Rebecca Alston, Author at Mamas Like Me

Top 10 Artisan Crafts And Food Sites Across America

Artisan crafts and food across America is a booming business. From local sales to national shipping, artisans from every state are leveraging the Internet to build and grow passions into businesses.

If you think that the artisan retail niche is small, think again. And consumers want more artisan stores at their fingertips. Why? They serve up a personalized experience, which 56 percent of consumers crave.

Do you love artisan crafts and food as a consumer? Are you thinking of starting your own craft and food retail store and need some great ideas? The following 10 sites across America can serve as your artisan playbook.

1. Texas Treats: Georgetown, Texas

Texas Treats serves up delicious Texas food gifts and artisan crafts to locals in the Georgetown, Texas, as well as 48 states via shipping. Texas Treats is everything Texas, bringing together artisans who make food and crafts from every corner of the Lone Star State. From wedding favors to gourmet food, you can bring the taste of Texas home.

2. Urban Timberworks: Portland, Oregon

Urban Timberworks is an artisan furniture company located in the Pacific Northwest city of Portland, Oregon. Naturally, this artisan furniture company crafts handmade chair sets, tables, coffee tables, and more from salvaged urban trees.

3. Sage Inspiration Artisan Jewelry: Tucson, Arizona

Sage Inspiration Artisan Jewelry is a brick and mortar store in Tucson, Arizona with an online presence. They have lots of handmade jewelry necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings and other artisan jewelry available to locals and those just passing through.

4. Beth Miller Jewelry: Marquette, Michigan

Beth Miller Jewelry is an artisan jewelry company that incorporates rich colors, metalworking, and nature in each handcrafted design. Located in Marquette, Michigan, Beth Miller crafts unique wedding rings, earrings, pendants, and everything else you need to compliment your style.

5. Vermont Soap: Middlebury, VT

Vermont Soap is headquartered in Middlebury, VT and boasts being, “Soap for the People.” This artisan soap company is USDA certified and meets organic standards by Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF). They ship in the U.S. and they even say their soap is available in Japan. From lemongrass to lavender, you can shop for your artisan soap by scent with Vermont Soap.

6. Farm To People: New York, New York

You wouldn’t normally associate farm fresh food with New York, but Farm To People aims to change that thinking. They are bringing farms and small food producers in the U.S. together with the people. They serve up products that are GMO-free, small-batch, non-artificial, and humanely raised animals. Ready to spice up your culinary skills?

7. Bird Trouble: Chicago, Illinois

Bird Trouble is an artisanal leather handbags company located in Chicago, Illinois. They typically craft 5 to 10 handbags at one time with the production of one bag taking up to a month. The designer and artist behind Bird Trouble are Alexz Sandoval, an artisan that has been handcrafting products behind her sewing machine since High School.

8. Market Hall Foods: Oakland, California

Looking for artisanal food from Europe? Market Hall Foods in Oakland, California delivers. Their mission is to source the best food from around the world to the Bay Area community and the rest of the U.S., and they have been doing it for 30 years. From product collections to Market Hall Foods recipes, they connect artisanal food to those enthusiastic about exploring culture in the kitchen.

9. Michael Perez Pop Artist: Miami, Florida

Michael Perez is a modern pop artist that has a gallery in Miami, Florida. Perez, however, began his pop art in New York and continues to create art that is modernly aesthetic, as well as rich in meaning. He has appeared on NBC’s “Weekend Today Show” and been featured in The New York Times. Perez also uses his art to help various charities and support causes he feels passionate about.

10. Becky Grismer Art: Spearfish, South Dakota

Becky Grismer Art encompasses nature in many of her pieces using tree bark to craft her sculptures and other art pieces. Grismer currently works as a sculptor in Spearfish, South Dakota, and she also creates ceramic sculptures that are unique and conversational. Truly an artisan with a new perspective that is a welcomed change to the art manufactured to sell at retail stores.

Wrapping Up . . .

