House Rentals Get the Facts First

1: Determine the area you want to live in ahead of time and then find a home that is in that area. Sure this sounds like an obvious suggestion but in reality too many people hear about the “perfect” home to rent and will actually make a decision based strictly on the features or maybe even the recommendation of a friend. This is not to say you should settle for a home that doesn't have any features you like or dismiss what your friends recommend but being in a area that meets the needs of your job and even social life is important.

2: Find out the terms ahead of time. What is the rent, late payment fee, the length of the basic agreement, the top-level terms of the contract like; deposit, utility obligations, insurance and sub-leasing?

3: Visit the neighborhood before you meet the landlord. Don't waste your time or the landlord's time if the neighborhood won't even work. Take a trip and check out your possible future surroundings. What's in the area? Will you be close to shopping? Entertainment? Public transportation if you require it?

4: Talk to the neighbors. Without being a pest, knock on a few doors and inquire about not only the neighborhood but also the house you are interested in. What were the previous renters like? How many times has the home been rented in the past year? Finding the answers to these questions can help put your mind at ease about not only the neighborhood but the property you're interested in as well.

5: Check out the landlord. If he is registered with the Better Business Bureau or a realty association, contact them and gather as much information you can about him. Are there previous complaints? How were they handled? How long has he been a landlord?

6: Finally, schedule a time to actually view the property with the landlord. Check the property out thoroughly and don't be swayed by any of the amenities that might be more than you expected. Look carefully at the carpet or flooring, check out the walls and ceilings, the yard, turn on the water in the kitchen, flush the toilet and generally have as critical an eye toward the property as you can have. After all, once a lease is signed you could be responsible for all repairs or some of them and if the problem was there before you moved in then it probably has become your problem and short of litigation you will most likely have to take care of it.

Finding a new house to rent can be very exciting and usually signals some sort of new beginning so take the time to make it the best start you can especially when it comes to the house you are renting.

How To Organize A Successful Family Reunion

Since the advent of the personal computer and network technology genealogy research by family members has become an addictive pastime that has contributed to many happy reunions while others have discovered family members they never knew they had the world over.

If your reading this article you're probably one of those family members who have a spot in your heart for such reunions. But what if you were asked to organize the next event? Where would you start? When should you start? Should you hire a family reunion planner? The answers to these questions are three fold.

1. Get Help Early In The Project Form a reunion committee comprised of at least one member per 25 attendees. Delegate all tasks. Your task is to follow up with the progress of each task and keep everyone on the same page.

2. Good Communication You've heard it said "if you build it they will come?" Not if no one told them you build it.

3. Provide Plenty of Time To Rally Support Often good communication and plenty of time is all that's needed to rally support. You want to let the family know that your planning a reunion well in advance. At the very least give them a date. Details can follow later. Now they can schedule time off or adjust their vacation plans to include the reunion. To that end Mark recommends that the reunion be planned at least one year in advance providing plenty of time to foresee and execute action items.

To keep reunion meetings from getting bogged down with too much information and little time to follow up with delegated tasks make use of good scheduling, planning tools and action items lists.

For example, if there is a need to schedule a tour of a memorial site, order catering and have a professional on location photo shoot one needs to know when to make calls, who to contact and when to follow up with that person. To avoid forgetting important tasks all that's needed is a good scheduler. Family reunion planner organizers help to keep everyone on the same page.

Good Reunion Planning Tools A good planner organizer should contain a time line preparation reminders, scheduling worksheets, committees assignment sheets, reunion needs lists, meal planner checklists, as well as other essentials for time and cost efficient family reunion planning.

Raising Reunion Event Funds Collecting funds often becomes a major concern. Figuring out how to get family members to dig deep into their pockets is always a challenge. The key is to plan a fun event early in the year that features activities the family will enjoy. Mid-way into the event, not at the end, schedule to have a live or silent auction of several items highly valued by the family.

Another helpful fund raising activity is a rummage sale. Make certain the location for the sale is in a high traffic public place. Be certain to have more that enough items to sell. Don’t turn anything down so long as it’s presentable. Tip: collect and sell DVD’s and music cd's. Everyone loves rummaging through movie and music collections.

With plenty of time set aside for planning, rallying support early in the project, a family reunion committee to delegate tasks to and good follow up using a family reunion planner the task of planning a fun and enriching family reunion can be an enjoyable one for all.

