1: PUT YOUR ESSENTIALS IN ONE BAG

If you're moving offices, this might be the box or bag containing your pens and planner. If you're moving homes, this might contain a bag with your cellphone chargers, a change of clothes, and your toiletries.  Knowing where these items are when you've first arrived to your new office or home is essential. It will make moving much less stressful and you will be able to easily find your essentials bag since you put it in a differentiated bag or box!

2: YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY BOXES

Boxes can be rather expensive, especially purchasing enough to transport a house full of stuff! In fact, it will cost you between $60 and $85 to purchase enough cardboard boxes to pack up a one-bedroom apartment. You can use a number of things for packing, including clothes hampers, bags, and suitcases that you already own. You can also ask local stores like Aldi's, Walmart, or Target if they have any cardboard boxes that they are throwing out. Be sure to get clearance for this first! Our place of business was able to offer us milk crates and storage tubs to move our things in!

3: TRASH BAG YOUR HANGING CLOTHES

I didn't believe that this hack would really save time until I used it when moving into my first apartment! I wish I would have known about this hack before moving in to college. Basically, you simply gather several hanging items, maybe 20 hanging items per bag. Put the ends into the bags and fasten the bag shut at the top of the hanger, leaving the hook of the hanger exposed.

4: LABEL BY AREA AND PRIORITY

Label your boxes by area, but also by priority. What's the use in getting your toiletries before you have your shower curtain? What good would it do to have access to cookbooks when you can't find any of your pans or utensils. This is why labeling by more than just area is a good idea. If need be, you could always label your boxes with a list of everything in them!

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1: OPT FOR VERTICAL STRIPES

Photo by Artem Beliaikin @belart84 from Pexels

If you’re like me and you are plus size and short, you should opt for vertical stripes on your clothing. Horizontal stripes can make you look wider and can accentuate lumps and bumps that you might want to keep hidden. However, vertical stripes give a lengthening effect, making you look taller and drawing the eyes to the top and bottom of your body, rather than from side to side.

2: THINK BIG WITH ACCESSORIES (FOR THE MOST PART)

When it comes to accessories, the experts agree that larger statement jewelry and other accessories look great.  Since I got some contacts, I have been loving accessories like sunglasses. I bought this pair for a special baseball game a few weeks ago. However, I've loved them since.  I myself noticed that my face seemed a lot smaller when I wore sunglasses with larger frames. This is because the attention is moved on to your glasses, giving your face the appearance that it’s shapelier.   I personally like aviator sunglasses! I've also really loved statement jewelry. Experts say that smaller pieces can sometimes seem super tiny on us larger ladies (no offense intended from these experts). You could also try a head accessory like a bow or ear/head wrap in colder months (like the one below made by my awesome mama)!

View this post on Instagram Don’t settle for basic, baby □□ Extraordinary is where it’s at!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Feeling so confident in myself today. It’s amazing what recognizing your own talents, abilities, and greatness can do for you. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Take today by the horns and give em heck! Happy Friday, everyone! Also, tell me in the comments which you like better: picture one or two?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ #plussizeblogger #prettyandplussize #plussizebloggers #bodyconfidence #confident #whatswrongwithbringconfident #extraordinary #beautiful #lifestyleblogger #youtuber #happyfriday #freshfriday #friday #cheerstothefreakinweekend #photoshoot #nature #pretty #ladylike A post shared by Gabbie (@gemusiclover) on Jun 21, 2019 at 4:35am PDT

3: PLAY WITH PRINTS

Again, if you’re wanting to look slimmer in particular, you should try to play with different patterns. Patterns can distract from lumps and bumps as well. I really love floral patterns as well as tie-dye. The photo to the left is one of Jonathan and I's engagement photos (we're married now)! This dress has a floral print. I also love skull prints. My college graduation dress was black with neon skulls on it. I loved it and still have it!

4: DRESS FOR YOUR BODY SHAPE

Within the plus-size community, there are different body types. The key to feeling and looking great in your outfits is dressing for your body type. There are five main body types: hourglass, pear/triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle, and oval.   Each body type can style themselves specifically to cater to the curves in a fashionable way.

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1. MAKE YOUR OWN SLUSHY

Nothing says summer like slushys or shaved ice! But slushys can either be expensive or really unhealthy. Instead of putting your slushy into the hands of a stranger, you can make them easily at home all on your own! I have two ways: 1. Take a bottle of soda of your choice, shake it while it is still sealed, and place it in your freezer for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Remove it from the freezer, loosen the cap, and turn the bottle upside down. The soda will instantly turn into a slushy! 2. Simply use your blender (I use a Magic Bullet) to grind up ice. But the ice shavings into a cup and pour your flavoring over the ice. Add a spoon and you have a simply homemade slushy!

