Monday, 27 February 2017

A Stepwise Illustration on How to Install a WordPress Website

Every business and craft needs a website to flourish and creating a website has never been this easy, given the number of free open source platforms available today for the task.
In this article, I shall try to sum up the entire process of website installation in easy pointers for your convenience. Let's get started.
There are three basic steps to install your own website and these steps we shall discuss elaborately, which are:
• Selecting a Platform.
• Selecting a Domain name and Host.
• Finally Installing Platform and getting started with website building.
These steps are simple, easily comprehensible and efficient, if you intend to create a basic website without much coding. Let's discuss these points in detail.
1. Selecting a Platform.
Choosing the right platform for creating your website is very important. It is like a foundation on which you build up your website.
Many free open source CMS are available, most popular of which are WordPress, Drupal and Joomla!.
If you have some working knowledge of user end and server side programming languages, you can go for Drupal or Joomla!. For those who lack technical knowledge regarding coding, WordPress is the apt choice. This feature of WordPress is what makes it immensely popular and a platform that is universally used to create websites.
There are many upsides of using WordPress some of which I shall mention here.
• It is free.
• Easy to install with many free templates and plugins to choose from for your website.
• Great for small or large scale websites likewise.
• Responsive Website Designs.
Owing to these features, WordPress has become #1 choice for beginners.
2. Choosing a Domain name and Host.
Having a domain name and web hosting service is very crucial for getting your website online.
Domain name and hosting can cost you anywhere between $3-$30 dollars a month depending upon which domain name and web hosting service you choose.
Your domain name should be catchy, marketable and relevant to what you do. Stick to .org, .com or .net domain extensions.
3. Getting Started with WordPress.
Once you have your domain name and web hosting, you can step up the ladder and install WordPress to start developing your website. Steps to installation are as follows.
• One-click Installation
Many good web hosting services like Enterprise Web Cloud offers integrated "one-click installation" for WordPress. Follow these easy steps for installation.
(1) Log in to your web hosting account.
(2) Locate "WordPress" or "Website" icon in the control panel.
(3) Select the domain where you want to install your website.
(4) Click on "Install Now" button and get access to your WordPress website.
• Manual Installation.
If, however, your web hosting does not offer "one-click Installation", go for manual installation of WordPress, the steps to which we discuss hereby.
(1) Download WordPress from the official web page by typing in the URL http://wordpress.org/download
(2) Extract WordPress in a new folder on your desktop from the zip file.
(3) Rename a file named wp-config-sample.php to: wp-config.php.
(4) Open wp-config.php with notepad and type in the following lines:
• define('DB_NAME', 'database_name_here'); - Database name (if you don't know it, ask this from your hosting support)
• define('DB_USER', 'username_here'); - Your hosting username
• define('DB_PASSWORD', 'password_here'); - Your hosting password
Save the file after filling in the gaps.
(5) Log into your hosting ftp. FTP address is ftp.yourdomain.com mostly, username and password being the same that you used to register to your host.
(6) Delete any file named "index". Following that, upload all the files from your WordPress folder to your FTP server. "drag n drop" function of FileZilla can be used for the same.
(7) Visit URL: yourdomain.com/wp-admin/install.php after you have completed the previous step. The resulting page should look like this:
All you have to do now is to fill in the forms and you are all set to start creating your website.

