Gifts for New Houseowners

Moving to a new house is one big affair for everyone concerned.  If it’s a couple moving in to a new home, it will be an intimate affair as well, as they are creating another group of fond memories of their life together, as husband and wife.  Exploring the new neighbourhood together and sprucing up the new home as the time goes by is one great way for couple bonding.

For this very reason, it is important to buy a suitable housewarming gift for the couple, to convey your well wishes for their new home.  Below are some housewarming gift ideas for couple that you may consider buying for them.

1.   Living Room Decorating Items
You may consider more intimate stuff for the couple.  Throw Pillows with heart motifs and their names imprinted, for them to snuggle up and enjoy their television watching close together.  Some ornamental items which are heart shaped or have their names engraved are gifts to consider as well.

2.   Bedroom Decorating Accessories
A wall art, which symbolise their romantic relationship, is a great price of décor to hang in their cosy bedroom.  Pillow cases, bath towels or bathrobes with romantic pictures are also great gifts to consider.  Give them gifts which make them feel romantic in their cosy bedroom.

3.   Tech related items
For the techy couple, there are numerous gifts that you can buy.  If you want to help to keep the couple’s tech gadgets organised, buy them a charging station with valet tray.  This organiser even has the feature to keep the wires hidden, so that it is not unsightly. 

4.   Kitchenware
Cooking is one good way for couples to bond together.  From buying ingredients at the supermarket, to preparing the ingredients and cooking the meals in their newly decorated kitchen, to enjoying the meals is a romantic twosome affair.  One important thing to note is that buy this gift only when you know the couple enjoy cooking.  A set of plates and cutleries, a set of crockery or even a set of canisters or rack with seasoning are some of the ideal gifts for them.

5.   Drinkware
For couples who love drinking, this will be the perfect gift.  Give them crystal drinking glasses is one luxurious gift to give, which they will enjoy for years to come.  The type of drinking glasses to give depends on if they prefer red  or white wine, whiskey or champagne.  If they prefer whiskey, you may consider adding some whiskey stones in the gift.  If you have more budget, buying a decanter set (decanter with wine glasses) is a great gift to consider.

When considering which item is more suitable, do remember to ensure that you buy within your budget as well.  The above gifts come in varying amounts, hence you are sure to find one that is within your budget and not break the bank. 

With your thoughtfulness in place, you will leave a great impression with the recipients, giving the best housewarming gifts for couples.  They will be able to feel your sincerity and good attitude in choosing the gift for the new house move.

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Plan ahead - what you need to know before building

Do you need to hire a building surveyor, and do you really need to check with utilities before you start? These are important questions and should be part of your project planning. Just because you are excited to start with that weekend (or summer-long) building project doesn't mean you should pick up the hammer and nails.

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Draw it Out

The first part of a good plan is a drawing. In order to go ahead with the next steps of your building project, you will need to have a good diagram of what you intend to do. Besides the obvious point that it's much easier to build something when working from a diagram, having a piece of paper with a real drawing will make the other planning steps much more likely to be successful.

As we mentioned earlier, you can do your own or hire a professional to do a proper blueprint and survey. Either way, make it accurate and include as many measurements as you can. You should also have any other nearby structures, bodies of water and boundary lines too.

Permits and Paperwork

This is the part most people try to avoid when they are doing small-scale building in their backyard. The truth is that you are risking larger problems later if you skimp on the paperwork and try to avoid doing the proper reporting of your project.

Small sheds or other buildings that are smaller than around 120 sq ft are usually exempt from needing a permit, as long as they are not attached to the house. Every area has its own set of regulations for this, so it's better to take your plans to the council office and find out the details.

And even if your project needs to be larger than that, getting the right permits isn't necessarily a nightmare. Most regions (such as New York City, for example) have clear outlines on the process you can research beforehand.

There are likely some fees attached but if you have your plans worked out, it should be a simple job with minimal wait times. If your plans show that you have broken zoning regulations, you can easily make changes now before you actually start construction.

Check Underground

Don't forget to make a thorough investigation about what is below the surface if you plan on doing any digging more than a few inches deep. Pipes, wires, and cables can be damaged even by a hand shovel. Never just assume that there is nothing there. Have professionals from the local utility companies do a check for you. You'll need to have a precise location to give them, which is another reason why you should start off with a good plan and drawing of your building.

Materials List

This is a little less crucial than the first 3 tips, but making a rough list of materials can help your project go more smoothly and hopefully prevent spending too much on unneeded supplies. You don't want to buy 6 bags of cement mix when you really only need one. On the other hand, you don't want to make 3 trips to the store instead of one because you keep running out of supplies.

A few basic measurements can help you make estimates, and there are even apps that can do the math for you.

 

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Eight Ways to Protect Your Business against Lawsuits

No business is immune to lawsuits. As a business owner or partner, it is your role to protect your business from lawsuits. You have to do everything within your means to keep the business running properly and to limit risk. A simple mistake can cost your business millions. Save yourself and your business from such horror by following the tips listed below:

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1.   Choose your business structure wisely

“You should have come to us earlier!” Haven’t you heard these words too many times? Unfortunately, it is the truth. You shouldn’t contact a business attorney when in the mud. There is a high chance that the lawsuit is a result of a poorly chosen business structure.

