Moving with Children - The easy scoop on the difficult process

So you want to move but even just the thought of moving your children sends shivers down your spine. First you think about all of their stuff and then it settles in that they will be disorientated and possibly angry that they will be leaving friends and comfortable situation behind. But we are here to tell you that it is possible to move your family without parting the dead sea first. Plenty of Greater Lansing, MI families have undergone this process and it went smoothly for them because they followed these simple guidelines:

1- Tell your children as soon as you know you are moving. Nothing upsets a kid more then being thrown into a situation last minute. This is all to inviting of tantrums and refusals. Sit them down and let them know where when and why.

2-Be excited about the move. Children are professional emulators or their parents and even the slightest signs of doubt will rub off on them.

3-Be open to questions. This is very important for children whether they are young or older. Answer every single question they have and they will feel much more comfortable about the entire situation. Make sure to ask them if they have any questions as well because this will give them the opportunity to be open about their feelings.

4-Let them help you move. Children want to be part of the action so let them! The simplest duties can make a kid forget about the move and concentrate their feelings elsewhere.


There you have it! Follow these steps and you will find yourself in a very manageable situation. Moving with kids is not impossible, just be open and willing to explain.

Thats a fact,

pmachomes

Misquito Madness

So your looking for a private, treed backyard where you can lean back in your chair and relax on a summer evening. Well if you're from the Greater Lansing Michigan area than you know that this is all too inviting to those needle-nosed nagging mosquitoes. Just the thought of the endless scratching is enough to make someone leave their dream of a backyard paradise inside their head. But if there is one thing that us humans are good at, it is finding interesting ways to take care of pesky problems. Since the everyone has a different preference for how they avoid mosquitoes, I decided to compile a list. Some of these are simple and some are quite intricate, it is up to you to find what works the best for yourself.

1 - Bug Spray - Make sure your spray has about 25% Deet for hanging out outdoors. Companies have come out with great new alternative sprays that don't smell as bad and go on super dry.

2-Plant particular flowers and plants around your home- Planting marigolds, catnip, rosemary and basil can be effective ways to keep mosquitoes at bay. Many believe the strong odors of the plants mess up the mosquitoes sensors.

3-Dry Ice- Many of the methods for avoid mosquito bites is to attract them to something different. Putting dry ice in a bucket about 20 ft away from where people are gathering is supposed to keep mosquitoes far away. Apparently they are attracted to the CO2 we breath out so the CO2 produced by dry ice in water is a perfect detouring element.

4-Nets- If you hate the weird smells and don't want to spend too much money, buy mosquito net. These can be hung around your patio furniture and are an effective way to keep bugs out. Plus, this one time purchase is very cost effective.

These are just some of the great ways to keep mosquitoes off of your skin. Don't let pests control your home buying decision. For more information on finding a private, treed in lot, go to http://www.pmachomes.com

Green Living Tips and Tricks

Fact- We are all fortunate to live in a time where global preservation techniques are constantly being monitored and improved. With the population growing bigger and bigger, it is up to us to help reduce waste and preserve natural resources. All of this can seem very overwhelming and it seems nearly impossible to make a contribution that will truly help, but this is far from the truth. You've heard it said before and it will rightfully be said again and again, if everyone pitches in a little bit, mountains of change can result. Here are some small tips that can help you reduce, reuse, recycle, and even save you some money!

1- Use a Fan!- Air conditioning can run up the bills and use massive amounts of electricity. Using a fan can lower a room temperature 5-10 degrees for a fraction of the price. Ya sure it's hot outside but embrace the good weather while we have it!

2-Re-Use Rainwater- If you live in the Greater Lansing Area then there is good chance you have plenty of rain during your year. Put a bucket outside and collect the water for use later to water plants or your garden. The process of cleaning water is not cheap and plants don't really have a preference as to what their water tastes like.

3- Grow a Garden - Growing your own garden can be a great way to save money and an even better way to practice being green. Gardens reduce the combined costs of growing, transporting, and selling food at a supermarket. Besides, growing a garden can be a great exercise and really rewarding.

These are only three of the millions of ideas for living green. Do some research and learn how you can be part of the solution.

The Rainy Day Home Seller

Fact - When selling a home, a rainy day can prove to be an amazing motivation tool. The summer months tend to take us from our homes out into the sunshine, but this can cause sellers to push aside important tasks that need attention. Remember, if you are serious about selling your home, then you need to be serious about making it look its best. Here is a few rainy day chores that take a huge chunk out of your "To Do Before Selling!" list:

1- Clean out the basement - This area of the home is many times looked at as a over sized storage bin. The basement is were you will take things that you hope to never see again but are afraid to throw away. This may be perfectly fine for you but what about a buyer with kids? The basement offers a ton of extra space that can be finished to provide a play room for children, or at least a safe spot to get them out of your hair for a bit! Basements can be used to house laundry rooms, provide space for hobbies, they can be turned into second living rooms and can even offer space for a second kitchen. Go through the basement and CLEAN IT OUT. No, don't just move things around, CLEAN them out. Throw away old decorations and give old clothes to a local charity. A good rule of thumb is that if you can't even remember the last time you used something, throw it away. Make the basement an area where people can imagine themselves living, rather than just storing their stuff.

2- Detail the windows - Many times people forget to really clean their windows for no reason other than they just don't think about them. Windows are amazing in their abilities to collect crud from all around the house. Clean the inside glass with some window spray and by using a piece of newspaper, you can really reduce smudging. Grab the vacuum and suck out all of the dead bugs and follow up with a wet rag. Make sure to really get in there and get everything all cleaned out. The beauty of paying extra detail when cleaning your windows is that you won't have to clean them that often from then on.

3- Clean under appliances - Anyone who has ever moved their refrigerator knows that the things that manage to get under there are the closest things to aliens that man has seen thus far. Move these big appliances: washer, dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, etc. and clean under them. Once again, this is a task that can be done a few times a year and be maintained fairly well, but you will be amazed at what you find under there. You never know what buyers may look for and if its that, you will be all set!

Obviously there is a million tasks to get done on a rainy day, but these are just a few to get you started. Get the hard work out of the way so that when the sun returns you will be able to enjoy the day. A little work goes a long way. Happy cleaning!

-Pmac