2. BEACH HACKS FOR THE BEST SUMMER EVER

If you're going to the beach this summer, make sure to follow one of these hacks so that you have the best day ever: 1. Place your phone in a zip-lock bag so you can still use it while protecting it from the sand.  2. Swap your beach towel for a fitted sheet. Add heavier items like bags or coolers to the corners.

3. KEEP YOUR CAMPFIRE BUG-FREE

If you're anything like me, your blood is attractive to bugs! I swear that I can't take one step outside in the summer without encountering something that wants to sting or bite me. Word has it that you can add sage to your campfire to keep the bugs away so you can roast hotdogs and tell ghost stories without fear of being bitten or stung!

4. STAY PROTECTED FROM THE SUN AND SMELL GREAT

Sunscreen is a must, but a lot of people avoid it because it seems like an inconvenience. Others choose not to wear it because sunscreen has a strong smell that might not be appealing. But, you can mix in some of your favorite essential oils (for skin) to lighten the smell. So, if you're going on a beachfront date and you don't want to smell like sunscreen, try this hack!

5. COOL YOUR DRINKS IN MINUTES

When we used to go to the beach, we often rented a beach house and had to stop by at the store to get some drinks and food. But, most of us would want to go out for some fun in the sun before the day ended. Wet a paper towel and wrap it around your drinks. But them in the freezer for a few minutes, and it will be icy cold and ready to enjoy!

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HONOR A FATHER FIGURE

​While we may not have an actual father or contact with our actual father, there is usually some person in our lives who holds a father figure position in our lives. Sometimes, that could be a close family friend, a person from church, or another family figure who has been there for you in place of your father or grandfather.

CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF FATHERS/GRANDFATHERS YOU HAVE LOST

This year may be particularly hard for me, but I’ve been kind of putting it out of my mind. My grandfather passed only a short time ago. Usually, we would spend the day with him. I can think of no better way to participate in the loving nature of Father’s Day than to remember someone who was a father to you. This could be as simple as a tribute to them on social media, a family dinner, or spending time with members of your family who were also close with the person you lost.

ENGAGE YOUR SPIRITUAL SIDE

I grew up without my dad in the home. However, because of my grandpa and my church ties, I didn’t feel that different. I don’t remember feeling like something was missing. Growing up and now, I have strong spirituality. ​I personally believe there is a God who knows me and loves me and is watching over me always.

INTERVIEW YOUR PARTNER IF YOU ARE CHILDLESS

Obviously, you would celebrate Father’s Day pretty normally if you have children and your husband or the father of your child is around. There’s someone to celebrate right there! But, I don’t actually have kids.  ​Both Jonathan and I would love to have children one day. If you know that you both want children, but you’re not sure when that is going to happen, you can always talk about your future children.

GO SEE A MOVIE

Movies are great, and I can say pretty confidently that I don’t remember seeing any Father’s Day advertising in the theatre. Not saying that it won’t happen, but it is better than being stuck in front of the TV all day with a ton of Father’s Day ads running. On top of getting out of the house, you can see a ton of new movies that are out that look amazing.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SALES

DON'T USE SHOPPING AS THERAPY! But, if you have self-control, you can catch up on shopping if you don't have anywhere to be this weekend! ​A lot of stores have special Father’s Day prices. Amazon, for example, has sales running for clothing, shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, luggage, electronic gifts, famine, backyard items, tools, and auto.

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1: PHOTO BACKDROPS ARE A MUST!

You can't go wrong with a photo backdrop to give a place for people to take pictures at your party. For this photo backdrop, we bought two pegboards from a hardware store. The board is covered with paper flowers. This was a painstakingly difficult job, but it looked so good in the end and we got a ton of compliments.

2: THROW OUT THE TRADITIONAL GUEST BOOK!

When Jonathan and I got married, we knew we wanted to do something different for our guest book. After all, do you really flip through the guest book from your wedding or party that often? Instead, we made a heart out of our thumbprints and added it to a mounted poster board. People signed the board and this now hangs over our couch in the living room! ​If you're having a summer party, you can paint over a used surfboard and have guests sign it, or you can have people add their hand prints to a board. Do something unique to make your party stand out!

3: BUY CHEAP, SPRAYPAINT'S YOUR BEST FRIEND!

