If your trash collectors are anything like mine, you’ll probably agree with me that they ought to just wear skirts to work. I mean, they are picky about what they will pick up. Nothing too large, too heavy, nor anything that isn’t wrapped up neatly with a tidy little bow. Puh-lease.

So what to do with that big musty old couch? Hmm. Let’s look at a few ideas. Here’s a list of ten ways to get rid of an old couch: 

1. Free to Good Home – Depending on the traffic on your street, this may be a fairly quick way to see that sofa off. Put a “Free Sofa” sign on it at the curb and wait.
2. Sell It – There’s something psychological about placing a dollar value on something that makes it seem more valuable to people. Price it to sell, and put a for sale sign on it instead. I’ve heard anecdotal stories of things disappearing shortly after a Free sign was replaced with a For Sale sign.
3. Donate It – If it’s still in fairly decent shape, this could be an option for Goodwill Industries or a local shelter. Call around to charities in your area listed in the yellow pages. Some of them may even pick up.
4. Post It Online – Take advantage of your social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Put up a message and post some pics of that couch.
5. Advertise – Laundromats, the local college, coffee shops. Think about where people who may be looking to furnish an apartment cheap would be hanging out, and get the word to them.
6. Swap It – If you’re getting rid of an old one to replace it with a new one, check whether the store you’re buying from will pick up the old one.
7. Consignment Store – If there’s a consignment store in your area, you may be able to have them sell it for you. Clean it up and let them handle the rest.
8. Furniture Bank – Some cities have furniture banks which will accept donated furniture for resale. Check your local listings and see if there’s one near you, and if so, whether they pick up.
9. CraigsList – Place an ad for your area on CraigsList, either for free or priced to sell fast. You’d be surprised how many calls and/or emails can result.
10. 1800gotjunk.com – As a last resort, you can usually find some outfit like these folks in your area who will pick up your trash for a nominal fee. If you just want to see it gone, and haven’t had luck with the other options, this one just may be the ticket for you.

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Going off on your own for the first time can seem overwhelming. The last thing you want to think about is how you’re going to eat. Although most colleges provide a cafeteria, in the long run that’s not very appetizing and eating at a restaurant every day gets pricy. So, here are a few essentials for cooking solo.

1. Compact refrigerator – Duh! Man cannot live on Ramen noodles and canned goods alone. You need fresh fruit, vegetables, and dairy products, so a fridge is an essential. Besides, where else are you going to chill your drinks?
2. Toaster oven – Ah, yes. Regardless of the three A.M. infomercials, a microwave cannot do everything. To make real, edible, food you’ll need an oven. P.S. these things also work as a toaster, so you just cut out a second appliance. Be aware that they’re small, so usually a full-sized pizza is out of the question. But you’d be surprised at the versatility of the little things.
3. Microwave – Speaking of versatility, a microwave is a wondrous machine. I’m sure you’re well versed in the usage of them, so I won’t blather on. Get one. You’ll need it.
4. Coffee maker – Mmm… the best part of waking up. Or in some cases, staying up after an all-nighter. It is way more affordable to make your own than to buy Starbucks every morning, and the things come dirt cheap. Just remember the travel mug and you’re good to go.
5. Cookbook – We all have our favorite foods, but I guarantee you’ll draw a blank when it comes to actually cooking it. For anything more complex than mac and cheese, pull out your trusty cookbook. “The Joy of Cooking” covers everything, but you can get more specific cookbooks almost anywhere. I suggest a used book store, as they can get expensive.
6. Flatware – Um… Something to eat with would be good. I know how fun it is to eat with your fingers, but soup and steak have a tendency to make that a bit difficult. A good steak knife is a necessity – you can pretty much use it to cut anything. Butter knifes (try to find ones with a bit of edge on them), forks, regular spoons and a serving spoon, a spatula (you’ll use it more than you think), and measuring spoons and cups should cover the basics.
7. Dinnerware – Also, something to eat on. You cannot just lean over the sink! Hunker down and get yourself plates (big and small), bowls (soup and serving/mixing), and some cups and mugs. Do not depend on paper plates and plastic cups, one day you’ll run out and then where will you be? Besides, it’s more environmentally responsible to wash a dish than it is to contribute to landfills.
8. Can opener – Remember what I said about soup? Not all cans have a pop-top, so get yourself a can opener. The electric ones are more expensive, and you really don’t need it. Just get a simple hand-powered one and use those typing muscles!
9. Electric skillet or hotplate – Ah, another indispensible tool for edible food preparation. I’m a meat eater myself, and I certainly don’t want to bake my steak or burgers! Both the options work well, but just remember- if you go for the hot plate, you’ll need a pot and a pan to cook with. I recommend cast iron. It’s heavy, but it holds heat and cooks evenly, so you’re less likely to burn your meal.
10. Casserole dish and cookie sheet – This is only if you opted for the toaster oven! Most toaster ovens come with a small baking sheet, which typically works okay. If yours didn’t include a baking sheet, find out the size the oven can take before buying one. You’ll need something to put your food on when you’re cooking with the oven. Why a casserole dish too? I have one word for you – brownies. Well, really any cake or cake-like thing. But you’ll be shocked at how many things you’ll end up baking in your casserole dish. Just make sure, once again, that it’ll fit.