Home Party Tips Setting Yourself Up For Success

Hosting a home party can be a great way to generate more sales for your product! A home party makes people feel more relaxed and comfortable with the rep, and that increases the likelihood that checkbooks will come out at the end of your presentation. Sometimes, though, the mood just isn’t there and sales don’t happen the way you’d like. How can you avoid a situation like that? Here are a few tips about setting yourself up for success with a fantastic home party!

1. Be prepared - Always be prepared well beforehand to avoid any last minute rushing around (you know what I’m talking about). Know exactly what you are going to present and have needed materials and visual aids at hand. If you are passing out take-home information, have enough on hand for everyone. If you have to transport your material to another location, use sturdy boxes and label each one so you know where everything is. Having a husband or friend along to help can save you time and stress.

2. Cleanliness counts - If you are hosting the party at your home, do the cleaning the day before or hire someone to do it for you. If a friend is hosting for you, ask them to be sure the home is clean or offer to pay for a cleaner to come the day of the party. Messiness detracts from you and your presentation. Indoor animals should be shut in a room with food and water to cut down on distractions, and children and husbands should go out for a few hours or stay quietly in another part of the house.

3. Set the stage – Allow yourself plenty of time to set up your materials. Once everything is set up, check it out from the perspective of the clientele. Can you see everything clearly? Light a few scented candles or use a plug-in air freshener to help the mood – subtle scents can relax customers and increase their desire to buy. A word of warning: try to find out ahead of time if any of your guests have asthma or breathing difficulties, and avoid candles if so. Having a potential client go into an asthma attack at your party is not the way to boost sales!

4. Relax yourself – before beginning your presentation, do a few breathing exercises or (if you can go somewhere private) some stretches to help loosen yourself up. Good speakers come across as confident, self-assured people who really believe in the product or service they are presenting and this in turn convinces the audience that the product or service is something valuable.

5. Circulate, circulate, circulate! – Once your presentation is finished and the guests are involved with refreshments, make yourself available to anyone and everyone who might want to talk to you. Be friendly and accessible, and move around the room, not just around your table. If you are away from the table and see someone examining materials, you can always go back, but frequently guests feel more comfortable talking away from the display, which can mean pressure to buy to some.

Try one or all of these tips and see your sales jump as your home parties become more and more successful!

Twelve Easy Steps to a Great Kid Party Video

PREPARATION:

1. Familiarize yourself with your camera by thoroughly reading the owner's manual. A complete knowledge of your camera’s features will help you to get the most out of your equipment and produce a more professional looking final product.

2. Charge your batteries in advance, one to record the action and a back-up battery as well. There’s nothing worse than being out of juice when the party action starts!

3. Do a sound and video check before filming the actual party activities. Check for distracting noise which could ruin the quality of your video, such as air conditioners, fans, televisions and radios. (The noise of your kids party will be quite enough!) Shoot a minute or so of film, rewind and view it to be sure the camera is operating efficiently.

4. Lighting is key to an attractive and viewable video. When taking the shot, be sure that the major light source is behind you. If the light is behind the subject, s/he will be shadowed. Position yourself and your camera between the light source and the subject.

If there is a large window in your party area, pull the shades or curtains to block out background light. You can also keep bright backlighting out of the picture by keeping the camera zoomed in on your subject. You might also activate the "back light button", if your camera has one, to lessen the window glare.

COMPOSITION:

5. Compose by using the zoom feature, before you start rolling tape. Set the buttons where they need to be in advance, so you have only to flick the "on" switch to be ready to videotape.

6. Follow the rule of thirds. Don’t place the most important picture element in the center of the screen. Position the camera so the center of attention is in the top or lower third of the viewfinder. Be sure to keep the tops of people’s heads near the top of the viewfinder.

7. Keep the background simple to minimize visual distractions. Avoid shadows and other objects that may appear to "grow out of people’s heads".

FILMING:

8. Begin your video by stating the birthday event and date. Continue narration as the video progresses; interviewing guests and talking about the party games, food and other party topics will make a more interesting video.

9. Make sure to hold the camera steady while filming. Hold your elbows close to your body and avoid walking around. Imagine your camcorder is a full cup of coffee you don’t want to spill and move accordingly.

10. Keep your average shot length at approximately 10 seconds. This means keeping the shot steady without panning or zooming for a count of ten. Count quietly to yourself as a reminder, until you refine your technique. Similarly, when you do pan or zoom, do so slowly to avoid the videocamera going out of focus.

11. Set up the videocamera on a tripod to record ongoing events when party action is set in one location, such as at the party table for cake and ice cream, or when guests are gathered together for the opening of gifts.

