How to Get Rid of Christmas Presents You Don't Want

'Tis the season for giving and receiving, so get ready to get a bunch of junk you don't want. What a beautiful thing that we reserve a special time of year to come together to celebrate. I love presents, but sometimes the thought is a lot better than the actual gift. We've all received stuff we don't need or want during the holidays. Sometimes disposing of these gifts can be tricky for a variety of unique reasons, but I'm here to help you to get rid of the holiday crap.

Hoard It 

Are you the type of person who has to keep everything!? Fine, then put the useless item in a self storage unit or in your basement to gather dust and never be used again. Or even better yet, let it take up the limited counter space in your home, so every spring cleaning when you dust around it you can remember the poor taste of your dead Aunt Susie.

Make it Into a Toy for Your Pet 

Another set of ugly, seasonal dish towels? I have no idea why people think I need so many dish towels, but I've just started giving them to my dogs to chew on. Don't limit this idea to just dish towels, dogs and cats will play with anything. For cats rub a little cat nip on that ugly sweater, and you may have just received the world's cheapest cat bed.

Pretend to be Buddhist 

Or you can even become Buddhist if you want to go extreme. Say that you want to live with the least among of things possible, so you can truly appreciate the important things in life. Seems like a good excuse as any to get rid of all the bad gifts you received over the year, and not to mention all that other sentimental junk you've been storing in a hidden cardboard box. That is right, I'm the Santa of junk, and I SEE all the clutter you've been keeping around for no apparent reason. Taking up Buddhism is also a good way to get out of any future gift exchanges, secret Santas, etc.

Ask for a Receipt

Why not be the sane person in your family, friend, co-workers to suggest giving the receipts with the gift. Then of course you know who is cheap and who is excessive, but honestly most of us can guess who that is without knowing how much a gift costs. Or you can continue the passive-aggressive pattern of gift-giving where everyone owns excessive amounts of junk they don't want in their homes, because guess what, those who receive your gifts probably don't like them half the time either.

Re-Gift It 

Give some other poor soul that scented candle that says Midnight Tangerine, but really just smells like a retirement home. It will save you some money and clutter.

Donate It 

Some people actually need the sweaters, candles, CDs, etc. that us fortunate folk take for granted. Stop by Good Will or wherever, and your unwanted items will make someone's day. After exploiting the holiday bar tab at the company Christmas party, you are need all the good karma you can get.

Sell It on E-Bay or Craigslist 

Who couldn't use a little extra doe? I recommend waiting a little while after Christmas, because everyone will be on there trying to sell the gifts they don't want the day after Christmas. By spring though people will be desperate again for your second-hand goods for great prices.

Throw It Away 

If the item is old, gross, well-used or just useless, just throw it away. Or maybe you just feel no good will towards man kind, and would rather contribute to the world's land fill than do anything good for society. No shame in that, we've all been there- especially after having to hear your drunk, republican uncle rant over the annual family Christmas gathering.

Happy Holidays!

How to Get Your House Ready to Sell without Spending a Dime

Putting your house on the market can be a nerve wrecking experience. It seems like the list of things that need to be done is endless, and it can be hard to know where to start. Here are some of the things that should be done before your sell that don't cost any money, but really can make all the difference on the appearance of the property. Not everyone has the money or time to dedicate to making a home like brand new before moving out of it, so don't feel bad if these are all the things you can afford to do right now. Instead take joy in the fact these little, free steps will indeed help you sell your homes. 


