8 Tips For A Stress-Less Holiday To Make

by: Marilyn Bohn

I think GPS systems are the greatest. (Global Position System) I know a few people who definitely need them. A few years ago we had guests driving from California to our home in Utah to stay over night. It was about a ten hour drive. I gave what I thought was excellent instructions and directions so they would not get lost. The night (early morning) my guests were to arrive I woke up at 3:00 a.m. with a start as Maggie hadn’t arrived. (She didn’t follow my directions, instead made up her own). From our place they were driving back to Washington D.C.. Her sister said she was afraid to take a nap because she was afraid she would wake up in Mexico. A GPS in her car will save her hours of frustration and time.

With the holidays arriving GPS is a great idea for all of us to have. The GPS I am talking about is: Great Planning System. By planning ahead we can have a happy stress free, joyous holiday season. Christmas can be one of the most stressful holidays. But with forethought and organization it can be fun and a holiday to look forward to instead of dreading.

First of all we need to decide what it is we want to get from the holidays. Do we want to have big dinners, entertain friends, and attend every function we are invited to, decorate, bake, spend time with family, send out Christmas cards, exchange neighbor gifts, establish traditions, give to charity or do something unique this year?

Once we have our goals in mind then we can move forward.

•Take some time and decide what is important for you to do this year for the holiday. Then write it down, map it out.

•Establish a time frame to accomplish each task. If it isn’t accomplished in the time we thought it would be, no beating up on ourselves or negative self talk. And if it doesn’t get done ask yourself what is the worst that can happen?

•Cook food ahead of time and freeze it. Some pies freeze well as do cookies. Check your recipes to see what else you can make and freeze.

•Plan on delegating. Who can put up the outdoor lights? Who can do the food shopping? Who can help decorate? Get a crew together to share in the fun.

•Plan a specific time to decorate, another to bake, another to deliver gifts—whatever you plan break it up into little jobs, a little at a time.

•If you send out Christmas cards, organize a basket with the cards, addresses and stamps, and then while watching a T.V. show address the envelopes on the commercials. Do cards in November to save time in December. OR Instead of sending cards, call your friends to wish them a Merry Christmas. Long distance calls have become so reasonable it may cost less than sending a card.

•Keep a notebook with the names of those you are giving gifts to. Check off the gift as it is purchased and make a note when it is wrapped and sent. You could do this on a spread sheet if you use the computer.

•If your family will let you mix up your traditions, try a new one, customize to your own personal preference.

Through all the planning remember this is to be a joyous season; don’t get sucked into thinking you have to do it all. Actually you don’t have to do any of it so have fun with what you decide you really want to do.

About The Author

Marilyn Bohn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Toddler Pillows Tips For A Perfect Little Fit

by: Patricia Bowlin

A toddler pillow is a pillow that is just the right size for a child of two years or more. Prior to age two, use of a pillow of any type is considered dangerous and is not recommended.

Babies should sleep without the possibility of snuggling their little heads under a pillow and potentially smothering. Toddler pillows are about half the size of a standard adult pillow and they have their own special pillow cases that are made to fit.

A child of two to five or six years old simply can not sleep comfortably on a large standard adult pillow. Their necks and shoulders can not be comfortable because the pillow is too large and too thick. The toddler's special pillows allow your child's head, neck and shoulders to be supported just like yours but in a size proportional to the child's smaller body.

Measurements for pillows for toddlers are usually 12 inches by 16 inches in size. Pillow cases for the toddler's special pillow come in a wide range of prints and colors to fit in with any bedding theme you may have in your child's room.

When traveling, the pillow for your toddler will be great for carrying in the car for napping or for sleeping in hotels. Since hotel pillows are traditional thick and fluffy, your child will be much more comfy and sleep better with their own little pillow.

There are even allergy-proof pillows in toddler sizes available if your child is allergic to pillow fill. You'll even find pillow covers that are toddler sized for additional allergy proofing.

If your child doesn't have allergies, you can select down fill for their special little pillow, or you can select polyester fiber fill. Each will last pretty well, but you will pay a bit more for 100% down fill.

Now that you know all about toddler pillows you'll probably want to have several on hand so you have enough for sleep overs.

About The Author

Patricia Bowlin loves to help you create your perfect bedroom sanctuary with hundreds of FREE, helpful ideas, advice and tips bedding of all kinds from pillows, comforters, to blankets, kids and baby bedding: http://www.best-in-bedding.com

Home Loans: Takes Out Your Expenses With Low Cost

by: Dina Wilson

Your home can be the best friend when you need a financial help. It you are possessing your own home then there is no dearth of financial options to you. Some of your needs require such an amount that you can’t arrange it with other options available in the market. For that home loans are in provision that allows you with a good sum and is secured against your home.

Home loan is secured loan that is secured against the equity of your home. The equity is that value of your home that is left after all obligations towards a home you have. With this loan you can avail an equal amount of your equity value. However, in some cases, it can be even 125% of the equity value. The general amount that is granted with this loan ranges from £3000 to £100000. Your repayment duration is scheduled in a very convenient manner. You can repay the amount with flexible duration of time that can stretch over a period of 25 years.

You can invest the received amount on a number of your expenses. These expenses are generally your college fees, renovation of the home, outstanding bills, buying a car, and even to debt consolidation.

You can also go for home loans when you have to buy a new home. In that condition the same home is pledged as security and you are provided with a sufficient fund to invest it on buying your new home.

Home loans are low cost financial help, as the rate of interest with it remains always lower. You get this advantage, as you put a security against the borrowed money that lessens the risk attached to it. Further you can also make your loan cheaper by comparing among the various options because of differed rate of interest with the lenders. You can choose for online options to make your comparing easy.

You can avail the home loans even if you have bad credit. Since, your home is kept as collateral that assures for your repayment and makes a way for you to avail this loan. However, you may be charged with a somewhat higher rate of interest for this.

Home loans can be the best place for those who are seeking a low cost loan. With this loan you can make out any of your expenses with a very low cost. The utility period makes you comfortable at repayment that is essentially required to maintain a healthy financial condition.

About The Author

Dina Wilson is an expert loan advisor at online home improvement loan. She has done MSc Management and Finance from University of Whales.To find Home Loans, home equity loans, online home loans visit http://www.online-home-improvement-loan.co.uk

Common Federal Housing Mortgages

by: Peter Kenny

For those seeking to buy a home, a good place to look for help with loans is through the federal government. Some of the more useful and common loan programs that are currently being offered follow:

There are three government agencies that insure mortgages for homebuyers. The first is the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The second is the Veterans Administration (VA) which works with active duty and non-active duty military personnel. The third is the Rural Housing Service (RHS), which is a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Consumers should understand that only approved lenders can offer these loans to homebuyers, and there are certain required standards that the property has to meet in order to qualify for these loans.

Federal Housing Administration Loans (FHA)

Perhaps the most popular agency for home loans is the FHA. The FHA offers a mortgage financing program that insures home loans to homebuyers. The FHA does not actually make the loans to the homebuyers but instead it acts as an insurance policy for lenders. Because the financial requirements for FHA loans are more relaxed when compared to traditional commercial loans, more people are able to purchase homes.

FHA insurance work because it helps lenders to work with those who might not completely fit the lender's normal loan qualification requirements. FHA requirements reduce the debt-to-income ratio from 28/36, which is the traditional loan requirement, to 29/41 for FHA loans. FHA loans also require a lower down payment of only 5 percent or less, and they allow 100 percent of the money used for the down payment and closing costs to come from a family member. Traditional loans will not let buyers borrow the money used for those fees and payments.

There are maximum loan limits with FHA loans. These limits vary by state or region. You can visit the FHA website to find the limit for your geographical area.

VA Home Loans

Veterans Administration loans have their own policies and procedures. Qualified veterans and active-duty military personnel have been able to buy a home for as much as $417,000 without a down payment or private mortgage insurance for some time now. However the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) has changed its rules to allow larger VA loans if the veteran or service member can make a down payment of at least 25 percent of the portion of the home's price that exceeds $417,000.

For more information on the VA home loan programs that are currently available visit their website. There are some new changes, such as the one mentioned above, that consumers should look into if they qualify for a VA home loan.

Rural Housing Service Loans

For those who live in rural areas or small towns, they may qualify for a low-interest loan through the Rural Housing Service. The RHS offers both guaranteed loans through approved lenders and direct loans that are funded by the government. These loans are especially useful in helping low income families to get homes.

About The Author

Peter Kenny is a writer for The Thrifty Scot, please visit us at http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/mortgage/ and http://www.thriftymortgages.co.uk/remortgages http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/news/012008/frozen-rate-leaves-homeowners-with-mortgages-disappointed.html

10 Tips On Reducing Renters Insurance Costs

by: Timothy Rudon

Renting a home or office necessitates insurance protection. The insurance protects renters against fire, theft, vandalism, natural disasters or a liability suit. Leading insurance companies offer renter’s insurance policies with varied coverage. Most renters insurance policies cover perils like: fire, storms, explosions, riots, aircraft collisions, vehicle accidents, smoke, mischief, theft, natural disasters, falling objects, floods, electrical or plumbing mishaps, earthquakes, and more.