Laminate Floors - Water Damage Repair

Typically, a laminate floor is water damage resistant. Unfortunately, any amount of water can still destroy the laminate floor. A laminate floor is constructed of many sections that are locked together. The homeowner can do water damage repair without needing to take up the entire floor. Before any repairs can be done you need to dry the area that is wet. It needs to be completely dry. Once dry you can put down new laminated flooring in the sections that were damaged.
Water damage can happen to the laminated floor if a washing machine, refrigerator, or dishwasher leaks. Any standing water damage the floor of course. Once you have located what caused the water leak and fixed it, it is time to dry the flooring completely. To do this you can use a wet/dry vacuum or mopping. Which method is used depends on how much water there is. After you get all the excess water dried up, put a fan on the floor and turn it on to dry the flooring.
Water damage repair starts by taking out the damp sections of the floor. To help prevent ruining the surrounding flooring you can try to use a hammer and chisel to start pulling the damaged parts of the flooring away from the floorboards. If these tools do not work, you may have to use a crowbar or circular saw. Next, use a knife to remove the tongue part of the flooring. Turn on the fan again to dry the floorboards before you put down new laminate flooring. It is important to make sure that the floorboards are dry to help prevent mold growing if the floorboards are left wet.
Most laminated flooring are done in a pattern style so you will have to recreate the pattern on the floor that had water damage before you can put it down. Once you have the pattern complete, use construction glue, and put in the first new piece of the pattern. Before it dries make sure that you clean off any excess glue. Put a heavy object on the flooring until it dries completely. Instead of using glue and dealing with the mess you can use nails. If you choose to use nails, you will need to nail the first flooring section on an existing section so it fits tightly. Continue piecing the pattern together on the flooring until you have the floor repaired. If you cannot find the pattern to match your current laminate flooring you will have to tear all of the flooring up and put down a new one with a different pattern. If you are unable to do this job yourself you can hire a professional to do the water damage repair.

Ten Tips For an Affordable Wedding

I have been researching how people with a small budget making their wedding affordable and think these 10 little tips can be useful for people who have small budget.
Ten Tips for an affordable wedding:
1. Marry on a not popular time. When you marry on a monday it is a lot cheaper then marrying on a Friday or Saturday.
2. The season that you marry in. Did you know the most people marry in the summer or the winter? An autumn wedding or a winter wedding is a lot cheaper then a summer wedding and they can be so beautiful! Think back to the wedding of Miranda and Steve in Sex and the City in the gorgeous autumn garden. Another thought is a winter wedding in a big Forrest, snow on the threes, a beautiful sight. Often you can get great discounts on wedding cars, wedding locations, etc. in these seasons.
3.Buy an affordable wedding gown and beautify it yourself. The diva under the wedding dresses is of course the top, but they are very expensive. The average wedding dress costs around the one thousand pounds. Our tip: buy a cheap, simple wedding dress and give it a stunning look by wearing the perfect shoes, jewelry, haircut and make-up. Do you really have a low budget then you can always look for a fabulous gala dress or evening dress.
4.Save money on bridal flowers and bouquets. A bridal bouquet costs around 70 and 150 pounds! One beautiful flower in your hands is just as pretty. The bridal bouquet is a typical traditional thing. Nowadays a lot of people get rid of the bridal bouquet and use the money for the decoration of the wedding location.
5. The thank you gifts for your guest do not have to be very expensive. If you are a little bit of a creative person you can think of something that is fun and costs little money. The key is to make a personal gift. It can be a handwritten note with a own baked cookie, it is personal. Burn some cd's with your favorite songs and create the cd-inlay. Use your talent or use the talent of friends and you will see it doesn't have to cost a lot.
6. The wedding cake is one of the eye catchers on a wedding. The average cost of a wedding cake is around the 250 pounds. Wedding Cake makers never define how much it is for the whole cake but usually they define the costs per person. An average wedding cake costs 7 pounds a piece. The wedding cake maker usually haves a minimum take of 30 persons per wedding cake. Thirty persons, seven pounds a piece is 210 pounds. A fun way to make it a lot cheaper is to have a table full of cupcakes. An cute decorated cupcake, f.e. with someone names one it, costs 2 a 3 pounds a piece. Three pounds, thirty persons makes a total of 90 pounds, a good way to save money.
7. Save on the wedding rings. Buying a wedding ring is hopefully a one time business. Saving on a nice wedding ring is probably the last thing you want to save on. Nowadays there are a lot websites that offer wedding rings cheaper then most real stores ca. The websites do not have pay rent for their shop or something like that and you will see that back in the price of the wedding rings they offer online. You can save up to 20 % by buying your wedding ring online.
8. A wedding photographer is also a cut that most people don't want to make. It keeps the memory of your beautiful wedding alive. If you are really on a low budget this is a nice tip: buy a dozen Polaroid camera's in a budget store or online. You can let your wedding guests make photo's of your wedding. you will get a very personal photo collection of your wedding.
9. Save on wedding invitations. You or one of your talented friends can make beautiful wedding invitations in Adobe Photo shop or another design software. Do it yourself!
10. Do not invite everybody. If you don't invite every person you know. Not the mailman, the butcher, the friend of a friend of a friend, you can keep the wedding small, personal and private. A private wedding with only friends and family that mean a lot to you makes it very special. When you f.e. have 10 guests instead of 200 a wedding on Hawaii suddenly looks achievable.