There are a lot of artisanal crafts and food available across America. From the Pacific to the Atlantic, you can find just about any artwork or a delicious treat for your home and kitchen. Add a little Americana, and even a bit of other cultures to your home today.

When Divorce is Imminent

None of us enters a marriage thinking that there would ever be a reason for divorce. It is usually something that happens to someone else but not to you and your partner. However, in life nothing is certain and some relationships are not built to last, and if you come face to face with the possibility of divorce, don’t panic, you are not the only one. In most developed countries divorce rates are actually increasing and they are reaching a 50% divorce rate. There are several things you can do to make the process less stressful for both you and your partner, and this is especially important if there are kids involved.

You can never be prepared for what is coming

You can think you are. You went over everything, agreed this is the only solution and began the whole process. That is the part of rational thinking, however, emotions are a whole other thing. You start talking about what’s next, from living arrangements to finances and assets splitting. In an ideal world, this would go perfectly, but we are emotional beings and so more often than not even the perfect agreements about all of the above-mentioned issues go down the drain. Now in order to avoid the messy part of the whole process, professionals like family law experts in Sydney, can help settle disputes and mediate the whole proceeding. That way you can have someone to rely on to help you go through this uncomfortable process.

It is OK to mourn

You need to give yourself time to deal with what is happening. You have invested time and emotions into this relationship, there are a lot of memories that bind you, some beautiful some maybe not as much, but still, you have shared your life with this person and it is not an easy thing to get over. So it is important that you give yourself time to be sad about what has happened and in a sense mourn your marriage. Going forward without dealing with all the emotions is definitely not the best options, because sooner or later you need to deal with them, and sooner is always better. And if you feel overwhelmed turning to a professional is always advisable, as a therapist might be able to help you understand the situation better and provide you with the right emotional tools to deal with the whole thing.

Don’t let others define you

Most people feel ashamed when they have to admit they are going through a divorce. They feel like failures even though they know all too well that there is nothing to be embarrassed about. They have done their best to save the marriage and it simply wasn’t meant to be. So now it is time to deal with the questions and the silent judgment. Well, first of all, you are not in any obligation to explain your situation to anyone. It is no one’s business but yours and your partner’s. So simply politely decline to answer all the why’s and how’s. You will feel a lot better, that is a given. Next, don’t put a label on yourself, your relationship status shouldn’t be divorced, it should be single. You don’t have to advertise, just tell it to people if you want to. Going through something as traumatic as a divorce should be a personal journey and you don’t have the obligation to share it with anyone you don’t want to. Remember that. People sometimes feel like they have the right to demand answers from you, but they don’t.

Don’t play the blame game

When something monumental happens in our life and divorce is as monumental as it can get, make no mistake, we tend to look for someone and something to blame or thank for it. So even an amicable divorce can turn ugly if you start putting the blame for things on one another. And you are going to get asked about it a lot, people always assume one person is to blame more than the other in situations like this. But as always it takes two to make or break something. So instead of looking for someone to blame try to develop a good relationship with your ex. After all, they are bound to have some characteristics you love, otherwise, you wouldn’t have married them. So focus on that, be cordial and move on. Stooping down to a blame game can be damaging for both of you.

Don’t expect divorce to be easy, even under the best circumstances. When we get married we feel like we are binding our life to another’s, and it is a really big deal. So now having to detach from that, and sand alone once again can be quite scary, but at the same time, if that is what you feel is the best for both of you then embrace it and find your way back to yourself and your independence.

How 3D Printing Technology Can Help Schools

Before the 1980’s, 3D printing would have been thought of as something fresh out of a Sci Fi film. Now this futuristic technology has become mainstream. And by ‘mainstream’, we mean the sky is the limit to it’s potential. Even NASA is using 3D printers to produce spare parts for the International Space Station (ISS).

It may come as a surprise, but the next major avenue for 3D technology advocates is education. 3D printers are already being introduced to our kids’ classrooms and are proving a roaring success. So what’s it all about?

