Stay at Home Wife and Mother

Home and Family from a SAHWM's Perspective

Mailbox Services Offer Professional Privacy to Home Based Business Owners

post-office-mailboxOne of the advantages of the electronic society is that being a stay at home mother need not preclude operating a small business. Sites like Etsy allow crafty or artistically inclined folk to sell small goods out of their own home, taking the hassle out of processing multiple transaction types.

With these online storefronts available, it has become more common for stay at home moms to run a small side business or craft store. The extra money can be saved, used to cover bills and expenses, or even just used as some fun “mad money.”

Not Entirely Perfect

Of course, the work-from-home lifestyle unfortunately means that work and home can become somewhat intermingled. This is of course partially an advantage; there is no need to get a separate workspace and pay for its lease.

However, it also means that one’s home address becomes associated with the business. If you are shipping directly out of your own house, it is not hard for customers to get hold of your mailing details.

Mailbox Privacy

As a solution, many home businesses eventually pick up an address at a mailbox service. They function as expected, mailing parcels and packages. However, they also offer the opportunity to rent box space for incoming mail.

This creates a layer of privacy. The mailbox address can be used as the mailing address for the business, preventing personal details from leaking.

They also tend to provide the parcel and letter mailing services we mentioned previously. This makes them, in essence, a one-stop location for a home business’ “shipping department.”

For example, Mailbox Rentals USA is a mailbox NYC customers can take advantage of to provide a private or business mailbox.

A Useful Tool for the Growing Business

Mailbox services do cost a fee, generally measured in leases of several months. This makes it a better solution for a business that is established and growing. However, there are also personal privacy concerns that make a mailbox useful to just about anyone in this increasingly data-sensitive and tech interconnected world.

Homeowner’s Tips: Yearly Spring Inspections of the Home

As the winter cold ends and spring’s glorious beauty begins to shine, it is time to open up the curtains and roll up the sleeves: the home is due for some inspections! Some of these should be done by the homeowner, while others may require a professional. By spotting small problems quickly, they can be taken care of efficiently and cheaply before they become costly or destructive.
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Inspecting the HVAC System

Home HVAC systems should be inspected and maintained annually. Spring is the best time to do this, as the unit can be gassed up for ice cold air conditioning in anticipation of a hot summer. By having the unit inspected for problems, the homeowner can enjoy a more efficient system, a cooler home, and a lower electric bill.

Driveway Inspection

Water, ice, wind, and temperature fluctuations are very stressful for driveways. Driveways should be inspected for cracking, chipping, breakage, and fading. Concrete driveway repair in Charlotte NC can fill cracks and seal the driveway to prevent further damage from occurring. Repairing the driveway will allow the homeowners to get far more life out of the driveway before it needs a serious repair.
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Inspecting Wooden Features

Any wooden features on the property including stairs, porches, decks, arbors, or benches should be inspected for rotting or insect damage. Over time, weathered wood fails; if fragile, cracking steps are not replaced, they could fall in resulting in serious injuries. Some insects, such as termites and carpenter bees, can cause an immense amount of damage to wooden structures.

Checking for Wasp, Hornet, and Honey Bee Nests

One thing a homeowner does not want is a nest of honeybees, wasps, or hornets on or within the home. Carefully inspect the perimeter of the home on a warm, sunny day for bees, wasps, and hornets. When spotted, watch to see if there are others, and whether or not they head towards a potential nesting area. If a nest is spotted, contact a pest removal company as soon as possible for removal.

By inspecting the home regularly, homeowners can protect their most valuable investment while reducing the total cost of home ownership.

How to Pack For Your Residential Move

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The moving process is full of tasks that need to be completed before the big day. You need to take care of everything from packing your items to hiring residential movers Hackettstown New Jersey. You may feel stressed about packing everything you own in the middle of chaos, but you can use the following tips to keep a cool head while packing for your residential move.

Purge Unwanted Items

It is easier to pack your belongings when you get rid of your unwanted items first. The items that are in great condition but never used should be given away or donated. Everything that is expired or damaged should be discarded or recycled.

Take Inventory of Valuables

Create an inventory of everything you are packing, and be sure to include the box and room of each item. Use the inventory as a checklist to ensure your items make it to your new home. If an item is missing or damaged, you may be able to use the inventory list for insurance purposes.

Download a Moving App

Plenty of applications can keep you organized during the moving process. Use the application to keep track of where you put certain items or boxes. You may even find an application that allows you to save your inventory, checklist and contact information.

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Pack Your Daily Items Last

When it is time to start packing, you want to start with the items you do not use often. It is okay to pack them early because you do not need to get to them right away. The items you use daily should be packed last to ensure you could still get to them as needed.

Create an Organizational System

It is easier to unload and unpack your boxes when you create an organizational system that works for you. You may want to unpack your kitchen and bathroom essentials first, or maybe you do not have a preference because every box is going in its designated room.

Packing is a big part of the moving process, but staying organized is sure to make the process run smoothly.

