Making More Storage

Author: Ellen Hamm

One of the most common complaints about homes is the lack of storage. People actually move into bigger houses just to increase their storage space. They add on garages, storage sheds, or even go out and rent a storage space just to help ease the strain on the little bit of storage space that they have in their house. Follow these tips to help you maximize the storage that you do have in your home so that you may be able to avoid adding on, renting more space, or spending a lot of money on pricey closet organization systems.

1) Limit what you allow yourself to keep in your house. Set up rules for yourself so that you can stop holding onto things that you really don't need. If you store something, date it. Put a throw-out date on things. Decide how long something would be worth keeping before you are okay with getting rid of it. Practice the old trick of turning all of your clothes hangers backwards so that you can get rid of clothes that you haven't worn in a year more easily. Sometimes it is hard to put constraints on ourselves. Giving yourself a system will help you to cut down on clutter and enjoy the extra space that you make.

2) There are a lot of things that we have to store. For instance, your out of season clothing is probably something that you do not want to get rid of every year! I prefer to use dressers, trunks, and armoires for storage. Set up your closet so that you can keep all of your seasonal clothing and shoes in it. Closets are better than dressers because you don't have to dig through. You can easily see what you need. Plus, putting away laundry is a snap when you're primarily using the closet. This will help you to avoid the dreaded "laundry mountain" of clean clothes that you can't seem to find the time to put away.

3) Making room in the closet means getting a little creative with storage around your home. Take advantage of under-the-bed space. Use risers to increase the space here. You can buy large, shallow containers that are perfect for storing shoes, sweaters, pants and more. They slide right under the bed and are easily hidden by a dust ruffle. Some even have attractive fronts that you can label. Use decorative trunks for bulky items and a rolling garment rack with a dust cover for suits and coats.

4) When you get your closet as empty as possible, use clothes hangers creatively to make the most of your space. Metal hangers fit closely together to save space and are stronger than those old wire coat hangers. Use cedar hangers to keep coats properly hung and other wooden clothes hangers for clothes that need to keep their shape. Cascade hangers from each other or use specialty hangers to take the place of drawers and shelves.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/making-more-storage-4943985.html

About the Author

About the Author: Ellen Hamm is on the staff of Everything Hangers, a leading online resource for the highest quality clothes hangers, including sturdy metal hangers and cedar hangers. Learn more about our high end hangers at http://www.everythinghangers.com.

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Reserve Airport Parking Ahead Of Your Travel

Author: chickie maxwell

Airport parking presents travelers with unique challenges. What travelers frequently find is that airport parking structures are nearly full, and they have no choice but to drive all the way to the top of the structure and leave their cars in the sun for days.

In the event that travelers can find a parking space, they then have to embark on the equally difficult endeavor of arriving at their airlines. It can be an incredibly long walk to the airport terminal from the high distance where they were forced to park in the parking structure.

For the privilege of parking as far away from the terminal as possible and having to walk for miles to arrive there, passengers have to pay a hefty price. Both the traveler and the garage owner are aware that travelers have no choice but to park at their garages, and they take advantage of their customers by charging them exorbitant fees.

Even though it may appear that this situation does not have a solution, it actually does. Now travelers have a choice for airport parking that eliminates the issues that were described above.

These reserve airport parking services are easy to find; before beginning their travel, vacationers only need to go online. In order to learn about where these garages are, people can visit forums or websites that offer reviews of such services. These sites give people the chance to ask others how well they liked the companies they patronized. People can always consult the Yellow Pages online for these types of services, also.

How can it help a vacationer to use reserve airport parking services when they travel? People have several good reasons to look into purchasing these services:

• These establishments make it easy for people to make reservations right from their websites.

• This plan eliminates the need to drive in circles looking for a place to park on the day they are scheduled to travel.

• Those who do not have a computer available to them can also make reservations for a parking space by telephone, and they will be assured a parking space when they arrive at the place of business.

• They can safely park their cars and continue on to the airport by way of the shuttle these operations provide for their clients.

