● Laura Thornberry ● Lifestyle Blogger ● London Based ●

AD| Are you currently move house? Or are you looking to begin your moving home journey, but don't know where to start?

Moving to a new home can be a very exciting chapter in your life, but at times, it can feel very scary and overwhelming. There's so many things to do and so little time, it can be a very stressful journey if you haven't planned your move properly. There are so many things to consider when you begin your moving house process, and it can be extremely easy to forget many important jobs along the way. Listed below are 4 of the most important things you need to consider before moving home, and some great tips to help you keep on track.

Declutter Your Belongings in Advance

Making sure you begin clearing your home of any unwanted or damaged items before your move will save you a lot of time and any unnecessary stress. Any unwanted items could end up being donated, recycled or simply throw away. By removing things you don’t use, want or need, you’ll be reducing the amount of your personal belongings that you actually need to move. Not only will this create less work for you, but you'll be using less boxes, you'll probably need a smaller van and you'll require less help from your removal team.

Book Your Removals Service

Picking your removals service might seem like the easiest part of moving home compared to all the jobs need during this process, but if you don't book this in early, you could be facing multiple problems come moving day. Whether you're looking for removals in London or any other area of the UK, it's worth checking online for company reviews or get recommendations from friends or family, to make sure you're in professional hands with a reputable removals team. Many companies make this part of moving home so easy for you, by offering quotes and valuations for customers to make sure you get the best services for your money, and you get the right sized van for the job.

Make a Packing Plan

Packing is definitely one of the more boring jobs when it comes to moving house an it always takes longer than you think. It's definitely important to start as soon as possible and create a packing plan to help you keep on tip of things. By starting with the rooms you use the least, you'll be able to pack up the items you use the least and this wont be too disruptive on your day-to-day life.

Another top tip is to make sure you have enough boxes and storage containers to make sure you have plenty of space to pack up your belongings. When you begin to label your boxes, try and be as specific as possible. By doing this, you'll know exactly what is inside the boxes and once you move home, you'll know exactly what room they need to be placed into. During the packing process, try not to overfill you boxes - you don't want your boxes being too heavy or falling apart.

Store Important Documents Safely

Another thing to consider before moving home include keeping all your important and personal documents together in one place. This could be for paperwork such as insurance policies, and for passports and any housing documents you may need. These should be kept safely together and should be placed somewhere you have easy access too and where you will not lose them.

Are you currently planning to move home? What other moving tips do you have?

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AD - GIFTED | Do you love perfume? Are you constantly buying new fragrances for your collection, or are you looking to try something new and unique?

Many of us have that one signature scent that we go back to time and time again, but sometimes it's a good idea to have some extra ones just as a backup. Owning more than one fragrance in your collection gives you a number of options to use and to reflect your feelings, your mood and the occasions you're wearing the fragrance for. Just think of your fragrance as a final accessory to your outfit, and you can match your scent choice to your outfit vibe.

Choose Your Signature Scent

Many people have that one fragrance that they use over and over again. A signature scent is simply a fragrance that truly reflects and defines you as a person. For me, my go-to signature scent is definitely YSL Black Opium. This scent is so deep and musky, it's definitely a favourite of mine that I have repurchased multiple times. Having a signature scent something about yourself without saying a word, and helps to make a lasting impression. It also helps to reflect your individual style, and allows people to remember you when they smell the same fragrance elsewhere.

Consider Having Day and Night Fragrances/ Special Occasions

Having a selection of different fragrances can be useful, as they can be worn at different times of the day. Daytime fragrances are typically more energising and awakening, using light, fresh and airy notes, and featuring more sweet, fruity, floral and citrus scents. Nighttime fragrances are usually stronger and sexier, using deep, musky and spicy notes.

Special occasions call for special scents. Having a specific scent to remind you of previous important memories is something that is so special. Whether that's a certain holiday or your wedding day for example, having a special fragrance just for these occasions can help us remember the memories from that day.

Change Up Your Scents Seasonally

Like you would change up your fashion style each season, you can also switch up your fragrances to reflect the season ahead. For Spring, you may opt for fragrances packed with fresh, floral notes, as this will reflect the blossoming plants and the crisp, fresh air. Summer is all about sweet and fruity notes. The warmer weather brings a happier, more upbeat atmosphere, so think about fragrances with juicy berries, coconut and sweeter florals. When Autumn arrives, this will then bring the more musky and seductive aromas into your fragrance choices - maybe something warming like amber or sandalwood. And finally, when Winter hits and the colder weather starts, you'll generally opt for something warming and crisp. Mix these with sweet and spicy notes of vanilla, cardamom or cinnamon for that perfect winter scent.

