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		<title>A Quick, Easy, Delicious Way to Answer &#8220;What&#8217;s for Supper?&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/a-quick-easy-delicious-way-to-answer-whats-for-supper/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/a-quick-easy-delicious-way-to-answer-whats-for-supper/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 May 2012 13:47:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Becky</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Healthy Eating]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=9711</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Years ago, when I was a new mom, and a working mom, and a basically really busy mom with a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/food-and-family-234x3002.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-9870" title="food-and-family-234x300" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/food-and-family-234x3002.png" alt="" width="234" height="300" /></a>Years ago, when I was a new mom, and a working mom, and a basically really busy mom with a really small food budget and more than my own mouth to feed, I was on the lookout for anything to help answer the age old question &#8220;What&#8217;s for Dinner?&#8221; easier.</p>
<p>I had but few requirements.  It had to be inexpensive to make.  It couldn&#8217;t include things I had never heard of, or couldn&#8217;t find.  It had to be quick and easy to make.  And it had to taste good.</p>
<p>It was then that I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/magarchive/magazine_archive.aspx">Kraft Foods Food &amp; Family magazine</a>.  The magazines are short (less than 70 pages) and full of recipes for the season.  In fact, I have copies of every issue from 2004 thru 2006. There are many reasons I still have my magazines all these years later.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>                 Short easy to follow recipes</h2>
<div id="attachment_9714" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Peanut-butter-polka-dot-crispy-treats-recipe.png"><img class="wp-image-9714 " src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/recipe-example-300x109.png" alt="Peanut butter polka dot crispy treats recipe" width="300" height="109" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Click to read recipe</p></div>
<p>I am not a gourmet cook.  I am a single mom of two teenage daughters.  I don&#8217;t have a lot of time too cook.  The recipes included in the Food &amp; Family Magazine are all very simple, easy to follow recipes with basic, have-on-hand ingredients.  One thing to note, all recipes feature Kraft Foods &#8211; be it salad dressings, mac n cheese, barbecue sauce, Cool Whip.  If you can take the advertisements in stride, the recipes are great.</p>
<h2>Full size, full color pictures</h2>
<p><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sample-page.png"><img class=" wp-image-9713 alignnone" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/sample-page-300x198.png" alt="sample page Kraft Foods Food &amp; Family magazine" width="433" height="286" /></a></p>
<p>Every recipe is accompanied by a full size, full color picture of the finished product.  If you are a mom, then you know part of getting a kid of any age to try something new is making it look good.  If it looks &#8216;yucky&#8217; or &#8216;funny&#8217; they are not going to eat it.  Same goes for some adults I know.  It helps when I&#8217;m planning menus, if I can discuss options with my girls and have pictures to show them.  I also like that I know what it should look like when it&#8217;s done, so I know I did it right.</p>
<h2>Everything is right at your fingertips</h2>
<p><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/category-headers.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-9718" style="border: 2px solid black;" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/category-headers.png" alt="Kraft Foods Food &amp; Family Table of Contents example" width="466" height="266" /></a></p>
<p>The Table of contents at the front is laid out in an easy to read style.  Across the bottom, every recipe is listed and sorted by categories such as &#8216;Appetizers &amp; Snacks&#8221;, &#8220;Salads &amp; Sides&#8221; and &#8220;Entrees &amp; Sandwiches&#8221;.  Each recipe is also marked <strong>Healthy Living, 20 Minutes or Less, </strong>or <strong>Budget Wise.  </strong>A picture of each recipe is included in the table of contents, along with nutritional information.</p>
<p><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/three-headers.png"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-9719" style="border: 3px solid black;" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/three-headers.png" alt="Kraft Foods Food &amp; Family Topic Headers" width="633" height="110" /></a></p>
<p>They also have them listed under the headers <strong>Advice, On the Menu </strong>and <strong>Timesavers</strong>.  Throughout the <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/magarchive/magazine_archive.aspx" target="_blank">Kraft Foods Food &amp; Family magazine</a>, they group some of the recipes together in a magazine story format.  This isn&#8217;t just a cook book, it&#8217;s magazine that incorporates family stories, holiday celebrations, traditions, healthy eating, and fun into their sharing recipes with you.</p>
<p>Back when I started getting <a title="Kraft Foods Food &amp; Family magazine" href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/magarchive/magazine_archive.aspx" target="_blank">Kraft Foods Food &amp; Family magazine</a>, it was free. Just sign up on their website and it was delivered in the mail five times a year.  Somewhere in my many moves, they stopped trying to keep up with me and I no longer received them in the mail.  Of course, I could still get the daily <a title="Sign up for free daily emails" href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/registration/emailsignup.aspx" target="_blank">Kraft Foods email Newsletter</a> than included recipes with full color photos.  But they weren&#8217;t always what I wanted.</p>
<p>I went online to <a title="Subscribe Magazines" href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/foodandfamilyarchivelanding.aspx" target="_blank">sign up for the magazine</a> again, only to find that the tough economy seems to have hit Kraft Foods as well.  The magazine is no longer delivered to your front door free. Being a single, unemployed mom, I wasn&#8217;t sure I wanted to pony up the money for the magazine given I was getting recipes sent to me daily for free.</p>
<p>But I found, on their website that you can see every edition of the magazine they have published.  The older editions, prior to the Holiday 2009 edition, are still listed by category, and have the recipes listed below.  Click on any recipe you want to see and it takes to a page with the recipe and a full size, full color photo.</p>
<p><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Fall-2009-edition.png"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-9720" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Fall-2009-edition.png" alt="" width="423" height="292" /></a></p>
