In today’s modern world, we are obsessed with stuff and amassing more and more things. Especially before moving do we notice the amount of stuff that we have. However, as a contrast and even perhaps, a rebellion against this consumerist thinking, people are turning into a “zen” lifestyle. What is zen exactly? While many people define it differently, most can agree it’s about scaling back and minimizing down to the things that you need rather than just buying more stuff.

So, minimalist or zen decorating could be just that – going back to the basics and just rally having what you need. There are some benefits to cutting back on stuff: saving money, less clutter, and some may even say it’s good for the mind and soul. So, if you want to be minimalist in your home decorating, here are some tips to help you.

1)   Scale back to what you need. You should pare down to the essentials. In your bedroom, maybe just have a bed, side tables and one dresser. In your kitchen, you can have a few chairs for having breakfast around your table. In your living room, it may mean just having a couch and coffee table. While it’s nice to maybe have a china cabinet or an entertainment center, you don’t really need all those things.

2)   Go clutter free. The other important part of minimalist decorating is freeing your space of clutter! Don’t leave things on your table or on the back of your chair. Instead, you’ll have to be disciplined and put them away and really work on creating storage for your items. For example, if you have a desk, you maybe should keep it to the bare minimum – a laptop or desktop and maybe a picture frame. Store your pens, papers, and other supplies away.

3)   Balance. This is the key to minimalist decorating. You don’t want to overwhelm your space with stuff, but you don’t want it to look drab either. Also, try to achieve visual balance – put things pair or in asymmetrical order.

4)   Don’t forget your focal point. A focal point will allow you to create a center for visual activity, so it’s important you have one. For example, if you have a minimalist living room decorated in pale or neutral tone, you might want to create a focal point by adding a sofa on a bright, solid color.

5)   Use only accents. One or two accent pieces can make an area interesting without overpowering it. For example, you can put up two pictures on your walls, or maybe add one or two plants in the corner of your room.

Keeping things to the minimum can help you focus on the more important things in life. It also can help keep your life in order, and help you become less stressed.

Pets are great source of happiness and enjoyment. Even if they don’t talk the way we do, they are able to express their love in the most special ways they can. But sometimes, pets can make your head ache especially if they seem to make your house dirty all the time. It can be their poop that stained in your carpet, the mud that marked on your sofa, or the animal hair that triggered your asthma.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to keep your home clean even if you have lots of pets at home.

• Keep the vacuum close by.

Animal hairs splattered around are a common problem of many pet owners. If you have furry friends at home like dogs and cats, they will shed a lot of hair most especially when they’re playing or cuddling. If you have kids who have asthma or allergies, this can be a disaster. Sweeping the hairs will not be helpful. Instead of taking them away, you might just scatter them even more. The best solution is to use a vacuum! There are pet vacs available in the market today which are specifically designed for animals. You can also keep your regular home vacuum within your reach so anytime you see those hairs messing around; you can easily sweep them away.

• Keep your home well ventilated.

If your pet’s litter box is inside the house, it’s most likely to produce unwanted smell even if there’s enough sand. You just can’t help it. Its animal poop – what do you expect? The best thing to do is situate the litter box in the dirty kitchen or somewhere which is near to a window or door. You also want to keep the entire house ventilated so the air can just go in and out, replacing the bad air inside.

• Clean your pet’s paws.

Dirty paws can stain your expensive carpet and your beautiful couch. So always see to it that the paws of your pet are clean the moment they enter your house. If your pet has gone outside, it’s very much possible that there’s dirt and soil stuck in its paws.

• Keep them well-groomed

A dirty pet brings dirt to any home. Well, you can’t just jail your pet inside the house. They need to go out and play too. What you can do is to maintain their cleanliness. Give them a bath regularly. Bring them to a pet parlor and have those fur trimmed and teeth brushed. You should have a complete ‘hygiene kit’ for your pet which includes its shampoo, powder, medications, etc.

• Disinfect your home regularly

When your pet played outside, it’s most likely to come home with bad microorganisms and parasites attached on its fur. After cleaning your pet, you must also disinfect the house. Make a water-and-soap solution for the windows and floor or if you want, you can buy a disinfectant product from a local grocery store.

See? Who says a home with pets is always dirty? It’s not. It won’t. If you know how to clean it right, you can maintain a clutter-free home while keeping as many pets as you want!

