Vacation Planning: Organizing Kids Belongings

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Treats For The Trip

All children have their fads about food amongst other things. There might be a cookie or a biscuit available with your local baker that your child absolutely adores. Pack a few of these treats in zip lock bags and carry the long lasting stuff with you to the trip. It could really avoid you some exasperating kid tantrums. And no one is stopping you from biting in!

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Organizing Clothes

It’s not possible to dedicate a bag to every single family member as excessive luggage becomes a headache, so sharing luggage space becomes quintessential. Kids although have a lot of clothes, the sizes remain small and manageable. Again, making use of zip-lock bags you can roll and fit in kids clothes and pack these bags in small unused bag space. Another great idea is to carry old stuff with regard to undergarments, etc. You can literally use and throw these and create some bag space to bring back souvenirs.

Kids Shoes

Kids shoes can be easily put away in your shower cap and slid into the luggage. Not only will your luggage remain clean but the shoes will also sit comfortably perched in a proper place. As for the younger kids, you can slip in more than a pair in your shower cap.

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Pack Medicine & Important Drugs

Do not forget to make a list of all important medication that your children might require. Carry medicines for minor colds, coughs and fever. If your kid is allergic to certain foods, smells, etc., its always wise to carry the requisite medicines along. In fact this is something that you must not miss. Also have the phone numbers of a few local pediatricians with you, just in case!

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Cater For Their Entertainment

With kids traveling along, you can always expect action and emotion. Be prepared than sorry. Carry small toys and books that might keep your little ones busy when they are feeling bored. Small toys and books make up for great companions on long road journeys. After all kids won’t enjoy the adult entertainment activities and might want to retire on their own.

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Vacations are fun time and just with a little vacation planning you can ensure a great trip for yourself and for your family. Kids are mature enough to understand a lot of things and get pretty adamant about others and thus it falls into the parent’s forte to foresee problems and their solutions beforehand. Just give  a little more thought to kids luggage organization and savor the getaway time with them.

Click here for more Vacation Ideas on Stagetecture!

Summer Vacation: Checklist of What Not to Pack

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Whittling down the packing list will save your money, time, and hassle. So, check out this list to know what you absolutely do not need to pack for your summer vacation.

Put Away the Valuables

Put the valuables away. You are not going to a fashion show or a fancy party. The only thing you need to flash is your skin! So, leave your diamond necklaces, expensive earrings, super pricey Rolex wristwatch, or the latest Apple smartwatch at home, or consider using the safe in your hotel when possible.

Leave the Extra Gadgets

Leave those gadgets at home that you are not going to use during the vacation. People tend to stash all their devices but most of which don’t even come out of the suitcase. So, take only those gadgets that are necessary and don’t forget to jot down their serial number or put some kind of identification mark on them so you can track them down if they are lost.

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Don’t Bring the Toiletries

Everyone follows a beauty routine at home. But, you don’t need to do it when you are travelling. Holiday is about relaxing so let loose a bit instead of carrying your entire beauty products in your suitcase. If necessary, buy them or use the complimentary toiletries in case if you are staying in a major chain hotel. However, if you think you cannot survive a day without your own toiletries, decant the face wash, sunscreen, shampoo, and conditioners into 100ml plastic containers, and leave the large bottles behind.

Don’t Pack Liquor

You may have a bottle of old, precious wine and you want to sip into that golden nectar while bathing into the rays of the setting sun in an exotic beach. It’s a legitimate wish! But, packing liquor or anything breakable into your bag is not a wise thing. Even the most carefully packed and zip-bagged bottles can break. Plus, any container weighing more than 3.4 ounces won’t be allowed through security.

Don’t Pack Extra Clothes

In most cases, the suitcases of travelers are filled with loads of clothes. But, you don’t really need a clean pair of pants or a perfectly ironed shirt for each day of your vacation. Pack your bag only with the necessary outfits and toss away those ones that you will ‘possibly’ wear during the holidays. However, you can buy a bunch of cheap socks and undergarments and just throw them away as the days go by. In this way, your luggage will shrink over time.

