All the Single Ladies: How to Move Furniture Alone

A lot of people may say they’ll lend a hand when it’s time for you to move, but when the big day finally arrives, good help can be hard to find. If your friends and family pull a disappearing act on moving day, don’t stress! Most items in your house can be moved with just one person.

Safety Note: Don’t try to be a hero! If you don’t feel in control of a heavy piece of furniture, don’t move it! A hospital bill is a lot more expensive than a mover’s fee, and sometimes hiring help is the only safe option. If you’re on a budget, check out these eight ways to cut your moving costs by $100 or more.

1. Strip it. If you struggle to shift your dresser just a few inches, getting it down a flight of stairs can be downright intimidating. But, a lot of heavy furniture can be disassembled, which makes it much lighter and easier to move. Basically, anything that’s screwed on can be taken off to lighten the load. Tip: Use an ice cube tray to keep track of small parts during the move.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

2. Rent moving gear. One dolly can prevent a lot of sweat and frustration (and possibly a hernia). Plus, the cost of renting a few moving tools for the day is a drop in the bucket compared to hiring professional movers. Visit your local hardware store and check out their furniture jacks, scissor lifts and dollies. They’ll do the heavy lifting for you!  Photo Credit: Getty Images

3. Don’t lift, slide. You could rent commercial sliders, but a large blanket or throw rug all work just as well! Lift the legs of your furniture one at a time and put them onto your makeshift sliders. Then, drag! Patience is key – move slowly to avoid damaging your floor, walls or furniture.

Photo Credit: Alamy

4. Walk it out. If you don’t have a slider handy, and you’re moving a chair, use it’s legs. It’s time consuming, but you’ll avoid the heavy lifting! Put the chair on its back two legs and “walk” the chair left foot and then right foot. You’ll eventually get it out the door.

Photo Credit: jupiterimages

5. Remove the hinges. If you ordered some furniture and then had it assembled inside of a room, getting it outside can be tricky! Before you think about sawing that entertainment center in half, try taking the doors off of their hinges. You’ll gain a few inches of wiggle room – which can sometimes be enough to slide that bulky furniture right on out!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

6. Beware of the second floor. If you have extremely heavy pieces of furniture on a second or third floor – such as a big sofa or desk – it’s really not safe to move it by yourself. This is because once you angle something down the stairs, gravity will actually increase the weight of the furniture, and it’s very easy to lose control!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Resource: Homesessive.com

Make a Home Garden Journal

If you're someone who has trouble when you used fertilizer on your plants or when you watered them, it's time you got yourself a garden journal. This will help you keep track of your greenery... 

 

What you'll need:

• A large diary
• A ring-binder
• Colored tabs or divider

 

Design matters

Gardening is a stress-release activity. So, make sure the pages are light, colourful and fun. Each section can have a vibrant heading, information spaceholders and borders. You can add photos of your own plants to decorate the pages.

Info to include

The journal has to keep a track of all your plants — when you bought and planted them and how to take care of them. Write each plant's common name as well as its botanical name, its light and water requirements and a record of seedlings and cuttings. 

Your thoughts

These are self-notes: your problems, experiences as well as garden victories.

Where to Buy

Ideally you should be able to find the products from stationary shop. Or you can order one Gardening Journal from Amazon

 

Resource:  Easy Homestead

 

Picture Perfect Hanging Made Easy

Whether you're installing a mirror, shelf, picture, gallery hanging, coat rack or hooks, your projects can be easy with the right tools and tips.  Dust off those framed family photos and display them; hang up a shelf and bring sense to your collectibles; affix the mirror to the wall, and hang the new window treatments.  Adoring the walls with all of your favorites will pull your living space together.

Where on the wall do you have your pictures?

Most people make the mistake of hanging their artwork or photographs too high on the wall. Hang your pictures at eye level. What exactly is eye level? According to the standard that is used in art galleries, the center of the picture should be between 60" -65" from the floor.  You can even break this rule and go several inches lower in a room where people are generally seated, such as a dining room.

The size of the artwork should relate to its surroundings.

A small picture on a large empty wall will get lost, while a large picture will overwhelm a small wall. Pictures should be smaller than the furniture over which they hang. For example, a large painting hanging over a tiny table will look unbalanced and top heavy.

Hanging some artwork over your couch?