There are so many cute finds at the dollar store. And, if you're decorating on your own, chances are that you're on a budget.  We found candle holders and small bird cages at discount or dollar stores, but they were not in the right color of gold. We decided on a certain spray paint color and sprayed everything that didn't match closely enough to that color. This gives a look of uniformity and the idea that the decor was designed for the party. I love this hack because it can work for pretty much any project!

4: DON'T BE AFRAID TO DIY

We got a lot of compliments on the fabric and tulle hearts that we made and displayed at our wedding. The DIY is super simple. You just need a wreath frame, which you can find at a department or dollar store, and the fabric you want. All this project involves is cutting strips and looping!

5: USE ODDS AND ENDS TO MAKE CENTERPIECES

A lot of people are convinced that they need to have real flowers at their wedding or party for it to look remotely nice. However, we got a lot of compliments on our reception centerpieces.  We found blue-tinted milk jars at a craft store for less than $1 each. Inside, we added dollar store finds like the blue pinwheel, two or three fake flowers, and a yellow butterfly clip. ​As you can see, the table also included tea-light candles and a strip of lace down the center! Using smaller pieces still results in a great look without spending a ton of money!

6: MAKE A TABLE POP WITH FABRIC

For weddings and special parties in particular, the host usually has a special table. Instead of spending a ton of money to differentiate, we simply added cloth over our plastic table cover to give it a different look than the others. I really loved our wedding table!

7: ADD GREENERY FOR A FRESH LOOK

DIY TO SAVE MONEY FOR THESE THINGS:

1. THE CAKE: Unless you know someone who is a cake decorator (like the amazing lady who made our wedding cakes), you should save up for a cake. We actually got this one from Lowe's Foods. ​You can always get a smaller cake and cupcakes to save on your budget.

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STEP 1: BLEACH THE SHIRT

STEP 2: ADD YOUR DYES

STEP 3: WASH AND WEAR!

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YOUR THEME

To begin, you need to pick a theme for your decor. LOL at my head in the left corner of this picture! I decided to stick with the school spirit theme. As some of you know, I work at a college that I happened to attend. I chose to use Gold and Green as my color palette. You should choose a color palette that you're not going to get tired of! Also, avoid bright reds and oranges. Studies show that these colors enhance stress in a space.

DIY 1: DYED CURTAINS & CUSTOM PICTURE FRAMES

So, I couldn't find curtains in the right color green when I was working on this project, so I ended up dying the curtains that I had. The main thing you need to remember is that you have to buy fabric dye that works with your curtain material. I didn't buy the right kind the first time, and the second dye produced a blotchy look, but I kind of liked it. As for the picture frames and the curtain rod, I spray painted them to all match in color. I got both the curtain rod and the frames at a discount store, so I didn't spend a fortune. Next, I added mostly photos of my family and my husband, my award from the local paper, and some random photos like the green bird, green paint stripes, and the lion (which I took) into the mix!

DIY 2: WINDOW TASSELS

This DIY is super simple. All you have to do is cut long strips of whatever yarn you'd like to use. You then tie another piece of yarn in the center and fold the yarn over. Join them at the fold with some ribbon. I then added five tassels. I wanted to keep the decor primarily on my wall in case someone else took up the second spot in this area. So, I decided on the window. I really like that it adds something extra to the bland window shade!

DIY 3: CORK BOARD PIN STATION

As someone who loves pictures and is blessed to receive cards and other smaller paper items from coworkers, I wanted to add a cork board area to my office. But, I didn't have a lot of space. I found these hexagon-shaped corks at a craft store and decided to cover them in a green felt and add on the ribbon stripes for decoration. I did have to attach two corks together because these were kind of thin and would have just gone through the wall. All you have to do is glue the felt or other fabric to the cork board. Then glue the ends and center of your ribbon to the board and you have yourself a cute, DIY cork board that matches your decor!

DIY 4: CUSTOM-PAINTED SUPPLY JARS

I was so excited when I found some Gold office supplies (tacks and paperclips) at the store, but the tops of them were cork. I decided I would do a simple DIY and paint the tops of the cork lids green. I then used one of the tacks on the top of each of the lids to act as a handle so I could easily remove the top. Lastly, I had a ribbon that had the name of my university on it. I added that around the one that I keep in the center. Now, I have functional and cute decor that just called for a quick paint job!

FUNCTIONAL DECOR 1: BUSINESS CARD/NAME PLATE

I decided that I really needed a place to set out my business cards, so I was given this business card holder by my job. I have it set up with my business card, our social media card, and business cards for my blog! I paired it with a gold name plate with marble and pink details that says "girl boss." My mom found this for me at Hobby Lobby and I was in love.  Lastly, I have a vase which I hope to try and keep filled with flowers this year. I was gifted some flowers by some coworkers, but they unfortunately died before I wrote this post!

