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Here are the most popular lifestyle properties among luxury homeowners.

City Living

Vibrant cultures, new restaurants and afternoons at museums are right around the corner.

Alpine Abode

Hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter, there are endless outdoor activities in the mountains.

Country Club & Resort

Enjoy a full package of lavish amenities, from fine dining to golf courses.

Waterfront Getaways

Enjoy dazzling views from sunrise to sunset, and a wide variety of activities right in your backyard.

Vineyard Properties

A vineyard property is the perfect way to connect to your land (and perhaps enjoy some wine while youre at it!)

Equestrian Estates

A sprawling estate complete with equestrian facilities could be a dream come true.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Who doesnt like a squeaky clean house? Yet, no matter how hard we try, no amount of elbow grease seems to measure up to the job done by professional cleaners. Here are some of their top secrets for a clean thats a cut above!

Add a drop of olive oil. Have you meticulously cleaned your stainless steel appliances only to step back and still find fingerprints? Place a small amount of olive oil on a clean rag or paper towel and buff with the grain to banish stubborn smudges. Remove any remaining residue with a clean paper towel and youll be left with a gleaming appliance.

Hone your vacuuming technique. Like to speed through the house with your vacuum? According to the experts, its time to slow it down. While its natural to focus on the pushing motion when vacuuming, dirt is actually removed when you pull it back, so be sure to do so slowly to suck up as much as possible.

Clean with steam. The pros say that for a really deep clean, put chemicals aside in favor of steam. As opposed to cleaning solutions, which can leave behind a sticky residue, steam cleaners remove dirt using heat. They can also be used in a variety of places and on many different surfaces, including, tile, grout, carpet, upholstery, showers, sinks, ovens, stove tops, mattresses and more.

Enlist some cornstarch. For the clearest windows ever, forget cleaning sprays. Instead, mix up a cup of white vinegar and a cup of water, then add a teaspoon of cornstarch. The fine abrasive texture of the cornstarch will help remove dirt and grime from glass.

Stick it in the freezer. Is there some melted candle wax stuck to your table linens? How about gum on a piece of clothing? Put your item in a large plastic bag and let it sit in the freezer for a while. This should make scraping it off a breeze.

Let these tips from the pros help make your cleaning easier and more effective.

Source: Real Simple

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Keeping a clean home is important for everyone, and even if you are a self-proclaimed neat-nick, there is a chance you have some areas in your home that could use some extra love. Make sure to add these areas to your next cleaning list and ensure that you give them the attention they need for a grime-free home.

Your Furniture
You know to wash your sheets often to avoid accumulation from gross residue and allergens. However, your furniture, particularly your couches and reclining chairs, is likely overlooked though you and your family spend a lot of time sitting on it. If you arent frequently vacuuming your furniture, you are harboring dust, crumbs and worse. Make it a point to frequently vacuum upholstered furniture. For added freshness, lightly coat your cushions with baking soda and let it sit before vacuuming.

Your Mattress
Keep your mattress as fresh as possible by using the same techniques you would use for your couch. Baking soda and a good vacuum can go a long way to reducing allergen accumulation, allowing you to rest and breathe easily.

Your Shower Curtain Liner
You likely give attention to your shower, but many people miss addressing the shower curtain liner in the process. If your curtain is ignored for too long, it can accumulate scum just like a dirty bathtub. Luckily, most liners do well in the washing machine, making it easy to address the problem.

Light Switches
There are few items in your home that your family touches as frequently as your light switches. Make a note to wipe them down semi-frequently to prevent the accumulation of grime. And if a member of your household is sick, its imperative to give a quick disinfecting wipe down to your light switches. Germs can live on surfaces for a surprisingly long time depending on the virus. Keep the rest of your family healthy by mitigating the spread of germs on your light switches.

Keep your home sparkling by addressing those too-often ignored areas throughout your home.

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Your home is likely one of the largest investments you will make in your lifetime. Protecting it is vital to ensure that you live as comfortably as possible while you own it, and that you are not diminishing your homes financial integrity. While you may think of landscaping as a simple act to increase curb appeal, your landscaping (or lack thereof) can do a lot for to keep your home safe.

Landscaping for Defense

Unkempt brush and shrubbery isnt just an eyesore, but can serve to catalyze a flame in the event of a fire. Whether you live in the country and are at risk of wildfire damage, or simply are at risk for an everyday house fire, your landscaping can contribute to or hinder a potential fire. If a wildfire is nearby or if your neighbor’s house catches fire, having a defensible space is key. Remove dry leaves or pine needles and any dead vegetation within 30 feet of any structure, dont forget about your homes roof and gutters. Depending on your local area, this space–known as zone one –may expand to 50 feet based on county statutes.

Within 100 feet of your home ( Zone two), cut or mow the grass down to 4 inches or shorter. Allow extra vertical space between trees and shrubbery. Otherwise they form a ladder for the fire to move from the ground to treetops. Creating a defensible space may not entirely prevent a nearby fire from spreading to your home, but it may slow down the spread and give firefighters valuable time to react to save lives or the structure of your home.

Landscaping to Mitigate Damage

While proper landscaping can be an asset to your home, poor landscaping can damage it from the ground up. Ensure that your landscaping protects your home from foundation damage by avoiding key mistakes. Dont plant trees too close to the foundation; the roots can grow as large as the trees branches above. This can cause damage and moisture. To further prevent moisture pooling against your foundation, avoid planting your flower beds so they slope in the direction of your home. Instead, ensure flower beds slope away from your foundation to prevent erosion.

Keeping your home safe from damage may require a little elbow grease, but donning your gardening gloves and getting to work can protect your home for years to come.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.