Similar to hanging artwork over a table or sideboard, you want the artwork to be smaller than the couch. If your couch is 72" in length, your artwork should be no longer that 62" in length.

You do not want to have a painting floating halfway between the top of the sofa and the ceiling. Your picture should hang between 4"-8" above the back of the sofa. This same rule of thumb applies to tables as well.

So, now you know where to hang your pictures. But how do you hang them?

Back in college I would hang everything using a nail and the heel of my shoe. This is not a good idea. Use picture hooks, not nails. Should I say that again? Do not use nails.

Picture hooks are designed specifically to redistribute the weight of your picture. The weight of the picture is pushed into the wall. 

When you use nails, the weight pulls down, often pulling the nail right out of the wall and damaging the Drywall/Sheetrock, not to mention sending your artwork crashing to the ground.

Tomboy Tools and most hardware stores sell picture-hanging kits. They include everything that you'll need. Just grab your hammer and get started.

Project Steps:

1. Visually identify the area of where you want to hang your fixture, the condition of the surface, and the weight of what you are hanging on your wall.  If it is light, you may only need a nail and hook. For heavier hangings, anchors will most likely need to be used.
2. Use your stud finder to locate where the studs are; these are areas that you do not want to screw into with anchors (it is good to nail or screw into studs when anchors are not being used).
3. Use your Picture Perfect Level to measure the appropriate hook or fastener on object being hung.
4. Move the adjustable pointer block to the necessary distance for the item you are hanging and tighten the thumbscrew.
5. Center the level block between the two pointer blocks and tighten.
6. Position the Picture Perfect Level in the desired location on the wall.  Make sure the bubble in the level block is in the middle of the two black lines.
7. Using firm pressure, press the pointer blocks into the wall with your thumbs. This will leave small dimple marks in the wall surface, showing you precisely where to drill and insert your wall anchor or nail.
8. By using the pivoting method with the pointer blocks, you can work your way across the wall with precise spacing between wall hangings.
9. Pre-drill your holes where the dimple marks are using your drill and drill bits then screw in your anchors and screws using your drill; hammer in your picture hooks for lighter hangings.

Resource: Tomboy Tools and Homesessive

Home Decor Colors that Stimulate Intelligence

COLOR YOURSELF SMART

By now, it's common knowledge that color affects your mood, but can it actually make you smarter? We know which colors every alpha woman can use to give herself the mental edge.

Because the colors you use to decorate can affect your mood, they also affect your energy, your creativity, your ambition and learning curve, all of which are necessary components of intellect.

So if you want to stimulate your intelligence, pick up some paint, furniture or accents in these smart colors.

The color orange stimulates mental activity by increasing the supply of oxygen to the brain and makes you feel invigorated and ready to get things done. If you're working on a project with your hubby, all the better — it stimulates social interaction (while being less aggressive or romantic than red).

But orange is still a power color. Don't feel like you have to use a bold orange or paint every wall to get the desired effect. It can be used as an accent for other colors with a similar effect. You can also try softer or earthier hues like nectarine, orange rose, pumpkin, canyon sunset and more. To avoid overdoing it, try a single accent wall, throws and decorative pillows or other accents.

You should definitely avoid bolder oranges if you tend to be naturally hyperactive or are easily angered. Also avoid all but the most subtle oranges if you're easily distracted. This isn't a good color for people with ADHD, for example. And keep it out of the kitchen. It can make you hungrier.

Yellow also stimulates mental activity, but it's easy to have too much of a good thing. Too much yellow can make you a bit touchy. Since it helps activate your memory, increases your concentration and (in small doses) promotes creativity, it's a great color to use in a place where you study, do crafts or work on organizing big projects.

Stay away from dark yellows, which may cut off your creative juices since the color is associated with caution, and opt for brighter (or even paler) versions used here and there as accent colors. In fact, using yellow can be as simple as keeping fresh yellow flowers or a bowl of lemons in the room.

Yellow works best when contrasted with a darker color or a neutral. Look for lemon drop yellow, buttery yellow, maize or daffodil.

Pale blue is popular in school classrooms because it increases productivity, intuition and creative thinking. It has a calming affect, slowing down your metabolism and suppressing your appetite. When the craziness of your life is filtered out, you'll have plenty of time to ponder the important details.

