Archive for April, 2012
By Relocation.com
When you sign a lease agreement, most likely you’ll be signing on for a set period of time, such as six months or one year. That means you’ll have to stay on for this amount of time or risk breaking your lease.
While many people do intend to stay long-term in their apartments or homes (after all, moving all the time can be costly) there are some unforeseen circumstances where you might be forced to break your lease before it us up, such as illness, job loss or other emergencies. If you absolutely have to break your lease agreement, here are some of the things you should consider.
Alternatives:
Before you try breaking your lease, there may be other things you can do first. You can ask your landlord if you can transfer the lease to someone you know (and have them move in and pay off the remaining rent for the lease term) or find a sub letter, who will be your responsibility for the time of the lease. In many cases, landlords hate breaking lease agreements because they don’t want to lose the income from the rent and/or don’t want to be bothered with having to look for tenants. If you make it as easy as possible for them, you may be able to get out of your lease unscathed.
Circumstances When You Can Legally Break Your Lease
There are three main circumstance wherein you can break your lease without penalty:
1) If the apartment or whom suffers serious damage through natural disasters, crime or other instances through no fault of your own.
2) If you suffer serious health issues which require you to live in an assisted living facility.
3) If you are called into active military duty after you’ve signed your lease
In these three cases, you can legally break the lease and your landlord cannot go after you for penalties.
Landlord Deficiencies:
If your landlord has been deficient in his or her duties, then you can also break your lease since he or she is not keeping up their end of the bargain. For example, if you’ve repeatedly sent requests for repairs and they ignore you, or if they’re supposed to pay for the utilities but haven’t (or have been keeping the payment for themselves if you give it to them) then you have just cause to break your lease. Make sure you keep good records (like written or e-mailed requests for repairs, etc.) so you can make your case, in the event that you have to go to small claims court or have been served with other legal documents and actions.
If you just want to break your lease because you want to move somewhere else, because you can’t pay or perhaps going through a divorce or separation, you may find it harder to break your lease. However, first talk to your landlord and offer the aforementioned alternatives, that way you can have a peace of mind when you coordinate other aspects of your move like locating moving companies.
By Relocation.com
Summer is just a few months away. Flowers are blooming and the weather’s getting warmer. However, your home seems to be stuck with the winter blues. So before the sun finally shines again, you want to have your broom and rags ready for spring cleaning!
The start of spring marks the best time to clean our homes. With all those leaks and damages brought by the snow, it’s time to do some fixing and de-cluttering. Because of the fine weather during spring, it has become a tradition for majority of Americans to clean their houses thoroughly this time of the year. Nonetheless, spring cleaning can be extremely strenuous. Many people often go puzzled and stressed out on determining where to start. If you own a big house with lots of clutter, you might find it real hard to begin spring cleaning. Fortunately, there are several ways to cut the burden and make cleaning more effective, less-time consuming, and more enjoyable. Let’s talk about them on this article. Are you read? It’s time for spring cleaning!
Getting Started
Organization is the key to an easy and smooth spring cleanup. Before you start dusting the furniture or scrubbing the floors, you want to come up with a strategic plan which tells what areas should be cleaned first, when they should be cleaned, who’s in charge, and how they will be cleaned. It’s always best to have the whole family involved in the entire cleaning process. Aside from reducing the time and effort, it can also be a great time for family bonding. So back to organizing – the best way to do this is to gather the whole family and assign an area for each one. For instance, you and your spouse will be the head of the spring cleanup drive while your youngest child will be responsible for final inspection. Don’t try to finish the activity in one day or everyone in your home will get severely exhausted. You want to take everything slow but surely. Most people usually start with the dirtiest part of their house up to the areas which only require minimal cleaning. For instance, you can start with the basement or attic (which usually is the hardest to clean) down to the living room.
Don’t hesitate to seek help. There are things that no matter how much you wanted to do will be done best with the help of cleaning experts. For instance, you may have huge items that needed to be hauled or removed from your home. You may also have big trees that need to be trimmed or cut. So in the planning, you may need to identify what things should be done by a cleaning expert. Aside from saving you time and energy, doing so will eliminate the possibility of accidents and mishaps.
Spring cleaning can be a great activity when done correctly and safely. You should also wear proper clothing whenever you clean. When it comes to the choice of cleaning products, it’s ideal to go green.
