thefeistyhouse

A Lifestyle Blog

Best 8-inch Twin Mattress for Kid’s Rooms and Dorms

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Mattresses come in all sizes. Today, we want to look at some of the best 8-inch options available on the market. These are mattresses that can be ideal for most homes depending on the bed size and other needs. Also, such mattresses will generally be affordable. So, if you are on a budget and you need the best in terms of comfort, then you might want to consider an 8-inch mattress. Let us check out some of the top options of best twin mattress.

Classic Brands Cool Gel Ventilated Memory Foam 8-Inch Mattress

This type of mattress is seen as a good solution for back to school applications, kids’ rooms, dorms, and bunk beds. With such versatility, it should be easy to find a place to use the mattress right now.

The mattress uses the latest technology in memory foam. It is going to appeal to many people because of its comfort and overall durability. The mattress also features 2 inches of a gel memory foam. This type of construction makes it good for breathability. It does not get hot in one spot when you sleep on it for hours.

Also, the mattress is good in terms of support as the remaining 6-inches are high-density support foam. This type of foam is also good for relieving you of any pressure points on the body as you sleep. For some, it will work great to offer the best spinal alignment.

You will also love the beautiful detail on the cover. It does not just feel comfortable, but also looks good for many to love it.

Pros

  • It is a highly comfortable mattress
  • The gel foam promotes cooling to the body
  • The high-density base provides the best support

Cons

  • The firmness might be too hard for some people’s liking

Zinus Ultima Comfort Memory Foam 8-inch Mattress

Zinus is a top brand, so we can always expect it to have the best mattresses to offer. That is what you get with this model, as it offers the best comfort and support for a refreshing night’s sleep. The use of 2 inches of memory foam should make it ideal for those who want more comfort. There is also an additional 2 inches of pressure-relieving comfort foam. This eliminates any pressure points on your body while sleeping.

The 4 inches of high-density base is good for offering the right support. You can now sleep better without having to worry about waking up with aches all over the body. The manufacturer also uses the latest in terms of mattress technology, which is bio-foam. This type of foam comes with natural plant oil that helps to keep the mattress fresh.

To make it stand out, the mattress is CertiPUR-US certified. This means that it is better for durability, content, and performance. Users will not have to worry about any allergens.

Pros

  • It comes with the best durability
  • It relieves the body’s pressure points
  • The natural plant oil construction keeps the mattress fresh

Cons

  • Some feel the support could be better

Modway Aveline 8-inch Gel Infused Memory Foam

The mattress comes with open-cell memory foam technology. This type of technology is good to help reduce any pressure on the head, neck, and spine. For those with vertebrae problems, you will be happy to know that this mattress will help align your spine. This will also lead to a reduction in pressure on the hips, shoulders, and lower back.

The gel-infused memory foam is good for providing you with better breathability and cooling. You never have to worry about ventilation of your mattress while using it. With proper breathability, it should also leave the mattress fresh all the time. You never have to worry about using it in hot or humid weather.

Pros

  • It offers great comfort
  • It is CertiPUR-US certified
  • The mattress has the best cooling effect

Cons

  • Expensive

Conclusion

As you can see, the 8-inch mattresses are also good in terms of performance, built, and comfort. All the models we have reviewed above will give you the best value for money. Since such mattresses are also versatile, you should find it easy to get an application for them. Go ahead and pick one that seems to work best for you.

LIFE | How to Write Your Own Happiness List

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How to Write Your Own Happiness List | via The Feisty House

I have a feeling that 2016 is going to be a BIG year for a lot of us. Don’t you? I mean, it’s still January…at the end of the day, even if you haven’t done anything but sit around and contemplate your next move (pretty much my entire 2016 to be honest), you still have almost an ENTIRE YEAR to get things going and execute something really special.

But as we strive to build our brands and businesses this year, as we push to make this year our BEST YEAR EVER, we have to make sure we don’t lose sight of those things that make us feel fulfilled and happy, and sometimes those things have absolutely nothing to do with our blogs or our businesses.

And that’s OK.

Now I will be the first person to say that you should build a brand that aligns with your interests, passion and purpose. I believe your business, blog or whatever big project you’re tackling this year should give you joy (because we all know that building something new isn’t always easy). But that doesn’t have to be all that you’re about. As creative women, we’re also pretty complex, and many of us gain inspiration from several different outlets and activities. So maybe your business is creating beautiful handmade soap: that doesn’t mean that all your happiness and joy has to come from finding fragrances and researching how to package your next batch. Take me for instance: I love blogging (I may be obsessed), but blogging isn’t the only thing that makes me happy. And it took a run-in with depression to show me that first-hand.

