Kitchen Appliances Trends in 2020

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Are you looking to upgrade your kitchen? Considering we have been spending more time at home these months, chances are you are cooking more and spending more time in the kitchen, so why not as well add some fancy new improvements to make your meal preparation more efficient and pleasant.

You can use the money you saved from not eating out so much and invest in a new kitchen gadget. Every season brings new trends, and these are the must-haves in the kitchen for this season. Here are a few that home appliance showrooms really like, so you can choose the ones that best fit into your needs.

The Steam Is Rising

One of the trends that has just started becoming popular is steam ovens. It has not been so widespread, but this way of cooking is definitely gaining popularity. In this first place, if you are looking for healthier ways of preparing food, without wanting to sacrifice the taste, this is the right method for you.

It also guarantees super clean results with no oil. As more and more people start using steam ovens, we are sure new advantages of this appliance will come up along the way.

Something New Is Cooking

As you can see, steam cooking is on the rise, but with multi-cooker, that is only one of the options you can choose. Multi-cooker as a new trend is also a consequence of the tendency to eat healthier, which does not only imply healthier ingredients, but also healthier methods of preparation.

That is where multi-cooker enters the scene, offering the already mentioned steam-cooking options, as well as a slow cooker and many others. It is super healthy, fast, practical, and offers so much variety. No wonder this trend is growing so fast.

The Ice Age Is Here

As you can guess, the next major trend is related to refrigerators which are undergoing a set of innovations. The new generations of fridges are better adapted to your other kitchen processes. The handle will become a thing of the past with the surge of new smart technologies.

Another important novelty are going to be food zones, some of which will be more or less flexible. The fridges are equipped with different compartments adapted to various sets of foods and ingredients, some of which will be exclusive for only one type of food, while others will be suitable for more different ingredients.

It's All Connected

We mentioned smart technologies coming out of your fridge, but not only. Another 2020 trend when it comes to kitchen appliances is a Wi-Fi connection to all of your kitchen devices. This means you are able to set everything, from the timing and temperature of your stove, to the temperature in your fridge, as well as a microwave and other appliances, from your smartphone. This is a very convenient new trend which helps you optimize the usage of electricity and align all your kitchen work, which also enhances the safety in your home.

Three Things You Need to Do Before Going on Vacation

Taking a break from your hectic work life at least once a year is absolutely paramount for your mental health, as well as your physical health. Not having to worry about things for a while helps you rest more fully and renew your energy and enthusiasm when it is time to go back to work.

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We have compiled a list of some of the most important things you need to do at home before you depart for your dream vacation destination. Even though the global pandemic may be limiting your destination options, you should not neglect the time off. However, before you go, make sure your home is good to stay empty for that time.

Clear Away Your Kitchen

There are many things in your kitchen that you use frequently, but if you left them for a long period of time, may go bad and cause you some problems. For instance, that bowl of fruit which you keep on the kitchen island looks great and is a great source of healthy snacks if you are hungry, but leaving it out for over a week would probably result in some nasty smells you would have to deal with.

Similarly, if you forget to take out the trash before you go, what may await you when you return is certainly not pleasant. Aside from the rancid smells that may come from garbage, you also risk having pests such as insects or even rats converging in your kitchen.

Clean Your Home

Clearing away spoilable things in your kitchen is important due to spoilage. On the other hand, cleaning your home before you leave has more of a psychological effect. Sure, it may not be a fun thing to do right before your vacation, but imagine returning home after 2 weeks to find your home a complete mess that needs to be cleaned thoroughly. It may knock the wind out of your sails fairly quickly.

If you are not in the mood to clean your home by yourself, there are professional cleaning services you can use. You can wait to hire a cleaner to clean your home after you return from your vacation, but those things are typically better done before leaving.

Make Sure your Home Doesn’t Look Vacant

There are certain individuals who pay attention to what homes are empty for several days during the vacation season. These people will then attempt to burgle the house while nobody is in – an easy target for them with very little chance of encountering the owners.