Make Your Yard Sparkle

• Keep the lawn mowed, edged and cut on a regular basis. Also, water any brown spots if needed. 
• Prune branches of trees and shrubs that make the yard appear in disarray. 
• Remove all weeds from flowerbeds and the lawn. 
• Clear any fallen branches, small sticks and ugly rocks off the lawn. 
• If there is snow and ice, make sure to clear it from your driveway, sidewalks and walkways. Do a thorough job, because a half-cleared walkway is ugly and dangerous. If you have a walkout porch, it is probably a good idea to at least partially clear it off in case the buyer wants to check it out. 
• If you have a shed or any other outdoor storage space, make sure to organize everything in it. Buyers do peek in storage spaces, and finding a messy one can be alarming. This includes trying to clear out any critters or spiders that may be hanging out in there.  
• Make sure your welcome mat looks welcoming. Clean it by beating it or rinsing it.
• Sweep decks, porches and all other surfaces. Make sure to dispose of the leaves, lawn trimmings, etc. 
• If you have a bird feeder and/or bird bath, make sure they are kept fresh and clean. 
• Make sure any children's toys are neatly put away and organized. If there are old, unused children's toys in the yard consider disposing or donating them. 

Make the Inside Seem as Vacant as Possible 

• De-clutter everything. The more empty a house seems, the easier it is for buyers to envision themselves living inside of it in the future. 
• Pack-up anything you do not need like knickknacks, books, toys, small kitchen appliances, etc. 
• Thoroughly clean everything. Make sure you dust, scrub, vacuum everywhere physically possible. 
• Regularly re-clean areas that are high traffic. 
• Keep bathrooms extremely clean. If you know someone is going to come view the house, it is a good idea to give each bathroom a quick scrub before they come. No one wants to look at a stinky and/or dirty bathroom.
• If the weather is nice, air out the house whenever possible. This keeps the house fresh smelling.  
• Make sure all your window curtains and blinds are neatly arranged.
• Bleach everything. Well, not everything, but all tiles, sinks, bathrooms, etc. This will help things have an extra shiny appearance, and it helps get rid of odors. 
• Shine all water fixtures. A little extra elbow grease to make metal faucets shine really can make a bathroom look like new. 
• Organize closets, shelves, drawers, cabinets, etc. People looking at your home will more than likely take a peak in your private storage spaces. Make sure that when they look where they have no business looking  that they will be pleasantly surprised how organized you can be. 

Don't Forget the Unfinished Attic, Basement and/or Garage 

• Do not neglect cleaning, organizing and primping unfinished spaces. 
• For the garage, empty everything out then hose down the floor. 
• When you put everything back in the garage organize and condense as much as possible. 
• Make sure to clean off any dirty shelves. 
• Throw away anything you don't need in the garage, attic and basement. 
• Clean and dust everything thoroughly. 
• If you find any mice nests or droppings, dispose of the evidence. 
• Consider parking your car out in the street if you have a garage if at all possible. This lets the buy more thoroughly view how much space the garage offers. 
• If you store any boxes, furniture, etc in the basement or attic, try to make sure this storage is condensed all into one area. 

Consider Renting a Cheap Self Storage Unit 

• Alright, we know that renting a storage unit is not free, but you can get self storage units cheap if you shop around. 
• The great thing about renting self storage during a move is that you can store all of your extra stuff in the unit, so that buyers can view your home more effectively. 
• It will also save you time when it comes time for moving day, because most extra items will already be packed and ready to move. 
• Temporary self storage is actually quite cheap for how much it contributes to the move, so make sure to price around before counting  it out as a viable option. 

8 Tips to Make Combining Households a Little Bit Easier

Merging two households can make moving even more complicated than it already it is in the first place. Newlyweds, partners, children, pets and whoever is involved will need to do some planning ahead to make the combining of two households a little less stressful. Here are some basic pointers on how to make moving into together easier to manage. 

1. Duplicate Items

There is really no reason reason to have two of most items, so each person is going to have to donate, throw away or sell some of their items. Sitting down to discuss which items will make it to the new house and which will be left behind before the move will save you a lot of clutter and stress later when you are trying to settle in. Maybe you don't need to sit-down to discuss small items like whose spatulas you are keeping, but deciding on bigger items will save you a lot of sweat, money and time if you handle them first. So decide whose television, furniture, desks, etc. will make it to the new house before you actually move it to the new home.