I found myself so sad one afternoon that I broke down and cried for almost an hour for no reason at all. So I grabbed a sheet of paper and started writing all of the things that bring me complete and utter joy. I wrote whatever came to mind for a few minutes and then I looked at my “happiness list” and realized that I wasn’t making time to do most of the things that were on that list.

We’re dreamers. We’re overachievers. All year we’ve been pushing ourselves to become the best versions of “us.” Like me, some of you are looking to launch your own businesses. But personal and professional development may not be all we need in order to feel like we’re living a full life.

Above is an excerpt from my post, “What it Means to Live Your Best Life in 2016.” The last six or so weeks have been really difficult for me. I’m only now getting out of a rut that made it impossible for me to blog for over a month. It’s been really difficult for me to cope with feeling stuck. I realized that I had made blogging my only creative outlet and totally forgotten about all of the other things that make me feel happy. My mind and body were trying to tell me that I needed a break from blogging, but I didn’t know how to be happy away from it. So I wrote up a “happiness list” of all the things I remember brought me joy before blogging was the only thing I did. It was a great exercise, and I think it’s something you might enjoy doing too!

How to Write Your Own Happiness List

Writing the happiness list is pretty straightforward. You just need time and space to be alone (without distractions). Say a prayer before you start: you’ll be amazed at the results of asking God to be a part of this process. And be careful not to edit yourself as you write; whatever comes to mind, jot it down.

  1. Write your list in an empty notebook. Don’t use the computer to do this; you want to see this list in your own handwriting.
  2. Pray; tell God why you’re writing this list, and ask for guidance as you put the list together.
  3. Visualize yourself in your happiest moments; think about what you’re doing, who you’re with, and where you are. Jot down words and phrases that come to mind as you remember these happy times.
  4. Give yourself a time limit of 15 minutes. Take a walk (or do whatever helps you clear your mind), and then come back to reflect on the list. Take note of what you’ve put on your list that you aren’t doing on a regular basis. Is there anything on the list that surprises you? What have you learned about yourself?
  5. Make time for happiness! Set aside some time on a regular basis (every day, every week or every month) to do one thing on your happiness list.

This is a simple exercise that made a HUGE impact in how I looked at my own happiness and how I was spending my time. It reminded me that I love playing music, yet I haven’t picked up an instrument in at least four years! It reminded me how much I love to take long walks and spend time outdoors. It reminded me of my love for animals. I was surprised that I’d forgotten or given up on so many of the things that made me truly happy. Now I’m in the process of setting aside time to get back to doing those things.

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Sure, it’s important that we reach our goals and do our very best. It’s great that we want to change the world this year. But let’s be sure not to lose ourselves in the process! There will be times when we feel stuck or overwhelmed, and it’s so important that we have a “happy place” to go when we need a break from saving the world…

I’d love to hear what you’ve learned from writing a happiness list!

Share in the comments below! xo

Photo Source: Oroma Elawa for Fossil Fall/Winter 2015

LIFE | 3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid

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Things have been CRAZY over here in my real life. As such, things have been a bit quieter than normal. I wish I could sit you down and just go through how ridiculous my days have been. I’m normally a bit busier at the end of the year (I think we all are), but there have been so many work projects that have popped up in December that my head is literally spinning.

Looking back, I’m glad Quentin and I decided not to head home for the holidays. It would have been great to see our families (they live in Florida, and we don’t get to travel down as often as we’d like), but the packing and the flying and the traveling all around the state in order to see everyone…it would have been a bit too much with my current schedule.

In the event you’retraveling though, I’m sharing a few  holiday travel hacks that hopefully you can use as you get ready to head out for Christmas or New Year’s:

3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go

1 // Make a list; check it twice.

Ahhhhh I couldn’t resist the obvious holiday reference. But seriously, after two huge trips this year (Thailand and South Africa), I have learned that making a list of all the things you need/want to take with you on a trip cuts down so much on time and the anxiety of leaving something important behind.

The easiest way to do this is to make three separate lists: the things you want to take in your checked baggage, the things you want to take in you carry-on, and the things you want to take in your purse. I make separate lists in Evernote using the checkboxes. Then I just go through the list until I know everything I need has been packed.

3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go
3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go soup kit
3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go
3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go soup kit
3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go soup kit

2 // Eat before you get to the airport, and carry a snack!

