Because sometimes it’s not about having less stuff, it’s about how you store it.

Sometimes it can feel like you are drowning in your own belongings. Stuff seems to be piled up everywhere, and there are just not enough places to put it.

The hard part about it too is that it’s all stuff you need and use every day, not just miscellaneous objects you’ve collected over the years, all though those are probably floating around there as well.

Not to mention this can be even more difficult if you run a business from home or work at home and you have to worry about storage for your inventory or for work files.

The good news is however high this pile may seem to get, there is a solution to make it feel like you aren’t just a hoarder.

The way that you store things can also determine how organized you are, and the more effective the storage the more organized everything will seem.

Here are five ways to store things more effectively, that way your house feels cleaner, you know where everything is, and everything has a place.  

• Label everything

One of the best ways to store things more effectively is to label everything. After all, nothing is worse than having everything organized in its rightful place but then forgetting where you put what and having to dig through it all over again only to create an even bigger mess.

Label the outside of your storage containers or boxes with clear and easily readable labels. Then also label the content of those containers on the inside, that way if you need to reach for something, you know exactly where and what to grab.

• Divide and conquer

Dividers are also an organizer's best friend, because just like the labels, you will be able to easily grab and put things back without having to create a further mess.

Within your boxes or containers divide the contents to make things more accessible as well as helping to fit more things into the containers.

• Quality and Quantity

No matter what your storage container needs are, what you store things in will greatly help in keeping it all organized and kept safe and clean.

Pick containers that are durable, but also look nice and can be stacked if necessary. A good idea is to also use clear containers when possible, that way you can see the contents and easily read any labels that you place on them. 

• Think outside the box, literally 

Boxes are an easy go-to when it comes to thinking about storage, but there are many other container options out there that can be even more effective and also help to keep things organized and clean.

For larger objects or for several containers it might be a good idea to think about using something like wood pallets, especially if the objects you are storing need to be on top of one another or shipped in large storage containers.

This would be an especially good idea if you work at home and need to store your inventory or ship it. Also, there are many companies who could customize the wood pallets for your needs.

• Go big or go home

Sometimes the key to storing things effectively and keeping it all organized is to admit that you don’t have enough space and you might need to find some more.

There are many options for this such as renting a lockup storage in London, buying a shed, or even an office space when necessary.

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College is about learning and having fun, and where you are going to live is an important part of that.

You are embarking on one of life’s first greatest adventures – college.

It's super exciting to be thinking about leaving your home and being in your home, but also just a little bit frightening and overwhelming.

It’s pretty common for your mind to be brimming with a ton of questions at all the new possibilities.

Where will you live? What should you look for in a new apartment? What will your roommates be like?

To put your mind a little at ease and to give you a good head start here are a few tips and tricks on how to find the best college housing, housing that will ensure that your first couple years at college will be as fun and exciting as they should be.

Your first research

You will probably be doing a lot of research, and now is your chance to hone this skill by looking for an awesome place to live.

The internet and social media will be your friend when it comes to finding the best college housing, and it's as easy as searching, for example, if you are going to BYU-Idaho, "BYU-I approved housing" and see what pops up.

Another great tool to know the best spot to live is to reach out to people you know who are going to your same college and asking them where the best places to live are. It could also be an opportunity to find a new future roommate!

Up-to-date

One of the best things about going to college in the time that we live in is that most colleges have brand-new apartments and dorms on and off campus for students.

Having an apartment that is on the newer side ensures that you won’t have wonky or outdated appliances, so you can probably save some money and cook at home, which is great for most college kids who are on a starving-student diet.

Also, new apartments might have some cool features like built-in iPads or other cool techy systems to control the home, or brand-new washing machines and dryers, and trash shoots, which you will be grateful for on trash days with multiple roommates.

Take a tour

Something that is really important and a great way to ensure you find housing that you love, at a reasonable price, in an environment that you like is to actually go to the apartments that you are interested in and take a tour.

