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Latex Paints
Whether you have dirt or dust clogging up your paint job, all you need to do is mix a few drops of dish soap into warm water, soak and wring a sponge, and go. Be sure to wring the sponge to avoid long drips making their way down your walls and right into your electrical socket.

If you don’t want to use dish soap, two tablespoons of white vinegar to one gallon of water will also do the trick.

Warning: Never use a scrubby sponge, brillo pad or harsh cleaning solution, or you could risk ruining your paint job.

Oil-Based Paints
If your interior paint is oil-based and soap or vinegar just aren’t cutting it, you can safely use a mild degreaser"especially helpful on greasy kitchen walls. Just be sure to follow the instructions on your package carefully to avoid ruining your paint.

Again, avoid harsh scrubbing pads or other cleaners, or you may find yourself repainting, pronto.

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Here are four ideas to keep in mind when designing a home that embodies understated luxury.

Keep It Casual

Above all else, your living area should feel comfortable and functional rather than overly decorative.

Muted Tones

Shades of white and gray or natural earth tones are ideal for a low-key ambience.

Quality Materials

Casual luxury is often conveyed through the careful use of high-end materials that are always in style, like marble countertops or hand-planed wood floors.

Old Meets New

Old world craftsmanship will always be fashionable. But dont be afraid to juxtapose it with contemporary or modern furnishings.

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Expand cabinet space. If your under-sink cabinet is stuffed to the gills, invest in an over-the-door storage basket that can hold your hair dryer, curling iron, and more.

Use the corners. Suction cups keep a tower of small storage spaces"as many as you’d like"firmly tucked into a corner of the shower.

Narrow organizers fit anywhere. Three-tiered organizers less than 5 inches deep fit into any space, even between the wall and a sink with no vanity. Slim storage carts can hold your toilet paper and lots of other stuff.

Outlet shelf. This ingenious little “power perch” creates a shelf over your electrical outlet to keep shavers, electric toothbrushes, and more, stowed away from limited counter space.

Swing towel holder. No need for stacking towels. Swiveling racks can hold four or more towels and swing flush to the wall to save space.

Hang a tub caddy. This handy silicone pocket goes over the edge of the tub, holding all your bath essentials in one slim space.

Over-the-door towel holder. Hang one (or two) of these over the bathroom door to stow extra towels out of the way.

Standing toilet tissue caddy. With a shelf on top to hold reading material"or your cellphone if you want to keep it handy"these hold more than toilet tissue rolls.

Keep cosmetics out of sight. Install small plastic cubbies on the inside of your medicine cabinet door to hold lipsticks, nail polishes, and more, at the ready but out of sight.

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The money is usually invested in mutual funds, so parents dont have to keep a close eye on how theyre performing.

Because 529 plans have a much shorter time to grow than retirement accounts do, a severe market drop can affect how much money they have for college. For this and other reasons, its a good idea to set up a 529 wisely and keep an eye on it.

Conservative investments are one way to go, especially if all of your college money is in a 529. Most 529s offer age- and risk-based investments as the child grows, moving from stocks to more bonds as they get older, much as a retirement fund can. In addition, some 529 plans offer savings accounts insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Whatever returns a 529 plan gets, the best way to get the most out of it is to contribute to it regularly, such as through automatic deductions from a family checking account. Contributions arent deductible on federal taxes but many states offer a deduction on a state tax return.

Investment allocations can be changed twice a year, so be sure that the change youre considering is one you want to make.

Another way to save with a 529 plan is to use one of 13 prepaid tuition plans offered by 12 states and one not-for-profit organization. They allow participants to pre-purchase future tuition at a predetermined rate today.

The most widely offered 529 plans are college savings plans that typically use mutual funds to grow contributions that parents make to the plan.

If your child doesnt want to go to college, a 529 plans beneficiary can be changed to another family member to use for college.

If the money isnt used for educational purposes then the earnings, not the contributions, will be subject to income tax plus a 10 percent federal penalty. Some plans may also charge extra fees.

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If youre considering a safe room in your next home, these are the latest features you should know about…

These arent simply steel-lined closets behind trap doors, but rather, fully fortified luxury accommodations that can seamlessly blend in with the rest of a residence.