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Holidays are tempting! They tempt us to bring everything and to hell with them. But, over-packing will fill up your luggage space, cost you more money, and increase your hassle as you have to carry the mountain with you. This things-not-to-pack list will help your suitcase to be lighter and ease your struggle with luggage during your summer vacation.

Do you have any unique traveling tips to share with us?

College Dorm Tips: Packing for Back to School

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Coordinate Your List With Your Roommate:

Odds are that you’ve already thought to make a list of all of the things you’ll need to take with you to school. If you want to coordinate your college dorm room bedding and wall decor, take a look at these ideas from Target (affiliate) .  This tip is about how to keep that list from encompassing every item currently in your room. Compare your list to pare down what you don’t need. Ask your roommate if she’s bringing a TV. If she is, offer to bring the fridge instead. Also, be sure to check your dorms list of acceptable appliances. You don’t want to bring a coffee maker only to be told it has to go back with your parents.

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Only Pack For One Season:

Another tip for keeping your packing list shorter is to only pack for one season at a time. A lot of times incoming freshmen tend to assume that they need to bring everything – from a winter parka to summer shorts – at one time. In all likelihood, you’ll be going home for Thanksgiving or Christmas break before the seasons change, so lighten your load by only packing items you’ll need until then. For now, focus on fall clothing = sweaters, light jackets, and pieces you can layer for changes in temperature. Then, bring a whole new batch of clothes home with you after break.

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Start Packing Two Weeks Before:

There’s nothing worse than truing to pack up everything the night before you leave for the upcoming semester. Set yourself a packing schedule to alleviate some of the stress. Start two weeks prior to your move-in date and box up any household goods – bedding, rugs, lamps – that you probably won’t be using in the meantime. A week prior, move onto your wardrobe. Do a little each day, leaving only a small selection of clothing and sundries that need to be packed the morning of. While this amount of time may seem a bit excessive, it will give you plenty of time to rethink which items you’d like to take and to remember any must-have items that may have been forgotten during the first round of packing.

Put Everything In A Storage Solution

When packing for college, everything must have its place. Move-in day is frantic with people helping you grab your items from the car and rushing them up to your dorm. You don’t want any of your belongings to get lost in the shuffle. Keep things together by making sure that everything has it’s own storage solution – plastic bins, suitcases, a laundry bag – and that no items are left loose. Seal them with tape for a worry-free transfer and label the tape to make sure your belongings end up in the right room.

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Packing up all of your belongings to move into the dorm, especially if it’s your first year. But, don’t let the enormity of the task get you down. With a little planning and prep work, you’ll be set to go in no time at all. Follow these college dorm tips to help you get started. We hope you have a great first day!

Readers, do you have any college dorm tips to share? What is the one item that every incoming student needs to remember to bring?

Family Travel: How to Vacation with a Toddler 

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Anticipate Needs When Packing:

Gone are the days of just throwing some clothes into a carry on. Traveling with toddlers is all about packing more than you think you’ll need. Stuff your luggage with 2-3 extra outfits in case of accidents or spills, bring a mix of diapers and pull ups if your child is in the middle of potty training, and prepare a kit of first aid items and medications, just in case. Make sure to pack a separate suitcase full of toys to keep them entertained, any must-have stuffed animals or comfort items, and a plethora of snacks that you know they’ll enjoy. The bottom line is: You’ll have a better time on vacation if your little one is happy. Keep tantrums to a minimum by being prepared to meet their needs on the go.

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Know Your Child:

Being on vacation won’t suddenly change your child into a completely different person. As hiss or her parent, you know them better than anyone else – likes and dislikes, what types of situations will be handled well, and what won’t. Use that knowledge on vacation to set up best-case-scenario situations. If you know that your child cannot function without his daily nap, opt for a beach trip that will allow you to give him that time to recharge rather than risking a meltdown in the middle of a sightseeing tour. If your kid tends to wander in crowds, consider booking an off-season week away rather than worrying about constantly keeping an eye on her amid large numbers of people.

