How to move into your first home with ease

 Well, hello to you, my reader chums! I bought my first home - something I've been dreaming about since I was a teenager. After the longest waiting process (6 months since we put in the offer), we got the keys and were in our home. I'm still in shock. It's our home, and we get to wake up and make it ours even more every single day.

Moving into your first home isn't easy, and I can see why people say it's the most stressful thing you'll ever do. If you're preparing to buy and move into your first home, here are my best tips to do it with ease.

How to move into your first home with ease

Pack and organise with lots of time
You'll thank yourself in the lead-up to moving in if you've already done a lot of preparation in advance. This means packing things you don't regularly use at first, such as your books, photo albums, and hobbies that aren't an everyday thing. Then you can go on to packing up rooms one by one, leaving out all the items you will use during the week before you move. Make a list and plan the order of packing, ensuring you have enough boxes and packing materials, as it can make the process a lot easier.

Acknowledge that things will be hectic for a while
Living in chaos for a while can be stressful and truly not ideal, whether you're moving from rented accommodation or living with parents to your first home. Whatever the scenario, living out of boxes and knowing you can't access certain items can be challenging and annoying for a while. But acknowledging and knowing that the process is temporary and you will get through it makes the chaos a little easier.

Organise life admin in advance
Life admin is the hell of moving, as you don't realise how much you need to organise until you're going through the list. Life admin can include changing bills over or setting up bills for the first time in your/your partner's name, purchasing all the insurances (life insurance, building insurance, and income protection), changing your address on everything, including driver's licence, council tax, and changing your doctors, opticians, and dentist over. The list goes on, but writing it out and being aware of what you need to do means you can do a bit of life admin step by step, rather than panicking when you've got the keys.

Gather the village - all the help you need
You don't need to do this entire process yourself. Moving can be a lot with a million things to do, such as the actual moving process, but also packing, unpacking, life admin, cleaning, decorating, and organising. It takes a long process, and getting those involved who can help will give you a moment to breathe.

Label boxes properly
In all the chaos of moving, organisation is your friend. Try and label boxes accordingly because when you come to find something whilst unpacking, it's easier if you know exactly what is in the boxes.

Enjoy the funny moments that come with moving in
Yes, moving into your first home may be stressful, but it's also a magical and joyful occasion, one you've worked so hard to achieve. Enjoy every minute of it; the living with boxes around you, mid-renovation walls, sitting on camp chairs until your sofa arrives, and the process of seeing changes you make to fulfill a complete home space.

I hope you enjoyed this post. When are you moving in?
Thank you for reading <3
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Reassuring reminders to hear if you're pregnant

 Well, hello to you, my reader chums! Pregnant mamas, I see and hear you. As I'm now in the third trimester, I can confidently discuss my experience with pregnancy, including the highs and lows, and how my feelings have evolved throughout the journey. 

One thing I've loved about this process is that other pregnant women or mothers have reassured me with their kind words, either in person or through messages I've seen online, which have made me feel better about myself and less guilty about slowing down and taking a step back. I'm sharing some reassuring reminders to hear if you're pregnant.

Reassuring reminders to hear if you're pregnant

It's okay and important to rest

Rest is one of the most important things you can do while you're pregnant. If you're a particularly active person or always feel the need to be productive, slowing down and resting brings its own challenges. Let me assure you, though: you need the rest. I know it can be hard to take a step back and rest and prioritise that, but it can really benefit your physical and mental wellbeing.

I'm a 'I must get everything done right now' type person, so leaning into slowing down, napping more, spending more time watching TV and having restful mornings isn't in my nature. But, by reassuring myself and hearing from people around me that it's okay to rest, really gave me the confidence to lean into that and prioritise my body.

You're growing an entire human; give yourself some grace

In case nobody has told you today: growing an entire human is hard work, probably the hardest thing you'll ever do - give yourself a break. If you need to sit down more, sleep more, eat more or say no to plans, that's okay. It's okay if you've done nothing else today other than rest. Growing a human is a lot of work, and that can take all of your energy, which is you being productive. 