When it comes to food storage, Rubbermaid has definitely got it figured out. Their NEW Rubbermaid® fasten + go kits are a convenient way to travel with healthy meals. You can save a little money at the airport by traveling with your favorite soup to eat before you get on the plane. The fasten + go soup kit has everything you need to make traveling with food more convenient:

  • Round base for easy scooping of soup or other liquids
  • Small container for toppings (shredded cheddar cheese, croutons and dried basil are some my fave soup toppings)
  • Tray for additional toppings or snacks
  • Base made of premium Tritan® material that resists stains & odors
  • Outer lid and removable strap

3 // Get creative!

These fasten + go kits are enclosed containers, so while they’re great for safely traveling with food, they can also be used way beyond their initial purposes. I took one look at this soup kit and immediately saw a handy carrying case for my perm rods. Visiting Florida with natural hair, even in the winter, means that inevitably these curls are going to drop. Severely. I like making sure I have some perm rods with me so that I can freshen up the curls that can’t keep up with the humidity. Before discovering the Rubbermaid® fasten + go kits, I used a plastic bag to carry my rollers and hairpins. Clearly the fasten + go kits are a much sleeker way of keeping my hair goodies in one place. They could also be a great way to travel with make-up!

3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go
3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go
3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go
3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go
3 Holiday Travel Hacks with Rubbermaid fasten + go

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Starting on 12/27/15 head to your local Target store to purchase the NEW Rubbermaid® fasten + go kits! Available in Entree, Sandwich, and Soup Kits!

What are some of your most creative holiday travel hacks?

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®, Rubbermaid® fasten + go, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #FastenNGo http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV. Thanks for supporting the brands that work with blogs like The Feisty House.

LIFE | The 2016 Word of the Year is EXECUTE

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If I’m being 100% honest, 2015 is one of the best years I’ve ever had.

2015 has been an amazing journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. I know who I am as a blogger and burgeoning business owner, and who I know who I’m not. I’ve defined my niche, I know my purpose, and I’ve spent countless hours perfecting my ideas. It would seem that I’ve created the perfect environment for my success. And I think honestly, I have.

Related Post: 10 Standards You Can Set for Yourself to Increase Your Success

The only issue is that I don’t always do the things that I know are going to get me to where I want to be. I don’t always wake up early. I don’t always spend three hours a night working on my business. I don’t always write my blog posts on the weekends. All of these things are systems I’ve created in 2015 to help me do the work. Now the only thing left is to actually do the work. It’s time to stop planning, stop binging on information, and instead just execute. That’s why I’ve named execute the 2016 Word of the Year here on The Feisty House.

Execution is the scary part because it involves a level of risk. I have found so much safety and comfort in the planning and development phase that’s been my 2015. I have taken such a liking to tweaking my daily schedule, organizing my to-do lists, and reading self-help books. I’ve taken all the e-courses, watched all the webinars. But the truth is we can take a million and one workshops on how to develop our big ideas, but none of that education matters if there’s no execution. There’s no success in failing to execute a plan or idea, no matter how much time and energy you’ve devoted to the planning process or how good the idea.

I saw something on Instagram that Melissa Kimble (founder of My Creative Connection and leader of the #blkcreatives movement) posted recently that confirmed 2016 needs to be a year of doing. Of execution.

You have to participate relentlessly and deliberately in the manifestations [of] your own dreams. Be willing to do the work.

Tweet via Nina Mosley @ForRevolution

Sometimes we plan and plan and take all of the workshops and do all of the webinars because we don’t want to do the real work. Yes, there is a certain amount of time we should dedicated to strategizing, planning and learning from past mistakes. But then there comes a point when we need to put down the checklists, pause the FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP, and execute the plan. 

That’s where I need to be in 2016.

2015 has been an awesome year because the end result of all of my planning and thinking and soul-searching is that I have no excuse. If your year has been anything like mine (and based on our discussions here, I think we’ve all been experiencing the same positive gains in self-development), then you have no excuse. Because of 2015, we know what we’re capable of. We know what we’re supposed to be doing. We know what our purpose is. The only thing left to do is to execute. 

Related Post: What’s Your Why?

So let’s promise ourselves that in 2016 we’ll actually do the things we’ve been planning and preparing for. Let’s launch our website and share our skills with the world (one of my goals for December 2015 is to finish the Blog Happy website and relaunch my coaching and design services for newbie bloggers). Let’s host that event. Let’s promise not to watch another webinar until we actually create the products we’ve been learning to produce. Have you been planning to start that feature series on your blog? Execute that in 2016. Have you spent 2015 thinking about starting a Twitter chat (I’m talking to myself again here…)? There are no more excuses. We know what we’ve been called to do, and it’s time to start doing it!

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 What plans do you need to execute in 2016?

What’s your personal 2016 Word of the Year?

Share in the comments, and let’s keep each other motivated!