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Build Tons of Flex Time Into Your Schedule:

Toddlers are notoriously unpredictable. You never know when they’ll decide they need a nap, only want to be carried, or have to stop for the 1,000^th potty break of the day. And, you don’t want one of those times to be when you are rushing through the airport trying to catch a flight. Do your best to build as much flexible time into your schedule as possible, so that you can go with the flow. Leave with plenty of time to spare, if you need to arrive at a your destination at a particular time. Splurge on purchasing tickets with flex-dates in case your kid has an off day and you can’t imagine dragging him around a crowded attraction. You’ll breathe easier knowing that a potential setback won’t ruin your plans entirely.

Prep Your Toddler Beforehand:

Vacations are rife with new experiences, for no one more so than your toddler. When you sit down and think about all the firsts that will be happening during the course of the trip – flying on an airplane, staying in a hotel, going to a theme park – it’s not surprising that all that fresh stimuli can be overwhelming. Do your best to cut down on any anxious feelings by prepping your toddler for new experiences ahead of time. Talk about what will happen and play up the excitement in your expressions and tone of voice. If possible, pull up pictures online of the places that you will visit and go through them with your child. Do your best to answer any questions they may have and soothe any anxieties.

At the end of the day, remember to take a deep breath and have fun. After all, this is your vacation too. Family travel with little children may be different than anything you have ever experienced before, and it certainly requires more preparation, but it is far from impossible. Take these tips into consideration when planning your vacation and we guarantee you’ll have the trip of a lifetime.

Parents, do you have any essential tips for family travel? Share them with us in the comments below.

For more travel ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Getting the chance to spend time with loved ones is by far the best part of the holiday season. Unfortunately, the travel that often comes along with these visits can be far less enjoyable. However, with a little planning beforehand, you can get ahead of seasonal stress. Use these holiday travel organization tips to help you breathe a little easer this year.

Family Organization: Essential Holiday Travel Tips

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Make a List, Check it Twice:

Somehow it always seems like holiday travel requires an unseemly amount of gear. With all that stuff, it’s easy to leave a crucial item behind. But this is one occasion where a list can be your biggest ally. A few days before it’s time to start packing, sit down and mentally go through your travel plan. Write out everything you think you’ll need. Then, make sure to keep the list on-hand, so you can add to it when necessary. When packing, remember to check things off as you go.

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Keep Your Schedule Flexible:

Nothing exacerbates stress levels like an airtight itinerary. If at all possible, leave some extra space in your itinerary. You’ll often be able to score better deals if you fly outside of peak travel days. Or, if you’re traveling by car, you’ll want to leave time for food/gas pit stops, bathroom breaks, and unforeseen traffic jams. At the end of the day, it’s better to celebrate arriving early than to risk missing the festivities altogether.

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Pack Smart:

Peaceful traveling is all about knowing that you have everything you need on hand, just in case. If you’re flying, make sure to put any important documentation, medications, electronics, and money in your carry on luggage. While driving may decrease the possibility of losing a bag, rooting through all the luggage to find an desperately needed item is no fun. Try to keep everything you know you’ll be using within arm’s reach when driving.  If you’re traveling with the kids, make sure they have a supply of toys and snacks on hand, so you don’t have to worry about grabbing things for them while watching the road.

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Embrace Shipping:

This tip works especially well for families with kids who are anxiously awaiting Santa’s arrival. Help the big guy out by having gift items delivered to your final destination in advance. Not only will you be able to rest easy knowing that the gifts will be under the tree no matter what, you’ll also have less to worry about packing beforehand.

Only you know your holiday travel plans, so feel free to tailor these suggestions as needed. But, hopefully, these organizational tips will help you get through the busiest travel time of the year in one piece.

For more travel tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Planning a camping trip can be challenging, especially if you are travelling with children. Safety being your priority you would want your new campers to have a good time. So what should you pop-in your travel bags in order to make your experience memorable for all right reasons?  Don’t fear, we have got your covered. Here is a list of few most important things to pack for a family camping trip.

