Helpful tips for you and your household

Well we made it to the new year. I don’t have to say it. We all know it. But yeah, “2020.” What a year to be alive and we can all step back and be thankful for the lives we have. Like with all new years many people want a fresh start. A new you or a new space. Many people set very lofty goals each year and by month two we are all off the wagon, or maybe we broke the wagon.

Well if organizing your home is a priority then look no further. And if scale and cost are an obstacle then have nor fear. There are many ways to revolutionize your home and your pantry closet in particular using five low budget items, many of which you may have lying around your house. Each item, or group of items is under $20 per tip if buying new from stores like Wal-Mart or Amazon. But some things you can find second hand for even cheaper.

Moving is never something you love to do. Moving is a lot of work. You must go through your entire house packing and sorting everything to make sure you can find it easier on the other end. I mean you could just throw things in boxes and hope for the best, but that doesn’t set you up for success at your new house or worse when you're trying to find something in storage. The more organized you can be upfront the easier it will be later on.

A fire is never something you plan on having. A fire is more than just heat and flames. A fire can cause a ripple effect of things even after the fire is put out. What wasn’t burned completely by the fire was definitely affected by smoke and soot. Smoke is a complex mixture of different gases and particles, which results from the various materials that burn during a fire and the particle size of smoke residue on a surface can present a respiratory hazard for everyone in your household (Cultural Heritage). It is important that if there was large amounts of smoke filling the home that you find somewhere else to stay until you can have it cleaned and/or repaired. Most insurance companies will pay for you to relocate during this period.

Winter is a three month season that holds both the coldest days and the shortest days. The population is usually split on what season is better. The long and sunny days of summer or the dark and cold days of winter. Summer is known more for vacations and family activities and summer is for staying inside, staying warm, and spending time with family especially during Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays.

A cluttered home is a common source of stress among families and parents. We all have a lot of stuff, especially here in America. We buy large houses with garages and then continue to add stuff to storage units and attics. According to ClosetMaid, 1 in 3 people procrastinate throwing things away they no longer need. There are many reasons why people keep things but not all reasons are the same.

Not everyone loves the winter months. Unless you ski, snowboard, or sled, the winter season is just cold, dark, and lonely. How do you get through the dreaded cold months of the year. At least it has Thanksgiving and Christmas to look forward to. Here are 6 things you can do indoors this winter season to stay warm and stay sane.

Changing your home throughout the seasons can last anywhere from a day to a week. Whether you go all out for the holidays or just give your home a few holiday accents is totally up to you. But in the off season where does everything go, and when next year comes will it be easy to recreate?

The linen closet. A catch all for comforters, blankets, sheets, pillow cases, towels, and a whole lot more. When it comes time to find clean towels or change the bedding in your guest room, an unorganized closet will make a short task into a lengthy one.

When it comes to moving and packing it always seems like an uphill battle. It's times like this that make you wish you didn’t have all this stuff. Some stuff is easier to pack than others. Books for example don’t need a lot of wrapping paper and to just be placed inside of a box (limit how many though). The one downside of books is that they are so heavy. Bonus tip, only use small boxes for books and fill them about half full.

If you are like most people. Doing laundry may be a weekly task or maybe it's every few days for a large family. Your average washing machine can usually only handle 10-12 pounds of laundry. If you have a higher capacity washer and one with modern deep clean features you may be able to clean up to 20 pounds. Maxing out your washing machine may save you time now but over the course of time your clothes start to not come out as clean.

A kitchen is the heartbeat of the home. It’s where you cook and eat meals, come home and tell your family about your day, and unfortunately the place where a lot of water damage can occur. Water can leak from a variety of places in your kitchen from dishwashers, refrigerators, and sinks.

When it comes to packing and moving items that fit nicely into boxes they are really easy to load into a truck. Each box fits nicely together and you get a well packed truck. Unfortunately, there are more than just boxes in a typical house. There will be furniture of course and don’t forget all of the small awkward sized items like fans, lamps, and oversized artwork and prints.

Figuring out what is restorable and what is going to be replaced after a fire can be a daunting task. Trying to find replacements for each of your items can get time consuming and expensive. Not only for you but for your insurance claim limits as well. Everything in your home was affected by the smoke and fire, but not everything is a total loss. Many items can be simply wiped clean, others a more extensive clean is necessary and others a deep clean and deodorizing. No one wants to put on soot covered clothes or sleep in a bed and wake up smelling like smoke.

First, it is good to take a dry sponge. These are sold at Home Depot or most major hardware stores. Use the sponge to initially wipe the surfaces of the item to break down the soot and even get most of it off.

When hiring a restoration company there are many things to consider. There are many companies that provide fire and water damage restoration services. They range from both local and national brands like ServiceMaster and ServPro. The services that each provide are similar but the quality of each can differ.

A house fire or a water disaster can be a traumatic and unexpected event for you and your family. Finding the right restoration company that walks you through the process, cleans and restores your belongings, and packs everything back into your home is something to be desired.