This technique gives the viewer the perspective of being a "fly on the wall" with a panoramic view of all the party events.

12. Capture candid moments by being inconspicuous in your filming. Small "snapshots" of unposed moments the best video memories.

Let shaky videos and shaken confidence become a thing of the past. The more you practice these 12 easy steps, the better the quality of your kid videos. Whether documenting a birthday party or other special event, your videography services will soon be in high demand!

Choosing Birthyday Party Supplies Decorations and Theme Packages

Birthday party supplies and decorations are excellent for giving dimension and style to a birthday party. The variety of available supplies and decorations makes it possible to tailor a party to the specific interests and tastes of just about any child. The benefits of a themed birthday party go beyond just aesthetic... birthday party packages have an educational and developmental component as well. With just a bit of background, you can obtain just the right party package.

The variety of available birthday supplies is massive. Everything from packages geared towards girls like the “Barbie Princess” and “Ariel & Friends” theme packages as well sets for boys such as “Bob the Builder “ and “the Justice League” are just part of the exhaustive selection supplied by industry. Packages are usually complete and include plates, napkins, cups, hats, a table cover as well as invitations and thank you notes. Many packages have other components as well. With this variety, the right one is certainly available and easy to use… it comes with everything.

Sometimes parents see selecting the most appropriate birthday party package as a daunting task. But it need not be. A good place to start is to consider your child’s interests. A young man who is intrigued by fire trucks would certainly enjoy the “Fireman’s Buddies” package. A young lady with a sense of fashion would likely appreciate the “Disney Princess Ball” package. Cutting edge packages with Harry Potter as the theme are quite popular. It really gets down to thinking about your child’s tastes. With the huge variety of packages, the right one is certainly there almost as if it was custom made.

Birthday party supplies and decorations yield benefits beyond just adding color and excitement. A theme package affirms their interests and the worth of their preferences. It subconsciously confirms the idea that they can make choices regarding the world around them. The invitations and thank you notes also help to teach manners and decorum.

Online ordering is available to have birthday party supplies delivered directly to yoru door. There is nothing more convenient.

Tips for a Tidy Home

Don’t you love coming home to a clean house? Whether you live in a two-room apartment or a sprawling ranch, the air just feels fresher when the place is clean and neat. Although some busy folks hire a housekeeping service to come in every week or two to make things right, most of us fend for ourselves and bravely tackle the dirtiest household chores when we can’t bear the grime any longer.

Cleaning your home doesn’t have to be a dreaded task, however. With a few arrangements ahead of time, you can be ready to go and get the work done in no time flat. All it takes is a little bit of organization and preparation, and you can whisk through those weekly duties pronto.

1. Stock cleaning supplies. Use the most natural and non-toxic products you can find. Or consider making your own. Clean the toilet bowls with Alka Seltzer, for example, by tossing in a couple of tablets, letting them fizz for an hour so, and then scrubbing the bowl to remove lingering debris. For counter space and bathroom fixtures, use a paste made of baking soda and water and apply it like cleanser. Rinse each surface thoroughly, and you will be surprised to see how effectively this works. Try a half-cut of vinegar following by a cup of hot water to clear a clogged drain. You can find many types of homemade cleaners and fresheners that will save money and cut fumes as well as protect your household materials.

2. Get organized. Keep all supplies and cleaning equipment in a specific area so you can find them when needed. Wash or replace cleaning rags, and don’t forget to buy paper towels. Replace your mop head and broom every three to six months, or as needed, to keep these tools working effectively. Choose a certain time slot and try to follow it each week for doing the general cleaning. For example, this could be Thursday evening, Saturday morning, or another time when you can get the housework done without interruption.

3. Work efficiently. Start at one end of the house—the one furthest from the center—and work your way back. Put a clothesbasket or paper bag in each room to receive items that need to be moved to another area, such as discarded newspapers, shoes, or dishes. Train the kids to return items like these to their proper locations at the end of each day.

4. Go light to heavy. Start with dusting, wiping, or surface tasks first. Then move on to the sweeping, vacuuming, or mopping, as well as windows or other heavy-duty tasks that remain to be done. Open the windows, weather permitting, to bring in fresh air and let out contaminated air. You’ll love the fresh scent unless you live in a heavily polluted area.

5. Clean up thoroughly. Put everything away where it belongs, cleaning supplies included. Pick up magazines, toys, and other discarded items. Place fresh-cut flowers in a vase on the table, or bake muffins for supper. The delicious aroma will add to the wonderful clean feeling of your home.