How to Pick the Perfect Mother’s Day Gift for Your Mom

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Mother’s Day is quickly approaching, and this leaves sons and daughters everywhere trying to think of the perfect gift for their mother. Mother’s Day is not even just for biological mothers either, as people now celebrate all of the powerful and important women in their lives who may have acted as mothers, such as grandmothers, aunts, adopted mothers, and even fathers. No matter whom you are celebrating on this day, it is important that you find the right gift to show her how much you care and appreciate all of her efforts. If you are overwhelmed by this prospect, consider the following advice before making your purchase.

First of all, one of the best things that you can do for your mother is to show her that you care about her interests and have been paying attention to her. It’s easy to do this by buying her a gift that matches her interests and hobbies. For example, if your mother has been interested in painting, consider getting her useful new brushes from a respected company like Dynasty Brush, which you can find if you click here. If your mother is interested in gardening, skip the cut flowers and get her a beautiful plant that she can enjoy year after year. This will show her that you care and that you pay attention to her interests.

Alternatively, you can skip the gift and make the present an occasion or event that the two of you can do together. For example, if your mother likes to hike, you can plan a day out at a local park or another hiking spot. If your mother likes to travel and go to new places, you could plan a small trip and go with her on it. Make sure that you take many pictures of the two of you on your adventure and share them with her when it is over.

Make this Mother’s Day one to remember by finding a special way to celebrate this important woman in your life. After all, she truly deserves it.

Civil Rights Progress in Our Country

constitution-united-states-of-americaWe are in a great time in American history, no doubt about it. For years, our culture was making incredible progress as far as racial equality was going.

United States as a country comes from a background in which wealthy landowners once held African slaves as laborers, and thought that dark history has been very hard to overcome, incredible progress has certainly been made.

The Aftermath of the Civil Rights Era in the United States

The Civil Rights movement exploded in the 1960s after people of color became intensely frustrated with their lack of progress in American society. The movement caught fire as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led people to take part in peaceful protests against the authorities. These protests were a wakeup call to the conscience of America, and there has been some movement in the culture since that time, especially as far as giving people of color equal access to education and job opportunities.

A Time for Greater Education

There is a great wealth of literature about racial issues available in libraries, colleges, and online, and those who take the time to read cannot help but be moved by what is possible and what needs to be done. The US has the capacity for greatness and leadership as far as racial equality goes and we are in an era that keeps that movement going.

What You Need to Know About Pumping Your Septic Tank

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Few things can ruin your day faster than coming home from work and smelling the telltale scent of raw sewage in the air. If your septic tank has overflowed, or worse, back up the lines into your home, it needs to be pumped out — and quickly.

How often should the tank be pumped?

As a rule of thumb, you will want to have your septic tank inspected around every three years, although inspections that are more frequent may be needed for some systems due to the state of their mechanical components. How often you need to pump your tank is another matter entirely, and it largely depends on the size of your tank and the size of your household.

If you have a 1,500-gallon tank and live in a family of four, typical use dictates the tank should be pumped every three to five years. However, if you live alone with a tank of equal size, you could likely go ten years without having it pumped. You should also consider how old the tank is. For example, if you moved into the home or you are renting one, you might not know the last time the tank was pumped.

Emergency Pumping

Nevertheless, when an emergency happens, you do not want to spend time trying to remember the finer details. Having sewage backup in your home is not pleasant for anyone, and can be very dangerous if any of your household has a compromised immune system.

Call at the first sign of trouble. A sewage backup can quickly turn worse if you wait until morning to take care of the problem. After the emergency pump is completed, the team will visually inspect your tank to evaluate its current level of care and if further maintenance is required to prevent future backups.

3 Ways to Find Handcrafted Furniture

brown-handicraft-weaveAre you at a point when you believe it is time to finally redecorate your home? If this is the case, you will need to think about what type of furniture you are going to buy to replace the items you have now. There is an endless amount of furniture that you can choose from. This is a decision that you must take seriously. You will be using this furniture for many years to come. Therefore, you must not be hasty when you are shopping for it. Buying high quality furniture that is handcrafted would be a worthwhile investment. Here are some of the ways you can find some of this furniture for your redecorating project.

1. Visit some of your local antique furniture dealers.

You might not be looking for antique furniture. However, the people who work at antique furniture stores will definitely be able to point you in the right direction. They should have a good idea about the best places in your area where handcrafted furniture is sold. If they cannot provide you with the info you seek, there is a good chance they can refer you to someone who does. You should end up with the names of a few good places where you can find Lake Oswego furniture for sale.

2. Get in touch with some of your friends, work colleagues and relatives to see if they can recommend any dealers of handcrafted furniture.

You should try to speak to as many of the people you know as possible. This will give you a better chance of finding people who have some knowledge about the stores that sell handcrafted furniture in your area. You might even try asking some of the people in your neighborhood. You never know where you will be able to get the name of a store that has the handcrafted furniture you are looking for.

3. You should also consider looking online.

Many dealers of handcrafted furniture can be found online. Moreover, the selection they offer can be quite vast. Many online retailers will be able to make custom handcrafted furniture to your exact specifications. It would be in your best interests to find as many sites that sell handcrafted furniture and compare their prices and inventories. This will help you narrow down your list of retailers that you might end up doing business with.