How To Start A Small Business

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of small business ideas to two or three, get out your pencil and paper and prepare to start some serious thinking and analysis. This step is where the planning process begins and helps you understand the feasibility of your business ideas. You need to ask the following questions, do the analysis, and come up with your best answers. Questions you should ask yourself about your business ideas include:

How much will it cost to just get the business off the ground? Do I have this money or do I need a loan? Do I need financial help to start my own business?

How long until I break even? How much cash to I need on hand to keep the business afloat?

How will I cover family (or your own if you’re single) living expenses during the startup phase?

What county, state, and federal licenses, certifications, etc. do I need for the business? How long does it take for each?

Who are my customers? Is there a market for my business?

If your business sells a product, how much inventory do you need on hand?

Do you need to hire employees or temporary staff? How much help do you need?

Do I love this business? Does it fit my lifestyle, professional goals and personal ambitions?

After answering the questions above for each of your business ideas, you should be able to pick the business idea that makes the most sense for you (and has the highest probability of success). While a lot of work, the next steps for how to start a small business are somewhat academic…

Prepare a business and marketing plan

Obtain necessary funding, if necessary

Establish your business entity and register with your county, state and federal agencies

Open a business checking account and business credit card

Obtain necessary licenses, certifications, insurance, etc.

Acquire office or storefront space, if necessary

Purchase inventory, if necessary

Start advertising

Open your business!

Closely manage and analyze your books; pay careful attention to your cash flow

Revise your business and marketing plan

Work hard, succeed, and hopefully make a ton of money

Make a difference in your community

Sure, these are overly simplified, but you get the picture. The two hardest tasks, in our mind, when learning how to start a small business, is 1) Coming up with start up business ideas that you are passionate about, and 2) Doing the due-diligence to try and ensure that your business will be a success.

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10 Tips on Choosing Your Home Business

1. Instead of choosing the first business that comes to mind, take time to explore various options.

2. Find out what type of business appeals to you most.

3. Choose a business that will be profitable.

4. Think whether you can, and want to handle every aspect of the business.

5. Draw a layout of your intended work area to see how it will fit into its allotted space into your home.

6. Make sure the business meets high safety standards, esp. if you have children at home.

7. Check with an insurance agent to determine the kind of insurance coverage the business is going to need.

8. Ensure compliance with zoning laws and ordinances in your area.

9. Select a business whose requirements are compatible with yourself and your family.

10. Get your family members involved in the business, and have fun together working for its success.

How to Successfully Start a Home Business

1. Make sure that your family is 100% solidly behind your decision to start a home-based business.

It is important to have your family’s support when you start a home business. The family must believe in your vision for them to allow you to use the family’s savings and assets for this business. Or it may be that you will need your spouse to continue employment to ensure that the family still has health insurance and benefits.

You need your family’s blessing and cooperation in the event that you will need to tighten the household purse strings as you jumpstart the business. You also need to prepare them for the possibility that money will be tight initially; especially if you left your job (and a steady pay check) and the family will have to live on one steady income source.

Even the creation of the space for the home-based business may require consensus for the family. Your business may require storage space for inventory or supplies that a simple nook in the corner cannot provide, that the business will now encroach on living spaces.

2. Make sure that this home business is what you really want to do.

It is imperative that this business is something you’d like to be doing, and can see yourself doing even in the long term. Only by making sure that this business is what you really want to do can you have the stamina and courage to persist – especially when the going gets tough. Don’t get carried away with the initial rush of excitement of this new home business. It is important to prepare yourself for the rollercoaster ride of self-employment and starting a business.

3. Know what you are REALLY getting into.

Your home business stands a greater chance at success if you understand what this business requires, how best to run this business, who the customers will be, and how you can reach these customers. One of the common errors of home-based entrepreneurs is to jump into the business, with nary a no clue as to what they are getting into.

Read books about the specific business. Visit forums to find what others are saying or experiencing with the business you want to start. The Web has also made it very easy to research competitors and how the strategies they are using. Be a sponge willing to absorb anything and everything about your business. Remember, research is your best friend!

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10 Home Business Ideas for Women Entrepreneurs

1. Virtual Assistant : One of the hottest new home businesses today is the virtual assistant business. It is the reinvention of the secretarial and administrative assistance business in the age of the Internet.

As a virtual assistant, you perform the typical tasks of an administrative support professional such as word processing, researching, event planning, and other office chores – except everything is done online. Your client may even be hundreds of miles away from you (even from a different country), and you may never even get to meet them as all communication are often done via email, password-protected web sites, instant messaging or phone calls.

2. Blogging : The number of blogs has grown significantly in the last few years, and many women are publishing and posting to blogs. According to a 2009 study by BlogHer.com , about 8 million women publish blogs. Blogging as a business is ideal for home-based women entrepreneurs, as it is an activity that can easily fit into a busy schedule running the household.

To earn from blogs, the most common way is through advertising. There are a number of advertising programs out there that you can use such as Google Adsense, and for higher trafficked blogs, Federated Media.

The key to success in blogging is creating compelling content that will attract a lot of readers. If you’re using advertising based model, it is important to choose a topic that attracts a lot of advertisers to get better payouts for your blog.

3. Home Staging Business : The tough economic climate hit the real estate very hard, and sellers nowadays have to try harder to sell their houses. To compete with other sellers, they need to make their homes look a cut above the competition and be the hottest property in the neighborhood.

When home sellers do not have the budget for extensive renovations and repairs, the best option is to turn to staging their real estate listings, using quick fixes that can turn their house for sale into a showcase. For a fraction of the cost of renovation, home staging can make the house look bigger, brighter, warmer resulting in a faster and more profitable sale.

