Transitioning your wardrobe from summer to fall

fashion shoeSummer time is disappearing fast and fall is approaching. We know you want to make the most of your flirty summer fashions, but your light and white clothing will soon have to give way to more somber colors and heavier fabrics. But there are ways to make the transition so you do not just get to wear your summer clothes for a few weeks of the year. Instead of packing the clothes away as soon as Labor Day is over, here are a few ideas for keeping them out with the rest of your clothes and transitioning them to be useful for you in the fall as well.

* Tee shirts can still be worn on most days. If the weather is a little chilly, top with a cardigan or layer your tee over a long sleeved shirt.

* Dresses. If they are not too summery in terms of color or pattern, add a cardigan or pop a tee shirt underneath, or both.

* Shorts. Shorts with tights became the fashion several years ago, so provided they are not too summery or skimpy, you can continue to wear them into the fall. Capris can also work well to extend your wardrobe if they are not too summery in color or pattern.

* Summer shoes. Sandals may not be appropriate for very cold or wet fall days, but they are fine for an extended Indian summer. Just be sure to keep your pedicure up to date. Flats are perfect for wearing well into fall and work well with any outfit, from casual to formal, as long as they are not white.

* Summer accessories can still be used in the fall. Sunglasses can be used throughout the year. After all, just because its fall does not mean the sun isn’t still shining, and you should always try to protect your eyes. A straw hat, bag and sunglasses work well with fall colors as long as they are not too summery. If your hat has a ribbon on it, you can always change it to something darker and more autumnal, for a whole new look.

* Mini skirts are a staple in the summer time, and can be carried over into fall with the addition of tights and high boots. The resulting fashion statement will show great fashion sense and will leave others wondering why they haven’t tried it. Again, just avoid wearing white or any overly summery patterns.

* Accessories are a staple to any outfit in any season. Utilize scarves and darker purses with your summer wardrobe and the change will create a fresh, pleasing effect.

*Shawls and shrugs. These are handy for adding an extra layer and keeping the chill off. Adding one can create a whole new look to your tee shirt or top or your dresses.

Wearing your summer items for longer makes sure you will get more value of them and not feel you are going to be stuck in winter woolies for the next nine months until summer rolls around again.

Share

The Best Ways to Clean the Air in Your Home, Part 2

(Continued in Part 1)

Now that you know the benefits of keeping the air clean in your home, it is time to consider how to clean it.

5 Ways to Keep the Air Cleaner Inside Your Home

Improve the quality of the air in your home easily with these quick tips:

*Change your air filters.
Filters remove certain pollutants from the surrounding air. This includes, dust, dust mites, allergens, pollen and smaller particles. Every time you open the door or window, you are letting in more than just air. Not cleaning the filters in your A/C or heating units causes them to circulate dirty air plus, it forces them to work harder as well. This in turn makes them burn more energy and operate less efficiently, resulting their losing even more of their ability to pull the dirty particles out of the air.

*Buy houseplants.
Houseplants absorb the waste products we breathe out, provide cleaner air as a result. Several houseplants can help to keep the indoor air free of pollution. Some varieties to consider include, Peace Lily, Gerbera Daisy, Red-Edged Dracaena and English Ivy. For optimum results, keep houseplants wiped down and well-watered and fed, and keep out of reach of all children and pets.

For some people, however, who are allergic to mold or spores, plants might not always be the best idea. Here are some suggestions for helpful house plants which can even beautify your home (with excellent pictures): http://www.aerias.org/DesktopModules/ArticleDetail.aspx?articleId=126#plants-problems
And information about which plants can help counteract certain chemicals in the home.
http://www.aerias.org/DesktopModules/ArticleDetail.aspx?articleId=126
It also discusses health reasons for not to having a plant in the house.

*Keep your ceiling fans clean.
Ceiling fans are an environmentally friendly way to keep the air circulating in your home, but they also collect dust. A dusty fan can keep all sorts of pollutants blowing all around the room and the house. Dust them regularly to cut down on poor air quality. Also remember to turn the direction of the paddles depending on the season. Warm air rises. Have them face down in the winter and up in the warmer weather.

*Check for mold and mildew.
Keep moisture from creeping into the little nooks and crannies of your house, such as around bathroom fixtures, under cabinets and in bathtubs. Mold that becomes airborne can make your family sick. Let shower curtains dry flat and completely after washing. Clean out washing machines and dishwashers to stop mildew from forming. Keep your refrigerator, basement and closets clean and dry. Beware of wall to wall carpeting, as it can absorb a great deal of moisture and start to get moldy.