Safe rooms deliver peace of mind. Cutting-edge safe rooms can protect you from natural or manmade disasters while using alternative energy sources to keep your power on.

At the very least, a safe room will provide you with an ultra-secure space to store your valuables, like jewelry or artwork.

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When and How to Teach Kids to Do Chores
Start having your children complete chores when theyre toddlers. The earlier they learn that theyre expected to help out at home, the easier itll be to get them on board. A child whos expected to pitch in at a very young age will think its completely normal and be less likely to resist doing chores later.

Explain and demonstrate what you want your child to do. Make instructions as specific as possible. Then let the child try the task while you supervise and offer guidance. Dont expect it to be done perfectly the first few times. The goal should be to teach your child to contribute and to clearly communicate your expectations. Praise the child for each step thats done correctly. With time and practice, your child will become more skilled and confident.

If a child is assigned a chore, make it clear when you expect it to be done. Dont provide too many reminders, because thatll feel like micromanaging to your child. On the other hand, you shouldnt allow a child to put off doing a chore and then throw up your hands in frustration and do it yourself. Set clear expectations, and give your child the chance to get it done.

What Types of Chores Can Your Kids Do?
A preschooler can handle chores that have one or two steps, such as placing dirty clothes in a hamper, putting away toys or feeding a pet. Kids who are a little older can learn to make a bed, wash plastic dishes, help clear the table after meals and water plants. A first or second grader can help set the table, sweep the floor, sort laundry, and clean up his or her bedroom. A child a bit older can help by vacuuming, loading the dishwasher, putting away laundry, mopping the floor and helping with meal preparation. A child 10 or older can be responsible for washing and folding laundry, cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, and changing sheets.

Teach Your Kids to Pitch in
Chores can help kids learn responsibility and make them feel like theyre valued members of the family. The earlier you start assigning your children chores, the better. Dont assume that your kids are incapable of doing things. They may be able to do a lot more than you think if you provide clear instructions, demonstrations and praise. Choose age-appropriate chores for your kids, and let them gradually take on more responsibility as they get older.

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Minimize ‘phantom loads.’ The term ‘phantom load’ refers to the energy that an appliance or electronic device consumes when it is not actually turned on. According to theU.S. Department of Energy(DOE), some 75 percent of the electricity in an average home is used to power electronics while the products are off. A report from the University of California Berkeley says thatphantom loads account for about six percentof all residential electricity consumption. You can eliminate phantom loads by unplugging appliances and electronics when you are not using them or by plugging them into a power strip and turning the strip off when they are not in use.

Upgrade your appliances. When shopping for new appliances, look for the Environmental Protection Agencys Energy Star label. These appliances use less energy and water than their conventional counterparts. They may cost more than appliances without the Energy Star designation, but, in most cases, they will more than make up that additional cost through energy savings.

Change your lightbulbs. One of the least expensive and most effective changes you can make in your home is replacing your light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), which cost just a few dollars more and will save about $30 in energy costs over their lifetime. CFL bulbs use 75 percent less energy and last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Some people are concerned because CFLs contain mercury, but Energy Star says CFLs do not release any mercury when in use, and actually reduce mercury emissions because they lessen the need for electricity from power plants that emit mercury.

Install a programmable thermostat. These thermostats automatically adjust your homes temperature to your schedule, keeping it comfortable only when you need it to be. If you dont already adjust your thermostat throughout the day, a programmable thermostat could save you as much as 15 percent on heating and cooling costs.

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Tactile Textures and Bold Patterns

Ornate patterns or unique textures can provide an unexpected visual pop.

Sinks That Inspire

Go with an exciting design for the sink and vanity, like a stone vessel or a marble under-mount.

Creative Lighting

Decorative sconces or lavish pendant lights illuminate the room while contributing to the overall aesthetic.

Daring Color Schemes

If you choose to stay away from textures and patterns, a unique color palette can make a statement.

Look Up and Down

Bold choices on the ceiling and floor ensure your powder room is a showstopper from top to bottom.

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Install a “no-eat” policy. This may be hard for those of us who practically live out of our cars, but by not eating in your vehicle, you will naturally reduce the level of mess inside.

Add a trash bag. Hang a small bag in your car to place receipts and paper trash in. Empty the bag once a week.

