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Figure out what items you need. Don’t hold onto things just because of sentimental value or because you might need them “someday.”

Separate items by rooms and areas according to their function. This will allow you to create an organizational system both you and your kids can understand and adhere to.

Use empty closet space beneath hanging clothes for a shoe rack or dresser.

Buy shelving units to use in rooms or closets. Arrange belongings in boxes, baskets or containers that are easy to stack.

Install wall hooks to hang pans and other items.

Look for furniture with built-in storage.

Use empty space under furniture for storage, but keep it neat and organized.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

When shopping for a mortgage, one of the most important decisions youll have to make is the length of the repayment period. Most homebuyers choose 15- or 30-year mortgages, but some lenders offer additional options. The length of the term will have a major impact on your monthly payments and the amount of interest youll pay over the life of the loan. Before deciding on a mortgage term, think carefully about your current financial situation and goals.

How the Loan Term Can Affect Payments and Interest
A 15-year mortgage has significantly higher monthly payments than a 30-year loan because the principal needs to be paid off in half the time. Payments on a 15-year mortgage are not quite twice as much as payments for a 30-year loan because the interest rate on a shorter mortgage is lower. Paying off your mortgage in 15 years could allow you to save tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest, but you might be more strapped financially because of higher monthly payments.

Which Loan Term Is Right for You?
If youd like to save for retirement and/or your childrens college education, choosing a 30-year mortgage with lower monthly payments would leave you more room in your budget for those priorities. If youre relatively young and your savings were allowed to accumulate interest over a period of decades, they could outpace what youd pay in mortgage interest. Low loan payments could also allow you to pay off high-interest credit card debt and free up money for other priorities.

If you took out a 30-year mortgage, you might be able to pay it off sooner by making extra payments or by paying more than the required monthly amount. Some lenders charge prepayment penalties, so check with yours before you pay extra.

If you dont have much other debt and youre already saving for retirement and your childrens education, you might want to consider a 15-year mortgage. The payments would be much higher than they would with a longer loan, but youd pay less in interest. If you plan to retire relatively soon on a fixed income, it could make sense to pay off your mortgage quickly to avoid paying for housing after you stop working.

Before you choose a loan with a shorter term, think about your current income and whether you could afford high mortgage payments on top of everything else in your budget. Also think about how secure your and your spouses jobs are. Make sure you have a substantial emergency fund in case one of you lost your job or became unable to work for some reason.

Look at the Big Picture
Lenders offer mortgages with a variety of terms for homebuyers in various circumstances. Consider the amounts youd pay each month and over the life of the loan, and choose the term that would also allow you to achieve your other financial goals and live comfortably.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you plan on buying a house and need a mortgage, a lender is going to perform a credit check to help determine whether to give you a loan and the interest rate youd have to pay. The higher your credit score, the more likely youll get approved and the lower your interest rate might be.

Shopping around for the best deal can save you thousands of dollars over the life of a mortgage, but its also important to understand how credit checks work and might affect you. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, here are some main factors to keep in mind:

Inquiries
A credit check is reported to the credit reporting agencies as an “inquiry.” Inquiries tell other creditors that youre thinking of taking on new debt. An inquiry typically has a small, but negative, impact on your credit score that could affect your chances of getting other types of loans. Inquiries are a necessary part of applying for a mortgage, so you can’t avoid them altogether. But it pays to be smart about them.

As a general rule, apply for credit only when you need it. Applying for a credit card, car loan or other type of loan also results in an inquiry that can lower your credit score, so try to avoid applying for these other types of credit right before getting a mortgage or during the mortgage process.

Personal Credit Checks
Because your credit plays a major role in mortgage eligibility and rates, you should make sure your credit is in good standing and the information correct before applying for a loan. Fortunately, doing a credit check on your own does not affect your credit score. You can get a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com. If you find any errors, get them corrected immediately to avoid potential impacts.

Shopping Around
Within a 45-day window, multiple credit checks from mortgage lenders are recorded on your credit report as a single inquiry. This is because other creditors realize youre only going to buy one home. You can shop around and get multiple pre-approvals and official loan estimates. The impact on your credit is the same no matter how many lenders you consult, as long as the last credit check is within 45 days of the first credit check. (Note: The 45-day rule applies only to credit checks from mortgage lenders or brokers”credit card and other inquiries are processed separately.)

Even if a lender needs to check your credit after the 45-day window is over, shopping around is usually still worth it. The impact of an additional inquiry is small, while searching for the best deal can save you a lot of money in the long run.

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

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Here are a few of the reasons why more and more luxury homes are being equipped with smart toilets.

Super Sanitary

Todays cutting-edge models boast a self-cleaning functionality, air-purifying systems and automatic flushing.

Personalized Experience

Some high-tech toilets boast adjustable heated seats, foot warmers, ambient colored lighting and even Bluetooth capability.

Built-in Bidets

High-tech toilets often include a remote control to adjust the temperature and spray position of a built-in bidet, as well as a warm air dryer.

Water Efficient

Toilets are the main source of water use in most homes. However, some smart toilets use as little as 0.8 gallons per flush.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Financial problems can strike at any time. An illness or injury can leave you or your spouse unable to work, or a childs or parents medical issue can require you or your spouse to cut back on work hours, take an extended period of time off, or quit. In such a situation, your family may be unable to cover your mortgage payments. Help is available, and the quicker you ask for it, the better.

Call Your Mortgage Company ASAP
Contact your loan servicer as soon as you realize you wont be able to make a mortgage payment on time. Be prepared to explain your circumstances, including how a family members illness or injury has affected your finances. Let the representative know whether you expect the situation to be temporary, long term or permanent.

Be prepared with figures on your households monthly gross income, mortgage payments (including a second mortgage and/or home equity loan), account balances and minimum payments for credit cards and other loans, savings account balances, and other assets. Providing specific information will allow the representative to give you detailed advice on programs that can help.

Explore a Range of Solutions
If you expect the illness or injury to affect your familys finances temporarily and anticipate that things will get back on track relatively soon, your loan servicer may suggest forbearance. That means your mortgage payments would be reduced or suspended for a period of time, and later youd have to make larger payments to catch up.

A repayment plan is another option to deal with a short-term financial problem. A portion of your missed payments would be added to future mortgage payments until you got caught up.

Your lender may also suggest reinstatement to deal with medical expenses and a temporary reduction in income. That means you and the lender would agree that youd pay the past due amount, plus any fees and penalties, by a specific date.

If you expect that a family members medical condition will permanently affect your finances, you may be able to get a loan modification. That would permanently change the terms of your mortgage, such as by extending the term, lowering the interest rate, adding missed payments to the end of the repayment period, or making another modification. The lender may even be willing to forgive some of your mortgage balance.

Dont Wait to Address the Problem
If an illness or injury in the family has left you unable to afford your mortgage, contact your lender as soon as possible to explain your situation. Many options are available to help people in difficult circumstances, but your lender cant offer you assistance if you dont ask for it. Provide detailed information, explore a variety of options, and keep records of all your communications with your mortgage servicer.

Published with permission from RISMedia.