Moving to a new home feels like a fresh start and presents you with new opportunities to beautify the blank canvas that is your new living space.  Thinking about all the possibilities can be fun and exciting, but you must get through the moving process first.  We’re here to help you prioritize your to-do list so things do not become overwhelming. Preparation is key! Putting in the extra effort now will ensure smooth sailing later.

Secure Your Packing Supplies

Setting aside a block of time to start packing, just to find out that you’ve forgotten something can be frustrating. Think about all the items in your house that you are taking with you and what you are going to need to keep them secure during transfer.  Some of these items include:

❏     Boxes (Used or New): Ask friends or local businesses for any they have left over or purchase them in bulk online

❏     Packing Tape: Purchase more than you think you need, because you probably will

❏     Bubble Wrap or Old Newspapers: For any fragile items like fine china, vases, figurines, etc.

❏     Box Cutter or Scissors: To customize the length of packing tape and bubble wrap as well as being a quick tool to re-open the boxes when they arrive at their destination.

❏     A Wide-Tipped Permanent Marker or Label Maker: Label the top and at least two sides of your boxes to be able to determine their contents no matter how they are arranged when they arrive at your new home.

❏     Mover’s Dolly: Whether you are performing the move yourself or through a company, lifting heavy boxes all day can be damaging to your back. Try to use the dolly to move the boxes back and forth to the areas you want to store them prior to the move to save time and energy.

❏     Large Blankets: To keep your furniture from being damaged during transfer

❏     Specialty Items: If there are specific items in your home that need special handling, purchase custom supplies as needed.

Narrow Down Your Inventory

Think about the items in your current home that may not need to come with you to the new one. You don’t want to waste space in your moving van to bring them over when you know you are just going to be discarding them when they arrive. The time is now to try to divide these items into piles to donate, sell or give away.  Donations can be as simple as calling up a local company that comes to pick it up from your curbside. Selling will free up some money to help with moving costs and giving items away will always be welcome to the people receiving them.

Secure Help for Your Move

Decide whether you will be hiring a moving company or doing the move yourself.  If you are hiring a company, research a few to compare prices and availability for the time-frame you need.  Keep in mind that summertime is usually the busiest time of year for moving, so try to secure transportation as far in advance as you can.  If you will be doing the move yourself, get a full commitment from family and friends and hold them to it.  The last thing you need is for people to bail out on you the day you need them. Only ask for and expect the help of those you know you can count on.

We hope this guide has given you some helpful ideas to get started with your moving project. Happy packing!

Making a fun and delicious family meal doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming. In fact the chicken can be cooked in the crock pot while you are at work. This receipt can be adjusted to feed two to four people. The ingredients do not have to be exact. If you want more or less of anything you can adjust.

Ingredients:

2-4 Boneless chicken breast (depending on how many people you are feeding, estimating one chicken breast for every one to two people)

1 Jar of Mild Salsa for every two chicken breast

Packet of Chicken Taco Seasoning

Tortilla Chips

Bag of Shredded Lettuce

1 Large Tomato

Sour Cream

Shredded Mexican Cheese, or Queso (heated in sauce pan)

Start:

Rub boneless chicken with the taco seasoning for chicken. Place chicken in crock pot and cover with salsa. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. After cooking, the chicken should be easily shred into smaller pieces.

Place tortilla chips into serving bowls. Top chips with the shredded chicken. Then add the shredded lettuce and chopped tomato. Add a dollop of sour cream on top.  Sprinkle on shredded Mexican cheese.

Suggestion: Buy a block of Mexican Queso. Cube cheese or shred. Add cheese to sauce pan and pour ¼ cup of milk in. Melt cheese on low and continue to stir. The cheese will thicken and then you can pour over your taco bowl.

Let the crock pot do the hard work. All you have left to do is prep and serve for dinner!

When you are having guests over but space is limited there isn’t much else you can do but offer what space you do have for their stay. That doesn’t mean their stay has to be uncomfortable or cramped! When having houseguests over these small gestures and deeds go a long way to making the home you’ve opened up to them feel like theirs.