How to Create a Healthy Diet Plan for Your Pet Bird

Even though they have become quite common, birds are still considered to be exotic pets. This is the reason why many owners are not sure about the right way in which to feed them. Perhaps the biggest mistake is to offer only seeds as they do not offer the full spectrum of nutrients required by these lovely creatures. Find out how to feed your pet bird properly so that it is healthy and happy.
Food Diversity
Just like you, your pet requires a diverse and balanced diet. You can feed it some seeds, but they should form only a portion of its diet. The bird pallets are an excellent choice of food to give to your pet on a daily basis. They contain all the nutrients which birds require to be healthy. Just make sure that you pick a natural product which does not contain artificial additives, preservatives or colourings.
Your pet will certainly love to eat vegetables and fruits. They are excellent sources of carbs, fibre and vitamins and minerals. The vegetables and fruits which birds love the most include carrots, turnips, radishes, broccoli, corn, apples, bananas, berries, pineapple, cherries and mango. It is best if you feed your pet with fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits to achieve maximum diversity.
Other foods which you can include in the diet to make it diverse are raw almonds, kidney beans and lentils. These are great sources of healthy protein and healthy fat. Sprouted seeds, grains, nuts and legumes are great delicacies for birds in addition to being packed with nutrients. You can readily sprout dormant seeds and legumes at home by wrapping them a moist cotton ball and leaving them in a jar.
Feeding
Pet birds do not have set meal times, but it is best if you provide fresh food in the morning and in the evening. One important thing to know is that in nature these animals actually work for their food. They spend about a third of the day foraging. That is why you will do a great favour to your pet if you place a foraging feeder in the cage. That way, you will give it both physical and mental stimulation.
Cleanliness
You should never leave food in the cage for more than a day as it may get heavily contaminated with droppings or get spoiled. It is never wise to pour large amounts of feed and then forget about feeding your pet for weeks. You should also wash all feeders and dishes with warm water and detergent every day or every other day.

How Does Marketing Bring Success To A Business?

A business cannot in any way, shape or form make a customer spend money, but they can provide the tools that include "the 4 P's" to increase a products potential. The 4 P's include place, product, price, and promotion.
To increase your products potential the 4 P's should be analyzed and broken apart before they are put in the market. By applying place, product, promotion, and price, your product has a better chance for success.
Product
Product refers to an item that the consumer needs or wants and can include tangibles (goods) and tangible products (services and ideas). Marketing decisions that will be made concerning the products are the product's design, features, and quality.
Promotion
Promotion goes hand in hand with advertising, PR, direct marketing and sales promotion. Promotion is essential when selling a product. It is the means of making your product and company go public. There are forms of media available to increase public awareness such as television, newspapers, and the internet. One of the most important perspectives of promoting is to make the customer think that they need your product. Promotion includes a message strategy (what should be communicated), media or channel (how to reach customers), and message consistency (how often).
Price
The price variable must be thought through from the manufacturer's end to the final customer price. Distribution must also be considered, and if the product is to be sold in stores, the retailer's mark-up will need to be considered. Other aspects, such as business competitor's prices and payment plans for the commodity, are also included in the pricing variable. Price may also include what the customer might be willing to compromise to get your product. The marketing decisions in regards to price include price strategy, tactics, rebates for distributors, and payment terms such as credit and other methods for payments.
Place
Place which is also referred to as distribution is part of the marketing mix. Distribution is the method of making a product or service available for the customer or business that needs the product. There also needs to be a plan of action in place in order to see what approach is best to distribute the product. There are 3 approaches to distribution which include mass, selective and exclusive distribution. Marketing may also include motivational channels which are offers such as special deals, premiums, and allowances for product display.
Marketing is important in a business because it increases the company's efficiency.