• Travelers will save a considerable amount of time.

The companies that perform reservation services are known to be reputable companies; travelers will not have to worry that their vehicles will be in danger of being stolen or broken into while parked as these car ports. It will be as if the car was parked safely at home in their own garages.

These parking garages can be found anywhere that travelers need this service, both in the United States and in foreign countries.

The price these garages charge cannot be beat by the airports; travelers who make their reservations with these private companies online receive a discount of up to 70 percent over what the airport charges people to park their cars. Everyone can appreciate saving money right before they embark on a trip.

Making a reservation with a parking garage offers travelers several advantages. For one, they know that they will definitely have a place to park when they arrive at the airport. Two, they will know that they will have a ride by way of the shuttle right to their airline's entrances. Three, these services will save them time, because they will not have to search for a parking space and walk long distances to the airport. Lastly, they will save a lot of money by being a client of these services. With all of the hassles eliminated from just booking a parking space online, there is no reason that travelers would not want to reserve airport parking.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/reserve-airport-parking-ahead-of-your-travel-4944027.html

About the Author

MyReviewsNow

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Online Stock Broker - How To Find The Best Online Stock Broker

Author: Mika Hamilton

Online brokers have an important role to play when you open an online trading account. Each broker can offer different services and features. You must research all the online brokers to find the best broker to meet your needs. I have listed a large number of online brokers and placed their information for you to read in one easy-to-read webpage. This is a free, "no-cost to you" service for our valued readers and can be found on this link: Best Online Stock Brokers

What to look for in an online broker.

Brokerage rates – this is the rate at which you are charged for buying or selling through your online account. These rates are usually charged based on a sliding scale. The more units you purchase in a single transaction, the less the "cost per unit" you will pay. The exact sliding scale can vary and may sometimes be negotiable for larger purchases. Compare each broker and read the fine print within contracts. Pick the one that best meets your buying and selling style.

Account fees – Look for hidden fees in account contracts within the terms and conditions. I know of one broker who requires an extra $10 to transfer money out of an account "quickly" as against withdrawing money normally. Hardly a fair fee, I’d say. All fees should be listed in the terms and conditions listed in opening an account.

Phone access – Online services can go down during hours of service. Interruptions to broadband services, power outages and computer problems can stop you from accessing information you need at critical points. This is why you must have phone access to your online broker. Do not even consider using an online broker if they do not provide phone access.

Access to your money – I prefer having instant access to my money even though it is held in a cash account by the broker. Most brokers will have a cash account facility that is linked to your trading account. My account is linked to a MasterCard account, which means I can access that money anytime through any ATM or make purchases as I would normally using a MasterCard. Don’t be misled into thinking you must only have a separate cash holding account with the online broker. There are lots of options open to you as a client and good online brokers will provide several options for your cash holding account.

Extra benefits – seek out those brokers that give you extra incentives to open an account with them. Some offer a limited free brokerage period. Others will offer free reports on the markets you are interested in. These bonus offers can help you getting you account established and setup a profitable trading account. For more information on finding the best online stock broker feel free to visit our website.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/online-stock-broker-how-to-find-the-best-online-stock-broker-482343.html

About the Author

Mika Hamilton runs a website offering free investment tips and strategies for people looking to get started in the investment world. visit http://www.yourbrokerguide.com for more tips and articles like this.

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31 Cent Scoop Night at Baskin-Robbins

Grab the kiddies or your boo and head over to participating Baskin-Robbins today from 5-10pm for their 31 Cent Scoop Night. Each scoop is only 31 cents, with a 3 scoop limit.

More Info & Locate a Baskin-Robbins

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Container Vegetable Garden Tip - Save On Planters

Thinking of starting a container vegetable garden on your patio or yard this year? Try using paint buckets (around $2-$3) found at your local hardware store as a container instead of spending $10-$20 on 1 large planter.  If you are concerned with the look of the buckets, simply use outdoor spray paint ($2-$3) to create any color and style you want to match your decor.