How It Works

One of the most common questions is what can you actually make with a 3D printer. The answer? Virtually anything you like from toys to delicious cakes. First you create your 3D design using computer software. Then the machine will build it, layer by layer. The process is so advanced that 3D printers can even create “objects within objects”, or products that have moving parts such as wheels and hinges. The best 3D printer reviews are a fascinating read, and describe the vast array of creations that these machines can achieve. It’s all pretty mind-blowing stuff.

Why Use 3D Printers In Schools?

Since 3D printing has become affordable, this has given schools the opportunity to trial and engage with state of the art technology. It offers our kids the chance to learn about engineering in real-time. Each child will be able to design, build and road test their products in the same way as if they had come off the manufacturing line. Products can even be designed using smartphone apps and tablets, which makes it easier and more convenient.

That’s not all. 3D products and processes are an ideal way of explaining complex concepts in a simplified way. By being able to see and touch an object, children are more likely to be engaged, facilitating their learning.

More than anything, 3D printers are likely to play an integral role in giving our children invaluable skills from a young age, and even inspiring future careers. This doesn’t just mean technological aptitude. Learning through trial & error, confidence building, and cooperating in design and manufacturing are key social skills that make for a successful future.

Having said that, there remains a lot of curiosity about 3D printing, and some concern. Many schools still do not have the full administrative capacity to embrace the technology, which means that it is still not widely available. Other barriers include costs of materials, control in the classroom and a lack of vision in how to integrate the technology into the curriculum.

The good news is that with proper planning and vision, all of these challenges can be easily overcome. As studies continue to endorse the benefit of 3D printing technology to society, the time is right for all of us to learn how to make the most of it. By using it wisely, we can help our children become independent, imaginative and social citizens of the world.

This article was published in cooperation with www.thegadgetnerds.com

Technology That Makes Life Easier for Parents of Today

Photo by Laurent Peignault on Unsplash

There are some people who like to say that technology today is taking it “too far”; that we are using it for things we were able to do before without it and that we are just getting lazy. Well, we also used to send letters to communicate, but I think texting is just a touch more practical. And when it comes to parenting, there’s still a stigma around using technology and apps to help raise your child. But in a time when we use technology to improve every part of our lives, why shouldn’t we use it for parenting as well? Let’s start the conversation, break the stigma and see how tech can help you bring up your child.

Apps

Family organization

When your kids start getting older, it can be hard to keep track of all of their activities. Teach them early on that they should always tell you what their plans are, and to be careful not to clash with anyone else’s plans. Having a shared calendar makes this so easy. Apps like TimeTree calendar allow you to merge your calendars with other people so that the whole family can see when they have activities together or if they can carpool somewhere together. Take it one step further with Cozi, which not only lets you sync up your schedules, but is specifically made for families and features a ton of different helpful tools to simplify family life.

Photo by Guillermo Sánchez on Unsplash

Social life

As a parent – and especially a new parent – you will get a lot of advice, most of which you never asked for. This means that you’ll also want to seek out your own truths and tips. And apps like kiindred are perfect for an eager new parent, especially one with their first child. The app will not only let you connect with other parents but also help you track your baby’s routines and offer helpful tips and advice for surviving their childhood. As an added bonus, you will get special offers on some baby products through the app.

Schedule

When you have your baby, you won’t know where your head is. But there is a way to keep track of feeding, diaper changes and sleep even when you’re sleep deprived. The app to go to is called BabyTime and it helps you keep track of your baby’s routines as they develop. This gives you an easy way to convey to doctors how your baby is doing and help transfer information to babysitters.

Gadgets

Shower time

Life is easier with gadgets. When it comes to bathing time, it can be a real mess, but there are helpful gadgets to make it all a bit easier. You can get a bath organizer which helps you store all of your baby’s bathing supplies, and also unfolds into a floor mat so that you can comfortably sit next to the tub while you’re bathing them. When they get a bit older, funny shower heads that will keep their attention will help them look forward to bath time.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Going out

It’s not easy going out with a baby, but bringing a few of your own gadgets will make it all a bit more bearable. When going to a restaurant, bring a baby seat converter, which will turn any ordinary chair into a baby chair, so that you don’t have to worry about whether the place has special baby seats. Have a good stroller organizer to put everything in, and strap all of the baby’s toys to it, so that they can’t throw them on the floor. But if they do, a self-closing pacifier will always stay clean so there’s no crying when it gets dropped.