Packing Essentials for your Summer Family Camping Trip

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First aid kit

Band-aids, ace bandages, and antiseptics come in handy for common cuts, blisters, and scrapes. Also, make sure to pack a complete supply of any medications your little ones may need for summers. Purchase a good first aid kit from a camping supply store and stay prepared for any outdoor medical emergency.

Healthy snacks

With all the activities your family would be doing on the camping trip, they will definitely work up an appetite. So, make sure to pack a lot of tasty, healthy snacks. Stock up the ones that provide energy, instead of those sugary sweets that will undoubtedly result in a crash. The best ones includes nuts, peanut butter sandwiches, fresh and dried fruits, and, trail mix. Also, as staying hydrated is equally important, do pack plenty of drinks like fruit juice, lemonade, and water.

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Flashlight or lantern

Pack enough flashlights or battery operated lanterns to help your family members see in the dark and get rid of nighttime anxieties, if any. It’s also essential for the safety reasons and will help your child feel secure in the unfamiliar darkness. Don’t forget to pack extra set of batteries for each flashlight.

Create memories

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Family camping trips are the best opportunity to capture those wonderful moments. Beautiful natural scenery provides a picture perfect background for those candid shots or posed portraits. If you are a regular camper or hope to head out in the wilderness again, consider investing in a quality digital camera. Water and shock resistant camera will be ideal for outdoors.

Packing wisely is one-step forward towards a memorable and successful camping experience. Hopefully, these tips will help you get ready for fun and safe summer camping trip.

For more family vacation ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Moving is not something that most people look forward to. While there’s a certain element of excitement, adventure, and renewal inherent to any major move, it’s not at all uncommon for people to harbor a fear of the unknown. And leaving familiar places, friends, and the life you have known behind is never easy. But when you have a family the entire prospect becomes even harder. For one thing, you probably have a lot more stuff to pack and keep track of now that you’re not single. But you also have to contend with a spouse that may be leaving a job behind in order to follow you, not to mention kids that will be taken out of the schools they love and away from all of their friends. They simply might not understand why you have to move, and they will almost certainly be upset about the prospect. In short, moving could cause a lot of stress for you and your family. But there are things you can do to make the process easier on everyone

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1. Have a family meeting.

A great way to assuage the fears of your family when it comes to moving is to sit everyone down for a family meeting. This way you and your partner can explain the process and the reasoning to kids, and they can discuss what is upsetting them about the move. Just talking through the issues will help to get your whole family on the same page and ensure that everyone is at least comfortable with prospect, even if they’re not totally happy about it.

2. Find Scout locations and activities for the kids.

One of the best ways to prepare your family for the upcoming move is by taking the time to do a little recon. Kids may not be keen to leave their friends, their school, and their activities behind, so find something for them to get excited about. You might look into clubs or sports they participate in now so that they know they won’t have to give up everything they love when they move. Perhaps there will even be new activities for them to try. And once you’ve found a home, check out local parks or kid-friendly hangouts, see if there are other kids their age in the neighborhood, and pop in at schools to meet teachers and see what they have to offer.

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3. Get organized.

Help your family get organized, this will help you to make sure that everything gets done in a timely manner. You can create a master schedule and set deadlines for a variety of activities as a way to avoid some of the major stresses associated with moving. And you should also use a comprehensive system for packing by which you number boxes and note what’s in them for easier unpacking upon arrival.

4. Hold a yard sale.

Over time you have no doubt accumulated a lot of stuff, much of which you don’t really need or use. So do a massive cleaning before you start packing boxes to weed out items that can go to Goodwill or get sold at a yard sale. This could significantly lighten the load when it comes to packing and everyone will be happy to replace outdated items with new products once the move is complete.

5. Hire movers

Hire movers like United Van Lines to make the transition easier. Packing, moving, and unpacking are a lot of work. But you can easily hand off at least one part of this equation to someone else by hiring professional movers. It can be pricy, but leaving the heavy lifting to someone else can take a huge burden off your shoulders, both literally and figuratively.

For more moving tips on Stagetecture, click here.

