What helped me when my gastritis and acid reflux was at its worst. Table of Contents: When my acid reflux and gastritis were flaring, I spent a lot of time searching for anything that could make meals and daily routines feel a little easier. These are the products that helped me the most, all based on my own experience. Everyone’s triggers and symptoms are different, so this is not medical advice. It’s simply what worked for me during a rough stretch, and you should always check in with your doctor if you’re dealing with ongoing symptoms. Living with acid reflux has meant adjusting the way I cook, eat, sleep, and even my lifestyle. Over the years, I’ve tried so many products to make things feel more manageable. Some were helpful, others weren’t, but a handful truly made a difference for me. I’m sharing them here in case you’re looking for ideas and want to see what worked in my own day-to-day life. This isn’t medical advice, of course. I’m just sharing my personal experience. Everyone’s situation is different, so always talk with your doctor before trying anything new. Below are the Amazon finds I used daily or weekly, the things that made living with acid reflux and gastritis a bit more manageable. 8 Amazon Items That Supported Me Through Acid Reflux, GERD and Gastritis In addition to the gastritis treatments I was trying with my doctor, these Amazon finds helped me manage daily life with acid reflux, GERD and gastritis. Now that my conditions are under control, I still use some of these items. 1. My Blender for Daily Low-Acid Smoothies Smoothies became my go-to breakfast, snack and even dessert at various times. A good blender made it easy to throw together a low acid mix of oats, banana, non-dairy milk and protein powder. I used my blender every single day during flare-ups, sometimes twice. If smoothies are part of your acid reflux routine, having a reliable blender is worth it. 2. Hemp Protein Powder Most flavored protein powders made my symptoms worse, so I switched to plain hemp protein. It blended well, kept my smoothies filling and didn’t bother my stomach. It has a mild, earthy taste that works with simple ingredients. I used less than the serving recommended, for my personal taste preferences. 3. Pea Protein Powder This was another gentle option that became part of my rotation. Pea protein has a neutral taste and mixes smoothly into low acid smoothies. I liked having two protein powder choices so I could switch things up. 4. A Wedge Pillow That Helped Reduce Nighttime Reflux Sleeping on a slight incline helped me feel more comfortable on nights when reflux tried to set in, especially at the beginning of my gastritis healing journey. A wedge pillow kept me elevated in a way that regular pillows never could. If reflux tends to bother you at night, this type of pillow can make a noticeable difference. Again, just my experience, but it helped. 5. Garlic-Free and Onion-Free Chicken Broth Finding a broth without onion or garlic is surprisingly difficult, which matters when your stomach is sensitive. I used this broth for soups, simple rice bowls and meals that didn’t upset my medical conditions. It became a grocery staple for me and Amazon made it easy to keep it in stock. 6. A High-Quality Nonstick Pan I relied on this nonstick pan so I could cook with very little oil. Oily or greasy meals were a problem for me, so this pan helped me keep my food simple. It made it easier to sauté vegetables, cook eggs or warm up leftovers without adding a lot of extra fats, which was essential in my healing. 7. The Gastritis Book I Read This book helped me understand what might be contributing to my gastritis and acid-related stomach issues and gave me useful ideas for cooking and grocery shopping. I read it in one sitting and referred back to it constantly. It wasn’t a full cure and it shouldn’t replace medical guidance, but it helped me feel more informed and supported. 8. A Book I Read to Learn About Acid Reflux I read a book on acid reflux and GERD to better understand how diet and lifestyle can affect symptoms. I didn’t follow the program in the book, but it gave me helpful ideas and guidance for low-acid meals, and helped me feel more informed about what might work for me. Everyone’s experience is different, so this is just something I found useful to learn from. These are the things I’ve reached for again and again. They don’t “fix” anything on their own, but they helped me feel more comfortable in my day-to-day life. If you’re making changes or trying new products, definitely talk with your doctor because everyone’s needs are different. But I hope seeing what helped me gives you a few ideas to discuss with your doctor if you’re navigating the same things. This post is based on my personal experience living with acid reflux, GERD and gatritis. It isn’t medical advice. Always check with your doctor to make sure something is right for your situation. Read more about my gastritis journey here: How a Custom Gastritis Diet Helped Me Overcome Chronic Gastritis and GERD Save These Amazon Finds for Acid Reflux, GERD and Gastritis Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to the items that helped me manage my acid reflux, GERD and gastritis. My favorite Amazon finds that helped me manage acid reflux, GERD, and gastritis. Share your experience: which gastritis treatments have you tried, and what acid reflux remedies have helped from your personal experience?