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Pairfum London Fragrance Library - The Ideal Perfume Experience

For those looking to try something new, or expand their current fragrance collection, The Perfume Experience Box might be exactly what you need. This fragrance library offers a new and different way to discover and try a range of different perfumes, suitable for any time and occasion. All Pairfum London fragrances are natural and handmade, enriched with essential oils. As well as this, they are also vegan, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly, making them have such a positive impact on the environment.

Inside the Fragrance Library, there are 12 mini-sized bottles - giving you just the right amount of each to ensure you can try and test it enough. Each perfume bottle contains approximately 100 sprays, which is probably enough for 2 weeks wear. Inside the box, you also receive 50 paper strips to help you sample or share each perfume before you wear it. The 12 perfumes are in the following scents;

Bergamot, Basil & Patchouli

Black Cherry & Oolong Tea

Cardamom, Tonka & White Oud

Ginger, Elemi & Vetiver

Grapefruit, Pepper & Black Cedar

Mandarin Blossom & Sandalwood

Neroli, Musk, Orange Blossom

Pink Rose & Sensuous Musk

Scarlet Rhubarb & Oakmoss

Sea Salt, Sage & Amber

Spiced Coffee & Oaked Vanilla

Spiced Rum, Lime & Guaiac Wood

Each one of the perfumes included in the fragrance experience box shares a unique story about London and represents various areas of the capital. This aspect of the fragrances makes them so unique, so special and so niche, it's definitely a luxurious and exciting way to try new scents, and experience something so different.

"From the Royal Palaces to the Village Greens, from the Magnificent Parks to the Cottage Gardens, London is a bustling metropolis that has at its heart the sense of a village community. Our Inspirations come from the Orangeries and heady Flowers of Kew Gardens, the Victorian Bath Houses and Spas, the exotic spices and herbs in Fusion Cuisine, Afternoon Tea by the River, Strawberries and Cream during Wimbledon, the green aroma of Columbia Road Flower Market, the wonderful roasted coffee around St Katharine Docks, the smoky incense of Camden Town, the sweet antique woody note of the National Portrait Gallery and the richness of the spices floating on Portobello Road Market."

I've been using the Perfume Experience Box to change up my day-to-day fragrances, and this has allowed me to explore a variety of unique perfumes that I may never have got the chance to test out. By including Pairfum London fragrances into my perfume collection, this has given me a whole new approach to fragrance with many advantages. Not only have I been able to try new and unique scents, I have also experienced new fragrance combinations, and I have been able to interchange these fragrances on a daily basis, allowing me to see which scents I like the best.

Out of the 12 fragrances included in the Perfume Experience Box, the perfume I gravitated towards the most was the Black Cherry & Oolong Tea - an intense Eau de Parfum scent. This fragrance has a beautiful balance between being sweet, fruity, floral and smoky - a great combination of notes suitable for the Autumn/Winter season. This unisex fragrance is very crisp and fresh, and gives off a very elegant, sophisticated and empowering energy - a great everyday perfume, but also a good option for those who want a new evening or date night scent, with something very fruity, sexy, sensual and musky.

Have you heard of Pairfum London? Would you be interested in trying the Perfume Experience Box? What fragrance would be your favourite?

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AD| Thinking of buying your first home, but unsure where to start? Buying your first home is probably one of, if not, the most significant purchase you’ll make in your life. It can be an incredibly exciting, yet overwhelming process, especially for those who might not know what to expect from this.

In addition to this, looking for the right mortgages can sometimes be difficult to navigate and hard to understand - it can be a complicated process and many of us will not understand any of the terminology used - so it's best left for the experts. But if you're looking to start your journey of buying your first home, here are 4 important mortgage tips that you need to consider.

Save Your Deposit

Getting the money together for your deposit is probably the hardest part of your home-buying journey. It can take years to save up enough to cover the initial deposit, and even then, you can still be unsure of exactly how much savings you will need. The rough amount of your deposit that will be required for your mortgage is worked out as a percentage of the value of the house that you're looking at buying. The mortgage is then based on the amount that is left, and that is the amount you would be borrowing.

Using a Mortgage Broker

A mortgage broker is an individual who will give guidance on the mortgages currently available to you, based on your own personal finances, and help you to apply for the best one suitable. Using a mortgage broker, such as Mortgage Light, usually makes the process so much clearer and simpler for you. Their job is to find you the best deals. Their expertise means that they will also know what type of mortgage would be best suited for your personal circumstances, meaning you get the product that will work best for you.

Using a mortgage broker and advisor can save you a lot of money, time and stress. There’s a reason why they exist - the mortgage market is confusing! Mortgage brokers are an extremely helpful service to consider if you want to make sure that your experience of obtaining your mortgage for your first-time home is as simple, stress-free and enjoyable as possible.