Dark or extremely bright blues should usually be avoided in dedicated work spaces (like your craft room, home office or kitchen), as they can actually be quite oppressive in large doses. Instead, opt for country blue, powder blue, pale periwinkle, steel blue, cornflower or sky blue. But paired with the right partner color, feel free to toss out some bold blue throw pillows.

Blue is the perfect power-concentration color for the hyperactive or easily distracted. It can be used all over the room (in its lighter incarnations) in various shades or with other colors. If you tend to be very sedate by nature, opt for bolder blue accents or use one of our other intelligence-stimulating hues.

Unless you're a romance novelist, we don't suggest a totally white color scheme for increasing your thinking power, as it's often considered sentimental or nostalgic, both of which can inhibit your ability to think in the present or future. However, white is the perfect color to use with any of the suggestions above. It aids in mental clarity and encourages you to clear clutter and obstacles (physically and mentally).

Black can be a bit tricky as it depends on your personality. It pairs well with many of the colors mentioned above, but should only be used by those who feel it adds a sense of sleekness or stylishness, which can stimulate some people's creative minds by making them feel more professional or sophisticated. Others may simply consider it depressing.

If you think you can handle it, you can soften the black details by using accents with black satin bows, polka dots or stripes. Just make sure the black is truly an accent and doesn't dominate the main color.

Gray may be a better option for most than black. While it has no intellect-stimulating powers on its own, it's associated with wisdom and solidity. It also works to enhance the effect of other colors in small doses.

Resource:  Heather Barnett, Sheknows.com

Removing Mold From Bath, Grout & Caulking

Over time, mold and mildew build up on bathroom caulk, which can be a pain to remove. It’s not only a health hazard, it’s irritating.

There are different steps you can take to remove the mold. You can use the steps below to remove it overnight or you can start fresh and actually remove the old caulking and apply new. Those steps are further down the page.

Remove the mold but leave the caulking:

Often, you may notice that mold collects at the edge of the tub, like this:

It may because the caulking isn’t the right kind or water is left there for too long. Either way, you can remove the mold with these steps:

You will need:

Bleach
1 pair of Disposable Gloves

Paper Towels (or cotton coil – shown below, if you have it)

Steps:

1. Get a disposable aluminum pan or use something to pour the bleach in *avoid using plastics*. The goal here is to pour in the bleach so you can dip the paper towels in it.

2. Tear apart the paper towels and roll each one into what can only be described as a fruit roll-up (or cotton coil, shown on the right). This is so they sit on the mold easily. If you have cotton coil fine, I think paper towels work just as good.

3. Dip the paper towels in the bleach and lay them directly on the mold, pushing them into the crevices.

4. Let the paper towels sit on the mold overnight. Done!

You now have a clean, sparkly tub.

If the caulking is too far gone and it needs to be replaced, removing and replacing moldy or mildewed caulk is relatively simple. 

Keep in mind, though, that different types of caulk may be more or less appropriate for your project depending on your preferences for ease of application and removal, the substrate and the mold levels.

Start fresh! Remove the mold and the caulking:

There are different types of caulking, so let’s take a look.

Acrylic caulk is the best caulk for repelling mold and dirt. Acrylic caulk can be either water-based or siliconized, which allows you to choose the best application, substrate and durability preferences. All acrylic caulks have good adhesion, flexibility and lifespan, and are designed to not only repel mold but also to remain bright white over time. All-acrylic water-based caulks are especially versatile since they can be painted with many different types of paint. Keep in mind that acrylic caulks tends to be more expensive than other types of caulks.

We use Silicone-Based acrylic caulking and it works great.

Generally speaking, silicone-based caulks are the best caulks to use in mold-friendly environments like bathrooms. Since silicone is inorganic, it is extremely mold, mildew and water resistant. Additionally, silicone-based caulk is idea for substrates commonly found in bathrooms such as ceramic tile, porcelain and glass.

Follow this article for tips on removing the caulking.

Removing mold from grout:

Removing mold from grout is a little easier. All you need is an old tooth brush and bleach. If you want to try lemon juice and baking soda first before resorting to bleach, it might just work for you but sometimes, if the mold has been sitting there for a long time, bleach might be the only trick.

Just make sure to open a window and turn on a fan when cleaning. You won’t need to do this often but when you do, tackle it with all you got to get the job done quickly.