The ongoing recession and buyers’ market in real estate has significantly boosted the demand for home staging. Agents and sellers are embracing home staging to sell their real estate listings during this time when there are more home sellers than buyers.

To become a home stager, some start out by taking some courses on home staging to better understand this business (note: there are even online courses that are available to learn about home staging). You need to have a good eye for design and a talent for organizing. More importantly, you need to be able to communicate with clients well, and listen to what they want. It is important to network with real estate agents and make your business, as their go-to stagers should their clients need such services.

4. Daycare : Childcare has always been one of the common businesses run by women entrepreneurs from home. As the number of two working parents grows, there is a demand from busy working parents for reliable, loving and safe day care for their children.

Before starting a daycare business, learn the licensing regulations in your state. Make sure your home is in compliance with the rules regarding daycares. Check the zoning requirements in your area, as well as rules in your homeowners’ association (if your HOA has any).

Consult with your neighbors and let them know that you will be running a daycare business. The last thing you want is for neighbors to complain to the city or county office about the noise and traffic resulting from your daycare business. Neighbors may object to the noise of the kids playing in your backyard, as well as the comings-and-goings of parents dropping and picking up their kids. Once your neighbors complain, your county or city may move to close your business.

5. Handcrafted Items : Hand crafted items have been given a huge boost with the popularity of online auctions, giving handicraft enthusiasts and business owners a wider venue for their products. EBay.com has allowed handicraft makers and easier and wider way to reach the market, but it is Etsy.com that has really opened spurred the market for handcrafted items. Etsy.com is a dedicated marketplace for handcrafted items, where sellers pay as low as $0.20 fee for an item for a four months exposure on the site.

If you are making crafts now, think about kicking your hobby into a higher gear and turn it into a profit-generating endeavor. Depending on your craft, you can sell your crafts retail, wholesale, or one-of-a-kind in fairs, online auction sites, bazaars, boutiques as well as mail-order catalogs, gift shops and department stores.

The challenge for many craft enthusiasts is turning their hobbies into full-blown businesses, and developing a more professional attitude toward their home business. Finding the right price for their products has always been a difficult task, but the cardinal rule is to always make at least twice as much as you have paid for your supplies. Keep up-to-date with the latest trends by reading crafting magazines and try to find your own “niche” market for your crafts.

6. Herb farming : Herbs nowadays are very much in demand, particularly with the popularity of specialty foods and cooking, and homeopathic medicines.

The increased demand for medicinal herbs is spurred by the growing public interest in alternatives to conventional medicine. Herbal supplements for the treatment of colds and flu were the big sellers last year, due to the global concern for the H1N1 or swine flu virus. The growing interest in alternative medicine and healing both in America and the rest of the world ensures that this is a market set to expand.There is also a strong growth in the demand for organic and locally grown food, including herbs, which in turn is contributing to the growth of herb farming. Culinary herb varieties, such as basil, chives, parsley, oregano, thyme, mint, rosemary, French tarragon and many others, are growing in use. One particular herb, the medicinal herb ginseng once grown in Asia, is now grown in some parts of the United States and Europe.

Small-time herb farming can be an ideal business for those who love farming, as herbs can be grown in almost all seasons, in greenhouses, rooftops, sun rooms and/or outdoors in relatively small spaces. Dried herbs can also be sold to crafters and florists for wreaths, floral arrangements, etc. Your first step is to decide what area of the business you want to develop (e.g. plants, herb products, aromatherapy, etc.). You can sell your herbs wholesale to local grocery stores and specialty food markets, sell directly to customers on and off the Internet at retail prices, herbalists and aroma therapists, caterers and restaurants specializing in gourmet cooking, mail order, and several other channels.

7. Personal chef : For a growing number of families, the question, “What’s for dinner?” is best answered with a phone call to a personal chef. Personal chefs offer an affordable and great-tasting solution to families with little or no time to cook.

Personal chefs prepare meals (about 6-8 meals) in their clients’ homes, customized to the clients’ taste and dietary preferences. It is extremely important to have a client checklist – from their dietary information and food allergies to favorite ingredients to preferred types of cuisines. They then label and refrigerate the food that the client can then enjoy, prepare detailed instructions for reheating and leave the client’s kitchen clean and spotless.

Personal chef business thrives in busy urban areas, where the disposable income is higher and more people don’t have the time to prepare meals that they enjoy. Cheaper than private chefs, they are in high demand by families who wish to spend more time together, young professional couples or singles who enjoy eating tasty meals without the hassles of cooking.

To succeed in this business, personal chefs need to have the following skills: superb culinary skills, time management skills, great in budgeting, and superior customer skills. To ensure better chances of making a mark quickly, think of a niche that you can serve and offer, such as vegetarian menus or low-carb diets.

8. Elderly Care Business : Senior care services, which typically are an alternative to traditional nursing homes, are growing and thriving. There is big opportunity for nonmedical home care providers, who help seniors with tasks of daily living. The aging of the baby boomers is ensuring that this business has high demand, plus the rising numbers of senior citizens who want to stay in their own homes means.

The service is aimed to be more personal and affordable compared to a nursing home. Typical clientele include elderly men and women who cannot live safely in their own homes, but do not require the full-time skilled nursing care provided by convalescent hospitals. They are looking for minimal supervision and assistance — as well as companionship — in order to live independently as possible.

Personal and home-care aides work with elderly, physically disabled, or mentally disabled clients whose family or friends cannot provide extensive personal or home care. They also provide housekeeping and personal care services, meal planning, and instruction or psychological support to their clients. Elderly caregivers also provide social activities, recreation and some health-related services.