So you’re a first-time home buyer looking for tips, some dos and don’ts perhaps, to help you navigate your way across some pretty unfamiliar territory. No problem. The Internet is stuffed full of tips. The biggest problem you’ll likely encounter is deciding how many you want…10 tips, six tips, five tips, three? You get the picture. Then there’s that other problem – whether or not to trust the information source in the first place.

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Therefore, a good start has to be Microsoft, with its excellent real estate channel. The article ‘7 tips for first-time home buyers’ is worth reading carefully, not least because the information is provided by the highly trusted Bankrate, Inc., the Web’s leading aggregator of financial data.

Through its flagship website, Bankrate.com, the company provides free rate information to consumers on more than 300 financial products, from mortgage loans to credit cards, new and used automobile loans, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, checking and ATM fees, home equity loans and online banking fees.

Compare other homes for sale in the area:

The first tip suggested is so obvious you might not even have considered it. But don’t worry too much about that. You’re a novice after all! Do a check on the selling prices of similar homes in your area through any of the gazillion websites likely thrown up by a Google, Yahoo or a Bing search.

Consider what you can afford. Common sense, right? There are many online mortgage calculators which will give you some kind of idea of the monthly repayments involved. But use the calculator along with MSN Real Estate’s home affordability calculator, to add in additional costs such as taxes and home insurance. So that’s tip two and three.

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Determine how much you’ll spend in closing costs:

The fourth tip suggests finding out how much you’ll likely pay in closing costs such as origination fees charged by the lender and title and settlement fees. Tip number five suggests looking at your budget and determining how a house may or may not fit into it. Fannie Mae recommends you spend no more than 28% of your income on housing costs.

The last two tips recommend talking to real estate agents in the area to gauge the local climate, and considering the bigger picture.

Bankrate adds, “While buying a house is a great way to build wealth, maintaining your investment can be labour-intensive and expensive. When unexpected costs for new appliances, roof repairs and plumbing problems crop up, there’s no landlord to turn to, and these costs can drain your bank account.”

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That’s seven good tips to get you thinking. Meanwhile, Forbes have a few more worth considering including advising first-time home buyers to cough up a good 20% down payment in order to immediately add equity to the house and lower monthly payments.

Be realistic about costs, says Morgan Brennan at Forbes. However much you make, don’t shop for a home that will gobble up most of your income each month. In addition to mortgage and principal payments, buying a home means paying for insurance, maintenance and real estate taxes.

Don’t cut corners with home inspections:

And finally, don’t cut corners on inspections. Always cough up the extra cash for a good home inspection, especially if you’re buying a foreclosed home.

So there you have it. As you can see, there is no shortage of high-quality tips for first-time home buyers providing you know where to look. Although moving is never easy, you can at least reduce some of the stress by conducting a little research before taking that first exciting step.

For more home buying & selling tips on Stagetecture, click here.

When trying to sell your home, first impressions matter. Your home should look its most attractive before you invite potential buyers in for open houses and private showings. A clean, open-space home will appeal the most to potential buyers and help them imagine what the space could look like once they move in.

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Clean Those Carpets

A clean carpet is brighter and fresher than one that’s been accumulating dust, stains, dirt, pet hair, dander and odors for years. Save yourself the effort by calling in a professional carpet cleaning team. In less than a day, they can make the carpets in your home seem like new. Give the carpets a day or two to dry before you move back furniture and let in potential buyers.

Clean carpets are crucial to maximizing your home’s sale value, and the cleaning won’t cost as much as installing new carpets. Plus, there’s a chance the new owners will dislike the carpet and tear it out and install new carpet anyway. There’s no need to spend hundreds or thousands on new carpet when a simple cleaning will suffice.

Clear Out Clutter

Even though you might be living in your home while trying to sell it, it’s crucial you make your home appear less lived-in when potential buyers come by. Buyers have a hard time picturing themselves in clearly defined, cluttered spaces. Get rid of clutter through donation, online auction or a garage sale — having fewer things will also prove helpful during your move. Put away things you want to keep but won’t use for months in a storage unit or in the attic or basement.