Resource: Moderndaymoms.com

Easy Home Maintenance Tips for the New Year

OUTDOOR HOME IMPROVEMENT TIPS

Do you still have summer patio furniture on the patio, collecting snow? Did you ditch your home fix-it list as soon as the holiday season kicked in? Now that the busiest time of last year is over, start the new year by taking care of those home maintenance projects that shouldn't wait until the summer.

Store summer furnishings and outdoor equipment

Lisa Singer, product manager at Elmer's Products, based in Columbus, Ohio, says the opposite of spring-cleaning is "fall fix-it." However, if you missed the fall window to put away your summer furnishings and outdoor equipment, do it now. Consumers should "scour summer toys, furniture and outdoor equipment for wear and tear before packing them away for the winter," Singer suggests. "This will help avoid additional damage that can happen in storage and save you time and hassle come spring."

>>5 Steps to winterize your home

Check home and outdoor items for damage

As you pack away summer toys and outdoor furniture, here are a few things to look for. "Conduct a quick inspection to make sure all sections are intact, screws and nuts are still tight and there are minimal signs of wear," says Singer. "Look for cracks, tears or scrapes that can become worse during storage or create sharp edges."

>>How to organize your garage

Keep outdoor items organized

Isn't it the pits when spring arrives and you pull out your patio furniture, only to find that the hardware needed to put your furniture together is MIA? Singer recommends you not only check to see if you have all the pieces, you also organize them. "For toys with small parts or furniture that gets taken apart for storage, consider using plastic bags, bins, old glass or plastic food containers so these pieces don't get lost or separated during the winter," she adds.

>>Home organization tips for the new year

Empower yourself by making small repairs

Now that you've inspected and put aside broken outdoor items, the next step is to assess the scope of the repair. Common repairs include squeaky or loose joints, cracks or missing pieces. Sure, you can throw away broken items, but according to Singer, for small to medium repairs, the solution can be as easy as tightening screws or using a bottle of multi-purpose glue.

"The Internet can be a great source for tips and advice because you can look up how-to instructions or find electronic user manuals," explains Singer. "Elmer's [of Elmer's Glue fame] has posted a variety of how-to videos at www.elmers.com/about/video-library." And before tackling any repair project, be sure to read the instructions and wear the appropriate safety equipment.

>>How to repair 10 common household hassles

Safety tip: Discard outdoor items broken beyond repair

If you find outdoor furnishings, equipment and toys that are broken and can't be repaired, discard them to keep you and your family safe from injury. Before putting them in the trash can, check to see if the materials can be recycled, suggests Singer — most types of glass, aluminum and plastic can be recycled. "However, it is always a good practice to check with your local recycling provider or check the bottom for the recycling emblem."

To find your nearest recycling center, visitwww.1800recycling.com.

>>Recycling chart

Donate or sell unwanted outdoor goods

If the item is new or gently used and you've decided you no longer want or need it, look for ways to donate it before simply adding it to the trash pile. "Garage sales, sharing websites like Craigslist or auction sites like eBay are great for selling unwanted items," Singer says, "or consider donating the items to non-profit organizations like Goodwill or The Salvation Army."

>>How to get new life out of old linens

Resource:  Sheknows.com, Michele Borboa, MS 

10 Steps to a Decluttered Closet

Does it feel overwhelming just to think about organizing your closet?  Pick one that's manageable and decide to do it in one day. Throw away everything that's irreparably stained or torn (unless, cut up, it will make good cleaning rags); give away anything you haven't used in the last year. Just do it.   

Organizing your closet (and home) can take time and effort, but with simple tips and steps from Tomboy Tools and HGTV, your living space can become a clutter-free environment.  Here are 10 steps that can help you get started organizing and feel great about it. 

Learn how to make your closet work for you -- and your clothes.

Step 1: Assess Your Big Obstacles

Are your shoes overtaking the space? Try a hanging-shoe rack or over-the-door organizer. Do your clothes overcrowd? Thinner hangers create space so you can find things easier. Feeling rushed each morning?  Dividing shirts, dresses, jeans, etc. bring a sense of order and saves time. Solving your biggest problem will motivate you to create the closet of your dreams.

Step 2: Make it a Family Effort

Getting your hubby and kids involved in organizing can make a difference in your family's day-to-day life. Everyone should be in charge of his or her own clothes, accessories, and toys. This will cut your cleaning time in half and ensure nothing important is thrown away by mistake.

