Back-to-School Shopping Tips: Start Early to Save

Ah, summer! Baseball and sunshine, lemonade stands ... and back to school?

Yep. Summer or not, it's time to think about ways to save money shopping for back-to-school clothing and school supplies. Because retailers are poised to begin back-to-school promotions the instant Independence Day fireworks cease to glow, savvy shoppers begin planning now to get the most for their back-to-school dollar.

Hang onto your wallets! With the rise of "back to school" as a two-month marketing exercise for retailers, coupled with cash-strapped school districts placing more of the supply burden onto students' families, it can be a tough job to get the kids outfitted without breaking the bank. Try these school shopping tips to save money, time and your sanity when shopping for back to school:

Before checking so much as a single back-to-school sales flyer, you need to know two things: what you need, and what you already have on hand.

What's on the list? No need to scrabble through cluttered drawers for last year's handouts! Local discount and office supply stores now feature checklist kiosks for nearby schools; school web sites are another good source for supply lists. Download or grab each kid's checklists, then scour the house for items already on-hand.

Any item already on-hand is a bonus freebie, so check the house for rulers and protractors, pencils and binder paper.

Set aside a supply stash. One way to conquer the "where is it?" chaos: designate a box, shelf or covered records box as School Supply Central.This tip will serve you well throughout the year the year. Find that stash of 9-cent boxes of crayons or a few packs of binder paper from last summer's shopping spree? Tuck them into the box; the short stuff will know where to find new crayons when they need them in November.

School supply aisles look like toy departments these days, and kids have big gimme eyes for school-day flash and bling. Shop from your list to keep back-to-school spending within budget.

Better, use a list as an exercise in financial education. Children, as natural consumers, are easy prey to "buy-me, buy-me" pressures, so smart parents set limits during this time of year.

Once you have an idea of your child's true needs, establish a budget amount, and create a learning experience. Yes, little Jenna WILL want the pricey licensed-character backpack and the lunchbox and the binder, no matter the cost. A bit of horsetrading along the lines of, "Well, the budget will let you buy the backpack only if we choose less expensive binders" can make the limits clear--and teach financial skills at the same time.

Back-to-school loss leaders (products offered at prices below their actual cost to entice you into the store) begin to pop up in discount stores and office supply stores mid-July. If you can pick up loss leaders for items you know you'll need--like lined notebook paper, pencils, crayons and report folders--you'll spare the budget for big-ticket buys.

While shopping, keep your eyes open. These days, just about every retailer wants a piece of the back-to-school action. School supplies pop up in the oddest places, like crafts stores, dollar stores and supermarkets. Shop off the beaten path for good prices!

While nobody wants to be caught dead dragging multiple children into the crowded school supply aisles the weekend before school opens, a short week later will see the same merchandise marked down to clearance prices--and no crowds.

Turn a deaf ear to children's pleas of "But I HAVE to have it all today!" and budget some cash for season-end discount buys. That's the time to stock up on the basics that will be needed all year: binder paper, composition books, spiral notebooks, pencils, erasers, crayons and markers.

If back-to-school is here, the holidays won't be far behind. Clearance-priced school supplies make great Christmas stocking stuffers. A quick trip after school begins--and once the items are marked down--can fill Santa's stockings inexpensively.

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Fall Cleaning Chore Checklist

It's Autumn.

Pumpkins glow in golden fields. Shorter days, crisp mornings signal winter's approach.

Can the holidays be far behind?

Use Autumn's brisk and breezy days to conquer deep-cleaning chores for a clean and comfortable winter home, and wrap up summer's outdoor areas.

Our Fall Cleaning Chore Checklist will help you prepare home and hearth for the coming of winter:

Summer's come and gone--and left its mark on outside the house.

Time to come inside for winter! Outside the house tend to these autumn chores:

Clean and store patio furniture, umbrellas, children's summer toys.Touch up paint on trim, railings and decks. Use a wire brush to remove flaking paint; prime bare wood first.Check caulk around windows and doors. Follow manufacturer's recommendations to re-caulk if needed.Inspect external doors and garage doors. Do they close tightly? Install weather-stripping, door thresholds if needed.Wash exterior windows.Drain and store garden hoses. Install insulating covers on exterior spigots. In hard-freeze areas, have sprinkler systems blown free of water.Check gutters and downspouts. Clear of debris if necessary. In cold-weather areas, consider installing heating cable to prevent ice dams.Have chimneys and flues inspected and cleaned if necessary.