Four Questions You Should Never Ask Your Pharmacist

Lucy, on the comic strip Peanuts, often sits behind her sign offering psychiatric help for five cents. But there's a reason why medical doctors don't work in carnival-style booths. Pharmacists are some of the most accessible medical professionals in the country, and they end up meeting all kinds of customers with absurd questions. To help these professionals keep their sanity, there are a few questions you just shouldn't ask.
"Does this look infected?"
This happens a lot. The average person is uncertain about whether a discolored wound looks infected, and they can be unsure about whether to just buy bandages or a full strength antibiotic cream. If possible, don't ask the pharmacist. They have people shoving wounds in their faces all day, and not everybody is able to stomach the parade of leaky pustules and weeping scabs. To be sure, it's good to take care of your wounds, and some professionals may not mind if they're asked politely. Still, the point remains that you wouldn't thrust the offensive injury under another stranger's nose, and you should be considerate that the human in the lab coat may not be in the mood.
"Do you think I might be pregnant?"
To be sure, it's an important question. The unplanned pregnancies of first-time mothers can be particularly disorienting, but a pharmacist won't be able to give a certain answer when you're only a few days late. They can direct you to the pregnancy test kits, but it isn't their job to educate you on the entire reproductive system. All kinds of biological and environmental factors can affect your monthly cycle, and there are more variables than you can communicate in a couple of questions. Make a point of learning how your body works, get a test kit to take home, and schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN.
"Can you give me an early refill on my narcotics prescription?"
They've heard it all, and there's no real way for you to convince someone that you aren't just losing a fight against addiction. Your physician has prescribed an appropriate dosage and time period, and the pharmacy can't help if you've run out early. Even if you're about to go on a vacation, that's not something to be negotiated and adjusted in this setting. Addicts wander into these stores all the time, using every excuse in the book. Maybe they just need a sample, or they claim to have verbal permission to get two bottles at once. There are tight laws around controlled substances, and they're generally for your protection.
"Can you make an exception, just this once?"
Whether it's about narcotics or just another refill that hasn't yet been authorized, don't ask your pharmacist to bend the rules. These medical professionals have studied and worked to get to their position, and they would be putting their families and careers at risk for your convenience.
In the end, it's mainly a matter of being considerate. The pharmacy can be confusing because these workers are almost as accessible as cashiers, and yet they play an important role in making sure people receive the right medications.