Make a habit of keeping the house tidy each day. Put things where they belong. Do the dishes after each meal. Put away groceries when you return from the store. Then you won’t have as much to do when cleaning day rolls around.

Seven Steps to a Happy House Move

I confess - I'm a serial house mover. I have moved house nearly 20 times in five different countries. Most of the time I've done it myself with the help of a few friends. While the process is very stressful, I've come up with a few ways to cut down on the hassle - and I'd like to share these with you.

1. Take it down (or up)
Everything you move has to go through your front door, so it makes sense to have your belongings as close to the exit as possible. Make sure you get everything down from the attic (or up from the cellar) before moving day. Anything that's there, you probably don't use every day, anyway.

Put the boxes in a room you can do without for a while and stack them three or four high. Try to keep the piles relatively even, so they won't fall on you or your children. (This has happened to me before and it was a pain to have to re-stack all the boxes).

2. Clear the clutter
When you're moving things out of the loft or cellar, be ruthless and clear out anything you haven't used in the last two years. The same goes for the garage and for the garden shed. Every piece of junk you keep is one more thing to load and unload. By the end of move day, you'll wish you hadn't bothered. This is one my partner learned the hard way. The last time we moved, he insisted on moving a rickety piece of furniture which we ended up taking to the dump on move day. Take it from me, the last thing you want to do is add any extra trips to the schedule.

There is one advantage of moving, though. It's a good time to lose that unwanted Christmas or birthday gift. (Remember not to look too sad when you explain what happened or you might get a replacement.)

3. Spend to save your back
When hiring a van, don't cut corners. Spend a bit more and get a van with a tail-lift. That will cut down on the backache and will be invaluable, especially for the larger furniture items. Buy or borrow a heavy duty trolley of some kind and you'll have almost all the bases covered. When booking a van, look for a company that will allow you to either pick it up the night before the move (to get a head start on the loading) or return it the day after (so you can collapse into bed at night without watching the clock).

4. Think inside the box!
Keep packing boxes small and manageable and your back will thank you. Paper boxes (you can get a few from your office) are perfect for packing books, CDs, DVDs, tapes and other small items.

Confectionery boxes are also a good size for packing. Ask your local shop to save you a few. They will need to be reinforced, though.

If you have a baby or toddler, you've probably bought a Pampers multi-pack box at some time. Save them - those boxes are strong and solid (and they have handles).

Finally, your local bookstore may be able to supply some small book boxes. These are very strong and you can be sure that your stuff won't fall out mid-move.

5. Bubble, bubble ...
Fragile items should be wrapped very carefully. The best packing items are newsprint and bubble wrap. Beg or buy large sheets of unprinted newsprint or ends of rolls from your local printer. A dirtier (but still effective) alternative is the good old Sunday paper (the bigger, the better). There's always more stuff to be wrapped than you think. If you prefer to keep it clean, use bubble wrap - if you get really bored, you can pop a few bubbles while you pack.

Mattresses are quite heavy, and you'll usually drop at least one corner during the move. (After three moves in the rain, my old pale yellow mattress was quite filthy.) I recommend that you wrap all mattresses, otherwise you'll be sleeping on dirt for years. Garbage bags and packing tape are useful for wrapping large items such as these, but even better are big dust sheets from your local hardware store.

6. Make your mark
Most people label boxes according to where they want them to go in the new house, but I recommend that you also mark where they've come from in the old house. You'll have a much better idea of where to find that elusive vase for the welcome flowers the new neighbors have brought you, because you'll know exactly where that was in the old house. Labels should be placed or written on the top and at least two sides so you won't have to lift every box to find out what's in it.

Help your move-day helpers to help you by making some signs for the new house (Bedroom 1, Bedroom 2, Office etc) so they will know where each box should go. Otherwise, they'll just put stuff down anywhere and you'll struggle to find it.

7. Essential services
Get together a move day essentials box. This should have a bottle of mineral water, a couple of snack bars and a roll of toilet paper, as well as tea and coffee fixings and a kettle.

Put your hammer, drill and screwdriver set as well as a few nails, screws and wall plugs in another essentials box. A couple of light bulbs may also come in handy, as will a roll of garbage bags and some large dust sheets in case it's a wet day (you don't want mud all over the new carpet, do you?)

I have to be honest. Moving is still a stressful process, even for me, but I don't tend to break anything I need and can always find my belongings easily. Give these steps a try and your house move will be much less hassle.

Happy moving!