Guest Post - Seven Home Items for a Safer & More Organized Space

If you’re a homeowner, then you surely know that home furnishing is more than just stuffing your house with items that look or feel good. Aesthetics is important, of course, but there are several other factors that must be kept in mind. 

Among these things are safety considerations and how you can keep your home as organized as it can be. 

In this article, we’ll briefly tackle seven items--which you might have or not have yet--that could help improve the safety and organization of any home. So sit for a while, read on, and see for yourself which item or items your home could benefit from.

HVAC Equipment 

Aside from helping homes achieve a comfortable level of temperature, HVAC devices also help in protecting homes from stale odor and mold. They could also protect home furniture and equipment from the effects of excessive cold, humidity, or trapped heat.

Depending on where a house is located and how its structure affects airflow, different types of HVAC devices may be necessary. To help you assess which types your home might need, you can start by assessing the temperature- or humidity-related problems you’ve had in your home.

Most Americans have a problem in choosing heating devices, and if that sounds like you, then you might want to refer to this guide for a few pieces of helpful advice.

Home Safes

Even as security systems improve, the strategies and techniques of burglars are also becoming more sophisticated. As such, it’s best to be prepared and install safety measures in place. If you’re keeping large sums of cash, expensive jewelry, confidential files, and other items that could attract burglars, be sure to secure them in theft-proof home safes. 

Adjustable Tables

Adjustable tables are often regarded as furniture pieces that are for offices exclusively. However, they can be for homes, too, especially in study areas and in the kitchen. Adjustable tables allow people to shift their posture to avoid body strains and irreversible posture-related problems. As such, they have both short-term and long-term benefits that you can start maximizing today.

Storage Bins

Storage bins are versatile storage boxes suitable for food items, clothing, toys, kitchen utensils, and other types of stuff. Plus, some types are designed to be stackable for a better organization not only of their contents but also of the bins themselves.

Document Storage

Keeping important files at home? Be sure to secure them from factors that could stain or damage them. Go for moisture-resistant document storage that fits the format of your documents. You can pick between a flat file and roll file storage, so you wouldn’t have to fold or crease your files to store them.

Key Boxes

Keeping multiple keys can be challenging and annoying, especially when you keep forgetting where you left them. To prevent lost or misplaced keys, it’s important to build a habit of keeping them in the same place after every use. The perfect place? A key box dedicated for all your keys. 

Cable Organizers

Cable organizers have their place in living rooms, kitchens, computer areas, and other spaces in your house where there are multiple electrical and corded devices. These organizers help manage cables to avoid untoward incidents. Not only that, but they also help eliminate or minimize the messy look that unorganized cables create. 

These are just a few home items that could make your place safer and more organized. Some of these you can DIY, like storage bins and key boxes. If you or someone you know has some problems with home organization, feel free to share and review this list to find something that might just be the solution you’re looking for.

Author Bio: Rose dela Cruz is a Business Development Representative and Technical Editor at Engineer Warehouse. Engineer Warehouse offers a collection of over 10,000 products for homes, offices, and AEC professionals.

Guest Post - Top 5 Packing Tips for Your Next Move

When you're moving from one home to another, packing is only one of the many tasks that you're going to need to complete. As you begin going through all of the belongings in your home and putting them in boxes, you want to try to maintain as much organization as possible to make it easier to unpack items when you get to your new home. The following are a few tips for packing and sorting so that your move is as pleasant as possible.

Declutter

Use the process of packing your home to move to get rid of items that you no longer need or use. If there are items that can't be used by someone else, then make a pile to throw away. Clothing, toys, dishes, and other items that you don't want to pack can be sold or donated to someone who can use them. If they are sold, then consider using the money that you get from them to pay on utility bills at your new home or new items to make your new home comfortable.

Essential Items

Make a list of everything that is packed in boxes. Attach a copy of the list to each box so that you know what's inside of each one. This will make it easier to determine which rooms boxes need to go to when you get to your new home. Keep essential items that you're going to need for the first few days after moving with you in a small container. This container shouldn't be included with the boxes that are put on a moving truck or in vehicles that transport your belongings to your new home. Some of the items that you might want to keep with you include medications, important documents, deposit receipts for utilities, and a change of clothes if you don't plan on unpacking anything right away.

The Right Supplies

Before you begin packing, you need to gather all of the supplies that you need. These include boxes of various sizes, tape, markers for labeling, and newspapers or other materials to put around breakable items. When you're packing boxes, you want to make sure you're not putting too many items in each one as you don't want them to be too heavy. Smaller boxes should be used for heavier items including books and dishes while larger boxes can be used for things like pillows and towels. Try to fill all of the spaces between items in the boxes so that you're not wasting the supplies that you have. When using markers to label boxes, make sure you print in large letters that are easy to see.

