Don’t worry! Take comfort in the fact that many people are willing to share their experience with you. Being organized at the start will help your move go more smoothly.

On A Budget? Pack Yourself - Packing doesn’t have to be a nightmare - or even scary. But you do need to be prepared to work. It can take two people two full days to pack a three bedroom home.

Of course, you can always hire professionals to do the job for you. Discuss your needs with some moving companies. They will do as little or as much packing as you want. Get quotes from several because prices vary widely - and read the contract carefully. Ask them for references. If you pack yourself, though, it can be a real money-saver.

As soon as you know you’re moving, consider lightening your load. Do you really want to bring absolutely everything with you? Some people see a move as an opportunity to go through their things and purge. You can hold a garage sale and I’m sure there are some charities in your community that would welcome your donations.

First of all, set up your packing headquarters. Cover a large table with a protective pad for a firm work surface. Start collecting your packing materials.

How Many Boxes Do You Need? Using packing boxes specifically designed for moving can really make the difference in ensuring that your items arrive at their destination safely. They come in shapes and sizes specifically designed to fit a variety of household goods. You can buy them at self-storage facilities. Here are the usual moving box choices

Here is a guide for the number of boxes you might need. Most self-storage businesses will let you bring back unused boxes for a full refund, so take more than you think you need. 1 or 2 rooms: Sm. Boxes - 7, Med. Boxes - 3, Lge. Boxes - 3, China Boxes - 1, Wardrobes - 1 3 to 4 rooms: Small Boxes - 15, Med. Boxes - 8, Lge. Boxes - 6, China Boxes - 1 or 2, Wardrobes - 1 5 to 6 rooms: Small Boxes - 20, Med. Boxes - 12, Lge. Boxes - 8, China Boxes - 3, Wardrobes - 3 7 to 8 rooms: Small Boxes - 30, Med. Boxes - 20, Lge. Boxes - 12, China Boxes - 4, Wardrobes - 4

Box Descriptions Professional moving boxes come in a few different sizes: Smaller (2 cu. ft.) boxes for heavy items such as dishes, files and books Medium (4 cu. ft.) boxes for pots, pans, small appliances, lamps, shades, clothing, linens, and toys Large (6 cu. ft.) boxes for light/bulky items: pillows, bedding, stuffed toys Mirror or Picture Cartons are a great way to move art, framed posters, etc. China Barrels provide extra protection for dishes, fine china and glassware. Wardrobe Boxes are used for packing clothes and drapery (each wardrobe holds approximately 20 garments).

As well as being strong and durable, there is another, hidden benefit to using proper moving boxes. The uniform sizes allow for quick packing and stacking - and that will save you time and money. When you use boxes of every shape and size, you’ll waste a lot of time fitting them all together in the moving van. When you are moving you want less aggravation and frustration. Using professional boxes will make the move easier.

Other Packing Materials Mattress covers to protect box springs and mattresses from moisture and dust Newsprint (preferably non print and in pre cut sheets) Tissue paper and/or bubble wrap for wrapping and cushioning breakable objects Styrofoam chips are necessary fillers for empty spaces and will prevent items from bouncing around inside the boxes Packing tape to seal the boxes Twine to seal boxes and tie loose items together Scissors or a sharp knife Felt markers and/or box labels Notepad and pen to list box contents as they are packed

Final Packing Tips - Label all your boxes on several sides. Include which room the box should be delivered to. - If there are boxes that you want to open first, write a number on them. - Start by packing out of season, or least used items first. Leave the things you use everyday to the end. - Tape important things together such as pins for shelves and bookcases to the bookcase, nuts and bolts for bed frames to the bed frame, etc. - Use crushed newsprint at the bottom of each carton for cushioning. - Fill empty spaces in the boxes with crushed paper. You don’t want anything to slide around. Put heavy items on the bottom and lighter things on the top of each box.

Sooner or later, we all move. When it happens to you, please make it as easy as possible and let the experience of others guide you.

I’m sure everyone knows by now about the real estate crisis going on all across the United States. Bank foreclosures and pre-foreclosures are at record highs and both the home owners and banks are in trouble because of it. It’s a material tragedy that many people, most with good intentions, could lose their houses. Some homeowners face bank foreclosure just after missing one or two payments. It’s the reverse side of the American Dream.

