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By Relocation.com
After moving, there are many fun ways you can spruce up your home. If you love to entertain and you love to drink, then you should think of investing in a great home improvement project like purchasing your own home bar. True, you can mix drinks in your kitchen or your dining table, but if you’re planning to serve more than vodka mixed with juice or soda, a bar will allow you to store and mix your own liquors, and keep you organized. It’s also a good centerpiece for any occasion, and it’s simple to organize and create your own bar nook.
First off, you’ll need the actual bar. If you want to save money, you can build your own, but you should also have some sort of building and crafting skills to make even a simple bar table. There is plenty of pre-built bars in stores and online, so you should do your research. It should be the right size to fit your designated bar nook, and should be able to fit all your bottles and accessories. Some bars have additional parts, like an overhead bottle holder or shelf, so you can display your bottles and have easy access to them as well.
Next, you’ll have to fill up your bar. If you have the cash to burn, then you can fill it up in one go. Of course, if you don’t have a lot of money, then you can slowly build it up over time. What sorts of things should you get? It’s hard to decide what to buy first, but a good way to choose is by buying things for your favorite drink or drinks and build it up from there. So if you like a good martini, then a bottle of gin, vermouth, and some olives should be your first buys. It’s also good to stock up on some basics, like vodka, rum, gin, tequila and soda water, but unless you’re having a party soon, you can always add these bottle by bottle. Later on, you can add some more mixers and liquers like Baileys, Khalua, Cointreau, Brandy, Pimm’s, Vermouth, Campari, Grenadine Syrup, etc.
Of course, a good bar will also have the right accessories. You can get full bartender gear in sets, but you can also build it up as you go along. Shakers and jiggers are essential for mixing, especially if you like your drinks “shaken, not stirred.” A strainer will help you get the drink into the glass without the ice you used to shake it in. If you do like your drinks mixed, then you’ll need a long bar spoon for maximum efficiency. There are other bar tools you may need as well, such as muddlers, zesters and ice crushers. Also, good glassware is important, as you don’t want to just serve your drinks in plastic cups. Shot glasses, short old-fashioned glasses and tall highball glasses are good to have around. Martini glasses or cocktail glasses are also some essentials you can’t live without.
Once you’re done with your preparations, you can now mix your own drinks, and invite a few over’s for a fun evening!
By Maria Paulia Belgado
It’s December! Have you started decorating for Christmas? You probably already have some ideas on how your house will look like for this very special season. But if you haven’t thought of it yet, don’t worry! Here, you’ll learn the most exciting ways to decorate your home this 2011 Christmas celebration!
The first step to decorating for Christmas is finding a theme. This is important so you can limit your choice of décor. If you have a theme, you’ll find it easier to pick colors and decorative materials. If you love Santa Claus like many people do, you can focus your theme on him. Why not place a huge display of Santa Claus in your living room? This will totally amuse your guests. Decorate the windows, doors, and walls with some Christmas furnishings that have a touch of red. You can also add the color green as both of these colors represent Christmas. If you want diversity (because for sure, your neighbors will have the same colors and displays), you can make a white Christmas theme! Make use of shining white lanterns and cute decors. People would usually use a green Christmas tree. To be different, try using a white one or any color you want. The tree doesn’t have to be too extravagant unless you decide to have this as the only Christmas décor in your house. If you plan to install decorative items in every corner, make your Christmas tree simple. It’s not a good idea to become too hooked in decorating for Christmas. Make a focal point – a place or display where the attention of anyone entering your house will be centered. If your focal point is the Christmas tree, don’t forget the gifts!
Lights are vital in decorating for Christmas. Lights will establish the Christmas atmosphere in your house. While a combination of colors for the lighting décor can be very eye-catching, you may want to settle on one or two colors only. This will keep your home classy and elegant.
You don’t always have to buy Christmas décor every year. You probably stored some items you used last year. In these difficult times, it’s not a good idea to overspend on decorating for Christmas. If you’re buying decorative items, look for quality ones so you can use them for the coming Christmas celebrations.
Decorating for Christmas shouldn’t be tiring and exhilarating. It must be one of the most fun-filled and enjoyable experiences that happen only once a year!