Download these original photos of winter beach textures and enjoy the quiet beauty of the coast in the off-season. If you’re looking for some free winter phone wallpaper backgrounds that feel beachy, calm, and a little unexpected, I’ve got you covered. I took these photos while walking on the beach this winter, and let me tell you, it was cold, but totally worth it. There’s something about the textures this time of year that I can’t get enough of. Ice forming on the water, waves freezing as they hit the shore, beach grass poking through snow, and sand covered in a frosty layer… it’s not your typical beach vibe, but that’s what makes it so special. Table of Contents: These are for anyone who loves the coast, even when it’s not sunny and 85° F. If you’re into peaceful nature scenes or want something wintery and unique on your lock screen, feel free to download and use any (or all) of them as your personal phone background. Winter Beach Phone Wallpapers Terms of Use: These images are for personal use only. Commercial use, republication, or distribution are not permitted. 1. Snow-Covered Sand Wallpaper The wind was blowing across the snow-covered sand, creating this cool icy texture that makes for an interesting background. 2. Frozen Ocean Water Wallpaper It was so cold that the ocean water had patches of ice that had frozen together on the water’s surface near the shore. I thought this would be a really unique abstract winter beach phone wallpaper. Related: How to Make the Most of Winter When You’re a Summer Person 3. Frozen Waves Winter Wallpaper It was so cool to see that the waves were freezing as they crashed on the shoreline and met the snow-covered sand. 4. Snowy Beach Grass Wallpaper While walking along the beach path through the dunes I snapped this photo of the beach grass covered in snow. 5. Icy Water Winter Wallpaper With so many cold days this winter, patches of ice formed on the surface of the water. This would be an interesting winter wallpaper for your phone. Related: How to Build a Fall & Winter Coastal Capsule Wardrobe More Free Phone Wallpapers 10 Free Abstract Beach Phone Wallpapers to Transform Your Screen10 Fun Free Phone Wallpaper Backgrounds for Summer10 Cool Free Phone Wallpapers for Fall10 Awesome Free Halloween Phone WallpapersBeach Christmas Wallpapers to Add Coastal Magic to Your Phone This December How do I save these wallpaper backgrounds to my phone? It’s easy to save these backgrounds on your phone to use on your lock screen or home screen! Below are instructions to save these free phone wallpapers on your iPhone or Android phone in four simple steps. Instructions for iPhone users: Instructions for Android users: Save this collection of winter beach phone wallpapers for later Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to come back for more wallpapers. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram so you’ll know when new free phone wallpapers become available. Winter at the beach has its own kind of magic, and I loved being able to capture a piece of it on camera. These phone wallpapers are free to download, and I hope they bring some quiet, winter beach beauty to your phone. If you’re into coastal textures, soft winter light, and the kind of nature photos that feel a little unexpected, then these are for you. The phone wallpapers above are sized to be used as a fullscreen wallpaper for mobile phones on your lock screen or home screen, no matter if you have an iPhone or an android phone. Which of these winter phone wallpapers is your favorite? Share it in the comments.

Prepare a go bag for unexpected evacuations during a natural disaster or emergency. Table of Contents: When disaster strikes, there is often very little time to gather your belongings and flee. Seeing the recent devastating fires in California and the recent hurricanes in the south, and hearing countless stories of people forced to evacuate without their belongings has been a sobering reminder. Many regret not grabbing certain items before fleeing, only to realize those items are now gone forever, making me realize just how important it is to have a go bag, especially since I still haven’t put one together myself. So today I’m packing go bags for my family, including my dog, and am sharing a list of everything that’s going into my go bags so you can make yours, too.  What Is a Go Bag? A go bag is a pre-packed emergency bag that contains essential items you might need if you have to leave your home quickly due to a natural disaster or other emergency. It ensures you have necessities like important documents, basic supplies, and personal essentials ready to grab at a moment’s notice. You can also include sentimental or irreplaceable items, giving you peace of mind that the things that matter most won’t be left behind. Having a go bag ready is crucial for safety and preparedness because emergencies often leave little to no time for gathering belongings. When every second counts, having your essentials packed and accessible can make a huge difference in reducing stress and ensuring you have what you need to get through a difficult situation. A durable, lightweight backpack or duffel bag with multiple compartments makes a great go bag, allowing you to carry essentials comfortably and keep them organized. Why You Need a Go Bag Reasons Why Someone Might Need to Evacuate Their Home Unexpectedly Natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and floods can strike with little warning, forcing people to evacuate on short notice. Even with advanced warnings, conditions can change rapidly, making it essential to be prepared ahead of time. When moving into a beach house in a flood zone, I had to consider the reality that at some point we would probably have to evacuate. The most likely reason would be for storm surge caused by a hurricane, but it doesn’t take just a hurricane to cause a flood. Other causes of a possible flood evacuation could be a tropical storm, a heavy rainstorm that hits during high tide, or a nor’easter, to name a few.  