Autumn's the time for "spring cleaning". Deep clean now to take advantage of good weather, and face the coming of winter and the approaching holidays with a clean and comfortable home.

Learn how to clean efficiently! Check out the Clean House Guide for more information on how to clean fast and furious.

Focus on public rooms: living room, family room, entryway, guest bath.Clean from top to bottom. Vacuum drapes and window treatments. Clean window sills and window wells. Vacuum baseboards andcorners.Vacuum upholstered furniture, or have professionally cleaned if needed. Move furniture and vacuum beneath and behind it.Wash interior windows.Turn mattresses front-to-back and end-to-end to equalize wear.Launder or clean all bedding: mattress pads, pillows, duvets, blankets, comforters. Tuck the family into a warm and cozy winter bed.Schedule professional carpet cleaning early this month! Warm October afternoons speed carpet drying. Carpet cleaning firms get busy by the end of October, so schedule now for best service.Prepare the kitchen for holiday cooking. Clean and organized kitchen cabinets, paying particular attention to baking supplies, pans and equipment.Clear kitchen counters of all appliances not used within the last week. Clear counters look cleaner--and provide more room for holiday cooking.Pull refrigerator away from the wall, and vacuum the condenser coils. For bottom-mounted coils, use a long, narrow brush to clean coils of dust and debris.Wash light-diffusing bowls from light fixtures.Inspect each appliance. Does it need supplies? Stock up on softener salt now, and avoid staggering over icy sidewalks with heavy bags.Check and empty the central vacuum's collection area.Clean electronic air cleaner elements monthly for most efficient operation. Wash them in an empty dishwasher (consult manual for specific product recommendations).Clean or replace humidifier elements before the heating season begins.Inspect washer hoses for bulges, cracks or splits. Replace them every other year.Check dryer exhaust tube and vent for built-up lint, debris or birds' nests! Make sure the exterior vent door closes tightly when not in use.Schedule fall furnace inspections now. Don't wait for the first cold night!Buy a winter's supply of furnace filters. Change filters monthly for maximum energy savings and indoor comfort. When the right filter is on hand, it's an easy job!Drain sediment from hot water heaters.

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Summer Cooking Tips: Cool Off in the Kitchen!

Who can imagine summer without summer food? Steaming corn-on-the-cob, each kernel bursting with sweet flavor. Burgers and barbecue. Ice cream sundaes. The crisp red smile of a watermelon wedge, dripping with sweet juice.

There's a darker side to summer meals. Food budgets groan under the strain of substituting quick-cook steaks and chicken breasts for thrifty stove-top casseroles. Ravenous children make the refrigerator door thump-thump-thump like a dog's tail. Catch-as-catch-can mealtimes, eaten on the run, substitute convenience for nutritional value.

What's a summer cook to do?

With creative meal planning strategies, summer doesn't have to bust the food budget, toss nutrition to the winds, or reduce the family chef to a melted, quivering puddle reminiscent of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Try these suggestions for simpler, cooler, more nutritious summer meals:

Basic menu planning is useful in every season. Don't know how? Simple. Start with the weekly food sections and a half-hour of time (coffee optional). On a 3-by-5 index card, turned longways, note your supermarket's weekly specials.

Flip the card over, and list each day of the coming week. Take a moment and think about your calendar. No sense planning an elaborate gourmet meal when it's your day to work Cub Scout Day Camp!

Using the week's specials, match simple entrees with busy days, more elaborate meals with at-home evenings.

Pencil your choices next to each day, and go about your shopping—but don't finalize your menu plan until you get home. Who knows when the Great Grocery Gurus will send a beautiful bit of salmon or a mega-bargain on boneless chicken breasts your way?

Once home, match the food you bought with the food you've planned, and ink in the coming week's menus. Check pantry and vegetable crisper for salad and side dish components ... and relax!