Be an educated purchaser of renters insurance and make the effort to find out whether the renters policy offers ACV, actual cash value or RCC, replacement cost coverage.

The premium for renters insurance depends on many factors like where you live, the age of the building and so on. There are many ways by which you can aim to reduce renters insurance costs:

1. Buy a policy after making comparisons online and offline. Choose a policy that offers the most at the lowest premium.

2. When choosing a rental home or office think of how the location and age of the building will affect your insurance premiums. Choose a location that is affordable but does not cause a huge increase in insurance costs.

3. Reduce costs by increasing your deductibles. Create a financial plan and make sure you can actually afford the deductible payments.

4. Keep a check list of what will increase renter’s insurance costs. For example do not buy or adopt a dog on an impulse. Many companies are wary about covering owners of certain breeds of dogs and other pets.

5. Maximize safety features in your rental space. Insurance companies offer great discounts when protective devices like fire detectors, smoke alarms, burglar alarms, and fire extinguishers are installed in a rental space.

6. Think about buying a renters insurance policy from the same insurance company that has covered your health and vehicle. When companies know that you are a reliable and responsible citizen they offer what is known as “multi-line discounts.”

7. Read articles and tips on insurance online and determine how you can benefit most.

8. Follow in the rental space the safety regulations recommended by authorities. Take good care of storing inflammables, left over pain thinners, and other hazards.

9. Before buying a renters insurance policy create a list of valuables in your possessions and inform the insurance company about them. Items like art, antiques, diamonds, jewelry, and state-of-art electronics may need additional riders/coverage on the renters policy.

10. Always check online, in magazines and news papers for special offers and discounts being offered by insurance companies.

Being a responsible citizens and having a good credit rating and report is also advantageous and insurance companies offer better deals to individuals who are considered to be low risk.

Get greater renters insurance benefits by planning your life well. Insurance costs have many variables and depend on aspects like your age, insurance coverage, financial standing, debt and more.

The World Wide Web is a thriving marketplace for online renters insurance policies. Insurance bought online is often cheaper than offline. Websites devoted to insurance bring online leading insurance companies and the most affordable options. Customers online can also make use of tools like insurance risk computation, and online quote comparison tools.

About The Author

Timothy Rudon is a writer for http://www.1866rentersinsurance.com , the premier website to find renters insurance, apartment renters insurance, renters insurance quotes, home renters insurance, renters insurance online, renters insurance rates, cheap renters insurance and many more.

Autistic Child Care

by: Mary Rose

Autistic child care should start as early as possible. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears before age three and in some cases as early as 18 months. It is a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain in areas of communication and social interaction. Although the characteristics might be the same, each person is very unique. Autism is a spectrum disorder whose characteristics can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations from mild to severe.

An autistic child can be identified very early. Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child. Normally a child of 12 months is expected to babble, say a few words, pick up gestures like pointing and share emotions like smiling with parents. In some cases, the baby seemed different from birth, unresponsive to people or focusing keenly on one item for long periods of time. The first signs of an autistic spectrum disorder can also appear in children who seem to have been developing normally. When an engaging, babbling toddler suddenly becomes silent, withdrawn, self-abusive, or indifferent to social overtures, something is wrong. Autistic child care is best done if the condition is diagnosed before the age of three. The best approach towards it is to count the child's strengths rather than the weaknesses.

People use different terms to describe individuals within the autistic spectrum, such as autistic tendencies, high or low-functioning autism, or autism spectrum. Whatever the term, an autistic child can learn and function productively given the appropriate educational plan. Visual and not verbal clue should be focused in building an exhaustive module, to reach out to individuals falling in the spectrum of autism. We need to break routine way of teaching to encourage flexibility and stress on unambiguous communication. We must teach the autistic child life skills in a way that they can easily recall or relate to.

Visual augmentation helps a child communicate better. Autistic child suffers from social deficits like speech impairment, problem in understanding others' perception and context and normally communicate in a way that is not understood by others. We have to teach them to communicate in socially identifiable way. Structure makes tasks predictable, reduces anxiety in the child. One can develop a concept using visual gestures. This helps the child which is struggling to recall the sequence. An autistic child's behavior is often mistaken as unruly. But it is only when the child is unable to communicate, it responds aggressively.So, we need to equip the child with better tools to communicate. Structured teaching can be beneficial to help the child pick up life skills.

Awareness has to be created to enable families to carry out autistic child care in a better manner. They need to have access to better medical management of the related disorders like aggression, hyperactivity and irritability. Parents need to learn to communicate and give out unambiguous instruction to their wards. There should be support for employment and opportunity for autistic individuals in the society.

About The Author

Mary Rose has authored several books including books related to children and child care.For more information logon http://www.casanads.com/bm/children.htm

5 Tips to Throwing a Great BBQ

by: Dave Roth

Throwing a great BBQ can be difficult, but only if a person does not plan appropriately first. There are 5 tips that should be followed if a BBQ is going to be as successful as possible. Making sure to follow them will not only help the host to have a great BBQ, but it will also alleviate some of the stress that often comes with planning a BBQ or other party.

First, what kind of food is offered is very important. If there are guests that are vegetarians, offering some vegetable skewers or kabobs would be very thoughtful. If there are guests that are allergic to seafood, make sure to have something other than fish. By spending a little bit of time planning for any potential issues with food and drinks, virtually all of the problems with those issues can be avoided. Second, watch the weather report. Planning a BBQ on a day that is going to be rainy, very cold, extremely hot, or really windy would be a bad choice. Naturally, there is no way to completely control this, but it is important to plan ahead as much as possible.

Third, invite people early enough to ensure that they can come if they want to. If a person waits to long to invite others, they may have already made other plans and will not be able to come. Fourth, have activities for people to enjoy. Simply having food might not be enough. It would be a good idea to have some games available, or provide some kind of entertainment for guests so that they do not find themselves bored.

Fifth and finally, know that there is no way to plan for every eventuality. Something could always go wrong, so be flexible and ready to make changes if need be. Most problems can be taken care of with a little bit of ingenuity.

Following the 5 tips listed above will help anyone who wants to throw a great BBQ have the highest chance of success.

About The Author

Dave Roth runs a leading outdoor game and sports product site that sells horsehoes, volleyball, and cornhole gear, go to http://www.corntossmania.com right away.

Get more information regarding corn hole http://techflat.com/games-stores/the-explosion-of-cornhole-builders-and-companies.html

3 Fun Card Games to Enjoy With Your Family

by: Dave Roth

Card games used to be very popular. Although they do not enjoy the same degree of popularity today, there are many people that still play them. Because of this, they teach these games to their families as well, allowing them to enjoy more card games and develop a pastime that they may enjoy for many years to come. Not everyone likes card games, and even those people who do like them might have some card games that they enjoy very much while finding others boring or too difficult. A lot of people play solitaire, for example, because they enjoy the strategy of the game and the peacefulness of it. For those that like to play card games with others, there are many different options. Here are 3 card games that can be enjoyed by the whole family:

One: Go Fish. This game is great for the entire family to play because even very young children can be taught the rules. By helping these children along and teaching them how to play the game, parents get to spend a lot of time with them and they also teach them about rules and sportsmanship.

Two: Gin Rummy. While a bit more complicated, the game is not that difficult. Very young children would need help to play this game, but older children would be able to play it, and keep track of the points that are scored for specific card sets at the end of each hand.

Three: Poker. For families that want a little more of a challenge, poker is a good game. Once the rules are mastered, this game teaches people about strategy. If the family wants to bet, they can use M&Ms instead of chips, or they can play for something inexpensive such as pennies. Gambling should not be encouraged in young children, but there is no harm in teaching the strategy of the game for fun.

By playing card games with their children, parents foster a good bond and also an understanding of how to work and share with others, as well as what it means to both win and lose gracefully and with tact. All of these things are valuable lessons that a person can used later in life as well.

About The Author

Dave Roth runs a leading outdoor game and sports product site that sells horsehoes, volleyball, and cornhole gear, go to http://www.corntossmania.com right away.

Get more information regarding cornhole game http://thebestshoppingblog.com/games-shopping/why-cornhole-is-the-perfect-game-for-families.html

The Best Holiday Party Games

by: Dave Roth

Holiday parties can be incredibly fun. They can also be terrible. Much of this depends on who is there, but it also depends on what there is to do at the party. Most office parties and quite a few family parties are uncomfortable affairs because there is nothing to do other than eat and talk to one another. While these can be enjoyable, most people want to do something more than that with their evening. Some parties offer dancing, but a lot of individuals do not dance, and there is always the issue of what music to choose and whether everyone will like it. In addition, parties where alcohol is served can go downhill quickly if drinking is basically the only thing to do at the party.