There could even be a fire that causes evacuation; maybe a neighbors house has caught on fire and you need to evacuate because it’s at risk of spreading to your home. This scenario could happen any day, any time. Wildfires, although not super common on the east coast, can happen, and we do sometimes get fire warnings on dry, windy days. This is why it’s a good idea to have a go bag ready for each member of your family, including pets. Use this guide to pack a disaster go bag for everyone in your household so you’ll be prepared if you need to evacuate your home for any reason, no matter where you live. Related: How to Help Someone Whose House Flooded Go Bag Essentials List: What to pack in a go bag for an emergency evacuation You should have these items packed in your go bag, or a list of them in your go bag and where they’re located in your home so you can grab them quickly. This is helpful because it might be hard to remember everything when you’re feeling panicked and short on time. What you pack may depend on whether you’re evacuating by car or on foot. What to pack in a go bag Additional items for babies & kids What to pack in a go bag for pets Related: America’s Coastal States: Populations, Shorelines, and Rising Seas Infographic Storing and Maintaining Your Go Bag Emergencies are unpredictable, but being prepared gives you control over how you handle them. Go bags are a simple yet essential step in ensuring safety and peace of mind for you and your family, allowing you to respond quickly during a disaster. There’s no better time to start than now. Take a few minutes to gather your essentials and begin assembling your go bag today. Protecting yourself and your loved ones starts with being ready for unexpected floods, fires, and intensifying hurricanes. Preparedness isn’t just about survival, it’s about having the confidence to act quickly and wisely in an emergency. Being ready means you can focus on staying safe, protecting your loved ones, and handling any situation with resilience. Save This Go Bag Essentials List for Later Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to this go bag essentials list for people and pets. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Instagram and on Pinterest for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. Why a go bag is essential for hurricane & flood evacuations, and what to pack. Are you planning to make a go bag? Can you think of anything you’re going to add that isn’t on this list? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Inspiration for creating your next list. Table of Contents: Do you love making lists? I do! There are so many benefits to making lists: I like that they keep me organized, help free up brain space, help me remember things, keep track of things I like, help keep stress under control, give me opportunities to plan and brainstorm for the future, and so much more. Writing them feels satisfying. You probably have your own reasons why you like making lists, too. List-making people just get it! Writing lists can also be a fun and meaningful way to document the things that matter to you, like in a journal. You can record books you’ve read, shows you’ve watched, music you’ve enjoyed, or places you’ve explored. Looking back at these lists can bring a sense of accomplishment and spark memories. I thought it would be fun to make a big list of lists for people who like making lists. Some of these ideas are taken from lists I’ve made for myself, some are lists I would like to make in the future, and some I thought other people might find useful or fun to write. Use this list of lists to find new lists to make. Enjoy! Why do people like to make lists? A list. The Ultimate List of Lists to Make Inspiration for different types of lists you can make, whether on a piece of paper, on a notepad, or in your journal. Browse these ideas and have fun making some new lists! Bucket Lists Cleaning Lists Errands & To-Do Lists Experiences Lists Family Lists Fashion Lists Finances Lists Food & Drink Lists Gift Ideas Lists Goals Lists Hobbies Lists Holiday Lists For holiday gift ideas, see separate list above named “Gift Ideas Lists” Home Projects Lists Makeup, Skincare, & Beauty Lists Movie Lists Music Lists Organization Lists Pet Lists Photo Lists Podcast Lists Random Fun Lists Reading Lists Relationship Lists School, Education, Learning Lists Self-Care Lists Sports Lists Theater Lists Travel Lists TV Show Lists With so many different lists you can write, it seems like you can never run out of ideas for making lists. Whether you’re planning out the day’s tasks, setting goals, writing in a journal, or brainstorming ideas, making a list is a practical way to bring clarity and structure to your thoughts. It’s also a useful way to plan a dream vacation or keep track of gift ideas. There’s something satisfying about putting ideas to paper and seeing them take shape in an organized and actionable way. Making lists can also be an enjoyable activity and a way to keep track of things that are important to you, almost like keeping a journal. You can track what you’ve read, what you’ve watched, what you’ve listened to, and the places you’ve visited. It can be fun to look back on these lists and remember all of the things that you’ve accomplished. Another benefit of making lists is that they can help to clear mental clutter and reduce stress. Once you have something written down, you don’t have to worry about trying to remember everything. No matter why you like using lists and what you use them for, I think we can all agree that lists are a useful tool that help us to stay organized, focused, and on top of everything that matters most to us. Save This List of List Ideas for Later Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to these list ideas. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. Which of these lists are you most excited to write? Do you have any other list ideas? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Finding inspiration on a fall beach walk. Table of Contents: The beach is always worthy of a mood board, and looking through my photos from many fall walks on the beach inspired me to create this one, which I’ve titled Fall at the Beach. Even though the beach looks similar year-round, it also changes with the seasons. There are certain things that seem to stand out more in fall, like how the blue of a fall afternoon sea seems extra deep blue, the sand stays wet longer after high tide because the sun and air aren’t as hot to dry it quickly like in summer, and seaside goldenrod lines the beach paths. Fall at the beach is also a great time for beachcombing, because the crowds are gone and not many people are walking the beach, so it feels like all of the ocean’s treasures are waiting for you to discover them. I love photographing things I find along the way, and sometimes taking something home with me if it’s really special, like a perfect (unoccupied) shell. Take inspiration from fall along the coast with this beach mood board and color palette. How do you use a mood board? Mood boards are a great tool when starting a new project, whether you’re decorating your home, designing a brand campaign, event planning, or any other project where you need inspiration and ideas. Using a mood board that has already been created is an easy way to kickstart your own project and build on it to your liking. It can help you to stay aligned with a specific aesthetic or theme, in this case, fall at the beach. Here’s how you can use a mood board: Fall at the Beach Mood Board A fall beach aesthetic combines empty beaches filled with untouched rocks and shells, groups of sea gulls taking a rest along the shoreline, and seaside goldenrod stretching high along a path to the beach. The darker palette of deep blue water and wet beach sand mixed in with goldenrod and vibrant red of the sponge round out the fall vibes and evoke feelings of peacefulness and tranquility. This mood board can inspire an appreciation for fall beach life and everything that makes it special, from the colors and textures to the ever-changing shoreline. See another coastal fall mood board: Fall on the Coast Mood Board & Color Palette Fall at the Beach Color Palette Fall beach colors can bring a seasonal element to a traditional beach color palette. With tranquil hues like “fall afternoon sea,” earthy tones like “wet beach sand,” and vibrant accents such as “seaside goldenrod” and “red beard sponge,” you can bring a natural, autumn-like spin to an otherwise breezy ocean palette. These colors evoke the natural charm of the beach, creating a balance of relaxation and energy that you can use for everything from graphic design to personal style. Use this fall beach color palette as inspiration for your own projects, like design, branding, decorating, or event planning. Hex color codes have been provided for ease of use. Related: 6 Inspiring Tropical Color Palettes for Your Coastal Home This fall at the beach mood board and color palette can inspire while telling the story of a coastal lifestyle and the beauty of the shoreline, even in the off-season. An unexpected combination of natural hues exists in nature, so draw on it for creativity and inspiration while working on your next project. I think this color scheme would be great for a plaid flannel shirt, or as branding colors for a website! The possibilities are endless. Inspiration exists all around us in nature, and sometimes all it takes is a fall beach walk to find it. Save This Fall Mood Board & Fall Color Palette Inspiration Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to this beachy fall mood board and fall color palette. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. Fall beach mood board & color palette inspiration What will you use this fall beach mood board and color palette as inspiration for? Share your ideas in the comments.

The food I ate and eating habits I introduced while I had gastritis. Table of Contents: I had a horrible time with chronic gastritis and GERD, diagnosed via endoscopy with biopsies, for 1.5 years. I’ve had so many people asking me what I ate during this time that I decided to write this post about my custom GERD and gastritis diet and eating habits for anyone who is curious. This is not medical advice. The most important thing to keep in mind is that this gastritis diet was customized for me. It doesn’t mean that this gastritis diet will work for you, and, in fact, should highlight the importance of tracking your foods, symptoms, and customizing your own gastritis diet with medical professionals. My gastroenterologist had me take tests to rule out other medical conditions that could be causing gastritis, such as H. pylori. It was determined that my symptoms were likely caused from stomach-damaging medication and stress, so there was no treatment needed for an underlying condition, and I just needed to focus on healing my stomach. I’m sharing this as an example of an experience of what it’s like for someone to have gastritis, as motivation to work with your own medical team to create a custom gastritis diet and/or treatment plan that works for you, and to encourage you that healing from chronic gastritis and GERD caused by gastritis can be possible, because I’ve done it. Here’s my custom gastritis diet and eating habits that helped me recover from chronic gastritis and GERD. Obligatory disclaimer: I am not a doctor, this is not to be taken as medical advice, and I’m not telling you to eat the foods listed here or to do anything that I did. I’m simply sharing my own personal experience with my personal gastritis diet and personal eating habits for general knowledge sharing, and to share an experience of what it’s like for someone to have gastritis. I worked with my gastroenterologist, and a nutritionist who was working with my gastroenterologist, to figure out which foods and medications would work best for me. You should work with your own medical team to determine what’s best for you. Also check out: My Favorite Amazon Finds That Helped Me Manage Acid Reflux, GERD and Gastritis It Hurt to Eat Anything and Everything My stomach was so damaged with chronic gastritis and GERD that it hurt to eat anything and everything. My gastroenterologist explained that it was going to take time to heal, so I needed to give my stomach the best chance to do that by avoiding acidic foods. Avoiding acidic foods is a common treatment for GERD. I felt like I was always hungry, but it hurt too much to eat enough food to satisfy my hunger. Avoiding Acidic Foods to Promote Gastritis Healing Since I was experiencing gastritis and GERD (the GERD appeared to be caused by gastritis), I needed to avoid acidic foods. The thought was that acidic foods could do further damage to my stomach since it was in such a fragile state, and would exacerbate my GERD symptoms. My gastroenterologist provided me with a list of common irritating and acidic beverages, foods, and medication that I should avoid until I was feeling better. Some things on the list were: I then researched the acidity of the foods I usually eat to make sure I wasn’t unknowingly eating a food that was very acidic. I discovered that according to the pH scale, which ranges from numbers 0 to 14, 0 