Carry a cleaning kit. Keep a rag and bottle of all-purpose cleaner in your trunk to wipe down your dash and doors once a week.

Consider an “odds and ends” bin. Place a small plastic bin or box on the floor in your backseat for umbrellas, books heading to the library, that extra sweater, etc. By containing your necessary clutter, your space will appear cleaner.

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Getting that free money of 5 percent or even more on every purchase is easy, but there are some things you should pay attention to if you want to get the most rewards possible.

Register for Bonus Categories

To get the most out of a cash-back credit card, look for a card that gives bonus rewards on certain purchases.

While 1 percent cash back is common on all purchases, some cards offer a 4 percent bonus for a total of 5 percent for buying from certain types of merchants. These can include restaurants, travel, grocery stores, gas stations, airfare or hotels.

The categories may change every quarter, with airline purchases earning 5 percent back for three months, then changing to movie theatre purchases for the next three months, for example. The category may even have a cash back limit.

To get in on these bonus categories, some cards require you to opt in each quarter and manually select which category you want to earn money back on. Some credit cards make it as simple as registering your card online, logging in to your account and clicking a button.

Use the Right Card for Bonuses

If you have a few credit cards, it can be difficult to juggle them and remember which card has which bonus for the purchase youre making. With the bonus categories changing each quarter, it can be difficult to remember which card to use to get the most cash back from it.

Using a cash-back card that you thought had a bonus at gas stations but instead had a bonus at department stores can leave you with a lot less cash back than you thought youd be earning.

Avoid an Annual Fee and Interest

Paying an annual fee on a rewards card is normal, but be aware of how much more money youll have to spend to earn enough cash back or rewards points to make up the difference between the fee and what a no-fee card charges.

If a cash-back credit card has an annual fee of $75, for example, and pays 5 percent cash back for grocery store purchases, it would require spending $1,500 to get that $75 fee back. Thats a lot of groceries to buy before getting money in your pocket.

Another area where cash rewards can be eaten up is by card holders who dont pay off their balances in full each month or on time and pay interest on their credit card balance. People who pay interest each month are often charged a higher interest rate on their cash-back card than if they did the same thing on a credit card with no rewards.

If you regularly carry a balance on your credit card, look for a card with the lowest interest rate. Dont look for one with rewards.

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While no one wants to deal with a leak in their roof, many homeowners will face a problematic roofing situation at some point.

Here are the steps to take if you find a leak in your roof.

Contain the Damage

If you notice an area in your home that is leaking, address that spot immediately. Wipe up any excess water, move furniture or appliances out of the way and contain the leak with pots or pans to prevent a lot of excess damage.

Assess the Leak Location

Even a minor leak can cause serious damage to the building itself. If you are unable to make or schedule an immediate repair due to inclement weather, assess where the leak is located and temporarily seal it.

Call a Professional

While many areas of your home are easy to DIY, your roof is an important investment that is far better to opt for a professional. A skilled roofer can assess the initial damage and most cost-effective steps to prevent damage in the future.

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1. Do It First. If youre dreading it, do it first. Theres nothing worse than a lingering aura of dread over a task, so by tackling it head on, you eliminate both the project and the anxiety around it. The longer you wait, the worse youll likely feel. Plus, imagine your relief after completing the task.

2. Set Small Daily Goals. If its a larger task (like that big basement clean-out), set small daily goals to keep you on track. For instance, choose one small corner to clean every evening, working in 15-minute increments. After two weeks, the project will be off your shoulders and it will have felt like a smaller deal.

3. Ask for Accountability. An accountability partner is one of the best ways to slash procrastination and keep you on track"but choose carefully. You need to find someone not afraid to dole out a little tough love, and you need to be willing to accept it.

4. Remove Temptation. Do you know that social media or Netflix feeds your procrastination demon? Put your cellphone and remote control down and cut those things off completely until you can get your to-do list done.

5. Reward Yourself. Kids and dogs arent the only ones who love a treat for a trick! Choose an affordable, healthy reward, such as a massage or tickets to a play, to help keep you motivated to bump that item off your list. Or, if youve removed a few beloved temptations, simply adding them back in may seem reward enough.

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