In order to make a party fun and festive, the host might want to have some party games that everyone can play. The best holiday party games are those that can be played by anyone at the party and that do not offend the individuals that are in attendance. It is very hard to please everyone all of the time, so there may be people that do not want to participate in some of the games. This is to be expected. However, there is a difference between choosing not to participate and being offended, and a good holiday party host will be sure not to do anything that might offend the people at his or her party. Much of this can be determined by what types of people have been invited, as different crowds like different things.

When preparing for holiday guests and setting up for holiday party games, the host should keep in mind that there are many different activities that people might enjoy, so there should be more than one game available. In addition, the age of the participants should be taken into consideration. If the party consists of mostly older people, they likely do not want to play childrens games. If a holiday host pays attention to the details when planning his or her party, it is likely that he or she will be able to offer the best holiday party games and everyone will have a great time.

About The Author

Dave Roth runs a leading outdoor game and sports product site that sells horsehoes, volleyball, and cornhole gear, go to http://www.corntossmania.com right away.

Get more information regarding cornhole http://www.shoppingguideline.com/games-shopping/what-is-cornhole-and-why-is-it-popular.html

Fun Brain Games to Play With the Family

by: Dave Roth

There are a lot of great games for families to play. Some people like to play outside when the weather is nice, some people play board games, and others like to play video or computer games, but what about mind games? Some people think that mind games refer to the mean things that people say to one another, usually when they are unhappy in a relationship. However, mind games has another meaning there are legitimate games for families to play that require brain power, memory, thought, and creativity. Many of these are a lot of fun, and they can be played easily. The rules are not difficult to understand, and almost anyone can play them, although some changes in some games might have to be made for very young children.

Mind games can include putting together jigsaw puzzles, as these require individuals to spend time concentrating on what is taking place. However, very young children might not be able to do this activity, and getting a puzzle that they can do will not give older children and adults the challenge that they would need to make the puzzle enjoyable. Other choices for mind games, however, include games that test memory and concentration, and games that have been created specifically for families to test their minds. Charades or Pictionary are games that most age groups can be taught to play, and they still require both creativity and thought. They are easy to do, yet they are enjoyable, and they foster a competitive spirit.

The key to playing any kind of mind games with the family is to make the experience just difficult enough to be a challenge and still easy enough to be enjoyable. This can be a challenge if a family has very small children, but there are often many ways to make changes to games so that people of all ages can get enjoyment from them. Families that are willing to do this can spend many hours together playing various kinds of mind games. This gives them something that they can both enjoy and learn from.

About The Author

Dave Roth runs a leading outdoor game product site that sells bocce ball, volleyball, and cornhole gear, go to http://www.cornholegamecenter.com right away.

Get more information regarding bean bag toss game http://appliances-reviews.com/games-store/difference-between-bean-bag-game-and-cornhole-game.html

Do You Know The Beginnings Of The Oreck Vacuum Cleaner?

by: Dave Roth

When the Oreck vacuum brand began, it was difficult to get the word out about the new company and cleaning machine. It was originally developed for hotels and motels, where the cleaning crew had been previously forced to carry bulky and heavy vacuum cleaners up stairs and from room to room. In an effort to avoid this kind of problem, Oreck�s creator made a vacuum which weighed much less. Weighing only eight pounds, this vacuum was marketed to various hotels until it began to catch on. The very posh and expensive hotels, as well as the less expensive, budget hotels and motels all started using the Oreck vacuum cleaner. Because of this, the hotel cleaning industry was forever changed by this style of vacuum. Because of its advantages, it was able to make cleaning easier, and it also made it faster, saving hotels money because they paid less hourly wages to individuals.

Eventually, the Oreck vacuum was marketed to consumers, as well. In the beginning, no one was very interested in it. No one wanted to buy an expensive cleaning machine that was so light. People thought it would not be strong because it was not heavy. They thought that it would have very low suction and that it would not hold up under pressure. This was actually surprising, because hotels often use their vacuums quite frequently, and therefore they see a great deal of use and abuse. However, this was the opinion of most of society. A lot of other people had not even heard of Oreck, so the marketing of it was apparently not working in the way that was hoped for. Marketing efforts were addressed, as well as a guaranty that stated if a person did not like the vacuum, the company would buy it back from the consumer without asking questions and without a lot of hassle. Eventually, consumers with heavy vacuum cleaners began to show some interest, because they were looking for a lighter option. Some of them took a chance on the Oreck vacuum cleaner, and word of how well it performed began to spread.

People began seeing that the company was apparently willing to make good on what it had promised, and they realized that the Oreck vacuum was a strong cleaner with durability and good suction. More people began to buy the vacuum, and very few of them had problems or requested the company buy the vacuum back. It is expected that there are some people who will never be satisfied, but most of the people who tried it were very happy with it. Today, the Oreck vacuum cleaner is very popular. The hotel industry still uses it, and it can be found in a lot of different homes. Because of the popularity of the Oreck vacuum cleaner, the company has grown from a small business to a very large corporation.

About The Author

Dave Roth operates a site that focuses on reviews of vacuum cleaners. The site provides reviews of popular brands such as the famous Oreck Vacuum Cleaners, Dyson, and Hoover. For more information on these and other brands, check out the site today.

Organizing A Cornhole Tournament

by: Dave Roth

Not everyone enjoys the cornhole game, but the people who do usually work on their skills and make the time to play. It can be played well, with practice, by anyone with a cornhole set and enough interest. Some areas of the country have cornhole tournaments for the people who really love the game and play it often. Those who enjoy the game can easily organize a cornhole tournament in their area. By doing some simple advertising, people who want to participate in the tournament can be located. After enough people have been found, the tournament itself can be organized. Usually, doing this is not that difficult. There is planning that has to be undertaken, though. The real key to having a good cornhole tournament is proper organization.

Knowing where it is going to be held is the first order of business when organizing a cornhole tournament. For small tournaments, a back yard can be used to hold them in. If a person does not have much space, or if there are a lot of participants, he or she will have to find a bigger space to hold the tournament. Some people use a city park to hold a cornhole tournament. In some towns, a person would need permission for this, and in some towns they may not. Knowing the requirements of one�s selected city is very important. Also, there are usually colleges and schools which might give permission for a person to use some of their larger, open areas to hold the tournament. Overall, finding a place to hold the tournament can always be done. Knowing the requirements and checking local laws before organizing the cornhole tournament should help it go smoothly.

People need to get something out of the tournament for it to be successful. For example, there should be prizes offered. These prizes do not have to be large. Smaller prizes are acceptable, too. Especially if there is a category for children, smaller token prizes will be sufficient. The cornhole tournament also usually has an entrance fee. The prizes can be purchased from the money that is raised through entry fees. Left over money should be donated to a cause that is worthy and important. If people know that this is where the money is going, they will also be more likely to pay higher entrance fees.

Especially if they are also getting something back, most people will be willing to give to an important cause. The number of participants and the chances of success are both much higher when a cornhole tournament is organized in this way. There are some areas of the country where cornhole is not widely known. Despite this, there are usually more people interested in it than a person would at first think. Since this is the case, proper advertising can show a person that there are many other people out there who would like to participate. More cornhole tournament players can also be found on the Internet, where research into the game can turn up a lot of interesting information. Researching in this way also helps to locate people who would be willing to donate their prizes, money, and time for the cornhole tournament.

About The Author

Dave Roth owns a site that sells cornhole products. In addition to complete sets, the site also features rules and building instructions.

Finding The Right Brand Of Vacuum For Your Needs

by: Dave Roth

There are many good brands of vacuum cleaners on the market today. Because there are so many options, it can be difficult to determine which vacuum cleaner is right for a person. This can lead to the purchase of vacuum cleaners that will not do what a person needs them to do. It can also lead to paying way too much money for features and benefits that are not needed. The price of a vacuum cleaner is important, but so are other issues surrounding the purchase. Individuals who are looking to buy a new vacuum cleaner want to consider many things before they make a purchase, and there are several ways that they can do this. Some, however, are easier than others. A person should choose whichever way he or she thinks is best for finding the right brand of vacuum..

One way to find the right vacuum cleaner for a person�s needs is to go to many different stores and shops, comparing the brands of vacuums. Things to look at include the price, the brand name, and the attachments. Other considerations are the motor size, the cleaning path, and what kind of warranty the machine has. All of these can affect whether a person buys a particular vacuum cleaner. While some people will be more concerned with a specific issue than others, most people look at more than one factor. Price and motor size might be the main concerns for one person. Cleaning path and attachments might be more important to someone else. No matter what a person needs, there are always many different choices.