According to the government site longtermcare.gov, the average cost in 2009 for a Home Health Aide is $21/hour and $19/hour for a Homemaker services. If you visit your elderly client 3 times a week, you can potentially earn about $18,000 a year for those services.

9. Consulting : If you are an expert in a specific industry, such as finance, marketing, or mediation, consider beginning your own consulting business

One of the best businesses you can start from home is to sell your expertise as a consultant. In fact, consulting is one of the hottest trends in the market today, as more and more people appreciate the independence and flexibility it brings and the range of potential income that this business can generate.

To be a consultant, you need to have the experience, skill, and knowledge in your chosen field. You may also qualify as a consultant if you taken any advanced academic degrees, certifications or special studies in your area of expertise. There are a number of fields that require certifications and special licensing before you can begin operating as a consultant.

However, you do not need to be recognized as the ultimate best in your field to become a consultant (though of course, it helps). It is also not necessary that you have been a CEO in a top company or even held a titled position. You also do not need to have owned or operated a business to become a successful business consultant.

You will, however, need the ability to sell yourself, and an up-to-date understanding of the area in which you intend to be involved with. Look over your educational strengths and combine them with any training and on-the-job experience gained in the marketplace. Insight, thorough study, and common sense can be joined together as a substitute for years of experience in a field.

If you want to become a consultant, the first step is to take an honest look at your own training and experience. You may have worked all your life in a particular field and received special training and education along the same lines. If you’ve worked as a special event coordinator for an exclusive island resort, you can offer your services as a consultant who helps plan, develop and execute theme parties for corporations and other hotels.

10. Medical claims billing : This industry is one of the most popular work-from-home businesses. A medical billing service helps physicians obtain payment from insurance carriers and patients by handling insurance claims, and provide information to help physicians to more effectively manage their practice.

Medical billing is a business that can easily be done at home, even on a part-time basis. However, running it as a business takes more than just the technical know-how: you need to know how to manage and run a business, market and promote to get clients, and possess financial savvy to turn it into a success.

It is a business that has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decades. With the passing of President Obama’s massive health care reform, new opportunities await the medical billing business as complexities of the health care system are expected to grow. While demand is great, competition in the medical billing market is fierce. There are a number of large and well-established firms dominating the market, though the medical billing business has a lot of room for a small and home-based business entrepreneur.

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Top Seven Business Tips for Women Entrepreneurs

1) Focus on your strengths

There’s an old saying – ‘Do what you do best and delegate the rest.’ Know what your top strengths are. Delegate or drop anything that you’re not exceptionally skilled at, and focus at least 80% of your time using your key talents that bring you income.

2) Put yourself first

Your growing business needs a lot of time and attention. Many women in business put themselves third or fourth on their list of priorities. Put you and your business first and everything else will fall into place.

3) Learn to say ‘no’

I ask women who have started a business to drop anywhere from 25% to 50% of their time commitments when we start working together. Most women are too over-committed with non-business related activities. Be strategic about what you say yes to, especially in the first few years of your business. Guard your precious time as the valuable asset that it is.

4) Plan for success

Lack of planning causes more businesses to fail than anything else. Planning is very valuable because it causes you to think ahead to your vision and next steps to reach your goals. You can create a simple one page marketing plan that outlines your business objectives and how you will achieve them.

5) Ask for support

Don’t try to figure it all out by yourself. Notice where you are stuck and could use some help, and ask for it. Ask colleagues or others who have been in business and could mentor you, hire a business coach, or form your own mastermind support team.

6) Delegate or drop your weaknesses

Get clear on what you don’t enjoy doing or don’t do very well. Either stop trying to do it, or find someone who will do it for you. A perfect example is bookkeeping. If you dislike it, give it to someone else to do, and free up your time to earn money doing what you do well.

7) Keep an eye on the bottom line

You don’t need to have complex financial statements, but setting targets and tracking some key indicators every month will help you understand how you are doing. You‘ll know sooner what’s working and what’s not working so that you can make strategic adjustments.

10 Simple Fashion Tips for Women

*Forget about the word “fashion” and think “style” – it may be mentally less intimidating or more “wearable”! says Ripley.

*Even if you stay at home, make an effort to dress everyday as if you are going out. This changes your whole approach to even the most mundane household chores. You will find you have a more positive attitude and are less inclined to be reduced to a couch potato, in your slovenly sweat pants and baggy T-shirt.

*Clear out your closet. Get rid of those items which are outdated, do not suit you or simply do not make you feel good. Make room for that new wardrobe of clothes that you are going to build, slowly, piece by piece.

*Take stock of how many classic items you currently have in your closet. Start building new outfits which will prove versatile and timeless – go anywhere and do anything. You should aim to have a wardrobe base of well cut, classic pieces and a few cheap fun, fashionable outfits that are right on trend, which can be replaced every season.

*Treat your wardrobe as an investment. "Create a closet that is full of must-have pieces rather than make-do ones," adds Ripley.

*Ensure that your wardrobe is built around some style staples which will take you from season to season and can be dressed up or down. A good coat, a little black dress, a wrap dress, well cut denims, a classic pair of black pants, cashmere cardigan and a stylish crisp white shirt. Update these looks every season with some fab accessories.

*According to Ripley, buying a really great bag and a pair of look-at-me shoes, which will transform any outfit. Transform your “walk” into a “wiggle”.

*Get to know your body shape. Are you a pear, apple, brick, hour glass or inverted triangle? Read up on the free fashion advice available on Suite 101 and learn how to dress for your body shape.

