Image credit: Industville
Read on for 7 of the best ways you can beautify your bathroom sans the eye-watering budget…
Image credit: Industville
Declutter with Functional Storage
A bathroom is often used as a relaxation space, be it a hot bubble bath, a long shower or a pampering session, and often it’s the one place you can escape for a moment to yourself. With this in mind, it makes sense that you don’t ruin this moment of tranquillity with clutter and mess. Opt for floating shelves as a space-saving solution or add a cabinet and organise internally as you see fit. Magnetic strips are a good way of keeping bobby pins, tweezers and nail clippers at bay.Add Plants
Bathrooms are often light and airy, meaning the addition of a cactus, plant or flower will complement the scheme tenfold, giving off yet more fresh vibes. Orchids are a good option for those looking for more of a luxurious vibe, while Ivy is known for being one of the best plants for air purification – a must-have for a bathroom!Get a Gallery Wall
Gallery walls allow you to quickly and easily inject a little personal flair into your bathroom décor, without compromising on space. These work exceptionally well on walls opposite a mirror, and can be a combination of original artwork, quirky quotes and family photos for a truly diverse collection. Keep any colour schemes consistent by making the most of your frames and think about including anything that's important or sentimental to the people you are sharing with to make them smile in the mornings.Opt for Industrial Lighting
The lighting controls the overall ambience of a bathroom and is vital to ensuring the space is as relaxing as possible. Given the wet nature of bathrooms, there are some lighting regulations to be aware of, so ensure that your industrial bathroom lighting has an IP44 or IP65 rating if necessary. Metallic colours including brass and copper will work with any bathroom, be it contemporary or classic, and wall lights can be placed either side of the mirror for perfect selfie lighting (#nofilter).All About Tropical
The tropical print is all the rage in the world of interior design, and you would struggle to walk into many high street shops that aren’t selling pineapple, palm-tree, coconut-based merchandise. From toothbrush holders to shower curtains; how you choose to embrace this trend is up to you, but the print will certainly add a summery element to your décor and is likely to brighten up your bleary-eyed Monday morning teeth brushing!Go Bold with a Bath Mat
With various restraints, many will be unable to splash the walls with the colour they desire thanks to an unimaginative landlord, limited funds and boring partners. That said, compromise is key, and you can please your inner colour enthusiast with the help of a loud and proud bath mat. Opt for your favourite colour, or head to Pinterest to look for any quirky patterns that might be of preference.Have Fun!
Finally, regardless of the size or scale of your bathroom refurb project, make sure you have fun along the way! The bathroom is one room you can definitely get away with being slightly more daring than with others, and ensuring you have something that sets you aside from other bog-standard bathrooms is bound to resonate with guests and visitors. Adding your own spin will allow everyone to enjoy the room and is particularly important given that this is the only room that will be visited at least 3-4 times a day!Hopefully, this blog piece has inspired you to give your own bathroom a little makeover, along with some ideas on how you can soon be the proud owner of a trendy toilet. Do you have any of your own ideas you’d like to share? Be sure to leave them in the comments!
*Guest Post*
Organise Treatments
If you want to go all out, professional treatments are a fantastic option that is sure to make your friends feel spoilt during your evening of pampering. From soothing massages to refreshing makeovers, there are a number of pampering packages available from a range of price points; meaning you don’t have to break the bank when it comes to treatments. Alternatively, if you’d rather keep costs to a minimum, creating your own face masks is a great and fun way to treat yourselves.
Below are some simple face mask recipes for different skin types:
To make this mask, you’ll need:
To make this mask, you’ll need:
To make this mask, you’ll need:
And there we have it! If you’re throwing a pamper party and following these tips, I’d love to know how you got on! Leave me a comment below to share your perfect pampering experiences and any other advice you have when it comes to pampering.
Disclaimer: This is a guest post.
Avocado, Honey and Oat Mask - Perfect for dry or flaky skin!
To make this mask, you’ll need:
- ½ an avocado
- A tablespoon of honey
- Two tablespoons of oats
Honey, Turmeric and Yoghurt Mask - Ideal for dull or lacklustre skin!
To make this mask, you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt
Honey, Egg and Lemon Mask - Perfect for porous skin!
To make this mask, you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 egg white
- A teaspoon of lemon juice
Decorate
Pampering is all about relaxation, so be sure to create a serene environment where you and the girls will feel calm and comfortable - think spa-inspired décor. Some fresh flowers will help to create a colourful, stress-free and natural feel while bespoke wooden boxes will continue those earthy vibes, while being perfect for storing essential items needed for pampering such as rolled up towels. If you’re planning to throw pamper parties on a regular basis, you could even have your very own personalised storage crate made especially for the occasion! Finally, some candles or fairy lights will both provide soft lighting that will simple ooze tranquilly.Stock Up on Nibbles and Drinks
Nibbles and drinks are two must-haves for an enjoyable night in, so be sure to stock up on these well in advance. While crisps and nuts are firm favourites when it comes to nibbles, why not go that extra mile and indulge in some slightly more luxurious treats such as baked olives with feta, homemade hummus or guacamole with toasted pitta bread, or cream cheese and salmon parcels? Alternatively, if you’re a bunch with a sweet tooth, chocolate-coated strawberries, decadent cupcakes or mini flapjacks are sure to tantalise your taste buds and set the mood for an indulgent evening! Whatever you go for, complete your delectable offerings with unlimited glasses of prosecco.