For a final, sure-fire bit of motivation, post your menu plan prominently on the refrigerator door. Nothing like knowing the family is drooling for tonight's microwaved meatloaf to energize a reluctant cook!

In summer, wedding-gift appliances earn their storage space. A rice steamer makes perfect rice, every time, with no excess heat to fog your kitchen. Spicy chili in the crockery slow-cooker is a super ending to a day at the park.

A pressure cooker can prepare family favorites in a fraction of the time—or kitchen temperature—needed by an oven. Hot bread from an automatic bread machine makes a light summer meal more substantial.

Finally, take a tip from our Southern friends, and cook chickens, roasts, or stews in a portable roaster, outside on the porch!

Everyone knows that you can pop your Orville Redenbacher's in the microwave oven, but did you know that this versatile appliance can bake potatoes, cook a roast, or bake the moistest cake you've ever tasted?

Dig out the recipe book that came with your microwave and try a new technique. The microwave's speed makes it a natural for summer cooking, and it won't overheat the kitchen—or the cook!

Children, even dyed-in-the-wool vegetable haters, love choosing dinner from vegetable gardens or roadside produce stands. Serve a vegetable meal, with corn-on-the-cob, sliced tomatoes, and washed raw vegetables. Don't forget the fat-free ranch dressing for dipping!

Firing up the gas grill? Don't stop with just tonight's entree of barbecued chicken breasts. Add several more pieces and hold the barbecue sauce.

Next night, serve half of the chicken shredded, over salad, and add dressing made from walnut oil and raspberry vinegar. The following night, reheat the remaining chicken, shredded, with salsa, crushed garlic, a squeeze of lime juice and a dash of oregano, and serve delicious chicken fajitas, wrapped in steaming flour tortillas. Cook once, but plan to eat at least three times.

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School's Out! Summer Survival for Busy Moms

They're here! Tumbling from the school bus, fresh from Field Day, with papers and projects and petrified sandwiches spilling in their wake: your children.

Summer vacation is wonderful, no doubt about it. Damp heads and wet bathing suits, backyard tents and fireflies in canning jars. "Look, Mom!" rings out a hundred times a day, from the top of the pool slide to the bug-dotted bottom of an upturned rock.

Here comes the Kool-Aid Mom! She's all sweet smile and tidy clothes, calling cheerful children from the corners of the yard with a bell-like voice and tray of sweating, jewel-toned glasses.

Then there's the second day of summer vacation.

Sibling fights, tracked-in dirt, non-stop television. A complete and utter absence of clean towels. Your teen snarls from the dark corners of his room, while younger children taunt one another and squabble over the television remote. The tooth-gritting "Eh-oh!" from pre-dawn screenings of "Teletubbies" takes the place of an alarm clock.

Watch your step! That Kool-Aid stretches in sticky dribbles from the refrigerator handle, across the floor, over every counter, and out the back door. Over it all hovers the perpetual whine of "Mom! I'm bored!"

Smart home managers give some thought to summertime survival, and they do it now, before the deluge. Ponder these pointers to fine-tune home, schedule, soul and sanity for the upcoming summer season:

"Bring the outside in!" is summer's theme, in more ways than one. From banging doors to trailing dishes, your home will be turned inside out, more way-station and supply depot than a series of dedicated rooms.

Summer is no time for the delicate, the costly, the special because all of the above will be (1) dirtied, (2) lost, or (3) broken by summer's end.

It makes sense to strip for action. Don't want the pretty embroidered master-bath linens to hit the backyard trail? Bundle them up and hide them for the summer.

Replace them with a shabby set of wedding-gift towels, and be grateful! September's sane and slower pace will mean time to bring back the ruffles and flourishes. They'll be all the more treasured for the protective time out.

Remove breakables from child-height surfaces to protect them from racing children--your own, their guests, and a few neighborhood interlopers who saw the fun and just joined in. Summer decor should be functional, so round up the "objets" into boxes and make room for the Bug House centerpiece, complete with dead bug. My dear, you are so Chez Summer!

