If you are looking for a place to purchase a ski home then you may want to consider looking into the popular ski resort town of Park City, Utah. The Park City UT real estate market offers a great selection of ski homes to choose from whether it's ski in ski out, a short walk to the slope or a short 10 minute drive from the lift. It is also the easiest ski resort community to get to which is located a short 30 minute drive from the Salt Lake International Airport that offers over a 100 non-stop destinations.

Park City second home owners on the East Coast can take an early morning flight and be on the slopes skiing that afternoon. Time is valuable these days. Many people who buy a Park City second home ski getaway enjoy how fast and easy it is to get to compared to other ski resort communities. It's nice to be able to take a non-stop flight since winter conditions can cause airport delays. Not having a non-stop flight can sometimes really extend the time it takes to get to your ski home.

The snow is incredible in Park City as well. It is light and fluffy and known to have some of the greatest snow on earth. Powder hounds love skiing the Park City and surrounding ski resorts because of the awesome powder. Much of it has to do with the low humidity in Utah which also makes the cold not so cold.

The elevation of Park City Utah is around 7000 feet so it is not as high as the ski resorts in Colorado. Many people find they don't get sick from the increase in elevation compared to the ski communities in Colorado which can be closer to 9000 feet at the base. Park City's elevation is also much higher than those on the East Coast so the snow conditions are better and more reliable. So the elevation in Park City is just right-- not to low and not too high.

The a ski slope location is like a beach front location. The closer to the ski slope the more a home will cost you. So depending on your budget you can find a luxury ski in ski out home or a more affordable family home a short drive away. Luxury ski in ski out homes are generally in the millions and a Park City home a short drive away can be as low as $500,000. It's best to work with a Local Park City Realtor who is familiar with the area to help you find the home that is right for you and your family.

If you are concerned with the up keep of your Park City second home, then you can hire a local property management company who can keep an eye on your home as well as maintain it while you are gone. You can also place it in a rental pool with one of the local property management companies if it is allowed in the subdivision to help generate income to help offset some of the costs for your ski home. You must first check with the CC&Rs for your subdivision since some do not allow nightly rental but your local Park City Realtor can help you get that information.

When I became a real estate agent in 1999, the market in St. George, Utah, was absolutely horrible. It would take six months to a year for an attractive home to sell, and unattractive homes with poor curb appeal or poor landscaping wouldn’t sell at all.

When I listed low-curb-appeal homes, the owners couldn’t understand why their homes were rarely shown. But, buyers simply would not walk through the door to look at the inside of the homes – mainly because the homes had no emotional appeal.

Emotion sells homes, and emotional appeal starts at the street. If your home isn’t enticing from the outside, buyers will drive by without stopping to look at the inside.

Because we’re in a buyer’s market, curb appeal is especially important today. If the exterior of your home is attractive and well maintained, buyers are more likely to stop and look around.

So, inspect your property. Take a really good look at it, and be objective. A few minor improvements can lead to a real increase in the number of people who view your home and a much quicker sale. You can enhance your home’s curb appeal by taking some very easy steps:

• Mow your yard, trim your shrubs, and remove any weeds, even if it’s the middle of winter. You want your yard to look neat and clean.

• Clean up the junk in your yard, especially if you have children. Put away bikes and toys. Pick up trash. Clean up dead tree limbs and fallen leaves. Disconnect the garden hose and store it in the garage. Store trash bins out of sight.

• Keep your driveway and sidewalks swept and clean.

• Paint the front door and door trim. In addition, change the deadbolt and doorknob so they look new and work perfectly.

• Inspect your porch light. Clean it inside and out. If it’s outdated, worn, or unattractive, replace it with a new light fixture.

• Clean your windows inside and out. You want them to sparkle from the street. Consider hiring professional window cleaners; they’re fast, they do a great job, and, usually, their services are reasonably priced.

• Remove and clean your window screens, but store them in the garage. This will make the windows look cleaner. The inside of your home will look brighter, too.