If you can’t put a great deal away in storage, do your best to make the home appear clean and organized. Remove clutter from tables and counters and move it into cupboards, shelves or boxes. Leave only attractive, simple decorations out in the open, such as flower vases or books on a coffee table.

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Renovate Affordably

If money were no object, you’d completely renovate your home before a sale to make it as modern, clean and attractive as possible. Even if you had the money, though, there would be little point to changing your house to suit your design tastes before you pass ownership on to someone new. You can, however, make small investments that will go a long way.

Focus on affordable, small renovations that will help to erase the signs of wear and tear on your home. Some ideas include:

• Painting chipped walls.
• Removing outdated, dusty wallpaper and painting the walls instead.
• Swapping out the handles on cupboards for brighter and cleaner handles.
• Buying new shower curtains.
• Replacing the shower heads.
• Swapping out old curtains for new ones.
• Planting flowers outside the home in spring or summer.

Clean the House

The carpet isn’t the only area that could use a cleaning, although it’s often ignored when sellers try to spruce up their homes. Wherever there’s mold or mildew, you have to get rid of it, as no one will look favorably on that. Use bleach to make tile grout brighter or repaint bathroom walls when necessary.

Clean windows, dust shelving, vacuum the floors and sweep the porch of trimmings and leaves. If you have a pet, run the vacuum one extra time before potential buyers stop by, and use a pet hair attachment on furniture, curtains and anywhere else where fur tends to stick. Even if you’re not selling the furniture, excessive pet fur around the house can be a turn-off. Keep your pets away from the buyers, too.

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Let In the Light

One last thing: If you’re showing the house during the day, open the curtains and let in natural light, even if you usually don’t. If you’re going to have a number of showings at night, put in brighter light bulbs, or add lamps or light fixtures so that rooms appear brighter when people are looking around.

Shanae Rosado is a contributing blogger and real estate agent. She advises sellers on how to spruce up their homes for open houses in ways such as using carpet cleaning by Coit.

For more home staging ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

If you are currently in the market to purchase a new home “Congrats!” That is, without question, a goal that many people wish to obtain. However, if you ask a lot of people who are already home owners some of the things that they wish they knew before signing on the dotted line of their mortgage, you might be surprised that when it comes to getting the “American dream”, if you’re not careful, it has the potential to turn into an absolute nightmare.

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So, what are some of the common mistakes that a lot of first-time home buyers tend to make? We have our top five for you right here:

Not having a budget.

When it comes to thinking about the kind of home that you’d like to have, it’s fine to fantasize about how many bedrooms or how big of a kitchen that you want. However, none of that is really going to matter much if you can’t afford to pay for it all. Before you start looking at homes, make sure that you are realistic about how much you can afford to pay.

Not going with a reputable agent.

This is already a tough market for real estate and so there’s definitely something to be said for getting a professional agent who can help you to get your finances in order. If you can find one through the referral of a family member or friend, that is preferable. If not, try looking for one on the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA.org) website.

Not understanding what it means to get a foreclosure.

A lot of good homes went into foreclosure. There’s no doubt about that. But, don’t assume that every single house is a great deal. Just because one was once worth $500,000 and it’s on the market for considerably less, that doesn’t mean that it is currently appraised for that same amount. You definitely need to do your research on that before getting too attached.

Not having the home professionally inspected.

When you’re looking into buying a house that you really like, it’s understandable why your emotions may get into the way. All you may see is the fireplace, but not the shaky foundation of the mantle or the big bay windows that need to be double-pane or the vintage bathroom that could use some new plumbing. Every home needs to be inspected before someone moves in. There’s no way around that fact.

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Not putting your “poker face” on.

People who are selling homes tend to read body language pretty well. When your excitement translates into desperation, that makes it really difficult to do some serious negotiating. So, when you’re in the process of discussing the house with the seller, try and be as businesslike as possible. It’s OK to express interest, but try and avoid giving off the impression that you are willing to do just about anything to move in. Assess your finances, look over the house more than once and then offer a fair price. If it’s meant to be, it will work out without you having to become extremely stressed (or financially destitute) during the process.

For more moving tips on Stagetecture, click here.