Replace glass drinking glasses with plastic mega-slurp freebies from convenience stores and fast food establishments. You won't whimper when drinkware is used to excavate tunnels for the gerbil or worry about little ones running with glasses in their hands.

In the kitchen, less is also more. Strip down meal planning and menus to match summer's relaxed schedule. Who needs to sweat over a hot stove when the gas grill is at hand? Try for a few simple standards for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and save the recipe tryouts and gourmet meals for the crisp and energized days of autumn.

A few simple preparations will save you, Mom, endless hours of "pour me, feed me" over the coming months.

Personally, I wish to kiss the wonderful engineer who invented the little whale-spout water dispenser attached to Moby Dick The Great White Refrigerator. Even little ones can pour their own ice water, if you put plastic glasses within reach and tuck a cotton area rug under Moby's toes to catch the inevitable overspray.

Prepare a large jug of your family's "house wine" each morning, whether it's fruit juice, powdered drink mix or iced tea, and tuck it in a self-dispensing plastic beverage container on a refrigerator shelf. Now, if only they would invent a self-closing refrigerator door.

Establish a "snack site" within child reach and you're a step ahead of ravenous children. Include healthy options like fruit, raw veggies, string cheese, animal crackers, popcorn, raisins and dried cereal instead of sugar-filled cookies or greasy potato chips. Bundle all of the above into a large plastic food storage container, label it "Snacks" with a permanent marker, and put it on a low refrigerator shelf.

Encourage independent lunch preparation by doing the same with all sandwich makings: PB&J, jar of mayo, floppy packs of lunch meat and cheese, cello pack of washed lettuce all stuffed into large open container labeled "Sandwich Makings." You pull the box out, you make your sandwich, and you replace the box.

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Declutter 101: Where Do I Start?

Ready to cut clutter on the homefront--but not sure where to start?

Standing amid the stacks and piles, it can be hard to find a good spot to dive in and begin. Too often, de-clutter efforts fizzle along with the light of day.

This time, resolve to succeed! Get your organized journey off to a good start; these beginning declutter points will help free a strangled household from the clutter monster:

At the outset, adjust your vision downward from the big (cluttered) picture, to zero in on one small, solvable clutter problem. Clear one counter, de-clutter one shelf, or bring order to a single drawer--and do choose an item that nags at you daily.

Beginning your war against clutter with a small success provides welcome motivation for the long haul. When you feel yourself starting to flag, returning to that one clear space, shelf or drawer will remind you of the goal--and give a new burst of energy for the next step. You can do it!

Clutter tolerance seems to run a fever cycle, much like the flu. Every so often, the cluttered household will become intolerable, sparking short-lived but fiery anti-clutter efforts. Piles will be shifted, boxes will be filled, stuff will be stashed--until the fever breaks. Then the clutter tide flows back in, confusion redoubled because of the flushed and furious attempts to get a grip in a hurry.

Just as clutter arises gradually, over time, so it must be fought gradually and over time. Beating clutter requires building new habits, applying new organizational methods, and creating new household routines. The clutter cure takes time, and can't be short-cut.

Resist the temptation to go all-out in fevered, short-term sorties against clutter. Like the fable of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the declutter race.

A successful attack on clutter requires time, energy and motivation. There is no such thing as a declutter fairy, who works while you sleep!

First things first: schedule time to declutter. Even 15 minutes a day will make a good start. Better, schedule larger blocks of time, from two to four hours once or twice a week, for maximum declutter efficiency.

Scheduling declutter sessions brings the goal out of the stratosphere and into real life. By committing time to decluttering, you strengthen motivation and embrace the goal of a clutter-free home. By keeping the declutter appointments, you begin to create islands, peninsulas, then continents of decluttered space.

Trust me. It won't happen magically behind your back, so schedule your declutter appointments today!

In family settings, clutter accumulates for myriad reasons. Adults shed newspapers and personal items with abandon. Children clutter with playthings, art materials, and school papers. Poor housekeeping routines land clean clothing in piles on the couch, paperwork in stacks on the counter and mail in jumbled heaps everywhere.

Tempting as it is to call a family meeting and lay down the clutter law, think again. Draconian measures can only be enforced so long as the enforcer stays on the job--and if you're not there first, coercive efforts are doomed to fail.