Pay Off Any Outstanding Debts

Before you begin to apply for a mortgage for your home, work out your financial budget and aim to reduce any debts you may currently have. Perhaps you've taken out a large loan or need to pay back your credit cards. By setting up regular payments, you are demonstrating to your mortgage lender that you can manage your debts and money carefully and responsibly. By having reduced debts, it might help you in the long run as lenders may potentially allow you to borrow more money for your mortgage. If you're struggling with paying back any money you owe, creating a payment plan or strategy could be useful as this will help you keep on track with your finances.

Check Your Credit Score

As well as keeping your outstanding debt payments in order, it's also important to consider your credit score when applying for your mortgage. The better your credit score, the more likely your application will be successful. However, if your credit score isn’t too good, there are many things you can do to help boost your rating. In a nutshell, make sure to make your payments on time, register to vote, stay within your borrowing limits and even demonstrate good use of credit cards to prove that you are capable of paying money back in a timely manner.

Convinced? I hope so! Particularly if you are a first-time buyer, using a mortgage advisor and broker will be some of the best pennies you’ll spend during your big purchase. Good luck!

Are you looking to buy your first home? Does the idea of a mortgage give you a headache?

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AD - GIFTED| Looking to save time on your haircare routine? Want to add a new hairstyling tool to your collection? Why not consider a hair straightening brush!

Hair straightening brushes have been popping up everywhere recently. They are available absolutely everywhere - via online websites, in your local salons and in high-street stores. Probably one of the most recent and newest products in the hairstyling game, and nowadays, many haircare brands have one to offer - I use the Liberex Hair Straightening Brush. A hair straightening brush could become a complete game-changer in your haircare routine - especially for those with thick, coarse, wavy or curly hair. If you're tired of spending ages doing your hair in the morning, it might be time to get your hands on a hair straightening brush asap!

Hair straightening brushes are incredibly useful hair tools and are typical safe to use for all hair types. Whether you have thick, wavy or curly hair, this hair tool can transform your haircare routine. Many hair straightening brushes come with a number of interchangeable brushes - depending on the thickness and texture of your hair, as well as advising you on the best temperature setting to use to ensure it works for your hair type.

Using a hairbrush and a hair straightener at the same time can be extremely tricky and fiddly. Not only are hair straightening brushes a 2 in 1 product that are much easier to use, it's also incredibly time saving on your haircare styling routine. Hair straightening brushes heat up in super quick time and give you brilliant results within minutes of use. In fact, I've found using this hairstyling took less time to style my hair than my hair straighteners, meaning my morning haircare routine took a lot less time and I didn't have to compromise on results.

Many hair straightening brushes are designed to be small and compact, making them incredibly travel-friendly. A perfect haircare tool to take on-the-go, whether you're going away for the weekend or on a week-long holiday, a hair straightening brush could be your best friend. By being a hairbrush and a hair straightening tool, means you can save space in your handbag/luggage, as this multi-use tool is the perfect 2 in 1 accessory.

One of the greatest benefits of using a hair straightening brush is that overall, they can be much less damaging on your hair than your average hair straighteners. Whilst using, the brush glides through the hair so easily, you have no tangling, no snagging and no breakage - you're also not clamping the hair between two hot irons, making it more gentle to use on the hair. You're also more than likely going to be using a lower temperature, allowing you to avoid heat damage and burning any hair.

- Top Tips When Using a Hair Straightening Brush -

● Make sure to brush hair with a normal brush/comb before using, to make sure hair is knot and tangle free.

● Always use the brush on dry hair. Never use on extremely wet or damp hair as this can cause heat damage and leave your hair burnt.

● Use heat protectant before use to keep hair protected. This will help keep your hair soft and prevent any frizz.

● Straighten your hair in small sections for better results.

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Liberex Hair Straightening Brush

The Liberex Hair Straightening Brush is an effective hairstyling tool that can give you the salon-style look you want at home, within minutes. Say goodbye to frizz, and hello to soft and silky, beautiful hair! With a built-in fast heating technology, you'll be able to achieve the perfect straight hairstyle effectively whilst saving time on your haircare routine. The hair straightener brush adopts the most advanced PTC + NTC + MCU technology, which can heat up quickly while ensuring that the product is evenly heated.

Another great feature of the Liberex Hair Straightening Brush is the built-in 7-level temperature settings. These settings make the straightening super useful for those with different hair types and textures, and advises you the best setting for your hair.

Low Temperatures - 130-160°C - suitable for soft hair.

Medium Temperatures - 180-210°C - suitable for blonde or dyed hair.

High Temperature - 230°C - suitable for thick, curly, or coarse hair.