One of the most important choices that a person will make regarding a vacuum cleaner, though, is the brand. Each vacuum brand offers various things to consumers. There are still many people who feel that vacuum cleaners are all the same. However, most people think that this is no longer the case. Diversification has come to the vacuum cleaner field. This has allowed different brands to do things their way. Many of the vacuum cleaners that are offered today are indeed similar. Despite this, though, the differences are there, if a person takes the time to notice them. Some of these differences are very important to various consumers. For people who feel that these things are important, each vacuum cleaner company is able to target a specific market.

There are brands that offer more upright vacuums, and brands that turn their attention to canister vacuums instead. In addition, there are brands that offer many bagless vacuum models. Some other brands are not as interested in those models, and they offer more of the bagged variety of vacuum cleaners. In addition, there are brands that claim they will not lose suction, and brands that state they have better warrantees than others. It can be difficult to find what one is looking for. With the advent of the Internet, however, it has become much easier. Instead of going to all of those stores, a person can search online, do comparisons, and find what he or she wants. From there, it is a matter of determining which store has it for the best price � which can also be done online � and then simply going to that store and making a purchase.

About The Author

Dave Roth operates a site which focuses on vacuum cleaner reviews. This site offers reviews on popular brands such as Oreck Vacuums, Dyson, and Hoover Vacuums. For more information, please check out his site.

Bringing Families Closer Through Backyard Games Such As Cornhole

by: Dave Roth

At a lot of barbecues, family reunions, and birthday parties where individuals like to spend time with their friends and families, there are a lot of backyard games that people enjoy playing. Traditionally, a lot of people played frisbee and horseshoes, as well as croquet and some other similar backyard games. In addition, though, there are many areas of the country that see the cornhole game as being very popular because of benefits that it has which are not shared by some other games. The largest of these benefits is the idea that almost anyone of any age can play the cornhole game and enjoy it. It is very popular with a lot of people because the game is not hard to play and the rules are not complex. The interest in this game is also spreading throughout the country, because people are always looking for newer and more interesting games to play. Additionally, there are a lot of people who played cornhole and other games like it in their childhood, and they want to revive these games for another generation.

While not everyone remembers this game, a lot of people played it in their backyard when they were younger. Also, a lot of people played this game as children in their elementary school physical education classes. There are, of course, many other games that can be played in the backyard during a party or get together, but few of them are designed in such a way that everyone can join in and play without any fear of injury. Whether a person is a toddler or an octogenarian, he or she can learn how to play cornhole. There is virtually no chance that these people will not understand the rules. The game consists of small bags and a cornhole board. A person stands a specific distance away from the board and gently tosses the bags, one at a time, at the hole in the board. Points are then scored if the bag goes into the hole. If the bag stays on the board but does not go into the hole, fewer points are scored. A person does not get any point for a bag which fails to hit the board, falls short of it, or hits it and then falls off. These are basically the only rules for playing the cornhole game. These are the basic rules, whether the game is called beanbag toss or cornhole.

The size of the board changes a bit between these games, with the bean bag board being smaller. Since these boards are much easier to move around, the cornhole game is sometimes played on them. Regardless of anything that addresses the size of the board, though, the popularity of the game in many parts of the country cannot be denied. Likely, this comes from the camaraderie that is seen in backyard games as well as how easy it is to play the cornhole game. They bring friends and family closer to each other, and they provide a lot of laughs and many hours of fun and enjoyment. It is difficult to beat the cornhole game for reliving these enjoyable times.

About The Author

Dave Roth operates a Web site which sells bean bag toss products. In addition to bean bag toss bags, the site also provides rules and building instructions for those wishing to create their own sets.

The Humble Beginnings Of The Cornhole Game

by: Dave Roth

Not everyone knows what the cornhole game is, or at least they do not know it by that name. Some people call it the bean bag game, or the bean bag toss. Usually, it depends on what area of the country a person comes from as to what the game is called, but no matter what the name, the game can be quite enjoyable. How the cornhole game came about, though, is something that most people do not know, and there are also arguments between people who say that they do know. The true origins of the cornhole game can probably never be completely proven, but there are two main theories. In addition to those, however, there are some smaller theories that most people who play the cornhole game do not give any credit to or take very seriously. One of these theories is that the cornhole game is an overseas game which was started in Europe. Most of these theories say that it was created in Germany, but there is really nothing to back this up. German folklore and tradition does not make mention of the cornhole game.

The two most credible theories indicate that the cornhole game � or the bean bag toss � started in Either Chicago, Illinois, or Cleveland, Ohio. The people in Cleveland claim ownership of the game under the cornhole name, while the people in Chicago generally claim ownership of it under the bean bag designation. It is unlikely that the game spontaneously came about in both places at the same time, but this is not impossible. The story goes that some people spent their free time tossing washers into a can in order to help alleviate their boredom during slow working periods. From this, the cornhole game or bean bag game evolved. People who live in Chicago claim it happened there, and people who live in Cleveland claim it happened there. The game is basically the same, however, no matter where it got its start and what it is called. For the bean bag game, the board is a bit smaller. It is two feet by three feet, as opposed to the two foot by four foot board that is used in the cornhole game.

This appears to be the only significant difference, and many people who play a game that they call cornhole actually use the smaller boards as well if they go to tailgating parties, birthday parties, or other events where the smaller board is much easier to maneuver. The game is then played with the board � either wooden or plastic � and the bags, which were originally stuffed with corn or beans. Some of them still are, but most of them are filled with plastic pellets in commercially made sets, because the plastic does not degrade over time like corn or beans can. The bags are thrown into the hole in the board to score valuable points, and points are also given to people who get the bag to stay on the board, even if it does not fall into the hole. It is a game that can be enjoyed by all ages and skill levels.

About The Author

Dave Roth runs a site that sells bean bag games. In addition to free building dimensions and rules, the site also carries discount bags and complete sets.

As A Northern Game, Cornhole Is Very Popular

by: Dave Roth

There are games and traditions that are more popular in some parts of the country than they are in others. One of these games is cornhole. It is much more popular in the Northern part of the country than it is in the South. There are pockets of interest in many states, and there are some people in the South who do play the cornhole game. However, a person will not find the kind of following there that is seen in the Northern-most states. This is especially true of Illinois and Ohio � two places where the cornhole game is exceedingly popular. There are arguments between the two of them, however, as to where the game actually got its start and what it was or should be called. In Chicago, Illinois, they often call it the beanbag toss, and they claim it got its start there. The same claim is made by Cleveland, Ohio, but it is called the cornhole game there.

One other difference is the size of the board � three feet by four feet for cornhole, and two feet by four feet for the beanbag toss. There are, however, other areas of the country where the games are synonymous with one another and the boards are the same size. Everyone seems to have their own opinion of what the game should be called and where it originated. Who is right is one of those things that people will always argue about. Despite this, however, they are united in their love of the game. Much of this likely comes from the idea that the game is very easy to play and very enjoyable. Almost everyone can learn the rules, and almost everyone can play the game, regardless of age or skill level. A lot of families and friends play it at birthday parties, backyard barbecues, and tailgate parties. In addition, there are tournaments in the Northern part of the country for individuals who are more serious about the game. Prizes and trophies can be won at these tournament!
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Those who live and work in the Northern part of the country and play cornhole frequently hope that it will catch on to the point that the tournaments are picked up by major television networks, much the same way that bowling, billiards, and cup stacking have done. So far there is no indication that this will be the case, but it is still possible that it will take place. For those who play in the tournaments, however, they will continue to participate in them regardless of whether they have any kind of television, radio, or newspaper coverage. The key for these people is not recognition, but the simple enjoyment of playing the game and working toward getting even better at it. They also like to teach others how to play the game, since basically anyone can follow the directions and play the game without any undue stress or strain. This is much of what makes the cornhole game so popular in the North.

About The Author

Dave Roth has a Web site that sells bean bag toss products. In addition to bean bag toss bags, the site also offers rules and building instructions.

A Birthday Party: Another Great Excuse For Cornhole

by: Dave Roth

For many people, a birthday is a great time for celebration with family and friends. Individuals who are celebrating a loved one�s birthday have surprise parties, take people out to eat, have barbecues, plan games, and do all sorts of enjoyable things. One of the things that many people do, especially in areas of the country where it is deemed more popular, is to play the cornhole game. Not everyone knows it by that name, of course. Some people call it the beanbag toss. There are actually a few variations, but it is essentially the same game. Most people played it in their school physical education class, but a lot of them have not played it since that time. For individuals who still enjoy playing the cornhole game, however, a birthday party can be a great place to play it.