<p>Starting with the Holiday 2009 Edition, <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/home.aspx" target="_blank">Kraft Foods</a> started adding the digital edition which is the <a title="Kraft Foods Food &amp; family magazine 2009 Holiday edition" href="http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416101459&amp;o=ext" target="_blank">actual magazine using the website Zino.com</a>.  I was so excited to see that I could still get the great recipes, the same quality and simplicity I loved years ago, free, even if it meant I would have to do a little work clicking through to the actual recipe.</p>
<p>So, when you&#8217;re stumped with how to answer the never ending inquisition of &#8220;What&#8217;s for dinner?&#8221; check your pantry, and check out <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/magarchive/magazine_archive.aspx" target="_blank">Kraft Foods food &amp; family magazine</a>.  You&#8217;re sure to find a quick, easy and delicious family pleasing recipe.</p>
<hr />
<p>Posted by Becky Hood (Ms Batman) for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from Becky Hood (Ms Batman) and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Saving The Planet, One Load At A Time</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-that-are-eco-friendly/saving-the-planet-one-load-at-a-time/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-that-are-eco-friendly/saving-the-planet-one-load-at-a-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan G.</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[earth-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[earth-friendly products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmental allergies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmentally conscious]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmentally conscious cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmentally friendly cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmentally safe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fabric softener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green laundry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[household products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laundry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laundry detergent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seventh generation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=9146</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Clean clothes, healthier planet. And almost painless.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_9150" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 246px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/laundry_2xLorax1_blue-eucalyptus.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-9150 " title="laundry_2xLorax1_blue-eucalyptus" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/laundry_2xLorax1_blue-eucalyptus.jpg" alt="" width="236" height="260" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Seventh Generation 2x Concentrated Laundry Detergent</p></div>
<p>I am, little by little, bit by bit, moving toward a greener lifestyle. I’ve been recycling for years, use vinegar and water or Simple Green to clean most things in my home, replaced my old air conditioning unit with a more efficient one and haul a load of reusable grocery bags (and use them, too) in the trunk of my Prius. There’s still more to be done, obviously. I’m weaning us off plastic storage bags and gearing up to ban paper towels and paper napkins, all of which is harder than it seems. One change that has been very easy has been eliminating harmful laundry detergent and fabric softener from my weekly routine. Several months ago we switched to <a href="http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Laundry-Detergent" target="_blank">Seventh Generation 2x Concentrated Laundry Detergent</a> and <a href="http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Fabric-Softener" target="_blank">Seventh Generation Fabric Softener</a>.</p>
<p>I haven’t looked back.</p>
<p>We’ve talked here about making your own <a href="http://buy-her.com/things-that-are-eco-friendly/easy-ways-to-go-green/" target="_blank">green laundry soap</a>, but I’m not ready for that yet. I honestly don’t have time to deal with one more thing to do. Maybe eventually. In the meantime, the Seventh Generation stuff is perfect.</p>
<p>The cleansers are plant-based rather than petroleum-based (they are also biodegradable), and contain sustainable palm oil. There are no dyes or synthetic fragrances. It uses enzymes to clean stains and is safe for standard and HE washing machines. The container is 80% post-consumer recycled plastic (and is also able to be recycled).</p>
<p>But does it work?</p>
<div id="attachment_9149" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 246px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/fabric-softener1_blue-eucalyptus-lavender.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-9149 " title="fabric-softener1_blue-eucalyptus-lavender" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/fabric-softener1_blue-eucalyptus-lavender.jpg" alt="" width="236" height="260" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Soft Clothes And Soft On The Planet</p></div>
<p>Yes. It does. I haven’t noticed a difference from my old detergent. At all. Well, except for the smell. I get the Blue Eucalyptus &amp; Lavender scent in both the detergent and the fabric softener (also plant-based, free of dyes and biodegradable), a scent you cannot find in traditional detergents. The scent lasts too.  The fabric softener only comes in the Eucalyptus scent and unscented – that might be a drawback to you, but it’s fine with me.</p>
<p>The drawbacks?</p>
<p>Expense. It’s more expensive than what I was buying before, a generic detergent from my local supermarket chain.  But it’s an expense I’m willing to bear; the environment is too important. I can budget elsewhere (like all the money I save using vinegar and water instead of commercial cleaners).</p>
<p>If you’re not ready to make your own detergent yet, this is a great and readily available alternative. You can find it <a href="http://www.target.com/p/Seventh-Generation-Natural-2X-Concentrated-Liquid-Laundry-Detergent-Blue-Eucalyptus-Lavender-100-oz/-/A-13221027?reco=Rec|pdp|13221027|ClickCP|item_page.adjacency&amp;lnk=Rec|pdp|ClickCP|item_page.adjacency" target="_blank">Target</a> as well as local supermarkets or you can buy it online through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Generation-Concentrated-Detergent-Eucalyptus/dp/B0025UQQ3S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1331052011&amp;sr=8-5" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or directly from<a href="http://www.seventhgeneration.com/" target="_blank"> Seventh Generation</a>.</p>
<p>They’ve just come out with some new laundry products like an <a href="http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Laundry-Stain-Remover" target="_blank">oxy stain remover</a> and a <a href="http://www.seventhgeneration.com/4X-Laundry-Detergent" target="_blank">4x concentrated detergent</a> in a recyclable, compostable bottle. I’m dying to try those as well. When I do, I’ll let you know how it goes.</p>
<blockquote><p><em><strong>About The Author: </strong> Megan is a professional writer, amateur photographer and an accomplished beauty product crash test dummy. She'll try anything once, especially if it's a free sample. 