Instead, build credibility, knowledge and motivation by mastering your own clutter challenges first, then involving the remainder of the family.

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Do It Now! Tips To Get Ready For Back-To-School

Move over, summer--a new school year is coming!

With the start of school, families face new organization challenges. School bells ring--and so do early-morning alarm clocks. Paper piles swell as hand-outs and homework stream into the house.

Shorter autumn days bring a hectic round of sports, activities and events, and calendars fill with cryptic notes. Can the holidays be far behind?

Get organized now for the best school year ever! Use these ideas to prepare your home and family for the busy days ahead:

The first day of school is no time for a drastic adjustment of household sleep schedules. Instead, ease children back into a school year routine gradually. During the last two weeks of summer, re-introduce a school year bedtime. Begin waking late sleepers earlier and earlier, closer to the hour they'll need to rise when school begins.

Don't neglect mealtimes! Younger children, in particular, need to adapt to new meal routines before the school day demands it of them. Plan meals and snacks to accustom little ones to rituals of the school day before the school year begins.

Each school year floats on a sea of schedules. School functions. Lunch menus. Scout meetings and music lessons. What do you do when you're drowning in paper?

Nothing calms school year chaos like Calendar Central: a centralized site for all family calendars and schedules. You'll need a family event calendar to track after-school activities, school programs and volunteer work. Add specialized calendars and schedules, and you have it: a one-stop shop for family time management.

Form is less important than function. A paper calendar with large squares lets you enter information easily. Pre-printed white board calendars are easy to revise when necessary. Color-coding entries by family member helps keep busy lives straight.

Paper planner fans dedicate a planner section to serve as Calendar Central, while tech-savvy cybergrrrlz store the info in a smart phone or tablet and sync with multiple computers. Choose a calendar format that works for your family.

Post the family event calendar in a public place near the telephone. Use magnets to attach the calendar to the refrigerator, or tack it to a bulletin board.

Add other calendars to Calendar Central: school lunch menus, class assignment sheets, sports practice schedules. When the room mother calls for field trip volunteers, you'll know at a glance whether you're free to join the group on the bus that day.

August is the second-biggest sales month for clothing retailers. Back to school clothing sales begin as early as July! Are you prepared to run the school clothes gauntlet?

An informed shopper is a savvy shopper, so prepare before you shop. Take an afternoon and assess each child's clothing needs. Empty drawers and closets of outgrown or worn-out clothing, and either store or donate the discards.

Working with your child, clean and organize clothing storage before new garments are added--and cut down on school morning calls of "Mom! I don't have any clean . . . . "

Develop a wardrobe needs list for each child. Check for possible hand-me-downs from older siblings as you make your list. If you discuss the needs list and the family budget with your children before you shop, you'll avoid in-the-store tantrums.

Similarly, ask the school for classroom supply lists before shopping for school supplies. Forewarned is forearmed ... and helps protect the family budget.

Do shop early! With back-to-school sales beginning in mid-July, tardy shoppers have a tough time locating needed supplies among September's Halloween costumes and Christmas decorations.

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Travel Tips: Get Organized For Family Travel

Summer's here and school's out: it's time to take to the road! Family vacation travel can be enriching, enjoyable and exciting--but only if you're organized. The family that fails to plan for summer travel can end up frazzled, frustrated and longing for the quiet comfort of home.

This year, get ready! Whether it's car trips, plane travel or close-to-home "stay-cation" trips, we've assembled OrganizedHome.Com's best, easiest tips to organize summer vacation travel:

A smooth, stress-free vacation begins well before the trip. Use these ideas to streamline vacation travel planning and preparation:

Establish Travel Central. Whether it's a new divider in a Household Notebook notebook, a dedicated section in a paper planner, or a Vacation category in your handheld organizer, keep all travel information in a single location. Include contact information for airlines, car rental agencies and travel agents, passport and frequent flyer numbers, and itineraries.

The three most important factors for vacation planning? Lists, lists and more lists! Filed in Travel Central, vacation lists can include personal packing lists for each family member, a "before we leave" checklist, instructions for house-sitters, packing checklist, picnic planner checklist or camping checklist.