• Upgrade a plain doorbell with something fun or decorative. You can replace your doorbell for $20 or less. Just search online for “doorbell” or go to your local hardware store.

• While you have your home for sale, keep your garage door down at all times.

• If your fence can be seen from the street, make sure it looks good. Make repairs and give it a new coat of paint or stain before you put your home on the market.

With the interest rates at an all time low these past five years, many young adults have decided to take the next step to adulthood by purchasing a home, condo, or townhouse over renting an apartment. These young adults are in their mid-twenties, beginning the search for their future investment. When you speak with these first time home buyers, the understanding they have about throwing their money into rent being a waste and not getting any tax write offs will surprise many parents and long term homeowners. The concept of understanding mortgages and what owning a home can do for them in the future will amaze many. With all the positive information they receive and learn about buying a home, it seems many first time home buyers are not informed about the bidding process and getting a prequalification for a mortgage.

The first step a first time home buyer needs is to obtain a prequalification letter for two reasons. One, by having this letter in hand, it shows the realtor or home seller you are serious about making a bid and second, it shows the amount of a mortgage you qualify for before beginning your search. For example, if the first time home buyer is searching properties priced between $400,000 and $500,000 without a prequalification letter and finds a property they want to make a bid on; then gets their prequal letter to find they are only approved for a $350,000 mortgage, it becomes a rude awakening for them. Unless the first time home buyer has the difference of money saved, $50,000 - $150,000, and in the prequalification letter these terms are written in that the home buyer will be using their own money as a down payment, then the $350,000 mortgage would work toward making a bid since it would cover the difference.

When bidding on a property, remember once a bid is made, it can only be raised, not lowered. Let’s say John has been searching properties for four months and he is not particular on living in a single family home, condo, or townhouse. He just wants to find a nice place to live, in a safe area, where he can take public transportation to get to his job in the city. John is losing his patience with the home search and finds a property that he can see himself living in, which has all the factors he desires, and is at the top of his price range. Due to his exhaustion of searching, John sees the price, knows he is qualified for this amount of mortgage, and makes his bid for the seller’s asking price without even thinking.

The realtor did suggest to him to take a look at the other properties in the area before making his bid but John didn’t want to waste anymore time; he wanted to make a decision and knew this was the property for him. Later on that day, after the bid was placed, John began looking at the other properties in the area and found the average price was 45% less than what he bid. John’s heart began pumping very fast and called the realtor to find out if he could lower his bid. According to the realtor once John made the official bid, there was no changing it unless he was raising it.

There is never a rush to bid on a property without researching the history of the areas home prices. Many realtors will print up all the homes sold in the area within the past six months to help the first time home buyer make an educational and informed decision. There is nothing wrong with beginning a bid low since a bid can be raised. Set a limit for yourself for each property that is bid on and once you reach that limit; if another bid comes in higher, and then the first time home buyer must decide is the property worth pushing their limit. In many real estate markets all around the US, home sales have grown close to 80% and many feel rushing to buy is the only answer. This is not true, especially for a first time home buyer.

Until a young adult is involved in purchasing their first home, it is very hard for them to understand the process of bidding and mortgages. Many realtors or home sellers will hold a $1000 check with the bid proposal as a good faith deposit. This can be confusing since most realtors explain this as, “This check will go toward the purchasing of your new home.” The FTHB freaks out because they do not understand that the check will not be cashed unless their bid is accepted and they choose to move forward on the property; otherwise the check just sits in your file, in the realtor’s office, with all your paperwork till you are ready to buy

For those people who always think of purchasing their home in paradise the only option is Caribbean real estate. Whether you are thinking of buying your main place of residence, investment property, or vacation home, all real estate purchase is an important decision. Owning your own property is not just about the feeling of pride and security that goes with a home but it also points the way to financial growth on several fronts. Buying Caribbean real estate is subject to the laws of the place in the Caribbean where the property is located as each nation has its own laws to cater to the different types of ownership rights available there.