is the most acidic, 7 is neutral, and 14 is the most alkaline / basic. I made a big list of foods and their pH, and this became my personal gastritis diet guide of how to plan my meals to make sure I wasn’t eating a super acidic food, and that overall my meals weren’t too acidic (I could get away with some mildly acidic foods if they were balanced in a meal with alkaline foods). I wanted to learn more, so I read this book about acid reflux which I found helpful. I also discovered the r/gastritis sub on Reddit, which recommended this book about healing gastritis, which I then purchased and read in one sitting, and recommend reading. I was happy to see it aligned with my doctor’s recommendations of foods to avoid, and with some of the things I was already doing, and gave me additional insights and recipes. And the Reddit group was good for my mental health. It was nice having other people who understood what I was going through, and discussing symptoms and progress. How I Figured Out Which Foods Worked for Me My nutritionist had me keep a food journal to determine if how I felt after eating a certain food made my stomach pain feel the same, better, or worse. I quickly determined that no foods made me feel better, but some foods made me feel much worse. So if I felt the same level of pain, or only slightly worse, after eating something, I considered that a win, and I’d keep it on my “safe foods” list. If I felt significantly worse, that food was removed from my list. I recommend starting your own food journal and keeping track of your symptoms from eating those foods so that you can create your own custom gastritis diet. Just because a food or beverage worked or didn’t work for me doesn’t mean that it will be the same for you. My Gastritis Diet: Bland Foods That Worked For Me I ate a super bland gastritis diet to promote healing. My stomach was very sensitive to everything, so eating bland foods and making sure any acidic foods were balanced with alkaline foods was the only option for me. My Gastritis Diet: Breakfast Foods These are the foods that personally worked for me during my worst stage of chronic gastritis: Some of my typical breakfasts were scrambled eggs with roasted potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes, […]

Add these festive beachy backgrounds to your phone this holiday season. Now that December is here, I decided that I needed a new phone wallpaper — and not just any phone wallpaper, a beach Christmas phone wallpaper! So I took some fun beachy photos that I can use as Christmas phone backgrounds for my Home Screen and Lock Screen, and am sharing them here so you can enjoy them on your phone, too. Table of Contents: I love all of the little things about the Christmas season that make it feel extra special. Seeing holiday lights as I drive home, watching my favorite Christmas TV episodes and Christmas movies in the evenings, and even having a Christmas wallpaper to enjoy every time I pick up my phone. For me, it’s these little moments during my everyday routine that add magic to the holiday season. It was fun creating these beach Christmas wallpapers and photographing them for my phone. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do — they combine two of my favorite things: the beach and Christmastime. And there is just something so charming about a coastal Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas beach wallpaper backgrounds and download as many as you’d like to use on your phone, for free.  Terms of Use: These images are for personal use only, meaning you can download them to use as your own personal phone wallpaper. Commercial use, resale, republication, or distribution are not permitted. Beach Christmas Wallpaper for Phones 1. Beach Christmas Wallpaper: Winter Shells & Pine Cones The first free beach Christmas phone wallpaper shows a cute wintery scene of white shells and pine cones on a snow-like background. 2. Beach Christmas Wallpaper: Sea Glass Christmas Tree The second free beach Christmas phone wallpaper shows a sea glass Christmas tree that I created using sea glass from my collection. This is a cute coastal phone background for Christmas, and my favorite in this list. Related: Cozy Coastal Christmas Books to Add to Your Holiday Reading List 3. Beach Christmas Wallpaper: Christmas Scallop Shells The third free beach Christmas phone wallpaper features white, red and green scallop shells as a patterned background. I photographed this shell from my collection and then made it into a pattern on my computer. This makes for a cute beach wallpaper for Christmas. 4. Beach Christmas Wallpaper: Beach Sand Christmas Tree The fourth free phone wallpaper shows a Christmas tree drawn in the sand at the beach. I drew this and photographed it on a recent beach walk. This is a cute Christmas wallpaper for anyone who loves holidays at the beach or tropical vacations in the winter. If you’re enjoying these phone wallpapers, don’t miss: 10 Free Abstract Beach Phone Wallpapers to Transform Your Screen How to Save These Phone Wallpapers It’s easy to save these beachy Christmas photos to use as the wallpaper on your phone! Here are instructions to save these free phone wallpapers on your iPhone or Android phone in four simple steps. Instructions for iPhone users: Instructions for Android users: Save These Beach Christmas Phone Wallpapers for Later Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to come back for more beach Christmas wallpaper for your phone. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram so you’ll know when more free phone wallpapers are posted. Holiday Fun: Beach Christmas wallpaper for phones If you live on the coast or love vacationing at the beach, I hope you enjoy these beach Christmas wallpapers for iPhones and Android phones. Coastal Christmas is a fun aesthetic for your phone in December, so don’t forget that both iPhones and Androids let you select a different background for both your Home Screen and your Lock Screen, if you so choose. Download the beach Christmas wallpapers for your phone that most catch your eye and match your Christmas aesthetic, whether you’re looking for a beachy wallpaper, coastal Christmas wallpaper, preppy Christmas background, or seaside holiday photos. Which of these Christmas beach phone wallpapers is your favorite? Would you enjoy putting a beach Christmas wallpaper on your phone for the holidays? Share your thoughts in the comments.