Enter the packing zone. As you plan and prepare, set aside an area to gather travel essentials. In addition to tickets, passports, and travel documents, add travel-sized toiletries, tissues, travel appliances and personal care items. Moving from "list" to "packed" is easier if all your gear can be viewed in one place.

Packing prowess separates veteran travelers from the armchair variety. Keep these ideas in mind as you pack for vacation travel:

Lighten the load. It's an old saw that still cuts--when traveling, less is more. For each family member, lay out all clothing and personal care items needed for the trip. Remove half before you pack the rest.

Investigate packing organizers. Pack clothing, socks, underwear and personal items in zipper food storage bags to cut wrinkles, protect clothing, and organize suitcases. Commercial organizers can be worth the cost for frequent travelers. Check them out!

Pack for children day-by-day. For easiest travel with kids, use large zipper food storage bags to pack a complete outfit for a single day. Tuck dirty clothing into the same bags at day's end.

Forget what mother told you, and pack your oldest underthings! Collect worn-out socks and underwear throughout the year. When traveling, wear and toss. You'll lighten the load and make room for souvenirs as you go.

Plan for T-shirts. Family vacations mean t-shirts, t-shirts, t-shirts. Deliberately under-pack, knowing you'll add these garments along the way.

Take care of yourself! Put together personal care kits for each family member in a zipper bag or cosmetics organizer. Include sample-sized bottles of shampoo, shower gel, lotion and sun block. Use motel supplies along the way to replenish care kits. At vacation's end, re-stock care kits and store inside suitcases for the next trip.

Getting organized for family travel doesn't end when you walk out the front door! Try these strategies to keep the miles rolling ... smoothly.

Pack the snacks! Airlines have cut back on meal and snack service, while roadside treats during car travel can be expensive and nutritionally unsound. Carry a small collapsing insulated bag and include a selection of healthy snacks to stave off the Cookie Monster.

Keep the customers satisfied. A visit to the Dollar Store can go a long way to amuse children while traveling. For maximum impact, package small toys, books, and games separately and dole them out one at a time.

Scale back on souvenirs. Don't let vacation travel saddle your household with more clutter! Instead, consider these clutter-free options: collecting small ornaments for a holiday "travel tree", purchasing postcards, assembling a scrapbook or keeping a personal travel journal to remind you of your trip.

Cut "buy me, buy me!" clamor with a Souvenir Budget. Use an envelope for each child, and deposit a small amount of cash earmarked for souvenirs at the beginning of the trip. Each child may spend the money in the envelope any way he or she chooses. Make it clear that there will be no more money forthcoming! When they control the cash, children become savvy souvenir shoppers.

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Five Tips For Spring Cleaning With Kids

Spring cleaning is on the horizon, and you could use some help.

Many hands make light work ... so how do you get the kids to pitch in when it's time to spring-clean the house?

Try these five tips to involve children with housecleaning chores:

It's downright lonely to be sentenced to clean a bathroom on your own, but paired with a parent, even a 5-year-old can work safely and happily. While Dad wields the bowl cleaner and the tile brush, his helper can scrub the sink, polish the fixtures, empty the trash and trundle towels and rugs to the laundry room.

Working as a team involves kids in the cleaning process, helps them learn cleaning skills, and most important, models both the attitude and the job standard you're trying to teach.

Children have an innate ability to "tune out" parents, when the subject is chores. What parent wants to spend a Saturday nagging, threatening and hollering, "You get back here and finish the vacuuming!"?

Instead, post a list of the day's jobs, or write them out on index cards. Divvy the jobs up between the teams, or let each team choose one until the work is done. Putting the work on paper removes the tussle of wills.

Playing upbeat music or an exciting audiobook keeps spirits high--and dust cloths moving. For maximum motivation, let each helper choose his or her tunes throughout the day.

Once adolescence hits, working on a parent's "team" loses it's appeal. Solution? Delegate big--but safe--jobs to teen children.

Whether they clean and organize the garage, shampoo the living room carpet, or restore order to a jumbled linen closet, they'll take pride in their work IF you truly let them own the job ... and make it a big one! The more challenging the task, the more your teen will learn.