Step 3: Take An Hour

Scheduling just 60 minutes a week can really make a dent in your overstuffed, cluttered closet. Can't spare that much? Try two half-hour sessions. If you're constantly being interrupted by "Hey Mom!" -- ask your spouse to take the kids out for the afternoon. Remember to return the favor when it's his turn to hit the closets.

Step 4: Start from Scratch

Take everything (yes, everything) out of your closet. If you don't remove it all, chances are the same unworn clothes will be moved around the closet. Now it's time to sort. Throw out old and damaged clothing. Donate what you don't need or don't wear.

Step 5: Out with the Odd

Remove items that have no business in your closet. Bank statements, insurance information, or tax documents don't belong next to your shoes, scarves, and sweaters. Create a Life.doc to organize and store all of your important documents in one accessible place. File the remaining papers in an office cabinet or milk crate.

Step 6: Organize in Sections

Designate a place for everything in your closet. Shoes in one place, sweaters in another, and so on. This will help you keep order and save you time each morning. Make smart use of the space. Installing shelves will double your storage and help sweaters and t-shirts keep their shape better.

Step 7: Apply the 80/20 Rule

You may not want to admit it, but the majority of clothes you have probably go unworn. It's said that the average American only wears 10 to 20 percent of their clothes. To cut down on the fluff, remove items you haven't worn in a year. Drop off the excess at Goodwill or arrange a clotheswap with friends.

Step 8: Put One In; Take One Out

For each new item you buy to put in your closet, donate one item (or pitch it if it's past its prime). This will keep you from returning to your pat-rack ways.

Step 9: Keep It Going

Dedicate 15 minutes a week to straightening your closet after the "big clean". Spending this small amount of time will ensure you never have to go through a major de-clutter again.

Step 10: Reward Yourself

Recognize and celebrate what you've done. Treat yourself to some new hangers or buy that silk blouse you've been eyeing. Now, you actually have room for it!

Resource:  HGTV.com  Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore are the co-founders of Buttoned Up, a company dedicated to helping stretched and stressed people get themselves organized. They are also co-authors of Everything (almost) In Its Place.

Four 2013 Home Improvement Trends to Watch

Prior to the decline in the housing market, homeowners were focused on supersizing their homes and installing over-the-top upgrades fit for shows like the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” While homeowners have not completely fallen out of love with McMansions, they have turned their attention more to function (how they really live in their homes) by asking themselves: “Do we really need more space, or do we need to reconfigure our existing space?”

These home improvement trends for 2013 continue on this path to practicality:

Open Floor Plans: With the average home in the United States at least 30 years old, there are many floor plans that need updating to align with how homeowners actually live in their homes in the 21st century.  Homeowners are aligning form and function by connecting the kitchen (what has become the heart of the home) to adjoining eating, drinking, and socializing areas. They are also modernizing other areas of the home and making changes that accommodate multigenerational households.

Energy Efficient Upgrades: Instead of making a series of energy efficient upgrades one at a time, homeowners are taking a ‘wholistic’ approach and making them at the same time so these upgrades can work together to provide the most benefit.  This ‘wholistic’ approach allows homeowners to increase their home’s performance and comfort while maximizing their energy and financial savings.

Aging in Place: There is no place like home for vibrant older homeowners who want to maintain their independence and stay in their homes instead of going to a nursing or retirement home. In anticipation of potential decreased mobility, these homeowners are making the appropriate alterations to their homes for increased safety and accessibility.  A few examples of these alterations include, but are not limited to:
*    Barrier-free entryways that help eliminate tripping and make it easier to gain access to your home if confined to a wheelchair, crutches or a walker
*    Roll-in showers with height adjustable handheld and fixed showerheads
*    Ample clearance beneath bathroom and kitchen counters

Low Maintenance Yards: The reality is that lawns require a lot of care.  Water-wise homeowners are eliminating their lawns altogether and replacing them with plants native to their region.  Or, for those not ready to eliminate their lawn, they are maintaining a small lawn as an accent area, instead of having a lawn that dominates the yard. By doing so, they’re saying good-bye to high water bills.

Resource: eHow.com

Top 5 Tips for Getting Your Car Ready for Winter Driving

1. Check (and change) your coolant

Driving on worn-out coolant is a bad idea all year-round, but it's especially bad in winter. Worn coolant can freeze and destroy your engine. You can test its freeze protection level with an inexpensive gauge (less than $10) from any auto parts store. But there's more to coolant than just freeze protection. Fresh coolant prevents corrosion damage to your heater core, radiator and water pump. Once corrosion starts, the heater core plugs up and you lose heat. That repair alone can cost upward of $1,000. If you can't remember the last time you changed the coolant, change it now. It's cheap insurance against expensive repairs later.