*Learn how to play down your flaws and make the most of your assets. Learn how to disguise big hips, stomachs or a larger bust and learn what not to wear if you are short or flat-chested.

*Shop smarter. Ask yourself a few key questions regarding what suits you before you shop and plan what to buy in advance.

Highlight Your Eye Color With Eye Makeup

Eye Makeup For Blue Eyes

If you want to play it safe with your eye makeup, blue eyed beauties can get great results using colors of gray, violet, deep blue or taupe. In fact, if you choose a blue slightly darker than your eye’s color, it will make your eyes appear even brighter. Be sure if you use bright colors like blue or violet that you do so sparingly. Too much blue on the eyelid will only make you look like an 80s rock princess. For those who do want to punch up their eye makeup risk factor, silver, turquoise and fuchsia can be great additions to the eye area.

Eye Makeup For Brown Eyes

Brown eyed girls who want to go for a classic look should stick metallic colors like bronze, copper or champagne and can also safely try browns, beige or khaki. If they want to add a little flair to their face, they can be bold and try tangerine, hot pink, lime or royal blue.

Eye Makeup For Green/Hazel Eyes

Those with mysterious green or hazel eyes can find flattering results when using a shade in colors like brown, apricot, purple, plum, khaki or pine green. These colors can brighten green or hazel eyes and are ideal for all times of the day. Those who seek a modern twist or who like to play it less than safe might want to go for colors of gold, lime or bright purple on the eyelid, however.

Eye Makeup For All Eye Colors

There are a few eye shadow makeup colors appropriate for any eye color. For a classic look, ladies of any eye color can try navy, charcoal, or silver. Silver can work to highlight the eye and brow areas and accentuate those who find their eyes are their best feature.

Professional Eye Makeup Tips And Beauty Ideas

Cosmetic experts are the first to say the key to a perfectly made-up face is all in how you apply the makeup products you choose. Remember these helpful tips when creating your new look!

Even if you don’t have perfect technique, if you have the right brush for each area of the face, you can get great results with makeup. Be sure to use a larger blush brush for the cheek areas and smaller brushes for the eye area. An angled brush can be great when you want to apply your contouring shadow color and a squared brush might be best for the highlighting of the upper lid/brow area.

If you don’t have an eyeliner pencil handy, you can use darker eye shadow instead of traditional liner. Simply use the edge of an eye shadow applicator and create a straight line of shadow onto the top lash line. You will find it creates a less dramatic look.

Don’t think you have to buy high priced cosmetics to get great results. Sure, you might want to splurge on a few special items from Sephora and other mall brands but mix the high priced items with lower priced items from brands like Cover Girl for the ultimate make up look.

Color Your Lips

Lipstick—a million colors to choose from!

One of the biggest makeup challenges is choosing the right lip color. Some women vary their lipstick in accordance with their wardrobe—a big no-no, since your lipstick is supposed to complement your skin tones!

It's not hard to choose lipstick colors once you know one simple fact. All you need to know is whether your skin tones are "warm" or "cool". It's not about how dark or light you are, or even about your hair or eye color, but what the undertone of your skin is—is it bluish (cool) or yellowish (warm)? Everyone is either warm or cool and it's all about your facial coloring: blondes, brunettes and redheads can be either one.

So how can you tell if you aren't sure? Dig through your makeup bag and find just two shades of any kind of makeup—lip color, eye shadow or blush. Find one color that is orange or rust and another that is pink or lavender. Rub one color on the apple of your cheek and the other color on the apple of the other cheek and then compare. Does one look more "right" than the other? Does one look garish or just wrong? The color that works will show you your skin tone. If the orange color looks right, you have warm tones; if the pink color looks right, you are cool.

Now that you know your skin tone, you are free to choose any lip color in that color family. But that doesn't mean you'll only wear one lipstick shade: you still have plenty to choose from! Take a look at this list of potential lip shades for either coloring:

Warm Colors

Coral, Peachy, Russet, Rust, Amber, Brown, Brick Red, Melon, Salmon, Orange, Sandalwood, Red with yellow undertone, Taupe

Cool Colors

Pink, Raspberry, Cherry, Mulberry, Lavender, Plum, Rose, Strawberry, Crimson, Amethyst, Lilac, Red with blue undertone, Mauve

As you can see, the color names associated with warm and cool tones tend to fall into two groups. The warm tones tend to be earthy, woodsy, with only a couple of fruit names (peach and melon). Cool tones tend to contain the names of berries, which are often shades of pink or purple or reds with blue undertones. Warm and cool women can both wear red lipstick, but the "true red" tend to be bluish, so warm women should look for reds with a slight leaning towards brown or orange. Once you understand your skin tone, the trick is not to fall for a pretty name when the shade doesn't flatter your skin. Lipstick makers know that a lush name, reminiscent of flowers or jewels or romance, can sell a lipstick even when the color looks terrible on most women. So beware!

Don't let the name fool you into buying something that looks wrong on you. Read the name after you've looked at the color!

The best way to get every shade you want is to buy a whole palette of lip colors. But lipstick palettes usually have two or three colors that work and another fifteen that look just awful. If you've ever bought a lip palette, you know what it's like: there are a couple of colors you want, and you have to buy the rest of the palette to get them. They're the two spots where the color's worn to the bottom of the case in a few months while the rest of the compact is untouched. When you're out of the colors you love, the rest goes into a drawer. "I'll think about it later," we say to ourselves while the little pots of unused, unwearable color pile up inside our vanity drawers.

Wouldn't it be great to get a lip palette of every shade you love? To choose each individual color based on what looks great on you? To know you can mix colors with the confidence of knowing that they will blend beautifully because they are in the same color family? And when a beloved color runs low, wouldn't it be great to just replace it and keep the compact! Guess what? You can!