7 Hot Apps That Will Skyrocket Your Productivity At Work

You can't avoid new technology these days, especially from a marketing standpoint. While it can seem intimidating to stay on top of the times, it is emphatically laborious for any marketer to be on top of his game if he is not palpable to new trends.
Here are seven marketing apps that you'll want to get acquainted with sooner rather than later.
1. Jelly
Google does a pretty good job answering all of our questions from "Why is the sky blue?" to more advanced queries like "How can I prove the ROI of inbound marketing to my boss?"
However, sometimes we are troubled by questions that don't translate well into a traditional search engine field. Jelly app is the solution to this predicament.
I'm not talking about fruit preserves here, but rather an innovative social Q&A app derived from the creative mind of Twitter co-founder, Biz Stone.
The crowdsourcing style app allows you to query your social network contacts, and lend them a helping hand when they're in need of an answer. Jelly doesn't rely on just text-based questions, but it actually allows users to use pictures to probe their questions.
Let's say, for example, you see someone in a magazine sporting a jacket you really like. Simply take a picture of the jacket, and post it alongside a question like: "Does anyone know who makes this jacket, or where I can find one like it?"
While Jelly is a promising app, the potential for marketing incorporation appears to be enthralling. Customer service, product marketing, and crowdsourcing are a handful of ways many people are making use of the Jelly app from a business standpoint.
2. Pocket
You just stumbled upon an awesome article on how to increase your conversion rates, but your next meeting starts in 2 minutes. No worries, just put it in your pocket.
Formerly known as Read It Later, Pocket is a bookmarking app that makes it easy for users to store articles and videos to queue up at their convenience. The read-later experience doesn't rely on an internet connection, so you can revisit your findings pretty much anywhere. Sounds like a great way to increase your productivity on lengthy plane, train, or automobile rides, huh?
Best of all, Pocket will sync across all of your devices, providing users with a hassle-free way to resume reading on their preferred device.
3. Directr for Business
Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Wolf of Wall Street, what do all of these box office hits have in common? Scorsese.
Behind every great video production is a talented director, and the Directr for Business app is aiming to be just that.
While 71% of consumers feel positively about brands that publish videos, 85% of consumers are more likely to buy after viewing product videos (Source: Inbound Marketing Agents). If bandwidth is holding your business back from producing quality video content, Directr for Business has an entire library of production templates to make it easy for just about anyone to make video content.
The templates are divided into categories that range anywhere from product announcement, to how-to tutorials, to company culture insight. Each template contains a storyboard style shot list that lays out how to approach each shot - for example the first shot in a "how-to" video prompts users to answer the question "who are you and what are you teaching?"
Aside from a prompt, each shot comes complete with directors notes, and visual suggestions that explain how to position the shot. They've pretty much covered it all, all that's left for you to do is look pretty and nail your dialogue.
4. Any.Do Moment / Cal
I don't like to think of Any.do as an app, but rather a morning ritual.
The first stop in any Monday morning grind should be this user-friendly planning tool. On paper, Any.do can best be referred to as a to do list application designed to help you plan out your busy day, but it's really more than that.
Any.do helps you manage your life, both professional and personal, by inputting tasks into it's sleek and simple interface. Users have the option to schedule tasks into 4 categories, (Today, Tomorrow, Upcoming, and Someday) making it fun to plan tomorrow's blog post and someday's vacation. Tasks can be sorted into different folders to optimize organization, and notes and contacts can be added for added clarification.
Additionally, Any.Do is highly integrated with the calendar application, Cal. So much so that one might say they're "going steady." You can even sign into Cal using your Any.Do account, and all of your tasks will carry over into its interactive internal calendar. Adding events to the calendar is simple, and it even gives you the option to enter a location name so that Cal can map out a route for you. Any.Do Moment and Cal provides busy marketers with a lens through which they can focus their tasks and interactions.
5. Asana
Asana is a task management tool that makes collaboration on team projects easier than ever.
Created by Facebook co-founder, Dustin Moskovitz, Asana is a free* application that provides real-time interaction through a user-friendly interface. Asana users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, add notes, attach files, create internal checklists, and communicate with others through comments. Once tasks are created, you can group them into projects, and invite team members so that they can brainstorm, assign subtasks, and work toward accomplishing their goals.
The thing that makes Asana the perfect tool for marketers is its ability to present conversations and projects side-by-side, eliminating the hassle of scattered emails and missed messages. No more digging through your inbox to find that file John sent you, and that set of images Bobby wrapped up last week. Asana keeps everything you need neatly in one place.
6. IFTTT
Pronounced like gift without the 'G', IFTTT is a innovative new app that stands for "if this than that."
IFTTT provides users with a tool to mix up custom "recipes" that trigger a particular action. Sound confusing? It's not.
The average IFTTT recipe contains the following elements:
Channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Evernote, iOS photos, Weather, Dropbox, Email, Feedly, iOS Reminders, LinkedIn and 70 more.
Triggers: "I upload a photo to Instagram", "I'm tagged in a photo on Facebook", "I set an iOS reminder"
Actions: "Send me a text message", "Add it to my Dropbox", "Post to Facebook"
Let's say you want to keep your branding consistent across the board, and you want your Twitter avatar to match your Facebook profile photo. Simply use this "recipe":
If my Facebook profile pictures changes, then update my Twitter profile picture.
A lot of the time when I am working on a "how-to" blog post I reference screenshots from my phone. Oh, you do too? Use this recipe:
If I take a screenshot on iOS, then save it to my Evernote notebook.
With seemingly endless combinations, IFTTT provides busy marketers with a way to automate simple tasks that save a lot of time.
7. LIfe Graphy
Life Graphy presents users with a totally unique approach to the average productivity app concept.
The colorful app breaks your tasks down into mini pie charts that can contain up to ten segments (1 segment per task). As you complete tasks, the individual sections within the chart begin to fill up. A completed circle is something to smile about.
Life Graphy offers users 3 views: Day, Month, and Year. By switching between the 3 views, you can get a good visual idea of how much you have accomplished.
While the functionality of the app is enough reason to try it out, it's the interface that really does it for me.
Committing to a task-based planning app is easier said than done, but Life Graphy makes you want to keep trucking along because its fun!
New technology isn't going to slow down anytime soon. As the pace for innovation quickens, we can expect that there will be a whole lot of new advances coming our way whether we think we're ready for them or not.