How to clear space on your phone and create a more organized digital life. Not going to lie, I’m mostly writing this post to motivate myself to clear the digital clutter on my phone. As much as I’m good about keeping physical clutter under control, I find it way too easy for my iPhone’s digital clutter to get out of hand. Below, I’m sharing my step-by-step process for clearing digital clutter from my phone to keep it running smoothly and hassle-free. If you need to clear space on your phone because it’s full or could use a good clean-out, follow this easy digital decluttering guide to achieve an organized phone. Table of Contents: Every so often I’m forced to clean out and organize the digital files on my phone when a certain thing happens: I try to take a photo, but my iPhone tells me the storage space is full. Then I find myself scrambling to delete unnecessary screenshots, offload apps, and other ridiculous tricks to gain back what little space I can manage, just to make my phone usable. It’s frustrating and, at times, stressful.  Our phones are constantly buzzing with emails and notifications, and we’re filling our storage space with messages, photos, videos, and file downloads daily, which is why adopting a minimalist mindset toward digital decluttering can feel transformative. Simplified digital spaces reduce stress, increase focus, and give you more time to be present in your daily life. It’s not about achieving perfection, but creating a calmer, more intentional digital environment. Here I’m sharing a step-by-step guide to digital decluttering for your smart phone, including decluttering and organization tips for each step, where applicable. I’ll share my recommendations for physical and cloud storage backup, as well as why it’s important to keep your digital files under control, as the consequences of digital disorganization can be more serious than you may realize.  I’m going to take you on this journey with me as I declutter my phone — doing it the right way, not the temporary shortcuts I mentioned earlier — so you can follow along and declutter your digital files, too. If you have a lot of files, you might have to break this up across numerous days. Follow this phone digital decluttering guide to get your device back to an optimal state and enjoy less stress as a result. Why It’s Important to Keep Your iPhone’s Digital Files Organized and Free of Clutter When your devices are full they won’t work correctly  Remember my story about not being able to take a photo because my iPhone ran out of storage space? That’s just one example of how a device will stop working properly when you have too much digital clutter. Other things that can go wrong are your email can stop updating, text messages stop coming in, and apps won’t open, among other inconveniences. When your devices are full it prevents them from updating, including installing important security updates  iPhone operating system updates, as well as application updates, rely on having a certain amount of free space in order to install the updates. Without them, your devices can be vulnerable to hackers and malicious attacks. Also, keeping old apps on your phone that you no longer use, and haven’t been updating, can be a security threat. Digital Decluttering Guide for Phones We’ll look at decluttering our screenshots, photos, videos, apps, notes, texts, emails, contacts, voicemails, browser bookmarks, and browser tabs. Then we’ll make sure our operating system and apps are all up to date. I have an iPhone, but decluttering should be a similar process for Android phones. After all of this is completed, we’ll declutter our social media accounts. For each step, I’ll let you know what to do to accomplish the step, and I’ll also share my own digital decluttering journey so you can follow along for motivation. As you can see in the above photo, I’m starting this process with my phone storage almost maxed out. Step 1: Declutter Screenshots What to do: Open your screenshots folder and delete everything that you don’t need anymore (on an iPhone, they can be found in the Photos app > Albums > scroll down for Screenshots). By deleting them, they’ll get moved to your recently deleted/trash folder. If you don’t urgently need space, you can leave these files in the recently deleted/trash folder, and they’ll be deleted from your trash in 30 days if you don’t recover them first. If you urgently need space, go to your recently deleted/trash folder, review everything quickly to make sure you want to get rid of it permanently, and delete it. Note: You won’t be able to get it back after doing this. My digital decluttering journey: I didn’t realize that I take screenshots often, but my phone currently has 2,023 screenshots, so apparently I do. Many of them are things I needed to reference temporarily and no longer need, so I filed them appropriately or deleted them. Step 2: Declutter Photos & Videos What to do: Go through your photos and videos and delete any that you don’t want anymore. Connect your phone to your computer, and copy your photos and videos to your computer. I then recommend backing up your photos in two places: a portable hard drive and cloud storage. First, copy your files to a portable hard drive — some popular brands are Seagate, WD My Passport, SanDisk, and LaCie. Once that’s completed, copy your files to cloud storage — such as Amazon Photos, Dropbox, or Google Photos. Note: iCloud isn’t included here because it syncs from your phone, so deleting the photos from your phone will also delete them from your iCloud storage — don’t make this mistake. Once your photos are safely backed up in two places, you can delete them from your phone. My digital decluttering journey: Decluttering phone photos is my most dreaded task. I love taking photos and videos, perhaps too much, especially while on frequent walks at the beach […]

