April 2007. Spring Cleaning.

Your Home – Spring Cleaning

Now that we’re at the beginning of spring, it’s a great time to start tackling some of those home improvement projects you’ve been putting off all winter. One of the major projects most people do every spring is to give your home a thorough cleaning. A thorough cleaning will not only improve the appearance of your home, but it will go a long ways towards reducing symptoms to spring allergies such as dust and pollen.

Tips for Cleaning to Reduce Allergy Symptoms

· Thoroughly dust and vacuum your home to reduce the amount of airborne dust and pollen. When dusting, always make sure you start at the top of the walls and work your way down. Once you dust thoroughly, vacuum your carpets and replace old rug stays.

· Clean all mold and mildew from your bathrooms and other damp areas. Mold and mildew can trigger allergic reactions and even lead to serious illness. By using an off the shelf mildew remover, you can safely remove mold and mildew from the surfaces of your bathroom. If you have other damp areas in your home such as crawl spaces, you may want to consult a professional before attempting to remove the mold yourself.

· Change the filters on your air conditioner and ventilation systems before use. Old filters will not only damage your air conditioner, they can actually spread allergens through your home. Taking the time to perform maintenance by cleaning and inspecting your air conditioner will keep you cool when the warm weather arrives.

· Clean all of your hanging linens of have them dry cleaned. The hanging linens in your home have been collecting dust all winter long and are a major source of exposure to allergens. By cleaning them now, you will not only increase the life of your linens, but reduce your exposure to allergens this spring.

Spring Maintenance Reminders
Spring is also a great time to perform regular maintenance on your home. Some of the areas of your home you should check now include:

· Inspect outdoor play equipment. Make sure your play equipment is safe and free of sharp edges, loose bolts, and anything else that may lead to injury.

· Check the screens on your windows. The screens on your windows may have been damaged during the winter. By checking them now and replacing any torn or damaged window screens, you will be able to comfortably ventilate your home when the nice weather arrives.

· Replace the batteries on your smoke detectors. The batteries on your smoke detectors should be replaced once a year. You should also ensure that every bedroom in your home has a smoke detector.

· Clean your rain gutters. The rain gutters on your home should be cleaned out twice a year to prevent damaging your home’s roof and foundation.

Finances – Spring Cleaning for Your Finances

Your home isn’t the only thing that can benefit from a thorough cleaning this spring. Now is also a great time to organize your finances, pay off any outstanding debts, and make plans for the future. By reviewing your finances now, you will be able to responsibly plan your summer vacation and identify any changes in your budget that you should make. Some good spring cleaning tips include:

· Organize your paperwork. If you had a hard time filing taxes this year because you could not track down all of your paperwork, take some time to get organized for next year. By purchasing a file cabinet or other repository for your receipts and financial documents, you will not only be able to file your taxes faster next year, but you will have a better chance of identifying all of the deductions you qualify for.

· Review your budget. Are you saving at the pace you would like? Most people aren’t and this may lead to serious problems when it comes to retirement or paying for your child’s education. By reviewing your budget now, you may be able to move more of your income into your savings now so you won’t have bigger problems in the future.

· Plan for your loved ones. Take this time to review your life insurance policy and estate. If you do not currently have a will or need to boost your life insurance, please let me know and I will be happy to refer a professional attorney or financial planner who can assist you with this. By planning now, you can save your loved ones a lot of grief and expense in the event of a tragedy.

· Review your mortgage. With so much transition in the mortgage market right now, it is a good time to review your existing mortgage and plan accordingly. If you have been thinking of using your home equity as part of your financial portfolio or have an adjustable rate mortgage, please take a moment to contact me for a free review of your mortgage.

Inspiration – Working Smarter

Do you constantly feel like there simply isn’t enough time in the day to accomplish everything you’d like? With so many distractions these days, it can be difficult to properly organize our time so that we can accomplish everything we set out to do. A good way to free up more time during the day is to prioritize your day. Make sure that you do not let distractions or trivial tasks get in the way of completing what you really want to do each day. Although this may sound easier than it is, there are some practical tips that will help you manage your time:

· Clean your desk and your work area

· Make a to do list at the end of each day

· Schedule breaks for yourself. Working longer does not mean that you are going to accomplish more if you are fatigued

· Prioritize your tasks and work on the most important ones first

· Free yourself of distractions such as unwanted phone calls. You can set aside time to return phone calls after you complete your most important tasks

· Remember, it’s ok to say no. It’s easy to lose time during your day to things that are unimportant or unplanned. When people ask you to use your time, remember that it is ok to say no, or tell them that you can help them after you complete your most important tasks for the day.