Congratulations on your exciting moving experience. One simple way to add life and freshness to your interiors is to decorate it with plants. Plants not only add a touch of green but also a glimpse of nature.  In some cases, a beautiful indoor plant can become the room’s primary accent piece.  In others they can be sit discreetly on side tables and pedestals, whatever size they are, adding vibrancy that would not otherwise be achieved by inanimate decor.

If you want to decorate your room with plants, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Do you have the time to take care of your plant?

Plants look best in a room when they look healthy and are well cared for, when the green leaves glow with life and the plant stands proudly lush.  Shriveled and withered plants suggest neglect.  There’s nothing like a dying plant to dampen a room’s atmosphere. When hiring moving companies, remember to ask them for the best boxes to secure your plants.

Is there natural light in the room?

Plants thrive best with natural light, so it is best to place them in a room where there is ample sunlight coming from your window.  In fact, the best place to keep an indoor plant, particularly large and heavy ones, are near windows which are kept open during good weather.

If you place a plant in a room or a place in the room where there is little sunlight, you will need to air and sun your plant often, at least twice daily for some varieties.  Even plants that don’t crave as much sunlight would have to be brought outside once in a while.

And what about indoor temperature and humidity?

You also need to consider room temperature and humidity.  Most plants thrive in humid conditions.  But some plants like cacti prefer dryness.  Make sure that the plant you get will match the heat and humidity in your home.  But, if you would still like to keep exotic plants that require conditions that are very different, consider buying a humidifier (or a dehumidifier) and be prepared to control indoor temperature during winter or summer.

What size of plant should you get?

It’s a cliché but true: plants come in all shapes and sizes.  And when you start looking for a plant for your living room or hallway you will find that there are tens of varieties to choose from.  A good rule of thumb would be, first decide where you intend to place the plant — near a window? On a small side table or a big center table? On a desk?—and that should be your guide to size.

Small plants arranged artfully like miniature gardens in a shallow dish will look good on your coffee table.  A medium-sized ornamental bush with or without blooms would look perfect on a side table or a pedestal.  As mentioned earlier, it’s best to keep big and heavy plants near windows.

You’ll find that decorating with plants is enjoyable, but don’t overdo it! Unless you’re aiming for that ‘tropical jungle’ look, one, two or three in a room is the perfect number.

When you sign a lease agreement, most likely you’ll be signing on for a set period of time, such as six months or one year. That means you’ll have to stay on for this amount of time or risk breaking your lease.

While many people do intend to stay long-term in their apartments or homes (after all, moving all the time can be costly) there are some unforeseen circumstances where you might be forced to break your lease before it us up, such as illness, job loss or other emergencies. If you absolutely have to break your lease agreement, here are some of the things you should consider.

Alternatives:
Before you try breaking your lease, there may be other things you can do first. You can ask your landlord if you can transfer the lease to someone you know (and have them move in and pay off the remaining rent for the lease term) or find a sub letter, who will be your responsibility for the time of the lease. In many cases, landlords hate breaking lease agreements because they don’t want to lose the income from the rent and/or don’t want to be bothered with having to look for tenants. If you make it as easy as possible for them, you may be able to get out of your lease unscathed.

Circumstances When You Can Legally Break Your Lease

There are three main circumstance wherein you can break your lease without penalty:

1)   If the apartment or whom suffers serious damage through natural disasters, crime or other instances through no fault of your own.

2)   If you suffer serious health issues which require you to live in an assisted living facility.

3)   If you are called into active military duty after you’ve signed your lease

In these three cases, you can legally break the lease and your landlord cannot go after you for penalties.

Landlord Deficiencies:
If your landlord has been deficient in his or her duties, then you can also break your lease since he or she is not keeping up their end of the bargain. For example, if you’ve repeatedly sent requests for repairs and they ignore you, or if they’re supposed to pay for the utilities but haven’t (or have been keeping the payment for themselves if you give it to them) then you have just cause to break your lease. Make sure you keep good records (like written or e-mailed requests for repairs, etc.) so you can make your case, in the event that you have to go to small claims court or have been served with other legal documents and actions.

If you just want to break your lease because you want to move somewhere else, because you can’t pay or perhaps going through a divorce or separation, you may find it harder to break your lease. However, first talk to your landlord and offer the aforementioned alternatives, that way you can have a peace of mind when you coordinate other aspects of your move like locating moving companies.