By Relocation.com
A home inventory checklist documents and tracks of your possessions, allowing you to keep tabs on what and how much you own. This can be a time-consuming process, so give yourself a week or so to complete it. Tackle one room each day, or set aside a weekend to get it done.
• Step 1: Make a spreadsheet. There are several sites that offer tips on how to document your belongings, including FEMA and the Insurance Information Institute. Individual insurance agencies also offer checklist guidelines; check with your agent for the specifics of your plan and what it covers.
• Step 2: Start documenting your belongings. A basic home inventory spreadsheet is divided room by room, with columns for: item description, quantity, model/serial number, year purchased, place purchased, and cost. Make sure all big ticket items have back-up such as receipts, appraisals, or serial numbers for electronics and appliances.
• Step 3: Take digital photographs of the items on your list and store them in a computer file with your spreadsheet. Include photographs of the outside of your home, overview shots of each room, and close-ups of any big-ticket items. For less expensive items, take a group shot. For example, empty your toolbox and take one photo of its contents.
• Step 4: Make sure all your data is backed up online so that you can access it if your computer is stolen or damaged. If you’re using hard copies, store one set in a second location away from your home, such as a relative’s house.
• Part Two: Use Your Inventory. Hopefully you won’t have to use your inventory in the event of a disaster or burglary, but you will be able to put it to use in your day-to-day life. Most people, when faced with the task of documenting their belongings, realize that they own too much stuff.
• Step 1: Go through your list, room-by-room, and ask yourself how many of each item you really need. Highlight each item that can be reduced. You may realize that you only need five t-shirts instead of fifteen, two sets of sheets instead of four, or one frying pan instead of three. (Don’t do any physical decluttering yet; just work on your list. Physical decluttering brings up emotional attachments and associations that add another layer of difficulty to the process.)
• Step 2: Set up an outbox in your home: a station where you collect the things you’re getting rid of. This is a strategy used in AT’s 8-Step Home Cure that really works. Items stay in the outbox for a little while, so that you have time to emotionally detach as well as the ability to retrieve something if you REALLY need it.
• Step 3: With your list in hand, tackle each room. Give yourself plenty of time for this process, at least one day for each room. Don’t get discouraged; it will take longer than you think but you’ll feel great once it’s over. Go through each room, whittling down your possessions to the number you’ve benchmarked on your list and placing items in the outbox. Schedule times to empty your outbox. In our experience, once a week is usually pretty realistic.
• Step 4: After you’ve finished de-cluttering, update your list. Whenever you make a new purchase, add it to your inventory. By keeping your records up-to-date, you’ll develop a clearer picture of everything you own, making it much easier to realize when you do or don’t need something. Once you understand the time and effort that goes into owning something, it becomes a lot easier to buy less and buy better.
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Keep cool this summer without raking up your electricity costs.
By Stephen Davis
Special to Relocation.com
In the summer, electricity bills can increase – especially in warmer areas in the south and west. During such periods of heat electricity consumption needs to be kept low. The key to this is efficiency and to use resources wisely.
One of the first things that you should remember is to keep your shades and blinds closed. This prevents the sun from heating up your home and wasting energy. Incandescent bulbs and other similar light sources also produce heat just like the sun does, so it is better that you keep extra lights off. A dark area generally gives a cool feeling anyway.
Hot air rises, so keep the vents and windows of the lower rooms closed. This will give the rooms upstairs more air and keep them ventilated and cool. Keep the vents and windows of the upper rooms open to the hot air escapes that way.
Also find out the sources of heat in your house. Cloth dryers use a lot of electricity and in addition to that, they also produce a lot of heat. Always install dryers near a window and have an air pipe made or an exhaust fan installed to channel away the hot air. Dryers that are placed in basements should have proper ventilation too or the hot air will escape into your living room through the stair case.
You should take a tour of your house and examine any openings from where cool air might escape. Remember cool air is heavier and will escape from places closed to the floor. This includes the spaces under doors. Some doors have a large space underneath them. This wastes a lot of cool air. Install strips of carpet or rubber at the door edges to act as a barrier to the cold air.
Human bodies also produce heat, especially during active actions like exercises. Do not do workouts indoors. Use your lawn or the local gym. The less activity there is inside the house, the cooler it will stay.