Taking a tour is a great way to make sure that things look as good as their pictures on the internet, and also a great time to ask about costs such as rent, utilities, and down-payments. It will also be a good time to see how big the room sizes are and if you want to have a roommate or not, or how many roommates you want to have.

Think about the small things

An important tip when it comes to finding what you want in college housing is to think about all the little details that are actually important to you.

Like, does it make a difference how close your apartment is to campus? Whether it is furnished or unfurnished? The type of neighborhood you live in?

If some of these things are important to you and you know they will affect how satisfied you are with where you live, make sure to incorporate them in your search for your apartment and ultimately the apartment you choose.

They say to not sweat the small stuff, but when it comes to college housing, you might want to.

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Edina, a small city located just outside of Minneapolis, is one of the most vibrant and affluent municipalities in the Twin Cities region. The median sales price for Edina Realestate was $437,000 in 2017 and the city is home to just over 49,000 thousand residents and 45 neighborhoods. The city is also a prime choice for families as well, so much so that Family Circle magazine featured them on their top towns for families to live in the United States. Here are some of the reasons you will absolutely love living in Edina.

Great Shopping

If you love shopping, Edina has you covered. Southdale center, which is known as the country’s first regional indoor mall, is home to over 120 specialty stores including JCPenney, Macy’s and Herberger. It also has a huge 16 screen AMC megaplex which makes it a great place for the family.

If you’re looking for something a little more upscale then head to Galleria on France and 69th. The luxury mall hosts brands like Louis Vuitton, Gabberts furniture and Tiffany & Co and distinct restaurants like Crave and Big Bowl.

The city’s bustling downtown is also a major attraction to the city and is ever expanding. Centred around 50th and France, it’s filled with great high-end boutiques and fine dining spots and counts over 175 different retailers. The district is well known for its outdoor arts fair which is held in June and features over 300 different artists, making it the biggest fair of its type in all of Minnesota.

Thriving Economy

The thriving job market and great schools are also two reasons why tons of people are flocking to Edina. The median income in the city was just about $87,000 in 2015 with a 7.6% job growth. The city is home to many headquarters including U.S Bancorp, Target and Best Buy. The healthcare industry is another major employer in the region.

Tons of Great Parks

If you’re active and enjoy green spaces or are looking for a great place to take the family, then the city has no shortage of great green spaces to offer. Centennial Park is the perfect getaway with its huge amphitheater, beautiful pond and 1.5 miles of paved pathway. The park also features a putting course, beautiful fountains, skiing and skating in the winter and fishing in the summer.

If you want to try something different, you can always go to Edingborhood park. The huge indoor park is the perfect place for a family time with its immense indoor playground, junior olympic size pool and its amphitheater.

Edina, like much of the state, loves its hockey and you can find tons of great inside and outside rinks throughout the city. The Backyard is a massive outdoor skating rink equipped with an arched dome, an environmentally friendly ice making system and heated players bench. It is perfect for families or for games with friends.

As you can see, Edina is a great city with tons to offer and discover. So, if you were thinking of relocating to the Twin Cities, you should consider Edina’s many benefits.

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We live in a culture in which everyone seems to be constantly striving to achieve perfection. No matter how unattainable this might be, whether it's our hair, our clothes or even our homes, we strive to constantly improve and perfect. Adding a basement to your home can make a big difference to the overall feel of your home.

Adding a basement will open up entirely new possibilities for storing valuable and delicate items. It isn't just storage space that you'll be getting though. Adding a basement to your home can give you the room to pursue hobbies and other interests that you would otherwise be unable to pursue.

If you haven't considered the possibilities that adding a basement to your home will open up, this article is for you. There are five things in particular that you can do with that extra space which make it a worthwhile investment.

Storage

Adding a basement to your home will give you somewhere to store all that extra stuff you've accumulated over the years. Basements allow you to keep your home clutter free and are also ideal for items that need to be kept away from sunlight and extreme weather, including very high winds and hurricanes.

