Mirrors can do a lot more than serve as a beauty aid. Placed in the right corner or area of your house, they can become a cheap and original way to change the look and feel of a room. Here are some good ideas on how to use mirrors:

• Place a mirror on top of a side table or coffee table and place a series of candles on top. The mirror will double the light and reflect it in unusual and fun ways, depending on what other lights you have on in the room.
• Hang a large mirror on the wall of a small room to make it appear larger.
• Hang a mirror next to window so the light from outside bounces on it and multiplies, making the room appear lighter and brighter. This is an ideal solution for rooms that are naturally dark or cave-like.
• Make a collective display using small mirrors as both decoration and as a trick to increase room size. Choose several mirrors of the same format but different sizes or mix and vice versa. Making sure all mirrors have something in common (size, form, frame or frameless, etc.) will create a more uniform display. This works well on bathroom or dining room wall or on the wall next to a staircase.
• Cover a plain wood tray with a mirror. You can use super glue or craft glue to secure it in place. You can then place the table on a dresser or a window ledge and use it to store perfumes, small knick knacks or jewelry.

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You don’t need to spend a fortune to completely redo the look and feel of your yard. A few accessories here and there can make a world of difference and give you a yard the whole family can enjoy.

1. Create separate spaces tied together by a team. Whether you’re going for country, modern or romantic, you can easily create a theme by planting the same type of plants (roses for formal, fruit trees for country-like) around the yard, as well as by using accessories (anything from hammocks to fish ponds would work). Dedicate a small area to build a patio, where you can place a small table and chairs for a quick breakfast, resting or having a BBQ.

2. Bring the indoors out. Accessories that you would normally think of as “indoor only” can completely change the feel of a yard. Think cushions, candles, rugs and blankets. You can either shop for weather-resistant products or bring them back inside at night or during rainy days.

3. Start a garden. Nothing makes a yard come alive as having a garden. Whether you want to grow vegetables or try your hand at flowers and shrubs, select a section of the yard and get it ready for planting. Choose hardy plants if you’re new to gardening and want a stress-free experience.

4. Invite wildlife into your harden by hanging up birdhouses, setting up a pond or placing a fountain near the trees and flowers.

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While building a home addition or completely remodeling your home may be your ultimate dream, that may not be a practical option if you are on a tight budget or planning on selling and moving soon. Still, there are plenty of things you can do to increase the value of your home without putting too much time or money into the project. Some of the these changes will significantly increase the value of your home as well, so you’ll get more for your property once you’re ready to sell.

• Make the most of your yard. No matter how small it is, there’s always space for a great lawn and at least a single lawn chair. If you can afford the space for flower beds, go ahead and build them around the edges. Otherwise, get a few large potted plants and group them in a couple of areas around the yard.
• Repaint the rooms. Get rid of white and beige walls, which are often the staple of a rental house. Instead, choose pastel colors such as yellows, blues and pinks that give the rooms personality and warm. Avoid crazy colors and patterns, as this can play against you when trying to sell a home. Before painting, patch any holes and sandpaper the walls if necessary.
• Declutter the house. It makes rooms appear larger and cleaner and gives potential buyers the feeling that the house is big enough to fit anything.
• Clean the carpets and rugs and wash the curtains. If you can afford it, replace them. This is especially important if colors are faded or material is stained.
• Refinish kitchen cabinets if you can’t do anything else. Paint the doors a light color or replace them to change the look of the whole room without any major changes.

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Before you finish packing those moving boxes for your move, you will need to deal with utilities in two ways: by turning off the ones in your old home and turning on the ones in the house waiting for you. While this may seem like a simple endeavor, it’s important to keep some things in mind during the process.

1. Arrange with the utility companies for a day to turn utilities off. Give them an approximate time of day (morning or evening) and make sure to call back a couple of days in advance to verify the appointment. You will either need to transfer the account you have with the companies (if you’re moving within the same city) or open a new account.

2. Start with the essentials: electricity, water and gas.

3. Move on to other bills and services, including cable/satellite, Internet and trash pickup. If you have subscription to special neighborhood services, such as security or renter’s insurance, you will also need to deal with those.

4. Don’t forget to file a notice with the post office to have your mail forwarded to the new address.

5. If you have kids in school, you should start the registration process early, even if you’re moving during summer vacation. You will need paperwork from the previous school and you should talk to the new school to find out if there are any specific forms they need in advance.

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Keeping things organized during the holiday season may prove to be a big challenge. With presents to wrap, cards to send and packing to be done before visiting friends and family, you may find yourself under a pile of papers even before Christmas gets even close.

· Make a list of everybody who’s getting either a card or a present. Write down the name, address and type of present to be given. Those that need to be sent should be bought and prepared first. If you are planning on buying cardboard boxes for the presents, do so well in advance, so you have a chance to get the packages to the post office before the holiday rush starts.

· Label cardboard boxes that contain holiday decorations. Do this before you start taking anything out. This way you’ll know where everything goes when it’s time to put it back.

· Create a wrapping center. Designate a corner of your desk, a drawer or a box to put all the wrapping paper, tape and gift tags.

· Dig on your old boxes before buying anything new to decorate the house, the tree or the porch. Chances are you don’t remember what’s in there.