Create a Relaxation Playlist
Music really does work wonders when it comes to relaxation, so having some of your favourite tunes playing in the background is sure to make your friends feel even more at home. Streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify have some pre-made playlists that are great for a girls’ night in. However, if you’re a group who already have their firm favourites; why not create a relaxation playlist that’s personal to you and your pals?Disclaimer: This is a guest post.
Circa's Peepshow. It's all in the name. A circus themed event from an Australian touring group, so you naturally expect acrobatics, clowns and candy floss. However, in the name is also the word Peepshow, so you should definitely expect a twist, or ten.
Quite an unusual experience and me being third row from the front, Circa's Peepshow opens up with a mix of crazy young bats. With a constant drumming music to an electric and erotic version of Sweet Dreams, it's easy to see that the suspense will build from strength to strength - almost like an orgasm that explodes at the very end into something that makes us all scream, grimace and mouth O-M-G.
A human pyramid is built from humans until the very last person on top completes the pyramid and their head touches the tip of the tent. Blink and you'll miss it, but they all let go of each other and appear to be falling forwards. 150 gasps later from the audience, the performers turn the audience's expectations into several somersalts and land onto the stage floor like nothing happened.
Yes, you are to expect hula hooping - but what you don't expect, is a woman standing on a man's head whilst twisting three hula hoops on one foot; and all without holding on to anything.
Most girls love a man with a 6-pac, but what you will see during the middle of a show is a very, very toned man with what looks like bricks stuck to his stomach. My eyes widen and that is when I realise that those bricks are just very, very exaggerated abs and it soon becomes evident why. The unbelievable strength on this man will make every other man in the audience feel weak at the knees. Oh, and if you feel queasy at bodies that can bend into places you didn't know was possible, then this is your warning.
A eerie and jolty sense of puppetry happens towards the end, using an invisible ball that the performers throw around the stage and into the audience. It's a chance for them to interact with the audience properly after a previous surprise with the audience that I won't DARE spoil for you.
A slightly more erotic side of things is briefly shown, with a glitter curtain for a background, metallic hot pants and long, silky gloves. You almost feel like you're about to watch a live adult show in Amsterdam. However, with the performers knowing that some viewers may be adults, this particular scene was performed in style with comedic attributes and a very cheeky surprise (mentioned above) that nobody in the audience could see coming.
There is no exact structure to Circa's Peepshow and is pretty much a jumble of different things, but it is definitely worth seeing with ticket prices starting at just £15.00 at London Box Office. It's a one of a kind, breath taking and unpredictable experience that you can only see in London until the 18th August.
Stop reading and go book a seat or regret it forever.
Disclaimer: Complimentary tickets exchanged in return for an honest review on my blog. All words and opinions are my own.
stock image credit
I thought I would put together a little guide on how to file your first tax return, but also talk about my experiences with the HMRC. It can be a really overwhelming process, but it was made 100 times easier when I found everything on Talk Tax that I could ever need to read up on prior to filing my tax return.
Let's start with the basics...
Who has to register as self employed?
Simple! Anyone who earns money from being their own employer has to declare how much money they have earned to the HMRC. If you earn money in any job, legally you have to be taxed on it which you may notice you already do on your pay slips from a normal job. However, with self employment, what happens if you don't? You're at risk of a very rich and smug tax man finding out your dirty secret and knocking on your door with a very big fine. I would never want to give such a person the satisfaction. Therefore, it's better to be safe than sorry.
How do I register as self employed?
When I started earning money from my blog, I registered as self employed and introduced my blog to the tax people. I never even knew you had to do this until I spoke to some blogger friends. I did not want to risk getting a fine for not declaring payments and I certainly didn't want to shame and penalise my blog. I could have made it ten times easier for myself by getting an accountant, but that means extra money leaving my bank account to fund a rich person doing the job for me, so I decided to read up on stuff and do it myself. So, I called the HMRC and asked to register my blog as a limited company. From there, I was set up with a PAYE (Pay As You Earn) account, received a UTPRN (Unique Tax Payer Reference Number) by post within 7-10 working days and was therefore then legally allowed to earn the money earned through my blog.How do you file a tax return?
You will need to log into the HMRC website and fill out a self-assessment form or print off the form, fill it in and return by post. This is a document that records the payments you have earned during a tax year. I'll be honest, I majorly stressed out when filing my first one, as I thought I would need to go back and individually record every single payment... very time consuming! However, you just need to know how much you have earned as a total and any expenses you have paid out. The final total after expenses have been subtracted from the earnings is what the HMRC need to know.When do you have to file a tax return?