She's still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up, but it will probably involve travel and Colin Farrell. And maybe some writing and photography. 

You can visit her at onethousandwordsormore.com or follow her on Twitter: msmegan.</em></p></blockquote>
<hr />
<p>Posted by Megan G. for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from Megan G. and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Seriously Good Gluten-Free Pasta</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/seriously-good-gluten-free-pasta/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/seriously-good-gluten-free-pasta/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan G.</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[celiac]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food allergy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gluten allergy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gluten-free]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gluten-free pasta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[good food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[le veneziane pasta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pasta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[product reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[product reviews for women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's product reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=9124</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Going gluten-free? You don't have to miss pasta. Promise.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_9131" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 356px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/4100Uf2182L.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-9131  " title="4100Uf2182L" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/4100Uf2182L.jpg" alt="" width="346" height="193" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Le Veneziane Pasta</p></div>
<p>Last year my husband discovered that he had a gluten allergy. I don&#8217;t know how many of you have ever had to switch to a <a title="It’s Not Ice Cream, It’s Purely Decadent" href="http://buy-her.com/things-for-healthy-living/its-not-ice-cream-its-purely-decadent/">gluten-free diet</a>, but I assure you that it can be difficult at times, especially if you don&#8217;t want to have to give up&#8230; everything you like. Like pasta.</p>
<p>We avoided pasta for a long time because, quite frankly, most gluten-free pasta is horrid. The rice pasta we tried was mushy, even if you undercooked it a bit. The corn pasta we tried next tasted like, well,  corn. Which wouldn&#8217;t have been bad except we were hoping for pasta that tasted like pasta.</p>
<p>Then we went to LA.  One night we had dinner at an Italian restuarant that had gluten-free selections (much easier to find in a town like LA than here in South Florida). He had a pasta dish that scared the life out of him. Why? Because he couldn&#8217;t believe it was gluten-free. I tasted it. I actually called the waiter over to have him verify that it wasn&#8217;t wheat-based pasta.</p>
<p>That pasta was<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Veneziane-Italian-Gluten-Pasta-Spaghetti/dp/B00281RM46/ref=pd_bxgy_gro_img_b" target="_blank"> Le Veneziane</a>.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s 100% corn pasta that doesn&#8217;t taste like corn (hallelujah). It&#8217;s made in Italy, which probably explains why it&#8217;s so good. They take both their food and their gluten-free seriously over there. It is, quite simply, the only gluten-free pasta I will bother with. But for the slightly yellower color, you&#8217;d never even know it wasn&#8217;t regular pasta. It cooks perfectly al dente and will make your pasta-deprived heart sing. I swear. I&#8217;m picky about these things, and I stockpile this stuff like it&#8217;s gold.</p>
<p>It comes in several different shapes, from spaghetti and fettuccine to penne and eliche (corkscrews). The only drawback? They don&#8217;t seem to make a lasagna noodle and my husband would love a nice lasagna. The price is fairly reasonable at $3.95 a package, only a few cents more than other premium semolina pastas, a big plus when you&#8217;re eating gluten-free, which can be expensive. It&#8217;s hard to find locally, so I buy through Amazon and stock up on several shapes.</p>
<p>This has been a godsend because it is a lot of work to make two separate pasta dishes or, worse yet, skip pasta altogether. If you&#8217;re new to the gluten-free lifestyle, try this. You might actually cry with joy.</p>
<blockquote><p><em><strong>About The Author: </strong> Megan is a professional writer, amateur photographer and an accomplished beauty product crash test dummy. She'll try anything once, especially if it's a free sample. 

She's still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up, but it will probably involve travel and Colin Farrell. And maybe some writing and photography. 