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As you prepare to pack and move, you probably are keeping track of the big things, such as buying moving boxes, contracting the moving company and getting your stuff packed. In the chaos of the move, however, it’s easier to forget the smaller things. Things that can make the move a lot less painful and the start of your new life a lot easier.

1. Let everybody know you’re moving. This includes the post office (so they can forward your email), magazines you subscribe to, friends and family members, and bill collectors and credit card companies.

2. Talk to your insurance company to inform them about your new address and to ensure coverage continues without interruption.

3. Call companies to schedule turning off your utilities at your old home and turning them on at your new address. You can arrange this in advance and simply give them a date and time (morning, mid-afternoon or end of the day).

4. Find out in advance if you need special paperwork to move your pets with you. If you are planning on stopping en route and sleeping in a hotel, make sure to call in advance and find out if they accept pets. Make a reservation if possible.

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While there are many articles everywhere on how to deal with clutter, few address a more important issue: How to prevent clutter from happening in the first place. By taking care of your possessions and making sure you don’t buy more than you need, you can deal with excess and prevent chaos from taking over your home.

Here are five ways to get you started:

1. Ask yourself a series of questions before you buy something. Do you really need it? Is there something you already own that can serve the same purpose? Do you have the space for it? Can you get rid of something to make space for the new item? How long are you going to use it? If this is something you will only use once or twice, can you rent it or borrow it instead of buying it?

2. Determine where the item is going to be placed. Not the general room or area of the house, but the specific location, such as “second shelf of the living room bookcase.” If you can’t find a specific location for it, it should be considered clutter.

3. Have a place to store it. If you’re buying Christmas decorations, cleaning supplies and products or a new set of china, make sure you have enough cabinet space or drawers to put these items away when not in use. Moving boxes make great for storing stuff you don’t use often.

4. Have a designated place for things you deal with regularly. Have a tray near the main door where you can dump mail as soon as it comes in. Or place a container near the entrance where you can put umbrellas, or a small wood rack where you can store shoes.

5. Get into the habit of donating things you no longer use or need. Don’t wait until they pile up so high that it will take you days to get through them. Go through your closet, your bookshelf and your garage once a week and make a bag of things you can give away. Drive the bags to the nearest thrift store at least once a month.

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While major home problems will require the help of a professional, there are many around-the-house problems that can be fixed by anybody with just a few tools and a few spare minutes. Problems in windows are a clear example: they happen often but rarely require the help of an outsider.

Cracks in the glass can be temporarily fixed with masking tape place on both the inside and the outside of the house. Always make sure the crack is completely covered so it can’t chip and extend. Larger cracks that can be dangerous if left alone can be fixed by removing the entire pane of glass and placing a piece of clear hard plastic in the its place. A heavy-duty garbage bag also works in a cinch. Tiny holes and cracks can be fixed with clear nail polish. If they’re not big enough to compromise the whole glass, you may not even need to replace the pane at all.

Windows that can’t open can be caused by a series of reasons. If you recently painted the frame, the paint may have stuck on the side railings, causing the window to seal in place. To fix this, simply run a thin blade or piece of metal where the panel and the frame meet to remove any dry paint or debris. If the reason the window is not opening is humidity, try using a hair dryer to warm up the wood, then lubricate the channel so the window can slide back and forth without effort.

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Moving out of a rental place is a lot different than selling your house and moving. For starters, moving dates are usually not flexible. This means you will have to much of the prep work in advance and ensure that everything is packed in moving boxes and out the door by the time you’re meant to turn the keys in. Not doing so could result in penalties or problems with the landlord. Depending on your lease contract, you may need to give advance notice about the move. The requirement is usually 30 or 60 days and you may have to forgo the security deposit if you’re moving before your lease is officially over.

When packing household items in boxes, keep your camera out. It’s always a good idea to take photos of any damage you caused, so they are properly documented in case of a disagreement. This is especially important if you had previous run-ins with the landlord and have a reason to believe he may try to keep the deposit. If possible, arrange for the landlord to tour the place with you after you’ve finished packing all your boxes. That way there’s no mistake about what’s going and what’s staying.

Before the tour, make sure you clean the apartment. You don’t have to shine the floors or shampoo the rugs, but make the place presentable. And always place all the cardboard boxes (already sealed with tape) in a single room, so you can move around freely and inspect every corner.

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Some small changes or additions can turn a plain house into the stuff of dreams. Whether you’re going for romantic cottage or charming country styles, sometimes it’s the little touches that can make all the difference.

Picket fences scream cottage, even if you live in the middle of the city. Stick to white if you want something obvious or mix pastels and bold colors for a major impact.

Turn your porch into an outdoor room. Use vintage furniture (from benches and chairs to a hatch) as much as possible to add character. Choose weather-resistant materials and don’t be afraid to buy things at garage sales or discount centers –After all, these items will stay outside and probably end up damaged after a while. Add touches of color and charm by using pillows, eye-catching accessories and lots of potted plants.

Hang stuff from the walls. Old pots and pans, dried flowers and vintage collectibles (such as mirrors, watering cans or other small items) all scream cottage charm.

Take the doors off the shelves. This works particularly well in the kitchen. Get rid of a few cabinet doors and use the open space to display cookbooks, vintage cooking utensils or well stacked china.

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