Business attorneys facilitate business formations and structuring. Lawyers know the structures to shield you from personal liability. Your choice between a limited liability company, a corporation, a C or an S corporation is simplified by an attorney and will save you in future lawsuits.

2.   Hire a competent attorney

You need a lawyer’s help to determine your best business structure. This means that you must hire a lawyer. Conduct extensive interviews and pick someone who knows what they are doing. Their advice is invaluable when you get sued. This lawyer must be knowledgeable on all business matters. They should handle any lawsuit from any direction.

Professional organizations and recommendations are your first stop in the search for a competent and affordable business lawyer.

3.   Record everything

Information is your business’s life. The line between losing and winning a case is determined by the availability of information. Keep a record of all your business transactions. The company’s rules and procedures should be documented as well. Discrepancies will be pinpointed easily with proper documentation.

4.   Abide by the rules and regulations

The group of business attorneys at encinitaslawyer.org as well as other lawfirms in San Diego, insist on this covenant. Stick to the wage and hour requirements, health codes, business regulations, intellectual property registration, and taxation laws. If unsure of the employment, intellectual property, commercial, or business litigation rules and regulations, consult with reputable business attorneys.

5.   Invest in a good insurance plan

Insurance offers protection when your business is sued. You need a comprehensive general liability policy at the very least. The law requires you to have a workers’ compensation insurance or a products liability coverage.

Insurance policies provide legal defense for claims that could result in payments under a policy. The insurance company’s duty to defend means that they have to hire a lawyer to defend your business against a lawsuit. Legal fees are their responsibility.

6.   Protect your files

Have a backup system in the event of a technical breakdown. Include additional safety agreements in case of natural disasters.

7.   Stay up to date with law changes and new regulations

The laws applicable when you form your business are bound to change. You may not get wind of all the changes over the news or in time. Your business attorney should inform and guide you through the new changes. You cannot feign ignorance in court.

8.   Clarify roles

The roles, responsibilities, and limitations of your employees must be communicated. Concise communication and implementation of the right procedures will save your business.

In conclusion, you have a responsibility to protect your business and your personal assets in the event of a lawsuit and from the lawsuits. You can do that by following the tips above.

Author Bio

David Wicks is a business law attorney working with a leading business litigation law firm in San Diego. Visit encinitaslawyer.org for more information on business protection laws.

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Free Educational Games for Preschoolers You Need to Check out

It’s not a huge secret: children like to play. Puppies and kittens, too; while these cuddly carnivores’ games revolve around hunting and appropriate social behavior, children tend to imitate their parents, older kids or whatever they’ve seen on TV. In every one of these cases, games are an integral part of learning.

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Kids of four or five years old will probably not enjoy a three-hour algebra lecture (actually, few adults would, either). This does not mean that they don’t like learning about their world, as anyone who’s played the “Why?...Why?...Why?” game knows. The trick is just to make the process fun instead of work.

Good educational programs provide engaging graphics and quirky storylines, as well as instant feedback to give a sense of progress and accomplishment. All of the following have obviously benefited from the involvement of early education professionals, and are either completely free or have a freeware edition.

Cookie is one of the biggest online resources for younger kids, with a great suite of games to build vocabulary and number skills. The games are all attractively presented and engaging (if you’re four, anyway), but the online platform suffers from one built-in drawback: it’s just too difficult for a young child to navigate between different activities on their own.

Sebran is designed on the philosophy that perfecting basic skills is the key to development of more advanced abilities, but is actually suitable for children up to the age of eight or nine. Starting with basic counting and letter recognition skills, it progresses smoothly to basic arithmetic and games like hangman. Any toddler old enough to sit on a chair and wrap their tiny fingers around a mouse can select their favorite games, and additionally it’s available in a ridiculous number of languages.

GS Preschool Games is somewhat different from the previous two entries, focusing much more on visual reasoning with games such as jigsaw puzzles and comparing objects. As such, it’s great for the younger ones, but kids of 5+ will probably be bored quickly.

Starfall is a great project for teaching children how to read, organized in levels starting at the alphabet and ramping up to “real” reading in a beautifully smooth way. On the negative side, constant delays for loading are a little irritating. Depending on your child’s need for stimulation, the game may seem boring: it focuses on the learning without too much in the way of animations and sounds. To put this in perspective, I as an adult felt a little overwhelmed by all the sights and sounds some games inflict on the player – more stimulation is not always a good idea.

Obviously, even the most interactive machine cannot replace the human contact provided by parents and teachers. Software can at best be only a tool, but a very useful one nonetheless; and about a hundred times better than plopping them in front of the TV to watch silly stories about talking animals for hours at a time.

It’s probably a good idea to spend some time introducing them to these games, but not force them to spend time playing them. It’s not like you’re paying tuition, after all. If you have the cash, you might want to invest in a separate PC for them, so that you can actually get some work done while they’re exploring the mysteries of subtraction!

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