You can visit her at onethousandwordsormore.com or follow her on Twitter: msmegan.</em></p></blockquote>
<hr />
<p>Posted by Megan G. for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from Megan G. and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Friday Find: Flight 001</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/friday-find-flight-001/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/friday-find-flight-001/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan G.</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Friday Finds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airplane]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airplanes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airport security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[airports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arrival flight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bottles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[converter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Essentials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flight 001]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flying]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[frequent flyer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hairdryer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[in-flight products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[innovative travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leakproof]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luggage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luggage tags]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lunch boxes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organizers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[passenger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[passport covers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plane]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[planes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plug adapters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power converter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retro look]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shatterproof]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[t travel]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[travel essentials]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=7575</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wanna travel in comfort and style? Check out this site.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_7950" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 420px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Flight001_logo.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-7950" title="Flight001_logo" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Flight001_logo.png" alt="" width="410" height="50" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Travel Essentials From Flight 001</p></div>
<p>From in-flight essentials to fun and games, Flight 001 has something for every traveler. This retro-look site has just about anything you could possibly think of to make your travel easier and more comfortable, from <a href="http://www.flight001.com/all-products/pasport-identification/without-this-passport-cover.html" target="_blank">quirky passport covers</a> and <a href="http://buy-her.com/featured/holiday-gift-ideas-for-women/five-clever-gi%E2%80%A6r-the-traveler/" target="_blank">luggage tags</a> to collapsible lunch boxes so you can bring your own food on board.</p>
<div id="attachment_7951" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 195px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/main_12_4.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7951  " title="main_12_4" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/main_12_4.jpg" alt="" width="185" height="195" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Fill + Fly Bottles</p></div>
<p>Their tagline reads, &#8220;Modern and Innovative Travel Products,&#8221; and it&#8217;s hard to argue with that. Where else are you going to find <a href="http://www.flight001.com/f-1-exclusives/f1-fill-fly-bottle-set.html" target="_blank">Fill n&#8217; Fly</a> bottles, a set of shatterproof, leakproof bottles in a zip-top bag that&#8217;s flight ready and carry-on approved? Or The <a href="http://www.flight001.com/f-1-exclusives/f1-seat-pak.html" target="_blank">Seat Pak</a>, which lets you stash all your inflight essentials (including credit cards and passports) and hang it conveniently on your tray table for easy access.</p>
<div id="attachment_7952" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 232px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/MAIN1184.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7952   " title="MAIN1184" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/MAIN1184.jpg" alt="" width="222" height="202" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Seat Pak</p></div>
<p>Whether you&#8217;re a frequent flyer or just a once-a-year passenger, there are items here that will speak to you. Even if you don&#8217;t travel much by plane, there are some totally cool organizers and accessories that work perfectly for any type of travel &#8211; even just around the block.</p>
<p>From pre-flight to in-flight to arrival, Flight 001 has items that you need—even if you don&#8217;t know it right now. In addition to the fun and quirky designs, they also feature practical items like a <a href="http://www.flight001.com/all-products/gadgets/dual-wattage-converter.html" target="_blank">universal power converter</a> and <a href="http://www.flight001.com/all-products/gadgets/universal-adapter-green.html" target="_blank">universal plug adapters</a> so not only can you plug in your hairdryer in Prague, it won&#8217;t blow up on you.</p>
<p>Every time I go on this site, I find something that just makes me happy. And makes me want to book the next flight out of town.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.onethousandwordsormore.com" target="_blank"><em>Featured photo credit</em></a></p>
<hr />
<p>Posted by Megan G. for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from Megan G. and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<title>Unstoppables &#8211; Taking Laundry To The Next Level</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/unstoppables-taking-laundry-to-the-next-level-2/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/unstoppables-taking-laundry-to-the-next-level-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bellaventa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clothes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clothing scent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Downy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[in-wash scent booster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laundry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laundry day]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laundry detergent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new laundry products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wash]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=7547</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The scent lasts and lasts, but is it worth the price?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I love fresh<a title="Friday Flop: The Tide Bounce Bar.  Or, where I look a gift horse in the mouth and say “BOOOO!  Hiss!”" href="http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/tide-bounce-bar/" target="_blank"> laundry</a>. Nothing gets me higher than the smell of awesome fabric softener or just clean laundry in general. So when I learned about Downy&#8217;s new product Unstoppables, I was all over it!</p>