Raising your kids with tech isn’t “cheating with parenting” nor is it the wrong way to raise kids. You have the right to raise your kids however you want, with or without technology, but make sure you don’t turn your nose up and dismiss all tech before you see what it really does.

About the author:

Claire is a personal and professional development expert who believes that a positive attitude is one of the keys to success. You can find her online writing and giving tips about mental health, well-being, and healthy lifestyle at ripped.me. Claire on Facebook and Twitter.

4 Ways to Make Your House Presentable to Prospective Buyers When You Have Young Children

Selling your home can be a daunting task, especially when you have children. It is not easy to make sure your home is ready at all times for potential buyers. Here are a few suggestions to make it easier on yourself and your children.

Make it a Family Affair

Moving can be difficult for children. They might not want to leave their friends and can be anxious about getting used to a new school.

Talk to them about the move and help them work through their fears and concerns. Enlist their help in preparing for the move, including keeping the house neat and clean. They will find some comfort when you make them feel like they are part of a family decision and planning for a significant event like moving.

How much understanding and help much you can expect from your children will depend upon their age. If your children are very young, you are going to have to deal with the messes they create such as:

Crayons or paint on the walls
Dirt and mud from their shoes on your floors and carpeting
Chocolate and other food stains on counters, furniture, and walls

If you explain to them the importance of trying to keep the house as clean as possible, you might have less cleaning up to do on a daily basis.

Get Rid of Clutter

Nothing makes a house look worse than clutter. This mean all the extra stuff you have hanging around your home. The last thing you want to do is drag your junk from one house to another. If it is broken, you don’t use it, or you don’t need it, get rid of it.

When you have children, you are going to have a lot more stuff lying around the house including their toys, bicycles, and other play things.

Your children’s fun things are the last items you want to store away because you don’t want them to feel like they are being deprived. However, it is perfectly reasonable to put away or store things they might not be using.

If your house is on the market during the winter, their bikes, pails, shovels, and baby pools won’t be missed until the weather gets warm again. They also won’t miss their sleds and ice skates during the summer if that is when you are selling your house.

Out of season items are not just for your children. Think about all those bulky winter clothes, boots, holiday decorations, skis, snowboards, skates, hockey gear, and snow tires that are taking up space in your closets, basement, and garage.

A helpful option is to rent a full-service storage unit where you can store some of these things. As this full storage provider, an alternative to the typical self-storage, operating out of Seattle says:

“If winter is your favorite season and storing away all these items is a sad move for you, don’t worry, they will only be away till the next year! For now, they are getting in the way of your clutter-free living”.

By storing these winter items in a safe place and out of the home you are trying to sell, you will be amazed at how much neater and less cluttered your home will look and feel to potential buyers.

Restrict Visiting Hours

Most realtors will tell you that you have to be available any time a potential buyer wants to view your home. For the most part, this is a true statement.

However, some people have found that it is much less stressful to ask for 24 hours-notice before a showing. They have also found that it is less disruptive to their children’s lives and schedules if they have a cut-off time such as when it is time for their children to go to sleep.

This is a decision you will have to make with your realtor or on your own if you are not using a realtor. It might extend the length of time your house is on the market if you limit when you will show your home. Look at the pros and cons and make the best decision for your specific situation.

Hire a Professional Cleaner

No matter how you try to keep your house clean, it will benefit you to hire a professional to do a deep cleaning.

There will always be dust build-up in hard to reach places and corners you might not be getting to on a regular basis. Even though it costs more money to hire someone to do the cleaning than if you were to do it yourself, it is a wise decision when you have children.

You will be giving yourself less stress and more quality time to spend with your children instead of wasting your valuable time cleaning and picking up after them.