Several Caribbean real estate developments come with specific laws governing the transferable rights to foreign investors. This can prove to be quite a chore and hence it is recommended that all buyers interested in Caribbean real estate hire a competent real estate attorney in order to make sure that everything is understood and is done in conformity to all legal requirements.

One of the important aspects related to Caribbean real estate is transferring funds safely. As you should be aware, most real estate transactions involve huge sums of money that are often paid in monthly installments. It is only natural for most sellers to ask for significant deposits in order to assure themselves of the ability of the buyer to pay the rest without any problems. Similarly, it is in the interest of all buyers to not only deposit as small an amount as possible but also to deposit all money to a trusted third party rather than an unknown seller. This third party is known as an escrow agent that holds funds on behalf of the buyer and disburses them to the seller once all the contractual terms have been endorsed and met by both parties.

Buying Caribbean real estate is a dream come true for many individuals but there are some risks that you should know about so that you can approach the whole matter prudently. Here are some tips to get you started.

• Make sure the seller has legal ownership of the property you intend to buy.

• Hire a real estate attorney to check the ownership background of the property.

• Have your attorney check the purchase/sell agreement and all the terms and conditions therein.

A buoyant market on a human scale

Since the Greek property market opened to foreign buyers in the early 1990’s, thousands of holiday homes in Greece have been coveted –and ultimately purchased— by British, German, and other western European buyers. During the same period, the Greek property market has enjoyed steady growth rates of 8-12%. The Greek economy is, notably, one of the fastest-growing in the euro zone; and, thanks to the country’s stable and predictable economic growth, the real estate market can be relied upon to grow at a realistic pace as well, rather than in extreme upswings and drastic downturns all too often seen in up-and-coming markets.

Though pocket change is hardly enough to buy property in Greece, holiday homes here are, by comparison, still an excellent value for overseas buyers in search of that ray of sunshine and the downtempo lifestyle that goes with it. These are available in abundance; in fact, Greece is the perfect alternative to the traditional Mediterranean “favorites”: it is accessible, safe, beautiful, loaded with character, and prices in like-to-like comparisons of Greek and French or Spanish property can be up to 50% lower. There is a large variety of holiday homes for sale, but massive residential developments are not the norm. In most cases, summer homes in Greece retain their local style since, as a rule, the most sought-after locations for second homes are the islands and smaller villages where because of building rules, properties built are in the local traditional style. And, for supporters of “green” architecture, the sublime climate in Greece provides the perfect grounds for bioclimatic structures, maximizing the benefits of sun and breeze to create energy-efficient, sustainable homes with reduced maintenance costs.

Since a significant percentage of holiday home buyers originate from Western Europe, it comes as no surprise that a lot of new construction is customized to suit these buyers’ preferences. The concept of homes that are “ready to wear” has caught on, as travel times between Greece and the rest of Europe have diminished and popping over to Greece for a weekend is no longer utopian; fully equipped homes, sold turnkey with everything from furnishings to linens and cutlery sets, ensure that the fortunate owner can spend all weekend by the pool rather than curtain-shopping for the house. Similarly, the concept of Buy-to-Let properties is taking shape; while property management and guaranteed rentals are in an early stage of sorts, they are increasingly available in, primarily, tourist-savvy locations. This is an important feature, considering that holiday homes usually belong to absentee owners wondering how to make the most out of their investments while, at the same time, enjoying the peace of mind that comes with knowing their property is looked after while they are busy working to fund it.

It is rather unfair that Greece, one of the most mountainous countries in Europe, has settled in people’s collective conscience strictly as a Sea-and-Sun destination. As a result, the overwhelming demand by overseas buyers is for summer homes, with seafront properties carrying the respective price tag and giving credence to global real estate’s “Location, Location, Location” mantra. Still, inland traditional and newly-built properties abound and they are an excellent alternative for those who can’t afford a seaside property, but don’t mind driving to the beach and yearn for an insider’s take on the famously relaxed village life. After all, even on the larger islands, the beach is never too far away.

Toshiba has quickly become an industry leader in HDTV monitors and televisions, and while they make a wide range of CRT, Plasma and LCD monitors that can be used in the home, one of the most popular models is a Toshiba 32 HDTV LCD monitor.