<div id="attachment_7548" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 288px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/unstopables_fresh_product1.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-7548 " src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/unstopables_fresh_product1-278x300.png" alt="" width="278" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Downy&#39;s Unstoppables</p></div>
<p>Unstoppables is an in-wash scent booster from Downy. Its purpose is to extend the smell of fresh laundry through until the next wash. How would you use it?</p>
<ul>
<li>Shake the beads into the cap attached to your bottle.</li>
<li>Toss the beads into the washing machine BEFORE you add your fabric softener/detergent.</li>
<li>Drop the clothes in the washing machine and run the cycle</li>
<li>Dry your clothes accordingly.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pros</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Unstoppables works with ANY fabric&#8230;and I do mean ANY fabric.</li>
<li>The smell works for DAYS, sometimes WEEKS depending on the fabric. I tend to wear my jeans for at least 2-3 times before I wash them (depending on the wash) and you would never know they were dirty.</li>
<li>A little goes a long way &#8211; the bottle I had lasted me for about 3 months, and I do several loads of laundry a week.</li>
<li>It is very easy to use &#8211; just set it and forget it.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Cons </strong></p>
<ol>
<li>A little goes a long way. If you over use the product, it can become VERY overpowering. Depending on one&#8217;s perfume sensitivities, it can cause huge headaches.</li>
<li>If there is not enough water in the machine, the beads will not dissolve completely and the pellets can temporarily stain your clothes.</li>
<li>It does not act as a fabric softener, just a scent booster. You will still have to use a liquid fabric softener in the washing machine or dryer sheets in the dryer.</li>
<li>The price point is kind-of high for the amount you get. In the store in my area, Unstoppables starts at $7.99 a bottle.</li>
<li>There are only two scents are available for now, which limits your scent choices.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Final Verdict:</strong> I think this product is amazing for linens, denim, work uniforms and gym clothes&#8230;. clothes that carry a lot of grime and/or &#8220;bad&#8221; scents that need to be masked. I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s worth it for every day laundry &#8211; not for the price point and not when you can just pick up a box of fabric softener sheets and throw it in the dryer for 10 minutes, essentially doing the same thing.</p>
<p><strong>Price Tip:</strong> <a href="http://target.com">Target </a>often has this product on sale for $5.99 a bottle. Try it when it&#8217;s on sale.</p>
<p><em>While Procter and Gamble provided me with a free sample of “Unstoppables” for </em><em>review, my opinions are my own and have not been influenced. </em></p>
<hr />
<p>Posted by bellaventa for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from bellaventa and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<title>Friday Find: Style Outside The Box</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-that-are-fashionable/friday-find-style-outside-the-box/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-that-are-fashionable/friday-find-style-outside-the-box/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan G.</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Friday Finds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Style]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[accessories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[babies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gifts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home deocr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[independent designers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jewelry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kids']]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[men's]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[one-of-a-kind items]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[original designs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[style outside the box]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's. luxury]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=7573</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Gorgeous one-of-kind items by original designers. Love.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_7890" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 294px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Style-Logo.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7890   " title="Style Logo" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Style-Logo.jpg" alt="" width="284" height="111" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">One-Of-A-Kind Items At Style Outside The Box</p></div>
<p>I love design of all types: fashion, decor, even Web and print design, so when I heard* about <a title="Style Outside The Box" href="http://styleoutsidethebox.com" target="_blank">Style Outside The Box</a>, I had to go take a look. I am glad I did. Style Outside The Box is a Web site devoted to giving independent designers a place to showcase their quality goods. Think of it as Etsy with the iffy stuff filtered out.</p>
<p>From their Web site:</p>
<blockquote><p>Style Outside the Box is the first shopping site where an elite style council juries and selects every product to meet Style Outside the Box’s standards, so customers never have to worry about the quality as well as the uniqueness of every product. We are a website solely for exclusive independent designers who stand behind every one-of-a-kind product made and sold.</p></blockquote>
<div id="attachment_7869" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 220px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/wave-throw-pillows-1_grande.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-7869 " title="wave-throw-pillows-1_grande" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/wave-throw-pillows-1_grande-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="210" height="210" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Wave Throw Pillow</p></div>
<p>They sell everything: home decor; clothing and <a title="10 Fabulous Gifts For A Fashionista" href="http://buy-her.com/featured/holiday-gift-ideas-for-women/10-fabulous-gifts-for-a-fashionista/">accessories </a>for women, men and babies/kids; jewelry and gifts. My favorites are the home decor items, many of which are made with sustainable, eco-friendly materials. Prices run the gamut, from a selection of gifts under $30, to some pricier jewelry and dresses, although the prices aren&#8217;t unreasonable considering that each piece is one-of-a-kind.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a wonderful feeling to get something beautiful that no one else has&#8230; it&#8217;s especially wonderful when you can give your BFF a great gift that&#8217;s as unique and gorgeous as she is. In fact, I have my eye on a nice item for a special someone who has a birthday coming up. I&#8217;m not telling who because she reads this blog (at least she better).</p>
<div id="attachment_7867" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 250px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ciao_grande.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-7867 " title="ciao_grande" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ciao_grande-300x206.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="165" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Ciao Greeting Card</p></div>
<p>Beyond the great merchandise and the wonderful venue for up-and-coming independent artists and designers, Style Outside The Box is a woman-powered business, just like Buy-Her. I love the idea of being able to support companies run by women, especially when they&#8217;ve got stuff I actually want.</p>