Even if it is not a common occurrence where you live, there are a few things you can do to make your home appear less attractive to those kinds of people. Having a friend to pick up your mail so it doesn’t pile up is the simplest and a very effective start.

However, if your home has some smart features, you can do a lot more. For instance, setting the lights in various rooms to turn on and off occasionally would not be too wasteful, and is visually effective.

Once you’ve done all you can for your home, it is finally time to do yourself a favor and go on a vacation, relax, and recover so you can be a productive member of society, at least until the next time you need a holiday.

 

5 Reasons Why businesses should utilise professional security guard services

 

Would you rather train a security team or hire security guard services in London? Find out why most UK companies are outsourcing security in our brief review.

Recognising your employee’s progress is essential, and planning team-building events is still better. However, if people don’t feel safe in the workplace, these efforts will go to waste. Productivity can suffer and you may even incur losses due to external or employee theft, having the expertise to plan for risk mitigation and future proofing your security needs is essential. That’s why you need a security plan for your business.

Here are the top five reasons why outsourcing security is your best option:

Enjoy reduced liability

Giving someone a security badge and the authority to stop and apprehend suspects is a big deal. You run the risk of legal action if the security guard misuses this power, not to mention potential brand damage, and that is clearly a scenario that every business owner wants to avoid. Outsourcing your security, on the other hand, comes with fewer risks. The guards are not under your insurance. That means that generally the security firm is directly responsible for their employees, bringing you peace of mind.

Save money by hiring security guard services in London

Hiring and training a security team is not cheap. You’ll need expensive equipment, uniforms, insurance and to fund salaries during the training period including the responsibility of replacement officers to cover your teams’ holiday and sickness. Then there are HR issues, promotions and raises to worry about when dealing with an in-house security team. Hiring a security guard service is significantly cheaper than trying to build one from scratch. You get immediate access to experienced personnel who are ready for the job on day one. Best of all, you don’t need to do any background checks, interviews or deal with training.

Greater peace of mind

If the workplace feels safe, employees will be more productive, happy and responsible. And that means you’ll have one less thing to worry about as a business owner. For example, if a security officer cannot make it to work for whatever reason, you won’t even notice since a replacement will be covering their post. The security firm handles the substitution internally, obviating the need for your HR team to intervene.

If this situation happened in an internal security team, you would have to scramble to find a replacement, either by overworking the remaining team members or using expensive agency staff.

Better monitoring and reports

Most business have an array of security cameras, but relatively a few of them use this resource to catch security issues before they get out of hand. Security firms train their staff to identify signs of criminal activity and stop it before it happens. That includes spotting concealed weapons, distressed people and also other risks such as fires before it is too late.

If there is any unfortunate event of criminal activity in your business, the security company can provide a detailed report of the incident. And that makes the situation so much easier for the police to handle.

The bottom line

Hiring a security company is a better choice than running an in-house team. The security firm comes with better technology, more experience and a larger workforce. This combination will help your business save money, boost productivity and bring peace of mind. All you need to do is find a company with values aligned with yours; one that is willing to be flexible, understand and mitigate your risks and has outstanding reviews. Find a security company to be a partner to your business as true partnership builds results!

Finding the Right Company to Paint Your Home

These difficult times extended our stay at home more than we wanted. Looking at the same old furniture and walls can be quite boring. If you want to make your life more interesting and bring some fresh air into your work-from-home routine you can remodel your home or give the walls a fresh coat of paint. This amazing idea came from a renowned painting company from Houston so I decided to take their advice and give my walls some new looks.

This simple act of recoloring your walls can be demanding because you can’t decide what color to pick or even how to do the job, luckily, you can refer to professionals and let them do their magic. Here’s what you need to consider when picking the right people to paint your home.

