many taking up the option of either going freelance or breaking away from office life to work at the house. It can be dangerous, though. The distractions in the home that are only usually available in the evenings are now within reach at all times. Televisions, radios, big comfy sofas… As well as increasing your willpower it’s essential to create an environment that not only complements your new lifestyle but helps improve your productivity and concentration. Everybody’s different, though, so here are five tips to take into consideration when designing your new home office: 1: Make the most of your space Look around your new office. Can you visualise what you need to work efficiently, and can you imagine where those components fit into your new workspace? If yo