There is no getting away from the fact that selling your home will be stressful. You can only do your best to make it easier by following some of the above suggestions. Remember that your children’s well-being is more important than a few toys or a little dirt on the floor.

Try not to get stressed over the little things and enjoy your children while they are young. You and your children will be better for it when you finally do move into your new home.

Starting High School: How To Help Your Teenager With The Big Transition

Photo credit Pexels

Starting high school can be stressful for both parents and kids. However, as a parent, you have to put your stress aside and focus on preparing your kid for this new situation. Many conventional book authors think that you should be fully involved with their education, but is this really the best way to help your kid? According to the new research, this is the wrong point of view. The key is not to be overinvolved, but to communicate with them – you have to explain to your kids the value of schooling. Parents should talk about the values of learning and set a good example to them from an early age. So, let’s see how you can help them.

Balancing academics, sports, and social life

All of these three things are important, but make sure that your kid knows that school is their job. They should understand that school is not about making their parents happy – they should strive for success because that is good for them. Talk to your kid about the meaning of homework. Some schools no longer count homework for a grade, but it’s important because they practice skills and concepts taught in class by doing homework. Make sure they understand that. Further, sports activities are important because they will learn a lot about teamwork, discipline, goal-setting, leadership, independence, self-confidence, stress relief, etc. Talk about their interest in sports and encourage them to participate in some activity they like.

Nevertheless, don’t be too hard on them. They deserve some free time. Humans are social beings, so make sure that they have friends that are a good influence on them.

Photo credit Pexels

Set the example for your kid

Did you know that children imitate their parents from an early age? They will do what we do, not what we say, so make sure that your behavior is constructive. Don’t be anxious about high school and explain to them that this is an opportunity to learn new things, meet interesting people and find themselves and their hobbies. Present learning as an interesting, enjoyable and exciting process. Next, set a positive problem-solving attitude and let them see their problems as challenges that they can deal with. Don’t let them see you as another problem on their list.

Photo credit Pexels

Make good choices

Teenagers sometimes don’t know a difference between good and bad choices, but that’s why they have school and parents to help them. However, you may not be in a situation to give your kids everything they need, although they are great in school. Solution? If you are experiencing acute economic disadvantage, and you’re not able to provide the equipment, resources, and support during high school, your kid can always apply for high school scholarships. If you do so, your kid will get a computer, internet, money for other equipment and access to tutoring and mentoring. They will appreciate that! So, keep talking with them about consequences and both short and long-term benefits of high school. Besides, that is also a good time to start talking with them about their career aspirations. There is always a solution to everything.

Photo credit Pexels

Dealing with teenage struggles

Your kid is a teenager, so problems are their thing now. They can love you and hate you at the same time, but sometimes it gets more serious than that. You have to keep communicating with them so you can notice changes in behavior. If you encourage honesty and open communication, your kid may open you about these problems. A school will call you if your kid has academic problems, but not about the other types of challenges teenagers have. They are going through big changes in their life, so sometimes is the best to collaborate with a school counselor because they know how to deal with high school kids. Unlike you, they will be able to look at the situation objectively and they’ll give advice and support to both you and your kid. Sometimes, we mean well, but somehow a situation turns from bad to worse. Don’t let it happen and ask for help.

You may plan everything in advance, but some things you just can’t predict. Keep an eye on your kid, but let them make their own decision. Some mistakes can make them learn more than your overprotection. Just the fact you’re reading this means that you are trying to be a good parent, so simply show your support to your kid and everything will get in the right place.

About the author

The Benefits Of Professional Teeth Whitening

There are plenty of benefits that come with having whiter teeth (and wanting to smile more often). It’s not just about the aesthetic beauty of whiter teeth, it’s about your overall mood and self-confidence as well. Wanting whiter teeth is a common desire, but is it worth the extra cost to get professional teeth whitening at your Dentist’s office instead of opting for over-the-counter methods? The short answer is yes. Over-the-counter whitening treatments or whitening strips that you can buy at your local drug store are not going to yield the same results as a professional teeth-whitening treatment at your Dentist’s office. And this is why you should head over to http://apictureperfectsmile.com/ to check out some professional teeth whitening treatments.

