5 Ways to Maximize Your Small Space

Editor

Although renting an apartment has a lot of perks, having lots of space isn’t one of them. Luckily, there are things that you can do to improve your current situation without the need to change into bigger apartments. Manage and get the most out of your limited space by following these apartment organization tips.

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  1. Use Your Ceiling. When you think that you’ve already used all the available spaces in your home, try looking up for other possibilities, like your ceiling. Try installing some sturdy pot racks and hooks to create an area where you can hang your pans and pots. You’ll be surprise as to how much space you’ll be able to free up in your kitchen cabinets and counter.
  1. Opt for Space-Saving Furniture. A good way to save up space and make your nook appear bigger, is to opt for space-saving furniture. Purchase items like the drop-down ironing board, a foldable guest bed, or a dining table with foldable extenders that you can adjust depending on the number of diners you’ll have.

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  1. Ditch the Wooden Dividers. Wooden dividers are what consumes a lot of space in a studio unit apartment. The next time you perform some general cleaning in your place, get rid of those dividers and replace them with fabric curtains. It will serve the same purpose of dividing your space into several sections, while using very little space. Using sheer curtain dividers also allows more natural light in, making your room more spacious, airy and brighter.
  1. Stick with Basic Furniture. Having extra space is what provides an illusion of spaciousness in a small area. A good way to achieve this? Stick with the basic furniture, or go for home items that can also be used for storage.
  1. Declutter Regularly. When you leave in a condominium unit, there’s no room for sentimentality on things that only eat up so much space. Maximize your limited space by regularly going through and organizing your stuff at home. If you think you won’t be able to use some of these items in the future, then sell or give them away.

Making your apartment more spacious is pretty easy. You’ll surely be surprised as to how much space you’ll be able to save just by following the aforementioned tips and shopping wisely of the home items that you’ll need.

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5 At-Home Family Bonding Activities  

Editor

The typical day-to-day routine of a family is so hectic that it’s so easy for everyone to grow apart. While your kids have the time to play with each other for a few minutes every day, true quality time with the entire family is a rare luxury for many of us. To keep the family’s closeness intact, here are some bonding ideas you can do with your family without having to leave the comfort of your home.

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  1. Make Home-Cooked Meals or Bake Some Goodies

Enjoy family time in the kitchen by bonding with them over baking and cooking meals. Plan for a good meal for your Sunday lunch, then let the kids help you in the kitchen. Give some cooking tips and assign them tasks that will utilize these tips right away. Another great idea is to teach them a family recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation.

  1. Make Traditions

Save the weekends for fun family time. This way, the kids will have something to look forward to. Some of the great traditions you can start doing with the family are movie marathon Fridays, game night Saturdays, and dine-out Sundays. Match these ideas with your children’s likes and interests.

  1. Revisit Family Memories

Take an evening to sit down and revisit fun family memories together. Watch again those home videos of the kids when they were still very little or peruse old photo albums. Let the children share about their favourite vacations or birthday parties and tell them stories about these events.

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  1. Schedule an Extended Family Get-Together

Invite cousins, aunties and uncles, and grandma and grandpa. Have everybody bring something for everyone and volunteer to host this intimate party. Let the kids help in setting up your place for more fun bonding moments with them.

  1. Let Your Backyard be a Playground

Singapore is blessed with a summer-like climate, so why not turn your backyard into a mini pool where you and your family can experience summer together? Prepare soap bubbles, picnic foods, and an inflatable pool for a weekend afternoon bond with the kids.

Spending time with the family may require some effort, especially when you and your go to work and the kids go to school every day. However, with these at-home bonding activities, spending quality time with the family no longer requires much time and preparation; therefore, making it easier for everyone to get-together.

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Things Adults in Singapore Succumb To

Editor

Peer pressure is everywhere. It is not just the sight of teens passing around couple of shots or cigarettes. Peer pressures are also evident among adults not just here in Singapore but around the world. When you say peer pressure, it means an individual exerting effort and encouraging others to change their behaviours, attitudes and values to conform to their norms.

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In other words, it is a manner of influencing others. In this case, let us discuss about adults and the things they succumb to. Here are some things that adults here succumb to in relation to peer pressure:

  • Kid classes: Parents simply want what is best for their kids. Singapore is a difficult place because of the lurking competition. It is only right to set the path for your children but sometimes there are things that are not needed. You spend thousands of dollars because you want to make sure that your kids are not left out. Be honest, there are times that you think what you pay is not actually helping your kid.