Use a lip pencil or liner to before putting on lip color.

While you don't want to stray too far from the natural shape of your mouth, lip pencils can add clean definition while subtly but powerfully redefining your mouth. Drawn just outside your natural lip line, lip pencil adds fullness; drawn just on the inside, your lips appear slightly thinner.

Want to achieve a luscious pout? Add fullness to the bottom lip with a lip pencil two shades lighter than the one you use on your upper lip.

Love the Julia Roberts look? Soften and enhance your upper lip line by drawing with your lip pencil in a heavy stroke, then smudge ever-so-slightly upwards with the end of your pinkie. Blot, then apply your lipstick to the edge of the original line.

For total freedom in lip color, make sure you have lip liner pencils in several colors. One lip pencil just can't cut it: you'll want to use slightly lighter or darker lip pencils to create the illusion of fullness or to slightly thin out heavier lips.

Great Lip Gloss

You can't buy lip gloss from a drugstore—unless you want a gloppy, sticky, slimy mess, perhaps adorned with little bits of sharp glitter and a heavy bubble-gum scent. Store brands can have lots of confusing ingredients, but we have decoded the makeup terms for their true meaning. Perfect for 'tweens, lip gloss for grown-ups should add subtle shine and color. But the best lip glosses do more than shine you up: they add essential organic oils like tangerine, clove, peppermint, lavender, vanilla, grapefruit and rose. Essential oils not only add health to your lips: their natural scents create instant aromatherapy when applied to the lips. Vanilla and peppermint have been shown to increase happy feelings; grapefruit and tangerine give you a boost of energy; rose and lavender are perfect for calming and soothing stressed nerves. Lip gloss with essential oils that does more than make you look wonderful: it makes you feel wonderful too!

Warm and cool shades apply to your lip gloss choices as they do your lipsticks. Choose colors one shade lighter or darker than your favorite lipsticks for an extra layer of light-loving color, or wear them alone for a natural, pretty look.

Want to maximize your lip color wardrobe? Choose your lipsticks first, then add lip pencils one shade darker than each lipstick, and finish by picking lip glosses one shade lighter than each lipstick. Make sure your lip pencils, lipsticks and glosses are all from the same color family that matches your skin tone. Don't forget a calming lip treatment to protect and smooth no matter which colors you wear!

For Work to Dinner to Dancing: A Lip for All Reasons

Your daily lip color should be more muted than your night-time look, but we often dash from work to an evening out without returning home. With a small, portable lip palette, you can bring a daytime and a nighttime shade along with complementary lip pencils with no extra hassle—they fit into your purse! Take along a miniature compact with your daily shade, and add a second, more dramatic color alongside it. Or wear a gloss for day and add a lipstick for night. When you're getting ready for the evening, your glammed-up lip color will be right—and right where you need it.

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Safety Tips For Women

The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

The three reasons women are easy targets for random acts of violence are:

1) Lack of Awareness - You MUST know where you are & what's going on around you.

2) Body Language - Keep your head up, swing your arms, stand straight up.

3) Wrong Place, Wrong Time - DON'T walk alone in an alley, or drive in a bad neighborhood at night.

Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.) DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.

A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor,and in the back seat. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. This is a good reason to park away from big vans.

Look at the car parked on the drivers side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman towalk you backout. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (Better paranoid than dead.)

ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot.) Do not get on an elevator if there is a weirdo already on there. (Of course bad men don't always look bad.) Do not stand back in the corners of the elevator. Be near the front, by the doors, ready to get off or on. If you get on the elevator on the 25th floor, and the Boogie Man gets on the 22nd, get off when he gets on. Don't ride the elevator with him if you are not comfortable.

If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! Police only make 4 of 10 shots when they are in range of 3-9 feet. This is due to stress. The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good looking,well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

Pat Malone told us the story of his daughter, who came out of the mall and was walking to her car when she noticed 2 older ladies in front of her. Then she saw a police car come towards her with officers who said hello. She also noticed that all 8 handicap spots in the area were empty. As she neared her car, she saw a man a few rows over calling to her for help. He wanted her to close his passenger side door. He was sitting in the driver's side, and said he was handicapped. He continued calling, until she turned and headed back to the mall, and then he began cursing at her. In the meantime, she wondered why he didn't ask the 2 older ladies, or the policeman for help, and why he was not parked in any of the empty handicap spots. As she got back to the mall, two male friends of hers were exiting, and as she told them the story, and turned to point at the car, the man was getting out of the back seat into the front, and the car sped away. DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THIS TRAP.

Tips to saving your life, if you have gotten into a violent situation:

REACT IMMEDIATELY - If he abducts you in a parking lot, and is taking you to an abandoned area, DON'T LET HIM GET YOU TO THAT AREA. If you are driving, react immediately in the situation, and crash your car while still going 5 mph. If he's driving, find the right time, and stick your fingers in his eyes. He must watch the road, so choose an unsuspecting time, and gouge him. It is your ONLY defense. While he is in shock, GET OUT. This sounds gross, but the alternative is worse if you do not act.

RESIST - Don't go along with him: Run, if you are able: DON'T EVER GIVE UP! You DO NOT want to get to a crime scene.

Always keep your distance when walking past strangers on the street or in dark areas.

GET A CELL PHONE: There are packages for $19.95 a month that allow you to program only 911 into the dialing out program. (This is an alternative for parents who say it is too expensive for their kids to have a cell phone.)