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Ask The Right Questions

You can always go online and pick the first company you see, but you can also do some research, read comments, and ask people who already used their services. Don’t be afraid to ask everything you want to know, it is your money and your house, so it is in your best interest to get the service you want. Feel free to express your dislike towards certain ideas, and try to be as clear and direct with your demands, because after all it is you who is going to be looking at these walls every day.

License

Some people don’t care about a license only to be disappointed when they need to pay for a poorly done paint job. A license ensures that the contractor is permitted by the state to do the job and can be held responsible if the outcome is not what the customer was promised. This form of insurance for the customer is important because you can rest assured that you are going to get what the company marketed, and if not, you can choose not to pay.

Track Record

This correlates with the investigation I mentioned above. Before you pick the right company, you should check their track record and read customers’ comments online. You can also check if people posted some before/after pictures of their homes. This will give you some reassurance and confidence that the job will be executed right.

Insurance

This is important because painting includes physical work inside your home, and if the workers are not insured then you are solely responsible for compensating for potential injury treatment costs. Accidents aren’t so frequent in this line of work, but they still can happen, and some shady businesses would rather avoid insuring their workers to save a few bucks, but in reality, you don’t want to bear that kind of responsibility.

Gameplan

Before you say yes you need to know how many workers will come, what sort of tools will they use, and most importantly, what type of paint? They need to offer an estimate of the time needed to finish the job. When you gather all these details you can plan the rest of your day according to the information provided by the company.

The Price

Price is in most cases the determining factor whether you choose to invest in a product or a service. My advice is to avoid the cheapest option because then you can’t expect some stellar performance, but if you don’t care much then that’s ok. When you consider the cost it’s better to first check what previous customers have to say about the company and choose the one you think is going to do the best job even if the price is different from what you expected. After all, you don’t paint your house every day, the quality of the service should win over a low price.

Warranty

Just like any item or service you pay for you want to have some sort of warranty. Even if you manage to find painters you like, you can’t be 100% sure that you are going to be happy. That’s what a warranty is for, to ensure both parties leave satisfied.

4 Balcony Garden Ideas

If you have an outdoor space, you might be interested in learning some of the ways you can optimize it to best meet your needs. No matter the size of your balcony, you can turn it into an  oasis that brings you joy. One way to immediately enhance a balcony, is to add plants! A balcony garden can breathe new life into your outdoor space. Check out the tips below to learn how to create the perfect balcony garden for your lifestyle, along with inspirational mood boards from Apartment Guide.

1.    For an apartment
Apartment complexes naturally tend to lack privacy. If you have a balcony, there are several things you can do to make the same more private. You can use plants to construct a living wall that will block the view of nosy neighbors and people passing by. Use a trellis or add tall planters to make your space private and cozy.

2.    For eco-conscious individuals
As we become more aware of our impact on the world around us, many people want to live more sustainably. There are many ways to sustainably create a balcony garden. From upcycling furniture that you already own to planting an edible garden, you can build a space that is eco-friendly. 

 
3.    For small spaces

Even tiny balconies have a lot to offer. Optimize your space by utilizing the railing and surrounding walls to hang plants. If you have another space to add some furniture, consider adding items that are versatile. For example, adding a collapsible table to the railing or a chair that reclines and can be used for both eating and lounging.

4.    For dogs
If you have a dog, you might also want to share your outdoor space with them! It’s important to ensure the space is safe for your furry friend. Make sure that they can’t jump over or squeeze between the railing. You’ll also want to ensure that any plants you add are non-toxic to dogs.

Easy ways to cozy up your home

One of the biggest compliments you can get about your home is that it is cozy, because that means that your home is inviting, friendly, and comfortable. That is what makes a house or an apartment - a home. But, how does one cozy up his or her home? Well, you only need your creativity. However, we understand that that is not everyone's strongest suit, so we are offering our help. Thus, if you need some creative, innovative, but at the same time very simple and cheap ideas for cozying up your home, keep on reading.