FUNCTIONAL DECOR 2: PINEAPPLE OIL DEFUSER

This is a major tip for you! If you work in a high-stress environment, you need to invest in an oil diffuser. I know it may seem silly to some, but aromatherapy really is a real thing, and I use it almost every day. All you need is water and a few drops of essential oil. I love to use lavender scents. Not only does this little pineapple guy bring some decor to my desk, it also functions as a stress reliever and keeps the office smelling great! You can find oil diffusers at pretty much any department store. I highly recommend doing this if you want to stay stress-free at work!

FUNCTIONAL DECOR 3: COFFEE/TEA STATION

The coffee is out at the moment, but I wanted to show you that you can make a nice coffee area for your coworkers without spending a ton of money. I already had the Keurig cup organizer to the left. I had a Keurig, but it died after two days on the job. I bought this replacement knock-off for less than $20 at Walmart! I bought the silver tray, gray and white mat,  and most of our coffee cups from the dollar store.  Everything else is just sugar, creamer, and honey!

OTHER TIPS

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Wedding season is just around the corner, and I wanted to share my personal experience. In all, I think Jonathan and I spent around $2,000-$2,500 on our wedding. Not cheap, but a lot cheaper than the staggering $30,000 spent on a more traditional wedding. Jonathan (the hubby) and I got married only a few months after we were engaged. However, we had been in a relationship for three years before we exchanged our “I dos.”   We both admit that we felt pressured by the church we were attending to hurry our marriage along. We were going to a really strict southern Baptist church at the time. We didn’t have a lot of money.

​THE VENUE 

​THE DECORATIONS

We didn’t spend a lot of money to decorate the inside of the church. Instead, we put to banners with each of our first initials on them on the front door of the church.   On the inside of the church, we hung one of these hearts on each table. I think I got the hearts at a craft store or maybe even the dollar store. Some of the hearts were fabric, as the ones pictured.

Others were made with yellow tulle. I believe I bought both at Walmart. The real money was spent on decorations for the reception. I had a theme of yellow and blue, so we ended up trying to color match the tablecloths to our first original colors. This meant going to Party City (a more expensive party shop) for better tablecloths.

​THE OUTFITS

I bought my wedding dress from Amazon, and it was maybe $30. I didn’t LOVE my dress, but I was on a budget and just needed something. I bought the shoes at a shoe store. I also used Amazon for the ties for Jonathan, his brothers, and his dad. I bought bowties for my brother and Jeremy, my “man of honor” from Amazon as well. My bridesmaids bought their own dresses, and they were from a cheap store. Can’t remember which one! Jeremy’s suspenders came with his bowtie! I did my own makeup and my mom did my hair.

​THE FLOWERS

We went very untraditional for our flowers. We didn’t have a ton of flowers at the wedding because flowers are so expensive! A quick search reveals that many couples spend close to $1,400 just on flowers.    Instead, my mom agreed to painstakingly crochet flowers for the boutonnieres, bridesmaid bouquets, and my bouquet. She decorated them appropriately and I absolutely loved this idea! I just paid for yarn.

​THE PHOTOGRAPHER

​THE PROGRAMS

​Use VistaPrint.com for programs. Not sponsored or anything, but they always seem to have a discount and the printing is amazing. I spent $40 for 100 of these. Full-color, front and back, folded programs! Love <3.

​THE CAKE

Yet again, a wonderful friend came through to create the MOST PERFECT wedding cake. This was free as well because she is so awesome and she knew our situation! I feel like the cake was one of the most amazing parts of my wedding. She also made Jonathan a groom cake that was in the shape of the Batman light (he loves Batman).   I adore my friend for making me this. They also made the trip up to help cut and serve the cake!

​THE FOOD

The food at my wedding was great, but it all came at a cost. This is probably my biggest regret from my wedding. I spent the night before my wedding peeling potatoes, prepping macaroni, and doing a whole host of other things instead of spending time with my friends and family. We bought chicken from the Walmart deli, and it was good.

​THE EXIT

I don’t think that exits are all that expensive, but my exit consisted of balloons that we bought from the dollar store being blown up so that people could pelt us with them as we left. ​We drove off in Jonathan’s car and went back to our place for a while until the guests were gone. We came back to help clean up!

​CAUTIONS

I will caution you that there are some things you need to change to make sure you can have the moments you deserve. I SO regret the food situation. My mom and brother are so amazing. They, as well as some family friends, were running around that morning doing last minute things for me. However, we missed out on some of the special moments that would have been amazing. I know that now, and I realize (now that I’m older) how special they would have been. But, you live and you learn.