BREAK DOWNS: Make every effort to avoid this by ALWAYS keeping your carin good working order. If your car breaks down:

LOCK YOUR DOORS. You better have a cell phone to call for help. If you don't have a cell phone: (shame on you) keep a blanket, warm clothes, a pair of boots, and a flashlight in your car always, for emergencies.

If it's noon on a business day, you may want to put your hazards on and walk to safety. If it's 2 AM, put on your warm clothes, and walk to a lighted area. You are a perfect target if you are sitting in your car broken down. Predators search the highways for easy targets like you.

If you're on a desolate road: walk away from the car (in your warm clothes) and go to some bushes, or some area AWAY from your vehicles. It will be cold, and uncomfortable, but you DO NOT want to stay in your car, and there are no psycho bogeymen waiting in the bushes who knew you were going to break down there and then.

Physical defenses that we can use against the violent predator: The EYES are the most vulnerable part of the body. Poke him there HARD. It may be your only window of opportunity.

The neck is also a vulnerable spot, but you MUST know where to grip, AND HAVE THE STRENGTH to cut off his breath. Punch him in the throat to cut off his air supply.

The last place is the KNEES. Everyone's knees are very vulnerable, and a swift kick here will take anyone down. **** A cautionary note about these things. If you do not do these things right the first time, you are in trouble, because it will only anger the individual, and that anger will be TAKEN OUT ON YOU. I'm not saying don't attempt them, it may be your only hope, but be forceful when you do.

If you are walking alone in the dark (which you shouldn't be) and you find him following/chasing you: Scream "FIRE!" and not "help"; People don't want to get involved when people yell "help" but "fire" draws attention because people are nosy. RUN!

Find an obstacle, such as a parked car, and run around it, like Ring Around the Rosie. This may sound silly, but over the years, 5 women have told Pat Malone that this SAVED THEIR LIVES. Your last hope is getting under the car. Once you are under there, there are tons of things to hold onto, and he will not be able to get you out and will not come under for you (most likely). Usually they give up by this point. The catch here is that YOU MUST PRACTICE GETTING UNDER THE CAR. You must have a plan (he will have one); know if you will be going on your back, front, from the side or back of the car. It must be practiced.

Never let yourself or anyone that you know be the "closer" in any type of business (bar, store, restaurant, gas station). Pat knew Danielle, who was a girl that just died from being shot point blank by some kids while she was closing at the local gas station. He talked with her the night before she died, and asked whether it ever scared her to close alone. She said, "Yes, but I'll be allright, Pat. I'll be all right." She wasn't. Our world is not as safe as we pretend that it is, and living in our fantasy worlds WILL get us in trouble, sooner or later. Pat Malone said again and again that the women who die EVERY MINUTE from violent crimes expected to go to bed tonight, and get up tomorrow. No one expects it,but we must be prepared and aware so that we HAVE A PLAN. BE PREPARED TO ACT! AND ACT HARD! HAVE A PLAN!

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Keeping your kitchen clean

Everyone knows that preparing food in an unclean kitchen could bring about nasty diseases. That’s why it’s important to keep your kitchen clean.

To keep your kitchen neat and tidy, establish a cleaning schedule. You don’t have to finish the entire kitchen in one day (especially if you have a large kitchen), but what you can do is begin with the appliances. Clean inside and underneath your oven, refrigerator, etc. That way, the hardest tasks are out of the way

Then you can get to cleaning out your cupboards or cabinets. Empty them and dust off the inside with a rag. Once that’s finished, neatly put all your items back inside

After that, work on the walls and countertops. Simply mix your all purpose cleaner with water and scrub those surfaces clean

Remember that cleaning other appliances may end up dirtying your floor, which is why it’s the last thing you should work on. That way, you don’t need to clean it over and over again. Sweep it well first, and mop.

Finally, store all your kitchen cleaning tools in one basket and keep that basket out of reach of kids and pets.

Maintain your kitchen’s cleanliness with these tips, and you’ll be serving up wonderful and healthy meals in no time at all!

Cleaning Tips On Your Furniture

Regular dusting and vacuuming of your upholstered furniture can help you keep them looking as good as the first time you bought it. Make sure that you will be using the correct cleaning products on your upholstery and follow the instructions on their labels. If your furniture has leather upholstery there are effortless ways of keeping them clean and shiny as new.

Other cleaning tips are vacuum clean seat and back cushions and loose pillows. Re-arrange them if necessary to even the wear of your furniture. Clean all non-fabric materials with a clean damp cloth. If your upholstery needs to be shampooed, follow the instructions on the label of the cleaning product. You may also use a homemade solution made of a mixture of liquid dish detergent and warm water. This preparation must be whipped using an egg beater or mixer to make dry suds.

Now use the fabric attachment or brush of your vacuum to clean the upholstery. Just remember to keep the furniture completely dry while shampooing it to avoid damage caused by mildew. Clean small areas on the furniture at a time and then wipe clean using a clean damp cloth. Let the upholstered furniture dry out completely.

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Appliance Cleaning Tips

Here are some simple but useful tips for usual problems regarding cleaning appliances.

*If you want to get the odor out of your refrigerator, just put two containers of used coffee grounds in it. Now if you the odor is in your kitchen and you want to get rid of it, put two pieces of washed charcoal on top of your refrigerator. To get rid of all odor, just simple fry a little amount of cinnamon.

*If your microwave’s interior looks burnt, put in it a glass container with one cup of water and one cup of vinegar. Cook it for about 3 to 5 minutes and after it; wipe the goo out of your microwave.

*You should also clean your dishwasher’s inside once in a while. Put some vinegar in and at the bottom of the dishwasher and rinse aid dispenser, respectively. Wipe it off after washing.