That’s the basics. And this list isn’t just for dorm dwellers. Anyone starting out from scratch, especially those on a budget, needs to purchase these essential ingredients for a happy, healthy cooking experience. The rest is just icing on the cake… Mmm… cake.

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This move story was brought to us by Doris Thompson a friend of MoversAndPackers.org:

OH the stories we can tell about moving across the country, or across state lines.  Not just me – yes-I have one – but you as well.  Moves are challenging at best.  The route we take the routine we go through to see that everyone is settled without a lot of interruptions in their life is stressful.

I had hardly traveled beyond the state line of Tennessee when I ventured into Mississippi and met my husband.  After we married, I realized just how home sick I was; not just for my family but for the farm land I had allowed into my soul.  Sure there was farm land in Mississippi, but it was not Long Branch.   There was only one Long Branch and it ran deep in my veins, and would forever be compared to any other piece of earth I might land on.

I had little to move with me, as we were just starting out for a life together – thick or thin – in sickness and in health until death parted us.  I had dreams of grandeur evidently, and never stopped to consider the consequences of choosing to live in a foreign land I hardly knew with people of which I knew very little more. 

We struggled for the five years we lived there – it was probably the times in which we were living, along with the new life we were adjusting to.  However my husband had an opportunity to go to Memphis to find work.  It was not Long Branch, but it was Tennessee.  My mother was thrilled I was back on Tennessee soil in God’s country!  My children were babies, so moving young children was an excitement to them.  They got involved in the move, exploring their new surroundings and 10 years later we had moved into a new house and things were looking up. 

After the move into the new house, my husband got the new job and the money was great – the down side was he would be driving for Levi Strauss – making runs from the east coast to Texas and points beyond, taking him away from home 5-6 days a week. 

After a couple of years on the Levi Strauss job, the company decided to move the dispatch/trucking division more center of the US, and knowing the job was a God send, we made the choice to move with the company to Arkansas.  We had added another son to our growing family, and now with 4 children, two teenagers and two pre-teens I did not know what was in store as far as challenge was concerned.  But I would soon learn.

We put our new home on the market in the fall of that year.  Winter passed, and spring came, but the children and I were still living in Memphis.  My husband came home on Friday nights only to leave again on Sunday afternoon to drive the two and ½ hours to Little Rock to make his weekly run again.  It was grueling on him, and to watch my children as they longed for their Dad, after he started the trip back to Arkansas, was getting heavy to carry.  Raising children was not meant to be a one person job as far as I was concerned.  They needed their Dad, and I needed a helper.  They were growing up when he wasn’t there.  For all intents and purposes I felt like a married widow.

Summer began, school was out and still so signs of moving were in site.  One Sunday night I gathered the children for prayer concerning my husband’s safety as well as ask the Lord to send someone to purchase the house.  Shortly after our prayer that same night there was a telephone call.  If there was ever anything to build faith in God into my children it was the prayer, and then the call that came so timely.  Our realtor called to say someone was interested in seeing the house, and wanted to come by that night.  I wasn’t about to tell them it was too late and to wait another day.  This is why we had prayed, and this call was an answer I had asked for.