If you have family, friends, or a neighbor whose house was damaged in a flood, here are ways you can support them during this time.  Table of Contents: Thank you for being such a supportive friend or relative by checking out this page. Your willingness to help someone recovering from a flood will make a huge difference in their life! Having your house flood can be one of the most challenging and overwhelming situations a homeowner can face. If you can assist someone in any way, whether big or small, it will surely be very appreciated. I put together this list of ideas for ways to help, from donating time or funds to providing hands-on help, offering a meal, or simply showing moral support. Besides home flooding, businesses, especially small ones near the coast, are often vulnerable to rising waters and storm surges. For these business owners, a flood can be not only financially devastating but also emotionally overwhelming as they work to restore their livelihood. If someone you know has experienced flooding in their business, this list of ways to lend a hand can also be applied to help business owners get on the path to rebuild and recover. This post is geared toward situations where a severe flood has made a home temporarily unlivable, but the tips here can also be helpful for smaller-scale flooding. No matter if inches or feet of water entered the structure, the cleanup is a major undertaking. There are many ways you can help, by directly assisting with the cleanup process, offering help with the everyday tasks that can be overwhelming while dealing with cleaning out a flooded house, or providing necessities. Below I’ll discuss numerous ways you can make a positive impact for someone whose house has been flooded. Here are practical ways to help someone after a flood, including ideas on what to say to offer comfort, and common flooding causes. 10 Ways to Help Someone After a Flood Help with the clean up Once water enters a home or business, all of the contents will need to be emptied out, the items sorted to be tossed or cleaned, tear out the drywall (even if only a couple of inches got in), clean all of the mud and residue off of the floors, wash any items that can be saved, and the drying out process on the walls and floors must begin. Items that can’t be saved need to be stacked in a pile outside for the insurance assessor to review before it’s put out for garbage collection. You can offer your time and effort to assist with this clean up process. Make sure to show up in appropriate clothing and footwear for this messy work. Bring cleaning supplies Cleaning up a flooded house requires supplies like strong garbage bags, gloves, mops, buckets, brooms, masks (everyone always mentions how awful it smells), and paper towels.  Offer to let them use your washer and dryer If their clothing, bedding, towels, curtains, or washable rugs have come in contact with water, there will be a small window in which to wash everything before it starts mildewing and gets ruined. By offering the use of your washer and dryer, or offering to wash the items for them, they’ll have a way to save these items from needing to be replaced. This will not only save them money, but will also give the benefit of being able to have clean items to take with them to wherever they’ll be staying. Losing a home and everything in it is devastating, so by offering a way to wash their clothes, you’re helping them preserve a few belongings that might otherwise be lost forever. Offer a place to stay One of the biggest problems when someone’s house floods is that they have nowhere else to go. Not everyone has family nearby who they can stay with. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford an Airbnb, hotel, or rental house for an extended amount of time, and even finding one can prove challenging. Flood insurance can provide coverage for some of these costs, but it can take time to get insurance sorted out. If you’re able to offer a place for them to stay, even for a few days or a week so they can be looking for a longer term solution, that can be a huge weight off of their shoulders. Related Post: America’s Coastal States: Populations, Shorelines, and Rising Seas Infographic Drop off food and water Cleaning up a flooded house is exhausting. Make sure everyone is staying well fed and hydrated by dropping off breakfast sandwiches and coffee in the morning, or sandwiches or pizza in the afternoon, plus some bottled water. Offer to watch their kids For families with younger children, it can be difficult to make significant progress in a flood cleanup when you’re also chasing after and caring for your young children. Offer to have the kids over to your house for a day so their parents can focus on the cleanup. Offer to watch their pets Without a stable home environment, it can be challenging to take care of pets. It can also be hard to find temporary housing that accepts pets. If you’re able, offer shelter for their pets either during the day while the family is working on cleaning up their house, or for a few weeks or as long as you’re able to. Help to navigate the insurance process and to document the damage If the person you’re helping isn’t particularly tech savvy, or is feeling overwhelmed and needs help navigating the process, you can direct them to the correct websites to sign up for any potential FEMA assistance, the phone number to call for their insurance company to get an assessor out to the property, or anything else they need help navigating. You can even offer to sit with them as they fill out the forms. They’ll also need to document everything that was damaged […]