In order to play cornhole at a birthday party, there has to be enough room. The cornhole game itself does not take up that much space. However, room is needed to make sure that the player can stand far enough away from the board to comply with the rules. In addition, nice weather is needed. No one wants to stand outside and play the cornhole game in the rain, or in extremely high or very low temperatures. The game can cease to be fun that way. For people who have large, enclosed porches or homes that are big and open enough, it is possible to play the cornhole game indoors. Of course, the risk of something breaking or getting damaged rises when a person does this, but careful planning can allow for it in many cases. One of the best things about the cornhole game is that anyone of any age can play it.

The rules are not difficult and the game is not physically strenuous. The cornhole bags are lightweight, and they are tossed gently. Everyone from a very young child up through people in their eighties and nineties can enjoy the cornhole game and not worry about being injured or leaving people out. This is one of the reasons that the cornhole game has remained popular for such a long period of time. It is also why support for it as an actual sport is growing, and there are many tournaments that are held each year in various states for those who wish to play the cornhole game competitively. For people who just like to play cornhole at a birthday party or other event, however, there are ways to make it even more fun. People can pair girls against boys, older people against youngsters, or any combination that is agreed upon. In addition, small prizes and treats can be given out to the winner, so that there is some incentive to succeed.

For very young children, though, it may be best to have a �prize� for everyone who participates, to help build self esteem and confidence. When planning the next birthday party, why not try the cornhole game. Sets can be purchased easily and inexpensively online.

About The Author

Dave Roth operates a Web site which sells bean bag games. In addition to offering free building dimensions and providing rules, the site also offers discount bags and complete sets.

Upright Vacuum Cleaners Have Many Merits

by: Dave Roth

Not all vacuum cleaners are created equal, and this is especially true of the canister and upright models of vacuum cleaners. Most people think that canister vacuums are a thing of the past, and that uprights have taken their place. That is not entirely true, however. The canister vacuum cleaner is generally used today by individuals with hard flooring and area rugs in their homes, as well as draperies and upholstery which needs to be cleaned. These kinds of vacuum cleaners are the best choice for these surfaces. The upright vacuum cleaner, however, is the more popular style, especially for those people who have wall to wall carpet, as many people do.

Not all homes have this carpet, of course, but most homes have carpeting in at least some of their rooms. Quite often, carpeting is found in the bedrooms, and frequently in the living room or den, as well. For people who have wall to wall carpeting or several carpeted areas, an upright vacuum cleaner is the right choice. First, upright vacuum cleaners have more suction power than do canister vacuum cleaners. Their motors are stronger, their cleaning paths are wider, and they are basically more durable. They are not made for delicate work, and they are designed to perform in the face of pet hair, dirt, grime, debris, and all kinds of vacuuming conditions.

They cannot withstand wet surfaces, but they are the best choice for carpet, regardless of the length of the pile or the overall condition. The upright vacuum is the one chosen by most people, and it is also the one most commonly sold in retail chain stores. There are also some companies which make upright vacuum cleaners which are very expensive, and these brands are sold door to door or through specialized shops. A person cannot walk into a standard retail store and purchase one. In addition to its durability and suction power, the upright vacuum cleaner also offers choices and attachments. There are many different colors, models, brands, and styles. A person can also get different motor sizes and cleaning paths. In addition, what type of filtration is offered and the kind of containment system � bagged or bagless � are other considerations for those who are going to buy an upright vacuum cleaner.

People who purchase an upright vacuum cleaner are also often interested in the attachments that the vacuum cleaner offers. Most have a longer wand that can be used between couch cushions and in small areas that are difficult to reach. They also have a brush attachment to better pick up hair and lint, and they often contain other attachments that can be used on curtains and furniture. For very delicate fabrics, though, the upright vacuum cleaner is not recommended, because it can damage them with its powerful suction. Overall, however, the upright vacuum cleaner is a very good choice for most homeowners. For those people who are worried about the weight of an upright vacuum cleaner, self-propelled models and lighter weight models are also readily available, and the warranties are usually very good.

About The Author

Dave Roth runs a site that focuses on vacuum cleaner reviews. The site features reviews on popular brands such as the famous Oreck Vacuum Cleaners, Dyson, and Hoover. For more information, check out his site.

Specific Uses For The Canister Vacuum Cleaner

by: Dave Roth

When people think of a vacuum cleaner, they usually think of the upright style. It is the common kind of vacuum cleaner that most people have in their homes. Some people, when they have a multi-story home or a very large home, will have a central vacuum system. For the others, however, there is the canister vacuum cleaner. This is designed to be used in homes where there is a lot of hardwood or tile. Primarily, the canister vacuum cleaner is used on rugs. It can, however, also be used on draperies and upholstery. Homes with expensive furnishings often have a canister vacuum cleaner, as well as homes that are much older and therefore generally have hardwood floors instead of wall to wall carpet. The canister vacuum cleaner is not designed to be used on carpeted floors because the suction that it has is not strong enough.

The canister vacuum cleaner, however, has a lot of good points and it can be a very good choice for the consumer who does not have a carpeted home. Even though a canister vacuum cleaner does not produce the suction needed for the wall to wall carpet found in many homes, it does provide good cleaning for hard floors and area rugs. These rugs can be hard to clean, and using an upright vacuum on them is not a good choice. The strength of the suction can damage delicate and older rugs. Some of these have small tassels and other intricate pieces which can be destroyed quite easily. By making sure that the rug is treated well and carefully with a canister vacuum cleaner, the individuals who clean the rug will be able to enjoy it for many years to come.

Another reason that a canister vacuum cleaner is so important for some households is that it is often used on fine draperies and upholstery. The newer curtains and furniture that can be purchased in the retail chain stores generally do not need to be cleaned in this way. However, the more expensive furniture and draperies, as well as the older furniture and draperies that have been in families for many years, are generally cleaned with a canister vacuum cleaner. They work well for removing hair and dirt, but their suction is not so strong as to damage any of the fibers or fabrics that they come into contact with. Because of this, they are often used by those who have fine and expensive things and know that they must work to take care of them.

The canister vacuum cleaner also has a long life span. It is generally not used as extensively as an upright vacuum cleaner, so it often remains strong and works well for many years. Upright vacuum cleaners wear out quite quickly unless they are very expensive brands. The cheaper brands have a warranty, but most people do not bother to have them repaired. Instead, they simply throw them away and get a new one. With a canister vacuum cleaner, however, there is a good chance that the person will repair it and continue to use it.

About The Author

Dave Roth operates a site which focuses on vacuum cleaner reviews. This site offers reviews on popular brands such as Oreck Vacuums, Dyson, and Hoover Vacuums. For more information, please check out his site.

Deciding On Plastic Or Wooden Boards For Cornhole

by: Dave Roth

When it comes to cornhole boards, there are two basic options for construction. The boards can be made of wood, or the boards can be made of plastic. The plastic cornhole boards are generally designed and sold in stores and on the Internet. The wooden cornhole boards are also created and sold this way. However, in addition to the commercial wooden cornhole boards, these kinds of cornhole boards can be made by an individual with basic skills and basic tools. There are plans that can be found all over the Internet, and these plans will help a person determine whether he or she wants to build a cornhole board on his or her own, or whether he or she would prefer to purchase one instead.

For those who have little to no woodworking skills, or for those who feel extremely uncomfortable working with their hands for fear of damaging the work, themselves, or both, there are cornhole boards which can be purchased. The wooden cornhole boards can be bought separately, or they can be purchased as part of a set. Either way, though, they are a big business and they are very popular in many parts of the country. These boards are made from good quality wood, and they are prepared with no sharp edges, splinters, or other issues that could cause a person a problem. This keeps people from getting hurt when they play cornhole, which is very important, especially in a game that many young children like to play. Parents who want to protect their children would certainly not want them to play with a wooden board that might cause them injury.

The plastic boards are thought to be better in some ways. Most of this comes from the fact that they have fewer issues with being left out in the weather. They cannot warp from rain or develop splinters, and they do not break, crack, chip, or get otherwise damaged as easily as the wooden boards do. They are also often a bit less expensive to purchase because they are also less expensive to make. The creation of plastic boards is relatively easy. However, there are some die-hard fans of the cornhole game who feel that these plastic boards are not the right ones to be used. They are concerned that they are too different from the way that the game was originally played. As such the game will be changed and the people who learn on a cornhole set with a plastic board will not have the same style and skill level as a person who learns to play the game on a cornhole set with a wooden board.

It would appear that the cornhole sets with the wooden boards are generally the only ones allowed in tournaments, but some individuals who organize cornhole tournaments change the rules or decide to do things differently, and plastic boards may gain more accepted use in the future. Regardless of whether they are used in tournaments, the plastic cornhole boards and the wooden cornhole boards are both very popular with people all over the country who like to play the cornhole game.

About The Author

Dave Roth operates a site that sells cornhole games. In addition to free building dimensions and rules, his site also carries discount cornhole bags and boards.