Professional whitening may be slightly more expensive, but it should save you money in the long run since the results are more effective and last longer. In-office whitening with your trusted Dentist is the safest and most reliable way to get that perfect Hollywood smile. If you’re thinking of fixing stained, dull or yellow teeth, you’ll be happier with the results if you seek treatment from a professional. Below are some benefits of opting for professional teeth whitening, along with some general benefits that come with whiter teeth:

Customized Results

Dr. Cowen at Juban Cowen Dental Care reminds us that an in-office, professional whitening treatment is the best way to get a customized treatment plan. For example, if two of your teeth are much more yellow than the others, your Dentist can customize the whitening treatment to ensure those two teeth get extra attention. Only professional treatment can give you the customization and tailored results that you’re after. The drug store brand is a one-treatment-fits-all mentality, and it may not suit your specific whitening needs.

Faster and Better Results

Do you want whiter teeth, as fast as possible? Professional teeth whitening is the best way to get fast and amazing results. Some professional teeth whitening treatments can get you results in an hour, whereas over-the-counter whitening strips can take weeks to garner results. These results might not even be satisfactory after all of that waiting time. Not only will the results of an in-office whitening treatment be faster, but the results will be better (and whiter) too!

It’s Safe and Comfortable

Your professional service includes special attention to your sensitivities. If your teeth are extra sensitive, your Dentist will pay attention to this to ensure that you are comfortable during your treatment. It’s also much safer to get your teeth whitened professionally. You don’t have to worry about risking an over-application or damaging your tooth enamel.

Improved Self-Confidence

Confidence is attractive. Do you know what else is attractive? Someone who smiles. You’ll kill two birds with one stone when you get your teeth whitened because you’ll be more confident and you’ll be inclined to smile more. A beautiful smile is like a magnet – it attracts people all around you, and draws people in. Everyone wants to be around someone who smiles a lot – perhaps you simply need an excuse to smile more? Freshly whitened teeth can be that reason to smile more.

Better Oral Health

Another benefit of professional whitening treatment is better oral health. Your teeth are simultaneously being cleaned and polished with the removal of stains and plaque during a professional whitening session. Therefore, your teeth are getting cleaner, stronger and healthier. This improves your overall oral health, and this also improves your oral hygiene. (Teeth whitening can even improve bad breath!)

You’ll Gain More Trust And Notice Better First Impressions

Recent studies have shown that individuals with whiter teeth are seen as being more trustworthy, dependable, attractive, professional and successful. Whether it’s a job interview, a sales pitch, a first date or an important meeting, your white teeth will give you an added advantage.

A Better Mood

Studies have linked an improved mood with smiling more. Since your beautiful, white teeth will have you smiling more, it’s obvious that teeth whitening treatment can actually improve your overall mood. The physical act of smiling induces a chemical reaction in the brain, releasing certain feel-good hormones including dopamine and serotonin. Smiling really is that powerful – it can reduce stress and trick your brain into feeling happier.

Informative Tips on Selling Your Home When You Have Kids

There are a lot of family activities that people can do, such as playing together, cooking together, or going on camping trips as a family. These activities are beneficial for your kids because these encourage interaction with the parents and it also allows you to have bonding time.

However, there are certain things in which you wouldn’t necessarily include the participation of your children, such as when you’re selling your house. A lot of homes are sold every year in the US. Numbers reached an all-time high in 2015 with 7.08 million existing homes sold in the country. The number dropped down to 5.51 million in 2017.

With millions of houses sold yearly, you could be one of those sellers in the coming years. However, it’s necessary to consider your kids when you’re selling your home. Most kids get attached and often have a bad experience when moving out. Check out this article to help you know how to make the house sale as a family affair.

Let your kids know about the house sale.

When you’re selling your old house and moving to a new home, all of you will transfer, and that includes your kids. Let your kids know about your plans ahead of time and don’t spring the news to them when you’ve packed your furniture and other things.