Ignore all bleating and moaning, and praise their solutions to the skies. In spite of their complaints, they won't let you down.

Spring cleaning is nobody's idea of a good time, so plan for a reward for your workers. When the chores are done, schedule a family treat.

Whether it's pizza for lunch or a trip to the video store for an evening film-fest, you'll get better results--and sweeten attitudes--if there's a payoff at the end of the day.

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Garage Sale Tips: Clear Clutter With A Yard Sale

Garage sale, tag sale, yard sale--whatever you call it, the garage or yard sale is part and parcel of the American way of life. On sunny weekend mornings, slow-moving cars ("I brake for yard sales!") circle suburban neighborhoods as their occupants hunt baby toys and panini makers, auto parts and cocktail shakers.

If you're in active declutter mode, the next stop is your house! A yard sale can clear clutter and score some cash, but it helps to have a road map. Getting organized for a garage sale can mean more money and less stress.

Get organized for a yard sale with a free yard sale checklist and printable yard sale signs, then try these tips for a successful yard sale:

Your yard sale inventory is living right under your nose. The first step is to find it. In the weeks before your sale, scour closets and cupboards, bookcases and basement for yard sale finds.

How to decide? Some yard-salers ask these questions: "Have I cooked with it, worn it, displayed it, used it or read it within the last year?" Others apply a percentage rule: a firm 10 to 20 percent of all books, videos, clothing, or bric-a-brac must go. Either way, remind yourself that the goal is to clear clutter and make room in your organized home by finding new homes for items you don't use, need or love.

Challenge family members to contribute, and sweeten the deal by offering a cut of the profits. Children will be much more amenable to parting with outgrown toys if they see that there's something in it for them, in the form of cold, hard cash.

To get the most out of your yard sale, consider finding a clutter buddy. When it comes to culling clutter, two heads are better than one--and a two-family yard sale will get twice the traffic for half the trouble. Back one another up, and dare each other to clear clutter to the bone to stock the sale.

When collecting yard sale candidates, be sure to give them a temporary home: a dedicated place to hold your growing collection of garage sale goodies. A guest room, space in the garage, or a seldom-used dining room is a good place to create a garage sale staging area.

You'll need room to assess, clean and price your inventory, so choose a location that has space to work. A supply of records boxes with lids, found at the office supply store, will help contain and sort the growing stash of sale items.

Once an item's selected for sale, be stern! Store yard sale inventory in black plastic garbage bags or records boxes with lids to deter seller's remorse. No fair reading, looking or cooking; once an item is in the yard sale staging area, there is no appeal, no mercy and no second chance. Give that wedding-gift s'mores maker an emotional divorce. It's no longer junk or stuff, it's inventory!

Yard sales have their own etiquette and economy; for a successful sale, it's smart to bone up on both. Read the yard sale ads on Craigslist.org or in the local newspaper, and spend a morning or two visiting sales in your neighborhood. Note price ranges on clothing, kitchenware and books. There's no sense labeling two boxes of kitchen utensils at 50 cents apiece if a quarter is the going rate for serving spoons and can openers.

Check with your municipality and homeowners' association. Some jurisdictions require a permit, or limit the number and timing of yard sales. Know the rules!

When considering the calendar, plan your sale for early in the month. Right after payday, potential customers have extra cash in their pockets, so plan accordingly. Holiday weekends in summer can see lighter traffic, as families head for the mountains or the beach instead of the yard sale circuit. Be mindful of special events, like high school graduations, that could put a crimp on the flow of shoppers as you schedule your sale.

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Summer Cleaning Chore Checklist

Summer's here, hot, high and sweaty. Vacations beckon. The garden takes on a life of its own.

Busy families don't have much time for home chores these months. School's out, travel's in and it's easy to let life slide on the home front. Still, summer will run more smoothly if you keep tabs on these important areas in the Summer Cleaning Chore Checklist.

Our summer cleaning chore checklist list tackles hot-weather issues, summer health and safety:

Make the season count. Late summer is a slow time for home maintenance and cleaning companies. Look for summer discounts from carpet cleaners, gutter installers, and window washing firms, and get the jump on fall cleaning!

