Moving Tips

• Have two boxes which you will keep open until the very last minute. One of things that you will need at your current house, and another with things you will need immediately at your new house. Some things to include: a phone book, toilet paper, paper towel, plastic cups, a pair of scissors, tape, a notepad and pen.
• While packing, keep a list of what is going in to each box. This will help with the amount of time it takes to unpack, and decrease the frustration of not being able to find what it is you are looking for.
• Rather than take all of your clothes off of the hanger, only to put them back on the hanger, take them out of the closet in groups. Wrap hair ties or rubber bands around the hook part of the hanger to keep them hanging neatly. Lay them flat while traveling. In your new home, place them on the closet rod, remove hair tie and feel settled at home.
• Label each room with a sign to aid those who are helping you move. You may know the difference between the bedroom and the den but they may not.

Cleaning Tips

• Use a small paintbrush to dust hard to reach places, cracks and audio equipment.
• Kids coloring on the walls with permanent marker? Spray hairspry on it and wipe clean.
• Need to rid your home of the smell of smoke? Place a bowl of vinegar out to absorb the smell.
• To remove light stains from a sink or tub, rub with lemon. For tougher stains, use a combination of borax and lemon juice.
• To get rid of a tricky bathtub ring, scrub with a sponge heavily sprinkled with baking soda.Wipe clean. You can avoid rings forming in your toilet bowl by pouring 1/4 cup white vinegar into the bowl once a month.

Organizational Tips

• Clean out that jewelry box! Take three containers, one for things to throw away, one for things to donate, and another for jewelry that needs to be repaired. Every item should find a home in one of the containers or back in your jewelry box.
• In your cupboard, put a lazy suzane tray with mason jars on top of them. Use velcro to help them stay in place, while allowing you to remove them when you want. Label each jar, one for pencils and pens, another for paper clips and rubberbands, and others as you need. Change that junk drawer from a messy black hole to resources at the tip of your finger with the twirl of a tray.
• In your car keep several laundry baskets. After grocery shopping, place your bags in the basket and save time carrying them from the car to your house!
• Most likely, you always dump your keys, wallet and watch in the same place. Buy a bowl or basket to place things. When you walk in the door and are ready to unload your pockets, everything will still have a neat place for it to be.