It doesnt take big bucks and weeks of waiting to transform your bathroom into a sanctuary. With a few accessories and natural elements, you can create the bathroom of your dreams. A sophisticated mix of materials, textures, and good lighting can help you create a swoon-worthy space.Use these easy bathroom updates to refresh your space over the weekend. You dont need a complete overhaul, only a little creativity and budget-friendly know-how. Add style and function with these 10 bathroom upgrade ideas that are trending this year.Add Natural Touches1. Use Organic ProductsAlways dreamt of having a zero-waste personal care routine. Switch to sustainable bathroom products. Conventional products contain many harmful ingredients. Start buying eco-friendly towels, bathmats, soap, and toiletry sets. Eco-friendly products are good for you and the planet. They improve your health while taking care of the environment.If your bathroom is feeling a bit lackluster and you cant afford to renovate it, get beautiful, eco-friendly towels to steal the focus of your space. Some bathroom towels come in vibrant colors and have striking patterns. Moroccan-inspired towels can infuse some much-needed vitality and character into your bathroom.2. Get Bathroom PlantsWe fill our living rooms and bedrooms with plants, so why not add some leafy accessories to your bathroom? Plants will add a little style to your space, purify the air, and help relieve stress and anxiety.Spruce up your boring bathroom instantly with plants. Add beautiful pops of color and lift wilted spirits. But take time to choose plants that love humidity and warmth.If you dont have a green thumb, you can try low-maintenance plants like the spider plant, aspidistra, and mother-in-law's tongue. Place a small plant on the bathroom vanity, hang a cascading plant, or put a floor plant in the corner of the room.Get Organized3. DeclutterBathrooms are usually the smallest rooms in homes, and they are also the messiest. Products can easily pile up under the sink or inside cabinets. Get rid of all the extra stuff you dont use and create a functional and calming space. Give your bathroom a spa-like feel, make it the perfect place to pamper yourself.Here are some things you can do to create a spa-like bathroom:1Declutter the medicine cabinet2Store towels, washcloths, extra toilet paper, and tissues in the bathroom closet3Add a cubby or a shelf to the shower area for shampoo bottles and soaps4Add tray organizers to bathroom cabinets5Only keep a few items on the countertop and store the restAn organized bathroom isnt just aesthetically pleasing. Its also easier to use and perfect for relaxation. Think function first when decluttering.Illuminate and Color Your World4. Upgrade the LightingThe wall-mounted sconce isnt your only option when it comes to bathroom lighting. If you still have sconces from the 80s mounted on top of your bathroom mirror, get rid of them. You may have beautiful wallpaper, gorgeous fixtures, but without great lighting, your bathroom will fall flat.Use lighting in unexpected ways to add a little luxury and drama to your mundane bathroom. If the room has a high ceiling, hang a single pendant over the mirror (you need a 9-foot ceiling to hang a pendant).Install a small chandelier off-center if you have a large bathroom vanity. A small lighting fixture adds visual interest without overtaking the space. If the ceiling is too low for a chandelier or pendant, its okay to go the sconce route, just keep things interesting. Add sleek sconces in matte brass or a modern material such as chrome. Think light and airy instead of dark and heavy.5. Choose the Right Paint ColorWhite never goes out of style. White hues create a crisp, clean look, while off-whites warm up dark spaces. If you want a more modern look, you can mix white with a dark accent color like black, navy blue, or hunter green. You can also let the Pantone color of the year, Very Peri, dictate your color choice.When choosing a paint color, consider the style of your space. The streamlined look of a modern bathroom pairs well with pretty pastels, crisp whites, and bold hues. Light colors reflect light and are a great choice for small or windowless bathrooms.Traditional bathrooms look great in almost any color. You can use soft shades to create a calming environment or brighter ones to make a statement. But consider how the ceiling and the moldings will play into your color scheme.Pedal to the Metal6. Refresh CabinetsIf youd like to give your outdated bathroom cabinets a fresh new look, add new hardware or repaint them. Your bathroom doesnt have to be all white, repaint the cabinets and rewrite the rooms color story. Choose a lively hue like slate blue to give your old cabinets new life and draw attention from less-than-trendy door styles. Bolder colors add instant personality to white bathrooms.Swap out old knobs and pulls to quickly update your bathroom cabinets. It's amazing what new hardware can do to aging cabinets. For a modern-yet-traditional look, add brass or gold drawer pulls with clean lines. Hardware with the same metallic finish creates a unified modern theme. Your bathroom cabinets may be old, but they can still evoke character and charm.7. Add a Bold Metal-Rimmed MirrorA bathroom mirror has space-expanding abilities and can add style and texture. Its often the