Smelly to Smiley - How to fight bad odours at home

Fragrance or nice smell lightens up our mood. As per psychologists, a nice fragrance can bring positive thoughts in us. In the same way, bad odours irritate us and sometimes, doesn't allow to concentrate on work. I am not a person who love perfumes a lot, but I know many friends who give select very nice perfumes which are mild and pleasant. Obviously, good fragrance sometimes aids us in getting better concentration and positive thinking.

I love the smell of home after puja. Incense of agarbathi, camphor, flowers, tulasi leaves, betel leaves, turmeric etc., give positive vibrations to everyone inside home. Many of us like the smell before it rains. Of course, it's the smell of wet mud, but feels pleasant right?

Now, coming to bad odours. Smelly socks top the list. Sometimes, in movie theatres, if someone sits near us with smelly socks, it becomes unbearable. If refrigerator is not cleaned periodically, it stinks and we cannot get away with it without cleaning, as we use refrigerator daily. We all know, the worst of it's kind are smells in a bathroom if not properly maintained. 

Here are some simple ways I follow to fight bad odours at home:

Smelly socks : 
Washing regularly is of course the best way to fight the bad odour, but let me tell you one quick tip. Keep used tea bags inside smelly socks and they absorb the bad smell immediately. :-)

Refrigerator : 
We use refrigerator very often and it is very difficult to fight bad odours unless we clean it very often. Wipe fridge often with white vinegar to avoid lingering bad odour.

Bathroom smells: 
We use air fresheners like Odonil, but they cannot fight odour always. One day, I tried a tip given by my Facebook friend, worked well. I boiled water with cut lemon pieces, 2 cloves and 2 cardamom in it. When I kept this solution in bathroom, it worked like a good fragrance. Try this! Another way is to pour 21/2 cups vinegar inside bathroom for 30 mins and clean it with water. Removes all odours very quick :-)

I am allergic to strong fragrances, so usually avoid using air fresheners. Scented candles are very good and mild. I also try lighting dhupstick or sambrani for good fragrance. Try AmbiPur Air. It just doesn't cover-up bad odours, but removes them. There are different variants available like blossoms and breeze, Zealand springs, Lavender, Vanilla, Citrus and Zest and lot more.

So, do let me know from comments, if these tips work for you and also feel free to suggest new 
tips :-)

• I am blogging for #SmellyToSmiley activity atBlogAdda.com in association with Ambi Pur

Until next time,

#SmellyHomes #SmellytoSmiley 

Image courtesy: From creative common license Flickr images - http://bit.ly/1Lkiu4l

The Max Fresh Move!

A peppy music beat with a lovely voice and perfect steps following the rhythm! Yes, this is a lovely combination any time. Isn't it? Melodious music surely lifts our soul and relaxes us, but a peppy music and fast beat rises our spirit. This will surely energise our life.

Being a dancer, I know how a combination of good music and rhythmic dance energises us. That too.. when monsoon season is around.. Dancing in rain is soo much fun!

Whenever I dance, I forget everything in the world and it altogether takes me to a new level. Dance is not easy, it takes a lot of our effort and energy, but while dancing I never feel the pain even when I am weak. Only after the practice session is over, I realize how many calories are burnt :-)

When I watch this Colgate Max fresh ad on television I remember monsoons, rain and dance. 

Allu Arjun who acted in this ad is a Telugu hero. I am not a fan of his action, but I appreciate the energy he puts in his dance. It shows up that he works hard in practising his steps. There was one peepy song in a movie 'Arya 2' given by Devi Sree prasad 'My Love is gone'. Allu Arjun's dance moves are just perfect for the beat. 

Anushka Manchanda is a singer, model and ex VJ of Channel V. She had sung many jingles including Katrina kaif's ad on Titan Raga. I don't know much about her until I heard her latest song from Ungli - Dance Basanthi, which is quite peppy and good. Also, Na jaane song in I, me aur him is of same kind.

So, what if there is a concert in their combination - Allu Arjun and Anushka? There is a contest (#MaxFreshMove contest) to write on how this combination will energise our life. First of all, it's rare, as one is a Tollywood actor and other one is a Bollywood singer. Both can rock the show with their perfect moves and peppy voice. It's been a long time I attended some concert and definitely would love to see them together for a concert. Cool!