Before you invite guests over, look at the room through their eyes.  Is the room warm and welcoming?  Is there adequate lighting?  Does the space feel updated and clean?  Adjust the room until you are happy.  Make sure the room is aired out, add a lamp or two (or change the lightbulbs if they are burned out!), give the room a deep clean, have a professional clean the carpet.  If the carpet is dingy or outdated, have this replaced.  

Do you have proper bedding and pillows? Have you ever invested in an air mattress from the last time you went camping? Be sure to buy one if you haven’t already, they are worth it for the comfort of your guests and can be reused in a myriad of ways. Find bedding that is comfortable for the temperature you keep your home and for the time of the season. And finally, be sure to provide pillows for your guests. And no, not just the throw pillows from your couch! 

Next, think to the small comforts you enjoy in your bedroom. These are things that will help your guest feel both welcome, and at home. Using your couch or a love seat as the head of the bed will allow your guest to lean comfortably against it while they read a book or magazine you left out for them in case they enjoy a night time read before turning in for the night.

And finally, be sure to think of the things they might have forgotten. You know, those things you usually get at the hotel when you panic and realize you’ve left your hair dryer or shampoo at home? Put together a toiletry basket, complete with shampoo and conditioner, body wash, a razor, hand sanitizer, toothpaste and a toothbrush, and anything else you can think of that might be useful to your guest that they may have forgotten.

These small but thoughtful ways to prepare your guest for their stay in your home are sure to put them at ease and make them feel more welcome. One final thing that nobody can live without—don’t forget to leave out the wifi username and password!

Looking for the perfect snack that is healthy, simple and has plenty of available toppings?  Popcorn clearly wins in each of these categories!   Popcorn is versatile, full of fiber and very low in fat (at least when it’s not doused with butter and salt). Skip the “Movie Theater Butter” and get creative when flavoring plain popcorn! Rather than butter, use a healthy oil substitute such as vegetable or coconut – this will help your choice of toppings to stick to the fluffy kernels.

Are you in the mood for sweet or savory? If you are craving sweet, mix together a dash of cinnamon to a teaspoon of natural sugar. Sprinkle the mix over top of popcorn in a large bowl, then toss. Continue to add the mixture and toss the popcorn. This will ensure that all of the kernels get an even coating of flavor. Natural vanilla extract can be used as well. If you must use butter, pair a small amount of melted butter with a couple drops of vanilla extract and pour the mix over popcorn and continue to toss the kernels to evenly distribute the flavor.

If you are craving savory then garlic parmesan may be the way to go. Sprinkle your popcorn with garlic seasoning.  Next sprinkle parmesan cheese (the kind you put on top of pizza) onto your popcorn. This snack is delicious and can really help with savory cravings. Another option is to sprinkle popcorn salt (ground finer than table salt) and nutritional yeast (this can be found at a health food store and has the added benefit of containing protein and B12!)

For spicy food lovers, turn to spicy flavored popcorn! You can add spice to popcorn by using ground red pepper, spicy paprika seasoning or ground black pepper and a dash of salt. For a powerful punch, pair chili powder with paprika. For a zingy flavor mix a tablespoon of vegetable oil with several drops of lime juice and carefully drizzle over popcorn.

Get creative and think outside of the box. Search your pantry and spice racks for healthier options to flavor popcorn with. If you like a certain flavor, most likely you will enjoy it on your healthy plain popcorn snack!

Whether you work for someone or run your own business it’s valuable to be able to manage your work style. When you perform at your best you either receive the raise or promotion you’ve been hoping for, or you take your own business to the next level. However, being highly effective isn’t necessarily easy! Here are ten helpful tips on how to up your game. 

1. Visualize the outcome of the day. What will it look or feel like when you’ve accomplished everything you’ve set out to do for the day?
2. Once you’ve established your vision for the day don’t question it. Doubt and questioning waste time and energy.
3. Tackle the most difficult job of the day first, while you have the most energy and resilience.
4. Do real work before email or social networking. The day can slip away fast so it’s important to get real work done first, and then communicate.
5. Make your clients your top priority when you begin the communication part of the day. Without your clients none of the rest of your business activities ultimately matter.
6. Unlearn multi-tasking and use laser focus on one task at a time. You will be far more efficient and effective in the long run.
7. If your to-do list is especially demanding use a timer. Allot only the amount of time you actually have available and set the timer at the beginning of each task. Set it to a 10 minute warning as well and then force yourself to complete all tasks within the time allowed.
8. Start all tasks without perfection in mind. The goal is to simply get started without stopping to ponder. Give things at least a 15 minute start without hesitation. By quickly creating an initial attempt at any task you are making it far easier to hit your stride along the way.
9. Play music or ambient noise at a low to moderate level. It’s been proven that background noise actually increases your productivity more than complete silence.
10. Ensure there is plenty of ventilation and light in your workspace. Stale, stagnant air and a dark room can affect your brain’s ability to stay alert and “fresh.”