The young couple looked at the house that night around eight o’clock and the next day while I was at work, the realtor called to say he had an offer!

After several trips to Little Rock, we found the house we would call home for the next 25 years.  Visualize this if you can.  Two cars overloaded; inside one car was a first time mother dog and 5 puppies, a U-haul loaded with all our earthly possessions, and 4 anxious kids with a weary Mom and Dad.

I left behind my beloved Piano I had purchased at a give-a-way price and refurbished.  There was just no room.  I felt I was leaving a child behind I loved that Piano so.  Several hours later, we arrived at our new home only to learn the papers could not be signed for another few days.  What to do?

Where the mix up came from, I have no idea whom to blame.  Our Realtor at the new location was aware we would be arriving on that particular day, so he went into hiding and could not be found for several days.  Now our challenge had increased in load limit.  What to do with a truck load of furniture, and a weary family until the papers could be signed. 

After a laborious 48 hours, we got permission from the seller to move in.  Though the papers were not signed, we had the key and would at least be able to unload boxes, the dogs, the children and a place to sleep.

Even with all the above, I learned too late that uprooting teenagers is not an ideal situation.  When children are young, they seem to adjust much better than when they are established in a school, church and community.  Short of leaving them behind, the only solution is to watch for signs of discontent.  By all means “keep communication open” I was told. 

The next five years were bumpy for my first teenager, but we made it through each new challenge we faced.  In making new friends, the ones who came by to befriend him, were of questionable character which caused complications.   Often our problem areas were solved before my husband got home.  However we realize looking back on 25+ years, that all ended well. He learned to be wiser about choosing his friends but it took a few years of tears, prayers and a loving family. 

We were determined to accept our new home, new state, new school and church.  Eventually we started finding our place and each day as we settled in, we found a way to be together and laugh.  Yes, laugh.  Forgetting the challenges of uprooting a family to follow employment; forgetting the map of the city which lay on the car seat beside me for the greater portion of a year; and even forgetting the hassle of the first day of our arrival, we have learned to laugh and remember the move was an answer to prayer.

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If you’re like me you are okay with some cold weather.  Seasonal changes are great and break up the monotony.  Living where it’s always hot or always cold would get really boring I would think.  When you think of really hot places you think of the desert.  A desert is considered to be a place that receives less than 10 inches of rain annually.  When you think of really cold places you might think of Antarctica, but do people really live there?  Check out 10 coldest places on earth where people actually live.