If homeowners facing foreclosure can face reality quick enough, they can go ahead and sell their home for low prices before the banks officially forecloses them. Unfortunately, many homeowners have false hopes of catching up in time with their payments, but they usually never do. The lenders do not go easy on them. The homeowners who do act quickly enough can sell their home during the pre-foreclosure period. Pre-foreclosure is a grace period that is given to many homeowners facing foreclosure that can last anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months. The pre-closure period varies from state to state. During the pre-foreclosure period, the home still belongs to the borrowers and they have a right to sell it to interested buyers.

Due to the real estate market crisis, many low income Americans now have the opportunity to purchase good homes at low prices. Bank foreclosure homes are put up for sell for as low as 10% of the market value. They wish to regain some of their money back and to get rid of all of the foreclosure homes as quickly as possible. This makes it easier for lower income families to afford a good home for literally cents on the dollar. Lower income families and new home buyers can now afford a home that would normally be out of their financial range.

Bank foreclosures and pre-foreclosures also provide an excellent opportunity to earn a lot of money. Many Americans are learning that investing in bank foreclosure and pre-foreclosure homes can return an excellent profit. For instance, you can buy foreclosure and pre-foreclosure homes for as low as 10% of their market value, and then resell them for nine times that! Imagine all the money you can profit from buying bank foreclosures and pre-foreclosure homes! Even if you’ve never had an interest in real estate before, now is an excellent time to become involved in it!

So how can you find them? The public is usually notified of the homes that are facing foreclosure. You can always look through your newspaper and local advertisements, but there are also listings that can be found on the internet! There are probably many homes in your state right now that are facing bank foreclosure. There are many foreclosure and pre-foreclosure listings on the web and you will be allowed to bid and purchase electronically. Be careful though, there are many scams on the internet. Some so called “foreclosure” and “pre-foreclosure” listing sites will promise you access to many legitimate listings, but they won’t deliver. Many of their listings will be expired or false.

Of course there really are legitimate, truthful foreclosure and pre-foreclosure listings found on the internet for every city in America. Many government auction sites offer real bidding opportunities for foreclosure homes. So how will you know exactly which membership sites are trustworthy and which ones are not? Thankfully there are government auction review sites that have all the information you’ll ever need. The professionals behind the government auction reviews go digging into government auction sites and test their legitimacy. They have inside information on several government auction sites and listings.

Many of these membership sites offer real, top deals on real estate, bank foreclosures, and contact information for the pre-foreclosure homes. Government auction review sites will let you know which ones are the best. Make sure you read government auction reviews before you begin bidding on foreclosure homes. You will receive the best advice and information about the real foreclosure and pre-foreclosure listings!

Drywall/ Plaster Repair In Lakewood, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, where I do most of my rehabilitation work, cracks and holes in the plaster are common. You will experience similar issues in Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh or any other industrial city throughout the east or Midwest. Holes in plaster are often the result of water infiltration, the result of vandalism, but could be the sign of more serious foundation issues. Once the root cause is fixed, patch the area with inch drywall. Secure the drywall to the hole with at least 2 drywall screws. Insert your rotozip near the edge of your hole and cut the drywall by pressing the rotozip blade against the remaining plaster. Once your piece is cut, secure it with multiple drywall screws, mud the gaps, tape, re-mud then sand to a smooth finish.

Basic Water Pipe Repair Many of the foreclosed homes that I encounter have sat over the winter and the cold weather has burst water pipes in the basement and walls. Usually the hardest part of the repair is finding all the leaks. You do this by turning on the water, listening for falling water, then visually inspecting where the water is coming from. Once you find the leak, cut out the old section of pipe and cut a section of new pipe to replace it. Rough up the end of the old and new sections of pipe with your sandpaper. Apply flux to each section of pipe and to a coupler that will be used to join the pieces. Put the new section in place. Heat the coupler with your butane torch and apply solder around the edges of the coupler. The flux will melt creating a vacuum inside the coupler and drawing the solder inside. Once it is sealed all the way around, allow the solder to dry and move on to the next leak. If you are worried about using a butane torch on this project, ask your hardware professional about Shark-Bite fixtures.

Drain Repair Clogged drains are very common. A snake should be a staple in your tool box. Drains work by using the force of gravity to expel wastewater down and out of the house. Improperly working drains can be the result of improper pitch in the drain line or a clog. If a clog is found in the drain line, such as hair or grease, remove the drain, remove the clog, replace the drain and test.