If you’ve recently visited a store to check out the selection of blenders you may have noticed the newest trend in foods that go round and round. Big bulky blenders are out, and smaller versions are in. There are all kinds of smoothie machines on the market and some are even combo machines that also serve as food processors, with just a switch of a few moving parts.

The beauty of this innovation is that you can now make single serve smoothies with ease. Not only is it more convenient (the mixing cups come with ring tops that allow you to drink right out of the cup), they are far more cost effective. You don’t have to use more ingredients that you need, so you won’t have to store any of the smoothie concoction in the fridge. Smoothies can potentially taste good the next day if you give them a second whirl in the blender, but it’s not nearly as bright and refreshing as when it slows to a stop after the first spin.

We have discovered just one obstacle to the enjoyment of this new technology. Most recipes aren’t portioned for just one serving. So, we created several for you! These particular smoothies all share one thing in common. They include nuts so you are sure to have some protein and healthy fat in your diet. Happy fruit spinning!

Pie Face

• 1 tbsp crushed pecans
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• ½ cup coconut water
• ½ apple cut into chunks with peel left on
• 1/3 cup peaches
• Whisper of sea salt

Berry Mango Delight

• 1 handful mixed blackberries, blueberries, raspberries
• 1/4 ripe diced mango
• ½ tbsp vanilla protein powder
• 5 cashews
• 1/2 cup coconut water OR almond or rice milk
• Whisper of sea salt

Fun with fiber

• Water OR brewed then cooled herbal tea (lemon, raspberry, green, etc.) OR coconut water to achieve your preferred consistency
• ¾ tbsp protein powder
• ¼ cup almonds or walnuts
• Almond or rice milk to cover the nuts in the bottom of the blender
• 1 packet raw sugar (Stevia if you prefer)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries/raspberries/blackberries & mangoes/papayas/peaches
• ½ small apple
• ½ small ripe pear

A dreaded cry comes from another room — “Oops!  I’m sorry!  I didn’t mean to spill that!” 

Is your first reaction to panic?  Will you ever be able to rid your carpet of the stain?  

Every spill is different.  Our post today deals with handling catsup when it comes in contact with carpet.  Hopefully this will help many with family get-togethers that have become a bit messy!

Catsup

Detergent Solution – Mix one fourth (1/4) teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent per one (1) cup of lukewarm water. NEVER USE A STRONGER CONCENTRATION! Thorough rinsing is necessary to remove detergent residues that may cause rapid soiling. It may be necessary to rinse with warm water several times to completely remove residues. (See Residue Precautions.) Care should be used in selecting a detergent. Never use a laundry detergent of any type, because laundry detergents may contain optical brighteners (flourescent dyes) that dye the fiber. Do not select an automatic dishwashing detergent because many contain bleaching agents that destroy dyes and some fibers.

Vinegar Solution – Mix one (1) cup of white vinegar per two (2) cups of water. White vinegar is a 5% acetic acid solution. It is used most often to lower the alkalinity caused by detergent solutions or alkaline spills.

Warm Water – Lukewarm tap water should be used in most cases to rinse the cleaning solutions from the fiber. Failure to completely rinse the solutions from the fiber may cause accelerated soiling.

Ammonia Solution – Mix one (1) tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water. Please note: Be aware that ammonia, if used improperly, can cause a color change. Be sure to test a hidden area.

Call a Professional – Professional cleaners have the ability and the equipment to use more aggressive cleaning solutions to remove stubborn spills. Always consider consulting a professional cleaner regarding any spot removal question. 

Overall, be sure to be careful around carpet, but remember there is no need to panic with a loud “Oops!” Acting quickly and with the correct attack strategy, the scariest spills can be overcome.