1. Oymyaken, Russia: The temperature stays around 30 degrees below zero here.  You’ve heard about secret agents that mess up getting sent to Siberia?  This is the place they are talking about.  This area is in the Northeast corner of Yakutia a republic in Russia an area in Siberia about the size of India.  This area holds the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded by humans at 96.16 degrees below zero.  A nomadic people live in this region and herd reindeer.
2. Northice and Eismitte, Greenland: Temperatures of minus 50 are often seen in this region.  Living in an area like this is challenging for more reasons than you’d think.  Did you know that when it’s this cold that ink in a ballpoint pen will freeze?  How about gasoline, it freezes at –150, but if it has water in it then it will freeze at a higher temperature.  Children living there can only play outside for 20 minutes before having to come in to prevent their lungs from freezing.  The people in this area have adapted to the cold.  These areas were sites of different expeditions to the area.  Northice actually started out as North Ice and Eismitte translates to Ice Center in German.  The sun does not set between May 13 and July 30^th each year and it does not rise between Nov. 23 and Jan. 20.
3. Whitehorse, Canada: The population is 30,400 here and the temperatures a just a few degrees warmer than Northice, Greenland.  Whitehorse is located in the Northwest Territory of Yukon in Canada, just East of Alaska.  Native Americans mostly populate this area and the city came about from the fur trade in the late 1800’s.  The Yukon tribe made a claim on the land that was recognized by the government in 1991.  In 1896 a mining group found gold in this area and that started the Klondike gold rush, which ended when the gold ran out in 1910.
4. International Falls, MN: This is one of the coldest places to live in the United States.  Typical lows in the winter would be minus 32.  Lows have been seen as low as minus 55 degrees.  One of the biggest industries in this area is logging and products involving wood.  International Falls is right on the border of Canada and connects with a bridge where the Canadian Customs waits on the other side.  Strangely enough tourism is their second largest money generator.  They boast many winter sports such as ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and others.  Auto manufacturers also use this area as a great testing ground for how well their cars do in the winter.  The population is 6424.
5. Prospect Creek, AK: The coldest temperature ever recorded in the United States was in Prospect Creek, AK in January 1971 the temperature was minus 94.  In the 1970’s approximately 20,000 people lived here while working on the Trans-Alaska pipeline.  Since 1977 when the pipeline was completed there hasn’t been much going on in this area.  The occasional mining expedition may go through here, but today this area is considered uninhabited.  Although, if you travel 25 miles to the Northwest you will arrive in Bettles, AK, population 43.
6. Dras, India: This area receives so much snow that it is cut off from the rest of the region for several months of the year.  It’s winter lows are normally –31 degrees.  The lowest recorded temperature was minus58 degrees.  Dras is most noted for the Kargil War, which was fought in 1999.  The war was fought between Pakistan and India.  The war was over who controlled national highway 1D.  This is a very harsh region during the winter, but reaches the upper 80’s during the summer.
7. Verkhoyansk, Russia: The population is around 1300 with most people being fur traders or reindeer herders.  Similar to Oymyaken it’s located in Stalin’s Death Ring.  Stalin used to send the political exiles to this region to work on Kolyma highway.  It was such a harsh region that it is said that 1 prisoner died for every meter of the highway.  The road is 2000km long. The locals call it the “road of bones”.  The coldest temperature recorded here was minus 93.6 degrees in 1892.
8. Yakutsk, Russia: This is noted as the coldest city in the world with a population of 210,000.  The ground never thaws here and temperatures have been measured  as cold as minus 84.  Frostbite can occur after only a few minutes in these temperatures.
9. Snag, Canada: The lowest temperature here was minus 81.4 degrees.  Snag is not far from Whitehorse.  When this temperature was measured the area was inhabited about a dozen fur traders and 8-10 native people at the airport and it got so cold that the thermometer didn’t even go that low they had to modify it.
10. Grise Fiord, Canada: With a population of 141 this extremely cold area reaches lows of minus 80 degrees.  This town was formed during the Cold War to claim their rights in the high arctic.  The population was made up of native Americans and they were promised game to hunt and other things and they weren’t provided so they were promised relocation in a year, but once Canada found out it would damage their claims on the area if they were to move these people the offer to relocate was taken back.  The tribe realized they could hunt whales and were able to stay there.  Much later an official apology was issued to these people and they or their descendants were compensated monetarily.

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Empty Nesters, opportunity awaits! Your kids have all moved out and your chance to reclaim some space has arrived. You may have been secretly planning your redecorating strategy for some time. It’s OK, no need to feel guilty. You’ve waited long enough for this day, and at considerable cost – both financially and personally. So let’s consider some ways to reward yourself, and even help others.

Here’s a list of five options for dealing with your kids’ stuff after they’ve moved out:

1. Donate – Goodwill Industries or the Salvation Army are a couple of good options that can make good use of those items you don’t want to hang onto or store away. Why not put those clothes to good use and spare some other parents the expense of keeping their offspring in $100 jeans?
2. Have a Yard Sale – You can help finance that vacation you’ve been holding off, by selling those items at a yard sale. Just don’t expect to actually get 100 bucks for those jeans. Make sure and put the furniture in the sale too. Now that you have them out of the house, you could use the money from the sale to redecorate their room.
3. Consignment Stores – This option is sort of a cross between the previous two. A consignment store will put your merchandise on display and sell it for you (you can negotiate pricing beforehand). They’re an appealing alternative to retail stores for the family on a tight budget, and will save you the hassle of setting up and manning a yard sale at your house.
4. Put it in Storage – Provided you’ve got either the space of your own, or the money to pay for storage, this option allows for the kids to reclaim those items that they may not have had room for when they moved out. There are definitely going to be things that you don’t want to give away or sell. It’s ok to hold on to it for awhile. They want to pass those baseball cards and matchbook cars down to their boys someday.
5. Build a Shrine – Be honest. You miss them already. And you just know that eventually they’ll be moving back in. You’re a parent and it’s natural to have a hard time letting go. So face it, you’ll keep their rooms and closets just the way they left them. And you are very right about the moving back in part. At least once, they’ll be back for a few months or weeks. You might as well have it ready for them.