Variety is spice of life. Everyone has a different way to bring spice in their life and a combination of good music and dance is one of the available options. A mesmerising spa/ wonderful book/ hot cup of coffee in monsoons/ A movie with family/ an outing/ a perfect vacation, There are many ways to energise of our life and break our routine, right? What say?

“I am blogging for #MaxFreshMove activity atBlogAdda.com. Are you?

Until next time,

Living life with Zest

Zest is living life witch excitement, anticipation and energy as per Wikipedia. What a positive word it is? Life becomes routine by eating food, going to office, working till night, eating and sleeping. Everyone needs something to relax, rejuvenate and hope for.  Many spend time on spa, shopping, adventure, travel, books, movies whereas, few just need to rest and spend time with close ones on weekends.

There is a cool contest by TATA motors to blog about 5 things/ people/ objects/ memories / situations that add zest to our lives.. Here goes my list of 5 :-)

Travel : First and foremost thing is travel. Exploring the nature, trekking, bird watching, enjoying waterfalls, misty mountains, rainy forests, going on nature treks, forming castles on beaches, playing hide and seek with water on beaches, watching early sunrises and sunsets.. there are many more experiences that travel gives you. Just a pollution free, pure nature heals everything and gives you a positive energy. Don't you think so?

Family time: We all work hard to earn money only for the benefit of our family, to make our family members happy, to make our lives more comfortable. So, spending time with them gives more energy than any other thing. A lovely outing with family, a candle light dinner, a small party/ get together with close ones, watching a comedy movie with family and friends having popcorn and cracking jokes, playing carroms, cooking and eating together.... there are many in the list :)

pic courtesy: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/452471093784879059/

Work: Don't misunderstand me! iam not talking about office work. Any work that interests you.. i love software testing, i enjoy my office work too.. this field is interesting, as you wont use bookish knowledge to find issues and you feel more than satisfied when you try new ways to find critical defects. I also love writing. It gives me energy. It makes my heart light penning down my thoughts. It is one creative way to vent out frustration :p I believe that an idle brain is devil's workshop. Yes, it will be difficult to work all times, but no work also makes me depressed. Our brain is designed to think and we cannot keep it idle for long time. What say?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lorn/8296347092

Creative side of you! Check the creative side of you. Many people think, they don't know any art/ they cannot learn any/ they don't know what will make them happy. Music and Dance are best stress busters and give you instant energy. There is a proverb, Dance like no one is watching. Try it. Preparing crafts with something useless, cooking a tasty meal, trying out a new snack item, preparing greeting cards, writing poetry, listening to music, taking up a new hobby like stamp collection, reading comics, books.. what not.. Every individual is unique and each one may have some specific interest.

jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Aroma therapy/ Spa: Few people are very concerned on the perfumes they select. Ofcourse, there is a reason. Some specific scent  might give you peace or some specific smell may irritate you. I love spas not only because of massage, but also because of the smell of creams they use. Try lighting the room with only scented candles one day, of course we have to choose the aroma that we love. Aroma therapy or spa soothes our body and relaxes it. You will be surprised of the positive vibes it creates around you.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/naomi_king/

What are the situations/ objects/ things that make your life exciting? Please do share in comments. Would love to know :)

Until next time,

This post is a part of the #ZestUpYourLife activity in association with TATA Zest and BlogAdda.com
pic courtesy: All images except one (which is by mine) are under Flickr creative common license

Black is beautiful!

Many of us love black. 
Few people say, black makes anyone look more beautiful. 
Are you in that category?
A few also relate black with secret and mystery.  
Psychologists say, people who love black are introverts. 
Whatever explanation any one gives, this color is special for the most.
Even, i love black, but from childhood, we are suggested by elders not to buy a black dress on birthdays or festivals or any important occasions as they consider it as a bad omen. So, restricted my black favoritism only for things other than apparel till now.

Here is my wish list of black things for a contest from blogadda.com.

Black Wallet:
I own one, surely this looks cool. What do you say?
I like Calvin Clain and Hidesign wallets, they will have some interesting design to make them cool. Iam not used to change my wallet often, so will prefer something which is sustainable for long time even if it is expensive.