focal point of the space and doesnt just enhance functionality. It adds shape and flair, visually expanding the room and giving it a hotel vibe.A mirror gives you the opportunity to add something unexpected to your bathroom. Get one with a metal rimmade of brass or chromeand glam up your neutral bathroom. A bold mirror will make your space feel a little more luxe.When choosing a location for the mirror, consider what it will reflect. If you want abundant light in your bathroom, install it near the window. You can also use a mirror to highlight artwork. create a cohesive space or accentuate bathroom decor. Consider the sinks size, the wall space, and your own height when choosing a bathroom mirror.8. Replace Bathroom FixturesYour pedestal sink may still be in good shape after decades of use, but the leaky faucet may need replacing. New bathroom fixtures can transform your space in an instant. If you can afford it, replace the faucets, sink, toilet, showerhead, and bathtub.A handheld sprayer can make taking a bath and maintaining the tub a lot easier. Youll find it easy to rinse your hair and clean the tub. To update your bathroom in minutes without spending a lot of money, simply replace the showerhead with a newer model.When choosing bathroom fixtures, stick to neutral options. Bathroom trends can fade quickly, and large fixtures can be expensive to replace if you decide you no longer like them. You can add some bold design flair with smaller accessories and fixtures that are easier to replace when it's time for an upgrade.Wood is Good9. Add Wainscoting to Your WallsWainscoting was a very popular mid-century modern style. Back then, it was used to cover the entire wall surface, which isnt the practice nowadays. If youre not too fond of tiles or simply want to break up the monotony of bathroom walls, wainscoting is the right solution. It creates a trendy, warm, and rustic ambiance.Wainscoting can protect your bathroom walls from being damaged by water and moisture and add a design element to the room. If youd like to cover up the blemishes of your bathroom walls, wainscoting will do a great job. It will make your bathroom look stylish and elegant.Try Bath FitterYour DIY PartnerYour bathroom is the most private area of your home. It's where you perform your self-care routine, so it should be a space you enjoy spending time in. If the room is due for a makeover but you can't commit to a full renovation, call Bath Fitter. Get quality thats guaranteed for life. Choose the look and well do the rest. Want a bathroom update without a full renovation? Bath Fitter has all the solutions. Thanks to our unique tub-over-tub process, bathtub replacement is no longer necessary. Choose from hundreds of custom designs and find one that fits your style. In as little as one day, youll have a brand-new bathroom.

How does getting older affect your teeth and how do changes in your teeth and your bite affect your looks and your health? Dr. Guerra and Guerra Dental have the answers, and we are ready to help counteract those effects in a number of ways.How does age affect you?Its simply a matter of time. As the years pass, the stresses put on your teeth take their toll. Over time, your smile ages right along with the rest of your body. Your smile can lose vibrancy due to discoloration, tooth loss and excessive grinding. Lips begin to sag and lose their elasticity. Gravity and aging make our lower face shrink and sink, resulting in less of our upper teeth showing as we speak or smile. Loss of collagen and diminished muscle tone allow wrinkles to form around our mouth and lips.Night grindingTeeth clenchingDiscoloring foodsImproper bitePoor preventative care and so much more can have a major negative effect on your health and of course, it can get worse the longer it goes on.How does aging actually affect your appearance?Here are some of the actual effects on your face:A chance in your bite can result in wrinkles around the corner of your mouth.As you age, your jaw may become narrower. Your smile may seem less full, and spaces may appear on both sides of your teeth.Grinding, clenching and even regular eating over time can cause pain to your bite.Changes in the angles of your teeth can make your face asymmetrical and actually narrow the look of your lips and smile.What can be done? Consult with Dr. GuerraAnti-aging dentistry has become an important field of study and treatment at Guerra Dental, and today we can use various techniques and technologies to improve and even reverse the signs of aging. Anti-aging dentists address the issues of wrinkles, cheek support, lip fullness, dark corners, discoloration and asymmetry. It begins with a careful and thorough examination, including the latest in digital imaging to look at your entire facial structure, the extent of damage thats already occurred and may occur without treatment. Then we focus on the treatment that can actually repair age-related damage, improve your smile and features, and actually help you look younger.You dont have to wait for a problem to occur.The effects of aging are gradual and long-term, but you can address them immediately. Don't wait until you have a toothache, infection or fracture due to aging that has to be addressed. Make your appointment with Dr. Guerra today, so you can look forward to a new, youthful appearance tomorrow.

