Guest Post - Six Practical Tips to Organize and Prepare for a Cross Country Move

Moving long-distance, with or without cross country movers, is a massive task, so good preparation is everything. Nothing will be left to chance with proper planning, and you'll feel much happier with the overall experience. So, how do you achieve this? Read on to find out the best and most practical tips.

Make a moving binder with different categories

This will be your guide and a way to organize the subtasks within your main goal. Take all the aspects you should consider, such as decluttering, budget, taking care of your plants or kids or pets, hiring professional movers, getting all of the administration settled, and so on. Write a category on a piece of paper and list the things you want to do within this category. Try to include deadlines as well if possible, as this can provide you with a way to manage your time more efficiently.

Do research on movers and hire the best ones

The moving industry is booming, and countless relocation companies offer their services. Still, you should choose wisely. If you don't have a recommendation from a family member or a friend, do your research and check reviews on credible sites such as Yelp or Trustpilot. Once you single out your favorites, give them all a ring and see what they can do for you.

Excellent and trustworthy cross country movers will give you a reliable estimate and walk you through all aspects of your relocation with professionalism and honesty. So invest time to think first and act later.

Pack wisely

If you're not having professionals do the packing for you, start on time. This is a big task, so you're better off if you take control of it in the early stages. And be practical when you get down to it. But, how do you accomplish this?

• Chuck out all the things you don't use,

• Make piles according to season and separate the out-of-season items,

• Start with the hardest rooms, such as the kitchen,

• Do a lot of research,

• Label all boxes and write down rooms and contents.

Draft a realistic budget and stick to it

This should be done early on as you need to know exactly how much money you plan to spend in various stages of your move. You must be flexible because there are many factors susceptible to change, but you still need to have a spending frame to rely on. 

Plan the decoration of your new house

It might be easier to set everything up the way you want it as soon as you come than to change the layout and design later. You'll buy new things as you go, naturally, but you should be creating a space to suit your taste from the beginning.

To achieve this, research all the topics that you don't know how to approach and think about the details. What factors to consider when carpeting the house? How will you be painting the walls? Do you plan on having a home office or a relaxation area? What are the best tips to set up a perfect home? And when you get inspiration, dedicate a part of your binder to tasks you can start finishing. You and your family will be feeling much better and more ready to embrace the change in an inviting space you'll enjoy spending time in, so give it a thought on time.

Get to know your new place

Finally, familiarize yourself with the new town or city. If it's not possible to go there, try to look things up online.  Where can you go shopping in the vicinity? Where can you take your kids to a park or another fun activity? What is public transport like? This will decrease the mystery, and you and your family will have new favorite activities to look forward to.

About the author: Mike Johnston is an avid blogging enthusiast and experienced freelance writer. He’s a regular contributor to numerous online publications where he writes about real estate, construction, home improvement, and interior design.

Need a Roof Inspection? How to Determine the Age of Your Shingles

There are many ways to determine the age of your shingles. By having your roof inspected, you can learn many interesting facts that will alert you to the age of your roof. If everything is in good order, your roof is probably relatively new. If you have an older roof, there are signs that you should be on the lookout for that will tell you when it is time to replace it.

Granules

Experts can look at the granules on a shingled roof to see if it is new or not. If there are lost granules, shingles will not be able to protect your home from the rain and sunlight as well. Over time, shingles will lose granules. If your shingles have lost a lot of granules, this could mean that your shingles are old. When you have a few shingles with missing granules, this can be normal. Storms can cause this and other environmental factors. When there are a lot of shingles with missing granules, then it is time to get professional help.

Curled Shingles

If you notice that the shingles on your roof are curled, this is a sign that your roof has some age on it. When a lot of shingles are looking different than they did when they were installed, your roof will need to be checked out.