The Toshiba REGZA 32HL66 32" LCD HDTV is a popular and respected model. It is currently retailing for just under $1,000 on most web sites. This set comes with speakers mounted on the bottom of the set and three separate tuners for maximum usage. It’s a light set at only 46 pounds. That is one major advantage of plasma and LCD over CRT is that they almost always weigh much, much less. It also comes with an 8 millisecond response time that makes the quality of the picture close to perfect. If you’ve been putting off getting an LCD HDTV, this is the one to buy.

If you’re looking for the same quality TV, but with a built-in DVD player, you’re in luck. The Toshiba REGZA 32HLV66 32" LCD HDTV with DVD Player is available, as well. It is the same great TV profiled above, but it also comes with a high-end built in DVD player.

If you’re looking for a bigger picture, but you still want to stick with the reliability of LCD, you can choose the Toshiba 47LZ196 47" Cinema Series Pro® high-definition 1080p LCD TV. This monitor is one of the largest LCD screens you can buy. At 47”, it is sure to meet the size requirements of any hardcore TV junkie. The retail price for this one is a bit pricy, at $3,900 but it is worth it for HDTV fans who expect the best. For a TV of this size and quality, the shipping weight is only 109 pounds, or a fraction of what the same TV would weigh if it was not a flatscreen model.

Toshiba is an industry leader in HDTV and has been since the beginning. If you’re looking for the best TV’s money can buy, Toshiba is a trusted brand.

There are many housing councils in the UK, There are a lot of times when one citizen wants to move to another province or another state. Whether he has a house or bungalow and is looking to move from council to housing association, council to council, he requires the assistance of a council.

When a person shifts or wants to shift from one province or state to another, he needs to take the help of the local council to have his home swapped and to find a new house or flat or whatever form of shelter he is looking at buying or renting.

There are council exchange associations where a number of people who are interested in a home swap get registered to avail of its benefits. These associations in return help its members by finding them suitable house swaps or exchanges.

A lot of these associations are private run and charge their customers. Most of these private run associations have a small website on which the members’ properties are advertised. Other members who are looking for a house may just find their required home swap on one of these websites.

There are a lot of government run associations which also host a lot of local tenant information. These are normally done for free and are found locally. They sometimes help you find homes in other provinces as they act on behalf of the customer. They fix a meeting ground where a customer can take a look at the various offers he gets for his new home.

There are a lot of people who are homeless in the UK. These local council’s help these citizens by finding them homes and providing them with shelter. All these councils are run by the government and operate mostly for free as community service. This is just a part of the councils as there are many other types of council which deal with various other aspects.

The birthday party supplies you will need for a birthday party can be balloons, decorations, food and many other things. Plan the birthday party for your child around a theme party, it will be liked not only by your kid, but also by all his friends at school.

But with the proper party supplies, a little know how and a lot of imagination, you can throw a birthday party that the kids will be talking about all year. It is very important to consult with the birthday boy or girl about the kind of party they would like, as kids or teenagers have their own ideas of what makes a party fun. There are supplies for every kind of theme party.

When planning a kids Birthday Party or an adult theme event, it is very important to pay attention to all the details, including, and especially, the birthday party supplies. Birthday party supplies set the mood and solidify the theme of a well planned party.

A theme party can also be great fun such as a pirate party, or an outdoor garden party. Online party supplies and stores are useful because they carry a wide range of theme party supplies. Here are some party supplies to be included piñata, table decorations; goody favors bags, stickers, games, novelties and plates.

Most gift shops go out of their way to stock decorations, invitations, tableware, theme gifts, and more. An intelligent choice of the right material and theme will ensure a unique experience. It’s important to have a creative planning stage before each party during which you’ll sit down and decide on the theme of your event and how your party supplies will look.

These holiday events are easy to plan for and throw of you know what kind of party supplies by theme you are going to look for and where you plan on going to get them. With any theme you have a ton of ideas waiting to be used. Going on that idea your theme party supplies need to be something that will please you guest and yourself without going overboard.