Whichever option you choose, just make sure that you and your spouse savor this time to be just a couple again. You never know when your kids’ old rooms are going to be filled with grand-kids and their toys. See? So many more memories for you to make after all.

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Walls in our homes are the place we love to decorate with images from our heart. When it comes to pictures, we enjoy framing many things that have meaning to us. It doesn’t matter if others will not understand. We do it because of what it represents to us. There is no rule or set of standards for what is important. Every person has the freedom to express themselves. With them, we say something about ourselves, and what we cherish. Here are the 10 most common types of photos people often hang on their wall.

1. Family. There is not much that is closer to our hearts than our family. We love to put up those pictures of our kids, since they grow so fast. Plus there are the ones of our parents or grandparents, that always are very important. Each represents a generation, one coming to be and the other behind us.
2. Famous People. Maybe there is some celebrity or person from history who is personally inspirational. Having their photos on the wall can remind us of things we cherish.
3. Vacations. Taking a once in a lifetime trip is something we all love to remember. Seeing the photo, from the place we only have had a chance to visit once, can often bring a smile to our faces.
4. Collections. If we have a hobby where we collect items, we may want to show it off to others. If it is something we restored, or an item that is very rare, we might have even more reason to display that picture.
5. Special Events. Who wouldn’t want to capture some holiday or reunion in film? It might be something we only went to once and is filled with lots of great memories.
6. Scenic Spots. Perhaps some place is beautiful to the point that looking at the picture just relaxes or makes us feel calm in a unique way. Nature is often the subject of photos that are displayed in our homes.
7. Friends. Best friends are such a cherished part of life. We can spend so much time with them like they were siblings. Having a candid shot of them can demonstrate the place of honor they hold in your life.
8. Humor. Life has its stress points for all of us. Being creative, and having pictures that make us laugh, can be just what we need; a reminder of the fun moments of life.
9. Pets. They are such dear companions in many ways. Capturing them in a moment of cuteness is just irresistible. Once they are gone, it becomes a memorial of sorts.
10. Memories. Graduations, weddings and those moments we want to relive over and over, just deserve a place on our wall. They let us visit a time, we wish to enjoy more than once.

The wonderful thing with pictures is how they express something about a time in our lives, or a place we dream about, that has made an impact on us. In our homes, we acknowledge their prominent place in our lives by allowing them to live on our walls.

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Moving from your home to a new residence can be a tense and stressful time, for your dog as well as for you. Here are a few useful tips to help both you and your dog have a low-stress move, and to help your dog accept and adapt to the new home.

Prepare your pet for the move.

1. In preparing for a move to a new home, leash-train your dog well ahead of time, so that you can keep control of the dog during the move, and while familiarizing the pup with your new home.
2. Another important step is to be sure that your dog is crate-trained. A crate gives your dog a home-within-a-home, a safe and comfortable place to be when the dog is confused or fearful, both during the move and once in the new home.
3. Just before loading your pet for the move, be sure that all of the dog’s immediate needs are met; that he or she has been played with, fed and watered, and allowed to urinate and/or defecate.

Prepare your new home for your pet.