2. Service your battery and charging system

Have a pro check and service your battery and charging system. On a cold winter night, you're likely to have all your electrical accessories (headlights, wipers, heater/defroster and rear window defogger) running at the same time. That puts tremendous stress on your vehicle's electrical system. So it's important to have clean connections and a fresh battery. Old batteries just can't the handle frequent discharge/recharge cycles and can actually cause premature alternator failure. If your battery is four years old (or older), it's living on borrowed time. Replace it now with the best battery you can afford.

3. Tune it up

In cold weather, new spark plugs and ignition wires can mean the difference between a rapid start and an engine that won't fire up. Check your owner's manual to find the manufacturer's recommendation for when to replace spark plugs. If you're within 20 percent of that mileage, change them now and enjoy better starting all winter.

4. Replace your wiper blades

The winter blade on the right is covered with a rubber boot to keep snow and ice out of the support arm.

Replace your wiper blades with "winter wiper blades." Winter blades are covered in a rubber boot that prevents snow and ice from packing inside the squeegee's support arms. So they keep your windshield clean even in heavy snow. Many newer vehicles come with beam-style blades that don't have support arms. If you have those on your vehicle, make sure they wipe without streaking. If you see streaks now, they'll only get worse as road salt and grit wear them down even more. Replace them now for better visibility.

5. Check your headlights

The UV coating on plastic headlights degrades over time and the lenses turn cloudy, reducing road illumination by 70 percent. You don't have to replace the entire headlight to see clearly again. Just buy a headlight restoration kit (about $25) at any auto parts store. Then pull out one of your low-beam headlight bulbs and examine it. The glass should be crystal clear. If you see gray or brown deposits on the inside of the bulb, it's time to change headlights. Those deposits can reduce nighttime visibility by almost 300 ft.

Resource:  The Family Handyman, Rick Muscoplat, Automotive Editor

Checklist: Preparing Your Home for the Holidays

Nothing brings people together like the holiday season. Start preparing now with some easy home improvement projects to welcome your guests in style. 

Whether your guests are staying just for the day or will be overnight visitors, this holiday checklist will help make your home as inviting and comfortable as possible.

Entrance

• Make sure all walkways and porches are free of ice and snow.  Taking someone to the emergency room because of a fall is not the way you want to start the holidays.
• Make sure all outdoor lighting is functioning properly and is turned on when it is dark.  Another important precaution to ensure your guest's safety.
• Establish a place to collect all warm weather apparel, including boots.  Add extra hangers to your coat closet or designate a room to collect these.  You should also consider adding an extra doormat for those wet boots.  If you plan for this ahead of time your entrance won't become a cluttered mess.

Living Area

• If the carpet isn't looking its best, schedule a professional carpet cleaning.
• Clean the windows so that guests can clearly see your outside decorations.
• Add some color to the walls by freshing up your space with a new coat of paint.
• Bring holiday scents to your living space with candles, potpourri, fresh garland or pine cones.

Bathrooms

• If the tile looks dingy, replacing it or even new grout can give a fresh look to a bathroom.
• Make sure the bathroom fan and window are in operating condition.  Ventilation is an important part of keeping your bathroom clean and mildew-free.
• Make sure you have enough guest bath and/or hand towels.  Consider special towels with holiday themes to keep with the spirit of the season.

Kitchen

• The kitchen has become an essential room for entertaining with the popularity and ease of serving food buffet style.  To provide more space, try installing applicances under countertops or consider investing in a kitchen island.
• Check the condition of the countertops, cabinets, and appliances.  Replacing the applicances can make a huge difference when you're preparing meals for large groups.
• Declutter your counter space by removing unsed appliances and other items and store in a place unseen to your guests.

Guest Rooms

• Make sure the guest beds have fresh linens.  Add a nice holiday decoration or treat to the bed welcoming your guests.
• Clear some closet space or a drawer to make your guests feel more at home.  No one likes to live out of a suitcase.
• Provide your guests with a bedside clock and reading lamp.  Not everyone goes to sleep or wakes up at the same time.