Kids might resent the fact that you’ve decided to sell without informing them. After all, they also live in the house, and even if selling your house counts as an adult decision, it’s better to ask or inform your kids about it.

It might be hard for kids to adjust if they’ve spent several years in that house and they have to leave all of their memories and friends behind. That’s why it’s best to open up your plans ahead of time so you can also help them adapt to the idea of moving to a new house.

Clean and prepare the house for possible clients.

Living with children, especially young ones, can mean messy surroundings. You might have to deal with crayon scribbles on your walls or food spills on the floor. You have to clean everything before putting your house up for sale. Here are some tips to help you get started.

● Crayon on the walls

It’s inevitable that your kids will reach for a coloring material and use the wall as a drawing board. Don’t fret because the scribbles aren’t permanent and there are foolproof ways to clean up the mess left behind by your toddler.

A damp rag dipped in baking soda can take out crayon stains. You can also try spraying WD40 on the wall and wipe it after with a rug. Scrubbing the wall with a non-gel toothpaste or rubbing mayonnaise on the stains is also helpful.

● Stickers on the wall

If you have new wall decorations in your house, such as stickers put up by your playful kid, you can remove it by dabbing baby or vegetable oil on it and leaving it overnight. If you don’t want to use oil, a sponge dipped in hot water will do.

● Messy chocolate stains

If your chocolate-loving kid has added chocolate stains to your sofa, you can remove it by taking out the chocolate pieces stuck on the couch. Dab on the area (start from the outer space) with a damp washcloth dipped in a solution made out of 2 cups of water and one tablespoon of liquid soap.

Rinse the area with a clean, damp cloth. Wipe it with a dry towel. You can also add a dry-cleaning solvent to help you get rid of the stain entirely.

● Mud problems

Did your kid ever walk on the carpet while wearing his mud-caked soccer shoes? Remove the stains by vacuuming the area for dried mud pieces. Use the same solution for chocolate stains and use a white cloth in dabbing the mud stains. If the stains are still visible, have your carpets cleaned.

Restore the rooms to its bare form.

If you’ve used the rooms for office, storage, or as your kid’s bedroom, you need to let the clients see it in its bare form. They can visualize what they’re going to do with that room when the house belongs to them, and they can’t do that if there are too many things stocked inside the rooms.

When it comes to your kid’s room, you need to remove the posters and other things hanging on the wall. If you can’t transfer the furniture, arrange it, so the place doesn’t look messy. Sell your home to buyers by letting them think of possibilities for it. They can’t do that if there’s so much clutter, so clean ahead of time.

Takeaway

Selling your house is an adult decision, but inform your kids about it. It will make them feel better if they’ll think that they are a part of the family decision. Help them in the adjustment process so they won’t resent the house sale.

Rooms of young kids need extra attention when you’re selling your house, so make sure to clean and arrange the furniture and organize the things in it to avoid clutter.

How to Help Your Child Relax at a Hotel

Keeping your child calm at a hotel is never easy. It’s a brand new environment and it can be boring for them when you’re not out and about.

Unless you’re staying at a five-star hotel where your every need is accounted for, you have to get creative. Here are some of the ways you can help your child relax at a hotel.

Plan Ahead

The first step is to plan ahead. Is the hotel you’re choosing used to catering to children?

There’s a big difference between Motel Six and the Hilton when it comes to this. Of course, you have to keep in mind you have a budget, but make sure you look into a type of hotel that’s likely to be quiet and a hotel that may have other families inside.

The goal is to avoid those toddler tantrums when on the road!

Keep Them Entertained

Make sure you have a smartphone or tablet with you for some entertainment time. It could involve playing a game or watching a movie.

But you should regulate their screen time. Don’t let them spend the entire night playing on your tablet. And make sure you’re supervising them at all times.

To keep yourself secure, you should install a VPN. Remember that hotel WiFi is a public connection so it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you need help installing one, Troypoint offers a tutorial to help you do it.

