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When you consider the shaky economy it only makes sense to consider downsizing as a viable option to prepare for the future. Whether you’re approaching retirement age or starting out in a new relationship, it makes sense to downsize. The overriding benefit will be in savings. A smaller living space is just more efficient and cost effective. If you’re ready to take the downsizing plunge you’re first going to have to sort through your stuff. That means get the stickers ready!
As you move through your home you can carry with you rolls of three sticker colors. The categories you’ll be focusing on are:
- Keep
- Give
- Toss
Obviously the “Keep” stickers will go on those items you intend on taking with you. Remember you’re downsizing so it’s time to let go of things. Obviously, you’ll want to hang onto to those precious keepsakes and memorabilia but you don’t need to keep a set of golf clubs you bought at yard sale ten years ago and never used!
The “Give” stickers would be for all of those things you want to either pass onto other family members or friends or donate. Typically, this would be the sticker for a lot of clothes and shoes you’ve outgrown or never even worn. Yes, it’s finally time to tackle your overstuffed closets. Your new downsized home or apartment will have less closet space which means you only want to pack the essentials.
As for the “Toss” stickers those will go on everything else. It might turn out that your “Toss” pile is the biggest pile of all! To help get rid of that stuff you should call upon the Junk King Capital District. Junk King is the Albany business that focuses on all kinds of junk removal. Think of them as your downsizing partner.
Before moving to your new space you’ll need to take some decent measurements to see what pieces of your furniture will fit. For everything else, Junk King can haul away. Sure, you might have a dining room table or chairs to pass on to a family member but often the furniture we don’t want to take with us shouldn’t be passed on to anyone! That’s because it’s worn out, stained or busted. It’s better to let Junk King handle that.
Junk King can also take care of all those things you definitely wouldn’t be able to take to a new space like patio furniture, home gym equipment or any other bulk item that you won’t be able to cram into a trashcan. That last thing you want is to take that stuff with you. Downsizing is all about starting with a clean slate and that’s exactly what Junk King Capital District can help you accomplish.
Do you have an Adirondack on your patio? For many residents of upstate New York, the Adirondack is a must have item and for good reason: this is the region where the chair was invented. Back in 1903, furniture designer Thomas Lee was on vacation in Westport when he realized he didn’t have anything comfortable to sit on in his backyard. A few sketches, some sawing and hammering and voila, the Adirondack chair was born. His original version of the chair was made from eleven pieces of wood that were cut from a single board. These slats were the straight back and along with the wide armrests they became the hallmark of the Adirondack design.
Hoarding is a very serious psychological disorder that can tear a family apart. A person who suffers from this type of obsessive compulsive behavior can not only put themselves at risk but also all of their neighbors. Then there are the instances where a hoarder takes in animals to satisfy their hoarding tendencies and puts those helpless creatures at risk. At the Halfmoon Town Court an entire family was recently arraigned on charges of animal cruelty for hoarding cats. In one of the cases 134 cats were found living in a trailer in deplorable conditions. Obviously this is a situation when someone’s hoarding tendencies has gotten out of control. Once the law has had their say with these folks they will still need to go through intensive therapy to break the hold that hoarding has on them.
A growing concern for many cities is what to do with all of our electronic waste. This is no different here in Albany as many residents are replacing their old devices with newer models. This is especially true for televisions as folks make the switch over to HDTV. If you’ve ever gone to an electronics store and has seen the crystal-clear pictures provided by HDTV then you know what you’ve been missing. It’s hard to go back your old set after something like that! As a way of providing a method of getting rid of electronic waste the city of Albany has stepped up and provided a procedure to handle this type of disposal. Unfortunately, it might not be the most convenient of programs.
What is your old fridge worth? You might be thinking it’s time to replace that old clunker in your kitchen in favor of a newer model with more “bells and whistles.” Nothing wrong with that but as you go shopping for your new ice box you might want to investigate the “Buy Green, Save Green NY High-Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program.” That’s government speak for “you can get cash for your old fridge.” How much green? How does a $350 rebate on a refrigerator and $250 rebate on a washing machine sound? All of a sudden buying a new kitchen appliance is starting to make a lot more sense.
National Grid Electric is the company that services upstate New York by providing power to many residents. They have also instituted a second refrigerator freezer recycling turn in program. What they are trying to do is encourage their customers to recycle a second refrigerator or freezer which can cost those customers upwards of $150 a year to operate. If a customer decides to recycle this appliance they could earn a $30 rebate. However, there are some strict conditions to this program which might not make it practical for a lot of people.
Even though the real estate market has lately been described as a wild roller coaster ride that fact remains that real estate investing is still a shrewd choice for anyone looking to improve their financial portfolio. The key is making the right choice. In other words, you don’t want to over extend yourself by buying a property that you can’t afford. There are many folks who are taking advantage of the current trends in real estate pricing by becoming proactive buyers. When prices drop it easy to get into the market and find a home that can be of great value either as a flipped property or a rental. Nowhere is this truer than with the foreclosed homes available for purchase. Albany is no different than any other city across the country in terms of foreclosed homes. But for every foreclosed home there is a silver lining of an opportunity.
Winter in Albany, NY is not for the faint of heart. It’s not uncommon for there to be a string of days where the temperature barely breaks out of the 30s. This is the perfect weather for cuddling up in front of a warm fireplace. It’s also the perfect weather for taking a dip in a backyard hot tub. While it might seem odd to want to go out of the snow wearing your “hot tub outfit” there are actually many benefits to be found from a hot tub session even in the most chilly of temperatures.
There’s good news on the way for Albany homeowners who have been served with foreclosure notices. In the annual State of the Judiciary speech (who knew there was such a thing?) Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced a new initiative that provides remedies to help streamline the mortgage settling process. According to news reports this is an “unprecedented” deal between the state, legal service groups and four large banks — Wells Fargo, Citibank, Chase and Bank of America — includes the creation of a new court part that will hear only foreclosure settlement conferences. Each week of the month will be dedicated to a different bank, with one attorney assigned to handle all cases for that lender.”
Recently New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released the 2012 budget from the state’s capital here in Albany. Included in the $132 billion budget proposals are $15 billion in funds set aside to improve New York’s infrastructure. Part of that project is going to be building a new Tappan Zee Bridge that will be go right alongside the existing span. If the budget is approved and the money is allocated that’s going to mean a lot of new construction projects starting around Albany and throughout the rest of the state. That’s good news for many workers who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the chance to get back in the game. Major construction projects have a very positive impact on the economy. Not only does it put money into the pockets of those construction workers but those funds also trickle down to many ancillary businesses. Everything from food trucks to material suppliers to waste removal companies will benefit from these construction jobs.