Maybe you want to have a princess theme party, character party supplies for this might be some tiaras that everyone can take home. Matching paper napkins, paper plates, cups, and table runners or cloths can carry the theme even more completely.

You’re planning a big party celebration, and to save money, you consider searching for discount party supplies. For the newcomer to discount party supply buying, the best way to be certain that you are getting a bargain is to comparison shop. Using plain or white napkins may not be exciting and colorful the rest of the decorations with their vivid decorations the white or plain napkins really pop.

You most probably do not own the roof over your head. And the dream to own your own Real Estate looks so far in a dark tunnel that you can’t imagine how your hands can ever reach such a lofty desire without winning a lottery.

Interestingly a lot of people feel just as you do even though they can own their own Real Estate at 90% of market value. Unfortunately, just like you, they do not know how.

Take a pen and paper and calculate your annual rent for a couple of years. Later you will see that you would have spent more the amount you need to own your own house and leave the league of those paying ridiculously high annual rents.

Yes you can own your own Real Estate at 90% off market value by taking advantage of Real Estate auctions: The Auctions are legal and out there in every state waiting for you.

Did you know that over 250 000 seized Real Estates by government and other institutions in the United States are constantly available for auctions all over the states?

Did you also know that every month thousands more Real Estates are repossessed for public auctions by Governments, banks, organizations and institutions, and that ordinary folks like you are taking advantage of this very hot but obscure market to own their own dream homes?

Shouldn’t it also interest you to know that some people with entrepreneurial spirits have even gone into Real Estate business on shoe string budgets through Real Estate auctions, buying ridiculously cheap and selling at market value?

The seized Real Estates auctions are very unique with all transactions being very transparent, conducted in the open where you can clearly see that each item is won by the highest bidder. “Highest” in all cases being just 90% off market value.

So-called "retirement communities" have changed. People are not looking for a home that has been downsized amid other small homes. Today "retirement homes" have become active communities and the communities aren't even referred to as retirement although they are age-restricted. This age restriction definitely makes life better for the retiring but, unfortunately or fortunately, many of today's "retirees" are still working part or full-time and so retirement communities are referred to as active adult communities.

These active adult communities are not of some generic structure--although some seem to be.. They are focused on either the wealthy, middle-class or poorer seniors and various combinations. There is variety of prices, styles, activities and most of all sizes.

You should keep up with the trends. There are so many types of communities to choose from giving you many options and more decisions to make, and there are more being built every year.

A reader of my website, where you can find communities and keep up with trends, emailed me that she didn't understand why the builders are making the homes so big for retirees at a time when seniors usually want smaller. I emailed her back that the builders are saying that all people do not want small anymore but instead many now are upgrading and want larger for all the many hobbies and work at home projects they intend to pursue, in addition to having room for children and grandchildren to visit. They also may live longer so why not have a new and beautiful home to live in. Why not indeed.

If you had a pension, social security, investments, equity in your home, and inheritances, as many of today's early boomers do, you would probably be able to afford an upgraded and larger home. For seniors wanting or needing downsized homes, look around because there are also communities that have condominiums, town homes, cottages and even small single-family homes available, and sometimes they are mixed in with large single-family homes.

The homes in active adult communities are not over-priced, either. Prices appear to be under the general market right now but check with your local Realtor. A common scenario becoming more frequent: You sell your current home, tapping the equity, buy a larger and new home in an active adult community, using only half your equity, banking the rest of it for your retirement. You continue working although you now have someone to mow your lawn and shovel your snow, options that many communities offer because no home or yard maintenance seems to be a dominating reason why seniors sell their current homes for ones in active adult communities. You are happier

By and large the last few months leading up to the start of high season have been indifferent for the real estate professionals in Pattaya. An unsettled government, whiffs of scandal and uncertainties about how the land office will view applications all combined to affect some – not all – areas of the market. So how do real estate agents view the coming of the high season? Do they anticipate and upturn or more of the same? John Davids spoke to half a dozen of them just days after the season got underway…

Perhaps not surprisingly the coming of the high season is being greeted with a mood of optimism among the agents I spoke to. Pessimism in business is no good whatever your line of work. It couldn’t be more true of the property business.