Everyone experiences pregnancy differently

Don't compare your pregnancy to everyone else, and also try and avoid taking on board what other people have experienced in pregnancy and tell you, as we're all different. If your friend wasn't sick and you were, if you're in more pain and someone else isn't, if you're hating it and someone is loving it - avoid making comparisons. We're all different; our journey is different. Appreciate and embrace yours, however it looks. You're doing your best, whatever you're going through.

You're valid in all of your emotions

Your emotions are valid, whatever you're feeling. I think we're told that we should be happy and excited, and all the good feelings constantly, when we're pregnant, but that's not a reality. Pregnancy is hard; there are lots of body changes, you don't feel like yourself, and it's a constant source of anxiety. Whatever you're feeling, that's okay. Don't beat yourself up if you're complaining, feeling negative thoughts or not enjoying the process. If those thoughts are bordering on dangerous, though, please talk to a professional. 

It's okay to feel like you're 'moaning'

I didn't think I'd moan as much as I have in pregnancy, but every day or week, something new is happening, new symptoms, pains and emotions. It's okay to let all that honest emotion out and explain how you're feeling, rather than keep it all in.

You're doing an incredible job

Applause for you: you're smashing it. Whatever you're going through today in pregnancy, whether it's good or bad, you're doing an incredible job.

You look amazing

Just know, you look incredible. You're doing brilliantly and you're thriving, mama, you've got this. Take it easy, practice self-love and prioritise your feelings.

I hope you enjoyed this post. How far along in your pregnancy are you?

Thank you for reading <3

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How to support someone going through pregnancy

 Well, hello to you, my reader chums! Pregnancy is a magical time, but also a challenging journey for expectant mothers. For those around them, whether you’re a partner, family, friends, or colleagues, sometimes you may wonder what the best way is to offer support.

If a loved one is pregnant and struggling, here are my tips on how to support someone going through pregnancy.
How to support someone going through pregnancy

Be a listening ear
Pregnancy comes with a lot of changes, physically and mentally, including absolutely everything in a woman's life, such as how people view her and how she views herself. It's a lot to process emotionally, but also with the ever-changing hormones as the baby grows. This heftiness of mental weight can be relieved through talking, and as a loved one, being a listening ear may be all someone needs. One where you listen and validate their feelings, without advice, unless they ask for your help.

Ask what they need from you
Everyone struggles with different things in pregnancy, especially if they have a demanding life, other children, or aren't used to asking for support. Flip the switch and ask them what they need, as that way you can offer your help and support in exactly how they want it, whether it's helping with life admin, childcare, or joining them for a coffee out and a chat.

Offer to do things in the house/errands
Pregnancy can be a massive mental weight and physically uncomfortable, especially as it progresses. Offering to help out with life tasks, like house cleaning, doing a food shop, cooking dinner, or errands like collecting an order, can really take the weight off life.

Plan fun days out or quality time together
Pregnancy is a wonderful thing, and expectant mothers don't always want to be treated like someone else but the person they were before they were pregnant. They deserve to have fun and enjoy daily life! Plan something fun for them to do or some quality time together, whether it's a day at the beach, afternoon tea, or going book shopping.

Remind them of how well they're doing
Expectant mothers deserve all the compliments, as what they're going through is absolutely incredible, growing a human being and an additional organ in their body, whilst expected to function normally. Praise them, share how well they're doing, how not being productive is okay, and that they look incredible, too, especially if they're struggling with body changes.

Remind them that they deserve to rest and take it easy
As I said, when pregnant women are doing a lot of work, functioning in life on top, it's a lot. Remind them that it's okay to rest, they should slow down, take it easy, and prioritise themselves. It comes with a lot of guilt doing those things, so a reminder and reassurance can do the world of good.

Check in on them, especially if they've been quiet
Check in as regularly as you can, whether it's a text, a call, or popping along to their house with a treat. Sometimes, people are too nervous to admit when they're struggling, and having someone ask does the world of good.

Get them a little treat
We all deserve a treat. Do just that, being their favourite snack or a little pamper gift - it'll mean the world.
I hope you enjoyed this post. What else would you add?
Thank you for reading <3

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