Black iphone:
Until recently when iphone 5C was announced, we used to have only black and white iphones. Mostly, people prefer black iphone for decent look. Do you like it?
















Black dress:
A curvy black dress for partyware.. wouldn't be nice for a special occasion? (If you are curvey enough though :p). I agree, it doesn't suit for many. How about an embellished black gown or a beautiful black maxi? Surely, increases our style quotient. Isn't it?


Black kajal to the eyes:
Won't it make our eyes look beautiful? I love the impact kajal and mascara gives to women's eyes. Kajal makes look eyes sharp and large. 


















Black shoes:
Last, but not the least. Black shoes which match most of the dresses and look special. I have simple black ballerina shoes for official ware. 

So, there goes my simple wishlist in black. 

Until next time,

Image courtesy:
Under creative common license Flickr photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/idhren/5584522755
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ivyfield/4736264846/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rococo1727/6265902940
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkincat210/3336793227
https://www.flickr.com/photos/14501039@N08/2104596624

This contest is a part of #WhatTheBlack activity at BlogAdda.com

Plan for a dream trip through skyscanner - Malaysia

As you all know, i love travelling to the core. Planning before travelling is very difficult task, that too if you are going for a trip with a toddler. Cheap and comfortable flight, hotel, local tour operator, selection of tourist places which are safe for kiddoo, getting to know about good food joints, which are healthy and not so expensive etc., there are many to the list.. It's kind of tedious task. 

What if there is someone who can help in planning? Atleast, help you to compare and book inexpensive flights and comfortable accommodation with no extra fees? That's when i found this site - skyscanner.com. As you know from my old post that i have already planned my dream trip to Malaysia here, this is the next step to make it realize!

Step 1:
Navigate to www.skyscanner.co.in. Search for the flights from India to Malaysia by selecting dates and airport.

Step 2:

Compare prices from different sites and choose.

Step 3:

Click on 'Hotels' tab, which will automatically show accommodation options with deals which suit our search criteria. Don't forget to check ratings before choosing one! There is a 'Map' option so that you can choose a hotel nearer to the maximum tourist places.

Step 4:

As you already have decided upon the places to visit(list of places in my wishlist), it's time to plan for a car hire. This will help you to compare car hire prices from different sites. Next tab 'Buses' will allow us to plan transport between different places in Malaysia.

Isn't it helpful? So, next time, be sure to remember this site while planning for an international trip :)

Until next time,

This post is a part of Skyscanner travel wizard activity at BlogAdda.com

Women standing up when needed - A mardaani

Have you seen the recent ad in television, where a girl shrieks at eve teaser in a bus stop? Its very simple and straight forward solution to the problem. She shrieks at him more than 2 times, until he feels humiliated and runs away from the spot. Didn't remember the brand though.. 

Women are not safe in India anymore. They have to learn taking care of themselves and solving their problems. There is no use in feeling shy or humiliated when someone touches private parts in a crowded bus/ street. There is no use in feeling depressed as victim when something wrong happens to them and whole society blames victim instead of abuser. It is time to stand up for ourselves, even at the cost of opposing our entire society's mindset. This below incident is written as a part of I am Mardaani activity exclusively at BlogAdda.com for Indian Blogger.

Sushma was in her first year of 12th standard and so, she is very much excited to go to the college. Since it is first year and first day of the college, didn't have any friends yet, so travelling alone. College is around 40 mins from home. Slowly bus is becoming crowded and loud music is playing in the city bus. People are getting in and getting down and she didn't concentrate on people in the bus, until one person sitting behind touched at her back and looked away. He is repeating the same thing and she doesn't know what to do. Everyone are in their own world, listening to music or waiting for their stop to push the crowd to get down or engrossed in reading news papers. She turned back and shouted to him to behave properly, but he holded her hand and challenged her to do whatever she wants to. He seemed to be a senior in the college and since most of them are from the same college, they were staring silent afraid of him. Some women also suggested her to cool down and move to some other place. 

She doesn't like to move to some other place accepting the defeat when it's not her fault. She stood at her place and slapped him hard when everyone stopped and watched in shock. She shouted that he cannot behave like this and threatened him that she will complaint to college principal and also would call her uncle immediately who is a DSP(lied on this fact just to threaten him). Then, people in the bus started reacting, scolding him to get down. She knew it will have impact as he is from same college, but in her opinion, not reacting to something wrong is equal to encouraging the wrong. Yes, she is a mardaani.