*To clean your greasy and oily stove burner, have a towel and dip it in hot and soapy water. Wipe your stove burner but be careful in not wetting the electrical connection.

*If you want to clean your washing machine, run a full-hot water cycle in your machine while adding a cup of chlorine bleach.

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Storing Winter Clothes

Most people have clothing for summer and winter, except for those lucky individuals that live in tropical climates, where a sweater is a term for individuals that perspire too much and a parka is a place to leave your car.

Then there are those poor souls from England, and Vancouver (myself included) where we too, only have one season. It is called “Wet”, but for everyone else, there is good reason to store your unneeded clothing during the off season.

Wool sweaters and down jackets are some of the most prone to being damaged by moths, mildew and mold. Wash and dry very thoroughly before storing, and never store in a plastic bag, or air proof container. The best storage container is likely a rattan trunk, which permits free circulation of air through the clothing. Here are some tips for other types of materials:

Furs

If the garment is small, store at home in a cold dry place. Cover with cloth or washed muslin. Otherwise, use professional cold storage.

Leather and Suede

Store in a cool, well-ventilated closet. Cover with cloth or washed muslin. For soft leather, pad with white tissue paper and fold flat.

Linen

Roll if possible. If you must, re-fold periodically to avoid creases. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Metallic’s

Roll with white tissue paper or washed muslin to separate each layer. If you must fold, place white tissue paper between each layer and re-fold periodically to avoid creases. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Quilts

Fold and store flat. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Rayon

Store flat. if you must hang the garment, pad it well with white tissue paper. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Silk

For sheer or knitted silks, store flat. If you must hang the garment, pad it well with white tissue paper. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Velvet

Pad with white tissue paper and hang on a padded hanger, supporting skirt area from loops attached at waist. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Wool

Clean thoroughly, pad with paper, fold, then wrap in white tissue paper. Add mothballs to storage area.

Fighting Mildew:

Ventilate storage areas when the weather is dry and cool. Pack storage areas loosely so that air can circulate around clothes. Don’t use starch or fabric finish on items to be stored.

When storing clothes, use a chemical desiccant such as silica gel or calcium chloride, but don’t let it touch the garments. Place Para dichlorobenzene mothballs or crystals inside closets and drawers; they prevent mildew and absorb moisture.

To reduce dampness in closets, wrap some chalk together and hang them up.

To protect garments from snags, and possibly acid damage from wood, line your dresser drawers with quilted fabric or good quality shelf paper that is ungummed. (Gummed paper attracts insects and is hard to remove).

For sweet-smelling clothes, put unwrapped bars of scented soap, empty perfume bottles, or fabric softener sheets into drawers.

Consider professional cold storage if you have any of the following:

furs or fur-trimmed clothes

a climate that is very hot or humid;

inadequate storage space

chronic problems with carpet beetles, silverfish, moths, or mildew

Before you put clothes in storage, make sure they’ve been cleaned thoroughly; insects are attracted by dirt, especially from perspiration, food, and beverages. Storage areas should be clean, dry, free of insects and away from light, which can fade some colors (especially blues and greens) and promote hatching of insect eggs.

To wrap folded garment and to line dresser drawers, use white tissue paper or washed muslin. At least once a year, replace the tissue paper and wash the muslin.

Store clothing in places that have moderate temperature or humidity; avoid extremes, such as a hot attic or a damp basement. Garments made of natural fibers (cotton, wool, silk, and linen) need to breathe, store them in a well-ventilated area in containers with ventilation holes.

When you take your clothes out of storage, put them in the dryer for about 10 minutes on the air-only cycle (no heat). This will help get rid of wrinkles.

Mothballs and crystals won’t kill those moth eggs that are already present in clothing when it’s stored. Clean clothing thoroughly before you put it away.

Because mothballs and crystals emit a vapor which is heavier than air, suspend them in containers above clothing. Keep them away from children and pets (they are poisonous if eaten). Old stockings or socks make good bags for mothballs.

If you’re using moth crystals, sprinkle them on the adhesive side of masking tape and hang them up.

To dispel mothball odor, add a pomander or an herbal potpourri to the storage area. Either suspend it or pack it in a small sack. A very simple herbal is five or six bay leaves strung together.

To protect sorted clothing from moths, a cedar chest must be made of cedar heartwood at least 3/4 inch thick. It should also have felt gaskets to make it airtight. Although cedar will kill newly, hatched or young worms, it won’t kill eggs, half-grown worms, the pupae or chrysalises, or moths.

Handbags and Purses

To maintain the shape of your leather bags, stuff them with tissue or plastic bags. Then, to keep them from sticking together when you store them, place each in a flannel bag or a pillowcase.

To brighten a patent-leather bag, spray on a little glass cleaner, then wipe with a paper towel.

Keep the metal trim on your bag from tarnishing – apply a coat of clean nail polish over it.

Every now and then, it’s a good idea to clean and condition your leather purses. Wipe them them with a damp cloth and mild soap, or apply a colorless leather conditioner with a dry cloth.

How to Clean Toilets

Nasty rings in the toilet bowl are cause by hard water mineral deposits.

To remove those toilet bowl rings, you can use either full strength white vinegar, a commercial mineral deposit remover, or if the deposits are heavy a pumice stone, will do the job quickly.

*First, turn off the water supply to the toilet.

*Flush the toilet to remove most of the water.

*Soak some paper towels with full strength white vinegar and position these on the toilet bowl rings

*Let the towels sit for several hours. The mild acid in the vinegar will work to dissolve the mineral deposits.