<p>Go there now and see what they&#8217;ve got—through the month of December 2011 they&#8217;re offering 10% off your purchase when you use code lovesotb.</p>
<p><em>*I feel compelled to mention that I learned about this site from my mother because her BFF&#8217;s daughter works for Style Outside The Box. While that&#8217;s what got me to the site, I recommend it because I love their offerings and wanted to share them.</em></p>
<hr />
<p>Posted by Megan G. for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from Megan G. and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Great Cake From A Box? Oh, Yes</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/great-cake-from-a-box-oh-yes/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/great-cake-from-a-box-oh-yes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Megan G.</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cake]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cake mix]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cake mix doctor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cookbook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cookbooks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cooking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kitchen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lemon poppyseed cake]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[melted ice cream cake]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the cake mix doctor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[white chocolate pound cake]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=7570</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I'll never bake from scratch again now that I've met The Cake Mix Doctor.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_7737" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 225px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/bookcover-cake-mix-doctor.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7737" title="bookcover-cake-mix-doctor" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/bookcover-cake-mix-doctor.jpg" alt="" width="215" height="246" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Great Cake From A Box. Really.</p></div>
<p>For me, cooking and baking are like writing or <a title="Gifts For Photographers" href="http://buy-her.com/things-that-you-read-watch-listen-to/gifts-for-photographers/">photography</a>: Another way to create. Unfortunately I don&#8217;t have a lot of time to bake, and usually when I do have time, I don&#8217;t want go to too much trouble. I want the rush of creation without the effort. I&#8217;m OK with this. What I am not OK with is mediocre cake. If I&#8217;m going to ingest those calories, they&#8217;d better taste awesome. Enter <a title="The Cake Mix Doctor" href="http://www.amazon.com/Cake-Mix-Doctor-Anne-Byrn/dp/0761117199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1322779201&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Cake Mix Doctor</a>.</p>
<p>I discovered this book years ago and it remains one of my favorites because every cake I&#8217;ve made is a winner. And all I need are a box of cake mix and few extra ingredients. Author Anne Byrn adds a little of this and a little of that to help take away that &#8220;mix&#8221; taste and make your cakes (and cookies and bars) taste like homemade with much less effort. Who knew that a container of sour cream, some vanilla or a bit of instant coffee powder could transform ordinary cake mix into a homemade favorite? Apparently Anne did.</p>
<p>Not only will get recipes, you&#8217;ll also get tips and tricks so you go out on your own and improvise. But if you&#8217;re like me and aren&#8217;t good at improvisational baking, there are more than enough recipes in this book to keep you happy for a long time to come.</p>
<h2>Three Of My Favorite Cake Mix Doctor Recipes</h2>
<p>1. <strong>Lemon Buttermilk Poppy Seed Cake</strong> &#8211; Lemon juice, buttermilk, yogurt, poppy seeds and lemon zest turn plain white mix into a the perfect springtime cake. You can also get rid of the lemon and the zest and use pure almond extract for a yummy almond poppy seed cake.</p>
<p>2. <strong>White Chocolate Pound Cake</strong> &#8211; Plain white cake meets white chocolate, butter and vanilla to become two loaves of pound cake that will make you forget you ever knew Sara Lee.</p>
<p>3. <strong>Incredible Melted Ice Cream Cake</strong> &#8211; Add the melted ice cream of your choice to white cake mix and top with chocolate marshmallow frosting (recipe included) and you will become an instant rock star to whoever tries a slice.</p>
<p>Ann also includes recipes for wonderful homemade frostings that will put you off the canned stuff for good. Quite a bargain for about $9.00.</p>
<p>Wanna try before you buy? There&#8217;s a <a href="http://www.cakemixdoctor.com/" target="_blank">Cake Mix Doctor Web site</a> that has a few recipes you can dig into.</p>
<p>I love the stuff in this book, but lately I don&#8217;t get to make as much of it as I&#8217;d like because my husband has a gluten sensitivity. I discovered that Anne has worked her magic on <a title="The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free" href="http://www.amazon.com/Cake-Mix-Doctor-Bakes-Gluten-Free/dp/B005B19XSS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1322779201&amp;sr=8-6">gluten-free cake mix</a>, too. Oh happy day!</p>
<hr />
<p>Posted by Megan G. for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from Megan G. and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Shy Poopers! Take Heed!</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/shy-poopers-take-heed/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/shy-poopers-take-heed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:00:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>DonnaM</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bathroom air freshener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bathroom spray]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eliminate bathroom odors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[essential oil air freshener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kill bathroom odors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[natural air freshener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poo-pourri]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poopourri]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=6847</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Going number two in public make you nervous? Never fear! Poo-Pourri is here.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_6848" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 169px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/ShItHapns-4oz-web.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-6848" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/ShItHapns-4oz-web.jpg" alt="" width="159" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Poo-Pourri&#39;s Shh.... It Happens</p></div>
<p>A couple weeks ago I was shopping with a girlfriend in one of those kitschy little knick-knack shops that seem to appeal to women. You know the kind &#8211; they sell fun wall art with sassy sayings and purple and turquoise boots and candles that smell like amazing baked goods. The one I was in also sold a fun product called <a href="http://poopourri.com/">Poo-Pourri</a>. I was intrigued.</p>
<p>The product promises to eliminate the unpleasant bathroom odor before it even begins. As a person who has lived as a shy pooper all my life, I had to try it. Also I knew I had a girls&#8217; trip to Vegas coming up, where I&#8217;d be sharing a hotel room. And while we all joke about it, I can also tell we&#8217;re all a little embarrassed when we have to do the doo.</p>