1. Examine the home, from both human and dog’s eye level, to eliminate or secure any hazards to the dog, such as chemicals, poisonous plants, or tempting electrical cords. Also, see that there are no irreplaceable valuables within reach, that your dog may damage or destroy, or worse, that may be a choking hazard.
2. Immediately on moving, you should set up the dog’s crate, some favorite toys or possessions, and the dog’s own food and water dishes, in order to give your dog a sense of the familiar, as soon as she or he arrives.
3. Be sure that all doors and windows, and outdoor fences and gates, are secured against your dog’s possible escape, before allowing the dog to roam and explore.
4. Before the move, it’s a good idea to choose a veterinarian that you feel comfortable with in your new locale. Trying to find and choose a vet in an emergency that happens during or immediately after a move can waste precious time that your dog’s health and well-being may not be able to afford.

During the move, and once you’ve moved.

1. It is usually best to make the actual move with your dog in its crate, or otherwise secured safely and not allowed to roam free in the moving vehicle, just as you would with a child. Be sure that your dog is on a leash before exiting the vehicle, and immediately begin familiarizing the dog with the area outside your new home. Walk the perimeter of the yard, allowing your pup to sniff and explore while secured at your side. If there is a particular place that you want to designate for urination and defecation, take the dog first to that area and offer praise and perhaps a small treat as soon as either has been done.
2. If the new yard is secure, this would be a good time to play with your dog, and associate the new location with fun and connection with you. This would also be a good time to introduce a new toy and offer another tasty treat or two.
3. After potty and play time, re-leash and bring your pup into the new house and to the area where the crate, food, water dish, and familiar toys have been located, before you continue to explore the rest of the new house with your dog.  After you allow the dog to explore and become familiar with the new house, a meal and some time to relax together is appropriate.

These steps will help make the move easier for your dog to settle in and understand that this is now home. Remember though, that your dog will take cues from you and your family. If you are relaxed and cheerful about it all, your dog will be relaxed and accepting of it all, as well.

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People are creatures of habit, so when we move, we find ourselves totally out of our comfort zone. Whether it’s just moving to a new apartment, home, workplace, or to a different city or town, our lives are totally disrupted, and it takes time to adjust to our new surroundings. During this adjustment period, we find ourselves feeling lost and confused for many good reasons.

1. Can’t find anything – Now that you’ve got everything unpacked, you can’t remember where you put anything. You spend more time looking for what you need then actually getting anything done.
2. Simple tasks are difficult – Even the most menial task, like brushing your teeth, becomes a chore. Something you never gave a thought to before gets frustrating as you reach for the toothpaste or toothbrush and they’re not in their usual place.
3. Different layout – People don’t realize how much they rely on muscle memory until they move into new surroundings. You constantly find yourself going the wrong direction and end up running into things. It’s especially annoying when you get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and run into the wall.
4. Driving is a challenge – If you just moved to a new neighborhood or a new workplace, you find yourself lost just driving or walking around. You’re so used to just going from here to there without thinking about it and find yourself heading back to your old neighborhood or constantly in the wrong lane.
5. Can’t sleep – If you’re like me, sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings is very difficult. Your body gets used to a certain nightly routine, so when that gets disrupted, sleep can be very illusive. This only adds to your feelings of being lost.
6. Change habits – Old habits die hard and moving forces you to change just about everything. From getting dressed in the morning to putting away the dishes, everything you do has you going in circles. No wonder you feel totally lost!
7. Unfamiliar surroundings – No matter how crappy the place you used to live was, it was your crappy place. Now, everywhere you turn, nothing is familiar anymore. This can give you a real feeling of uneasiness that can be hard to shake.
8. New neighbors – Your feeling of isolation is only compounded when you realize you don’t know your neighbors anymore. It was so comforting to know that you could count on your buddy across the street to help you out in a pinch.
9. Stop and think – You can’t help feeling lost and confused when you have to stop and think about it before you do anything. This can almost put you into a state of paralysis.
10. Friends and family – Nothing makes you feel more lost than being without your friends or family close by. The loneliness of moving to a new area only intensifies your feeling of bereavement.

Just remember that feeling lost after moving is fairly common and completely understandable. As your body becomes accustomed to your new routines, you feel less disoriented each day. New muscle memories are developed and you get used to your new driving routes. Making new friends and getting to know your neighbors make it only a matter of time before you start feeling right at home.