Lightning is Important!

With lighting, you can create any type of atmosphere you desire in your home. And, luckily, updating your in-home lighting or just changing it and it using it to your favor are one of those improvements that are more than affordable. Start by removing any harsh, single overhead lighting from the rooms you want to make cozy. Instead, focus on creating an abundance of lighting. For example, add a lot of floor lamps, table lamps, string lights, and scented candles.

Moreover, you need to pay attention to the lighting temperature as well. Namely, you should banish those cold temperature lights from your home. We can all agree that those make us feel like we are in a hospital or in an interrogation room. So, replace those cold, neon lights with something with warmer bulbs and you will be surprised what a difference that can make.

Changing your lights can make a huge difference and completely transform your home

Add Rugs, Pillows, and Throws

Hardwood flooring, and even laminate and tiles, can be excellent solutions. But, when those cold months come, we all get chilly under our feet. Again, there is an easy way to fix that. Place rugs and mats in areas you spend your time the most and the areas you want to make more comfy and cozy. Also, if your budget allows it, consider investing in one big area rug and then, add a layer of multiple smaller ones where necessary, for an even better result.

A home is not a home without pillows and throws. They are not just decoration, they are a necessity. We use them to warm ourselves up and, of course, to make everything feel more inviting and comfortable. Thus, buy them in bulk. They are a cheap investment but still something that will enrich your daily life. However, if you want to splurge, you can always go for those big furry pillows and snuggly throws that cost a little bit more.

Bring Nature Inside

Plants and flowers are amazing as they bring life to any home. But, they do not do only that - they also contribute to the cozy sensation. So, if you have none of them in your home yet, it is time to bring them in. You can buy any type you like or you think will fit in nicely with the rest of your home. However, be warned - they can be costly. Luckily, there is a way to cut corners here too. For example, you can learn to propagate plants. That way, you can ask for cuttings from other people and grow your own plants completely free.

 

Related source: How to preserve flowers.

 

If you tend to travel a lot, it would be a good idea to consider buying faux greenery, that is, fake plants. They are a cheaper and easier solution. On the other hand, fresh flowers add not only a beautiful touch but also a beautiful smell to every home.

Lastly, do not forget to invest in some amazing pots, planters, vases, and baskets. They are inexpensive and will be a great addition to any room. The best part is - you can always reuse them!

Even the most simplistic rooms can become cozy with a touch of nature

Decorate Your Walls

If you want a cozy home, avoid blank walls by all means. Avoid white (sterile-looking) walls too! If this is something you are facing right now, it is time for a project. Call Movage Moving NYC and ask them to help you relocate your furniture to someplace safe, then, get paint and start painting your walls. For a comfy atmosphere, use neutral colors like beige, or some pastel colors like light blue, green, yellow, etc.

But do not stop there! Even with color, a blank wall is a blank wall. You need to decorate it. Do that by hanging some art pieces. However, if your budget does not allow it, you to make an investment as big as that, consider a cheaper alternative - copies and prints. You can even hang bookshelves, mirrors, plants, wall lamps, dream catchers, etc.

Experiment with your wall design until you make it match your cozy room perfectly.

Add Fragrance and Scent

Last but certainly not the least thing to have in mind when trying to 'cozy up' your home is its fragrance and scent. Of course, what we see and feel is important, but never underestimate the power of smell. After all, if your home looks like one of those on the cover of magazines and is filled with the most comfortable pieces of furniture and household objects, it will not be worth it if it smells like rubbish.

Thus, do not do your home injustice and disfavor, but do what is right. That is, finish cozying up your home by adding fragrance and scent to it. Luckily, again, that is an easy and simple thing to do. You just need to buy some fresh flowers, for example. Or, buy a scented candle, potpourri, or some wax melts. Choose your favorite ones, and your home will not only look comfy but will smell like that as well.

Photos used

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