By Relocation.com
Congratulations on your exciting moving experience! Now that the long distance moving companies have left, it is time to think about decorating and designing your new home. While your home may be your castle, your bedroom is probably your own private domain. So much so, that many couples keep this place just to themselves, and make it a “kid-free” zone. If you want to make the most of this private, intimate space for you and your partner, check out these romantic bedroom decorating ideas.
It’s all about the lighting:
Lighting can make the mood in any place, and convey many feelings depending on how it’s done. For your room, of course you’ll need some utility lighting, for when you’re dressing up or cleaning up. However, it’s good to have soft mood lighting as well. Try to install some soft yellow bulbs, which bring out a romantic mood. You can also have a nice lamp next to your bed, so you can turn off all the other lights and just keep this one light on. If your light is too harsh, try softening it up with a sheer scarf.
Color choices:
The way you use color in your bedroom is important. While greys and blacks and white are modern and dramatic, it hardly says “romance.” Deep reds, pinks and rose shades are definitely romantic, but you’re not limited to just these colors. Other warm tones, like soft oranges and yellows. Cool tones like blue and green can be soothing, and allow you to relax and put you in a more romantic mood.
Soft Fabrics:
Choosing your fabrics is important when trying to set a romantic mood. Changing the sheets can make a big difference – try using soft, silky materials and putting away your utilitarian cotton and linen sheets for a while. Feeling the sensuous fabrics next your skin can quickly put you in the mood.
Flowers can set the mood:
Scents can trigger emotions, and some fresh flowers set next to your bedside can quickly put you in the mood. Roses are the best type of flower, but experiment with lavender (which is said to be a male aphrodisiac), jasmine or lily of the valley. If you can’t get any fresh flowers, try to spray your sheets with your favorite fragrances.
Clean up the clutter!
It’s best to keep your bedroom free from distractions, and that includes clutter! A messy room can divert your attention, so make sure you keep your room clean. And, if possible, keep the TV out of the bedroom, or at least have a way to keep it hidden.
Using these guidelines, you’ll be able to turn your bedroom into your own romantic hideaway.
By Relocation.com
For seniors and elderly people, moving can be a difficult time. There are many reasons why they need to move – illness, downsizing, or perhaps just moving in with another relative. If you’re helping an elderly friend, relative or parents move, then you have to be sensitive to their situation. Aside from that, moving can be stressful, and someone older may not be able to deal with the physical and mental stress, so try to help as much as they can. So, try to keep these tips in mind when helping the elderly move.
Start As Soon As Possible:
Starting as soon as you can will ensure you’re not rushing and that you won’t forget things. You can start by planning things out. Work out the important details first – the where, when and how before you even being to pack up moving boxes. Try to get some help or get a moving company to help you if the work really is too much. This will save you time in the long run and you’ll have more time to devote to your elderly person’s emotional and physical needs, rather than running around trying to move everything yourself.
Don’t Forget the Non-Material Things:
There are some essentials you can’t pack up in a box, so don’t forget to arrange for them. Medical and dental records are probably the most important, but also remember prescriptions and bank accounts, some of which can only be done by the person. You may have to take time to drive them around and get these switched to the new address.
Help Them Downsize:
Over the years, he or she may have acquired a lot of things. Chances are, not all of them are important, and some may have to be sold or thrown away. Help them sort things out. You can have a pile for throwing away, giving away, keeping and selling at a yard sale. This will also ensure that they can save some money on the move.
Take Care of Keepsakes:
Of course, there will also be some things that he or she may want to keep, such as photos, jewelry and other keepsakes. Take extra care of these as these may or may not have monetary value, but they certainly have sentimental value. Don’t pack them with the movers and keep them with you at all times.
Keep Them in the Loop:
Your elderly friend, relative or parent move, don’t keep them in the dark. You may think you’re that you’re protecting them or you think it’s not important, but they may feel confused or resentful if you keep things from them. Tell them all the details, like how you’re going to move, which moving company you’re using, and also take them through the details of moving day so they know what to expect.
Keep Essentials With You:
Don’t pack everything away – there may be some things they’ll need on the day of the move. Medications, sweaters, blankets – these may be some items that they need and will keep them comfortable during the move.