Summer is just a few months away. Flowers are blooming and the weather’s getting warmer. However, your home seems to be stuck with the winter blues. So before the sun finally shines again, you want to have your broom and rags ready for spring cleaning!

The start of spring marks the best time to clean our homes. With all those leaks and damages brought by the snow, it’s time to do some fixing and de-cluttering. Because of the fine weather during spring, it has become a tradition for majority of Americans  to clean their houses thoroughly this time of the year. Nonetheless, spring cleaning can be extremely strenuous. Many people often go puzzled and stressed out on determining where to start. If you own a big house with lots of clutter, you might find it real hard to begin spring cleaning. Fortunately, there are several ways to cut the burden and make cleaning more effective, less-time consuming, and more enjoyable. Let’s talk about them on this article. Are you read? It’s time for spring cleaning!

Getting Started

Organization is the key to an easy and smooth spring cleanup. Before you start dusting the furniture or scrubbing the floors, you want to come up with a strategic plan which tells what areas should be cleaned first, when they should be cleaned, who’s in charge, and how they will be cleaned. It’s always best to have the whole family involved in the entire cleaning process. Aside from reducing the time and effort, it can also be a great time for family bonding. So back to organizing – the best way to do this is to gather the whole family and assign an area for each one. For instance, you and your spouse will be the head of the spring cleanup drive while your youngest child will be responsible for final inspection. Don’t try to finish the activity in one day or everyone in your home will get severely exhausted. You want to take everything slow but surely. Most people usually start with the dirtiest part of their house up to the areas which only require minimal cleaning. For instance, you can start with the basement or attic (which usually is the hardest to clean) down to the living room.

Don’t hesitate to seek help. There are things that no matter how much you wanted to do will be done best with the help of cleaning experts. For instance, you may have huge items that needed to be hauled or removed from your home. You may also have big trees that need to be trimmed or cut. So in the planning, you may need to identify what things should be done by a cleaning expert. Aside from saving you time and energy, doing so will eliminate the possibility of accidents and mishaps.

Spring cleaning can be a great activity when done correctly and safely. You should also wear proper clothing whenever you clean. When it comes to the choice of cleaning products, it’s ideal to go green.

Congratulations on your exciting moving experience! Now that the long distance moving companies have left, it is time to think about decorating and designing your new home. While your home may be your castle, your bedroom is probably your own private domain. So much so, that many couples keep this place just to themselves, and make it a “kid-free” zone. If you want to make the most of this private, intimate space for you and your partner, check out these romantic bedroom decorating ideas.

It’s all about the lighting:
Lighting can make the mood in any place, and convey many feelings depending on how it’s done. For your room, of course you’ll need some utility lighting, for when you’re dressing up or cleaning up. However, it’s good to have soft mood lighting as well. Try to install some soft yellow bulbs, which bring out a romantic mood. You can also have a nice lamp next to your bed, so you can turn off all the other lights and just keep this one light on. If your light is too harsh, try softening it up with a sheer scarf.

Color choices:
The way you use color in your bedroom is important. While greys and blacks and white are modern and dramatic, it hardly says “romance.” Deep reds, pinks and rose shades are definitely romantic, but you’re not limited to just these colors. Other warm tones, like soft oranges and yellows. Cool tones like blue and green can be soothing, and allow you to relax and put you in a more romantic mood.

Soft Fabrics:
Choosing your fabrics is important when trying to set a romantic mood. Changing the sheets can make a big difference – try using soft, silky materials and putting away your utilitarian cotton and linen sheets for a while. Feeling the sensuous fabrics next your skin can quickly put you in the mood.

Flowers can set the mood:
Scents can trigger emotions, and some fresh flowers set next to your bedside can quickly put you in the mood. Roses are the best type of flower, but experiment with lavender (which is said to be a male aphrodisiac), jasmine or lily of the valley. If you can’t get any fresh flowers, try to spray your sheets with your favorite fragrances.

Clean up the clutter!
It’s best to keep your bedroom free from distractions, and that includes clutter! A messy room can divert your attention, so make sure you keep your room clean. And, if possible, keep the TV out of the bedroom, or at least have a way to keep it hidden.
Using these guidelines, you’ll be able to turn your bedroom into your own romantic hideaway.