MUCH THANKS TO:

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​1: BOOT DROP-OFF

As I just mentioned, Jonathan works in landscaping. He wears steel-toed boots to work every day. During the day, he is often walking through grass, mud, and mulch. I decided that we should probably have a rule about keeping his boots outside of our bedroom.

​2: KEEP THAT KEYBOARD CLEAN

I use my keyboard every single day. That means that the bit of dirt and natural oils on my skin will transfer over to my keyboard. We’ve all seen things like our keyboard or our phone case get dirty, and it isn’t very comforting. Keep your keyboard clean by using an old toothbrush to clean between the keys.

3: ADD BORAX TO NEUTRALIZE SMELLS

​We went through this with my grandmother. Her clothes and some of her washable items smelled terrible! We washed her clothes like she normally would, but we added borax into the mix and it really helps to neutralize any foul or overpowering odors!

4: USE AN OLD, THICK SOCK TO MOP

If you have one of those “Swiffer” mops, you can stop overpaying for those pre-treated cleaning pads and use an old sock from your sock drawer instead. Combine this with a cleaner meant for your floors and mop! Whenever you’re done, you can simply wash the sock and reuse it time and time again to keep your floors clean!

5: KEEP YOUR SHOWER CLEAN 

​If you’re like me, your shower probably gets neglected in the cleaning process. I saw this great hack where you can use one of those dish scrubbers with the fillable chamber and give your shower door and tiles a light scrub while you’re in the shower. You’re killing two birds with one stone!

​6: TURN CLEANING INTO A GAME FOR YOUR KIDS

I remember when I was young that we would dry the floors with paper towels and pretend we were skating! I’ve seen now where people get fluffy socks or slippers made for dusting while you walk. Put these on your kids and make a game of it. Your floors will look great, and you’ll entertain your kids for a while!

7: CLEAN OFF STUCK-ON FOOD EASILY

We all have that one casserole dish that never wants to let the food go. Food easily sticks in them and it is really hard to get the food unstuck during any hand-washing process. One thing you can do to make dishes like this easier to clean is to fill the dish with water, a dash of dish detergent, and a dryer sheet.

​8: KEEP MAKEUP BRUSHES CLEAN WITH A TRIVET

I love this hack! Many stores try to sell “makeup brush cleaning pads” that cost a fortune. However, you could clean your brushes for as little as a dollar with this hack. I like to use baby shampoo on my makeup brushes. ​Find a trivet that is raised in some areas.

CONCLUSION

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My school recently offered training that taught the basics of bleeding control through a nation-wide initiative called “Stop the Bleed.” ​During this specific training, we received active shooter training as well as the bleeding control training.   I won’t pretend that I’m an expert on things like this, but I wanted to share some of my “civilian” knowledge on a few things you can do to help save the life of someone with a life-threatening injury.

1: KNOW YOUR TOOLS

​For bleeding control, the people who taught our course recommended having a tourniquet and hemostatic gauze.   Tourniquets are bands that can be tightened two-to-three inches above the wound. Keep tightening the tourniquet until the blood stops. Resist the urge to loosen it! These are best used on extremity (arms and legs) wounds.

2: CONSIDER MAKING A KIT

You know what it is like to be unprepared. I know that I never worried about jumper cabled for my car until my car battery needed a bit of a boost to get started. The best way to assure you will be prepared is to make a small kit that you can carry around in your bag or in your car. I would recommend, from what I learned in the training, to get a tourniquet, hemostatic gauze, and gloves for your small kit. Gloves are essential in avoiding blood-borne illnesses.

3: CALL FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Though you could save someone’s life with these tools, it is imperative that you get medical services coming on their way as soon as possible. If you are with another person, have them dial for emergency services while you begin helping the victim. If you are alone, start the call, put it on speaker phone, and get to work trying to help. The faster you can get to medical services, the better.

4: CONTROL BLEEDING UNTIL MEDICAL SERVICES CAN GET THERE

If you come across a situation where there is an injured person bleeding out, keep pressure on or control the bleeding until a medical provider can get to the patient. Some people may have the urge to release pressure on a wound to see if it stopped on its own. While it may very well stop before medical services can get there, you should continue to keep pressure on the wound until emergency services arrive.

5: THINGS TO REMEMBER

Bleeding control methods like the tourniquet, wound packing with hemostatic gauze, and pressure from the hands will hurt. The victim will likely scream or even ask you to stop. Pain does not indicate that you are doing anything wrong.  I have found no evidence in the United States that you can be charged with anything should your attempts fail or result in some other injury.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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