Where to Find Bespoke 'Travel and Tour' Services Online

When it comes to planning your perfect getaway, is it really possible to find a truly personalised holiday package - a travel itinerary that's been especially curated according to your needs and preferences? Luckily for keen jetsetters and tourists, the answer is a resounding yes.
Bespoke holiday providers can be found online by doing a little digging and performing some basic research. This may involve combing customer review sites to find the most reputable service providers, as well as comparing quotations from competing travel agencies. You may also know somebody that can recommend a good company to use.
Bear in mind that the best travel and tour providers tend to be located near to where you're staying. This way, not only will they be able to impart valuable information about the local area, they will also be on hand to help should any problems arise during your visit. Some even provide management staff to help with your daily duties and security.
With that in mind, the first thing to consider is what kind of holiday experience you're looking to have. Are you travelling alone, or with your family or friends, for example? Do you have a romantic city break in mind, or a fun-filled fortnight of activities for the kids to enjoy, with poolside relaxation during the evenings?
You will also need to have an idea about to location you wish to visit, as this will help you narrow down your travel company options. Some franchises will specialise in Sandals resort holidays, for example, whereas others may provide travel to the world's most remote islands, capital cities or beaches - this may require a little research.
If you're open to suggestions about your holiday destination, it's worth sitting down with an adviser, as they will be able to use their skill and contracts to find you the best deals and a number of location options. This often works out well for those jetting off at the last minute, as there will be an abundance of discounted flight and hotel options available.
Once you've decided where you want to go, narrow down your online search options according to the dates you wish to fly and the type of accommodation you're looking for. If you're travelling with a large party, you may consider renting a private villa for the week, which can generally accommodate up to 27 people (though smaller villas can be found).
If you're planning a more low-key holiday, you may still wish to look at renting privately. This will allow you to enjoy more space and make use of your own facilities. Options may include villas, condos, holiday homes and apartments. Make contact with an agency in the local area and ask them to find you something that suits your budget.
If you're hoping to learn a little about the local culture, it's a good idea to look into the 'travel and tour' options provided by the company you choose. If you have specific places in mind that you would like to see, it's worth contacting the company to discuss your requirements in detail so they can come up with a personalised itinerary for you.
The holiday company you choose should be able to assist you with every detail of the booking process - from organising the most convenient and cost-effective flights, to planning activities for you when you arrive. They may also be able to recommend local restaurants, cultural sites and places to visit, along with a range of other services.
Wherever you choose to visit, make sure the company you book your holiday with offers 100% financial protection and are members of the ABTA.