Do you agree?

Until next time,

Image courtesy: post.jagran.com

Wow Malaysia - A dream trip :)

When i saw the tourism site of Malaysia, i was wondering that a place which is as near as just 4.5 hrs from India has sooo many things to offer for tourists :) Yes, i would list top 5 places that i would like to visit, if at all i plan a trip.

Batu caves

Batu caves, Selangor
You might have seen this 140 ft tall Murugan statue in many films right? Whenever i saw in movies, i wished to go there :) There are 272 steps leading to the temple cave which is the biggest of three caves. The place is famous for 'Thaipusam festival'.



Mulu National Park, Sarawak

Mulu national park

I love nature. So obviously, this UNESCO world heritage site which is world's largest cave chamber cannot be missed in the list! Sarawak chamber has the capacity to accommodate 40 Boeing 747 air crafts, can you believe it? This national park is also home for limestone spikes known as Pinnacles.

Petronas twin towers, Kaula lampur
Many of us saw these towers in many movies. These towers are so unique that you will easily find out that it is Malaysia after seeing them. This is the world's largest twin structure and 5th tallest skyscraper. The sky bridge connecting both towers is also world's highest two storey bridge!

Petronas twin towers

Langkawi, Kedah

Langkawi

Part of an archipelago of 99 tropical islands just off the coast of Kedah, Langkawi Island is as much shrouded in age-old myths and legends as it is filled with natural beauty. It dates back to more than 500 million years. Langkawi is also a popular duty-free destination. Mystery, myth and Legend, that forms the Langkawi :)

Sipadan Island, Sabah

People should surely have great underwater experience if planning for a trip to Malaysia! This island gives a breathtaking underwater experience. Situated in the heart of Indo-pacific basin, world's rich marine habitat, it is surrounded by exciting dive spots such as the Hanging Gardens, Barracuda Point and the Turtle Cavern. One of its most thrilling features (and certainly not for the faint-hearted) is the Drop Off, where knee-high water suddenly gives way to a 600m drop.

Sipandan island

After browsing the site, i found many other places which are worth visiting like Kinabalu park (Sabah), Lego land and Hello kitty town (Johor), Genting higlands (Pahang) and Central market, China town and Little India (Kaulalampur). 

Hope i would plan this trip someday :o

I am participating in the MalaysiaJao Blogathon Contest in association with BlogAdda.com.

Until next time,

Image courtesy: All images from Google.

Holiday season - Play Secret Santa :p

Yay! Holiday season starts with Christmas.. As i studied in a christian missionary school, Iam used to holidays, Christmas tree, Christmas carols etc.,We also used to perform dance songs on Jesus Christ's birth story and Christmas carols.. Holidays start from here and another set of holidays await for Pongal.. So, Isn't it a lovely season for kids? Our head mistress used to keep someone as Santa Clause and distribute gifts and chocolates to us before Christmas. We used to wait for that day :)

All this fun was gone after schooling and again the fun came in the form of gifts after i joined my first job. We used to play Secret Santa.. Everyone gets one colleague as their chris-child, to whom we have to gift until Christmas without revealing our identity. We also used to call it as 'Chrisma- Chris child' game.

When it comes to gifting for kids, choice is not that tough for parents. what do you say? Have you ever played Secret Santa in your family? Of course, many a times, we would have surprised our children with interesting toys, books, shoes, clothes, school bags, chocolates etc., right? This contest from HDFC Life made me think of good gifting options for kids.

Here are 5 gift ideas for children:

1. Toys are children's friends.. i hope everyone agrees to it. I try to pick some interesting toys as per my kid's interest which also improve his gross motor skills and logical reasoning. Some examples are  clay modelling kit, puzzles, train sets with track setting etc.,

2. For a child at an age of above 10, good books / pens might be useful. For children below 5 years, i would opt for big colorful story books to read at bedtime, painting/ sticker books/ fun art and craft books with which they can make less mess and also learn making crafts :)

3. Children love outings.. Isn't it? I would love to surprise my child by taking him to a zoo/ a park/ a game zone/ a beach.. we both love nature and more physical exercise by running and playing in parks :)

4. Now, moving to something which can help him long term.. Every parent wishes that their children study well and settle down without financial problems. Education has become very expensive these days and we cannot assume what will happen to kids when parents are no more to support. So, an investment option or a policy to support child's education is a mandatory gift i would like to present to my kid. HDFC , LIC and many other companies have specific policies to cater to child's education, wedding expenses etc., This HDFC link explains more about child plans.