Privacy

Whatever you decide to do with your basement, it will provide you with all the privacy you could want. Some basements have a window which allows them to be viewed from outside, but even so they offer total privacy. Whether it becomes a place to indulge your hobby or an extension of your living space, basement rooms gives absolute privacy.

Separate Living Area

Whether you want to add some guest space to your home, or you have a more long-term guest moving in, a basement is a great way of adding some living space to your home. A basement can be outfitted with a bathroom, bedroom and even a kitchenette.

Whether you are planning a new home build, or you are renovating an existing property, make sure to turn to reputable construction companies. Check out this list of the best home builders MN for some examples.

Accessibility of Major Systems

Adding a basement to your home can often give you much easier access to the pipes and other infrastructure in your home. Basements make a perfect location for water utilities such as pressure tanks, heaters and water softeners.

Hobbies

A basement provides you with a nice and secluded area in which you are free to pursue any hobbies that you have been meaning to but never got around to. Whether it is woodworking, brewing beer, arts and crafts, even yoga, the basement will provide you with all the space and privacy that you could possibly need.

Whatever the reason, adding a basement to your home can finally give you the space to pursue your hobbies while also removing unnecessary clutter from elsewhere in your home. Not only this, but it can even add an entirely new living area to your home, fully kitted out with the essential utilities.

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There are plenty of unique design opportunities in older homes, making them an attractive investment opportunity for those who don't mind a bit of DIY work. Some find the allure of an older home in the design aspects already present in the house, while others relish the chance to pick up an affordable home on the market and improve it over time.

While there are many older homes on the market that can be great investments, not all older homes are worth considering – especially if you're on a tight budget. Let's take a look at four specific home elements you should carefully inspect when shopping if you don't want to spend lots of money repairing and improving.

Roofs

Arguably one of the most important elements of any home, the roof helps protect both the home and its inhabitants. Designed to shield the home from excessive wear and tear, the roof can slowly become damaged itself, needing periodic repairs to guarantee the structural integrity of the home.

Northface Construction estimates that even basic homes can require $10,000 in materials and labor to replace an old roof. Larger homes and/or those with more complex designs can be even pricier. Ultimately, a cheap fixer-upper can turn into an expensive nightmare if you purchase a home with a bad roof. 

Siding

Just as important as the roof, the siding of a home helps shield it from unnecessary weathering and helps add an additional layer of insulation to the home. Many older homes were not built with the latter quality in mind, and even more have wear and tear on the siding that can compromise the structure of the home to the elements.

Replacing the siding and/or patching up damaged areas underneath the home's exterior can easily reach $10,000, making it a less-than-ideal repair for those looking to purchase an older home that needs minimal TLC. 

HVAC Installation

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning are critical aspects of any modern home – but they haven't always been in-demand. Older homes may be designed with inferior ventilation or no heating and/or cooling systems at all, meaning major repairs and installation will be needed.

The cost of a central heating and cooling system can easily cost a couple thousand dollars, but the additional labor of installing ventilation throughout the home will add up to even more. For a simple furnace installation, you could be looking at more than $5,000. Double that figure for a complete HVAC installation.

Plumbing and Septic Systems

Depending on where the home is located, you may have sewer access or require the use of a septic tank. In the latter case, older homes often need new septic tanks installed in order to be up to par and safe. A new septic system can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000, depending on a variety of variables. This is not necessarily something that can be assessed up-close and personal, but a plumber's evaluation prior to any purchase can determine the condition of the system.

Additionally, plumbing throughout the home can be an equally expensive issue. Old pipes corrode and seals break and over time, so these elements will all need to be replaced.

There are many expensive home repairs that inevitably must be made on all homes, but purchasing an older home can present multiple, complicated repair jobs all at once. To avoid biting off more than you can chew (or afford), be sure to inspect the siding, roofing, plumbing and HVAC systems intensively before making your decision.

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