7 Ultimate Steps For Downsizing to Prepare For Your RV Lifestyle

The first and possibly the most useful idea when downsizing is to get in the right mind. Those who live a minimalist way of life are more productive and happier. Downsizing is not necessarily going to be a trial in torturous distress with the right thinking. OK, maybe I didn't describe that right, but it can definitely be a trial getting rid of your possessions when downsizing.
We have found seven ways to help in your downsizing transition. When ever or where ever you are in your journey, the first step is quite simple. It is just to start.
  • Now is the Best time to start
    When trying to determine when to start the sometimes daunting task of downsizing, you may feel that you do not have the time, you do not want to start until you already have your RV or think the task of organizing is just too much. No matter where you are, if you have decided to make a change in life to live the RV lifestyle, even if you have not decided on your RV (Motor-coach or travel trailer), the best time to start is now! Just get right to it. Now is the best time!

  • Have a vision in mind
    Having a idea of what you want to accomplish is important to your overall goal. Being able to visualize your goals will keep you going. Your vision does not have to be a literal. Most goal visions end up being an ideal, a finish line that you will reach at the end of your project. We had a picture of our RV on our phones (it seems a little silly now because we could have easily gotten a print to put on the fridge while we downsized). Being able to actually see the RV kept me able to see my finish line. I could see I was steadily heading towards it with every room, closet, or drawer I emptied. Because I had never lived in such a small area before I had no real idea of what I should hold onto and what should go. It turned out that not knowing made me hold onto to much. When it came to my clothes, it turned out my husband could not really help me. I did a little research and found out the clothes I would need to have a minimalist wardrobe living the RV lifestyle had on board. This way I was able to begin my minimalist wardrobe. My vision was to have a minimalist life,but with the comforts I had come to love.

  • Inventory your stuff
    Take the time to make a list of all the things that you have,the things you want to keep and the things you need. It will make everything go more smoothly. Most people are visual, not only with learning,but being visual helps with organization as well. Make your lists when you begin and it can make the entire project go more smoothly.

  • Mentally Prepare
    Some people can do well under pressure and make decisions quickly, but for the rest of us, deciding to donate the porcelain duck given to us by great-aunt Elma when we were twelve can not be made in haste. I know that I am that person that will hum and haw over every decision (in fact, that is what I did). My husband was very patient with me considering the amount of both memorabilia and useless items I had to get rid of. We had a schedule to keep and he made sure that I used the time that I had (when not at work) wisely. He told me to take my time and be sure of what I was donating and what I was trashing.

  • Think Positively
    Positive thinking will be helpful. Positivity will keep you going when you are thinking it is too hard to let go of your things. At some point in our process, this is going to happen. We have made attachments to our possessions. We do not really want to part with them, but we need to for downsizing. Remember that you are not getting rid of your treasured memories. Think of it like this, you are making room for your new free and organized life on the road.

  • Sell or Donate Items
    Selling and or donating unwanted or used items is one of the main ways to downsize. This is one of the easier items on our list to do. Keep in mind that one of the great things about donating your items is that it may benefit others. Selling your items is a good way to have more money for your future lifestyle. It is good to have a little extra money. The closest store to our old place that accepted donations was our local Goodwill. I made several trips back and forth (it was good exercise also). Now, if you are one of the many that can itemize their taxes, do not forget to get your tax receipt for donated items. It may help you get a little more back in April.