Missing Shingles

Shingles can be blown off of your roof during a storm or may just fall off over time. This is a sign that your roofing is going to need to be repaired or replaced soon. If there are just a few shingles missing, you can usually have your roof repaired. When there are a lot of shingles missing, it may be better to have your roof replaced by a professional so that it can protect your home properly from the outside elements.

Rust or Dark Spots

If you have a metal roof, you will notice dark or rusted spots when it is older. Metals roofs last a long time and do not need much maintenance, but it can be a good idea to have them checked out occasionally to make sure that your roof stays in good working order.

A roof inspection can help you figure out how old your roof is and in what shape it is in. You should have an inspection done annually to make sure that your roof is in good condition since it has such an important job to do.

6 Ways to Make Your Home Office Look Professional

Whether you are new to freelancing or want to spruce your workspace, you can always have a professional-looking home office. And it does not take rocket science and thousands of dollars to do so.

In this post, we will share with you six tips on how you can make your home office look professional.

Invest in a Functional Desk

The secret to a professional and productive home office is a functional desk.

To some, it could mean an office table, chair, and laptop. To some, it could mean a standing desk, swivel chair, and dual monitor. Regardless, the key here is to look for office furniture that allows you to house your work essentials.

However, you should also consider ergonomics. This means ensuring that your office table and chair will fit your space.

Another thing to look at is whether your essentials are giving you comfort. Sure, working from home is like music to your ears, but you would not want to develop carpal tunnel syndrome in the long run.

Keep Your Essentials Close

Now that you have a suitable office table and chair, the next step is to determine and keep your essentials close. And these work essentials will differ depending on the nature of your work.

If you work as a virtual assistant, a laptop, stable internet connection, and noise-canceling headphones might be enough. But if you are a graphics designer, that would mean your large monitor and drawing tablet.

Nonetheless, only place items that are relevant to your work. Otherwise, unnecessary items will distract you from getting things done.

Install Proper Lighting

Another vital factor in a professional home office is to let natural light in.

According to a study conducted by Professor Alan Hedge, natural light can decrease these systems by 84%:

• Headaches

• Blurred vision

• Eyestrain

Mind you, these symptoms can be counterproductive.

No windows in your home office? No problem! All you need is adequate lighting.

This is artificial light that is neither dim nor harsh. That's because dim lights force your eyes to work hard to see things clearly. This can lead to eyestrain, drowsiness, and lack of focus. On the other hand, harsh lights are believed to cause migraines.

That said, we recommend installing LED lights in a windowless home office. That's because LED lights are abundant in short-wavelength light that resembles daylight. Based on Brigham and Women's Hospital's research, short-wavelength (blue) light can help you perk up and be productive.

Sure, you have read somewhere that blue lights can make us active at night, hurting our sleep patterns. But that is debatable.

Nonetheless, we advise that you turn off your devices an hour before sleeping.

Have Indoor Plants

A 2014 study revealed that having indoor plants in the office can increase employee productivity to 15%. Hence, it would make sense to add even a small cactus plant near your desk if you want to stay motivated.

Here are other benefits of having indoor plants in your home office:

• They are natural filters, helping improve the indoor air quality in your home office.

• A pot of small plants can help reduce stress, ease tension, and decrease anxiety.

• The introduction of plants reduces the risk of "sick building syndrome," although there is insufficient evidence to back it up yet.

Luckily, some plants thrive in a windowless room. Some of them do not even require tending. But if you are not fond of tending a plant, consider hanging a poster or painting of a lush garden.

Paint Your Wall an Inspiring Color

Whether you have a windowless home office or not, you should consider repainting your walls. And we suggest picking something inspiring.

Instead of staring into a blank, white wall, consider painting it in any shade of blue. It is soothing and can boost concentration.

Another option would be hues of green since it relaxes the eyes. This is ideal if your line of work makes you sit in front of the computer for eight hours.

But if you want something uplifting without being too loud, color your walls orange. It is a combination of red and yellow, which are ideal if you have a physically-demanding job and want your creative juices flowing.