Paint buckets are perfect for growing tomatoes. Other vegetables that are great for planting in containers are beets, spinach, leaf lettuce, various hot peppers, green peppers, green beans and squash. And many different herbs can be grown in containers too.

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10 Money Saving Habits To Have

As we start 2011, I wanted to share 10 habits I've found that not only enhances my life but also saves me money in the process.

1. Choose experiences over things. "Tomorrow isn't promised," this is something that I always heard growing up.  And as such I try to live my best life today. I like to experience life through traveling, exploring new venues, places and cultures. And as one that have experienced a long-term layoff from work, I am very aware of the little value material things have. I often wonder why someone would spend $500 on only a few articles of clothing or that new gadget, yet have never taken a vacation. Vacation = Investment in ones mental sanity.
   
   
2. Stick to a budget. This is pretty self explanatory. To get a better hold on spending, we need to know how much cash we are bringing in and letting go.
   
   
3. Your time is worth what? Instead of thinking about how much you make on an annual basis, calculate how much you actually make on an hourly basis. For instance, if you make $50,000 per year, work 40 hours per week (35 hours per week with an hour lunch) and receive 2 weeks vacation thus working 50 weeks per year not including possibly holiday time off, then your hourly rate will look something like this: ($50,000 / 50 weeks) / 35 hrs = $28.57/hr. The next time you buy something, think about how many hours you will have to work in order to pay for it. If you are one to pay $60 for a shirt (and I'm not one of them), then you will need to work 2.1 hours to pay for it. Placing this type of time value on the dollar will make you think twice about how you're spending your time...I meant money.
   
   
4. Be active - It's usually cheaper to play your favorite game than it is to watch people play it. Not only will you get the health benefit and the satisfaction of the game, but you will also save money in the process. For instance, I love tennis and have been playing in a tennis league for years which allows me to play other tennis players at my skill level within my city and costs me no more than $35 each season (since I usually take winters off that's only $105 per year). According to SeatGeek.com, if I wanted to attend last year's 2010 US Open Tennis Championship I would have spent at minimum $47 for an earlier session ticket and if I wanted to attend one of the finals, the ticket price jumps to an average $331. Accommodations and transportation to the event not included. As you can see when you compare playing a game versus watching a game, the savings is tremendous.
   
   
5. Dare to compare - It's easier to compare material things than it is to compare experiences. I'm a sucker for experiencing new cultures, especially if it involves a nice warm climate. My travel preferences and destination may differ greatly than Mr./Mrs. Jones and frankly I don't care what they like to do, however when it comes to material things our choices are actually quite few, somewhat pre-decided for us as consumers and thus forcing us to compare our purchases with others. This type of purchasing behavior only forces us to want the next big thing or bigger thing (thus more expensive) than our peers.
   
   
6. Mix it up - I like to mix up my experiences. In any given year I will do small getaways (i.e. day trip to a state park, weekend roadtrip to a destination, etc.) and then take at least 1 longer vacation (if not 2 if I can find a good bargain) such as a cruise to the caribbean, etc. By doing this, it helps break the monotony of everyday living and working while saving me money in the process.
   
   
7. Use what I pay for with my tax dollars - We pay for state and national parks, libraries and public recreation centers with our tax dollars, so why not use them? Instead of paying $20 for a book you will only read once, i will first see if I can borrow it from the library for free. Instead of spending $100-$200 for a motorized boat rental to go fishing, I will rent a pedal boat, jon boat or row boat at a state park with a lake for under $10.
   
   
8. Plan ahead - It just makes cents. Not only can planning ahead save you money, but the mere anticipation of the planned event can enhance your daily life. Those working a 9-5 know what I'm talking about since it gives you something to look forward to.
   
   
9. Bargain Hunt. Don't be ashamed of comparing prices and shopping around. As a personal rule, I always check at least 2 stores and online before a major purchase. And when I say major, it's typically over $20. I have saved up to 75% by doing so.
   
   
10. Be Social. As in social media. I always look for bargains, reviews and advice on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Groupon, TripAdvisor and the hundreds of other online forums.

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