The Liberex Hair Straightening Brush comes with 3 interchangeable brushes, that are easy to swap in and out, and are designed to reduce the hair breakage and damage by reducing the excessive friction to your hair. The 3 brushes you receive are made for different purposes - the ordinary brush and concave brush can be used for general straight hairstyles, whereas, the hook-shaped comb teeth can be used to make a straight hairstyle with inner buckles.

The power cord manoeuvres 360°, allowing you to easily operate the hairstyling tool with any hand at any angle, and prevents the wires from getting tangled during use. A great feature of the brush is that it will automatically turn off if not used for 30 minutes, to ensure your safe and protected. As well as this, the glove that comes in the box is extremely useful and allows you to touch/section your hair whilst straightening, without your hand getting burnt.

Liberex Hair Straightening Brush Before Results

Liberex Hair Straightening Brush After Results

I decided to include a before and after photograph of my hair, so I could see for myself how well the Liberex Hair Straightening Brush performed on my first use of the hair tool. On the left, this is my hair freshly washed and dried using a hair dryer. As you can see, my natural hair is fairly straight with a few wispy and wavy areas, and is slightly frizzy. On the right, this is my hair after using the hair straightening brush. As you can see, there is a significant and noticeable difference in the appearance and condition of my hair. My hair is pretty straight, the frizz has noticeably reduced and overall, my hair is definitely a lot more silky, soft and shiny - just needs a good trim, and it will be in a much more manageable, healthier condition.

From my experience, using the Liberex Hair Straightening Brush was incredibly quick and easy. The brush itself is very durable and glides through the hair with ease. I experienced no snagging, no knots, and I didn't have to keep going over the same section of hair - like you would sometimes with a typical hair straightener. Having a hair tool that brushes and straightens my hair all at once is very handy - especially if you need to get ready in a hurry!

Have you heard of Liberex? Do you currently use a hair straightening brush in your haircare routine? What are your favourite hairstyling tools?

For 10% off the Liberex Hair Straightening Brush, use discount code: Liberex727

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AD| Are you newly single and looking for love, but unsure where to start? Are you finding it hard to meet the right person after previous dating experiences? Trying to navigate and get your head around the world of dating after past situations can be tricky, especially if you’re anxious and worried about it being "too soon".

It can be quite a nerve-racking experience when you find yourself getting back into dating after a long break. Many circumstances in our daily lives change, and this can have an effect on our future or potential relationships. Maybe you’ve been in a relationship or have been married, but are now single due to a break-up, divorce, or even becoming widowed. All of these outcomes can make our lives feel very uncertain, and ultimately, we can be unsure how and when we will be ready to date again - especially after a long break from relationships and dating. But with enough time, patience and the right dating apps - you could choose Tinder, Bumble, Hinge or even a widow dating site, you'll be on your way to starting your dating journey in no time. Let's take a look at 6 things to consider before getting back into dating after a long break.

- Focus on self-love and self-care. Before allowing anyone else into your life after you've taken a break from dating, one of the most important things to consider is yourself. You're the one who needs to feel ready to date again, and to welcome new people into your life. After a long break from dating, there's no rush at all, and it's important for you to take each step at your own pace, and make sure you feel comfortable with your dating endeavours.

- Channel a positive mindset. Positive mindsets and positive thinking are a key factor in getting back into dating. Of course, this isn’t that spark of magic that will make all of your problems disappear, but it can help you get back on a good path. During this time, it's vital to focus on the good things, but also come to terms with any negativity, and try to overcome anything getting in your way. By channelling a more positive mindset, you can give yourself that little confidence boost, as well as improving your overall mood and wellbeing.

- Know what you are looking for and what you want. You might be able to begin your dating journey again by using the best dating website or app for you. There are so many available out there now, for example, Tinder and Bumble, but there are also more specific genres like widow dating, over 50s, religious sites and disabled. After taking some time away from the dating scene, it can be hard to know exactly what you want, what you need or what feels right for you. Having these specific genres of dating sites can help you begin friendships/relationships with other individuals in the same situation as you, and may help you feel more comfortable.

- Don't rush into anything and understand things take time. It’s important to remember to take things at your own pace after having a break from dating. You shouldn't feel pressured to constantly be getting to know new people, arranging dates, or rushing into a new relationship. You will ultimately want things to fall into place and flow naturally, to ensure there are no complications or upsets once you begin dating again.

- Have good communication. Whether you're talking to your friends and family about your feelings, or even your potential new romances, it's important to make sure to share your emotions and feelings. Not only does this help clear your mind, and feel that "weight off your shoulders", you'll generally feel much happier explaining how you feel, and you'll feel more positive about the future.

Have you recently taken a break from dating? What other dating tips would you suggest?

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