  • Digitize
    Being able to get rid of all my paper and digitize was very important. My husband was adamant about needing to control our overall weight when moving into our RV. Our weight had to be low. So my many years of keeping tax returns and any and every receipt I was given had to stop. I had a lot of work to do. With the little help and a lot of work, I was able to organize, scan, and label most of my items. I still had a little to do when we moved into the RV.
Today there are many devices that can help you organize paper products. You no longer have to do it the hard and tedious way. At the time we were moving in it was 2015. I did mine by hand because I chose not to purchase the necessary software. If I had to do it again, I would take the financial hit. It would have saved me so much time. Of course it was less time for me, because from there my husband was in charge of shredding my papers. He was less enthusiastic about this.
I could not have done my downsize without my husband. With help I was able to get rid of a majority of my clutter. Having another person to be accountable to helped with actually getting things done. I was personally able to do two specific things.
  1. I Donated a large amount of things I would have no use for in our RV home.
  2. I had a large amount of memorabilia, books and items passed to me from my mother. This was my source of considerable clutter. I was able to send most of these items to one of my sisters.
I think these two helped me the most. I had been donating items to the local goodwill for years. The problem was I would donate, then go to the store and shop. I would end up with more clutter. This is where my wonderful husband came in. Since he had lived in a couple of full-time vehicles. He has converted his own bus, lived on a great boat and also lived in another RV. He has lived this lifestyle for many years. So it was obvious he would be my go to for any questions about our transition.
He helped me with the idea to scan my pictures and any documents I might want to keep. We have a box with our important documentation, like birth certificates, marriage certificates and Bank info. As we all know there are some papers that we have to keep original documentation for. For all the others he helped me convert them into digital form.
I didn't realize how much I actually had until I started in earnest putting everything in order. I needed a little guidance. I could not see the problem until we talked about the actual dimensions of our new RV space. We had placed our down payment and was well on our way to ownership. I still had an apartment full of clutter and a storage we were making monthly payments burning a hole in our wallet.
These two things along with the help of my husband helped me considerably when downsizing in preparation of moving into our RV. It's important to remember why you are downsizing. Most people transitioning into the RV lifestyle will have 50 percent less space than in their previous home. Another key point to remember is that once you have completed downsizing, you will want to keep it simple. Your square footage will change, so you will not have room for items not absolutely necessary. Once you are in your RV home, clutter will accumulate easily, so you have to stay up on what you have. I suggest you actively stay up on it.

Thursday, 23 February 2017

The Pros and Cons of Space Saver Stairs

Space saver stairs are becoming more and more popular. Also known as alternating tread staircases, loft stairs or paddle stairs, they can provide a convenient way of reaching an attic or basement where a standard staircase wouldn't fit.
The stairs are so compact because they are designed with alternate handed steps, effectively halving the number of treads required - so the overall footprint of the staircase is much smaller than normal stairs. They can, however, take a bit of getting used to. So, are space saver stairs worth having? Let's look at some of their best and worst aspects.
Advantages of space saver stairs
Convenience - Anyone who has ever wrestled with folding loft steps will appreciate being able to simply walk up a set of permanent stairs when they need something from the attic.
Safety - As a fixed structure, space saver stairs are much sturdier than any ladder. That said, the design needs to be right. As each step takes more strain than the average staircase (due to the steep pitch), the treads should ideally be at least 32mm thick and made from a strong timber such as oak or ash. Pine and similar softwoods are liable to crack so should not be used. Slip-resistant surfaces for the treads are essential. You will also need a robust handrail, preferably on both sides. Provided all these conditions are met, there is no need to worry about safety.
Style - These stairs are available in a wide range of designs and materials, so you can choose one to suit your home's character and décor. The cut-away steps are considered by many to be an attractive design feature - and you can even paint or stain them different colours for extra effect.
Cost - As there are fewer treads in space saver staircases they almost always cost less to produce than standard stairs, making them an economical option for home owners on a budget.
Drawbacks of space saver stairs
Restricted use - These types of stairs are not intended for use as a main staircase, but are only suitable for access to a single room such as an attic or cellar.
Unusual design - It can take a little while to get to grips with the alternate tread arrangement, as you only place one foot on each step. Some people find it easier to start off on their left foot rather than their right, and vice versa. Many stair manufacturers are able to accommodate individual preference, and arrange the steps accordingly.
Pitch - Obviously, these staircases have to be steeper than standard stairs otherwise they would not have a reduced footprint. This does make them a little harder to climb than normal stairs, which is why strong handrails are particularly important with this type of design.
What about building regulations?
Legal requirements are frequently interpreted differently according to where you live, so always check with your local building control officer before ordering a staircase. The main points to remember are: The stairs should only lead to one room; they cannot be used as the main staircase; they must be straight; you must fit a handrail where the drop is greater than 60cm; the maximum pitch (steepness) permitted is 42 degrees; and you need to allow a minimum head room of 1.9m.
To sum up...
Space saver stairs can be a stylish and practical option, but you need to do your homework thoroughly first. Measure carefully to check you have enough room, speak to staircase designers and consult your local building control officer before committing to a purchase.