<p>The one I bought is called <a href="http://poopourri.com/Oh-My-Goodness-Shhh-It-Happens-Before-You-Go-Bathroom-Spray/productinfo/OMG-SH-004/">Oh! My Goodness &#8211; Shh&#8230;It Happens</a>. I don&#8217;t know why I chose that one. I guess I just liked the name. I smelled it in the bottle and it smelled like grapefruit, which I&#8217;m a big fan of. I couldn&#8217;t want to bring it to Vegas and show the girls and see how it worked.</p>
<p>The concept is pretty simple. The product uses essential oils which are intensely scented. You spray it on the water before you go about 4-6 sprays. The oil creates a film on the water. Then you do your business. The oil creates a barrier and the odors can&#8217;t escape. It was fantastic! My Vegas roommate and I were both impressed by its magical powers. This stuff is far better than any air freshener you could ever buy. I am convert.</p>
<p>Poo-Pourri would be perfect to keep in your guest bathroom for visitors, to take to your new beau&#8217;s house in your overnight case, or anytime you have to be in close proximity with people and a bathroom &#8211; like a hotel room or maybe a family traveling in an RV for a year (I&#8217;m looking in your general direction, <a href="http://miss-britt.com/">Britt</a>!). I have to say I might even have carried this in my purse for use at work.</p>
<p>The little shop where I bought it sold it for $10, but the website lists it for $14.95. I think for what it does, and how far a bottle will go (for one person anyway) it&#8217;s worth it. The website also sells trial sizes of many of the scents they carry if you don&#8217;t want to commit to a full bottle right away.</p>
<p>Poo-Pourri also makes a full line of odor eliminating products including pet odor remover, diaper odor eliminator, and car aromatherapy scent diffusers.</p>
<p>My family better watch out, because I think this is going in everyone&#8217;s stockings this Christmas. That wouldn&#8217;t offend anyone, right?</p>
<p>{Image from <a href="http://poopourri.com/">poo-pourri</a>}</p>
<hr />
<p>Posted by DonnaM for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from DonnaM and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Spring Cleaning for Lazy People</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/spring-cleaning-for-lazy-people/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/spring-cleaning-for-lazy-people/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:00:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>DonnaM</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carpet cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carpet shampooing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carpet steam cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[declutter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decluttering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[easy spring cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lazy spring cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spring cleaning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spring decluttering]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steam cleaning carpet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=6549</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Use these spring cleaning tips to break down the big job and keep your cool.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_6557" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/spring-cleaning-crop.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6557" src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/spring-cleaning-crop-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Spring cleaning for lazy people</p></div>
<p>I am actually quite possibly the laziest person on the planet. So for me, Spring Cleaning has historically been a phrase that has struck fear in my heart. Don&#8217;t get me wrong &#8211; I love the IDEA of Spring Cleaning because it&#8217;s spring! A fresh start! Vanquishing dust bunnies! It&#8217;s just that&#8230;. well&#8230; it&#8217;s hard. And I have episodes of Chelsea Lately to catch up on. But I think I finally got a handle on a way for me to get that new &#8220;fresh start&#8221; feeling with less stress and anxiety.</p>
<p>My secret is that I don&#8217;t even attempt to do it in one day, or even in one weekend. That way the job doesn&#8217;t seem soooo big.</p>
<p>Day 1 is De-Clutter Day. I know it sounds bad but it&#8217;s not. Put on some good music, grab a box and a trash bag and go through the house starting with the closets. Pull out the clothes that don&#8217;t fit, you don&#8217;t wear or need to be stored for next year. Use the box for donations and the bag for trash. If you have any teacup humans in the house, this is the time to either go through their toys and donate the ones that don&#8217;t get used and trash the ones that are broken or missing pieces that will never be replaced. You can make them do it, but I promise you&#8217;ll end up thinning out more if you do it yourself. Look into a <a href="http://www.smartstopselfstorage.com/" target="_blank">self storage</a> unit if you want to clear stuff out but you can&#8217;t bear to part with it for good. After closets, move on to dressers, book shelves, linen closets, and then the pantry. Then go drink a margarita. You are done for today.</p>
<p>Day 2 is Cleaning Day. I&#8217;m not going to lie. This is my least favorite day. But it can be made better by good music and the promise of a cocktail at the end of the day. I usually start with cleaning the oven. And by that I mean, spray the cleaner in the oven and let it sit while you do the other stuff. I dust the blinds, ceiling fans and other light fixtures, and anything that I typically don&#8217;t get to. After all that is done, I get out the vacuum and do the carpets, but I also use the attachments to clean baseboards, door frames and get the cobwebs out of the high ceiling corners. You can also make use of any teacup humans lying around by giving them a damp cloth and asking them to clean baseboards. For some reason, the young ones really like to do that. Now all you have to do is wipe down the inside of the oven. Then you can have a beer while you brag on Facebook about how clean your house is.</p>
<p>The LAST thing I do is get the carpets professionally steam cleaned. This is my favorite part because I don&#8217;t have to do anything except write a check. And I can drink a cocktail while someone else does the work. You may have bought a home steam cleaner or carpet shampooer. And those are fine for occasional jobs, but only the professionals can get the water hot enough and generate enough power to really suction out all the yuck. Professional steam cleaning is just something that should be in the budget about twice a year. You want to make sure you are just getting steam cleaned and not shampooed. Steam cleaning uses no chemicals, just hot water. Although if you have stains that you&#8217;d like them to deal with, they probably will use some sort of cleaner. However, in almost all big cities there are companies that clean carpets with environmentally friendly products. After the carpet cleaners are done, you can leave the house to let the carpets dry while you go out and shop for new spring clothes. And have a glass of wine.</p>
<p>There may be a few other tasks that you need to get to, but again, I find a system of good music and a reward waiting for me at the end to motivate me to get it done. And nothing compares to the feeling of accomplishment you will have when you sit around and admire your clean house!</p>
<p><em>Featured image from <a href="http://blog.homerenovationguide.com/">homerenovation</a></em></p>
<hr />
<p>Posted by DonnaM for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from DonnaM and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Staging Your House For Sale</title>
		<link>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/staging-your-house-for-sale/</link>
