Susie Skog knows Lake Norman Real Estate Inside Out

Are you interested in the idea of minimalism, but unsure of where to start? Consider the following…

Get your family on board. You’re fighting a losing battle if only one person in your household wants to minimize. Chat with your spouse, kids or roommate about why a minimalistic home space is important.

Once everyone is on the same page, go room by room and itemize your belongings.

After youve taken stock of everything in your home, start the purging process. Begin by ditching duplicates to get you on the right track.

And, most importantly, aim for dual function furniture, like a kitchen island that opens into a dining room table.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Victims of identity theft or fraud may feel they dont have many options to protect themselves. An easy stopgap, however, is to place a fraud alert on your credit report.

A fraud alert can be placed fairly simply. Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to ask that they place a fraud alert on your credit report, giving potential lenders and creditors notice that someone may be trying to fraudulently use your identity to apply for credit. The three main credit bureaus are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion"the one that you report the problem to will notify the others.

It alerts them that they should do more thorough vetting, including calling to check if youre really at a store trying to take out new credit, and verifying your identity before extending credit in your name.

Two Types Available
An initial fraud alert lasts 90 days, after which the credit bureaus will automatically remove it from your credit report. You can then request another 90-day fraud alert if you think youre still at risk for identity theft. You can also request that the 90-day alert be removed early if you no longer need it. You must notify each bureau separately to have them remove it.

The second type is an extended fraud alert that can last up to seven years. It can only be placed on your credit report after your identity has been stolen and youve filed an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission. You may also need to file a report with local police.

An extended alert requires creditors to contact you in person or through your designated contact method to make sure youre the person trying to request credit. You can still open a new account after the creditor contacts you.

This type of alert isnt the same as a credit freeze, which is also called a security freeze. This prevents lenders from checking your credit to open a new account, effectively preventing new account openings.

Keep in mind that a fraud alert can be a red flag for lenders, and theres no guarantee it will stop identity theft. After filing a fraud alert, get a free copy of your credit report from each credit bureau and check it for warning signs of fraud. These include accounts opened in your name that you dont remember opening, or charges on your credit card that you dont recognize.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Some kitchen tools and gadgets are splurges"an ice cream maker is probably rarely used by most"and others are essentials that you’ll likely use daily.

If you’re just starting out in the kitchen and don’t own much more than a pot and a spoon, here are some essential items that are worth the money and will get you ready for cooking.

Chef’s Knife
A full set of knives is great, but the one you’ll use most often is a chef’s knife"a big blade that can do many cutting tasks. A good knife will make cooking easier, faster and a lot more fun than working with a poor one. Be sure to have it sharpened professionally at least once a year. Don’t let it sit with food on it, and wash and dry it after each use.

Large Non-Stick Skillet
A 12-inch non-stick skillet will be used almost daily for cooking, from eggs in the morning to a stir-fry for dinner.

To make it last, don’t use metal utensils, let it soak for hours or put it in the dishwasher (even if it says it’s dishwasher safe). Gently wash and dry it after using it, and don’t scrub it with an abrasive cleaner or sponge.

Big Sauce Pot
Like a big skillet, a 3- or 4-quart sauce pot will be used again and again in your kitchen. Get a big one to make large batches of soup or grains.

The cleaning process is the same for many kitchen items you want to keep in good shape for a long time: Don’t use metal utensils, don’t put it in the dishwasher, wash thoroughly with a gentle sponge and lightly coat it with oil after cleaning.

Blender
A good high-speed blender can do all the work of a regular blender, food processor, juicer and immersion blender. You can use it to blend ingredients for soups, marinades, drinks and all kinds of things that you’ll come up with as you gain experience as a cook.

Parchment Paper
Lining your baking sheets and pans with parchment paper is an inexpensive way to preserve the life of these items. It will also make your life easier by not requiring you, or whoever does the dishes in your house, from having to scrub baked-on food off of pans.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

When major household appliances break, should you repair or replace them?

The answer depends on which appliance

Many refrigerator repairs are easy and affordable, especially if the problem is a bad motor or electronic controls.

Dishwashers are usually simple to repair, but issues with their door seal or tub often prompt a full replacement.

Unless water heaters are failing because of a part thats easy to replace, its almost never a good idea to repair them.

Washing machines with water leaks or broken belts are simple to repair, but a faulty clothes dryer might be a fire hazard worth replacing.

When in doubt, consult the manufacturer or a service professional.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

You’ve heard the warnings about global warming, you feel compassion for stranded polar bears and you worry about overwhelming the landfills. As a homeowner, you may not be ready for composting, but there are ways to become an eco-friendlier household.

Ecologists provide simple but useful tips that even the laziest activist can use to do their part in helping the environment:

Cut down on water use. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Drink tap water in reusable containers instead of plastic bottles. Lower the water level when doing small laundry loads and dont run the dishwasher until its full.

Use less power. Shut off the lightsbeforeyou leave in the morning, and unplug electrical equipment that you arent using during the day and while you sleep"especially your work and home computers.

Adjust the thermostat. Set it for a few degrees higher in summer, and a few degrees lower in winter. You likely wont feel much of a difference, and youll like the decrease in utility bills.

Replace your light bulbs. Sources say if every American household replaced one regular lightbulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, the pollution reduction would be equivalent to removing one million cars from the road.

Change your shower-head. A low flow version will save water while providing just as much pressure.

Save on paper. Keep a digital calendar and notes instead of paper ones. Whenever possible, re-use the back side of old printed sheets for new but less important print jobs. Sign up for paperless billing and pay your bills online.

Use less plastic. Use reusable grocery bags even where theyre not required. Re-use empty plastic food containers with tight fitting lids, such as cottage cheese containers, for leftovers and storage purposes"be sure any unwanted plastic goes into the recycle bin.

Eat less meat. If youre not ready to go vegetarian, try committing to a meatless dinner once or twice a week to decrease the resources you use. Producing wheat and even veggies takes far less water than producing beef, and there are plenty of tasty meatless recipes online that families can explore together.

Published with permission from RISMedia.