The tax year runs from April 5th till April 5th and tax returns have to be filed for the previous tax year by January 31st of the following year. This means that any money I earned from my blog April 2017 right up until April 2018, will not have to be declared until January 31st, 2019. Now, it sounds like you have a lot of time, but trust me... it really is not a lot of time! I would recommend keeping a spreadsheet of all of your incomings and outgoings and keep it up to date. I would also suggest filing your previous years' tax return as soon as possible, rather than leaving it till 10pm on January 30th!
How much do you have to earn to be taxed?
At the moment, there is a limit of £11,000 (previously £10,600) that is essentially tax free cash. Anything earned that goes over this, unfortunately will be taxed. If you have another job and have a self employment too, then both incomes are added together as one.... despite you having probably already paid tax on your other job. You will have to pay back 20% of your earnings. I'll be honest, it hurts a lot, but nothing in life is free!Your Class 2 National Insurance is another cost that is taken into account and it means you can be subjected more of your earnings. However, if you have a Small Earnings Exception, this may not be applicable to you. It's something that just depends on how much you have earned from your job(s) during one tax year. Generally, if your overall turnover is more than £82,000 per year, you will have to pay VAT on top of this. Unfortunately/fortunately (which one is it?!), I am definitely not earning that much every year!
What counts as blog income?
Everything. If a penny is put into your hand, then it needs to be declared. I earn money from sponsored posts, sponsored social media content, affiliate programmes, advertising and maybe more. Some say you should declare any products, samples or "freebies" (fellow bloggers if you're reading, I KNOW... I use that word VERY lightly lol~) that you are sent for reviewing/featuring purposes and some even say you should declare things like hotel and restaurant reviews. However, it's not indefinite, so entirely up to you.What can you count as expenses?
Anything that costs you to run your business can be contributed towards business expenses. Whether it's travel (train tickets, taxi rides etc), equipment (laptop, phone, cameras, memory cards etc), stationery, food/drink, bills (phone bills, internet costs, rent cost of office/working from home). Anything that fits in with the above can be declared as an expense, which is then deducted from your overall income. This essentially reduces your tax bill if you have earned over the £11,000 threshold. I had a few things that I was unsure if I could count as an expense, so I simply called HMRC to seek advice and they advised me pretty well.
How is the overall process?
Put it this way. I did not cry or rush to register with an accountant to do all of my tax stuff for the future. I am happy to proceed and do it all of myself. I have actually already filed this years' tax return too, so it's one less thing I have to worry about in the next six months.
The process is quite long and needs a fair bit of concentration (I suggest having snacks to hand to keep you happy), but the HMRC have made it pretty easy to file your tax return providing you have all of the correct details, information and numbers to input. I would 100% recommend also saving your log ins and passwords somewhere, as I kept forgetting mine and having to re-set it a zillion times!
There we have it. I'm no accountant or financial specialist, but that's my experience with tax returns and hopefully it has helped one of you somewhere!
Disclaimer: This post is in collaboration with Talk Tax. All words and opinions are my own.
For Sale Pub
A quirky favourite of travellers and locals alike, the For Sale Pub offers unique surroundings for their patrons. As the name suggests, customers can drink and place personal advertisements on the walls along with drawings, business cards and notes for others to read through and appreciate. But apart from leaving your mark in the pub you will be able to appreciate the fine cuisine and famous Hungarian hospitality.KonyV Bar and Restaurant
One for the literary buffs out there, this restaurant has a truly distinctive way on dining and a way to change up what it has to offer. Each week the restaurant selects a novel, a classic or something new, and bases their entire menu on it, including drinks and deserts. For example, the restaurant previously based their menu on The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain. Dishes available were ‘royal pheasant broth’ and ‘rich and poor’ coffee chocolate cake. This truly ‘novel’ idea is something you have to experience first-hand.Veli Bej
The ‘City of Baths’ are over-following with thermal pools including the popular Gellert spa, Szechenyi and Lukacs baths. But one that most don’t know about is off-the beaten track and you won’t find many tourists here. Veli Bej, unlike its counterparts, is a small, yet cosy baths which offer everything you would find at the better known baths and more. Despite being from the 16th century, the baths are a local favourite and somewhere you should try if you want to avoid those annoying tourists.
Red Ruin
Unlike other Soviet Bloc countries, Budapest certainly has a good sense of humour when it comes to poking fun at its rocky communist past. Nestled within an ancient looking façade, Red Ruin bar embodies this humour – with murals of Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong on the wall, wearing birthday hats and having a super-fun “communist party.”past, brave visitors can take part in a nuclear readiness test so see how you would fare when the bombs drop.
Szimpla Kert Farmer’s Market
If you come to Budapest and you don’t visit Szimpla Kert ruin bar - you’re doing it wrong. This is a huge, well known pub with quirky, mismatched furniture including sawn-off Trabant cars and even an open air cinema. But, less well known, Szimpla Kert hosts a traditional farmers’ market every Sunday morning, with locally produced, healthy, farm-fresh and home-grown salami, homemade syrup, jams and other delicacies on offer for bargain prices. Perfect for them hangover snacks if you’ve been out the night before.
Budapest to me looks like the perfect city break - whether it's for a hen/stag do, or even as just a quick get away! Are you planning a stag or hen do to Budapest? Get in touch with Last Night of Freedom for that weekend to remember!
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