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Do you look around your living space at the end of the busy work week and think, “What happened?” Piles of mail, dirty laundry and dishes are lurking around every corner. Between work and family, it can be hard to carve out the time to clear clutter. Below are three tips to manage clutter daily.

Make a clutter clearing playlist. At the end of the day, choose one or two songs, put them on and do a surface clean. Put the laundry away, empty the dishwasher and clear the kitchen table. By the time your chosen tracks are up”roughly six to eight minutes”your place will look a lot better, and so will your mental state.

Set yourself up for success. By having designated areas for the items that end up laying around, you will be more likely to put things away properly. Have a basket for mail that needs opening, a bin for shoes by the front door, and a station for things like keys, headphones and change that gets dumped from your pockets when you walk in.

Enlist help. Do you have a roommate, spouse or kids? Get them to pitch in every night after dinner and clear the day’s clutter.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

One feature that many people look for when buying a home is a fireplace, but not everyone understands what exactly goes into getting a nice fire roaring.

Knowing the terms can help. For instance, the fireplaces flue allows smoke to move through the chimney, and the damper is an opening you can adjust to control the intake of air and temperature of the fire. And dont forget, the flue needs to be open before a fire is first lit.

Of course, youll need to gather some wood to burn, which can be done by contracting with a provider of seasoned firewood, who will deliver and even stack it for you, or you can simply buy firewood at your local grocery store. Also, try searching Craigs list for free firewood in your neighborhood.

Firewood should be stored in a dry place so that its ready to burn. Never use wood from trees that have just been cut down, even if you have a bunch of it in your backyard from a fallen tree. That wood will most likely contain high levels of moisture that will result in more smoke than burn power, and it could lead to deposits forming on the inside of the chimney.

Once you get your fire going, use a mesh metal screen or glass fireplace door to keep errant embers from shooting out. This sort of protection in front of an open flame is especially important when the room is unoccupied.

Its always a good idea to close your fireplace down when youre done for the season. This can be done by removing all the burnt wood and debris and washing any soot that is visible. Use a vacuum cleaner to pick up ashes from around the opening.

Spring and summer are also great times to get your fireplace and chimney cleaned and inspected by an expert. Chimneys can get dirty quickly, as creosote, a highly flammable substance, can build up inside your flue lining. Animals also like to build nests in chimneys, and leaks and cracks can happen.

Doing this off-season can ensure youre prepared for the next crisp day when youre ready to enjoy another evening by the fire.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you’re between jobs or retired”or not working and considering retirement”you can still buy a home and get a mortgage that will require you to make monthly payments.

While you don’t need a job to get a mortgage, what you do need is income. And there are many types of income that lenders will accept for a mortgage loan. You’ll likely need to have a few of them to qualify, and you’ll need to document them. Here are some sources of income beyond having a job:

Social Security
Retirees aren’t the only people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is a form of income. You may be on permanent disability or dependent on someone and receive SSI income.

Pension
If a former employer is sending you a regular check each month, it should be easy to document this income with bank statements or an award letter.

Retirement Fund Withdrawals
IRA withdrawals are required at a certain age. At age 59 1/2, you can withdraw any amount from your IRA without having to pay the 10 percent penalty; however, your regular income tax will be due on each withdrawal. Traditional IRA distributions aren’t required until after age 70 1/2. Most mortgage lenders will require having enough money in your retirement accounts to support withdrawals for at least five years.

Spousal or Child Support
You aren’t required by law to reveal income from spousal or child support, but you can if you want to, especially if it’s needed to qualify for a mortgage. The income should continue for at least three years, which should be stated in a divorce decree or child support agreement.

Dividend and Interest Income
If your investments are earning you money, that income can help you qualify for a mortgage. Most lenders will average the last two years of income as reported to the IRS, so lenders will need tax returns to use this income.

Asset-Based Income
Aside from any restricted retirement accounts, investments and savings that don’t have dividend or interest income can be used as income to qualify for a mortgage. These funds should be substantial, since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rules divide those assets by the number of months in which the loan will be repaid.