Maintain the Same Schedule

Travelling is a lot of disruption for a child. This is part of what stops them from being relaxed in the first place. So try to maintain the same schedule at home.

For example, if they have a bedtime make sure they stick to the same sleeping schedule. If they’re used to having dinner at a certain time, make sure you have dinner in the hotel restaurant at roughly the same time.

Attempt to maintain a level of normalcy.

Does the Hotel Offer Kid-Friendly Activities?

The worst thing you can do is spend too much time in the room. Try to keep your child busy, which is also ideal for helping them sleep at the end of the day.

Look into whether your hotel has any kid-friendly activities for them to participate in during the evenings. This is where planning ahead really comes in handy.

Rearrange the Room

Most reputable hotels understand that families with children need to rearrange the furniture to accommodate the needs of their children. Always ask before you start moving anything around.

For example, you may want to move a couple of single beds together with young children. Sometimes you might want to move the beds further away from the window to counter any traffic noise outside.

Don’t Be Too Strict

These tips may imply that you have to be strict in order to keep your child relaxed. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The best way to help your child relax is to focus on family fun. That way they won’t have any time to dwell on any fears they have.

You know your child best and you know what makes them happy. Even if you’re on a business trip and not a family vacation, focus on your kids.

Last Word – Planning is the Key

Our number one tip is to plan ahead. Your choice of hotel will make or break your time away. Sometimes you may have to spend a little extra on a room to have your needs fulfilled. But if it means your child feels more relaxed when they’re away from their familiar surroundings, it’s worth it.

Do you have any experiences taking your children away to a hotel?

Get Rid of Your Old Mattress in Two Easy Steps

For all the moms who have getting rid of that old mattress at the bottom of their priority list….

Find the next destination of the old mattress sitting in the basement collecting dust. Based on the condition of your mattress, we will help you decide if it should be recycled or donated – never dumped.

For all the moms out there itching to do some spring cleaning, you’re going to want to read this.

Have you ever wondered what to do with your old mattress? Maybe your kid’s old twin beds have been sitting in the basement for the last five years. Or perhaps, you’ve had a teenager leaving for college and you are stuck with their old furniture. How inconvenient.

Getting rid of a mattress is probably at the bottom of your priority list. Why? Because it’s a hassle. Who wants to lug an 80 lb bed through the house? You have more important things to think about.

For an item purchased every 7 to 10 years, it’s not surprising people have no clue how to get rid of it when it reaches the end of its life. The general assumption is to leave it on the curb for your city’s bulk waste pickup to deal with. Unfortunately, that’s illegal in most places.

That’s why we are giving you two easy steps for moving that old, lumpy mattress out of your house and onto bigger and better things (than rotting in the basement).

Step 1: Assess the condition of your mattress

If the mattress you are getting rid of belonging to a child, chances are it has a few rips or stains. If that’s the case, you’ll want to recycle your mattress. There are laws against donating mattresses in poor condition. This is for the health and safety of the next owners of your old bed.

However, if the mattress is stain free and appears to have no major rips or tears, that’s great! Consider donating your mattress to a family in need. You might even consider your own family member or friend that needs a new bed.

Step 2: Identify a charity or organization in your area that will take your mattress

Here’s the thing. Mattresses are 85% recyclable. That’s why you should avoid sending your mattress to the dump at all costs.

Thirty-three million mattresses are manufactured every year in the United States and 20 million are dumped. That’s a lot of mattresses to go in a landfill.

Based on the condition of the mattress, you should either find locations to recycle near you or call the local charity in your area to see if they accept mattress donations. It’s important to note, laws regarding reselling mattresses vary from county to county. While one branch of a charity may accept your mattress, another may not. All you have to do is make a few calls.

Regardless of whether you donate or recycle, the good news is most organizations will come to pick up your mattress for you! All you have to do is open the door.

Both of these options are just as simple as taking your old, lumpy mattress to the dump – not to mention, it’s better for the planet. And if you’re not in love with either, yard sale season is in full swing!

Once your old mattress is gone, find the next best mattress to replace it!

Happy cleaning.