One Room At A Time

When you're packing for your next move, you want to work in one room at a time. This will make it easier to stay organized throughout the process of moving and will often make it easier to ensure that you don't leave anything behind. As you begin emptying drawers, closets, and other areas in each room, get rid of items that are broken. Make sure you clean each room as you pack as well so that you leave your home in the best condition possible (we want that deposit back!) Label boxes according to the contents of each room, and different colored tapes can help with color coding. When boxes are taken to your new home, you can put them in their appropriate locations based on the labels.

Ready For Movers

Whether you use a moving company or you're going to move your belongings on your own, you need to have everything packed and ready to go a few days before leaving your home. After items are packed in boxes, they can be placed near entry doors so that it's easier to get them to the vehicles that will be used during the moving process. Offer as many detailed instructions as possible if other people will help you pack so that the moving process is completed with ease.

Guest Post - How To Pack Your Jewelry While Moving To A New Home

Packing your necklaces and other art jewelry during a move needs some careful handling and efficiency. From fragile studded necklaces to glittering wristwatches, all accessories are important and need to be protected during a move. Even if you keep your collection in a box, you need to make sure that all the items are kept intact and safe. In order to give you an idea of packing accessories in an economically efficient manner, here is a guide that explains how to pack necklaces and other jewelry items during move. If you have a lot of jewelry, you may end up with a nice hodgepodge when unpacking! To avoid having to sort everything out or lose your favorite earrings, here are some tips:

Take An Inventory

It’s easy to underestimate the value of your jewelry. It is important to know the actual value, to be able to determine the amount of insurance that we wish to include in your insurance contract and which will have an impact on the amount of compensation in the event of a covered loss.

In addition, it allows your insurance agent or broker to determine if limitations may apply. In fact, home insurance contracts may include a limit, for example, of $1000 or $2000 in the event of theft of your jewelry or your collections. If you have jewelry whose total value exceeds this amount, your damage insurance professional may offer to increase the limit entered in your contract. Establishing your jewelry inventory will therefore be a good preparation for discussing with your damage insurance professional your home insurance needs. 

Arrange Your Jewelry With:

1) Pill Organizers

Seven-day pill organizers are perfect for storing individual earrings, rings and even smaller bracelets and necklaces. By putting only one object (or a pair of earrings) in a box, the jewelry remains untangled and organized. And since the boxes are connected, you have all your jewelry in one place. Related tip: Use old prescription pill bottles to wrap individual jewelry, then place all of the bottles in a larger ziplock bag.

2) Egg Cartons

An empty egg box is perfect for keeping your earrings, rings, bracelets and small necklaces. If you are not a fan of the egg carton, you can use the small freezer bags. You put inside the jewelry, you make several small plastic bags and you wrap everything in paper towels.

3) Straws

Keep the chains of the necklace free from tangles by sliding one end through a straw (one chain per straw) and closing the clasp. Place all the straws in a toothbrush holder to keep your necklaces safe. Do you have one or two large necklaces in the mix? Follow the same procedure using a tube of toilet paper. Data Sheets: Keep the earrings organized and easy to find by using a safety pin to punch holes in an index card, then inserting the earrings and sealing the back. Wrap a cloth around the card and then wrap it with the rest of your jewelry.

4) Toilet Roll

The empty toilet paper rolls make "beautiful" individual compartments to organize and protect your different jewelry. Simply wrap your cord, secure the end and slide it into the small tube. If you only have a few cords to wrap, a glasses box works well, too.

5) Buttons

This stuff works to keep pairs of earrings together for travel and home. If you have spare buttons (especially the larger ones), put your earrings in the holes and seal the back, one pair of earrings per button. When preparing your luggage for a trip, put the buttons you want to take in a small ziplock bag or wrap them in a small cloth for additional protection.

6) Wrapping In A Bubble Wrap

Take a piece of bubble wrap that you fold in half and put in parchment paper. Iron everything at low heat, as shown in the photo below. Fold the bubble wrap in half again, put it back in the parchment paper and iron again.

Cut the bubble wrap using coins of different sizes and then using junction rings, attach everything to a chain to form a costume jewel.

7) Zip Locks

Those little sealable plastic bags you often find with cheap jewelry? Consider keeping them to store your jewelry for travel. Put a piece of jewelry in each bag to keep things organized and avoid getting tangled. Then put all the small plastic bags in a larger ziplock bag for the trip. If you don't have small plastic bags on hand, check your local craft store. Even easier, go no further than the pantry in your kitchen and take out a few zipper bags the size of a snack bag.

8) Sandwich Bags

Sandwich bags are not just for gift wrapping. A scented potpourri sachet can itself be a gift! But a good sandwich bag will have compartments to keep your individual jewelry both organized and free of tangles and scratches during traveling.

9) Using Plastic/Business Cards

Those little sealable plastic cards you often find with cheap jewelry? Consider keeping them to store your jewelry for travel. Put a piece of jewelry in each card to keep things organized and avoid getting tangled. Then put all the small plastic cards in a larger ziplock bag for the trip. If you don't have small plastic cards on hand, check your local craft store. 