For seniors and elderly people, moving can be a difficult time. There are many reasons why they need to move – illness, downsizing, or perhaps just moving in with another relative. If you’re helping an elderly friend, relative or parents move, then you have to be sensitive to their situation. Aside from that, moving can be stressful, and someone older may not be able to deal with the physical and mental stress, so try to help as much as they can. So, try to keep these tips in mind when helping the elderly move.

Start As Soon As Possible:
Starting as soon as you can will ensure you’re not rushing and that you won’t forget things. You can start by planning things out. Work out the important details first – the where, when and how before you even being to pack up moving boxes. Try to get some help or get a moving company to help you if the work really is too much. This will save you time in the long run and you’ll have more time to devote to your elderly person’s emotional and physical needs, rather than running around trying to move everything yourself.

Don’t Forget the Non-Material Things:
There are some essentials you can’t pack up in a box, so don’t forget to arrange for them. Medical and dental records are probably the most important, but also remember prescriptions and bank accounts, some of which can only be done by the person. You may have to take time to drive them around and get these switched to the new address.

Help Them Downsize:
Over the years, he or she may have acquired a lot of things. Chances are, not all of them are important, and some may have to be sold or thrown away. Help them sort things out. You can have a pile for throwing away, giving away, keeping and selling at a yard sale. This will also ensure that they can save some money on the move.

Take Care of Keepsakes:
Of course, there will also be some things that he or she may want to keep, such as photos, jewelry and other keepsakes. Take extra care of these as these may or may not have monetary value, but they certainly have sentimental value. Don’t pack them with the movers and keep them with you at all times.

Keep Them in the Loop:
Your elderly friend, relative or parent move, don’t keep them in the dark. You may think you’re that you’re protecting them or you think it’s not important, but they may feel confused or resentful if you keep things from them. Tell them all the details, like how you’re going to move, which moving company you’re using, and also take them through the details of moving day so they know what to expect.

Keep Essentials With You:
Don’t pack everything away – there may be some things they’ll need on the day of the move. Medications, sweaters, blankets – these may be some items that they need and will keep them comfortable during the move.

For many people, the prospect of moving to a city or town they’ve never been to may seem exciting and scary at the same time, and perhaps even terrifying if you’re moving somewhere without a job offer of some kind. However, many people today have no choice, especially if their specialties or interests are not in demands where they work or if the jobs are simply drying up in their area. Should you move somewhere without a job? People move all the time, and often without jobs. If you do decide to do this, make sure you make the necessary preparations before you start packing your bags.

Research the Market:
Make sure you do your due diligence before you even consider moving. Research the job market in the area you want to move to. Are your skills and experiences in demand in an area, or are jobs in your field plentiful? Another consideration is the types of jobs you’d be willing to take and of course, what is the minimum salary you need to be able to live in the area. You can find out the answer to these questions by browsing the local employment ads, calling up employment agencies or doing your own research as to the statistics in the local economy. Also, you may want to give your resume test. Send out your resume to local employers and see how they respond. Don’t forget to let them know when you’re moving into town or if you are available to travel to their city for an interview.

Compute Total Costs:
You’ll also have to figure out how much the long distance moving companies are going to cost you, as well as how much you need to live on while you’re looking for a job. A good rule of thumb is to budget around six months of living expenses (rent, food, utilities etc.), but this really depends on your background and what job or jobs you’d be willing to do. If you background is too specific, you may find a harder time finding a job, but if your skills are highly in demand or you’re willing to do different types of jobs, you might find a job within weeks. Either way, it’s better to be over prepared.

Finding an Apartment:
Most landlords will require potential tenants to provide employment information before letting you move in, which may be difficult if you don’t have a job yet. Try to explain the situation to your landlord and offer up the necessary paperwork for an apartment, like references or bank statements; you can even offer to pay a few months rent in advanced so they know you are serious about looking for a job.

Networking:
You’ve heard the saying that sometimes the best jobs are never advertised – this is almost always true in many cases (or they will be advertised, but they will eventually pick someone within the company.) So, use networking to your advantage. Call up people you know or friends of friends (or even friends of friends of friends) and ask them if they know any company who is hiring people in your field. Also, use the Internet. LinkedIn, for example, is a great professional networking site and is rich in information and networking opportunities like joining groups or attending web events and seminars. Use the power of your connections or don’t be afraid to make connections yourself so you can land that dream job interview in your new city.