Playing Cornhole At A Tailgate Party

by: Dave Roth

Cornhole is a very popular game in some areas of the country, and not so popular in others. For the areas of the country where the game has a following, however, it is often played at tailgate parties and other gatherings. One of the reasons that cornhole does so well at a tailgate party is because it is so easy to transport. The board that is traditionally used in the cornhole game is four feet by two feet, which fits in the bed of a truck, and it will also go in the trunk of a larger car. In addition, there are some smaller versions of the board made. These are three feet by two feet, and they are often called by the name of beanbag toss, instead of cornhole.

Because of this, the cornhole game is popular at many different gatherings, and the game is very often played at tailgating parties in the Northern part of the country. While the game does not seem to be as popular in the South, there are pockets of interest in it. In these areas, the individuals who like to play the cornhole game will bring their cornhole game boards and the bags to tailgate parties and other gatherings so that everyone has a chance to play. They organize tournaments, play the game at backyard barbecues, and predict that the game will one day be big enough to be televised like bowling and other activities that some people believe is a sport and others do not.

One of the best things about the cornhole game, however, is the ease with which it can be played. This is a great thing for any kind of party, because virtually anyone can play it without worrying about how to understand the rules. The game is not difficult, and the rules are not complex, making the game something that can be enjoyed by anyone, young or old, at any skill level. People can also make their own cornhole boards and cornhole sets. There are plans available on the Internet for almost everyone to use. The cornhole board can be made quite easily with a few simple tools by someone with only a moderate level of skill.

Even a beginner can make a cornhole board by following the instructions carefully. Most cornhole boards � either homemade or factory made � are made of wood. Some of them, however, are made of plastic, but they are often not as popular. For those who make their own boards for tailgate parties, however, there are also cornhole bags that need to be made. The older ones were made of a heavy cloth such as denim or burlap and stuffed with corn. Today�s cornhole bags are usually made of a somewhat softer cloth, and they are either stuffed with beans or with plastic pellets. Either way, however, they are easy to make and can last a long time when made correctly. They need to be sewn very tightly and they have to be the correct size and weight. By either buying or building a cornhole board the next tailgate party can be a huge success.

About The Author

Dave Roth runs a site that sells cornhole games. In addition to free building dimensions and rules, the site also carries discount cornhole bags and boards.

Online Memorials - Selection Based on Website Features

by: Hal Stevens

Just like everyone deserves a proper and fitting funeral and burial/cremation, your departed loved ones deserve a high quality online memorial. In these times when we have the ability to share our memories with family, friends, co-workers and others we need to make an online memorial part of the funeral and grieving process. So, just what should we look for in both a website that hosts memorials, and in the quality and features of the memorials themselves? In this article we will take a look at the things to look for when choosing a memorial website.

When we do a search for memorial or online memorial we find a multitude of choices. Some are set up with a look and feel of a social networking website while some have the appearance of a more traditional website. The critical factor here is not to let your emotions over-ride the need to analyze the various features each website has to offer. And, to see what you may need sometime in the future whether you think you need it now or not. Establishing an online memorial should not be any more flippant of a decision than you would make in choosing a funeral home, burial vs. cremation, or cemetery. Let’s face it, you want to make the right decision the first time. You don’t want to have to continuously set up online memorials on a variety of websites. You want to pick the right one and enjoy continuously updating and visiting the online memorial and the memories it evokes.

Regardless of which online memorial site and style you choose, the website should have certain basic features, look friendly and be easy to navigate with lots of intra-website page links. In that way, you don’t get stuck on a particular page with limited ways to get to the features you want elsewhere on that website.

Now, let’s get into some of the specifics of what a good online memorial website should offer.

Several ways to order/establish your memorial and a good system to find memorials. With more than one path to get to the order form you can feel comfortable that when it comes time to update and add to your memorial the developer of the website has made it easy for you. This is usually the case even if the order form and edit functions are separate. You also want to know that when people come looking for the memorial and can’t remember the url, or the specific address of it, that they will have an easy time finding it by other methods provided by the website.

Sample memorials readily visible from thumbnail, or other, links on the Home Page. You should be able to see samples of the online memorials that have already been established on the website. This will allow you to see the potential and the drawbacks of your online memorial on that website. You hopefully will see lots of positive features that you will keep in mind when planning your memorial. You also may see some warning signs that may cause you to beware of the look and feel of the memorials and help you decide that these don’t meet your expectations.

Resources with links to companies, organizations and associations that will be helpful to anyone who needs information about funerals, burials, cremation, etc. The website should act as a resource for you. It should provide various components toward a complete community system. The website should assist in meeting your needs for information about as many places to seek help or assistance related to the death care industry. It should be a mini topical search engine.

Testimonials from current customers and viewers of the website. People should have the ability to leave feedback about the website. These comments can often give you a clue about the level of satisfaction with the website. There doesn’t have to be a large amount of website testimonials there just needs to be some. A website without any user/viewer testimonials often shows that those who visited the website are uninvolved or apathetic.

Helpful articles that allow for both professionals and “regular” folks to give advice, tell stories that you may relate to, and cover a variety of topics. The website should provide articles on a variety of death care and grief support related topics. The articles should provide numerous perspectives and not just the viewpoints of the website owner. Hopefully, articles are available from both professionals (Psychologists, counselors, doctors, religious figures etc.) and lay people. This mix is important because it is frequently the stories of someone who has gone through a particular situation that is the most helpful since it was written from the heart, as a grief release, and was written in simple, non-technical language. The articles should have a comment feature so the reader can give feedback. There should also be (when available) contact info of the authors so that readers of this community can contact them outside of the website.

Provide a forum with suggested topics. The forum is an excellent way for members of the website community to ask for and seek advice. Similar to the articles area there is interaction for all to see and the ability to contact each other outside of the website. If you find a memorial website where there are suggested forum topics with little or no participation start the conversations yourself. And, invite those you know to participate. It may just be that the website, though excellent, is new; or, it may be that everyone is waiting for someone else to be first. Your posts and those of your invited friends will signal that it is ok for others to join in.

Offer a community incentive of some sort. This could be anything from free hosting, to some other value added incentive like donating a portion of your fees to a worthwhile organization. From a personal standpoint some people like to be associated with others who have an affinity to a particular cause; others, would rather make the choice of where to donate their money on their own and find this dictatorial since they may prefer donations going to another preferred charity. This can happen even if they agree that the charity supported by the website is worthwhile.

The company behind the website should be a member in good standing with one, or more, recognized and reputable organizations or associations in the death care industry. There are many excellent organizations that provide support and assistance to companies within the death care industry. They provide information, ideas, technical support, and so much more. The fact that the online memorial website, and its owner, is a member of one of those trade organizations or associations is a positive sign. This shows that the website owner cares about what is happening in this industry and wants to associate with positive influences for self-regulation and improvement.

If the online memorial website charges for its hosting services there should be some type of unconditional money back guarantee for a predetermined length of time. Websites with a social networking concept usually give their services for free. Typically, in the arena of online memorials, they do not offer the features available in the better websites. On the free websites there tend to be a lot more participants who are younger (no credit card is necessary to use it) and many who are less dedicated to creating a high quality memorial site. This is not always the case but it is something that must be considered when viewing and selecting your memorial website. The online memorial websites that charge hosting or participation fees should give some type of grace period before charges begin, or, some type of money back guarantee. Remember, you are the customer and you must be satisfied or you should email or call the website contact and let them know of your problem or dissatisfaction. If they are helpful and have good customer service then they should be commended with your loyalty.

The online memorial website should have some provision to assure its longevity. Let’s face the facts of business, especially internet related business. Over the years many internet business have come and gone. Some looked great. Some had lots of apparent online participation. Some had huge venture capitalist dollars funding them. Yet, a great many, even those with big names, folded. The last thing you want is to pick a website that seems to meet all of your requirements and then find out that, like many businesses, it was undercapitalized or mismanaged, and can not afford to continue operating. You want your online memorial to last a long time. See if the website owner has made any provisions to assure that it will be around for a long time, just like you would expect a cemetery to be around for your lifetime. You don’t want to be forced to move your loved ones virtual presence anymore than you would be forced to move their physical presence.

Commercialism should be kept to a minimum. Advertising should be kept as separated from your memorial as possible. It is ok to offer some website related value added features for which there is a charge but they should be tastefully presented and properly placed. Just like you would not want to see billboards selling all types of products, in the cemetery, over the gravesite of your departed loved one, it is distasteful to find internet advertising that is unrelated to the memorial site, placed next to their precious photos and your memories.

The website should list all of the features and what you get offered for your time and money. There should be specifics telling you how much text, photo, audio and video space your online memorial can have. And, there should be an explanation of the features that you can use to create your online memorial.