Many people keep on changing the air conditioner thermostat. This isn’t a wise idea as it uses more energy. Keep the air conditioner at one constant temperature. It will always cool better that way and consume less electricity as well. If you have a central air system, keep the fan on “On” instead of “Auto”. This will keep a steady airflow through your house and maintain the temperature beautifully.
Use pleasant weather wisely. Place a box fan in a window early in the morning and open the opposite window. This will circulate the fresh morning air through your house and cool it down.
In many areas, the air conditioner is not really necessary. Learn to live without it unless absolutely necessary. In many cases, the ceiling fan can do a nice job by itself.
Try if it works. Using less air conditioning will bring down electricity costs considerably.
And by the way, since it is the summer; go outside. Visit the beach, lake or riverside. Go to water parks and have picnics with friends. When you leave, make sure everything is turned off.
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NEW YORK, December 2, 2009 – They’re called “jobbies” — a blend of job and hobby — and the people who pursue them are “hobbers.” They allow us to do what we love with a paycheck (albeit it modest) attached. Many individuals who have found themselves without a “regular” job thanks to the sour economy are taking a fresh look at their professional lives and challenging themselves to pursue work that is more aligned with their passion and curiosity. This kind of soul searching brings with it a number of practical questions, including where to put a stake in the ground to launch this new chapter.
According to Relocation.com’s founder Sharon Sharon Asher, people who are starting fresh often narrow the field of possible locations by considering what resources a community offers that sync with their own interests. “Affordable living costs, a vibrant learning community and a solid foundation of small businesses and entrepreneurial enterprises are attributes that ‘hobbers’ may find most attractive,” says Asher.
Here are a few highlights of several “jobby”-friendly communities:
Athens, Georgia: Known for its beautiful, historical neighborhoods, warm Southern hospitality and, thanks to University of Georgia, a rich intellectual life, Athens provides an invigorating blend of college town, artist community and vibrant music scene to those seeking to set down new roots in a place with broad possibilities.
Gainesville, Florida: Home to the Florida Gators (and yes, also the real deal: Florida ‘gators), Gainesville nurtures a host of small startup companies surrounding the venerable University of Florida at Gainesville. Lovely older neighborhoods, affordable home prices and an easy Southern graciousness make Gainesville a worthy place to find or invent a “jobby.”
Austin, Texas: Selected as the No. 2 Best Big City in “Best Places to Live” by Money magazine, Austin’s vibrant music culture, strong ties to its universities and entrepreneurial setting (its nickname is Silicon Hills) make the city one of the top candidate for hobbers. In addition, in 2009, Forbes designated Austin as one of the least stressful large metro areas (it’s relaxing just reading that sentence). “Keep Austin Weird” is the unofficial slogan for the city.
San Diego, California: Although not an inexpensive place to live, San Diego entices new comers with its mild climate, burgeoning life sciences industry, well respected universities and overall mahalo beach-focused way of life.
Could California’s long slide be abating?
According to recent data from Relocation.com, the number of people leaving the state is shrinking compared to the number of people moving to it, a crucial gauge for measuring the state’s rebound from economic calamity.
As recently as 2005, 60.7% of the relocation activity for California was outbound – in other words, for every 2 people who were moving to California, 3 were leaving.
That kind of migration can decimate the local tax base and contribute to a further erosion in the state’s quality of life.
However, that outbound number has been slowly decreasing every year, from 58.6% in 2006 to 54.99% in 2009 year to date.
These numbers are reflected in the Los Angeles data.
We looked at the data for all moves in Los Angeles, including moves made within Los Angeles. We found that outbound Los Angeles moves accounted for 36.4% of all moves in 2009 year to date, down from 43.1% in 2008 (the earliest year for which city data are available).
However, instead of people moving to Los Angeles, we found that more people were making moves within the Los Angeles area, an indication that more people are taking advantage of housing prices to either ‘move up’ to a better home, or move to a better neighborhood.
Most importantly, of course, they’re deciding not to move out of Los Angeles.
The percentage of movers making a move within LA was 25.2% in 2008; it rose to 32.33% in 2009.
Relocation.com utilizes real-time data from people requesting moving services, recording where people are moving from and to. It annually records over 500,000 moving requests in its database.
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