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The purchase of a new home is a difficult decision. It is hard to know for sure whether you’re going to like the home or the new neighborhood until after you’ve moved in. There are times when someone buys a home and regrets the decision shortly afterwards. Here are 10 signs to watch for, when you suspect a case of buyer’s remorse.

1. Unpacked boxes – Is their garage still filled with unpacked boxes several weeks later? Does it seem like they are in no hurry to settle into the new home? These could be indications of buyer’s remorse.
2. No décor on the walls – Are they taking their time about hanging pictures on the walls and putting out the family photos? This could be another sign of uncertainty about the new home.
3. Scanning the real estate section – Are they still scanning the real estate section daily after their purchase? If they’re still looking, that would give some indication that there is some dissatisfaction which their choice.
4. Seeking affirmation – Do they seem to be looking for others to reassure them that they’ve made the right decision? This could indicate the uncertainty they are feeling. Another sign of buyer’s remorse.
5. Use of PO Box – If they choose to have their mailing address changed to a P.O. Box instead of having the mail delivered to the new address, this could be a sign that they are uncertain about whether they will be staying at the new address.
6. No house warming – Have your friends always made a big dealing about moving into a new house by throwing a big house warming party? If that doesn’t seem to be happening this time around, that could be another sign that they are experiencing some buyer’s remorse.
7. Visits to real estate open houses – Are they continuing to visit real estate open houses after they signed the deal on the new home? That would be another indicator of uncertainty about their decision.
8. New For Sale sign – Has the old For Sale sign been replaced with a new one? This is a definite ‘sign’ (forgive the pun) that there is some big dissatisfaction going on within the home.
9. No invites to visit – Do your friends seem slow to start showing off their new home? Most people are excited to show off their new digs. This could be a sign that they aren’t happy with their purchase.
10. Furniture in storage – Did they move some of their furniture into storage instead of into the house? This could mean that they don’t expect to be staying in the new home very long and may be looking for another place before giving their furniture a permanent home.

Of course, some of these signs could be present simply due to the busyness of moving and procrastination in getting settled. A new For Sale sign would probably be the most definite clue.

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Occasionally we may have the opportunity to live close to some of our relatives. It could be our parents or a sibling. Or it may be members of your extended family, such as aunts and uncles, or cousins. Living close to our relatives is not always a positive thing. Here are ten reasons why such a choice can have negative results.

1. Privacy – If you have relatives living in your neighborhood, they are more likely to pay more attention to what you do or don’t do, than the average neighbor. They are also more likely to share that information with other relatives, as well.
2. Interference – For some reason, relatives are more likely to give unrequested advice on how you should live your life or raise your children. Having relatives nearby can mean unwanted interference in your personal life.
3. Expectations – When you live close to relatives, you can’t use distance as an excuse for not spending time with them. There may be a greater expectation of involvement in their lives because of your close proximity.
4. Appreciation – ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder’ is the old saying. When relatives are located nearby, we often don’t appreciate our time with them as much as we would if our access to them was more limited.
5. Holidays – There can be expectations on their part or your part, that you will spend holidays together, because of living near each other. This expectation can cause misunderstandings and friction when both families don’t share that same expectation.
6. Birthdays – Having relatives who live close by can mean lots of birthdays where you are either expected to attend the celebration or at a minimum provide a gift. If you lived in different towns, the expectation would not be as great.
7. Unexpected Visits – When relatives live close by, it can be very convenient for them to stop by and visit without giving you any notice. Some people are comfortable with these types of visits, but many people prefer to be consulted before visitors show up on their door step.
8. Favoritism – Other relatives can easily make charges of favoritism being shown between the relatives that live near each other. This can cause unnecessary friction within the extended family.
9. Guilty by Association – Just because a family is related to you, doesn’t mean that they will have the same kind of lifestyle or reputation that you have. Your family may gain negative associations from others in your community simply because of your family connections.
10. Offense – All the things listed above can lead to members of your families being offended by the actions, or lack thereof, by your two families. This kind of emotional drama can be an added source of stress.

There can be many benefits to having relatives living close to your family. Unfortunately, there can be negatives as well. Choosing to live close to relatives is a decision that should be considered carefully.

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