But is the optimism well founded and based on sound reasoning?

Based on my chats with the six I believe the answer is yes. But I would qualify that by saying that the picture is looking brighter in some areas than others.

For example, interest in new condo developments remains high. The opportunity for “own name” ownership while the first 49 per cent of the apartments remain on the market is undiminished. Remember, up to 49 per cent of any condominium block can be owned by foreigners without needing to resort to other, more convoluted ownership routes.

"It's difficult in the second-hand resale market at present," said Heiner Moessing of Siam Properties. “I’m finding that buyers are prepared to spend 20 or 30 percent more on new condominium developments to secure an ‘own-name’ property.”

Heiner says he is definitely noticing an increased interest in new properties. “The tendency is toward newer projects even if they are at higher prices,” he added.

Heiner continued: “Our website is bringing in a lot of enquiries, but we are well established and known within the market. We see our success as a combination of experience and knowledge of the Pattaya property market, a perceptive understanding of our customers’ requirements and above all … integrity.”

“We had a sleepy October but you get a couple of months like that each year. Now things are looking quite nice and I believe interest will go up over the next few months,” Heiner concluded.

Heiner’s thoughts on the prospects for the high season are shared by Julian Stanley of Pattaya Dream Homes. “I’m absolutely, positively optimistic about the high season,” said Julian who can point to the statistics of ‘hits’ on his web site as the reason for this.

Hits on the site for condo searches were a little under the 2,000 mark on the day I spoke to him. “I would say that about 80 per cent of the enquiries I’m getting, web hits, emails or telephone calls are to do with condos,” he said.

“We have many potential foreign buyers arriving here over the next three-four months. I don’t know if this is a natural upturn based on the season or not.” Julian’s company only started in January this year so he has not previously experienced the low to high season transition. “I’m optimistic, but I’m not ordering the Mercedes just yet,” he joked.

On a more serious note, what did he think of other areas of the market? “The market in stand-alone houses is stagnant at present. Major developers have stopped pre-building and are just trying to sell from plans which doesn’t make our job easy. Much better for us are developments like The Meadows from Town & Country where they have built many of the units. That’s the class way to go in my book. People can see what they are buying.”

The Puerto Vallarta real estate market is an exciting one, due to the number of opportunities for recreation available and the beauty of the nearby beaches and resorts. Finding the perfect beachfront property in Puerto Vallarta can make your dreams of owning a home in this beautiful resort community come true. If you’re looking for a property, you can find a number of options, including condos and villas, which meet the needs of your family and also allow you to choose some conveniences that will make your life easier. These Puerto Vallarta real estate options make it a positive experience to look for a property instead of a negative one. Many other markets have many properties that don’t meet your needs or have nothing to offer in terms of recreation and value, but Puerto Vallarta has many properties that are sure to meet your needs and bring you satisfaction with your choice. Before you purchase a property, it is important that you consider both internal and external factors that will help you make your choice. If you pay attention to these factors, you’ll be able to make a better decision.

Internal factors include those that can be found in and around the actual property. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amount of outdoor space, included appliances, and additional amenities are all internal factors that need to be considered before you buy a property. You’re not going to be happy in a place that doesn’t have enough bedrooms for your family or enough outdoor space for your children. If you define what you’re looking for before you start viewing properties, you’ll save time and have a better chance of making your decision within a reasonable timeframe. External factors can include nearby child care facilities, restaurants, sports facilities, recreational parks, and other conveniences that make life in a specific neighborhood as happy as possible. If you need a place for your children to spend time or you’d like to be near the beach, let your realtor know so that he or she can come up with a list of potential properties that matches your needs. Choosing a property that doesn’t have what you want nearby is a sure way to be unhappy with your choice. Make the smart choice and list all of the details you want in a property before consulting with a Mexico realtor. This will make Puerto Vallarta homebuying a more enjoyable experience with a long-lasting positive outcome.