Think ahead to fall's cold weather. Schedule furnace maintenance now and beat the October rush. You'll be snug and warm that first cold night--and your HVAC specialist will thank you!

Prepare the medicine chest and first aid kit for summer's little medical emergencies. In the bathroom, dispose of outdated medication as recommended by local health authorities. Be sure the first aid kit has ample adhesive bandages for scrapes, calamine lotion for insect bites, and hot/cold packs for strains or sprains. Print a first-aid kit checklist for your Household Notebook.

Make an emergency list for baby-sitters and school kids on vacation. Print an emergency information page to post by each household telephone. Include phone numbers for the fire department, police, poison control, and ambulance. Don't forget numbers for parents at work, a family contact, and nearby neighbors. Be sure to write the home address on the list; it will aid rescuers if help is needed.

Tackle patio and sliding door tracks. Summer is open-door season, so be sure your doors open smoothly. Grab a bottle of all-purpose (degreasing) cleaner, a screwdriver and lots of rags. Spray the tracks generously and let sit for a few minutes to soften. Wrap the screwdriver with a rag, and make several careful passes along the track to get out the gunk.

Print vacation packing lists for family travel. Include travel packing checklist for each family member. Between vacation trips, store the lists inside the luggage or add them to your Household Notebook.

When it's time to leave, speed the family out the door with a before-we-leave travel checklist.

Check washing machine hoses. Replace them if you find cracks or bulges--or if they're over two years old.

Hold a garage sale. Declutter house and garage to turn cash to trash; make it easy with garage sale tips and a yard sale checklist.

Pest patrol: inspect yard and garden for carpenter ants or termites. Call an exterminator if you see signs of infestation. Beware of fire ants in the South! If you see telltale mounds, treat with grits or borax. Keep borax away from children.

Keep tabs on decks, siding and trim. Will you need to perform touch-up work before winter? Order paint and be ready for the first cooler days of early autumn.

Control garbage can odor with a can clean-out. Rinse garbage cans with a hose, dump the water, then spray with disinfectant. Let the cans sit for 10 minutes, then rinse again. Turn upside down to dry.

Inspect gutters, and clean out any leafy debris. Summer thunderstorms won't faze you if your gutters are in good working order.

Make a safety inspection of children's outdoor play equipment. Tighten loose bolts and cover with plastic protectors.

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It's a consumer world we live in and great though that is, it does have some serious drawbacks.
One of these flaws is clutter.
Look around your house. Under the beds, hidden in the bottom or tops of the wardrobes and certainly in the garage or shed you will find loads of clutter. Old stuff we no longer use, it does not suit our new décor, lifestyle or maybe it just did not live up to the promise it once held.
The solution requires a little bit of effort but the rewards may just surprise you.
I have just spent the last threes months de-cluttering and I am several thousand dollars richer. Not only do I have all that space back but I have all that money to start filling it up again!
The answer is good old eBay.
It is so easy to get started, you can set up an account and get your first item ready for sale in a matter of hours and most of that is getting your item ready.
Once you have your account set up the first thing to do is to collect all your clutter ready for photographs. A good photograph will help enormously to sell your item.
The hardest part is being strong in deciding what to sell and what you want to stick back in its hiding place, BE STRONG, it's worth it, you know some of that stuff has been there for years!
Try and find original boxes and instruction manuals, these add greatly to the value of some items.
Now its time to list your items. eBay sort things into categories, just pick one that best fits your item, give an honest description add your picture and you are nearly done.
Of course there is a bit more to it than that but not much. You have to decide if you want and auction sale to give potential buyers the chance to raise the price bidding against one another, or maybe you know how much your item is worth and what you want and so go for a 'Fixed Price'.
If you have never used eBay before why not buy something just to see how it all works.
It will not be long before you get some interest and actually sell your first item, that is a great feeling.
The contract is that once you receive your money you post your item, job done.
You can sell nearly everything on eBay, there is a list of prohibited stuff on the eBay website.
One of the biggest problems for me was wrapping and posting the stuff. Sure the small regular shaped items were no problem but some things called for more imagination!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6601857