Blog. The website should have a companion blog that will give you updated news and commentary about relevant issues concerning the website and various topics related to what is happening in the death care industry. It is important that you know these so that you will be aware of changes in the law and the latest trends (i.e., the increase in cremations, legal status of roadside memorials, “green” funerals, etc.).

About Us , About Me, etc. The website should tell you something about why it was developed, about the owner, and about its mission. You should know that there is passion, dedication and caring behind the pages of the website. You should be able to relate to the owner; not as a businessperson, but as a fellow human with a story to tell. Maybe a story similar to yours or one that you sympathize or empathize with.

Choosing the right online memorial website on which to upload text, photos, audio and video should be a well researched decision. It should be one that you feel good about and comfortable with. Armed with the information in this article you will have a better chance of finding the correct match for your online memorial needs.

About The Author

Hal Stevens is the developer and owner of CemeterySpot, Inc., http://www.cemeteryspot.com , a full featured and content rich online memorial website. Hal can be reached by email: hal@cemeteryspot.com or on his person cell phone: 405-210-4363

Rotating Seasonal Clothing

by: Marilyn Bohn

Seasons are changing and it is time to think about putting away your summer or winter clothing—depending on where you live---and getting out the clothes that have been stored away.

This is a good time to look at every article of clothing you have in your closet. Take out each one and check it for rips and stains. Analyze if you still like it, if you even wore it this year and if you want to keep it. The statistic is that 80 of what we have hanging in our closets.

When you find something that needs repairing then place it in a basket to be mended. I prefer a basket because the items can be seen and in a bag they can be forgotten. "Out of sight, out of mind." Either take these items to the room where your sewing supplies are if it is something you can fix or place it in a pile to give to someone else to mend. If it needs mending but you know you will never get it done do not hang on to it. Get it out of your closet. Either give it to someone you know would like it (letting them know the problem) or donate it to a charity.

For clothing that needs to be dry cleaned place in a bag and take it out to your vehicle, then when you are out and about you can drop it at the cleaners. Schedule the day you will go to the cleaners in your planner, the chances are greater that you will get the articles there. If your clothes are dirty or have stains on them now is the time to wash them and remove stains so you can put them away clean. The longer a stain is left the harder it is to remove.

For the clothes that are clean and in good repair but you don't see yourself ever wearing them again, or don't any more donate to a local charity.

Now the clothes you are keeping for next year which are left in your closet either move to a different closet in your home, or possibly store in a large garment box movers use. The clothes can hang and you can put the box in your garage or storage room. If your closet is large enough you can move your clothes to the back of your closet if you have no where else to move them to.

For the clothes you fold, place in plastic bins that are clearly labeled on the outside. You can label the boxes by using a label maker or a 3X5 card taped with clear packing tape on the outside of the box. You can label either by the season or just seasonal.

Go through your coat closet and take out winter coats and winter sport clothes and put either in a different closet or with your seasonal clothes.

After you have taken out all of your seasonal clothes take the 'current season' clothes and organize them in your closet. Check to see if any of these need repairing or cleaning in case they slipped past inspection last year.

Shoes can be stored with out-of-season clothing. Clean and polish all shoes and boots and check to see if they need repairing. If they do, now is the time to take them to the shoe repair shop. Place them in a bag and put them in the car so they can be dropped off when you are out and about. For tall boots to keep their shape and prevent creases insert an empty paper towel roll into the boot and store them upright. Or stuff with tissue paper.

By rotating your clothes you have space in your closet to see what you have to wear and it is also a time to weed out clothes you don't want to keep.

About The Author

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Shelf Life of Food in Your Kitchen Pantry

by: Marilyn Bohn

Have you been taught if a can of food is bulging then it is bad and that is all you know about the safety and quality of food on your shelf? If your milk in your fridge has passed the expiration date do you still drink it until it tastes bad?

Do you know if the food on your shelves is still edible? Dates on the packages offer some clues, but these can be confusing because the United States doesn't have a uniform system of food dating. Product dating isn't federally required, except for infant formula and some baby food, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture fact sheet. Also, stores aren't legally required to remove food once a "sell by" date has passed. It is up to us to be informed and make our own decision.

If there is a shelf-life date on a package, trust it. However, keep in mind that there's a great variation with type of food, the temperature where it was stored, the original quality of the food, the amount of oxygen present and other factors, according to Oscar Pike, the department chairman of nutrition, dietetics and food science at Brigham Young University in Provo Utah, who has studied the shelf life of food. We as consumers would like it to be more consistent, but it just isn't.

Valerie Phillips of the Deseret Morning News gives the following information on food labeling and packaging. Here are the dates you are likely to find on your package and what they mean, according to the USDA:

• "Sell by" tells the store how long to display the product for sale. For best quality, people should buy the product before this date expires, but it doesn't necessarily mean the product is bad once it reaches that date.

• "Best if used by (or before)" is recommended by the manufacturer for best flavor or quality. This is not a safety date, according to the USDA. If the date says March 15, 2008 and today is March 16, that doesn't automatically mean you have to toss it. The products, in general, are still safe to eat, but some consumers may detect changes in product flavor, color, taste or texture.

• "Use by" is the last date recommended to use the product, such as "Do not use after March 15, 2008." The date has been determined by the manufacturer.

• "Closed" or coded dates are packing numbers or dates, so that manufactures know when and where the product was produced. This is helpful in the event of a recall. The product may be stamped with a date preceded by the letters "MFG." This tells you the date it was packed. You may have bought the product a month ago, but this date could tell you that it has been sitting in a warehouse or on a store shelf for several months.

The manufacturer's dates on packages and canned goods are conservative and based more on quality than safety, said Dr. Frost Steele, a BYU food science professor. "The quality deteriorates much sooner than safety will." Toss out any cans or jars that are bulging, heavily dented, cracked, have broken seals, loose lids or "any compromise with the packaging," Steele said. It is best to rotate food on a first-in, first out basis.

About The Author

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Are Your Heirlooms Ready for the Next Generation?

by: Marilyn Bohn

I inherited 9 pieces of lovely china plates my mother had hand painted when she was a young woman. What a treasure these are to me. I have quilts I have made that I will be leaving to my daughters. Each of us has in our homes something we see as being heirlooms that someday we will pass on to those we love and we hope they will cherish them because they came from us and are a part of our family. Here are some timely tips on how to properly care for them so they can become treasured family heirlooms for generations to come.

China, Porcelain and Glass

Even the best china can gather mysterious spots or stains, but "never bleach stains on pottery or porcelain," warns conservator Mildred Sheppard, of Arlington, Va. "It can get under the glaze and cause greater damage." Her advice: Remove stains with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and distilled water activated by a few drops of ammonia. Use as little as possible.

Avoid abrupt temperature changes. Wash in temperate suds. "Tempered," as we know it, doesn't apply to heirloom glass. Never put fine porcelain in the dishwasher. Detergent will remove or damage hand-painted trim.

Don't store liquids in valued decanters or vases. Vinegars, spirits, or other acidic liquids will cause what is known as sick glass. Sheppard explains even water will in time leave a line on glass.

By all means use your silver, but "it's unwise to wash stainless with sterling. It will pit the silver," says Boris Paskvan, whose clients include the White House.

Never heat soft or plated metals in the oven. Heat can melt pewter, soldered joints, and soft metals used under silver plate.

Polish with nonabrasive liquids or creams. After polishing, wash, rinse, and dry metal objects by hand. Paskvan adds: "silver will tarnish less quickly if wrapped in specially treated cloth or stored in drawers lined with it."

Consider waxing or lacquering decorative metals that aren't heated or used for eating. "Wax retards oxidization. A high-grade auto wax will do. Lacquer will prolong the life of a brass chandelier or bedstead," says Paskvan.

Paintings and Other Art

Hang your framed or wall-mounted objects well. Check them now and then to make sure both wall and hangers remain secure. If you spot a slight bulge along the bottom of a painting and it doesn't disappear when you turn it upside down, call a museum for advice. A bulge can pop paint off the canvas if not repaired carefully. Art on paper (drawings, watercolors, photographs) needs space behind the glass to expand and contract.

Samplers and Other Textiles

Samplers, quilts and other textiles should be kept out of strong light to reduce fading. Store textiles flat. The best place to store a quilt is on a bed. Creases magnify the possibility of thread breakage.

Linens can acquire mysterious stains. Sun bleaching can help remove some of them. Wash aids such as OxyClean, Linen Wash etc., can also help. Use these carefully. Do not store linens and other textiles in plastic bags, use 100% cotton bags or cloth boxes instead. Use bags without zippers as zippers can get rust stains on the article.

Rugs

"Keep beater-type vacuums away from older rugs," says fifth generation carpet merchant Achot Ouzounian of Ouzounian Fine Designer Rugs, Holladay, Ut. "Use gentle suction only," Washington, D.C. restorer David Zahirpohr warns. "Vacuums grab and can cause surface breakage that ultimately works its way to the inside of the rug."