LIFE | What It Means To Live Your BEST LIFE in 2016

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Can you believe it? It’s the last day of the year. After today, 2015 will be no more than a memory. Tomorrow brings so much hope and promise; a brand new year is literally right around the corner, and it’s going to be a good one. I want each and every one of us to live our best life in 2016. To have our best year ever. To live lives that make us feel fulfilled and that are purpose-driven. But in order to live your best life in 2016, you first need to know what it is that makes you feel joyful and fulfilled in the first place.

What It Means To Live Your BEST LIFE in 2016 | I want each and every one of us to live our best life in 2016. To have our best year ever. To live lives that make us feel fulfilled and that are purpose-driven. But in order to live your best life in 2016, you first need to know what it is that makes you feel joyful and fulfilled in the first place, and then make the time to actually DO those things.

When was the last time you actually sat down and thought about the things that bring you the most joy? I had this conversation with myself earlier this week after suffering a minor (major?) breakdown. I found myself so sad one afternoon that I broke down and cried for almost an hour for no reason at all. Looking back I can see that there were tons of reasons why. For one thing, it’s been pretty gloomy in New York City, and the lack of natural light is really having a serious affect on me. Then there’s my recent realization that I’m totally fed up with my day job and have been feeling a bit trapped because I’m unhappy for half the day every single Monday through Friday. Add an overload of estrogen and you’ve got yourself a perfect storm of overwhelm and angst that would bring anybody to tears.

What It Means To Live Your BEST LIFE in 2016 | I want each and every one of us to live our best life in 2016. To have our best year ever. To live lives that make us feel fulfilled and that are purpose-driven. But in order to live your best life in 2016, you first need to know what it is that makes you feel joyful and fulfilled in the first place, and then make the time to actually DO those things.

That was a dark day (figuratively and literally), and I never want to be in such a dark place again. I’ve been there before: I was diagnosed with mild depression as an undergrad and actually withdrew from an entire semester of classes because I was too sad to get out of bed in the morning. I know what depression can do when you give in to it, and that’s not how I was going to start my 2016.

So I prayed. I prayed, and I started reciting lyrics for one of my favorite songs…

“Oh how I love You. How I love You.

You have not forsaken me.

Oh how I love You. How I love You.

With You is where I want to be.

I reminded myself that God has worked MIRACLES for me in 2015. He’s given me blessings on blessings on blessings. He hasn’t forsaken me. And He wants me to experience JOY. Not sorrow, not depression. But JOY.

What It Means To Live Your BEST LIFE in 2016 | I want each and every one of us to live our best life in 2016. To have our best year ever. To live lives that make us feel fulfilled and that are purpose-driven. But in order to live your best life in 2016, you first need to know what it is that makes you feel joyful and fulfilled in the first place, and then make the time to actually DO those things.

So I grabbed a sheet of paper and started writing all of the things that bring me complete and utter joy. Like natural light and going out for walks; going to church and being involved in ministry; playing the piano and riding a bike; reading a good book and visiting new places! I don’t think I’ve been happier in 2015 than when I was in Thailand or South Africa (which is where all the photos for this post were taken). I wrote whatever came to mind for a few minutes and then I looked at my “happiness list” and realized that I wasn’t making time to do most of the things that were on that list.

We’re dreamers. We’re overachievers. All year we’ve been pushing ourselves to become the best versions of “us.” Like me, some of you are looking to launch your own businesses. But personal and professional development may not be all we need in order to feel like we’re living a full life. I took the Abbott LIFE. TO THE FULLEST. quiz and learned that my spirituality and having the spare time to do the things I love most are necessary for me to feel like I’m living my best life, in addition to feeling accomplished personally and professionally. Abbott is committed to helping you live fully and strive to be a happier, healthier version of yourself, and they’ve set out to find what living fully means to people around the globe.

What It Means To Live Your BEST LIFE in 2016 | I want each and every one of us to live our best life in 2016. To have our best year ever. To live lives that make us feel fulfilled and that are purpose-driven. But in order to live your best life in 2016, you first need to know what it is that makes you feel joyful and fulfilled in the first place, and then make the time to actually DO those things.

So what does it mean to live your best life in 2016? It means living JOYfully. It means learning what makes you feel fulfilled (which you can discover by taking the Abbott LIFE. TO THE FULLEST. quiz). Living your best life in 2016 is recognizing when you need to remind yourself of the things that bring you joy and make you feel fulfilled. It means making time to stop and do what makes you happy, even if it has nothing to do with building your personal brand or business. Living your best life is living with JOY no matter what your circumstances and remembering you haven’t been forsaken. It’s being present in each and every moment.

So here’s to your best life ever. Here’s to 2016.