How To Unpack Your Jewelry Safely

If you packed your jewelry well to start with, you should not face any issues. But despite a ton of care you took while packing the jewelry, there can always be complications when you start to unpack. You could see tangled chains and so on. In such case, use pins to patiently untangle them and keep each piece of jewelry separately. Never untangle anything forcibly. In case you are not confident about untangling it yourself, take it to a jeweler’s shop and take professional help.

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About Author -

Jenny is a jewelry designer inspired by European and contemporary jewelry designs. She is a contributor to H2H and advises about ways your home could be better with modern art and jewelry. Head over to her jewelry collection at Thaya Jewels to check out what’s up!

Guest Post - A Room by Room Packing Guide for Your Upcoming Move

While moving can be a joyous time in your life, packing up all your belongings definitely doesn’t elicit feelings of joy or fun. Let’s face it: boxing up your entire life and organizing all your possessions sounds incredibly overwhelming. You could always hire a packing service if you’re unwilling to deal with the task.

But:

Don’t fret, we’ve got all the tips and tricks you need to make the packing process a seamless one.
Before you even begin, create a list that prioritizes which rooms you want to start packing up first and which rooms you’ll want to unpack as soon as you arrive at your new place. Typical high-priority rooms include the kitchen, your master bedroom, and the kid’s bedrooms (if applicable).

To help you pack up your belongings as efficiently as possible, here’s a room-by-room packing guide that’ll take the stress out of the equation.

Packing Up Your Kitchen

This kitchen is one of the more challenging rooms to tackle as it’s chock-full of fragile items, bulky appliances, and oddly shaped utensils. So, why not get the hardest room out of the way first?

To get started:
Separate all perishable and non-perishable food.
Since you can’t transport things like milk or ice cream during your move, you’ll either need to toss these items in the trash or donate them to a local charity (if unopened).

Pack your glassware and china by wrapping each plate or cup with bubble wrap, newspaper, or blankets. The extra padding is crucial for avoiding unwanted breakage during their moving process.
When packing pots and pans, stack them inside one another - this is an effective way to maximize the available space within your box.

To pack your cutlery, use a rubber band (or similar item) to tie items together - i.e. all spoons in one group, all forks in another, and so on.

Lastly, tackle your appliances. Begin with your smaller appliances, such as your blender or microwave and work your way up to the larger, more difficult ones, like your fridge or stove. Assembling and disassembling larger appliances can be tricky.

To avoid damage, you may want to consider having your moving company take care of these items as they are the experts.

Packing Up Your Living Room

The family room is a place where laughter, memories, and life milestones take place. There’s a strong chance it holds a special place in your heart, so treat it with extra care.

Begin with your electronics. Carefully unplug things like your TV, stereo equipment, etc. and wrap all cords with a rubber band before placing them inside their respective containers.

Using their original boxes is highly recommended, but if you tossed them, no worries. Don’t forget to mark any boxes holding your electronics as “fragile.”

Start disassembling your larger items, like your furniture. Remove cushions and use plastic wrap as a way to protect your upholstery from dust, dirt, and moisture. Be sure to empty cabinets, like your entertainment center or bookshelves and carefully pack those items away in a box labeled, “living room.”

Lastly, tackle smaller memorabilia, like photos, toys, games, etc.
*Pro Tip: If you have valuable artwork in your living room, you may want to let your moving company handle packing these items. You wouldn’t want to risk accidentally damaging your precious belongings by attempting to make it a DIY project.

Packing Up Your Bedrooms

If you live in a multi-bedroom home, chances are you’re not too thrilled about having to pack up each one. However, if you take it one room at a time, you’ll be surprised how quickly you complete the task.
Tackle your clothing first.

You can either use wardrobe boxes and keep your clothes on hangers (incredibly useful for unpacking) or fold your garments and group them based on season and/or clothing type - i.e. summer vs. winter; sweaters vs. t-shirts, etc.

For your bed and mattress, remove all pillows, bed sheets, and blankets first. When removing your mattress, place it in a special bag made especially for this item.
Be sure to empty drawers and disassemble any furniture items, such as your bedside table or a shelving unit

Packing Up Your Bathrooms

Believe it or not, this will be your easiest room to tackle.

Address open bottles first. Properly seal the lid and either place in a plastic bag or use aluminum foil before placing it into your packing container. This will help catch any unwanted leaks from seeping into other items.

Once complete:
You’ll want to organize your medications. Check the labels for any expired or outdated medicine - this way you can toss these items instead of packing them.

Remaining items, like your toothbrush, toothpaste, and other toiletries can be placed inside your overnight bag in lieu of a brown box. This will allow you to easily access the items you need as soon as you arrive at your new home.

Packing is hard but working room-by-room will help make the entire process a piece of cake. Don’t forget, you can always enlist the help of friends and family members and have a little fun with it. Hopefully, this makes your move as stress-free as possible.

Author Bio: Adrian Brito, on Behalf of North Dallas Moving and Storage