Replacing Light Fixtures Be sure the power is off to the fixture by checking the wires with a voltage meter. Remove the old fixture. Strip off a section of the wire casing and attach your new fixture with wire nuts and electrical tape. Insure that no unexposed wire remains. Since each fixture will come with its own set of instructions, be sure to read those instructions thoroughly to insure proper installation. Electricity can cause severe injury if you do not follow instruction implicitly.

Window Installation Carefully remove the old window, making sure not to damage the wood frame. Once the window is removed place wood shims on the sill and level the shims. Once the shims are level secure them in place with screws (drilling pilot holes will keep the shims from splitting). Put the new window in place. At the sash, place more wood shims between the wood frame and the window to fill that gap, and then secure the shims in place by screwing through the window frame and into the wood frame. Repeat this step about six inches from the top and six inches from the bottom of the sides. Once the sides are secure, make sure you can easily open and close the window. Fill the gaps around the window with expanding foam insulation.

Refinishing Wood Floors I rent a lot of the homes that I rehab. If I re-carpet, I will probably have to o it again after the first tenant moves out. If I refinish the hardwood floors, I can re-rent it over and over without much hassle. Remove all of the tack strips, staples, nails and quarter round molding. Once the floor is clean, run your drum sander with the grain of the wood. Working a drum sander is a lot like working a self-propelled lawn mower. It is very important that you keep the drum sander moving at all times though. If you leave it sit it will quickly eat into the floor. I start with 36-grit sandpaper, then 80-grit, and then 100-grit. Once the main body of the floor is sanded, do the edges with an edge sander using the same grits of sandpaper that you used on the main floor. When all the sanding is complete, sweep the floor, and then vacuum the floor. After vacuuming, I like to lightly mop the entire floor. Allow the floor to dry then apply a stain of your choice. Allow to dry then coat with 2 - 3 layers of polyurethane. Replace the molding.

Laying Tile The key to a good tile project is a good foundation. Whether you are tiling a wall or floor, the foundation must be plumb or level and the surface must be flat. Start by removing the old coverings whenever possible. Once the old covering has been removed put down a cement backerboard over the entire area to be tiled. Be sure to secure the backerboard with screws designed for this application. Fill in the joints of the backerboard with mortar. Begin tile installation by troweling on a thin application of mastic over a three to four foot area. Set the tile in place and push gently to secure the position. Place a spacer next to the tile and position the next piece. Continue in this fashion until the tiles are all in place. Allow the mastic to dry for 24-hours before grouting. If you are laying a natural stone tile (travertine, slate, marble) be sure to seal the tile prior to grouting. If you don’t, the tile will appear hazy. Remove all tile spacers. Mix the grout and push the grout into the seams using a rubber float. Immediately wipe up excess grout with a damp sponge. After an hour or so, wipe down the tile with a paper towel or piece of cheesecloth to get rid of the haze on the surface.

Texturing a Ceiling Ever wonder how those skilled craftsmen got your ceilings textured so randomly yet so perfect. It’s easy, and there is very little skill involved. Dip a paint roller with a long (4 foot) handle into a bucket of top-coating mud. Roll the mud onto the ceiling. Cover a ten-foot by ten-foot area. Push your texturing brush into the mud and pull back quickly to create a random (yet perfect) dimple pattern all across your ceiling. After it dries finish by painting with a white ceiling paint. (Note: This project can be messy. Either do it before you put your floors in or cover them completely. )

Painting a Room Be sure to prep the wall surface prior to painting. Do this by applying a thin coat of spackle to any pin holes or cracks, then sand to a smooth finish. Next, apply one coat of latex primer to the surface of the walls using a roller. After the primer dries apply your paint. Two coats of a flat paint will generally provide complete coverage. To edge the walls, apply painter’s tape to the trim, and brush the paint onto the edges. After you have painted the edges, remove the painter’s tape and you’re done.

Landscaping The exterior is the first impression people will get of your house. Take time to remove all the overgrown 1950’s era plants and replace them with smaller more modern looking plants. After removing the old shrubs, cultivate the bed and mix in organic materials like manure, compost or peat moss. Arrange your new plants on top of the beds. Once you are happy with the arrangement, remove any burlap or plastic and plant them. Be sure not to bury the root balls of shrubs. You want to plant the shrub with just a little of the ball showing above the ground surface. Follow spacing instruction on the containers so that your new landscape doesn’t look like overgrown in two years. After planting the large landscape in this fashion, take time to plant flowers around your new plants and enjoy your new look.