*Open your windows
You might not want to open them all the time, but letting in fresh air from outdoors can boost the air quality of your home. Also clean the inside of your windows so that dust doesn’t blow back into your home.

How good is the quality of the air in your house? Try these simple ways to keep the air quality high and see if it makes a difference to your family’s health.

 

Share

The Best Ways to Clean the Air in Your Home, Part 1

When it comes to pollution, we often think about the air outside our house or apartment, picturing smog and exhaust fumes from cars and trucks. But the truth of the matter is that a great deal has been done to curb harmful emissions from factories and vehicles.

If you are subject to allergies, have you ever stopped to think about the quality of the air in your home?

If you have not had a good spring cleaning yet, now is the time to start thinking about not only improving the cleanliness of your carpets, curtains, counters, and other surfaces, but the air in your home as well.

The Need for Clean Air

Air is a mixture of elements including nitrogen and oxygen. The unique mix provides us with fresh air to breath into our lungs to help us feed all the cells in our bodies with nutrients through the oxygen in our blood stream.

Trees take in the carbon monoxide we breathe out and turn it into the oxygen that we need to breathe in. it is a symbiotic relationship that has kept life thriving on this planet for billions of years, until of course we started to de-forest our planet.

When it comes to clean air in your home, you really can never have too much of it. Most people don’t think about the air that they breathe in their homes, but they might be polluting it far more with their own habits than any factory or car exhaust. Polluted air can fill the lungs with particles that can predispose us to certain illnesses and other health problems if we are not careful, including asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

The air passes through our nasal passages, our sinuses, down the back of our throat, all the way down to our lungs. If you find yourself coughing or sneezing more than usual, it could be seasonal allergies, but more than likely, it will actually be the air quality in your home.

If you or any member of your family suffers from respiratory problems, you might want to consider the best ways to purify the air inside your home.

(Continued in Part 2)

 

Share

Why Probate is Better Than Foreclosure

If you are trying to make a profit in the business of foreclosures, you have probably found out how hard it is. It seems as if the market is flooded with people who are working to get a piece of that market. In many areas, this task is almost impossible, even for the most hard-working.

When you work in foreclosures, you often have to deal with sellers who are desperately unhappy. They do not really want to sell to you, and may view you as a vulture, preying upon their misery in a time when they are losing property they may still want.

The people in foreclosure are often losing their homes, the very roof over their heads. Can we blame them if they sometimes get irritated or downright nasty during the proceedings?

In probate, the situation is very different. The sellers in probate are usually eager to sell, and the house in question is probably not their primary residence. You are dealing with people who are motivated to sell and to be cooperative, not highly stressed people just trying to “get through” a bad time in their lives. It makes a huge difference in the way they will deal with you.

Many heirs are actually very eager to sell to you so they can quickly settle the estate. A friend of mine recently lost his mother and he inherited her house. During the next few weeks, he was required to travel back and forth, about 50 miles each way, to deal with the various legalities and hassles of property ownership.

My friend confided in me that if someone would just offer him a reasonable price for the house, he would probably take it. He even said that he would not dicker too much over the offer, because he would just want to complete the deal quickly and easily and liquidate the asset.

When someone you love dies, you not only inherit all of their property, but also all of their problems too. No one who is going through the grieving process for a loved one wants to take on a very large project at the same time. If you can offer these people a simple and fast solution of “What to do with Mother’s house,” they will take it, so probate is ideal.

Also, often after the estate goes through probate, several siblings or relatives will inherit jointly, which can cause all types of problems. Maybe the siblings live in different places or do not get along. Getting rid of property you own but do not live close to is sometimes difficult.

In most of these types of cases, none of the parties involved want the property, so they don’t want to buy each other out. Instead, they just want to split the money from the sale of the property. This fact is especially true if there are outstanding debts against the property, and also if they are going to have to pay a lot of inheritance tax on it, but can’t actually get at any cash. This is where you can step in to supply the heirs with a solution to what can be a difficult problem.

Another factor can come into play with this situation. Many senior citizens, 65 years or older, defer their property taxes until after their death in what is called a “senior deferral.” Once the senior citizen passes away, these taxes come due.

If the heirs to the estate inherit the property, they also inherit the past due taxes. Most people just want to get these taxes paid as quickly as possible, so that they can pay them and any other outstanding debts to the estate, and then see what is left over. They are eager to sell and resolve the matter, and pay off the hefty tax bill.

In conclusion, probate is better that foreclosure. The market is easier to work in because fewer people are buying in the probate market, and the sellers are more eager to sell to you. It’s much better to buy from people who are looking at you as a hero rather than a vulture swooping down to pick over their carcass and rob them of their home.

Share