		<comments>http://buy-her.com/things-for-the-home/staging-your-house-for-sale/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>DonnaM</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home staging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[house staging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to sell your home faster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to stage your home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling your home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[staging home for sale]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://buy-her.com/?p=6210</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Staging your house can give you an edge and get your house sold faster.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_6212" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/cutcaster-photo-100142582-Sold-Home-For-Sale-Sign-New-Home.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6212    " src="http://buy-her.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/cutcaster-photo-100142582-Sold-Home-For-Sale-Sign-New-Home-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Staging Your House For Sale Can Give You An Edge</p></div>
<p>We&#8217;ve all heard a million things about the sad state of the housing market. But if you have to sell your house, what can you do to compete with the other houses on the market in your area? The answer is staging. You have to put in the work before your house goes on the market but it can be done, and it&#8217;s not as hard as you might think.</p>
<p>The first thing you need to do is <strong>DE-CLUTTER</strong>. You are about to move, so all your stuff is going to have to be packed up anyway. You want each room in your house to have a clear and defined purpose. If there are things in your dining room other than dining room furniture, it needs to go. Box it up and put it in the attic or neatly in a closet, or better yet, in a storage unit. If you have a play room, make it a neat and tidy play room. Clear off your kitchen counters &#8211; counter space is a big selling point in a kitchen.  Too much stuff (even furniture) in a room makes it look smaller than it is and distracts potential buyers from picturing their stuff in it. Resist the urge to stash everything in a closet or the garage. Potential buyers are going to be looking in closets and in the garage too, and you want to maximize every single inch of space. If you have to use the closets or the garage for storing extra items, do it neatly in boxes or storage bins.</p>
<p>Then you need to <strong>CLEAN</strong>. And I mean clean like you&#8217;ve never cleaned before. I would highly recommend calling in a cleaning service for a deep clean, and then retain them to come every week to keep up with things. If you can&#8217;t afford a cleaning service, you can do it yourself. But you need to clean those baseboards, dust every slat of every set of blinds in the house, every blade of every ceiling fan, and even the tops of your door frames. Clean your oven. Tidy your cabinets. Get the carpet steam cleaned. I would also get your windows professionally cleaned inside and out. You would be amazed at how different the light in your house looks after the windows have been cleaned.</p>
<p>The next step is to <strong>DE-PERSONALIZE</strong> your house. There should be absolutely NO personal pictures on your walls or shelves. Potential buyers should not be able to discern your race, ethnicity, religion or hobbies. Pack it all up. If your walls look too bare, go to a craft store like Michael&#8217;s or Hobby Lobby and buy cheap clearance prints of flowers or landscapes. You don&#8217;t have to like it, you don&#8217;t even have to worry about them liking it. It just needs to be impersonal. If you have any rooms that are painted outrageous colors that would be very taste-specific, you should probably paint them a generic and boring color. You may love your burnt orange bedroom, but potential buyers will be able to better imagine themselves in a room that is painted in a cream color.</p>
<p>The other part of de-personalizing is hiding away your toiletries and grooming products. I know, I know. It&#8217;s hard to live that way, but it&#8217;s worth it. Clear out your cabinets under your sink. Find a box or buy a cheap plastic basket and keep your toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, contact solution in them. When it comes time for a showing you can stash it all under the sink, leaving your counters clutter free. You should also get toiletries out of the showers and bathtubs. Use the same strategy &#8211; just keep it all in one of those plastic tote things you used in the dorm and stash it when you have a showing.</p>
<p>Do you have pets? You will need to think about what to do with them during the listing process. Pets are great but they make a mess with their hair, muddy paw prints and surprise fur balls on the carpet.  Do you have a friend or family member who can temporarily house your furry friend? That is ideal because it will lessen the mess factor you have to deal with daily. If not, you&#8217;ll want to figure out a way to work around it. Dogs in the house when a showing happens should be in a kennel or a crate, not the backyard. Buyers will want to see the backyard too &#8211; don&#8217;t make it impossible for them to get outside due to a barking dog.</p>
<p>The last thing to do is look at your home&#8217;s curb appeal. There is no need to go crazy and landscape the front yard, but make it neat. Have the yard mowed and edged regularly. Trim unruly shrubs so they don&#8217;t look overgrown. Pull the obvious weeds in the yard. Plant some seasonal flowers in a pot on the front porch, just to look welcoming. Make sure your front porch and walk are swept neatly.</p>
<p>Alright, now the house is ready to be on the market. You are eagerly awaiting showings. But how do you LIVE like this while your house is on the market? It&#8217;s not easy but it can be done.</p>
<p>First, you have to do daily upkeep on everything. Keep the kitchen clean, tidy up small messes as they happen rather than having a huge mess on your hands at the end of the day, and keep the floors vacuumed and swept. Keep the trashcans empty to avoid lingering smells, and deal with mail right away &#8211; don&#8217;t let it clutter up the counter or your desk.</p>
<p>I highly recommend when you list the house, tell your Realtor that you need one hour notice before any showing. There is usually a booking service that realtors use when they want to show a house. That service will call you and request a showing time. When you get the call you need to spring into action. Wipe down counters, stash those bathroom baskets under the sinks, make sure the beds are made. I also love the idea of having a box or basket where you can stash things quickly and shove it under the bed so it&#8217;s out of sight. Deal with the pets by either getting them into kennels or in the car if you are taking them with you. And then get out.</p>
<p>This is a big one. You CANNOT be in the house when it&#8217;s being shown. It makes people uncomfortable to be looking at a house when the seller is there. They need to feel free to look around at their leisure. If you are there, I guarantee it will make them uncomfortable and they will leave quickly. You want them to spend as much time as they want. The longer they look, the better.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s not easy. But it can be done. Staging your house will give you an advantage over the competition and help potential buyers picture your house as their new home.</p>
<p>photo from <a href="http://cutcaster.com/">cutcaster</a></p>
<hr />
<p>Posted by DonnaM for <a href="http://buy-her.com">Buy-Her.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/buyher">Facebook</a> to get the inside scoop from DonnaM and the rest of the Buy-Her women!</p>]]></content:encoded>
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