5.Last, but not the least.. Love, Care and Moral values are something parents always gift their children by default and these are important for child to grow up as a good human being in the society, Agree?

let me know your opinion on these gifting options and also share more..

This post is a part of the 1001 Gifts Activity by HDFC Life in association with BlogAdda.

Until next time,

Image courtesy: picmonkey.com

10 smart tips for being safe

Recently we see many articles in newspapers stating that cyberabad (hitec city area in Hyderabad) is not  safe for women to travel after 7 PM. It's shocking to read about many incidents which gave rise to this statement. In continuation with my earlier post here on smart suraksha app, wanted to share few tips for being safe in Hyderabad.

 1. Auto seems safer than shared private cabs. One thing - you can jump out of it in case of suspicion and another thing, outsiders can listen if we shout from auto. In case of cab, if windows are closed, outsiders may not be able to hear even if someone shouts.

2. It's better to take Meru cabs whenever you need to hire a cab, as it will have GPS setting on and their mobile app will allow you to send updates to your friends/ family members.

3.  Always follow main route even though there is traffic when you travel alone in auto or cab. It's better to be safe than to hurry.

4. When in suspicion, calling a friend or family member and mentioning your location regularly may help demotivating the attacker with the fear of getting caught easily.

5. Noting down cab or auto number is a good thing to follow, but it may not be possible always as we might be in hurry.

6. Carrying pepper spray always would be better. Here is the link on how to prepare it.

7. Self defence mechanisms like karate may help. But, it is the overall confidence and sharpness which are important to respond on the spot. Pushing the attacker, hitting with elbow, shouting and running would decrease the chance of risk giving more time to think.

8. Never be calm assuming you are helpless. Even though girls are weaker sex compared to boys physically, it may not be true all the time. Better to have confidence and use strength to avoid attackers. Be prepared.

9. As mentioned in earlier post, better to have apps like smart suraksha on mobile.

10. Last, but not least, have important phone numbers of close friends/ family set on speed dial, so that it will be easy to reach them quick.

I am sharing my Smart Suraksha Tips at BlogAdda.com in association with Smart Suraksha App.

Until next time,

Image courtesy: Taken from 99mobiles.com from Google image search

An App for the security of women

Seeing all the recent cases starting from 'Nirbhaya' case, women are worried about their safety when they have to travel alone. They are taking many safety measures like learning karate and carrying pepper spray in hand bags etc., Now, in this list, we also have a new app called 'Smart suraksha'.

I travel in auto many times and usually i prefer to go by the same auto everyday if it is available. If auto wallah goes by some other route, i will be more cautious and ask him to go by main route even in traffic. Another tip that we can follow in suspicious circumstances is to call some family member and inform your whereabouts at regular intervals from auto. By doing this, family members know in what location you are at certain point of time and it will be easy for them to track in case of any problem. Many people suggest to remember auto number, but i think, its not possible always. Fortunately, security people in our organization note down the auto number and our employee ID when we take an auto from office. Sometimes, they also call employees to ensure that they reached safely. It is a very good practice that can be followed in organizations with women employees. Even with all these safety measures in check, attacks can happen and these can be unpredictable. This makes me feel, I wish I had Smart Suraksha with me.

Now, about the app -

- you can choose 5 people to whom you can send sms alert in case of emergency
- Sms will also include location details
- Only a single click to send alert
- Additional feature is the ability to record car number or clothes the attacker is wearing etc.,
- you can enable women helpline option as well
- App is free, can be downloaded from google play store

So, what do you think about this app? Seems good, but i felt it should dial the chosen number on single click instead of sms, because many people might not be attentive to sms. If we have a smart phone with GPS location settings enabled, it will help a lot. We will have phone always handy, so it will be easy to send alert without the other person identifying it. 
Stay safe with smart Suraksha.. :)


Until next time,

I am participating in the Seeking Smart Suraksha contest at BlogAdda.com in association with Smart Suraksha App.