*Scrub the ring with a green scrubbie or a nylon brush

If the vinegar does not do the trick, repeat the process with a commercial lime scale remover (you can purchase this at the grocery store)

If the vinegar or hard water lime scale remover it just not getting rid of the toilet bowl ring, you can use a pumice stone. Pumice is all natural volcanic rock that is a very good abrasive that gently dissolves as you use it.

We use pumice stones ourselves (at Mrs. Clean) but it’s a delicate process, and it must be done carefully to avoid scratching the porcelain surface of the toilet bowl. Lots of water, and gentle consistent pressure is the key here.

*You can purchase a pumice stone from the grocery store

*Moisten the pumice stone (oh come on, just dip it in the toilet water- You have gloves on right?)

*Rub the pumice stone on the toilet bowl ring, using gentle consistent pressure until it disappears.

*Keep the pumice stone wet, remoistening frequently

*Use a green scrubbie to finish up.

How to Clean And Organize Bedroom

*Remove things that you don’t need like old clothes, accessories, and other stuffs that can only be an eye sore. If you cannot decide what to remove, check those clothes that you have not used for the past 3 months. Most likely, you will use those for months or years to come.

*Have an organizer for your jewelries, hair accessories, underwear, socks, and other small things that you use everyday. You can have either a small drawer or a hanging organizer that you can hang behind the door of your cabinet. You can also have a closet organizer where you can put all your clothes, jewelries and accessories all in. Drawers with multiple chambers are great organizers of small accessories and jewelries.

You can also have slide out rack, turntable rack, or pullout laundry hamper setup in your closet.

*Make sure to keep it a habit putting your things back to its proper places. In this way, you won’t have a hard time looking for them when you need them and you won’t lose anything. Keep everything in place.

When buying bedsheet, comforter and pillow case, it’s best to have a theme. Don’t buy them individually, but as a set.

*Color your walls with light and cool colorslike baby blue, apple green, baby pink, peach, etc. This will make your room look bigger. It is important to have that effect so you can relax more. It is also important that the color of your room blendswith everything in it. This will also create the mood that you want your room to have.

*Add a touch of green. It would be nice to put a real plant inside your room for so many benefits. If you’re eyes are tired, it’s good if you have something green in your room where you can look at as this will soothe them. Also, plants can remove too much carbon dioxide in your room and provide oxygen. I also recommend to have eucalyptus plant to drive those insects out of your room.

*Clean your room regularly. It would be best to have a schedule set everyweek to do this.

*Do not buy things for your room that are really not that important. Sometimes, all you have to do is re-organize the way you place things in your room.

*Add a personal touch. If you have an artwork, awards, medals, or anything that you can be proud of, you can have them as an additional display. It will be your own personal art gallery. Just place them as organized and artistic as possible.

*Maximize your space. If you have limited space in your bedroom, try to maximize every angle and every space. Check out the different types of beds like wallbed, pull-out, double-decker, rollup or sofabed available in the market.

House Cleaning Tips

Clean a Mirror

You don’t have to buy glass cleaners and paper towels to clean your mirrors. Just some vinegar and an old newspaper is all you need to keep your mirrors shining as new. Your house will look cleaner if the mirrors are clean.

Rinse Your Plate

Cleaning plates is a tuff thing if its kept for some time un cleaned. I rinse my plate after dinner and have all my family members do the same and it makes washing plates so easy. It is a small and simple habit but makes a lot of trouble easier. I don’t like trying to wash dried food off of dishes, do you?

Cleaning the Oven

Does your oven get used every day? Someday if you’re not using your oven, give it a quick spray of oven cleaner and keep it like that till the next day. Before you turn on your oven the next day, give it a quick wipe down. The baked on stuff comes off much easier than ever.

Cleaning the Microwave

Cleaning a microwave is easy. Fill up a cup of water and put it in there on high for a few minutes. The steam from the cup will loosen any stuck-on food, and then you can just wipe it away. It’s that simple.

Cleaning the Fridge

A fridge looks big and cleaning it looks even bigger. Follow my steps and the work will be a bit easier. First toss out any bad food. Then start with wiping down the top shelves and work down. Baking soda and water make a great cleaner and won’t leave your fridge smelling like

harsh cleanser. After you wipe out the crispers, line them with paper towels for easier cleaning next time. Cleaning the fridge was never this easy.

Cleaning your Bathroom

You can use lemon oil to shine the tiles of your bathroom. Lemon oil will also prevent mold and mildew. Use a false teeth bubbling tablet to avoid rings. Sometimes the problem with shower is that hard water gets build up there. Fill a plastic bag with vinegar and place it over shower head to remove hard water buildup. You can use alcohol to shine bathroom faucets.

Toilet Hygiene

One of the most hated things to do but fortuitously, it can be done very fast if you follow the way I do, few steps to follow to get it done quickly. First pour some cleaner in the bowl to soak. Then wipe down the seat and outside of the bowl with an antibacterial wipe or spray cleaner. After that scrub the bowl with a toilet brush and finally wipe down everything again with a dry cloth to make it shine.

Bathtubs can be cleaned too EASILY

To clean bathtubs here are a few things that may help:

Use a cleanser that will foam or bubble. This allows you to “soak” your tub or shower,

even if it’s a vertical wall. Get a scrubber that fits your needs, a long-handled one or

an extra firm one, pick a scrubber that will be easiest for you to use.Moreover, spraying the tub or shower down after each use can make deep cleaning easier.

Carpet Sweeping

If you have a carpet sweeper or a cordless hand vacuum handy then your job gets easier. This way you don’t need to drag the big vacuum out every time your floor needs a quick clean-up.