Maintain Your Home's Office's Cleanliness

Of course, the home office will not look fancy and professional if it is messy. Hence, we always tell our clients at Maid Sailors Commercial Cleaning Service New York to keep their office clean.

Here are some quick cleaning tips you can do:

• Wipe your desktop and office table clean before or after work.

• Organize your work essentials.

• Always declutter.

A professional-looking home office does not necessarily mean you should occupy a room. Nonetheless, it has to be inviting and should motivate you to be productive. And the tips listed above will enable you to achieve that.

Top Tips for Keeping your Swimming Pool Maintained

Putting a pool on your property can be exciting for the whole family. However, a certain amount of maintenance is required to keep your new addition clean and attractive. The cost of a swimming pool is usually not cheap, so ensure you keep it well maintained by following these tips. 

Regular Skimming

Most inground pools have rectangular holes along the inside of the pool walls. These compartments hold a basket known as a skimmer box. They collect leaves and debris from the top of the water by catching trash that floats by. To work correctly, the water level should be covering the hole halfway. This basket should be taken out and cleaned on a weekly basis.

It's also important to regularly clean the pool with a manual skimmer to clear the leaves and debris that aren't caught by the skimmer box

Cleaning the Filter

The filter cartridge on your pool should be cleaned at least once every six months. This swimming pool maintenance step will keep the filter healthy and stop deterioration. If the filter is too worn, arrange for a replacement. You can clean the filter by simply hosing off or using a mild detergent. Take care to place parts back together snugly.

Maintain the Landscaping Surrounding the Pool

Professional landscaping can enhance the beauty of your pool, but only if it is well maintained. Installing grass, plants, benches and rocks around a pool area can make it feel like your personal oasis. Pool landscaping maintenance is a necessary part of your pool maintenance costs. Without hiring or taking the time to mow, weed, fertilize and water your lovely landscape, it can soon wither and die. Before long, debris has found its way into your shining pool and working on your pool becomes twice as timely and difficult. Subcontracting the care of your landscape to a third-party will guarantee it the care it deserves.

Check Water Levels

There is a science in the amount of water that should be kept in your pool. Too much water can cause overflow onto decks and bringing damage to the pump. On the other hand, too little water can fall below the skimmers and force the pump to run dry. Watching out for the correct water level in your pool should be a regular task. 

Check pH Levels

Keeping your pH levels balanced will determine the comfort of your pool. The perfect pH balance for a pool is 7.4%. This should be checked two to three times per week to keep a steady reading. This pH level matches that of our eyes and mucus membranes, delivering a comfortable atmosphere in the water. When a pH level is running below average, chlorine is not as effective in cleaning the impurities from the water. When it is too high, cloudy pool water and damage to the pool sides can occur. Once the pH levels become too far off the mark, they are hard to correct. 

Pool cleaning chemicals are used mainly for balancing the pH levels of the water. Sodium carbonate, or soda ash, is a chemical used to raise the pool water's pH levels. Stabilizer, or cyanuric acid, protects chlorine from sunlight and helps protect your water from germs by giving it a healthy dose of sanitizer.

Monitor your Pool's Structure

Brushing off the sides of your pool can help reduce particles that build up along the sides of the porous concrete or fibreglass. This should be a daily ritual unless you have a pool maintenance crew coming in on a regular basis. Keeping the water level in line with the skimmer holes is an excellent way to mark the water level's balance and potential damage to the walls. If the water level consistently rides along the concrete portion of the walls, they could start to crack at the joints. Be diligent in looking for signs of distress in the pool walls before too much damage is done. 

Maintaining a pool and the surrounding landscape is no easy feat. It is time-consuming, and the chemical balancing of the pool must be mastered. Swimming pool maintenance is required for keeping a pool healthy and ready for fun. Follow these tips to keep your pool from falling prey to unwanted debris, scum or cloudy water. A regular maintenance program is recommended if you wish to add a pool to your property that will provide years of enjoyment.