Moving to a senior living community before you need care or assistance may seem unnecessary. But, the truth is that moving to a senior living community earlier may be better in the long run, especially for active adults. Learn why many seniors are choosing to move to senior living when they want to and not when they need to.5 BENEFITS TO MOVING TO SENIOR LIVING EARLIER1. LIVE MORE, CLEAN LESSHave you ever wondered how much time you spend cleaning your home? If you are in the home you have lived in for decades, which many seniors are, theres no doubt you are spending a lot of time managing your stuff. Moving to senior living means that someone is cleaning your home and providing home maintenance. You will have no yard maintenance and your bills are all or mostly all-inclusive. That means you have more time to live your life the way you want to live.2. CREATE YOUR INNER CIRCLEFriends are important in every stage of life. You may find that many of your friends have already moved. Now is the time to move to senior living and find your tribe. You may find them in a weekly card game, on a lunch and shopping day around town, or on a hiking excursion. Being in senior living means that its easier to do what you love and its easier to find people who love the same things too!3. COMMIT TO HEALTHY LIVINGResearch shows that moving to senior living can actually be a healthier and safer option for seniors, especially for seniors who live alone. Socialization, nutrition programs, fitness options, and a focus on living well are all benefits to moving to senior living and they can help you achieve your nutrition and fitness goals faster.4. HAVE AN ADVENTURESenior living is evolving to meet the needs of an active generation of seniors. From an onsitetravel agencyand Leisure Care trips to local excursions, senior living can truly be an adventure. Step out of your comfort zone. Get out of your routine. Break up the monotony of life and make meaningful friendships while doing it.5. YOU (AND YOUR FAMILY) WILL HAVE PEACE OF MIND FOR THE FUTUREWhen you move to senior living early, theres no more worrying about the house, about downsizing, about the potential of needing long-term care. It can be stressful for families and seniors to face the unknowns of the future. Making the move to senior living earlier can relieve that anxiety and allow seniors and their families to move forward confidently, knowing they are taken care of and well cared for if needs should change over time.

There are very few times in our lives where we fail to plan for the future. Before we are born our supplies and living arrangements are planned and the joyous event takes place, we are born.  From infancy all our steps are arranged. From there, we continue forward with schooling, coming of age and careers.  Throughout the years as we grow, we continue to plan for our futures and eventually retirement.  It is in this latter planning where sometimes plans are not a strong as they once were or could have been.Most of us do not live our lives planning for the worst but instead have high hopes for our futures.  Life is unpredictable as we all know and in some cases a health care crisis can change the entire tone of our futures we have planned.  Being unprepared in this type of crisis can be costly and can even bankrupt any and all plans we have laid down.  Only when we arrive on the doorstep of a health care crisis do we fully realize how well we have planned.Private insurance is for when we are in our working lives, and Medicare for when we retire. How does a person transition from their working life through a health care crisis right before Medicare?  How do I pay my bills?  Where does my income come from if I am not yet of the age for retirement?  These questions are valid and should be addressed long before any type of crisis arises. Home and Health Financial Planning is a new way of answering these questions.  There are many ways to look at a situation.   Depending on the diagnosis, there is a timeline usually accompanying the news and a course of treatment follows but, in most cases, we look to our insurance to handle most of the concerns.There are ways in which to access public programs that can leverage the financial burden of high costs for care. We should explore these avenues and be proactive in our understanding of what is available. By the time you or your loved one is in the hospital it could be too late for a financial review.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Jennifer Erikson with AAA Medicaid Consulting, Inc. For more information she may be reached at 719-459-2519 or email jerick8712@aol.com