Padding can prolong the life of a fine rug. The absolute best padding is made by 'No Muv', both Ouzounian and Zahirpohr say, because it permits air circulation, does not attract odor, is firm, unobtrusive, and will not slide on hardwood or marble floors.

Fine Furniture

Stephen Rice of Heritage Restorations in Kensington, Md., says with fine woods, "keeping the finish properly sealed is the best single thing one can do for fine furniture." Alonzo Durrant of Alonzo's, Salt Lake City, UT and Rice both agree that varnished woods are best left alone, although Durrant recommends using a fine finishing oil to seal the unseen, unfinished parts of furniture to retard drying in western climates. A twice yearly application of a Boston Polish (beeswax) to unfinished woods, says Rice, will act as a sealer-preservative.

A treasured heirloom that's deteriorated is worth repairing or refinishing to restore both its character and its value. Even cracks can be beautifully repaired. If you fail to repair it before you bequeath it, it's likely to become a donation to a thrift store.

Overall, the best way to care for any prized possession is to choose the gentlest route. Knowing the proper care for your treasure and then taking care of it can make passing the heirloom on to its future heir a generational joy.

Some of this information was gathered from Cycles newsletter published in the Fall of 2007 for retired members of the Utah retirement systems.

About The Author

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Time Saving Tips for Easy Organizing

by: Marilyn Bohn

My aunt had successfully reared three children, helped her husband on their small farm, and at age 50 decided to go back to school and get her nursing degree. Every morning she would get up and fix breakfast for herself and her husband who still ran the farm. To save time she mixed the salt with the pepper because as she explained it that saved her the time of picking up both the salt and the pepper shaker and she was in a hurry to get to class in the morning.

Cordless phones and cell phones are a great time saver. This leaves us free to roam from place to place while talking on the phone. You are free to cook, straighten a drawer, dust, fold laundry and so on while you are on the phone. A shoulder-rest attachment is a nice investment to minimize neck strain while clutching the phone with the side of your head. With a cell phone hands free attachments are nice. If you don't have either a cordless phone or a cell phone, buy a long cord for your phone receiver so you can go from place to place. They come in a variety of colors and in twenty-five foot lengths so you can cover a lot of distance while talking on the phone.

Every time you enter or leave a room look to see if there is some way of improving its appearance. It could be putting a toy or book away or straightening the towels in the bathroom that will make the room look better. Soon this will become a habit and it will cut down on the amount of work you have to schedule to do around the house.

Make every trip count when you go from room to room. Instead of running and putting something away when you find it out of place make a little pile of things and take them all at once. Baskets are useful for this purpose. (Unless you want the exercise rather than save time).

Every time you go upstairs or downstairs take something that needs to be taken up or down. Do the same with trips to the garage, basement or the car. Take a quick look around before you go and see if there is something that can go with you.

Get out the clothes you will wear the next day, also pack your exercise clothes in your gym bag ready to go with you or lay them out if you exercise at home. For children have them decide what they will wear and have them lay the clothes out, including the shoes to be worn so they don't have to be in a rush in the mornings. This saves a grundle of time the next morning since you won't have to go on a search for the right thing to wear and if something needs washing or pressing you know it before you or your children are in the morning rush. Pack their school backpack and place it by the door so it is ready for them to take in the morning and no searching has to be done at the last frantic minute.

Do your banking on line, pay bills on line. This not only saves time but it saves money on stamps and envelopes.

There are many places where you can fix two weeks worth of meals and freeze them. Then on the nights you are too rushed to cook or just don't feel like cooking you can pop a meal into the oven. Some places will deliver the meals to your door.

Keep a pen and paper near your phone center so you don't have to look for a pen when taking a message. If you don't have a designated drawer a small attractive basket with paper and pens can be kept on top of the fridge. Your family will get used to this and you'll never have to look for a pen or paper again to take a message.

It is the little things you do to save time that add up to big savings in time and less hassle in your life.

About The Author

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Family Organizing Tips

by: Marilyn Bohn

We all know having an organized home allows us to spend more time doing the things we want to do. For me it is more time to quilt, for others it may be gardening, exercising, cooking, working on a hobby, or spending more time with family. So how do we go about getting our family organized?

Remember the movie 'Field of Dreams'? Build it and they will come. It is the same scenario with organizing. Begin by organizing drawers, cupboards, rooms, closets; have designated places for everything--where they will live and sure enough those things will find their way back to their homes. Family members actually like it better when they know where things belong. Label drawers or shelves to make it easier to put things back and to find them later.

Share the responsibilities in the home with everyone. Write out a simple contract with each family member and have them sign it. This gets their commitment and chances are greater that they will follow through with tasks assigned. Put the contracts along with the assigned task in a binder that is labeled and placed on a shelf were everyone can reach it. I don't like to call them chores because just the name sounds like drudgery.

Keep tasks appropriate to age and capability. Start young teaching organization. Two year olds and even younger can start putting a book on a shelf or a toy in the toy box. By starting young it makes it much easier as it becomes a way of life for them to be organized.

I remember picking raspberries when I was a child. My mother was picking on the other side of the row. It was hot and tiring picking one or two berries at a time and placing them in my bucket tied around my waist. Once in awhile my mom would reach through the row and put a hand full of berries in my bucket. Wow, it was such a great feeling seeing my bucket getting fuller faster that it made me get back to work and work all the faster.

Show children exactly how to do the assigned task. Work along with them until they know what is expected. Once in awhile chip in and help them after they are able to do it on their own. This is a great boost to them and they will reciprocate by helping you stay organized or doing one of your tasks.

Charts are wonderful tools to inspire children and show them not only what needs to be done but they show their progress. Rotate assignments on a weekly basis. There are many charts that can be purchased to chart their progress. Or use a dry erase board; make one out of paper using stickers when a job is completed, or use a magnetic board. Point out what a good job they are doing and how good it feels to be organized.

Make organizing fun, It doesn't have to be a chore. Make organizing interesting, get everyone's input and ideas on the best way to do things and use their ideas so they feel a sense of pride and ownership about the way things are done.

Notice where a family member is already organized and build on that strength by praising them. We are all good at doing some thing. By focusing on the positive and encouraging them to become organized, strengths will come out in other areas too without nagging or getting angry.

Motivating family members may be challenging at first, but it is rewarding when you see them putting things away where they belong and it takes much of the frustration out of what could be daily hassles. Not to mention all the time it saves.

About The Author

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

Super Solutions for Gift Giving

by: Marilyn Bohn

Gift giving is a part of life. We give gifts for holidays, get well gifts, thinking about you today gifts, good luck, birthdays, religious occasions, graduations, teachers, people who have given us service and on and on. It is a fun part of what we do in our lives but can it be a hassle.

There are some gifts we give we know from year to year we are going to need yet we scramble at the last minute to buy the gift, get it wrapped and delivered. (Have you ever thought, "It's your birthday again"?) With a little planning and preparation these stressful situations of giving a gift can be avoided. Here are six simple tips to make gift giving pleasurable.

Have one central place for gifts. It could be in an under the bed container, a closet, a basket, anywhere handy yet not in your way. When you purchase a gift you know right where its designated place is and when you need it you don't have to go searching. If it is for a family member and needs to be hidden on top of the closet shelf may be an option.

When you are out shopping, keep your eyes open for good buys so you will have a nice selection of gifts when one is needed in a hurry. These could include picture frames, candles, books, toys, bath products and so forth. Shop the sales to take the stress out of your budget.

Make a list in your planner of who you plan on buying gifts for during the year. When you buy a gift for them, write down what you bought and where you put it. This works for Christmas gifts as well. When shopping the sales after Christmas make a list of who you have bought gifts for and where you are storing them for the next year. (Don't assume you will remember).

Another way to shop is through catalogs. There are catalogs on line as well as those that come in the mail to peruse through and select the perfect gift. Ordering from a catalog saves time, the hassle of driving, shopping, parking and hauling things home. One of my favorite things is getting packages in the mail even if they are for someone else. Be sure to recycle outdated catalogs and if you get more catalogs than you want go to www.Catalogchoice.org This is a free service that lets you decline paper catalogs you no longer wish to receive. It reduces the amount of unsolicited mail in your mail box, while it helps to preserve the environment.

Have a designated place for gift wrap, ribbons and gift bags. Consider limiting yourself to one or two kinds of wrapping paper and ribbon. Use patterns and colors that are generic for any gift giving occasion. It could be a solid color and then dress it up with ribbon. There are special containers made to stand paper wrap in with a place for ribbon, gift tags, tape and scissors. Or buy a sturdy laundry bag that can be hung in a closet to hold rolls of paper.

Another idea is to consider gift certificates. Keep things simple and remember people just like to be remembered, it is the thought that counts.

About The Author

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.