One year ago Hurricane Katrina devastated several southern states and created complete and total devastation to thousands of people. Many were completely displaced and forced from their homes. In all senses, the people that were directly hit by Katrina’s wrath lost everything they owned. Homes, businesses and schools were completely and utterly gone. Many people had nowhere to go and were in dire need of assistance.

When a natural disaster strikes with the magnitude of power such as Hurricane Katrina, many are left to wonder how they will ever go back to a normal life. It is hard to imagine losing everything but many people did in fact lose everything they owned. Children could not attend school because of course the school was completely devastated by wind and water.

Our Federal Emergency Management System has done their best to help the people affected by Katrina but in most cases it just wasn’t enough. Business owners were forced to either rebuild or close their business, affecting their entire livelihood and causing grief to many. Although it has been a year since Katrina unleashed her fury, many business and homeowners turned to the government for assistance.

The government offered businesses and homeowners that wanted to rebuild, low interest loans to basically jump-start their lives. Many found the low interest loans a great comfort as they tried to rebuild what they have lost. Although a low interest loan cannot bring back their lives, it enabled people to have hope and the courage to rebuild their homes, businesses, and in all senses of reality, their dignity and lives

Okay, there's actually more than three steps to get control of all the clutter in your home. These steps however will go a long way in taming the clutter that may have taken over your home. If you've ever wanted a neat orderly home, but the thought of constantly cleaning and polishing nature somewhat ill can use these tips to stay neat, clean and organized. Most homes have a great deal of clutter lying around that in turn makes the whole house look disheveled and dirty. By taking control of the clutter in the misplaced things, your cleaning routine doesn't need to be an ongoing ordeal. Here's three tips that can keep your home looking better between housecleaning days.

1. Handle the mail. If you're like most households, you probably get literally piles of mail in the course of a week. From catalogs, advertisements, direct mail offerings, etc. all pile up with your promise to go through it "later." This first tip is to make later "now"!

Review all your catalogs, and if it's been more than three months that you haven't ordered anything, consider stopping those catalogs from coming. Many stores use a catalog as a type of picture book in an attempt to generate additional sales. Don't fall for it.

Next sort your mail over the trash. Anything that looks like third class or junk mail or anything that doesn't interest you, instead of saving it for later get rid of it now. A lot of third class advertising type offers look official and important. Go ahead and opened it up, give it a quick scan and drop it into the trash below.

2. Are you a movie freak? Many people enjoy watching movies and listening to music on CDs. One way to help with clutter is to organize these entertainment jewels in racks. When selecting them enjoying a movie, take the CD or DVD case and place it in close proximity to the actual player. Not on the floor or on top of the television! Make it a point never to have more than a couple movies, out of the organization rack at one time.

3. Take control of the flatlands. Cluttered horizontal surfaces do more to make your home look disheveled and out of control than anything else. If you come home and toss your keys, wallet or purse, cell phone, etc. just anywhere, consider giving a decorator basket to keep everything in one place. By making it a point to keep your personal effects in order and in one location, you not only make your home look neater but you also save time looking for things that come up missing.

Wide areas of blank space make the room look clean and neat. No matter what size your kitchen countertops may be, focus on keeping the clutter off of them. This means finding a cabinet shelf for that Tupperware canister set. When finished eating, richer plates and put them directly in the dishwasher or stack them neatly in the sink for later washing. Coffee cups, plates, ice cream bowls etc. should also be immediately placed in the dishwasher or rinsed and stacked.

Another large flat area is your kitchen or dining room table. By keeping the clutter cleared off this large area, the rest of the room will by default look better. Consider using an inexpensive tablecloth and a silk flower arrangement to give your table a touch of homeliness.

If you're not organized already but recognize the need, you're on your way to a cleaner looking house. These tips help many people get and stay organized because they are little adjustments to your daily routine. The key to success is to realize small changes can equal big success