2. Be Prepared to Get Rid of Stuff

Chances are if you are combining two households, you are not going to have room for everyone's items. Beforehand you should prepare yourself to let go of some items by tossing, donating or selling them. Both partners should make a list of items beforehand that they don't mind getting rid of when moving into the new home. Also, make a list of items that you would really want to keep. Compare the lists then figure out what other items each of you may need to discard.

3. Consider Getting a Self Storage Unit 

If one or both of you are apprehensive about tossing items, especially larger and expensive ones, you can consider renting a self storage unit. Look, I understand not wanting to end up without any worldly items in case this whole moving in thing together doesn't work out. Make sure that your partner gets that too, even if it is uncomfortable explaining it.
Even without apprehensions, self storage is a cheap way to deal with any extra stuff you guys aren't sure to do with yet. For those who are doing all the work last minute, you can put extra items in self storage then figure everything out later at a more leisurely time.

5. Decide if One or Both of You is Going to Hire a Mover 

Sometimes one partner is more of a do it yourself type of person, while the other prefers the luxury of letting others do the heavy lifting. When these two type of people collide, it can cause some conflicts in the moving in process. Beforehand it is good to communicate if you are going to hire a mover or not. Remember that just because one person wants to do the moving themselves, doesn't mean the other person can't hire a mover to move their stuff.

5. Lay Out the Rooms Before You Move In

This is an important step for any move, but it is especially important for partners moving in together for the first time. Decide before you move in what purposes each room will serve. There is nothing worse than moving in only to discover your study is actually going to be his man cave. Make sure each person has enough designated space to continue to enjoy the things they like, but with smaller spaces remember this may require compromising on sharing spaces.

6. Utility Companies

Beforehand you both will need to decide what utilities you do and do not want. Also, you may need to negotiate exactly which companies you plan on using. Remember call the utility companies at both of your old places to turn off the utilities on the date you move.

7. Budgeting

Make sure before you move in that you discuss all the details of finances. Creating a financial plan will make sure everyone knows how much they are supposed to contributed when it comes time to pay bills, rent, etc. This will help you stay on budget to keep up with your bills, and it will avoid future fights. You also may want to start thinking about setting aside some extra money to get a vacation after all the hard work of the move!

8. Communicate

Like in all aspects of relationships, a little bit of communication makes things run smoother. You are moving in together, so talking to each other about serious topics shouldn't be a complete mystery. Make sure that you set aside plenty of time to talk about the boring, exciting and stressful aspects of moving. Before you know it this whole moving ordeal will be over, and you will being starting a new part of your lives together. 

4 Ways Self Storage Units Can Save You Money

Save Money on Self Storage 

Homeowners and business owners can save a lot of money by opting to rent a storage unit. Here are some ways, that may or may not surprise you, on how self storage units can save you money in the long-run. Let us know any additional ways self storage save you, a friend or family money in the comment box below. 

1. Saving Space 

Renting out a storage unit is a lot cheaper than renting a larger house, apartment or commercial space. For those who have extra stuff with little space, it is a great option to just get a self storage unit. This also increases the amount of commercial or residential space available to the person, so they have more room for more vital or profitable items.  

2. Reducing Damage on Items 

Harsh weather conditions can make storing items in sheds, basements or non-protected areas a not-so-good option. Even in temperate climates damage is done to items not placed in a secure area. Climate controlled self-storage units allows businesses and homeowners to store their items in safe conditions, so they don't have to end up replacing items they are storing. Not all self storage unit are climate controlled, so make sure if you want a self storage unit with climate control to ask for one. 

3. Preventing Theft and Damage Risk 

Many storage centers offer security and insurance options that ensure the safety of your stored items. This helps out people in two different ways. For one, the owner of the property is less likely to have their goods stolen or damaged. Secondly, storing high-value items in a storage center reduces the insurance costs for the items. 

4.  Reduce Moving Costs

When it comes time to re-locate storage units can save homeowners and business owners a ton of money. You can gradually move all items to the new location instead of hiring an expensive service to do it all at once. It also allows you to scope out the new area for the best deals on real estate.