Private Loans
If you’ve loaned someone money and they’re paying you back, or you sold a house or business and are carrying a loan note that’s being repaid to you, these can qualify as income. Payments must last for at least three years to qualify as income toward a mortgage. A copy of the note and bank statements showing payments received will be required.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional or legal advice.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you need financing to buy a house, one option you might consider is a balloon mortgage. It offers lower interest rates and monthly payments than some other types of loans, but it’s important to understand the terms and consider your future plans to decide if it makes sense for you.

How It Works

With a balloon mortgage, you make relatively low payments for a period of time, typically five or seven years. At the end of that period, the remaining balance on the loan needs to be paid off in a “balloon payment.”

If you cant afford to pay off the loan, you can refinance to the current interest rate. Depending on how market conditions have changed in the time since you took out the mortgage, your payments might rise dramatically overnight.

Another option is to sell your home before the balloon payment is due. If you get a good price, you can pay off the mortgage, and you will have benefitted from several years of low payments before that.

Reasons to Choose a Balloon Mortgage

If you want to buy an expensive house, a balloon mortgage can be an attractive option. Since the interest rates are generally lower than those for other types of loans, you might be able to borrow more money than you otherwise could and buy a bigger house.

If you recently started a job in a field where you expect your income to rise significantly in the coming years, you can take advantage of low payments now and be able to pay more later. If you know that you only want to live in your house for a relatively brief period of time, you can make low payments while you live there and then sell the house before the balloon payment is due.

Potential Downsides

If you decide to take out a balloon mortgage and plan to stay in your home and refinance when the balloon payment comes due, you need to consider the risks. If your income goes down or your credit score suffers because of too much debt or late payments, you might not be able to qualify for refinancing at an attractive rate, or at all. Then you might be forced to sell your house or risk foreclosure. Interest rates could rise between now and then, and your payments after refinancing could skyrocket. It’s also possible that property values could fall. If you owe more than your house is worth, it will be difficult or impossible to refinance, which means you could face foreclosure.

Think It Over

If you’ll definitely sell your house in the next several years, a balloon mortgage could be a smart choice that could save you money. If you plan to stay, circumstances could arise that could make it difficult or impossible to refinance, which could force you to sell or lose your house. Figure out what you plan to do and carefully consider the pros and cons before you choose a balloon mortgage.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Whens the last time you paid attention to your lights, switches and fixtures?

They may seem like little things, but when selling a home, everything counts, so putting some thought into your homes lighting can go a long way toward sprucing up your home without emptying your wallet.

Here are some easy things that you can do:

Install new bulbs. This is an affordable way to set the right mood in rooms throughout your home. New bulbs also mean they wont burn out while potential buyers look over your home.

Choose the right bulbs for each room. Bright lighting in the kitchen and softer lights in the living room, for example. If you have a ceiling fan with more than one bulb, avoid high-wattage bulbs, and install those of equal wattage.

Replace outlet covers. This is another economically-friendly step that can make a difference. Pick the right colors for each room, and make sure plates match. Another advantage to doing this”youll make sure all outlet covers are tightly screwed on and secure. Be sure to take any necessary safety precautions before changing any plates.

Dust and clean. Lighting on the ceiling can collect dust, especially on globes that cover bulbs, exposed bulbs or chandeliers. Built-up dust in these areas is unsightly, so take a few minutes to dust these. Be sure to do it in the afternoon while the lights arent on and hot to the touch. Then, take a look at the covers of your light switches. Hands are all over these, so theres a good chance theyre marked by fingerprints or food stains. Clean these with a window cleaner; use very little cleaner and be careful because you dont want liquid getting into the switch area.

Check your switches. A lot of houses have switches that just dont work or are backward, turning lights off when in the up position and vice-versa. These are little things, but any imperfection can be a distraction to visitors. It may well be worth the time and expense to hire an electrician to repair or replace any broken switches or outlets that dont function properly.

Remember exterior lights. Outdoor lights are also important. If people visit the house at night, you want walkways to be well lit, and if outdoor lights arent working because of burned-out bulbs, it could be a sign that other areas of the house are being ignored.

Taking these steps can help you sell your home faster.

Published with permission from RISMedia.