These content ideas cover a range of topics to keep your fitness blog engaging, informative, and relevant to your audience’s interests and needs. If you’re an aspiring fitness influencer looking for content ideas for YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, or trying to think of fitness blog topics to write about, check out the list below of health and fitness content ideas that you can use and make into your own. Sometimes it can be hard to think of content creation ideas. We’ve all been there. If you haven’t done so already, create a list in your phone’s note-writing app so that no matter where you are, when an idea comes to you it can be added to your list so you don’t forget it. To get you started, I’ve made this list of workout, health, and fitness content ideas that you can use for inspiration as-is or put your own spin on them. While my blog is not entirely focused on fitness, I aim to lead a healthy coastal lifestyle, which means health and fitness is a regular part of my daily life. I came up with these ideas from things I’ve thought about, written about, or have researched in my own healthy lifestyle journey, which is how I know that people are looking for more information on these topics. The best content answers a question someone has, helps them with a problem they’re trying to solve, or motivates them to do something they’ve been wanting to do to improve their life. Through your blog or social media page you can connect with like-minded individuals who share your enthusiasm for fitness. Building a supportive community can provide encouragement, accountability, and camaraderie for you and your audience. Starting a fitness blog can be a fulfilling experience that allows you to combine your passion for fitness with the opportunity to inspire and connect with others. Try these ideas to add fresh, engaging content to your fitness blog or social media account. Table of Contents: 58 Health and Fitness Blog Post and Social Media Content Ideas Use these fitness blog ideas to get started with posting engaging content. 1. Share the story of your fitness journey and why you started a fitness blog or social media account Everyone starts somewhere, and sharing your beginnings will make you more relatable to anyone who is just starting on their own fitness journey. 2. Quick workout ideas for those short on time Many people feel that they don’t have time to exercise, so show them that they do with your quick workout ideas. 3. Workout plans: weekly, monthly Make it easy for your audience to know which days to work out and which days to have rest days. You can make these plans super general or create them for different fitness goals. For example, you can make a monthly workout plan for someone who wants to start running, a weekly workout plan for someone who wants to target a different muscle group each day, etc. 4. A day in the life: share how you incorporate fitness and wellness into your day What does your typical day look like? Share a timeline of when you work out, eat, go to work, and where you fit in other wellness activities that give you a happier, healthier life. 5. Tips for building muscle and increasing strength  6. Basic exercise equipment everyone should have For at-home workouts, what basic items are essential? Do you recommend a yoga/exercise mat, hand weights, a jump rope, exercise ball, or other items to have varied at-home workouts? 7. Workouts that don’t require equipment Share your favorite bodyweight exercises for a full-body workout. This can be helpful when people are traveling and don’t have access to exercise equipment, or are just starting out and haven’t purchased any equipment yet. 8. How to fit exercise into your weekly routine 9. Lead workout challenges for your audience to participate in  This gets your followers involved and coming back daily for updates and motivation. 10. The pros and cons of joining a gym 11. Workouts you can do outdoors Being outdoors can have many benefits, including improving mental health. Share how you can exercise while enjoying being in nature. Check if your desired blog website name is available: And save $1 off your domain registration with code: STARSANDANCHOR 12. How often should you exercise? Share the recommended amount of time to exercise per day and how many days per week. If you’re getting these recommendations from a source, remember to share your sources for credibility. 13. Workout routines that focus on different muscle groups  14. The importance of getting enough sleep when training 15. The pros and cons of indoor exercise vs. outdoor exercise 16. Reviews of exercise equipment, clothing, and gear Share your favorite exercise items and gear, what you recommend, what you don’t think is necessary, different considerations if someone is in the market for these items, if you think something is worth it for the price, etc. 17. Should you hire a personal trainer? Things to consider. 18. What is HIIT and what are the benefits? 19. Make photo or video tutorials demonstrating various exercises  Show your followers your workouts with step-by-step instructions so they can do them, too. 20. Talk about the positive effects of exercise on mental health  Related: Small Business Tips: The Best Websites to Get Free Fonts for Commercial Use 21. Why you should consider joining a workout class  Share what’s beneficial about taking a workout class. Is it helpful for people who have trouble motivating themselves to exercise? What do you like and dislike about workout classes? 22. A guide to cardio workouts  23. Tips for exercising for weight loss 24. Discuss current fitness trends Every couple of years it feels like a new fitness trend is all you hear about, like competitive HIIT programs, at-home exercise bikes, online exercise classes, and more. Discuss the current trends: what they are, the benefits, the disadvantages, and so on. 25. How to […]