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  • Drinks and foods with difficult to pronounce names: People are drawn to fancy names and things. Singaporeans are foodies and there are people who will drive halfway across the island just to get a taste of the famous beef or burger. Notice that when you are with friends, you decide to dine at restaurants that have difficult names to pronounce. Of course, no one will dare to question the price or affordability.
  • Extravagant weddings: Who doesn’t like an extravagant wedding? Everyone loves an extravagant wedding that is why when it is their turn, the couple will do their best to awe their visitors. Sometimes they do not realize that they have incurred massive debts just to throw a wedding party.

If you are not careful about the things mentioned above, you will find yourself broke at the end of the day. However, you have to remember that peer pressure is not necessarily negative. It can be positive depending on the person.

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Tips on Saving Water

Editor

Summer is hot and sticky. Unfortunately it is happening and Singapore is presently enduring it. Singaporeans are feeling the heat. Some think of ways to keep cool. There are others who simply take a bath as often as they can to keep their bodies cool but that is not the practical thing to do. Water is an issue when summer hits.

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Here in Singapore, the Minister for Environment and Water Resources assured the public that despite the prolonged dry weather, water resources will not dwindle contrary to the beliefs of others. The Minister said that the Newater Plants will sustain 55% of the country’s water demand irrespective of the amount of rainfall.

The remaining 45% of Singapore’s water supply emanates from reservoir water and imported water coming from Malaysia. We will not have problems but it is still important to practice water conservation. Citizens and residents should think of ways to save water. Here are some tips for saving water that you can carry out:

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  • Turn off the faucet: Just by turning off the faucet while you brush, you can save lots of water. When it is not used, you should turn it off.
  • Shower: If you really want to cool yourself, you can take a bath but avoid filling the tub. You can simply consider a shower. Shower only uses less water.
  • Fix leaks: If your sink or toilet has a leak, you should fix it immediately. If you do not know how to fix it, let a professional plumber do it. If you put the drops in a container, it will be gallons.
  • Water the plants: Plants need water to grow. Since it is dry, you should make it a point to water them regularly. When you water the plants, you have to do it early in the morning or late in the evening. If you water it in the middle of the day, the water will evaporate quickly.
  • Car wash: If it is really needed, you can wash your car or bike but do not use hoses. You can save lots of money if you only use a sponge and bucket. If you are a car wash owner, you can install a technology that recycles water instead of letting it down the sewer.

We should not be too confident about our water supply because we do not know when the dry weather will end. If you can share this to your friends and co-workers, it would be best. If you have young children in your house, you can teach them how to conserve water in their own little ways. Do not ignore this call before it is too late and the water level is critical.

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Feeling Good without Feeling Selfish

Editor

Here in Singapore, it’s not just about the glamour and the extravagant lifestyle. Although most of us strive to have and maintain a comfortable life, we don’t fail to remember to also reach out and better the lives of others. So if you’re thinking of ways to share what you have and in doing so feeling good for helping out, here are a few organizations available here in Singapore that advocates the welfare of those in need.

Redwoods Advance at the ‘365 Cancer Prevention Society’ Love Lunch Event

365 Cancer Prevention Society

In an era of advanced technology and increasing medical research, it’s so disheartening to find out that there are still so many lives being threatened and so many families being affected by cancer. Dealing with this life-changing disease is not easy, but 365 Cancer Prevention Society exerts much effort to make the impact of this disease more bearable. This organization aims to help through information dissemination and lymphatic detoxification exercise programs. The generous people behind this society also extend their kindness not only to the patients themselves but also to their families. This organization is truly admirable and it’s a good place to start extending our own kindness and offer our donations since they are a non-profit organization and rely on public donations to sustain their advocacy.

Children’s Charities Association

Children’s Charities Association or CCA is a joint effort of a group of charities in Singapore aiming to raise funds for the benefit of children with varying needs. The organization’s vision is to empower these children and help them become independent citizens who are capable of fulfilling their vital role in the society. CCA is open for donations and one of the four fund raising projects that they organize annually is the Flag Day which will be happening on the 11th of June this year. The event is only a few months away, but the organization is still warmly accepting volunteers, students or adults, to participate. This year’s goal is to raise more than $50,000.

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Pass It On

If you’re looking to help out but are on a tight budget or you just simply want to pass on any household item that you don’t use anymore but is still functioning well, then Pass It On is the organization for you. Pass It On aims to encourage Singaporean’s partaking in helping out the less privileged through giving the things that they don’t need anymore to those who will still benefit from the passed on items.

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