After moving you will have a lot of home improvement projects to work on. One of the easiest is to wallpaper your home. Wallpaper is great way to spruce up a room, especially if you’re tired of boring old paint. Usually, you’ll get wallpaper in sections, which you’ll have to unroll and use to cover entire walls. However, these days, with so many choices in colors and patterns, you’re not stuck with the same flower-and-paisley prints your grandma used to have in her house. Here are some creative wallpaper ideas you can do to spruce up your home.

Selective Use:
Instead of wallpapering your entire room, try doing only some portions to accentuate certain parts and give it a dramatic look. You can choose to wallpaper panels, doors, the wall above the fireplace, or a single wall. You’re not limited to the walls either – a wallpapered ceiling in a bright print can make a room more visually interesting.

Funky Art:
You can create some unique pieces of art to decorate your room by framing wallpaper. Take a piece of wallpaper and slip it into a pre-made frame and hang it on your wall. You don’t even need a frame – hang it from your wall like a scroll for the Asian look. This is also a great way to save on decorating costs, as you can use left over wall paper from your friend’s projects or from home decorating stores. Wallpaper needn’t be limited to your walls, or even your home.

Upcycle:
You can upcycle old things or flea market finds with a bit of pretty wallpaper. Use it to cover and old lampshade, the face of an old clock or even use it to lacquer old trays and tables. If you have cheap waste baskets, wrap them in wallpaper to match your décor.

Other Surfaces:
There’s a current trend where you can find wallpaper just about anywhere in the home. Some people wallpaper ceilings and even floors! But there’s no need to go wallpaper crazy. Think of other surfaces that can use a little jazzing up, like the inside of your closet, your door, tables, or even create your own headboard covered in your favorite wallpaper pattern. Also, instead of buying liners for drawers, use wallpaper instead.

Scrapbook with Scrap:
Finally, if you have some leftover wallpaper, you don’t have to thrown them away. Keep them for scrap booking projects and use them to cover books and notebooks or make cards and notes. You can even use wallpaper as wrapping paper for gifts.

If moving is hard for adults, it can even be harder for children. If you’re moving with your family, it is important that you make your children understand why you have to move and why they shouldn’t feel bad about it. The most common worries of children whether moving just across the town or moving to a ‘never-heard’ place are not being able to find new friends, getting bullied or set aside in their new school, not seeing their peers and not being comfortable with the entire place, new faces and all.

Books about Moving for Children
It is always best to inform your kids about the upcoming move as soon as possible. You need to give them time to think and allow themselves to accept it. One way to do this is to give them books about moving. There are books about moving for children that are written creatively. For sure, they would appreciate it. Other than having something to do while waiting for the moving day, they will also get the chance to understand the reason why you all have to move. Furthermore, you might not have all the time to oversee your kids during the day of move as you will be very busy looking after your belongings and making sure everything is ready. Giving them something to read can help ease their boredom and at the same time, can help them stay put.

Some Great Books about Moving for Kids:

I’m Not Moving, Mama
This is a story about a little mouse who refuses to leave his room on the very day of moving. You never can tell whether your kids are hundred percent ready to move even if you have told them about it weeks or months ahead. When the moving day comes, everything can get overwhelming for children that they end up doing tantrums, begging the entire family to just stay. This book can help your child cope with the anxiety that moving might bring.

Who Will Be My Friends?
As mentioned, one of the fears of children when confronted with the thought of moving is not being able to make new friends. This book is a story of a boy named Freddy and his journey to find new friends in the new neighborhood. It was hard in the end but eventually, Freddy was able to meet new friends and he was very happy.

We’re moving!
This story is about a little girl named Amy who has moved with her family. This book explains to children that getting comfortable in a new place takes time and effort but as days went by and new adventures come, everything will become normal as usual.

A Tiger Called Thomas
During the first days and nights in your new home, things can get very difficult for your child. The absence of friends and playmates can really make them feel alone and lonesome. Just like what Thomas felt on his moving story. But after a night of trick-or-treat, Thomas realized it’s not really that lonely being a new kid on the block.

There are more books about moving out there that your children will love. Encouraging them to read such kind of books will take away the negative feelings they have towards moving.