I saw, I learnt.....

I truly believe, we set a good example and we are first role models for our children. Every child learns good or bad from parent's behaviour , society , teachers and from situations and challenges that he/ she faces.

From childhood, i also saw and learnt many things from different people, places and situations. My dad prepares budget every month and calculates his expenses and discuss with my mom. Initially, i used to wonder why he need to note down every expense even though how small it is and what is the use of tracking all this information. But as i grew up, learnt that this small task makes a lot of difference on our style of living. When we track things, we know our spending pattern, where we spend more and where we spend less. It helps in planning, when we doesn't have enough money for any month due to any reasons. If we know we spend too much on shopping clothes every month, when there is a need to cut down expenses, we know that this is the area that we can cut down.

My mother has hell lot of patience and she always takes care of relatives/ guests with smiling face. Even though it is difficult to manage house hold work single handed, she wins accolades for her cooking, her patience and love. I couldn't embrace this quality completely but i try to imitate her :-p

I was always in top 4 ranks in school and never knew a failure in academics. But, once i failed in some exam, which i didn't remember now, it was a unit test kind of, which they conduct between quarterly and half yearly exams. Cried a lot for that, later, understood that this is not a big thing to worry about. These things happen, we need to rectify the mistakes and try again. Since it was the first time i faced a failure in academics, it made me worried. That's why i feel, failures are needed in life to enjoy the taste of success and to learn the importance of patience and hard work.

It is very important to teach simple things to children by showing as an example like switching off lights when not needed, not wasting water and food , talking polite, being cool in pressure situations etc., Children learn these kind of habits only from observation, either from society or parents. What do you think?

Until next time,

 

I am sharing what 'I Saw and I Learnt' at BlogAdda.com in association with DoRight.in.

Online shopping - convenient and time saving

 

I was introduced to online shopping just 2 years ago and now I feel it very convenient to shop apparel, accessories, electronics, books etc, online. Basically, it is both time pass and time saving. You may ask, How? When I feel bored, I just browse across all collections and of course, will end up buying on :) this way, it is a time pass. When I don't have time to roam different malls, I prefer online shopping instead of waiting for another free weekend to go to malls. 

It all started with colleagues in the office looking at different nice collections of apparel online. The first sites that attracted us were fashionandyou.com and myntra.com. The first one seemed expensive, whereas myntra.com seemed economical and has good offers. There was an extra discount for the first time users. I placed an order but apprehensive about the quality of the item. The quality of the product was good and the kurta that I ordered fitted me well. For every new site that I try, I first place an order for an amount less than Rs. 500 or so, check the quality and then continue shopping. Another good one for ladies apparel is jabong.com from where ordered many tops and kurtas. For apparel, the major risk is quality and fitment. Usually, many sites give you measurement charts to compare and select the proper size. Also, it is important to understand the return policy. If size doesn't fit or quality doesn't match, we have the option to return it and get a refund in many sites. 

For accessories, we should be very careful. The size of the item is very important and sometimes we cannot predict the size by looking at the photo displayed in the website. Pendants, ear rings, home decors like candles etc., might look bigger because of zoomed high clarity picture posted in the site, but we will get disappointed after receiving the product. For jewelry, we cannot be sure of the quality of stones they mention. So, usually I avoid shopping this kind of things online. 

When it comes to electronics, I check 'deal of the day' in snapdeal.com. Once, I received a memory card reader for a very low price and it is working very well. In the US, I prefer amazon.com and recently I ordered a smart phone which I received in excellent condition. When it comes to books, which I love to shop online, my first and best option in India is flipkart.com. I like the look and feel of the website, their excellent deals, simple packaging and fast delivery. In the US, ebay.com has great deals on used books. For photo prints, photo mugs, photo calendars etc., we have many sites now, but zoom.in and picsquare.com are good ones.

So, these are the sites which gave an excellent online shopping experience for me. Please do share any other good websites like these in comments :)

Until next time,

This post is a part of the contest at BlogAdda.com in association with Snapdeal.com
Image courtesy: Google images labeled for commercial reuse